Alexandra Weasley: Book 5

52

Alex followed after Hagrid the next time she saw him go into the forest. It was quite a long walk, so she announced her presence.

"So, is your brother why you always look hurt, lately?" She asked, matching his pace. He startled as he saw her.

"Where'd you come from?" He asked.

"I was following you since you came into the forest. But I'm bored. So you brought a giant to Hogwarts? That's pretty bold."

"How'd you find out about Grawp?"

"His name's Grawp? Cool. I, um... how did I find out about him. I... ssssaw him...?" She tried questioningly. Hagrid accepted the answer.

"It's dangerous out here." He grumbled. "You should head back to the school."

"No, I'm good. Besides, I spend more time out here than I do inside Hogwarts." She looked around. "Wait, why are we going this way? Isn't there another way to get to Grawp?"

"What's wrong with this way?" He asked.

"It's close to the centaurs. They're not that far from here."

"Centaurs keep to their own, and we keep to ours. They won't bother you unless you bother them."

"Maybe theoretically." She muttered. "Not so much practically."

They finally reached Grawp and Alex had to tilt her head back to take in the large creature.
"Wow." She breathed.

"Stay back. Grawp isn't very friendly with people he doesn't know." Hagrid told her. She gladly stayed back. She watched Hagrid approach his brother and call out to him. Grawp gazed curiously and she noticed he was tied up.

"Why is he tied up?" She asked.

"Grawp can get a little... excited." Hagrid told her. "He doesn't know the limits of this forest yet, and needs time to get used to it."

"But once he is, you'll untie him?" She pressed.

"Course." Hagrid agreed. Grawp reached up to a tree and with a single tug, pulled it out of the ground.

"Uh oh. Guess it's best he doesn't find his way to the dryads." Alex said. "Might end up killing them."

"Dryads? Where?" Hagrid asked.

"Pretty far from here. Near a place I call the glade." Grawp seemed to find the tree therapeutic to break.

"You best get out of here. You don't want to accidentally get hit when he starts throwing it around." Hagrid looked a little embarrassed and she nodded.

"Sure. Bye, Grawp!" She called. "Nice meeting you." Grawp let out a roar and she ducked away.

"You should probably keep your distance from the giant." Alex groaned facing Magorian.

"You." She glared. "Why are you always alone? Don't you have a herd?"

"I'm a scout. I check the perimeter and make sure our territory stays clear." Alex was clearly torn. She definitely wanted to ask questions, but Magorian was the last person she wanted to talk to.

"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" She said. He smiled smugly. "What makes you think my curiosity outweighs my hatred for you?"

"You're a very curious child."

"What? Did you divine that from the stars? It's weird how much they seem to be attuned to me."

"The first time we met, you knew more about centaurs than any average human child, despite not learning about it in classes. You spend more of your time in the forest than out. And I expect anyone bestowed with Ziegla Hammer's blessing has some degree more curiosity than the average person."

"How could you possibly know about that?"

"We grew up on the legends of Ziegla and when you cast her runes some years ago, you made your mark in the forest. I suppose all creatures knowledgable of the stories or familiar with her energy know of your blessing."

"Huh." Alex said. "Okay, fine. What other positions are in your herd?"

"Hunters, carers, teachers and scouts."

"Carers look after the herd?"

"Yes."

"And teachers teach you to read the stars?" He nodded.

"That's pretty cool." She admitted. "Why can't you let me hate you in peace?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Alex rolled her eyes as they reached the edge of the forest.

A few weeks later, Umbridge sacked Trelawney. It was rather harsh, to be honest. Trelawney wasn't cut out to be a divination teacher, to tell the truth, but Umbridge had tried to banish her. It was messy.

Then Dumbledore came and contradicted Umbridge and Alex smirked. The amusement didn't last for long. She stood next to Hermione as Dumbledore told Umbridge she wasn't needed. The grin was wiped off her face as she saw who the new teacher was.
"A centaur?" She groaned. "Hermione, tell me that is not a centaur."

"Sorry, but that is a centaur."

"This is Firenze." Dumbledore said, jovially. "I think you'll find him suitable."

"It's an actual centaur. Maybe the daily prophet's right. Maybe he's going senile. I mean, these past several years have totally shown that he is very bad at choosing teachers."

"Oh, relax."

"Hermione, last year my boyfriend died because he chose an imposter to teach us DADA. The year before, it was an honest to god werewolf who forgot to take his monthly medicine to keep his wolf dormant and almost mauled us to death. The year before, there was an idiot who wanted to leave my sister in a chamber of secrets because his entire CV was a lie. And let us not forget the gem that was Voldemort himself actually physically teaching us from the back of a man's head. And now we have a centaur."

"Okay, I admit. Previous years have been awful hiring choices, but look on the bright side. It could be worse."

"How?"

"It could be Magorian." Alex shuddered.

"Okay, fine. True."

A/N- I genuinely just love Magorian. He's too funny. Too bad Alex doesn't feel the same.

Favourite line is "It could be worse.... It could be Magorian."