Lockwood and Co. One-Shots

Hogwarts AU Part 2

"Forest Deep" -
Lucy x Lockwood

Lockwood and Co. Series

Summary: Don't go into the forest.

Warnings: violence, verbal abuse, near death but not quite.

AU: Hogwarts

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"Well done! Very well done, five points for Gryffindor, Miss Carlyle. Lets pack up and get the Bowtruckles back in their compound"

I gathered the little tree-like creatures in my arms, making sure they were perched correctly and gently picked myself from the ground. The Bowtruckles chirped happily on my arms, contently gossiping about themselves. They were always in amazing mood after letting students coo and awe over them.

"Alright, here you go" I mused as I reached the tree in which they lived. Extending my arms to the trunk and enclosing my fists to a branch, the Bowtruckles crossed safely.

One of them, a little critter with twisted twig-arms, four-root legs and three leaves sprouting from its head, looked back at me and took one of my fingers in its arms, then gave a little chirp.

"You're welcome, Hamish" I laughed softly and caressed its little head with my finger. The critter rubbed itself contently against it, gave one last chirp and walked away to catch up with the rest of its kind.

I walked back to the hut where Hagrid had just dismissed the rest of the students. We had just taken our class with the Hufflepuffs, which is why we tended to the Bowtruckles; Hufflepuffs love them.

"They prefer to stick with the smaller animals" Hagrid explained "You, Gryffindors, however, are harder to entertain, always aiming for the bigger ones, but we'll keep with smaller creatures during class for now" It was true; Hufflepuffs preferred the smaller creatures, while Slytherins and Gryffindors asked for the big and dangerous beasts. Ravenclaws weren't that picky as a group, they would normally go along with whatever was presented before them, but if they could find you on your own they would ask for something specific. Some of the bigger beasts, no doubt.

I helped him pack away the rest of the equipment that was used in class and got ready to walk inside the hut with Hagrid for our weekly afternoon tea. We did this every Thursday since my last class of the day was Care of Magical Creatures; we would go inside, sit at the table with a steaming teapot and some of Hagrid's uneatable sweets (which I would never eat) and after that we would have a long and pleasant talk, then he would walk me to the castle's doors where Lockwood would be normally waiting for me.

I had told him before there was no need for him to wait for me at the door, but he always insisted, saying he just wanted to make sure I got back safely. Of course I did, nothing ever lurked on the this far on the forest at this hours.

We were just about to enter the hut when a far of sound caught my ear, fast but heavy, a stomping. Then, a swift movement caught my attention. It was barely there, just on the corner of my eye, but it was. A big, white wisp at the edge of the woods. I turned my head to give it my full attention, but there was nothing there.

"Hagrid, did you see that?" I asked.

"Mmh, see what Lucy?" The giant man asked behind me. I searched the trees on the boundary, securing every minor and mayor detail to memory. But there was nothing. The stomping was gone too.

"I...thought I saw something" I mussed softly.

"That's strange" Hagrid grumbled "The forest's creatures don't usually come close enough to be seen on the border"