The Mysterious Forest Visitors
(One-Shot)
Disclaimers: I don't own anything apart from some DVD's/books for this series.
AN: This is a short drabble prompt for "The Houses Competition" set in 'Marauders' Era' time. As I am old (ish), my views of them may vary from the young ones, including the fact that I am TeamCharlus/Dorea, have Sirius/James as distant relations through Black blood, as well as TeamTrans (as an ally). I do not accept any new stuff by Rowling.
House: Gryffindor
Class: Astronomy
Category: Drabble
Prompt(s): [Character] Hagrid
Word count: 780 according to AO3 (2 pages)
Summary: In which, Hagrid sees some unfamiliar animals in the Forbidden Forest.
Hagrid was known for many things, not the least of which was his fascination for animals. He was also uncommonly kind to various species, earning some amount of respect from aloof centaurs to even shy unicorns.
He spent a lot of time in the Forbidden Forest, observing the various animals within it. Any creature that was in need of some care or just wanted a treat quickly learned that Hagrid was their friend. It was not unusual to find an animal of some sort lurking in his hut when students came to call on him for tea. A flobberworm or a bowtruckle or just about anything imaginable could be found there at one time or another.
Hagrid was used to seeing some changes in the animal world of the Forbidden Forest. Just like his students who flitted through his life while at school, the animals would also move about. Sometimes, he would see the next generation rising up. Young foals frolicking about, with a shiny spot on their forehead where their horns would appear soon. New fledgling owls, some of which became the next set of owls for some students.
He was used to this. Change was a fact of life. It was fun meeting up with the first-year students, but it was just as sad to see them for the last time in their seventh year. The same could be said for all the animals Hagrid had encountered. Some he knew so well, that when their time came to an end, he could just feel that they were gone.
But then something unusual happened in the 1970's. Hagrid met four mischievous young boys, all of whom ended up in Gryffindor together. Oh, the shenanigans those four brats got up to! Hagrid didn't even have half a clue.
Towards the end of their school years, Hagrid started to see some strange creatures in the forest that were not native to the place. For the longest time, he thought there were only two of them.
One was a large black dog, which at first startled Hagrid, for this appeared to be the Grim. But as the days went on, Hagrid slowly relaxed as he realized he wasn't dying any time soon. Besides, a Grim's power could only work in a cemetery, not a forest.
The Grim was accompanied by a large stag. Red deer were prey animals, so it was rather strange to find one in a forest full of various carnivorous species that could eat it. Or perhaps ... no, could it be? Why, yes! That Grim dog following it around might be the one protecting it.
Hagrid had at first looked around for more deer. He knew they felt safer in herds, yet this one was alone except for that dog. After a few weeks of fruitless searching, he gave up on finding any more deer.
One day, he spotted the stag near the lake, having a drink. Hagrid sat still as stone on a fallen log, watching it. He had hoped that it would come over to greet him but the stag took one long, hard look at him before it stepped into the lake. Hagrid watched it swim away, the points of its long antlers causing V-lines in the dark water.
Looking around, he noticed the Grim nearby. In its mouth was a large grey rat. Hagrid got up to head for his hut. Clearly, the animals were feeding, or so he thought.
In the days that followed, Hagrid began to notice a third member of this unusual party. It was, in fact, the large rat that the Grim dog had been carrying in its mouth when Hagrid had once spotted the animals together by the lake. The rat seemed to handle being around two large animals just fine. It was as if the three of them were very close friends.
Now that was most unusual!
Despite his efforts, Hagrid could never get near any of these three weird animals. They knew he was there. They often looked at him, watching. Calculating? Plotting? Just staring dumbly like a deer-in-the-headlights stare? Tongue firmly in cheek for that pun. But they never came near him.
Hagrid left apples out for them which they would eat, but only after he backed away.
It went on for a few short years. The mysterious forest visitors would watch him, but never let him get too close.
Hagrid lost track of them around the same time the four Marauders came to say goodbye to him on their final day.
He never made the connection but at the same time, he could never stop thinking about either group for the rest of his life.