Care Of Magical Creatures - Lesson 2

Sebastian strode through the stables early, waiting on his students to arrive. A raven flew through stables and perched itself on his shoulder, "Hello Edgar, find anything interesting in your travels?"

Sebastian turned and paced back down the stables, slightly nervous about meeting his students. He glanced outside hoping the creatures he had in mind would not frighten anyone, not all people shared his love for "monsters".

He heard footsteps behind him, he spun on the spot to face the newcomers striking his elaborate cane down on the ground, echoing a soft tap throughout the stables. "Oh you must be the Care of Magical Creatures class, I'm Professor Nightingale, you're new teacher."

Eri stared at his teacher and made a mental note NOT to tell his boyfriend how hot his teacher was. Seriously. He smiled shyly, staying towards the back of the group. He didn't do the whole 'hi, I'm the best student' blah blah blah crap. He stayed in the background. When he talked things generally got bad. Almost all of the students made fun of him, so he just didn't talk. He was kind of shocked their professors changed right after the first lesson too...

Sebastian surveryed his students, they were a mismatched bunch. A pick and mix of assorted personalites. Striding through the small crowd, his cane hitting the pavement as he strode forward he beckoned the students to follow and exclaimed "Ok you lot, we have a fair bit of work to today!"

Leading the class outside to a pen full of mossy looking rocks. Spinning on the spot to face his students he began the lesson "Today we shall be studying magical mammals and as an example I have this lot behind me for us to practice on."

As Sebastian spoke, one of the mossy rocks sat up and looked around quizzically. Standing up it brushed itself off and walked over on two feet, hobbling along slightly. It looked like a young, furry child with the face of a dog and it was very dirty. Sebastian chuckled at the little creature as it looked at the students and whined slightly. It was hungry.

Turning back to the students he launched into an explanation, "This little fellow, is a young gnoll"

Evelyn walked with the other classmembers as they followed the new Care of Magical Creatures professor out to a pen filled with funny coloured mounds. She jumped as one of them stood up and walked toward them. Her eyes wide, she forced herself to stay in her position chanting in her head that is was only small. "But it's dirty," She muttered under her breath, as the thing whined. She had heard of Gnolls, but had never seen one. Evelyn raised her hand and asked, "What exactly are we doing to do with them?"

Sebastian continued with his lecture, "Gnolls are furry creatures as you can well see, they're are number of strains classified by facial features; gnolls can have the facial characteristics of Hyenas, Wolves and Domestic Dogs. A full grown gnoll can reach up to 7 feet tall, don't worry, today we'll only be dealing with the little guys."

"As you can see gnolls never bathe, this is a defense mechanism to disguise themselves as patches of dirt or rocks, as although gnolls are carnivores and capable of taking down prey in large groups they are actually quite cowardly by themselves and will prefer to scavage. Don't be too taken in by their small size though, gnolls are dastardly creatures and adults are known to enjoy attacking sentient prey because they're screams excite them so be sure to be careful."

Sebastian looked at the girl who questioned him, "Miss Carter isnt it? Well Miss Carter, you don't have to touch them if you don't want to, perfectly understandable, but we will be feeding them. Now everyone grab a box of raw meat and pick a gnoll, give it to them gently, dont get them too excited, they are little but they may decide to bite, meat is meat to them."

Nodding, Evelyn looked over the different options and sighed. She kept her eye on the cleanest looking one, and took a box of meat. Walking to the gnoll slowly, she took out the first piece of meat and held it in front of the animal. It sniffed the meat for a moment, before snapping it out of her hand. She watched it eat it, before handing it another piece which was eaten instently. She put her hand out to it to see if it would bite her, before giving it another piece. "You like that don't you?" She was glad that they were only dealing with the young gnolls rather than the bigger ones, since even the small one frightened her a little.

Paige skipped down the grounds of Hogwarts, eager to get to one of her favorite classes. She noticed that there already was a small group there, and gave a friendly smile to her friend, Evelyn.

Their new professor was giving them a lecture on gnolls, and Paige let out a little chuckle. They were tiny, furry creatures, but they were kind of cute. She didn't mind getting dirty if she had to, quite the opposite feeling of her friend. She didn't recall ever coming across one in her books, so she was excited to learn something new.

Paige hurried over to a box of meat and took it carefully; it was heavy and had a pungent smell to it. She kneeled in front of one of the creatures. Tentatively, she pulled out a piece of meat and tried to figure out the best way to feed it with her it biting her. She laid out a piece at the edge of her hand, so that it dangled slightly off of her fingers.

The creature came to her, sniffing cautiously. Nervously, as if it weren't sure it should take it, it approached the meat and began to nibble on it. Getting excited, it began nibbling softer. When it reached her fingers, she felt its tongue licking it softly. Paige giggled.

