Chapter 21 – Interestin' Creatures
By the end of September, there was a nip in the air. This actually made the morning run easier, as it kept everyone cooler. Even on wet mornings, there were at least three hundred runners. On pleasant dry mornings, the numbers swelled to virtually the entire DA, which stabilized at just about 800 members: virtually all of the other three houses and just under 30 Slytherins. They worked very hard, and while progress was slower per meeting than the year before, it was substantial and all the more remarkable for the number of people involved and the youth of many of them. Still everyone found it fun because they could see their progress, their new skills, and their new camaraderie. Whenever a student became discouraged with a new spell, if the encouragement of the others didn't help her through, Harry was able to pick up her spirits with a quick story and then showed her just how to make the spell work.
The biggest problem was that with so many novices trying new spells out on each other, there was a fairly high rate of accidents. Most times the team leaders could reverse jumbled spells, or if not them, Hermione or Harry knew what to do. However, it seemed like no less than ten students per DA session would find themselves at the Hospital Wing with either hexes that could not be readily undone or physical injuries requiring attention. After each advanced session, Harry would come up to see that everyone was alright, and Madame Pomfrey would scowl at him as if he had done all this as a prank or to make her life harder.
On the first Friday of October at the Care of Magical Creatures class, while the class was learning to tend murtlaps and harvest the growths for making extract, Hagrid asked Harry, Hermione and Ron to come over the next day for tea. He said it was nothing special, just that they hadn't had a chance to talk much in quite a while.
After quidditch practice, Harry showered and had lunch with the team. He got most of his homework done in the dorm common room while Ron and Hermione tried to work while quibbling with each other. Harry's essays were still shorter then Hermione's, but they got more quickly to the point, hit the critical points, and summed them up more succinctly, so that he was getting the same high marks she always had been. Then they went to the gym for a workout before heading down to Hagrid's. When Ron and Harry emerged from the shower room, they found Hermione waiting for them with Luna Lovegood.
"Luna was just finishing her workout, too. I invited her to come down to Hagrid's with us. You don't mind, do you?" said Hermione.
Harry and Ron looked at each other and shrugged. Luna had never to their knowledge visited with Hagrid, and they had heard that Ravenclaw did not too much respect him. Nonetheless Luna was nothing if not open-minded, so they agreed.
With a mischievous grin, Ron added, "I only hope Hagrid will have enough of his tea biscuits to go around."
When they arrived and knocked, they heard Hagrid's boarhound Fang barking madly. Hagrid opened the door wearing an apron that would have made a nice tent for a normal-sized person. Fang slobbered on all of them and then came to Luna. She seemed a bit apprehensive as he sniffed around her, but then he put his big paws on her and licked her all about the face and she giggled maniacally.
"Hagrid," said Hermione, as Hagrid tended the biscuits which he had just taken from the oven, "of course, we know you know Luna from classes, but she's become a friend of ours and hoped that she would be welcome to visit with us as well."
"Well, of course. Any friend of this lot's a friend of mine," said Hagrid pleasantly. "So tell me about this Defense Association you've been up to. It was kept from me last year – seems some folks didn't think I could keep a secret."
They told him all about what happened last year, and how it was turning out this year, and their fitness and training program, and their OWLs and Harry's DAtDA NEWT.
"And yeh had no idear, Harry?" asked Hagrid.
"No. Dumbledore said he was afraid I might have guessed when I was asked to produce a Patronus. That was the only part of the NEWT test that couldn't be hidden from Umbridge (Hagrid growled like a feral beast at the name), so the examiner called it a bonus question at the end. I had no clue since I didn't know what was on the NEWT test – it did seem pretty rigorous, though. It was a lot harder than the Charms exam."
"Well, Dumbledore's been saying the school needs to be unified, and you lot are making that happen like nothing else could."
"Yeah," said Ron, "Us, and a big dose of terror."
"Luna," said Hermione, "I forgot to ask how your trip to Scandinavia with your father went."
"Well," she said airily, "we didn't find any crumple-horned snorkacks because our camp was disrupted by a graphorn."
"Hmm," said Hagrid, "I've never heard of a snorkack."
"Or a graphorn," added Hermione.
Hagrid looked at her like she was quite foolish. "Well, of course there are graphorns. One disrupted her camp."
"Oh, Hagrid, it's not as if she actually saw it - it was probably just a herd of reindeer or such," said Hermione self-assuredly.
"No, we saw it, Hermione," said Luna, "although it was dark, since they generally forage at night"
"I'm sure," replied Hermione.
"It was like an enormous ox or American bison, 9 or 10 feet tall at the shoulder and at least fifteen feet long, with straight conical horns to each side from its head that stood out at least six feet. And its eyes glowed, like it had headlights. Dad and I tried stunning it, but the spells bounced right off."
