Chapter 12 - 5th Year Project
After recounting to Dumbledore what she had discovered during her trip, and finally getting warm. She explained the seriousness of the problem that they faced, that Voldimort seemed to have knowledge of things he should not, which was very bad news indeed. It was bad enough that he had sympathisers in the magic realm, let alone anywhere else.
Araya headed down to class. She was hopeful that no more surprises would come her way, at least not today. Sometimes, she hated being right. This point she'd rather hoped that she'd been wrong.
On her way to the grounds, Snape crossed her path. "Severus, I'd like to apologize again for this morning. It was in poor judgement."
"Yes, well." Snape said, without his usual bitterness, "What can be expected from..." she raised a brow, silently challengingly him to say it, "-your father's people. It's in your nature."
Araya looked amused. Snape's insult was to her a compliment. It took a lot of skill to manipulate a person like that and in truth she was just learning. Perhaps he wasn't as bad as she first thought.
"I have reconsidered your request." Snape continued, "If we finish early, I'll send them up to you."
"Not that I want to jinx my good fortune," she said, shocked, "But what brought about this change of heart? As it is widely believed you had that pesky thing removed."
"In the unlikely event that I should finish early, I'd rather they work and learn than start their weekend early." Snape said coldly, but Araya couldn't help smiling. Snape looked down his nose at her.
"I thank you for you magnanimity. I'm sure they'll hate you for it." Araya replied, with a wink. "But we must be going to class. I would hate for them to have a free moment." Araya arrived just before classes changed. She wondered how long Snape would give her the others for. He'd said 15 minutes earlier, she planned under that premise.
The Gryffindors and Slytherins arrived early. Araya thought word of her project's assignment to each year had gotten out. Then decided that the look was more out of curiosity. For they hadn't had this class in a week, that was reason to be curious in itself.
"Hi all." she greeted, "I'm still getting used to it out here. It's a little bright. Anyway, um - I was going to give a talk on Shimle" The class gathered around for the lecture. It wasn't hard. But then That wasn't the true lesson of this class anyway. Araya continued to discuss the preferred pet of leprechauns until she saw the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuffs coming down the stairs, confused but relieved.
"I have a special project planned for you." she announced, "Could I have you all come with me. Wonderful." she said as the other two houses joined them. Whisper circled around the now very large group of 5th year students. "All right, pull in so you can all hear me. Those who don't take Care of Magical Creatures, please move off to the side and sit quietly." she stopped in front of a pen of adorable, black, fuzzy creatures, and one snow white one. All the girls, and some boys, oohed at them, "Please, its hard enough talking over the quiet." The combined classes went silent, afraid they might lose this treat. "Thank you, these are Furves, a very rare, loyal creature." she picked the largest one up. It was about the size of a badger, with long black claws and golden eyes. It turned and looked at Araya and liked her face. "Please move into groups of three or four. Furves make wonderful protectors."
"That fluff ball?" Malfoy sneered, "What does it do, lick the enemy to death?"
"No, actually." Araya set the Furve down and opened the gate to the pen, but none of the others came out. "Its lick has healing properties. You may have noticed its claws." The large Furve began to walk among the groups, sniffing. "They are very sharp. That one which was sniffing Neville's robe is Midnight, an adult and father to all of these little ones."
Malfoy sneer, "Kind of like the Weasley family than aren't they?" His regular gang of thugs chuckled. This encouraged Malfoy to continue, louder this time. "Wow, look a family that's actually bigger than the Weasley family." Then to Ron, "Should get along with you, Weasley there just fine now, shouldn't they." Some of the joined class laughed, Ron simmered with anger. Hermione placed a calming hand on his arm.
"Last I checked, this was my class, and I was speaking." Araya cast Malfoy a look of superiority, which quieted him and his group. Araya continued, "Each group will be getting a Furve to take care of. Midnight will do the sorting, as he wants to protect his babies." Every so often, Midnight would go back to the pen, pick one of the others up and bring them to the group he'd been at. Araya kept talking about the care of these little critters, Midnight would hiss every time one of the younger Furves tried to leave the pen without him.
"Professor?" Ron asked, "Why is that one white?"
"She is an extremely special one. She's an albino. Albino Furves are even more magical. Better healing, faster, they also have the ability to throw more spells to protect themselves and their wizard/witch or family when in trouble." Araya said, smiling. "While the black ones can only throw stun or healing spells through their call or a blocking/shield the Albino aren't limited like that."
"Well, that's the one I want." Malfoy said and moved forward to try to grab it. Midnight hissed, then ran back to the pen, teeth (extremely long and sharp considering the outside appearance), bared at Malfoy. Malfoy pushed at an unseen barrier.
"I remind you all, Furves choose their wizard. Wizards do not choose the Furves. You will find you cannot make them yours. They are intelligent and have to accept you and bond to you."
"Are they so rare because all the females are white?" Lavender Brown asked. Midnight presented her group with a little Furve. Pavarti took the little Furve from Midnight, smiling at them both.
"No. The easiest way to tell is to look at the claws. If they are silver, the Furve is a female; if they are black the Furve is a male." Everyone looked suddenly at the feet of the Furves. Araya smiled. "There are other differences too. Like the females have shorter tails, and pointed ears; while the males have rounded ears." The albino peaked out of the pen, then moved back, "Your assignment is to raise the Furves until Hagrid's return after the Christmas break. I will expect a written report and log of what you've done. You will be expected to feed them, walk them, the works." The white one moved a little farther out of the pen, then darted back in. "In the mornings before class, you'll bring the Furves back out here to me, for Midnight. You do have permission for them to be in the castle but you are responsible for them. Understood?" The class nodded. The Albino crept out of the pen and moved toward the class. Midnight called to her and charged over, pushing her back into the penned area.
"Why, if they're such a good pet, aren't there more of them?" Dean asked.
"Remember, they choose their wizard/witch/human. I don't want to say owner or master because if you approach it like that, your Furve will distrust you and not work with you. Think of your Furve as part of your group." Araya said. The albino moved out of the pen again. Midnight rushed over, but this time the little one called back. She stopped and Midnight went over to sniff the robes of Harry, Ron, Dean, and Neville. Midnight went back to the little albino and walked over with her to Neville. "Looks like she likes you. As I said, they choose you."
Araya continued to give information on the care of Furves while Midnight selected protectors for his young. All groups, even Malfoy, were given one, and none of the students noticed that classes had been over for at least fifteen minutes.
"Have a good weekend. If you have any questions or problems, come see me."
"Professor Araya?" Neville called, being licked by the little albino, "Do they have names?"
"If you want to give them names." she smiled, "Make sure they're ones they like. Every group has one? Good. Have fun."
That weekend Araya was bombarded with questions. In addition to the fifth years project she'd also given the sixth and seventh years a take home assignment, and the third and fourth years had to come daily to help with their class projects.
Many of the younger students were extremely jealous of their older housemates. Harry, Ron and Hermione named theirs Blue, as theirs had the bluest eyes. The albino Furve that joined Neville, Dean and Seamus was named Snowball.
Hermione spent most of Friday and Saturday in the library reading up on Furves. Crookshanks liked the little fluff-balls. Even Trevor, Neville's toad, took a liking to Snowball. Snowball insisted on sleeping with her group, and often with Neville. Blue would also sleep in the boys' dorm.
After several long sessions in the library, Hermione came back with some fascinating facts. "I read that the Furves share territory with dragons, and that's why they're so rare." she told them, petting Blue and Crookshanks. "In fact, I read that two adults can bring down a dragon."