Capítulo 219: Chapter 219: The Bowtruckle's Revenge
Professor Grubbly-Plank stood ten meters from Hagrid's hut, waiting for the students to arrive. In front of her was a long workbench covered with numerous small branches.
"Is everyone here?" Professor Grubbly-Plank asked gruffly as the Gryffindor and Slytherin students gathered. "Good. Let's begin. Who can tell me what these are called?"
She gestured to the small branches on the table. Hermione's hand shot up instantly. Behind her, Malfoy bared his teeth and mimicked her eagerness to answer, bouncing exaggeratedly. Pansy Parkinson let out a shrill laugh.
"Settle down, Draco. And be quiet, Pansy," Lillian sighed, tapping her forehead in exasperation. Her pale face showed a hint of annoyance as she addressed their childish antics, finding them too tiresome to even comment on. Pansy flinched slightly, her laughter fading into an abrupt scream.
The small branches on the table suddenly sprang to life, revealing themselves as tiny wooden creatures. Each had brown, knobby arms and legs, with fingers like twigs and flat, bark-like faces adorned with round, glinting brown eyes.
"Wow!" Parvati and Lavender gasped in amazement.
"Girls, keep your voices down!" Professor Grubbly-Plank snapped, scattering a handful of what looked like coarse rice onto the table. The wooden creatures immediately swarmed the food, eagerly devouring it. "Now—does anyone know the name of these creatures? Mr. Augustus?"
Augustus raised an eyebrow, glancing at Hermione, who was still holding her hand up. It was evident he had no intention of answering, but the professor had chosen him regardless.
The class fell silent, all eyes turning to Augustus. Professor Grubbly-Plank looked satisfied, as if her tactic had worked.
"Bowtruckles," Augustus replied dryly. "These creatures are guardians of trees, particularly those with magical properties, such as wand wood trees."
Professor Grubbly-Plank nodded with a pleased smile. "Very detailed answer. Ten points to Slytherin."
Lillian's lips curled into an amused smile. Using Augustus to enforce discipline in the classroom was an impressively clever strategy on the professor's part.
"And does anyone know what they typically eat?" the professor continued.
This time, Hermione seized the opportunity.
"Woodlice," she answered immediately, "and occasionally fairy eggs, if they can find them."
"Excellent. Five points to Gryffindor," Professor Grubbly-Plank said, clapping her hands to quiet the murmurs among the students. "If you need to harvest leaves or wood from a tree inhabited by Bowtruckles, it's wise to bring them woodlice as an offering to distract and appease them. Although they seem harmless, if provoked, they will defend themselves by aiming their sharp fingers at your eyes. Their claws are extremely sharp, and you do not want to find out what they can do to an eyeball. Now, if you're ready, take some woodlice and collect a Bowtruckle—there are enough here for groups of three—to study them up close. By the end of class, I expect each of you to complete a detailed sketch labeling all parts of the Bowtruckle's anatomy."
Augustus, Lillian, and Malfoy teamed up, securing one Bowtruckle for their group. Malfoy held it steady while Augustus and Lillian sketched its form.
"Where's Hagrid?" Harry asked Professor Grubbly-Plank quietly as the other students were still collecting their Bowtruckles.
"That's none of your concern," she replied curtly.
"Ah, our noble Mr. Potter, always so full of compassion," Malfoy sneered loudly. "Perhaps Hagrid is out facing creatures even larger than himself. Considering his usual recklessness, he might already be torn to shreds."
He cast a glance at Augustus, who continued sketching the Bowtruckle, seemingly uninterested in the conversation. Malfoy sidled up to Harry and whispered, "You know, he's probably off handling some oversized beasts, and with his usual luck, he might not make it back alive. Ha!"
"If you don't shut your mouth," Harry hissed, "the one in danger might be you."
Malfoy smirked, shrugging nonchalantly as though he didn't care.
"If anything happens to Hagrid, Dumbledore will know," Hermione said firmly. "Don't let Malfoy bait you, Harry. If we act worried, he'll just take advantage of it. Focus on the Bowtruckle and help me draw its face, will you?"
"Of course," Malfoy drawled mockingly, adopting a haughty tone. "By the way, my father spoke to the Minister two days ago. It seems the Ministry is serious about cracking down on this school's… unorthodox methods. If that oaf shows up again, he'll likely be sent packing immediately."
Harry gripped the Bowtruckle too tightly, nearly crushing it. The creature retaliated, slashing Harry's hand with its sharp claws, leaving two deep, long gashes. The Bowtruckle then scrambled free and bolted toward the Forbidden Forest, its twig-like figure vanishing quickly among the roots.
"Ah," Augustus remarked as he finished his sketch, turning to Malfoy. "So your family is planning another big move, following that board meeting to remove Dumbledore, I assume?"
Malfoy coughed nervously, lowering his voice. "I was just joking—teasing Potter a bit. You know we always follow your lead. If my family were planning something, you'd be the first to know."
Augustus smiled faintly, a calm, unreadable expression. He patted Malfoy's shoulder and handed his completed sketch to Professor Grubbly-Plank.
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