The Novelle Diaries & The Wampus Cub

Chapter 19: The Penny Drops

Whilst the children waited for a reply, they set to work finalising their plan to smuggle Chirrup out of the castle. It was easy enough to take Chirrup outside in the mornings as the classroom was on the ground floor and the door to the grounds was rather close. However, the entrance to the passageway was on the other side of the castle on the third floor and they would no doubt have to navigate the corridors just after curfew, which was when all the prefects and the caretaker were out on patrol. The children had originally planned to arrange the meeting early in the morning but with some calculations, realised that they wouldn't have enough time to return to Hogwarts and not be late for class. Grudgingly, they had all agreed that they would have to creep about the castle with the prefects patrolling.

'We can use Sullivan as a look out,' Erris suggested as he sat at one of the library desks with his magpie shredding a peanut shell on the table in front of him.

'He can do that?' Rosewaine asked dubiously.

'It was one of the first things I trained him to do. Helped me avoid my family around the house,' Erris explained with a rueful tone. 'He can fly ahead of us and look around corners. He will click his beak if it is all clear and squark if we need to hide.'

As Erris explained his plan, Wren became a little more confident that it was all feasible; however, one element of the plan still gave her anxiety. Even if they managed to smuggle Chirrup out of the castle, they would end up in a locked shop and they couldn't use magic to help them.

'Have you thought of a way to get us out of the shop, Rory? Remember, as soon as we leave school grounds, we can't use magic or they will know we are out.' She reminded everyone.

'Ay, i think i've got it cover'd.' Rory flashed Wren a confident grin. 'We wizards rely so heavily on magic, especially with security tha' simple, muggle techniques are of'en overlook'd. Lucky for you's, i'm rather skill'd at lock pickin',' Rory announced as he laced his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair.

'Sometimes I worry that I am friends with a future crime lord with the skills you choose to hone.' Erris said feigning concern.

'I prefer more of a vigilante future for me self but many o' th' same skills come in handy.' Rory grinned cheekily.

All three of Rory's friends shook their heads in disbelief then returned to ironing out the fine details of their plan.

It took two days to receive a reply confirming the pick up day and time but by then the children had run over the plan so many times that they could resight it in their sleep.

The 10th of january quickly arrived and Wren found herself in Chirrup's classroom for the last time, helping the very large cub into his purple jumper.

'I know you want to stay with me but we both need to be brave about this.' Wren reasoned with Chirrup as he purposefully made it hard for her to pop his many legs through the jumper sleeves. 'If I knew I could give you the life that you deserve I would keep you with me but these people can. You will have lots of space to run about whenever you want. You won't be shut in a cupboard and you will never be cold again. They will even give you whole cows at a time to eat.' Chirrup listened to Wren describe his new life with some interested but then sighed and rested his large head on her knee and looked up at her with his lamp like eyes. He didn't need to make a sound, she new exactly what he was thinking. That life sounded wonderful but he wanted her there enjoying it all with him.

'If I am allowed, I will visit you and I will definitely be writing for updates but sometimes people are only supposed to walk by your side for a section of your life and then go their own ways, no matter how meaningful they were in that moment. I have loved you and will always love you but now our journeys are at a crossroads and you are about to meet new people to keep you company on that path.' Wren explained but as she spoke she could feel emotion welling within her and tears fighting to escape. She fought them back, willing herself to be strong for Chirrup but it was evident that he could see through her forced composure because he nuzzled his forehead against her cheek then allowed her to finish putting his jumper on.