Chapter 22 - Hagrid's Hut

Severus had slept well, and his fever was down when Poppy checked him in the morning. He had eaten breakfast with them, and then Albus had come and fetched him. The morning went by without incident. Severus had played while Minerva, and Albus did paper work.

"It's time for lunch. Put the toys back in your room, Sev, and wash your hands," Minerva instructed while organising the papers on the table. She sighed, exhausted, because she knew she would need the whole afternoon to finish them.

Albus' working place didn't look any better. Minerva had to tell him twice to stop working, and even then he sighed frustrated. He would need days to sort all of the papers out.

Severus put all the toys in his room, and when he came back from washing his hands, Minerva and Albus were ready to leave for the Great Hall. Severus loved to eat in the Great Hall because he met so many people there, and he hoped that he would see Hagrid this time as well. The whole morning he had pestered Minerva and Albus to be allowed to go to Hagrid, but they refused. It was too dangerous to go to Hagrid alone, and they had no time to go together with him. All he knew was that Pookah still was alive. Albus had spoken with the grounds keeper before he came to get Severus from Poppy and Alastor. Now Severus was on pins and needles to speak with Hagrid or to find someone who would accompany him to Hagrid's hut. When he entered the Great Hall, he immediately let go of Minerva's hand and ran over to the table. To his disappointment Hagrid wasn't there. After hugging Aunt Pommy and Filius, he went over to Charlie. "Where is Ro?" he asked the redhead while he climbed in his lap.

Charlie arranged him to sit more comfortably and answered, "She is eating with Hagrid and Harry in Hagrid's hut."

"And Pookah?" Severus asked eagerly to get more information about his ill pet.

"Pookah is getting better. Hagrid says you can come and visit him." Charlie was surprised to see Severus' sad face after telling him this good news. "What's wrong? Don't you want to see Pookah?"

"I'm not allowed to go and see him alone, and Mummy and Daddy have no time. So many papers." The last statement he emphasized by drawing a big circle in the air with his arms.

"Ah, I see," Charlie said while steadying Severus when he almost fell over from his gesture. "Maybe I can come and get you after your nap."

"That would be really nice, Charlie," Minerva said while lifting Severus off his lap. "The paperwork is killing us, and we have no time to go down to Hagrid with him."

"No problem at all, Minerva," Charlie said, smiling. "I will come by at two o'clock."

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At two o'clock Charlie was standing in front of an already excited, bouncing Severus. He was fully dressed, and Charlie hardly had come in when Severus was pushing him out of the quarters and down in the direction of the groundskeeper's hut. "Come on, Arlie, I want to see Pookah."

Charlie just laughed and let Severus drag him through the halls.

When they arrived at the hut, Hagrid was in the garden digging up a beet. Harry was sprawled over a wooden bench, sound asleep.

Severus' first instinct was to run over to Hagrid and ask him where Pookah is, but the closer they came to him the more cautious he became. Hagrid was a half giant, and Severus was scared. He knew that everyone was saying that Hagrid was very kind, and in the hospital wing he also sounded kind, but his height was really frightening. The closer they came the closer Severus snuggled to Charlie. In the end he was hugging Charlie's leg and hid behind it.

"Hello, Hagrid, young Severus here wanted to check on his pet." Charlie addressed the giant, who until now hadn't even noticed them.

"Ah, yeh two," Hagrid said and rammed the spade in the ground. "Come on, ‘e's inside." With his huge hands he gestured them to follow him.

It was a little difficult for Charlie to go while Severus was hugging his leg. "Hey, what's up, tyke? Don't you want to see Pookah? Hagrid has taken good care of him." He tried to pry Severus away from his leg, but only when he lifted him in his arms, he could follow Hagrid.

The light in the hut was dim, and it was hot. Severus' eyes needed some time to adjust with the lack of light. "Come over here, little one," Hagrid said. Severus didn't realize Hagrid meant him until Charlie stood him on the ground. The urge to see Pookah was bigger than his fear, and so he carefully went over to Hagrid, who was kneeling in front of a big box. The box was stuffed with a cushion, and on the cushion laid his Pookah. He looked better than the day before and slowly looked up at Severus. His tiny nose was sniffing in the air, and as if he recognized his saviour, he tried to crawl near him. "No, no, weasel. Not now," Hagrid said calmingly and stopped the animal with his big hand. Turning to Severus he said, "Yeh can touch ‘im. He just shouldn't crawl round right now."

