Summary: Trevor may not have been the best pet, but he had his reasons. Letting go is always the hardest thing to do. He really does love his owner after all.

Rated: K

Genre: General; Friendship

Content Tag: Releasing a Pet


Be Free, My Friend

.oOo.

Dance with the waves, move with the sea. Let the rhythm of the water set your soul free.

~ Christy Ann Martine

.oOo.

It didn't take his owner long to find him lingering in the ladies restroom. Trevor took refuge in this particular bathroom because the room had plenty of puddles to splash in (for some reason) and catch a snooze in the cool waters, even with all the ruckus going on. When he saw Neville enter, he knew his owner had seen better days. Despite the toads' need to run away from the boy, it was more to entice him to seek some adventure. Trevor never truly wanted to get away from him, but he wasn't sure Neville knew this.

Giving a coarse croak, Trevor hopped from the shallow puddle on the floor and into his owner's opened hands. Neville held his bumpy, mouldy green body close despite him being wet. He even gave his head a light kiss. The toad croaked at the affection, and instead of hopping up onto the boy's shoulder, he stayed in the dirt and grim-stained hands as Neville carried him from the bathroom and down a corridor. The blonde girl with dreamy silver eyes followed closeby, Trevor quite liked this girl. He always made a point to seek her out on the train and perch himself on the seat beside her. She would talk to him and pat him on the head while he watched the scenery scroll by out the window.

The pair took him outside into the warm, late spring day. Trevor closed his eyes as he took in the sun rays touching his back, not caring much about where they went. Neville had stopped suddenly and Trevor croaked in a questionable manner, seeing that they were now on the bank of the Black Lake. He could hear the tasty bees buzzing about the wildflowers laden around the water's edges, and the swirling ripples that broke the surface of the lake from the fish looked refreshing to leap right into.

Neville and the blonde girl knelt in the mud of the bank, the water sloshing against their shoes. His owner gave Trevor a gentle pat on the head and another kiss. Such affection wasn't usually given to him unless the boy had found him after several hours, so it was an appropriate gesture, until Neville spoke to him.

"I think you would do better without me, Trevor."

The toad listened, turning his body to look at his owner. His throat twitched some as the boy lowered his hands toward the murky blue-green water, holding him out to invite him to jump in.

"Be safe, my friend."

Trevor didn't want to leave, he was a pet, a companion. The times he ran away were to help his owner build confidence, not to show he didn't want to be there. He felt what he thought was rain hit him on the head then. With a quick adjustment, Trevor saw they were tears dripping off Neville's chin, and it confused the toad. He gave a gentle croak, refusing to hop out of the dirty hands that held him.

"You'll be fine here, Trevor. It will make a great new home," the girl next to him said. "Neville wants you to be happy."

Trevor eyed them both warily, turning in the boys hands to give another croak. The girl gave him a pat on the head before resting it on Nevilles arm.

"I promise to visit you."

He watched the weeping boy for a moment longer, but he knew that Neville wanted him to go. With a final croak, the toad turned and made a powerful leap from his hands, landing into the icy cool blue-green waters with a splash. Trevor swum close to the bank a moment before poking his head out to watch the two grasp hands and walk back to the castle ruins.

There was a lovely rock area he found not far from the muddied bank. The thick vegetation offered a delectable source of insects to eat, as well as shade and protection. Trevor perched himself on a moss-covered stone, blending his mouldy greenish brown body into it while he bathed in the afternoon glow of sunlight. The creek nearby that cascaded small trickles of waterfalls into the water below was soothing, even to the ears of a toad.

Trevor let out a cheerful croak, he knew he would see Neville again, but he was happy to be a part of nature again.


Originally Written For:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)

Word Count: 750

Originally Written: June 2018