The Downfall (Theo Nott FF)

32. Camping Trip

"Alright, is everyone here?" Hagrid grumbled as the students assembled in front of the Forbidden forest next to the quidditch pitch.

"I can't believe they're making us go on this ridiculous trip." Mattheo grunted as he took a sip from a flask in which, Marilyn guessed was not pumpkin juice.

"Oh come on, it'll be fun." Blaise chuckled as he adjusted the bag on his shoulder. Marilyn could have sworn the bag had belonged to Pansy...

"Hagrid why are we camping in the forbidden forest? Isn't it dangerous?" Ron Weasley muttered quite loudly.

"Scared are we, Weaslebee?" Draco nodded his head, grinning at Ron devilishly.

Ron rolled his eyes, grabbing Hermione's hand.

"No but you might be. I hear there's hippogriffs in the forest." Harry grinned.

Draco pressed his lips together, holding in a laugh.

"Better hope there's no Dementors" Draco sneered.

"There's nothin to worry about." Hagrid ruffed. "We're going to a nice spot. Every year, the 6th years take a camping trip there. It's perfectly safe."

Theo gave Draco a slight shove and Draco kicked him in the foot. Marilyn chuckled. She was glad things in their group seemed to be going back to normal.

"The hike there is about an hour so make sure you got yer water. Let's go!" Hagrid beamed as he started their trek into the forest.

The class followed, the Slytherins hanging in the back per usual.

They trudged on, chatting to pass the time.

"Alright I'd say Lockhart. Remember him?" Astoria grinned.

"Oh yuck!" Theo wrinkled his nose. "That ditsy bloke?"

"I'm sorry we're all in agreement here." Pansy shrugged. "Lockhart's the hottest teacher we've had."

Blaise shook his head chuckling.

"You're forgetting Professor McGonagall." He sighed.

"Oh that cannot be right." Draco grimaced.

They trekked on further, wandering through the dense trees. Occasionally, they'd have to stop because Neville Longbottom would find a plant he particularly liked and Luna Lovegood would help him put a sample in his bag.

"No I'm pretty sure Mrs.Norris is some girl Filch trapped by turning her into a cat." Mattheo said thoughtfully.

"...N- no...Filch can't...he can't perform magic." Marilyn explained, struggling not to laugh.

"He's a squib." Theo whispered loudly raising his eyebrows.

Marilyn hit his shoulder playfully.

"Don't say that." She scolded him.

Theo flashed a grin at her.

"Looks like we're here." Pansy announced as they entered a clearing in the middle of the forest. There were 8 cabins, a fire pit and even a small lake.

"Ohh how lovely!" Hermione gasped.

"Now, yer supposed to be split up into the cabins like Gryffindor boys in one cabin, Gryffindor girls in another, the Ravenclaw girls in the next and so on and so on and so on..." Hagrid explained.

The class stared at him.

"...Anyway I don't care what you do before bed but ya got ter be in your designated cabins"

"No promises." Cormac McLaggen grinned.

A verbal groan of annoyance came from just about every girl.

"...Right well go set yer stuff down and then we've got an activity. You're going to pick flowers." Hagrid grinned with pride.

There were murmurs of excitement.

Marilyn and Pansy entered their cabin marked with a green flag.

The cabin was a lot larger on the inside than it looked from the outside. Marilyn assumed it had been enchanted with magic to hold everyone. There were about 10 bunk beds with green bedding and 2 large bathrooms.

"Oh how on theme." Astoria chuckled as she and Millicent Bulstrode, a slytherin girl with strawberry blonde hair, walked in.

The girls picked their beds, Pansy, Marilyn, Astoria and Millicent all chose beds next to each other of course.

The students gathered by the fire pit to get a basket from Hagrid.

"Now yer going to pick flowers, go on and frolick" Hagrid grunted.

The slytherin group found eachother and started on their flower-picking journey.

"What do you think we are picking flowers for?" Blaze ass as he bent down to pick up a white daisy, putting it in their basket.

 "No idea." Draco shook his head. "A bit lame is it not?"

"It is not!" Astoria gave him a push. "I think it's cute. Rather this than have Hagrid make us fish or something."

Pansy nodded her head. 

As they continued looking for flowers, the sun started to set.

Marilyn was picking a few roses she had spotted from a bush in a clearing when Mattheo approached her.

"Look at this." He said as he walked over to her. He was holding a blossomed white flower that had green in the center. "It's an amaryllis flower."

"Wow, nice, here put it in my basket." Marilyn grinned.

"It's also called a Marilyn..." Mattheo cocked his head, staring at her.

"Oh."

Oh.

"It's beautiful."

It was beautiful.

"Thank you." Marilyn smiled sheepishly.

"Can't compare to the real thing." Mattheo winked before dropping the flower in her basket and walking back to where the other Slytherins were picking flowers.

Oh.