The Herbology Assistant

Chapter Twenty Four

Clarice had just stepped out from her bedroom wearing a baby blue summer dress and brown oxfords while braiding her hair. She plucked her glasses off from the kitchen table and stuck them on her face. 

"Better?" She asked Severus who then looked up from a book he was checking out. 

"Much. Now who's this person you know?" He asked her. 

"His name is Amari. He has a rescue farm of magical creatures. I help him out as much as I can as he used to help me out when my mother and I would rescue an injured creature. Really nice man." She said as she pulled out her purse and threw it over her shoulder. "Ready?"

The pair apparated to a part of the country Severus had never seen before. 

"Where are we?" He asked her. 

"Wiltshire. Salisbury Plains," She said while taking a step up to the farmhouse and knocking on the door. A few seconds later, the door opened revealing a very large man in blue jeans, work boots, and white tees shirt. 

"Clarice! My darling! It's been so long, how are you? What are you doing here?" Amiri said to his friend. 

"My friend is looking to rescue a creature, this is Severus. Severus this is Amiri." She introduced the two men. 

"Pleasure," Amiri said and shook Severus' hand, although he didn't say anything. "Come, come."

He lead them towards the back of his property where there were multiple fenced in areas separating some creatures from one another. 

"Over here, there a few kneazles. In this one, crups. I've got mooncalves and diricawls that way.  I also have Pygmy puffs, rats, and owls are back in the barn." He informed them. 

"Will you show me your puffs?" Clarice asked him and then turned to Severus. "I'll be back in a minute."

Amiri and Clarice walked into the barn while leaving Severus to look at the animals outside. 

"He is scary, Clarice. What are you doing with a man like that?" Amiri asked her while combing his hand through his black hair. He stopped and looked at her, his whiskey colored eyes showed genuine concern. 

"He's just a coworker. He's great, really. Just quiet and keeps to himself." She told him and took a peek at the puffskeins. 

"How many do you have?" She asked him. 

"I think there's eight." He told her. 

"Alright, I'll take them." She said nonchalantly. 

"All of them?" He questioned. "Are you crazy?"

"Perhaps, but I love these little guys." She said while pulling a basket out from her enchanted purse. 

"You've gone mental." He chuckled as he ushered the puffskeins into her basket. They were all brightly colored, some orange and some pink. 

"So this one, right here," He pointed to a pink one. "She's pregnant. Are you sure you want all of them?" 

"Positive. You know they will be taken good care of." She told him. She couldn't wait to show Hagrid for their class and she told Amiri all about it. 

"You know... I have something special here that would make your class be the absolute best." He told her. 

"What's that?" She questioned. 

"I've got a foal. A baby Abraxan." He told her and Clarice's eyes almost popped out of her head. 

"You're joking." She said.