Just like a dog, she thought to herself.

She bit her lip, and then reached out to stroke the dirty creature. It seemed to enjoy it. Oh yes, she was going to enjoy COMC this year.

Rose followed behind the older kids in her class, she felt a little out of place with all of them. She stared off into space for a moment, losing herself in her thoughts. She blinked up as she realized he mentioned gnolls. She stared at the creature and it reminded her of a little dog.

She looked at the box of raw meat in distaste, but thankfully it didn't smell too bad. She picked it up and set it down next to one of the gnolls that was circling around her legs. Rose crouched down so she could take a closer look at the little gnoll and to let him sniff her. She was glad that they were the young ones. The big ones probably would have frightened her a bit. "Hello, little one," she said softly and reached out a hand to pet him.

The gnoll moved for her hand and she fell backwards with a small yelp. She hadn't expected him to jump toward her so quickly. She laughed and scratched him behind the ears. "Would you like some food, little guy?"

Luke sighed as he picked his Care of Magical Creatures book off of his bedside table and groaned. He was very late for class, he couldn't remember the last time he was so late before. It was his fault though as he had slept in due to staying up all night long reading.

He raced out of the Slytherin common room making a bee line to the stables. He couldn't be much more late, he just hoped he didn't get detention.

"Sorry I'm late!" He exclaimed skidding to a stop in the stables and stared at some weird like dogs. "What are those?" he asked his eyes widening.

Sebastian sighed at the late student, he had no intention of repeating the opening run down on gnolls. "Late I see, very well, these young sir are gnolls. Grab a box of meat and start feeding. Be careful, they might bite." Seabastian dropped a piece of meat into the hands of one of the bigger gnolls, which tore into the meat, chattering away to itself muttering over and over in a squeaky voice "Munchings and crunchings."

Sebastian looked at the remaining box of meat, it was slightly off, more pungent then the other boxes. The gnolls wouldn't mind, but Sebastian was sure the late student would. He decided not to dock any house points, the poor selection of meat he would have to handle was punishment eough for such a pety crime.

Sebastian called out over the pen as the students continued with the feeding. "Gnolls are social animals, living and hunting in packs or tribes, they seem to go off the ideal of safty in numbers not to mention that when they're on they're own against somthing stonger then them they're terrible cowards, yes even the big ones. These gnolls are raised in captivity and are of the domestic dog strain so they are fairly docile with humans, however the hyena and wolf strans are much more vicous and go on the principle that anything that isnt a gnol or hyena or wolf is food."

Sebastian heard a commontion and noticed that two of the older gnols had started fighting over a scrap of meat. Sratching and growling at each other as they tumbled. "Everyone stay back! Don't interfer or they are likely to turn on you, don't get involved."

Rose wiped herself off as she stood up, getting ready to feed the gnoll. She lifted up the box for the raw meat and tried not to breath through her nose. She lifted a piece distastefully just as the Professor yelled and turned to look. "Oh!" She stepped a little back, not wanting to be anywhere near the fight. Rose felt a small tug on the meat in her hand and looked down to see the little gnoll hanging off of it. She giggled and set it down gently so it could finish it's meal.

She closed the box with her food and moved to see the gnolls fight. She wanted to keep an eye on the fight, just in case they came her way. There was no way she was going to just stand there and get trampled, or possibly scratched up.

Paige gasped once she turned around and began witnessing the fight between the two gnolls. They were such rowdy creatures, similar to her own dogs at home. The gnoll that she had been feeding previously followed her as she backed away cautiously. She smiled down at it, and pulled out some more food for it. He was more interested in the food than the fight.

"Is there anything that we could do to help...?" she asked quietly, to nobody in particular. She really didn't like seeing anybody fight, whether it be human or creature.

Sebastian walked up to Paige, the girl intrigued him, she seemed to have a way with animals much like himself. "Sorry Miss Hollands, gnolls are savages and fight from a young age, you must remember to never interfer with an animals natural instinct, particulary in this case as it could get you seriously hurt, even if one gnoll decides to kill the other. It's sad but it can happen."

The meat boxes were running low, it was almost time to pack it in. Sebastian clapped his hands to gain the students attention "Great work everyone! Finish feeding your gnolls, make sure none have made a break for the gate and turn in for the day! You all did very well, but I will be awarding house points to Paige, Evy and Rose for their excellent handling today. Also before you go, I'll expect a short report on the magical mammal of your choice to be handed in to me before next lesson, please no one pick unicorns as we will be studying these later on."

Sebastian watched as the students finished with their seperate gnolls, the two rowdy ones had stopped fighting and besides a few bloody scratchs both seemed in good health. "Oh and Miss Hollands, could you meet me in my hut later? I would like to have a chat with you."

