Despite Steffan's determined words, finding a new base wasn't an easy task to achieve. Despite the vastness of the castle, every room seemed to have a current use and the maze-like layout meant that every corridor could be a shortcut to somewhere else. Amaris quite enjoyed their hunts around the castle, she hadn't realised how many parts of it she hadn't seen yet. And she'd always thought they spent too much of their time sitting down.
She would have loved it if they could just always go to the Willow Tree though she had to admit it wasn't the best place to go now that winter was drawing closer. She knew they needed a proper new place that was theirs and the lack of progress was dampening everyone's spirits. It meant that the one day that they could sit at their old table again,while most of the students were at Hogsmeade, they just sat in silence and studied the patterns on the wood.
“It doesn't feel right anymore, does it?” Matt said in a somber voice, “Knowing that other people have sat here.”
“It smells different,” Amaris said, running her finger along a line in the wood of the table. She was feeling more down than usual due to the events of that morning.
Even on days that weren't anywhere near the full moon, Amaris still liked to go for walks in the forest. It wasn't forbidden to her due to use of it once a month. Of course, Dumbledore might have meant she could only go there on those nights but that was his fault for not specifying. Hagrid knew and had never minded, he'd just mentioned certain areas he suggested she shouldn't go to. But this time had been different.
As Amaris had headed across the lawn, she had seen the smoke rising from Hagrid's hut and had had what she thought was a genius idea. Hagrid had been at the school for over half a decade, surely he knew of somewhere no one went. Amaris had ambled towards the hut, enjoying the early morning air. Then Hagrid had come out of his hut shrugging his moleskin overcoat onto his giant shoulders. Amaris had waved but Hagrid seemed startled to see her.
“Hiya, Amaris,” he said, subconsciously looking over his shoulder at the woods.
“Hi, Hagrid.” Amaris replied. She was a little thrown off by Hagrid's shifty behaviour but decided to ask him anyway. “I was gonna ask you a question. You've been here for a while so do you know about any-”
Hagrid turned back to her, “You weren't planning on going into the woods, were ya?” He hadn't seemed to have heard anything she had said.
“Yes, that's where I was headed,”
“No, not anymore,” Hagrid said, “You're not to go in there until I tell you, alright?”
Amaris blinked at him, “What? But why not?” Then she smiled, “Wait, is it a surprise for a lesson? Just tell me where not to go, I promise I won't peek.”
Hagrid put up a hand, “No, I'm sorry. The orders come from higher up than me.”
“From who? What's all this about?”
Hagrid struggled with himself for a moment then marched off with conviction. “Not allowed to say. I was trusted not to tell so I won't.”
“Alright fine,” Amaris said, jogging to get in front of him. “But how long do I have to stay away?”
“Just a few days.” Hagrid stopped.
She nodded, “Okay. Anyway, I was going to ask you, do you know of any secret places in the castle?”
“Never really spent much time snooping about the castel and neither should you.” Hagrid replied, once again slightly absently, “I've got to go, I'm meeting Alastor- Professor Moody in Hogsmeade.” Then he looked her dead in the eyes, “I'm trusting you to do as I ask.”
YOU ARE READING
The Outcasts Of Hogwarts
Fanfiction"I know you know what I am, Professor Lupin. Our kind can always recognise one of their own" "Yes, but there's something different about you. Something I can't understand" There's a new student at Hogwarts when Harry returns for his third year. She...
