Lily Potter and the Potions Professor

AN: So here is another long-ish chapter. I hope you like it. I'd also just like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been reading, reviewing, alerting and favouriting. It keeps me writing. ^_^

Chapter 9: An Orphan

Lily was very woeful after her encounter with Malfoy on the night that she had returned his potions book. She still wasn't over the rejection she'd felt that night when he told her to go away. She could hardly bare to think about it.

She decided that she would pay Hagrid a visit in order to get her mind off things. So as soon as her last class of the day, History of Magic which seemed to be going even longer than usual, finished she headed straight to Hagrid's. It was mid-December and by the time Lily reached the front doors the sun was already low in the sky. The chilly wind bit at her ears and nose as she wrapped a brightly coloured scarf, knitted by her grandmother, around her neck and pulled the hood of her cloak up over her head. Her feet sloshed across the wet grass that was still harbouring the odd pile of half-melted snow which had turned an awful murky colour due to mixing with the mud. The sight of Hagrid's lit up house was very welcoming, especially because it had a large amount of wispy smoke issuing from the chimney. When Lily finally made it there she was shivering quite a bit.

"Coming!" she heard Hagrid bellow from the other side of the door after she'd knocked on it.

She heard a bit of scuffling around before the door opened.

"Lily!" Hagrid cried out at the sight of her standing in his doorway with the bottom half of her cloak and robes soaking wet. "What're doin' out on this dreadful evenin'?"

"C-can I come in H-Hagrid?" she stammered through chattering teeth.

"Oh, of course," said Hagrid suddenly opening the door wider and stepping aside to let her in. He closed the door behind her as soon as she'd passed him.

"Yer shouldn't be out in this type o' weather, yer'll catch yer death" said Hagrid in a you-should-know-better tone, although he did look very happy to see her.

"Don't worry about me Hagrid," said Lily confidently as she whipped out her wand and, muttering a charm, pointed it at the bottom of her robes. Hot air came blasting out of it and in a couple of minutes she was completely dry. "There, that's better."

"Now that's a useful spell," said Hagrid cheerfully as he busied himself with the kettle.

"How're things going? Any news?" Lily asked as she eyed a small heap in the corner, covered by a tattered blanket, it rose and fell at regular intervals as though it were breathing.

Hagrid noticed this and smiled guiltily. He was always entertaining some new creature, legal or otherwise, in his house and Lily was always keen to know what it was. Unlike her father or brothers who would've probably scolded Hagrid for keeping a dangerous pet, Lily would often congratulate him on the fact and spend hours doting over the new arrival.

"C'mon Hagrid, what is it?" she said unable to hide a giggle.

"Well, since yer asked," said Hagrid who hurried over to the blanket and gently pulled it off.

The sight below was so cute that Lily gasped and tears glossed her blue eyes causing them to sparkle with joy.

"It's an orphan," said Hagrid kindly as he looked down at the sleeping creature and tears formed in his own eyes.

Lily frowned slightly as she thought about it. "Hagrid, why did you have it hidden?" she asked.

"Well, I wasn't sure who was at the door and I know some people think that yer shouldn't keep 'em as pets, thinks it's cruel 'cause they've got such a free spirit," Hagrid explained. "I didn't know what else to do with 'im. I found 'im wanderin' around the edge o' the forest all lost in the snow. Unicorns never leave their young alone like that; he must be an orphan."

Lily looked back at the tiny golden unicorn sleeping soundly in amongst a pile of old blankets and cushions.

Hagrid was watching Lily nervously as though waiting for her reaction.

"Well, what's his name?" asked Lily finally and Hagrid breathed a sigh of relief at her approval.

"He hasn't got one yet," admitted Hagrid. "I only found 'im this afternoon."

"Oh can I name him Hagrid? Can I please," said Lily emphasizing the last word.

"Sure," said Hagrid before adding; "But none o' that Muggle nonsense like yer called that poor toad o' yours, he needs a good old-fashioned pet name."

"Oh alright," said Lily a little defeated and then with a glint in her eye; "How about Fido?"

When Hagrid's face lit up like a Christmas tree Lily automatically wished she hadn't made the joke.

"That's perfect, Fido it is!" boomed Hagrid clapping her heartily on the back.

The sound of both his voice and of his hand upon Lily's back, which knocked the wind out of her, caused the baby unicorn to stir before curling into a tighter ball and sleeping on.

"Better be a bit more quiet," observed Hagrid in a whisper. "The poor little thing's exhausted."

Once Lily had regained her breath she peered around the room and spotted what she was looking for; the large bucket containing the squid.

"Can I see how the squid are getting along?" she asked her gigantic friend who was still watching Fido with a smile of his face.

"Yeah, come on over," he answered as he strode over to the bucket.

As Lily approached it she noticed a strange fluorescent light emanating from within. When she reached the bucket and looked inside she was mesmerised but the sight before her. There were still ten squids swimming around but they had all grown to about 8 inches in length and were glowing brightly in an array of colours that reminded her of mother of pearl only even more beautiful. To add to it they were all gracefully swimming back and forth in an almost hypnotic rhythm.

Hagrid smiled as he watched her stare in amazement at the stunning creatures.

"They're so beautiful," she finally gasped.

"It'll be sad to set 'em free," stated Hagrid, nodding.

"When will you do it?" asked Lily tearing her eyes away from them.

"I think I'll wait until the spring," said Hagrid thoughtfully. "By that time they should be large enough and the lake won't be so freezin'."

Lily nodded in agreement but reflected that it would be a quite a shame to have their beauty concealed by the murky lake. She pulled herself from these thoughts and looked outside. It was very dark now even though it wasn't that late.

"I guess I should be going now," she said to Hagrid.

He looked out the window and agreed, walking her to the door.

"Don't set them free without me Hagrid, I want to be there when you do it," she said to him just in case he decided to do it earlier although she suspected that he would be very reluctant come spring.

"I won't," he promised.

She flashed him a smile before lighting her wand and dashing off across the black grounds towards the glowing castle of Hogwarts.

Lily was feeling a lot more cheerful by the time she made it back to the castle doors. She was once again soaking wet as the wind had been blowing a fine mist of sleet onto her while she'd made her dash from Hagrid's. Using the same charm she'd used before she dried herself off but still felt quite cold. She decided to get some hot food into her to warm herself up and headed towards the Great Hall. She'd almost made it to the doorway when she heard hurried footsteps on the stone floor. She turned around just in time to see the white blonde head and black robes of her Potions Professor ducking through the door leading to the dungeons. Suddenly dispirited by his evasion of her Lily turned away from the welcoming smells drifting out of the Great Hall and started her ascent to Gryffindor Tower with a heavy heart and an empty stomach.

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