Just like Brothers

Chapter 80

Now the stress that Harry had leading up to the first task had distinguished, Harry found himself enjoying school once again.

The entirety of the school no longer hated him after his performance against the dragon, instead they seemed to praise him as he walked down the halls.

The Gryffindor's celebrated the night of the first task. Basking in Harry's victory, McGonagall didn't have the heart to tell them to stop until the early morning hours. The next day, Harry and Draco were taken back to Spinners End to visit Sirius and Remus, who insisted that they saw Harry alive with their own eyes.

December came quickly, covering Hogwarts in snow and frosty air.

Ron, Hermione, Harry, Draco, Pansy and Blaise stood in a tight circle, shivering as they watched their skrewt. There were only ten of them left, apparently cannibalism wasn't outgrown.

"I dunno if they hibernate or not," Hagrid told them, "thought we'd just put them in boxes and find out."

"Brilliant plan," Ron grumbled, he looked at Pansy, "well you've got it."

Pansy gave him a disgusted look, "I beg your pardon."

"You haven't done anything today," Ron complained, "it's only fair."

"I have got a brand new manicure, Weasley," Pansy snarled, "and I'm not touching that thing. Why don't you do it?"

"Because I did it last time!" Ron argued.

"Well do it again!" Pansy snapped back. 

"Cut it out," Harry rolled his eyes at them, "I'll do it."

"Thank you, Harry," Hermione sighed, she looked at Pansy and Ron, "honestly, the two of you are children."

Pansy stuck out her tongue, "suck it, Granger."

"Very mature, Pans," Blaise gave her a look, "you just proved her point."

Hagrid brought out enormous boxes, lined with blankets and pillows.

"Let's just lead 'em here, put the lids on and see what happens," Hagrid gestured to the boxes.

"All you, Harry," Draco laughed.

Harry glared at the blond, pulling on the leash, trying to force their skrewt into it's box.

It became very clear very quickly that the skrewts did not hibernate. They did not appreciate being forced into the pillow-lined boxes and being nailed inside.

"Don't panic! Don't panic!" Hagrid yelled as the blast-ended-skrewts rampaged around the pumpkin patch, the scolding remainder of boxes and pillows littered the ground.

Pansy shrieked and fled into Hagrid's hut, most of the class following after her.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were the only ones who remained outside to help Hagrid.

At the cost of cuts, bruises and burns littering their skin, they  managed to restrain nine out of the ten skrewts.

"Don't scare him," Hagrid urged.

"Don't scare it!" Ron gave the half-giant a ridiculous expression, "Hagrid! It can chomp our arms off!"

"Jus' try an' slip the rope 'round his sting so, he he won' hurt any o' the others!"

"Yeah! We wouldn't want that!" Ron shouted frustratedly, as he and Harry frantically backed away from the angered skrewt.

"Well, this looks like fun!" A piercing voice made them freeze, Rita Skeeter clapped her hands excitedly as she did a small run towards them.

"Oh no," Harry groaned miserably, "anyone but her."

"Who're you?" Hagrid said gruffly as she leaned on his garden fence.

"Rita Skeeter," she smiled broadly, "reporter, daily prophet."

Harry tried to slide out of her line of view, however, her head snapped towards them and she locked eyes with him.

"Harry!" She tapped her long nails on the wood, "how lovely to see you, my article on the first task comes out in tomorrow's paper!" She looked around him as if she was expecting someone else to be near by. Her eyes gleamed as her focus fell on Hagrid's hut.

"Great," Harry rolled his eyes, excitement void in his tone.

"Thought Dumbledore said you weren't allowed on school grounds anymore," Hagrid frowned, he caught the last skrewt and came over to stand between Skeeter and Harry. Blocking him from her.

"Oh," Skeeter tsked, "Albus and I joke!"

Hermione looked at her incredulously, she stood up straighter and put her hands on her hips.

"Now, what are these fascinating creatures called?" Skeeter took a pad of paper and her quill from her maroon, alligator skin handbag.

A pit formed in Harry's stomach, how did Hagrid get the skrewts.

"Blast-ended Skrewts," Hagrid grunted.

Harry, Ron and Hermione watched in horror as Hagrid planned an interview with Skeeter.

"This is going to be a disaster," Hermione groaned, as Skeeter left, "she's going to twist everything he says."

All the skrewts were contained and the rest of their class began filing out of Hagrid's hut.

Blaise, Pansy and Draco fell into step with the three Gryffindors as Hagrid dismissed them back to the castle.

"You could've helped," Hermione frowned at them, the two boys in particular.

Blaise just gave her a look, however, Draco looked down at his feet, a blush spreading on his porcelain cheeks.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"Absolutely pathetic," Hermione huffed, her skin was covered in burns from the skrewts.

"I bruise easily!" Draco protested.

>•<

"What is it?" Pansy looked at Hermione in confusion, "spec?"

"S.P.E.W," Hermione said matter-a-factly, "Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare."

"Oh, Merlin," Blaise covered his face with his hands.

"Shh," Pansy elbowed him in the ribs, she was attempting to be supportive, however it was clear she didn't understand the problem with house elves.

"Hermione, elves like work," Ron argued, "like we've been telling you, you're doing them a disservice."

"That's not true," Draco spoke up, "elves like working, however they're treated terrible. Dobby, for example, he likes working, however,  he shouldn't be forced to work."

"Thank you, Malfoy," Hermione looked triumphant.

"But, Hermione," Draco continued, "you shouldn't be trying to free them against their wills, especially here at Hogwarts, they love it here."

"But-" Hermione tried.

"He's right," Harry cut her off, "we're in the kitchens all the time, they're all happy, Dumbledore offered to pay them, but most of them are just happy being here."

"But you guys will still buy a badge?" Hermione held out her box hopefully.

"Of course," Blaise sighed.

Hermione was practically jumping with glee.