Melody Riddle and the Goblet of Fire

Chapter 31: Sacrifice

It was Monday morning on the way to Care of Magical Creatures that we walked down the stone steps to see just Harry and Ron on their way to class.

"Potter," Pansy called out, "have you split up with your girlfriend? Why was she so upset at breakfast?"

Upset? Hermione was upset?... ohh, I hadn't noticed, I only saw Draco bouncing about with bubbly energy... I hope she's alright... hm.... Draco had been going back and forth between eating food and kissing me, as though making sure he could fulfill the fact that the wonderful 'dream' continued. It was really quite adorable if I do say so myself.

Pansy remained ignored. I still didn't understand how most everyone believed Rita Skeeter about this 'love triangle' business. Fake school drama had everyone at the edge of their seats, I supposed.

After the wonderful lessons with the unicorns, nearly everyone had a long face when they noticed the open crates sitting outside his cabin. At a closer look, however, there weren't any skrewts in there at all, but nifflers! They were fuzzy, fluffy black creatures with long snouts and flat front paws. They were like puppies, they were so cute.

"These're nifflers," Professor Hagrid said once everyone was close enough to see them and hear him. "Yeh find 'em down mines mostly. They like sparkly stuff.... There yeh go, look."

A niffler had suddenly leapt up, attempting to bite Pansy's watch off from her wrist. She shrieked and jumped backwards, looking at it as she had the skrewts.

Professor Hagrid went on happily, "Useful little treasure detectors. Thought we'd have some fun with 'em today. See over there?" He pointed at a large patch of freshly dug up earth. "I've buried some gold coins. Jus' take off all yer valuables, an' choose a niffler, an' get ready ter set 'em loose."

I took off my necklace, and dropped it into my pocket. Didn't want the niffler to take that. I chose a niffler that sniffed around my face as though it might find that I had gold teeth. I think Bodoujn would be jealous if he saw me with this little guy, though he definitely wouldn't be safe as a pet.

"Hang on," Professor Hagrid said, noticing the extra niffler still in the crate, "there's a spare niffler here... who's missin'? Where's Hermione?"

"She had to go to the hospital wing," Ron replied.

Harry whispered something to Professor Hagrid. Always secretive, those three. And the period began.

It was a fun class. The nifflers gave us great entertainment as they efficiently dived in and out of the many patches of earth, returning all the coins they found to the students who had sent them off to search. They were like dogs... playing fetch.

"This is really fun," I said with a chuckle as my niffler brought a few more coins back to me.

"They could be very useful for treasure hunting," Draco replied, the idea obviously giving him fantasies.

"What do they do when they're not finding treasure...?" Becky wondered aloud, holding one of the coins up to her face. "Ah... leprechaun gold... worthless...."

"Oh.." I looked at my coins. "Of course. Then there's no point in anyone stealing them... where're Vincent and Greg?"

Draco pointed, they were right next to their nifflers as though cheering them on to get more than anyone else.

"Of course," I shook my head, patting the niffler's head as it gave me another coin.

"And Draco," Becky added, "you can find the lost, buried treasure in your dreams."

"And in life," he shot back.

"People don't bury treasure in real life!"

"Actually, people do," I said casually, before they could begin a confrontation that would scare their nifflers away. "In History of Magic, Professor Binns told us about the armies that buried their treasure to hide it from their enemies in case they were all captured or if enemy armies invaded their forts. They didn't want to have so much money fall into the wrong hands."