The Novelle Diaries & The Wampus Cub

Chapter 7: Morning Walk

When she stepped outside into the mild fresh air she smiled to herself. She hadn't realised how much she had needed to be alone until that point. She wasn't used to being around people twenty four seven. At home she had always had a lot of time alone so this was a big change. Walking across the dewy lawns whilst the rest of the castle still slumbered felt liberating. Like she was the only person for miles in this vast mountainous landscape. There was no one to smile for or be conscious of one self in any way and she felt truly comfortable in her own body, in a way she never did when she knew she was being viewed.

Wren decided to walk down to the lake bank. The water looked like a flat sheet of glass, glistening in the morning light, only disturbed now and then by a soft early autumn breeze. She found herself a seat on a large boulder by the water's edge and began to rummage around in her bag for parchment and a quill. She had promised her mother she would write letters home every week and she felt that this was a perfect time and place to pen her first.

She sat by the lake for over half an hour documenting everything that had happened in the last two days. She was especially proud to tell her father that she had been sorted into Ravenclaw just like him. Once she had signed her letter, she folded it neatly and tucked it into an envelope to send later.

She sat for a while longer, staring out at the view and gazing into the shallows of the lake spotting tiny silver fish that darted in and out of the water weed that swayed with the current under the surface.

Although it was hard to tear herself away from the lake, there were so many things to explore. She found herself running down a steep hill with her arms spread wide like a bird towards what looked like an arable patch with pumpkins and squashes swelling in size with the season. On one edge of the vine covered expanse stood a large hexagonal hut with a small fenced off garden. However it seemed rather pointless as yet more pumpkins grew in the garden, though these ones stood out amongst the rest for they were already twice the size of any of the others.

Wren slowed as she approached. She didn't want to alert any inhabitants to her presence. She simply wanted to walk past. Suddenly, what she had thought to be a large brown tarpaulin in the garden straightened up from a bent over position and turned around.

'Oh, Wat r' you doin' ere!?' Hagrid exclaimed in surprise as he spotted the little girl.

'I... um, like the peace and quiet.' stammered Wren in a meek voice. Her entire body had frozen up ready for the trouble that she was about to be in.

'Aye, you'll get plen'y o' peace 'n quiet this time of mornin.' Hagrid agreed with a soft nod as he scanned the beautiful but lonely landscape. 'Not runnin away then?' he asked as he eyed Wrens bag.

'What?! No! I love it here. This is just my adventure bag.' Wren explained quickly.

'Adventure bag ay?' Hagrid's face lit up with a warm smile. 'Well, there be plen'y of adventure to be found around ere, though there be plen'y o' danger too if ya stray from common sense.' Hagrid warned.

'I'll keep that in mind.' Wren nodded seriously.

'Ere now, you say you like adventure, do ya like animals too?' Hagrid asked suddenly, his eyes gleamed with childish excitement.

'Of course I do. I think I'd like to work with them when I'm older. I'm good at healing my mothers owls at home and I've even made friends with some jarveys in the woods before. They are really good at degnoming gardens.' Wren began to gush.

'Well, you are accomplished then. Those Jarveys be rude little fellas. Takes a lot to get them to do anything for ya.' Hagrid replied, sounding impressed. 'Would you like to see a Hodag?' He asked hopefully.

'A Hodag,' Wren repeated in surprise. She had read about those dog-like creatures in her magical creature identification books but never had she thought that she would see one in person. They weren't native to the British isle, nor were they legal to keep as a pet.

'Aye. found the poor fella sniffing around my bins a few nights back. Thin as anythin' with bites n' cuts all over him. Quite the sorry sight I must say. He's inside the house. You can look through the window if you's like. Bit too poorly for visitors jus' yet.' Hagrid explained.

Wren didn't need to be invited twice. She ran up to one of the huts led paned windows and climbed on an upturned bucket so that she could pier inside. On a rather tattered green couch lay a dark furred creature that could have been mistaken for a dog if it weren't for the large goat horns that protruded from its temples or the sabre teeth that jutted from its upper jaw. It would have been quite a ferocious sight if the creature hadn't been so emaciated and bandaged like a mummy. It lay on the couch breathing rapidly as it rested.

'I wonder where it came from.' Wren thought aloud.

'Been asking me self the same question. He should be roamin abou' in North America, not this neck of the woods. Illegal pet is my bes' guess.' Hagrid replied.

'That's so cruel.' Wren exclaimed hotly. If there was one thing that truly got her blood boiling, it was people who neglected or hurt other living beings. 'Will you send him home?'

Hagrid thought for a moment, his face rather serious as he looked through the window at the wounded creature. 'I'll be honest, I've been taking it day by day. He's so weak I fear he might not make it.'

'Oh,' Wren said as her heart sank. 'Could i maybe visit him tomorrow morning? I could help you change his bandages.' Wren offered.

'Aye, I could do with some help if you're willing. It's hard to sooth him whilst I'm cutting bandages and such.' Hagrid nodded.

'Brilliant. I'll be down at around half five to 6 to tomorrow morning,' Wren beamed then checked her watch. 'But I should probably get back now, before anyone misses me. It's nearly seven.' and with that she began to sprint back to the castle.

Over the next few days Wren woke up early and headed down to Hagrid's hut. She didn't tell a soul, not even Rosewaine. This was something she wanted to do on her own and she was worried that if she told anyone then they would want to come too.

She spent her time sitting by the Hodag and stroking its head whilst Hagrid untied its bandages. She washed its wounds with warm water and shushed it when it whimpered. Every now and then its red eyes would open and look at her. Every time it did she would whisper reassurances to it until it layed its head back down. 'Your safe now. We will take care of you. Rest now, you need to heal.'

Hagrid watched the young girl soothing and tending to the creature that many would have discarded as a dangerous beast or a lost cause from the beginning. He saw only love and hope in her eyes for the animal. Also maybe the naivety that came with childhood. He watched her work so tirelessly each morning but no matter what either of them did, the Hodag was becoming weaker. Wren, however, didn't seem to see this. Each day, bringing the same hope and determination as the first. Hagrid queried to himself whether he should have let such a young girl get so invested with this creature but then as he watched her interact with the animal he realised that no matter the outcome, the Hodag had needed her, for love healed souls no matter where they were going and this creature needed all the love it could get.