Eri was still staring at his gnoll. He tried feeding it but it wouldn't eat. He was separated from the group, both of them were. It was easy to tell they weren't as accepted as the others. His gnoll was missing a foot and it's matted mossy hair was clumped strangely. "Why won't you eat?" He whispered to it and the gnoll bit his finger. Eri immediately 'eeped' but upon inspection, the gnoll had no teeth. What was wrong with it?! Why didn't it have teeth?!

While Professor Nightingale talked to the students Eri continued to look at the gnoll. It started sucking on his finger and he got an idea. "Can you not eat because of your teeth?" He whispered and gently pulled his finger away and then grabbed the piece of meat. He squeezed it and drops of blood dropped on the gnolls snout and it happily licked them up. Eri giggled and then heard the bell at the school ring. He didn't have a class the next period. "Professor? May I stay out here and feed this one. Somethings wrong with it!" He called out.

Paige nodded her head at her professor after he explained the gnoll's savage side. She didn't think there was anything that she could do, but didn't see any harm in asking if there was.

Paige took a mental note of the homework and started packing up her things, giving the little gnoll a pat on the head before leaving. She was thrilled to see the two had stopped fighting, although frowned slightly at the injuries. They weren't too bad. Nothing to worry about really.

She was about to make her way up to the castle when Professor Nightingale asked her to meet him in his hut later on. She was a little surprised. What would her professor want with her?

"Yes, of course, sir," she told him with a smile, and made her way off to school. She would visit him later, once all of her lessons were ended.

Sebastain walked over to where the student has called out to him and as he had indeed said, the gnoll was in bad shape. "Looks like he has been in a rough tumble with one of the other gnolls and come out second best." Sebastian examined the gnoll more closely, lots of bruising, a few broken ribs and all the teeth had been punched out. Obviously the work of Bruno the oldest gnoll in the enclosure picking one of the younger ones but noy finishing the job.

Sebastain looked at the face markings of the gnoll, this was Gurgi, the very youngest gnoll at Hogwarts. Sebastain decided to test the student, standing up he spoke. "As gnolls are strictly carnivores and poor Gurgi here has lost all his teeth, not to fret the teeth are broken not pulled from the root, they will grow back, we may even be able to brew some skele-grow to help the process, but potions for animals are different for ones to humans and it may take some time to get the ingredients right. In the mean time, how do you suggest we feed the little guy?"

"Food processed meat?" He whispered and then picked up the gnoll, it being small enough to settle in his arms like a small dog. He looked at it sadly, cradling it as not to hurt the animal. "Tuna? You don't have to chew it?" He smiled and looked down at his poor gnoll and wanted to hug it but...

"Can I help find it food?" He asked and tilted his head. "And maybe... help with the skelegro?" He asked, looking at the animal. "I know they kind of grow up to be vicious, but, it's so sweet now..." He murmured. He thought of his own broken ribs he had gotten a few weeks ago and frowned. It was so sweet...

"Processed mince meat would be best, the oil in Tuna would be too rich for a gnolls stomach to handle and would make them sick. I can arrange some mince meat to be brought down from the kitchens for Gurgi here to eat swallow, but he'll only be able to have small bits at a time, as for the skele-grow thats somthing best discussed with Master Cade or Professor Destan."

Eri smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Professor. May I stay here with him this block?" He said and then looked at the animal. He pet it's ears which were flat against his head and smiled. He closed his eyes for a moment and opened them to look at his teacher. Maybe he could get Jude out of class, he didn't want to really leave the gnoll alone though.

"Sure thing, I see no reason why not, and for your consideration towards and injured animal I shall be awarding house points to Hufflepuff." Sebastian smiled and turned to leave the enclosure, Eri would be fine by himself, he trusted the boy and he had other creatures to attend to. Twirling his cane as he left he called out "Make sure you lock the enclosure when you leave."

Marquiez watched as the most quiet of the group and did his assignment just as quietly. He didn't really want to be shoved out as unnoticed like others. He disregarded the Gnolls. They didn't seem like the type of creature to give unnecessary harm to another thing so long as they're not disturbed. Looking at his box oddly and removing a piece of meat he simply held it out to anything. Finally a small one, likely a runt, slipped before him and started tugging at the meat. He smiled faintly and gently rubbed the Gnoll's head. He took one step back and continued to watch the rest of the class in silent disregard.

Everyone seemed to fit in and they all mostly knew each other. He knew none of these people. Okay that was a lie. He knew Rosey, Luke, and Evelyn. Yet, everyone was so friendly including the teachers. Marquiez had to admit although he was a pessimist he didn't look to the 'bright side' often. Overly friendly people struck him as odd yet, he'd try to fit in....Just not now.