8. Drumstrang & Beauxbaton

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We arrive at our next class, Care of Magical Creatures- surprise!- late. 

As expected, Hagrid wasn't too pleased. 

What was a surprise was Artemis. "Sorry, Professor, it's just that Clover and I saw a Bowtruckle on the way here. Well, it was Clover, really," she added with a quick, almost shy glance at me. "There were even some fairy eggs we saw it eat, and I got a decent sketch. " She held her notebook open to a page with a remarkably realistic Bowtruckle on it. When had she done that? And more importantly, what drugs was she on?! I mean, Artemis,  telling a white lie (erm...not so white, I guess) to a teacher? 

"Er- tha's wonderful." Hagrid grunted, beaming for one fibber to the next. "Yer have to show me where yer found him sometime." 

I glance over to the pumpkin patch, trying my best to not meet his eyes. Even I ditch class often, I always feel so guilty afterwards. 

I frown. "Our- our badger thing is there, right? That's what the black and white blob on the pumpkin is?" (Let it be noted: the pumpkin was bigger than the badger.  I'm not one to be scared of vegetables, but holy cow, that thing is huge.) 

"Oh, yeah," Hagrid said enthusiastically. "She's been a real treat to have around- she's growing so fast with all those weasels, I reckon'-" he suddenly stopped talking. 

"You reckon?" Artemis prompted. I stepped closer. The badger was lying on her stomach, but sprouting from her back were small, furry...wings? 

"Yeah," I mumbled. "Er, Professor, would you happen to know anything about her sprouting...wings, by any chance?" 

"Errm," Hagrid looked uncomfortable. "See, the thing is..." How did he even do that? Some potion, maybe? Regardless, small, white wings, about six inches long, were fluttering lightly as she slept. 

"I actually like her better with wings," Artemis said suddenly. "They give some character."

"Me too," I said, although I wasn't quite sure why, "A little spunk, you know?"

"We'll have to mention it in our logs, though," Artemis said pointedly. 

"Maybe we should get that now?" I said hopefully. Behind Hagrid, students were wrestling..were those leashs? Onto the skrewts. 

"Okay," Hagrid looked slightly disappointed. "Yer'll be missin' a real good lesson."

To my great surprise, he actually let us go. It might have something to do with someone's skrewt exploding ( how that is even possible, I have no idea) and him rushing off, waving his arms- it mattered not, for we were off.

"Nice," I said. "The Bowtruckle, I mean."

"Thanks," Artemis said, grinning. "I've never done that before." Her smile, bright enough to substitute for the sun, faded and after a pause, she added, ''I feel kinda bad about it, actually."

"Same, sorta. We didn't hurt anyone, though. And now we can just have a misplacement and boom, no more skrewt walks. For today, at least."

"True," Artemis agreed, and then silence filled the air once more. 

"Are you excited for the schools coming?" Artemis asked after a couple of minutes of our trek back to the castle. 

"No," I said flatly, glaring at a tree root. 

"Oh-right-sorry." Artemis looked at the ground again. "I forgot."

"Lucky you."

"Why don't you like the Tournament so much?" she frowned. Her voice was cautious, as if she knew what dangerous waters she was swimming towards. 

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