As soon as I gave Abarrane her name, I heard the loud ringing from my wand intensify, and I almost dropped it from the strong vibrations. Abarrane froze as well, tightening her suckers around me, refusing to let go for even a second. She then brought her other arms to me, clinging tightly to my clothes and body, wrapping me in her embrace. Without warning, she dragged me underwater again. I held my breath as she brought me closer to her main body. Opening my eyes, I saw her glowing yellow gaze, mesmerizing me and keeping me calm while she moved me closer.
As she rubbed me against her, the loud ringing became almost deafening. Even beneath the waves, I could still hear it clearly. However, among the static-like noise, I began to distinguish something else—a faint message hidden beneath the ringing. Though distorted, emotions seeped through. I could feel Abarrane's happiness and delight, emotions I had come to recognize from our previous encounters. But there was something more—words, barely discernible through the interference.
I listened as intently as I could under the circumstances, and amidst the distorted noise, I heard faint, feminine words in Parseltongue: "Than- … Amaze- … You- … Nice…"
She soon noticed me tapping her tentacle for air, and I felt her embarrassment before she quickly brought me back to the surface. As I gasped for air, I let out shallow chuckles, amused by how surprisingly affectionate this massive creature could be. Before she fully retreated, I placed my wand on her final tendril.
"It was fun. I'll be back tomorrow," I promised.
She gave my arm one last gentle tug before descending beneath the waves.
Val emerged from the water soon after, slithering up my outstretched arm and into my robe.
"Achoo!" I sneezed from the chill in the air and shivered as I made my way back to the castle. I need some way to dry my clothes quickly, I thought, trudging up the path from the lake.
"Hey, kid! You alright?!"
I jumped at the sudden voice and snapped my head toward the giant man who had first brought us to school—Hagrid. He hurried over, concern written on his face.
"Come on, let's get you to my cabin and warmed up," he said, ushering me along.
I sighed and nodded, realizing which cabin he was referring to. Sorry for thinking your house was a storage shed… Hagrid, I think your name was.
He opened the door and waved me inside, completely unfazed by the dripping mess I was making.
"Over 'ere," he said, lighting a fire in the hearth.
I glanced around, appreciating the rustic yet cozy atmosphere of his home.
"Hang your robes by the fire. You can dry off while I make somethin' to warm you up," he offered, handing me a blanket.
I nodded silently, unsure how to respond to his kindness. I wasn't used to people being genuinely nice, aside from my parents. Hagrid left me alone while he disappeared into the back room, likely his kitchen.
As I removed my robes, I turned to Val, who was slithering around the floor.
"Stay hidden under the blanket," I whispered.
"Okay!" Val chirped happily, quickly slithering up my arm and wriggling into the folds of the blanket.
This man seems nice. I like this place! Val's enthusiasm made me briefly wonder if he had some innate ability to sense whether people were trustworthy. After all, I had been uncertain about Abarrane at first, but now we shared a strong bond. Is Hagrid the same way?
My thoughts were interrupted when Hagrid returned, carrying two bowls of steaming stew.
"Normally, I make this in the fire—it tastes better that way—but I figured you needed the space," he chuckled, handing me a bowl.
I took it with a nod, peering into the bowl of potato stew.
"It may not be up to snuff for a Slytherin, but I like it," he added with a self-deprecating smile.
I scowled slightly, staring at the stew, before taking a large mouthful.
"What are you, stupid?" I muttered after swallowing the hot, flavorful stew.
Hagrid squinted at me, confused, as I took another eager bite.
"Slytherins have manners. Even if food tastes bad, hospitality dictates you eat every bite," I said curtly, before greedily finishing the entire bowl.
Hagrid watched in silence before breaking into hearty laughter.
Just then, Val poked his head out from beneath the blanket and seized a large piece of potato with his unhinged jaw, swallowing it whole.
"This is good! Why did you make it sound like it wasn't? Did you not want me to have any?" Val complained.
I sighed as Hagrid's laughter dimmed slightly, though he remained unaware of the hissing coming from Val's voice.
"I understand," Hagrid chuckled, taking a large bite of his stew.
We both sat in comfortable silence for a while, watching the fire crackle and dance.
Eventually, Hagrid broke the silence with a question.
"If you don't mind me askin'... Do you know why she's so fascinated with you?"
My frown deepened as I stared at the flickering flames.
"How should I know? I never even heard of her until she dragged me down on the first day. Now she does the same thing whenever I'm walking around," I replied harshly.
Hagrid merely nodded thoughtfully, his eyes also fixed on the fire.
"It's just… in all my years, she's never touched a single student. Rarely even let herself be seen. Many students don't even know she exists," he said, almost in awe.
A small smirk threatened to appear on my lips at the thought of being someone special to Abarrane.
"I'd like to ask you not to harm her, young man," Hagrid pleaded, his voice soft but firm.
The mere suggestion of anyone hurting Abarrane filled my heart with rage. Memories of my father harvesting magical creatures for potion ingredients flashed through my mind. The thought of anyone laying a hand on Abarrane made my blood boil.
Without realizing it, my magic surged in response. The entire cabin shook violently, and loose objects rattled, clattering to the floor.
I took a deep breath, forcing my emotions back under control, locking away the searing hatred I felt for those who harmed innocent creatures.
"I will do as I please… Don't try shackling me to your ideals," I said coldly.
I turned to see Hagrid's hand subtly hovering near his waistband, clearly ready to draw his wand.
Scoffing, I grabbed my now-dry robe and made my way toward the door, the blanket still draped around my shoulders, concealing Val from Hagrid's sharp gaze.
At the threshold, I paused.
"Thank you for your hospitality," I muttered, without turning around. "But don't imagine you understand me after one brief conversation."
I closed the door behind me. Before leaving, I neatly folded the blanket and placed it on the stone step, which seemed clean enough. Then, slipping my robe back on, I made my way toward the castle, ready to grab my books and head to class.
Back inside the cabin, Hagrid sat in silence, staring at the now-settled room.
He pondered the boy's parting words. Hidden beneath his harsh tone, Hagrid had detected genuine anger at the mere suggestion of harming the squid.
Was he... protecting her?
What troubled Hagrid more, however, was the immense magical power the boy had displayed. He had seen young wizards accidentally toss objects around in anger before—but nothing this intense.
And yet, that wasn't what puzzled Hagrid most.
Why was a Slytherin so fiercely protective of a magical beast?
Of all the students, Slytherins were usually the most spiteful toward his class. But this boy... he genuinely cared. Hagrid found himself questioning whether the boy was as cold as he seemed—or if there was something deeper beneath the surface.