Chapter 3: Hagrid's strength and shopping compensation

A/N: Hey, I've gotten my first review and now I'm hungry for more. This chapter has some action and a few teasers about the plot in the future. Hopefully I'll update faster this time, but the chapter might be shorter. Enjoy!

Eveline had been living in the castle about a month and a half and she absolutely loved it. She loved taking walks through the quidditch field and then around the lake. She loved the morning sun casting purple light all over her room when she woke up. She loved her lessons and everything about the castle in general.

Dumbledore noticed that she was comfortable in the castle and decided to launch a plan of his into action. It would be good for Eveline to meet some exceptionally nice students before school actually started, just to give her a head start. The whole plan would begin with a visit to the Weasley house. I wonder if they would object to a grand 17th birthday party. After a qwick floo over to the Burrow Dumbledore found that, no, the Weasleys were the types of wizards that love grand parties. Now Dumbledore would have to find some Muggle clothes for a trip to the suburbs. Perfect, I can take Eveline to some shops and she can get some clothes she likes for under her robes and weekends and she'll be sure to be honest about the fit of the suit. Glee! There was nothing Dumbledore liked more than visiting Muggle shops and spending it since the rate of dollars to galleons was so high; so to Dumbledore, the Muggle world was like odd discount shopping.

It was at about noon when Eveline realized she could go into the Forbidden Forrest. I don't know why, but since it's called the Forbidden forest I always avoided it. But it would also be so interesting if I wandered around the outskirts. I don't think I'd encounter anything too dangerous, and if I did I could always change into a panther. What Eveline didn't know was that Hagrid was coming back to Hogwarts after visiting Madame Maxime. She set out on her walk the way she usually did, she walked through the quidditch field, looked into the herbology green houses and then she switched up her routine and went straight to the forest. It's so quiet in this forest, the air is completely still as well. It's relaxing, but I also can't help feeling nervous. As the school year draws near I'm getting progressively more antsy and unsettled. It's counter productive since when the kids get here I need to be relaxed, I need to talk to Dumbledore about meditation or a potion perhaps. Thank goodness I have lots of time to prepare myself for meeting classmates. I've never had classmates before, I'm so happy. But what if I mess it up?

However, Eveline didn't have that much time to prepare. At that time Dumbledore had planned the decorations for the joint seventeenth birthday party of Hermione, Ron, Harry and Eveline. Soon he would fetch Eveline and take her shopping, then visit Harry and the Grangers. Hopefully all the students would agree to spend time in the castle until classes started. Ginny Weasley had also been invited to stay because she had become close with the trio of friends and was the only other young Weasley that was attending Hogwarts. Albus had planned the party on the day all the Professors would be arriving at the school to prepare their lessons, Albus had done this because one teacher would be a special and pleasant surprise for Harry.

Meanwhile Eveline had transformed into a panther and was running at breakneck speed through the forest to release all her nervous energy. She sped by wolves, foxes and even thought she saw a unicorn. Little did she know that she was also speeding towards the path Hagrid was taking back to the castle.

Hagrid noticed the underbrush ahead of him moving, it took him only another second to realize something about 5 feet long and black was barreling towards him. A servant of Voldermort? He seems to be brainwashing animals recently to make them attack wizards that are enemies of his. I won't allow the forest to be inhabited by monsters like up north, especially when the poor kids are about to come! With that Hagrid swatted downwards and caught the beast between the shoulder blades.

Eveline tried to avoid the extremely large and scruffy man. I should have been paying attention to where I was running! I almost barreled into that behemoth. A second later she was dizzy, then a girl and then a girl on the forest floor.

" Crikey!" Hagrid exclaimed. " We've got to get this girl to Albus, Fang." He lugged the small girl across his shoulder and began to run. About ten minutes later he was bounding across the quidditch field towards Dumbledore.

Albus, I've made a terrible mistake, I must've clonked young Eveline across the back while she was a panther. She looked right suspicious, I swear."

"Don't worry Hagrid, lay her on the floor on her stomach, I'm pretty sure you merely knocked her unconscious." Albus examined her and then performed an awakening charm and Eveline was conscious again. She looked up at Hagrid and groaned " Ungh, did I knock into you? Did I hurt you and knock myself out?" Hagrid began to blubber " Miss Eveline I'm so sorry I'm afraid you missed me just in time but I mistook you for something else and gave you a crack on your back." Albus broke in at this point " Hagrid calm down, everything will be fine. But now Eveline, you must lie down and relax. I'm going to perform some charms to eliminate the pain and bruising." Five minutes later Eveline was in Dumbledore's office and was relaxing on a big chair.

After about fifteen minutes of staring at Eveline to make sure she was all right Dumbledore gently broke off her thoughts gently. " My dear, do you feel up to buying some Muggle clothes for yourself to put under your robes and help me acquire a suit?" Eveline looked over at Dumbledore and smiled.

" Sure, I feel fine now. But I want to know, why was Hagrid on such a high alert? And if he was, why did you say I could go into the forest?"

" Well, you could handle anything Hagrid would be worried about, you just can't handle Hagrid. Do you remember when I mentioned the mission aspect of you being able to enter the forest?"

"…Yeah" Eveline was wary about these new responsibilities.

" Well it seems our enemy, Voldermort, has discovered the ability to manipulate the will of animals. He can turn them into chaotic beasts and let them loose in areas that have many respected Muggle supporters. There have been suspicious attacks on a few wizards in isolated areas about 200 kilometers north of Hogwarts. I suspect that you can both help Hagrid rid the areas near here of these animals and also try and find some origin points of these animals since you, as an animagus, would not be affected by the spell."

" But sir, why would I be given that mission alone?"

" Oh dear dear, you won't be the only one assigned to these tasks. Hagrid and a centaur friend of mine will be our primary defense in the forbidden forest, Professor MacGonagal is a cat animagus and will also scout the country side for clues about suspicious spells on animals."

" Well, I guess we should go shopping now. I'll need a treat before taking this on."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he said " That's exactly what I was thinking my dear."

Eveline ended up finding some small shirts that had logos of various Muggle bands Eveline liked. She had heard songs by Led Zeppelin, Queen, The Police, David Bowie and a few others since one of the only decent radio stations she could listen to in the attic of the farm house was a classic rock station and an 80's retro station. She also got some colorful shirts that had 80's sayings and cartoons on them along with a corduroy jacket and 3 pairs of jeans. At the shop where Eveline had helped Dumbledore pick out a sensible gray suit with lightish blue shirt, dark blue tie with white moons and a pair of loafers. Eveline bought a long, purple shirt that had a textured bottom that made it swish around her ankles. She also got a nice lavender tank top with pink rose bead detailing and a nice lacey skirt amoung other, less fancy colorful tank tops. After getting trainers Eveline also got a big pair of black boots and various tights in unique and colorful patterns. Both Dumbledore and Eveline got a new set of robes since Evelines were tattered and Dumbledores were already too short. Dumbledore also got Eveline her first set of dress robes. They were rich purple velvet with an almost silver shade of lavender sheen when she walked in the light. At the hem was beadwork with white, black, silver and purple beads. Eveline had never felt more like a princess and had a nice before bed tea with Dumbledore and Hagrid in the Headmasters office and was actually looking forward to the school year.