Fred and George and the Toilers of Trouble (Year 1) ✔

Chapter 16:4

The door was caught in the shifting wind and it opened wide. A flurry of dancing snowflakes surged into the room, smothering the fire and giving Fang a chance to pull away.

"Ouwp, there he goes," said Hagrid with a flattened tone. He hastily buttoned his moleskin overcoat in the unexpected breeze. "Right, then. Say yer goodbyes."

Lee lowered himself to the tabletop and gazed into the glowing orange eyes of the small, but spritely Hippogriff. "Be good now, Witherwings," he said affectionately, a broad smile spreading across his face. Lee stroked its feathered back. "You will catch flight soon enough, and then you'll be off like a broomstick." The mongrel creature clicked his beak and then bobbed his head like a chicken.

Hagrid let out a booming laugh. "Witherwings likes yeh more'n he likes me, I'd wager."

Angelina looped her house colored scarf around her neck and followed Hagrid into the chilly, winter night.

"To the forest, yeah? That one's less worried 'bout what's out there than a baby Hippogriff that ain't doin' him no harm," the gamekeeper grumbled, fixing his eyes on Fang's huge paw prints as they gradually filled with velvety snow. "Jus' watch. He'll be back faster'n yeh can say flobberworm."

"Is it safe out there, Hagrid?" asked Angelina.

"The Forbidden Forest? It's forbidden fer a reason, innit? All sorts o' dangers lurking out there. Evil things. Dunno why yer teacher sent ya out 'ere ter serve detention...'specially firs' years. Unless yeh done somethin' right nasty. An' you lot don' seem the type, if you get my meanin'."

"It would look that way, wouldn't it?"

Angelina glanced back at the twins as they closed the cabin door. They were whispering conspiratorially, as always. When George saw her looking, he put an arm around Fred's shoulders and led him to the rear of the hut.

"I think Hagrid is hiding something," said George, looking incredulous.

"Well, that's obvious," his twin replied. "But it can't be all that bad."

"Swap with me, Fred," he suggested fervently, dreaming up any excuse not to be alone with Angelina. "You can get more secrets out of him. No one's better. Like that time you convinced Dad to tell us where they'd hid the Christmas presents! Hagrid'll never know it's you. We look the same!"

"My goodness, me..." said Fred with a look of pure delight. "Dear, George. You know how fun it is for me to know you're suffering, right? Try not to be such a rapscallion next time."

"Please, Fred. I can't stand to be alone with her."

"Afraid not, old boy," he said easily, pointing to the Marauder's Map. Through the flecks of snow, they could see the investigator's ink dot wandering into the portrait hall. "I've some work to do myself. Something's amiss, George, and I'm off to have a look round. Good thing I brought the cloak, eh?"

"Walk up with you, Fred?" asked Lee from the tree line, as he shuddered under his robe.

George nodded furiously for his brother to stay.

"Sorry, mate," Fred called back with his most serious of expressions. "Oodles of homework to complete, and other school-type endeavors to accomplish."

As George joined the others at the entrance of the pitch-black forest, Angelina seized Lee by the wrist and tugged him to her side. There was a deep silence between the three of them.

"Should be a good adventure," Lee muttered, looking glum. "I'm actually a bit envious. Who knows what could be out there?"

A bucket slammed into George's chest.