Carefully Severus patted Pookah's head. The little weasel made a cheeping noise of satisfaction and nestled against Severus' hand. "Hey, Pookah, are you okay?" Severus asked very calmly.

"‘E'll be okay soon," Hagrid said. "‘E'll need to take the strengthening milk I made for ‘im for a few days, and he shouldn't move too much, but ‘e'll survive. More alive then you or your guardians will like, I fear."

"I like him alive," Severus said while patting Pookah.

Hagrid chuckled. "We'll see. What do yeh know about weasels?"

Severus tried to find something to say. He didn't want to look like a baby, not knowing anything about his friend. He feared Hagrid wouldn't let Pookah live with him if he didn't have a good answer. "Erm...they drink milk." Oh, he was so proud. He had listened well, and could use it for showing how much he knew.

"Nah, normally you shouldn't give him milk. Only the special milk I made for ‘im. Yeh give ‘im water, okay?" Hagrid explained.

Severus was disappointed that his tactic hadn't worked, but hearing that the giant planned to give him Pookah nevertheless he was relieved. "I can have him?"

Hagrid looked puzzled at him. "Of course. What did yeh think? If yeh want yeh can take 'im now. There ain't no reason for ‘im to be ‘ere anymore. E's survived the worst. E's much more alive while yer ‘ere. It seems you've a good influence on him. I'll show you how to feed ‘im the milk." Hagrid fetched a baby bottle from a sideboard and asked Charlie to heat it by magic. "Normally I warm it up in the kettle on the fire, but this is quicker."

Charlie grinned. He knew very well that Hagrid's umbrella was made out of his broken wand, and that he could still use it for easy charms.

While Charlie heated the bottle to body temperature, Hagrid explained to Severus how to take care of a weasel. "When he's fully healthy, ‘e'll find enough food in the castle and on the grounds. Yeh just have to put a bowl o' water in yer room, so that he can drink while he's with yeh. If ye want to give ‘im a treat yeh can give ‘im almost anythin'. He prefers meat, but yeh can also give him fruit. Yeh shouldn't give ‘im sweets because they'll make ‘im fat and are unhealthy for ‘im."

Severus listened very carefully. He wanted to take good care of Pookah. "What does he eat in the castle and on the grounds, Hagger?"

"Mostly mice and birds, but also eggs, little snakes an' lizards. They eat almost everything that fits in their muzzle. Weasels are very clingy animals. They spend a lot o' time with their keepers, but they're often unfriendly to other people an' even bite if they don't wanna be touched by others."

Severus eyes went wide. Oh, Mummy and Daddy won't like this. He leaned over to Hagrid and whispered, "We shouldn't tell Mummy and Daddy this."

Hagrid looked confused at Severus. He didn't know that Severus had started to call Minerva and Albus like this. Charlie gave Severus the bottle and said, "I think they already know, Sev, and lying to them is a bad thing."

Severus blushed. He didn't like it when his friend acted like an adult. "Yes, Arlie."

"Let me show you first," Hagrid said and lifted the weasel including the cushion out of the box and on his lap. The moment the weasel lost contact with Severus' hand, it started to whimper and crawl in Severus' direction. "Easy, lil one," Hagrid said calmly and held the animal still with one hand. "You hold him and then push the teat in ‘is muzzle. Tis a little difficult. ‘E's very young, an' not used to getting' fed like this." After a few times and a small struggle with the animal it started to suck at the bottle. When Hagrid pulled the bottle out it hissed and tried to bite in the teat frustrated. Milk was all over his muzzle, and when it realized it wouldn't get the bottle from the big man again, it licked the rest of the milk from its muzzle. "'Ere take the bottle!"

Severus was sitting cross-legged on the floor. Hagrid placed the big cushion on his lap, and Severus patted Pookah carefully with his free hand. "Don't hiss at me or bite me. I'm a good boy."

"'E's hungry, lil one. Give him the milk," Hagrid instructed.