Hagrid nodded sagely. "Yeh, that's a graphorn all right. I haven't seen one in twenty years, but ya don't quick forget 'em. Hard to control too – the only way I've seen one brought down is by ten wizards hitting them with stunners at the same time."
"This one was very disruptive and unpleasant. Rather like what you hear rhinoceroses can be," said Luna.
"That's a graphorn for you, quite an innerestin' creature. They're nearsighted, so they can't see all that well, but their eyes shine light – that gets 'em around the crags of the mountain slopes they live on so they can get around even at night – but they can only see a few steps ahead of the'selves even then. Sometimes trolls will try to tame 'em to ride, but the graphorns are strong and unwilling, so usually the trolls just end up getting gored by those horns. You can't really tame 'em," said Hagrid.
"So how did you do on them, Hagrid?" asked Ron.
"Well, y'know it was fun for awhile, but … Hey! I didn't tell you I'd ridden one – how'd you guess?"
They all laughed.
"Because we know you, Hagrid," said Ron. "Besides I reckon you'd stand a good chance – you're as strong as a troll and twice as smart."
"You cheeky little monkey – even me brother's more'n twice as smart as trolls," laughed Hagrid. "And that reminds me, I want you to come and meet him, too, Ron."
"Yeah, Ron, I think you should get to know him – he's practically family," laughed Hermione.
"Well, I need you to visit him, too, Hermione. He keeps asking about you," said Hagrid.
Hermione blanched. Harry laughed. "We'd better explain to Luna. This is a big secret, in more ways than one. Luna, you already know Hagrid is half-giant. Well, last year he found out he has a half-brother – a full-blood giant. Hagrid's been trying to civilize him. Where've you got him now, Hagrid?"
"Oh, the Acromantulas told me about a nice cave rather out of their range. He's real comfortable there. He keeps his own campfire, catches his own meat. I bring him vegetables and cookies – he's fond of my baking." Hagrid said proudly. "With a home he likes, he's pretty easy to get along with, for a giant. And they like living alone mostly anyway. But he's sad you haven't visited him, Hermione."
"Oh, well, I, meant to, but, uh, so busy, erm,…"
"May I come, too?" asked Luna.
Hagrid beamed as Harry asked, "You want to meet a giant?"
"Sure why not. He'd be easier to deal with than the graphorn. It sounds like he isn't totally beyond reason."
"Sure," said Hagrid. "I'll let you know when we can all do it. It's a little too close to dark now."
"Hagrid," said Luna, "maybe you have some idea what Fudge would want with graphorns."
""Well, their coats repel spells if you can kill 'em and skin 'em. But it takes the hardest of goblin blades to cut the hides."
"No, I mean live ones. The Quibbler had an article last year about Fudge bringing in live graphorns to a private underground facility, not too far from Diagon Alley. He was supposed to have been doing it for quite some time. That's one of the reasons I was so surprised to even find one. They were pretty rare anyway, and with Fudge removing them from the wild, they must be even rarer."
"You know, as articles in The Quibbler go, that's pretty sane," said Hermione, while Luna glared at her. "Oh, you must recognize that some are pretty wild. But I could see reasons for importing a creature like that – you could breed tame ones to raise for the hides and sell as spell-proof coats."
"Yeah," said Ron, "but that's more like something the twins would do. Fudge isn't into business. He wants power. Reckon he could make a tame version he could use as a battle animal, like muggles used to do with elephants?"
"You two er really thinkin' now. My vote's for cross-breeding to come up with something big and dangerous, maybe something that could help night attacks, since they come with their own lights," said Hagrid.
"You know," said Harry, "if Fudge is actually doing this and it's a secret, I don't think it can be good. I don't reckon he trusts Dumbledore even yet."
"This is marvelous," enthused Luna. "I never get this much discussion on things from The Quibbler at the Ravenclaw dorm."
"Well, we've learned there're some things you can't put past some people," said Harry.
"If this is somethin' we'll have to deal with, maybe I should see about getting' one for class," said Hagrid.
"Oh, great, you lot had to give him that idea," muttered Ron.
"Hagrid," said Harry, "there's something else you might be able to help with. Last year we were working on patronuses, and several of the members of the DA learned to cast the spell, but I'm still worried. It's a lot harder to do when you're under attack than when you're in a safe room. Even last summer when two dementors attacked my cousin and me, I had to try several times to get mine to work, and I had done it before under pressure. I practiced against a boggart, because that was the form boggarts took for me, but that won't work for the others. And with the dementors having gone over to Voldemort, it's not as if they're available. Do you know of some way we can practice where someone would really be under pressure to produce the patronus?"
Hagrid furrowed his brow at Harry and peered intently. It was a full fifteen seconds before he replied. "If it was anybody else askin' but you er Dumbledore… Yeah, I know what you need. But I'd hate to actually go about getting one."
