บท 105: Ten points were deducted because of the Weasley brothers
After the bear vanished, Hagrid tried to mask his disappointment and walked slowly back to his hut with Anthony. The cool evening breeze seemed to have sobered him up considerably, and he eagerly engaged Anthony in conversation about the basilisk.
"Was it all rats down there?" Hagrid asked.
"Mostly," Anthony replied. "Some ferrets and other small creatures too. They probably eat whatever they can find."
Hagrid scratched his head. "Oh." He sounded genuinely sympathetic.
Anthony was surprised. "Don't you dislike basilisks?"
"Can't say I'm fond of 'em," Hagrid admitted gruffly. "But think about it, a creature that big, eatin' rats." He shook his head and sighed.
Anthony pushed aside some branches. "It's better than eating people, I suppose." He suddenly remembered something. "What does Aragog eat, anyway?"
"Oh, plenty of things in the Forbidden Forest," Hagrid said. "Deer, foxes, that sort of thing."
Then he launched into a story about Aragog. Hagrid proudly proclaimed that Aragog was a kind and loyal friend. Even though humans were technically on the Acromantula's menu, he had never harmed any, out of respect for Hagrid's feelings.
Once inside the brightly lit hut, Anthony couldn't help but stretch. Fang wagged his tail and circled Hagrid excitedly. After being shooed away, he turned his attention to Anthony, licking his ears enthusiastically.
Hagrid rummaged through his snack cupboard, tossed a ham bone to Fang, and chucked the empty wine bottle into the bin. He told Anthony to ignore the mess on the table, then proceeded to kick aside rock cake crumbs, boil water on the brazier, and count the contents of a nearby box.
Anthony went to play with Fang. He pretended to open the snack cupboard, then pulled his hand back, making the black dog stand on its hind legs eagerly. He chuckled, patted Fang's head, then leaned back in a chair, waving his wand to light a nearby lamp for Hagrid.
"Oh, thanks," Hagrid mumbled. "That's odd, where'd my tea cozy go."
Anthony solved the mystery with a quick Accio. After a loud thump, the cozy flew out from under Fang's favorite patchwork cushion.
The big dog rested his head on Anthony's lap, licking his hand with his warm, wet nose.
Hagrid shook off the dust from the tea cozy and placed it on the kettle.
"Time for yeh to head back to the castle, Henry," he said, peeking out the window. "It's gettin' late, Oi! You two! Get back here!"
He jumped up, flung open the door, and strode outside.
Anthony sat up. "What's going on?"
"It's the Weasley twins again," Hagrid said, whistling for Fang, who immediately bounded over. "Ever since they started at Hogwarts, I've been chasin' them out of the Forbidden Forest practically every week."
He hurried off. Anthony put on his coat, closed the door behind him, grabbed a lamp, and followed.
"Hagrid!"
"No need, I know the way." Hagrid said, Fang sniffing the ground intently. "C'mon, Fang. Those two are trickier to find than a pair of mice."
...
"Can anyone please explain to me the allure of a dark forest?" Anthony asked, checking his watch. "So much so that you're willing to sneak past all the patrolling professors at 1:30 in the morning to answer its call?"
He held a lantern. Beside him, Hagrid examined a wound on one of the twins' legs. Fang lay on the ground, panting heavily.
"It's okay, Hagrid, just a scratch from a branch," the Weasley said with a grin. "Your dog's getting faster."
Hagrid grunted. "Thanks to you two." He frowned. "What were you even doing out there?"
"Something shiny went past," the other Weasley said, peering closer at the wound. "It's swollen, Fred."
"Looks like there's a thorn in there," Hagrid observed, then looked up at Anthony.
Anthony crouched down, handing the lantern to Hagrid. "What was this shiny thing?"
"Dunno," Fred said. "We heard Hagrid chasing us and followed him. Ow."
Anthony held up the extracted thorn. "Here you go, Weasley. Stand up and try walking. Remember to see Madam Pomfrey when you get back."
Fred stood, limping a few steps. "Almost good as new, Professor." He glanced at his brother.
"Professor Anthony, Hagrid, there it is again!" George exclaimed, pointing into the woods. "Another one just went by!"
Hagrid raised the lantern high and turned his head. "What was it?"
Anthony almost turned too, but stopped himself in time, grabbing Fred's robe and giving the twins an amused look. "That trick won't work, Weasleys."
Fred feigned innocence. "What are you talking about?"
"Henry," Hagrid said, still looking into the woods, "it was that unicorn you've been wanting to see."
Anthony whipped his head around. "What—"
He was speechless. A white creature gracefully glided over the tangled roots, disappearing into the dense forest. Behind him, the Weasley twins also gaped in astonishment.
"They're usually asleep at this hour," Hagrid muttered, handing the lantern to Anthony. "I'm gonna follow it and have a look."
Anthony nodded. "Alright. Let's go, Weasleys. Time for bed." He held onto Fang and watched Hagrid disappear into the night. Then, he raised the lantern and motioned for the twins to follow him back.
"A unicorn." one of the Weasleys sighed. "Worth it."
Anthony asked, "What were you doing out here anyway?"
The twins replied in unison, "Have you never felt the urge to explore the unknown, Professor?"
"The desire to defy the rules, even when they tell you not to?"
The torches on the castle walls cast a flickering light on the uneven stones, while the windows framed a pitch-black night.
Anthony called out to the Weasleys as they approached Gryffindor Tower. "Go to the hospital wing."
"No need, Professor," Fred said, hopping on one foot. "It's fine."
He gave Anthony a sly grin. He had been faking the limp the whole way back, conveniently changing the subject whenever Anthony warned them against further Forbidden Forest escapades.
Anthony shook his head, resigned. "As long as you're okay. But don't let me catch you out of bed again, Weasleys, oh, and ten points from Gryffindor, I almost forgot."
He couldn't help but reflect. Since starting his job, he hadn't deducted a single point in Muggle Studies, yet he had taken away quite a few for various mishaps and they were always from Gryffindor or Slytherin.
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