With one hand Severus held the little head of the animal, which immediately snuggled against it, and with the other hand he tried to push the bottle in the little muzzle. After two tries he was successful, and Pookah drank eagerly.

"Very good. Yer good with animals," Hagrid said complementarily. "Weasels are hard to keep. They choose only one person, and this person they love deeply. They would defend ‘im with their life. But like I said they often are unfriendly and wild against other people. There are a few weasels that like to be touched by others as well or choose a few more people who are allowed to touch them. I have not heard of many, but it is possible. Just tell the people around yeh not to touch him unless he chooses to come to them."

Severus nodded. Pookah had almost finished his bottle.

"Yeh ‘ave to give him the milk four times a day an' you should try to offer him tiny bits of meat. Not bigger than your fingernail. Until now he ‘adn't taken any from me, but maybe you will be luckier." With that he stood up to gather a small bowl with tiny meat balls. When the bottle was empty, he gave Severus one of the meat balls. "Try an' see if he takes it from you."

Severus looked unsurely at the giant. "And if he bites me?"

"He's chosen yeh, little one. He wouldn't even bite yeh if yeh hurt ‘im," Hagrid said with such determination that Severus believed him without thinking twice. He offered the meat ball to Pookah. The tiny muzzle moved rapidly while it sniffed at the offered food. Very carefully he snatched the food out of Severus' fingers and chewed it eagerly.

"That's funny," Severus said and giggled, while Pookah gnawed on the meatball.

"Yeh can give him as much as he wants. He needs a lot of energy and will stop when ‘e's full," Hagrid said and placed the bowl on the ground where Severus could reach it easily.

"The Headmaster said yeh can keep him in yer room. The doors are charmed to let him through when he wants to get outside. So he can move freely throughout the grounds, the castle and yer quarters. Yeh can take him with yeh in the box. Maybe he'll choose it as his sleeping place. Harry had bought yeh a brush, a transport box and a few treats for him and-"

As if on clue the door of the hut opened, and a sleepy looking Harry came in. "You could have woken me."

"Harry, look, my Pookah is eating meat balls," Severus said happily, ignoring the grumpiness of Harry.

Harry's face lit up. "Really? That's fantastic, Sev." He came over to them to look at the animal. Pookah used the distraction and tried to crawl under Severus' sweatshirt.

Severus giggled. "That tickles, Pookah."

"It seems we won't get him back in the box again, but at least take the box with yeh to see if he will sleep in it." He looked sceptically at the animal, which looked curiously out of the neck of Severus' sweater. He didn't believe that the weasel would sleep in the box, but the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall would be more at ease if they believed he would.

"Okay," Severus said while slowly standing up. Pookah was still under his shirt and only his head poked out of it. Severus supported the weasel with his arm and it rubbed its head happily at Severus throat.

"Yeh can leave the transport box here. If yeh ever need it, yeh only ‘ave to come an' get it. I put the milk powder an' the bottle in the box together with the brush. Here are some more teat because he has sharp teeth. If yeh need more, just come down here, an' if you have any questions or need help. Two spoonfuls in a bottle, four times a day, and shake it good before you give it to him. Can you remember that?"

"Yes," Severus said soulfully.

"Let one of the adults cast a cleaning spell on the bottle after yeh use it. Come down ‘ere in two days, and we'll see if he still needs the milk, okay?" Hagrid asked.

"'kay, Hagger. You are nice," Severus said, not so afraid of the giant anymore. He had helped his little friend very well.

"Okay, Severus, let's go back to Minerva and Albus. Harry, why don't you join us or are you leaving?" Charlie looked questioningly at Harry while taking the box from Hagrid.

"No, I try to stay away from the Burrow as much as possible. Hermione has two free days, and it's better to be here than in the Burrow," Harry explained sullenly.

Charlie looked sharply at Harry. "Hermione is just worried, Harry. And Molly-"

"Yeah, yeah, wrong person to talk to about this, I know," Harry said and rolled his eyes. "Didn't we want to go to the Headmaster?" With that he gently shoved Severus out of the door to avoid continuing his talk with Charlie.

Severus let Harry push him outside, but he had other plans than going back to Albus and Minerva and their boring papers.