"What are they – are they that bad?"
"They're called lethifolds. They're like a huge black amoeba that moves along the ground. They cover their victims and then absorb 'em entirely – not so much as a toenail or drop of blood left. Then they glide on, looking for another victim. Some say they're related to dementors - perhaps dementors are a cross-breed of some sort. The only spell known to beat either of 'em is the patronus. That's why I'm so scared of 'em. I can grapple with most any creature, but I can't make a Patronus. All I can do around a lethifold is run."
The others listened with growing horror as Hagrid described lethifolds.
Ron was the first to speak. "Let me understand this – you say that Acromantulas are interesting creatures, right?"
"Quite delightful, actually."
"And dragons"
"They're fine – cute, really."
"Graphorns?"
"Interestin' - a great challenge."
"Nundus? Erumpents? Sphinxes? Manticores?"
"They're all very interestin'"
"Lethifolds?"
"They scare me silly!"
Harry clapped his hands on his knees happily. "That's just the thing we need! How do we get one?"
Hermione glared at him as if he was asking her to date Grawp. "Harry, a creature that scares Hagrid silly and you want us all to take it on?"
"Not all of you together. I picture you in a pit of some sort: just you, your wand, and the lethifold."
"YOU ARE INSANE," said Hermione, Ron and Luna together.
"Maybe, but listen. You don't want to wait until you really need a patronus to find out if you can do it under pressure. Voldemort has dementors and he will find ways to use them. You didn't like last year being taught only defensive theory – you wanted to know you could use spells when you had to. Well, a patronus is only theory until you can conjure it when your life depends on it. Happy thoughts are easy when you're safe. They aren't so easy when you're terrified. We wouldn't just leave you in a pit like that alone. I would be there to use my patronus if you were unable to produce yours under those conditions."
"It makes sense, Harry," said Hermione, "but we don't have to like it: those lethifolds are really awful-sounding."
"Remember when we were attacked by dementors, Hermione?" asked Harry. "You have to be THAT scared and still produce a patronus."
"Let me tell you, Hermione," said Hagrid, "I didn't make 'em sound scary enough. I was in Africa collecting some creatures, and I had started first with getting' some streelers, for to protect the gardens and greenhouses here from Horklumps. Well I had several in cages and was just getting up in the mornin' when I saw that one of 'em had half disappeared. I took a closer look and found that it was being enveloped by a lethifold. I tried to get it off, but then it tried to climb onto me. I shook it off immediately but m'hand was totally numb, like it had been in icewater. I grabbed all the other cages and got away. When it left that first cage there was nothing left o' that streeler – not even the shell. Soon as it left, I picked up camp and moved a good way away in the opposite direction."
Hermione shuddered. "That's awful. How would you even be able to get one and control it?"
"There's ways to get most anythin'. As for controllin' one, the only way to contain 'em is in an airtight glass box magically sealed. They are totally silent and stealthy and they only eat live prey. But I'll say this: Harry's right. The only way to know if you can work under pressure is to apply pressure. You've got to be genuinely scared. If a lethifold don't scare you, nothin' will. I'll do it, Harry, on two conditions. First, I want Professor Dumbledore's full knowledge and approval. Second, I want another wizard besides you who has used a patronus against a dementor present anytime the cage is opened. I know you're good, but I won't play a part in it unless there are two wizards ready to protect these kids. And you know I can't do it - I never got no magical training to that level. Okay?"
"Fair enough, Hagrid," said Harry. "I'll talk to Dumbledore tonight if he's available."
They continued to talk, drink herb tea and pick at their rock-hard biscuits. When it was time to go, Hagrid asked if they would like to take any more of the biscuits with them. Ron spoke up quickest. "Oh, none for us Gryffindors, Hermione's mum sent us some treats. But Luna was just saying when you were making the last pot of tea how much she'd like to have a few extra."
Luna's eyes bugged out at him more than usual, but she politely kept quiet.
"Oh, well, I'd be happy to make up a box for you, Luna. I'm so glad you enjoy my baking. These three never seem to have an appetite when they come out here. There you go – an even dozen fer to grow on. Now I don't want you to be a stranger. You don't have to wait fer these three to show up. We both seem to like interestin' creatures, y'know?"
They all thanked Hagrid and said good-bye. Luna carried the box of biscuits like she were carrying a full ten-gallon bucket.
"Ron, I ought to be mad at you," said Luna, laughing, "but these will be so funny back at the dorm that I can't be."
She set the box down and took out her wand. "Wingardium Leviosa" and with a wave of her wand they followed behind her.
"Careful when you get to the castle with those," said Harry. "Filch will have you in detention for sure if you break the walls or the floor with them."
"You know," said Luna, "Hagrid still seems rather odd, though some people don't think that's a criticism I can make. But he is very nice and it's hard not to like someone who loves his friends and creatures so much."
