PRONGSLET AND THE CERYNEIAN GUARDIAN

Chapter Thirty-Six

"But we-"

Suddenly, Paden let out a chirp from the pocket of Milo's robes as the bowtruckle woke from his nap, leaving the two adults to immediately spot Milo eavesdropping. The conversation came to an abrupt end but the adults actually looked happy to see him. 

"S-sorry," Milo blurted out, "I didn't mean to-"

"You're early," Remus greeted him with a smile, " although I shouldn't be surprised, you usually are. Did you hear the rumour that I have a hinkypunk?"

The man clearly knew how to distract Milo from him wanting to ask multiple questions about what he had overheard as his mind travelled to the creature. 

"You actually have a hinkypunk?" Milo asked wandering further into where Remus was directing him over to the tank where it was being held. "Where did you find it?"

The boy was hardly listening as he lowered himself to observe whispy creature that had only one leg and seemed attached to a lantern. The light from the lantern normally attracted travellers, distracted them off the path they were on and just as they lured them far enough they would attack. They were capable of throwing balls of fire from their lantern and loved letting out horrible screaming sounds to frighten people. The one inside the tank attempted to throw a ball of fire at Milo but it dispersed as it hit the glass. 

"Actually, Elspeth brought this one in for me," Remus smiled, "isn't that ri-"

Hearing Remus' voice cut off, Milo glanced up to see that Elspeth was gone, while Remus was shaking his head back and forth. "I really hate when she does that."

Now that it was just the two of them alone in the class, Milo turned to the man with a smile. "How are you feeling? Better?" the boy asked him.

Remus nodded his head. "I felt pretty good yesterday, but I didn't see the problem in taking the extra day to relax," he answered, "but I did hear about what happened at the quidditch match. I already spoke with your brother, but how are you? I heard you were injured quite a bit."

"I'm fine," Milo said, "I was healed the same day, I can always count on Madam Pomfrey. So, you heard about the match? Any specific reason you can think of as to why the dementors go after Harry like that? First the train, now the match-"

"It has to do with the past mostly, " Remus explained to him, "while you both went through such trauma as toddlers, Harry didn't get to bounce back as you did because of how he had to grow up. So it still greatly affects him, unlike you, you've been able to keep moving forward and not focus on it as much. The fact that Harry can still hear the murders and-"

"He can?" Milo whispered. "I didn't know that. He didn't mention it-"

Remus' face paled further as he realised he had said too much. "I'm sorry, I'm assuming that it wasn't my business to tell. Listen, Harry and I have discussed him working on him deflecting the dementors, so we'll be working on that. There's no need to worry."

Of course, while Remus could say that, it didn't mean that Milo wasn't going to worry like hell about his family. He had to come up with his own plan to help Harry in any way that he could. 

"So, what are you going to teach him?"

"Well, it won't start until after the holidays, but I think learning to produce a patronus should work. Speaking of which, have you decided to leave that be?" Remus asked him with a curious look.

Milo chuckled. "You'd like that, wouldn't you? Not a chance, Uncle Remus."

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Milo was running late for Quidditch practice and it was very important that he attend as Hufflepuff was due to play Ravenclaw for the last term match before the holidays. However, with no time in between classes and having to manage everything else, Milo needed to find Sirius and confront him. With food in his hands and entering the forest, he was sure he could lure the dog of a man out. However, he couldn't seem to find him that afternoon and if he ran any later, he was going to be facing his teammates wondering where the hell he was.

Wondering around a bit longer, Milo couldn't find him in man or dog form, so he decided he was going to have to start running towards the pitch. But just as he went to turn, he was startled by Sirius appearing.

"Hi-" Milo let out a startled screeched and proceeded to jerk his arm out. His hand collided with Sirius' face and knocking him in the face. It was Sirius turn to cry out as he was practically punched in his nose, so much for a simple flick. Milo dropped the food to the forest ground and it was just a moment of chaos, between screaming, tripping, and dropping. 

"Why would you punch me in the face?!" Sirius shrieked.

"Why would sneak up on me in the forest?!" Milo cried out. "Who does that?! You're lucky that's all I did."

Sirius rubbed his nose before looking over at him with a face before lowering his hand. "I'm sorry, but I saw you wandering around and ow..."

"I was here to drop you off some food," Milo told him noting the bag of food on the ground. "But now that you're here..."

He flicked him on the nose roughly causing the man to cry out again. " That's for sneaking into the castle and attack the Fat Lady. She is a very nice woman and did not deserve that! You know she's given up her position, for now, thanks to you."

Sirius had a small pout on his face as he rubbed his nose again. "I'm sorry, I know it was stupid, I wasn't thinking that day, I swear. All I could remember was you saying that Silas and Harry, they're in the Gryffindor Common Room. He's in there, Milo, he has to be in there with them. I can't allow that."

"What? What are you talking about, Sirius? Who's in there with them-"

Before Sirius could answer, Milo heard his name being called and the two froze. Immediately, he turned to Sirius and motioned the man to turn back into a dog. "Hurry! Hurry!"

In a matter of seconds, the black dog took the man's place and as Milo turned around, he saw Cedric coming right towards him. "Milo! What are you doing out here?"

The boy started walking towards him and immediately, Sirius was sitting by Milo, wagging his tail back and forth. Milo clapped his hand over his face, he couldn't believe what was taking place in that very moment. He was absolutely mortified.

"Is this where you've been instead of quidditch practice? I've been looking all over for you and then I hear screaming, very high pitched screaming and...what is going on here?"

He looked down at the dog, who barked at him and allowed his tongue to hang out the side of his mouth.

"I am...I'm sorry, I had to come out here to feed him, but I couldn't find him. But he snuck up on me and scared me. I'm really sorry. I wasn't trying to be late, I was really trying to be quick about it but...look at him, Cedric, he's starving. I can't ignore him..."

Looking down, he rubbed his foot against the ground with a bashful look on his face. "I really am sorry."

Cedric sighed. "It's fine, let's just get going, the entire team is waiting and we need to go over some new formations because of Ravenclaw changing some new team members. They have a new seeker this year as well."

"Right, right, we can go," Milo nodded his head. "Cedric, I really am sorr-"

"Milo, if you say it again," Cedric said in a warning voice before running his hands up Milo's side and bringing the boy to giggle loudly. He allowed Milo to hop onto his back before the two left, leaving Sirius alone, realising what he had just witnessed.