Forget-Me-Not → Regulus Black

Gnarly Knarls

Aurelia stared inquisitively in her Care of Magical Creatures class at what looked to be a hedgehog — its innocent wide brown eyes staring right back at her. Regulus was beside her, giving her a cheeky smile as she looked at the small creature in interest. He was holding one in his hand, which he then gently placed in hers.

"It's a knarl," Professor Kettleburn informed, pointing his only remaining hand at it; giving that most of his limbs were missing. He then directed his attention towards the rest of the class, who also happened to have small knarls in their own hands. "They're usually mistaken for hedgehogs — by Muggles especially. However, there are quite a few differences excluding their physical appearance. Does anyone know what these differences are?"

"If food is being left out for knarls, they will assume that they are being lured into a trap and will then savage that householder's garden plants or garden ornaments," Regulus answered promptly, as if he had memorized the whole Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them textbook by heart.

"Also," interrupted a small Hufflepuff, who had dark chestnut hair and warm honey eyes, "hedgehogs and knarls are both lactose intolerant; but knarls are more intelligent and are aware of this fact. Thus, if given milk, they will more likely refuse it than if you were to give milk to hedgehogs."

"Correct, Ms. Scamander!" Professor Kettleburn exclaimed. "Now your job is to find the remaining knarls in the next half hour. You'll be working in groups, so the team that finds the most by the end wins."

Regulus tugged at Aurelia's arm, successfully pulling her to a large daisy patch. The Hufflepuff girl was also there, scavenging the patch — trying to find as many knarls as she possibly could. She looked up from her work, beaming at the two. "Would you like to be a team? I've already collected a handful and some help could be of use."

"Sure," said Aurelia, as Regulus reluctantly made his way forward. "You're really good at this, actually."

"Hufflepuffs are particularly good finders," she responded. "Anyways, it certainly helps that I'm a Scamander and know what I'm doing." She patted the spot beside her, so Regulus and Aurelia sat down — successfully getting to work.

For the next thirty minutes they worked in silence, and by the end of the lesson they managed to find a total of fifty-seven knarls; including some small baby ones, which were even more adorable than the full grown ones — if that was even possible.

Professor Kettleburn looked at the students' work, his face contorted into an ecstatic smile. "Good, good!" he said. "It looks like we have ourselves a winner!" He handed a large piece of chocolate to each of them; Aurelia had ripped the wrapper off right as he handed it to her. 

"Salazar, if you don't stop I'm going to have to take you to the Hospital Wing," Regulus murmured under his breath, while the rest of the class made their way back to the castle.

Aurelia shrugged. "Madam Pomfrey loves me."

"You never even go to the Hospital Wing, do you?"

"No," Aurelia answered. "That's why I'm her favorite."

Regulus sighed. "Do you want to stay here until we have our next class?"

Aurelia looked at him curiously, but nodded her head. She lied down, the wild daisies enshrouding her from view. Regulus joined her, then made a small daisy chain before placing it delicately on her head. 

"Can I make you one too?" Aurelia asked. 

"I'd rather you not—"

But Aurelia was already getting to work, collecting as many daisies as she possibly could before threading them together. She placed it on his own head, much to his dismay. Still, he didn't refuse and let her put it on him triumphantly. "You're infuriating," he said.

"I know," Aurelia replied, before lying back down on the grass. Regulus lied down next to her, together watching the azure blue sky in silence, their hands intertwined.