Annabeth Chase the Triwizard Champion

Chapter Eighteen

"What are these fascinating creatures called?" Rita asked, ignoring Hagrid's question and beaming wider.

"Blast ended skrewts."

"Really?" Rita said, suspiciously interested. "I've never heard of them before... where did they come from?"

Annabeth didn't know much about the wizarding world, but Triple G Ranch had a bad reputation among the demigod one. She had to assume it was the same here.

"They're very interesting, aren't they?" Hermione said, thinking along the same lines and glancing at Annabeth for a second. "Aren't they, Harry?"

"What? Oh yeah— ouch— interesting."

"Ah, you're here, Harry!" Rite exclaimed. "And Annabeth, too. So, Harry, you like Care of Magical Creatures, do you? one of your favorite lessons?"

"Yes," Harry said shortly.

"Lovely. Really lovely." Rita turned back to Hagrid. "Been teaching long?"

Rita looked around, her eyes traveling to each of the students who had stayed out to help, all of whom were nursing small wounds. She looked at the window to Hagrid's cabin, where most of the class was hiding.

"This is only me second year," Hagrid said.

"Lovely... I don't suppose you'd like to give an interview, would you? Share some of your experience on magical creatures? The Prophet does a zoological column every Wednesday, as I'm sure you know. We could feature these... bang ended skrewts."

"Blast-Ended skrewts," Hagrid said excitedly. "Er— yeah, why not?"

Annabeth didn't like this. Hagrid was a good teacher, even if his tastes were a little dangerous, and RIta Skeeter was clearly up to something. She watched as he made plans to meet Rita in the village until the bell rang and the kids in Hagrid's cabin bolted.

"Well, goodbye, Harry!" Rita called as everyone set off. "Until Friday, then, Hagrid!"

Somehow Annabeth ended up walking next to Harry, Hermione, and Ron.

"She'll twist everything she says," Harry said quietly.

"Just as long as he didn't import those skrewts illegally," Hermione said, twisting her sleeves anxiously. "Would you know anything about it, Annabeth?"

"It wouldn't be legal," Annabeth said. "Triple G Ranch is known in the American Wizarding world to breed monsters and sell to dark wizards. The only reason it's still running is that no one knows where it is."

"But you found it, didn't you?" Hermione said anxiously. "You were there."

Annabeth shook her head. "It doesn't work like that. It's only been found through a magical underground maze. We weren't supposed to be there. We weren't even looking for it."

"Couldn't you use a map?" Harry asked.

"No. Did you miss the word magical? It changes. The walls move. There are only two ways to safely navigate it. One was destroyed, and the other is extremely rare. And the maze is collapsed now, anyway. Only the owner and his farmhand can get to it now."

"Well, Hagrid's been in loads of trouble before," Ron said, though he sounded like he was grasping at straws. "Worst that can happen is Hagrid'll have to get rid of the skrewts. Sorry, did I say worst? I meant best."

Harry and Hermione laughed. Annabeth smiled, but she wasn't sure what 'get rid of' would pass at Hogwarts. Annabeth wouldn't be surprised if it just meant emptying them into the forbidden forest.

***

Divination was interesting, to say the least. But honestly, when wasn't it? Annabeth knew enough about fortune telling to know that most of the class was nonsense. Trelawny definitely had a bit of a gift, but not much, and she played it up way too much. Annabeth wanted to introduce Trelawney to Rachel Dare. That would be funny.