The Badger and the Snakes || A Poppy Sweeting Love Story

Chapter 8

"It is time to assign your year-long project," declared Professor Howin towards the end of class.

"Since you are in the advanced iteration of this course, I expect much from you. You are to either work in pairs or individually. Your assignment is a breeding assignment," she paused, assessing the reaction from the students around the room.

"That's what she said," Garreth Weasley muttered under his breath. Amit snickered next to him. Garreth leaned forward over their shared desk to reach Poppy's and Alfie's desk.

"Hey Poppy, would you like to be my breeding partner?" Garreth asked. 

Poppy was caught off guard by the vulgar undertone of the question and managed to let out an awkward chuckle.

Alfie shot him daggers. "You must think you're very funny, Weasley."

"Scamander. Weasley. Would you like to share anything with the class?"

"Sorry, Professor." The guilty boys apologized in unison.

"To successfully complete this assignment, you must manage to breed a creature of your choice and present it to the class. If you manage to breed a rare creature, you will get extra credit. You must also write twenty inches on the process, procedure, challenges, and lessons learned. I expect this to be done by the end of the school year. Class dismissed."

"So, she wants us to make two creatures shag, then watch them shag, and write twenty detailed inches on how they shagged. Got it," Garreth assessed. Amit broke into a fit of laughter.

Alfie pinched the bridge of his nose. "Don't acknowledge his immature jokes, Amit. He'll only get worse."

"What say you, Poppy? Fwoopers are rare and I need more Fwooper feathers," Garreth asked Poppy. Alfie tensed up, his hands balled into fists on his desk.

"Uhm, I think I already have a partner in mind Garreth, sorry about that." She looked over at Alfie, who was instantly relieved that she rejected Weasley.

"Suit yourself. Amit and I will be partners then. Won't we Amit?"

"Why am I the second choice?" Amit asked, clearly offended.

"Everyone knows Poppy's the best at this creature stuff. Don't take offense."

"Fine, but must we breed Fwoopers? Their songs drive people mad, I hear. We should try something less risky, like a Puffskein or perhaps a Diricawl!" Amit suggested.

"Ugh. Amit, don't be such a coward." The boys behind them continued to squabble while Poppy seemed lost in thought.

"Poppy? What's on your mind?" Alfie inquired. 

"Just thinking of what sort of creature we should breed."

They both began to pack up their belongings and walk over to Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

"Oh? I didn't realize we were partners," Alfie teased.

"Why wouldn't we be?" Poppy asked nonchalantly, still residing somewhere in her mind.

Alfie was grateful that Poppy had chosen him as her partner for the year-long project, but he couldn't shake the feeling that she was being too casual about it. Did she share the same excitement as him? They would be working closely together even more often than they already did, and the thought of it made Alfie ecstatic. However, Poppy seemed indifferent about it. Maybe he was overanalyzing things.

"Do you reckon that Highwing ever gets lonely?" Poppy asked.

Alfie paused and gave it some thought and smirked. "You can't be insinuating that we set up our friend Highwing on a date, are you?"