The Ancient Wielder

Chapter 9: The Caretaker's Lunar Lament

October 2nd, 1995  Monday

      "Welcome everyone! You've probably already met some of the many beasts we will be studying in this class. Though, be advised, none of these creatures should be taken lightly. They are all, in their own way, dangerous — especially if one does not know how to handle them properly," Professor Grubbly-Plank addresses the class as she saunters up to stand in front of the group of students. There were rows of desks underneath the huts in which the lessons for Care of Magical Creatures was held; two students sitting at each desk as they attentively watched the small elderly lady. She was still substituting for Hagrid, Hagrid still being gone on an unknown trip. Oddly, Alice's class for Care of Magical Creatures started a month later than some of the others. This was done to smoothly accommodate the substituting professor. This was Alice's first lesson in Care of Magical creatures, the early morning sun beaming down onto the roof of the hut.

"Now, it seems many of you are out of practice. Let's take some time to review the basics of how to care for a beast. Shall we? Miss Sweeting, would you please assist our new student with the lesson today?" Professor Grubbly-Plank addresses the Hufflepuff sitting beside Alice; their shared desk being the first one in the middle row.

The short-haired Hufflepuff smiles as she nods her head, "Yes, Professor Grubbly-Plank." The girl then turns to face Alice as she says, "Hello, I'm Poppy — Poppy Sweeting." The girl was very friendly and bubbly. She had short brown hair that ended at her shoulders, brown eyes, and a round face. "Don't worry about Professor Grubbly-Plank's speech, she over-exaggerates sometimes," Poppy whispers the last part before continuing on to say in a normal tone, "All the beasts in class are perfectly safe." Poppy turns towards one of the students sitting at a nearby desk that held a large ball of grey fluff out to her. Poppy takes it from the student's extended hands as she turns to show Alice the object she held. Alice noticed that the fluff ball contained a pair of eyes and a small button nose. The unknown creature was quite adorable. Poppy went to say something as she flipped the creature around in her hands to face her but before she could, the strange creature suddenly stuck its long frog-like tongue out towards her. The tip of its tongue hitting Poppy straight in the forehead as the girl let out a loud shriek as it did so.

"Miss Sweeting! Pay attention, please. The tongue of a Puffskein can be a slippery devil,"Professor Grubbly-Plank scolds the Hufflepuff.

Poppy lets out a nervous laugh as she turns the Puffskein around so its face can be directed elsewhere. "Uh, yes, Professor," Poppy responds before placing the Puffskein down onto the wooden desk in front of the two. "Here, you can practice on Gerald. Just keep an eye out for his tongue," Poppy says to Alice with a laugh.

Gerald the Puffskein turns his face to look up at Alice expectantly. Alice found Gerald to be quite cute, the Slytherin witch smiling down at the small fluffy creature. "You can use my brush. Just be gentle. Oh, and think pleasant thoughts. I like to think it enriches his experience," Poppy says to Alice as she hands over a brown bristle brush. Alice gently takes it from her hand as she then guides the bristles against Gerald's fuzzy fur, the Puffskein purring in content as it closed its eyes from the nice sensation. "That's lovely. I'm sure he feels much better. I think he might be hungry. Would you mind giving him some beast feed?" Poppy says as she hands Alice a few brown pellets from a small feeding bag sitting at the corner of their desk.

"Thank you," Alice says as she takes the brown pellets from Poppy's hand and offers it towards the Puffskein. Gerald happily nibbles on the pellets, the Puffskein munching on the small treats as it made small squeaking sounds.

"What do you suppose the pellets taste like to Gerald? Pudding, I like to think," Poppy says in which Alice responds, "Perhaps pasta." The two girls glance at one another as they giggle softly before Poppy says, "I think we can safely say that Gerald likes you."