Chapter 211
Chapter 211
Harry had become exceptionally busy lately. Apart from the few lessons shared by two Houses, every time Suer saw him, Harry was covered in mud and exhausted–like a young ox put to the plough for the first time, whipped onwards through field after field.
Suer sympathised. This was Wood’s seventh and final year at school, and ever since becoming captain, his greatest wish had been to win the Quidditch Cup before graduation. He had imposed that wish upon the rest of his team.
Neither gales nor driving rain could quench his enthusiasm for intensive training.
The Hufflepuff Quidditch team, by contrast… had turned phoning it in into a guiding principle. Cedric had instead caught Gryffindor’s training fever and kept trying to persuade his teammates to practise.
“It’s freezing, and look how hard it’s raining. Getting soaked is miserable. We can discuss tactics perfectly well in the common room. There’s tea and cakes here. We can practise a little when the weather improves.” Those were the exact words of Hufflepuff’s current team captain.
The weather grew colder. The sky seemed to have sprung a leak, and rain poured down with all its strength. The entire castle became muddy and damp, forcing Hagrid to move his lessons indoors.
Care of Magical Creatures had earned an entirely different reputation after the previous week’s Bowtruckle lesson. So long as Hagrid taught properly instead of dragging everyone off in search of thrills, his classes were rather enjoyable.
Everyone looked forward to discovering which magical creature he would bring that day.
The classroom had been arranged in advance. Desks and chairs were stacked against the walls, leaving an empty space in the centre. Several fires blazed there, filling the room with light despite the dark clouds beyond the windows.
The young wizards gathered loosely around the fires to warm their hands, chattering about what their Care of Magical Creatures professor might bring.
Clang. The classroom door opened, and a damp draught rushed eagerly inside. The students nearest the entrance instinctively shrank away.
Hagrid entered, one enormous hand carrying a box concealed beneath black cloth. Raindrops covered his hair and body. Soaked strands clung to his face, while his old leather shoes were caked with grass and mud. He looked nothing like a professor and very much like a vagrant.
No one frowned or showed disgust at his filthy state. Every eye fixed eagerly upon the mysterious box in his hand.
What was inside?
The answer would soon be revealed: a dense mass of white lizards, gleaming in the firelight like white jewels.
“Oh, thank you, Suer.” Hagrid strode towards the largest fire in the centre, where Suer cast a Cleaning Charm and a Drying Charm over him.
“It’s pouring outside, cold and damp. These little things were much harder to find than usual.” Hagrid slapped the box with his great hand and grinned.
“You’re welcome, Hagrid. What’s inside?” Suer looked curiously at the thoroughly covered box.
“You’ll find out in a moment.” Hagrid gave him a mysterious smile. “They’re very interesting.”
“Help me make a taller table. You know I’m no good at Transfiguration.”
Very well. If Hagrid wanted to preserve the mystery, Suer would play along. He waved his wand, and a student desk flew over from the wall. There was no need for Transfiguration when a perfectly good table already existed.
“Gather round, everyone.” Hagrid heaved the box onto the desk with a heavy thump, and the young wizards obediently crowded closer.
“You’ve been waiting, haven’t you? These little things were much harder to find than usual. Once the weather turns cold, they like to hide and sleep.”
“Now, let’s begin.”
Hagrid seized the black cloth and whisked it upwards, revealing the contents beneath.
A great cluster of lizard-like creatures lay pressed together in the bottom of the box. Their bodies were pure white, their eyes closed, and none of them moved.
They were salamanders, magical creatures classified XXX by the Ministry of Magic. A competent wizard could handle them, but in Hagrid’s view, the little creatures did not deserve an XXX rating at all. Even a child could hold one and play with it.
Away from fire, a salamander entered dormancy and returned to its original skin colour: snow white.
Contact with flame woke it from sleep. Remarkably, its body changed colour with the fire, usually becoming bright red or blue. It attacked by breathing a thin jet of flame from its mouth.
Salamanders fed upon fire, were born in fire and died with it. So long as a blaze remained, they could live within it indefinitely. Once removed from flame, however, they survived no more than six hours.
“One each. Put on your fireproof gloves and mind the flames. All you need to do is place them in the fire.” After his customary introduction, Hagrid began assigning their task.
“Does anyone know what salamander blood can be used for?”
“It’s highly effective for healing and recovery,” a young Hufflepuff answered with a raised hand. “Someone in my family works at a hospital, so I’ve handled salamander blood before.”
“Correct. Five points to Hufflepuff.”
Hagrid reached into the box, lifted out a salamander and held it in his palm.
“We aren’t only going to meet this magical creature today. We’ll also learn how to draw its blood. If you’re injured in the wild one day, it may save your life.”
“Oh, and don’t drain them dry. I need them for my next lesson.”
“You may take the results of your work with you. Aren’t you visiting Hogsmeade at the end of the month? A friendly bit of advice: take the blood to the apothecary there and you’ll get quite a few Knuts for it.”
“Right, who’s first?”
The young wizards cheered and surged forwards.
Naturally, lunchtime after the lesson became another occasion for boasting. Every student who had taken the class waved a small phial beneath friends’ noses.
“We get something from every Care of Magical Creatures lesson. Do you know what this is? Salamander blood. It’s worth dozens of Knuts. Professor Hagrid is wonderful–he even gives us pocket money in class.”
The other students were beside themselves with envy. Some asked their Heads of House whether they could change electives, but the school rules crushed their only hope.
Those who had chosen the class felt as though they had found treasure. The second-years who would enter third year next autumn were already eager to enrol. If Hagrid remained the Care of Magical Creatures professor, his student numbers might explode the following year.
He simply gave them too much!