 Stuck inside with Sirius | *Splish-Splash* | bamBAM | ☁ Spooktacular ☁
Noble's eyes narrowed, his brow furrowing, at what Derfael was saying to the two girls. At the rage seeping through into his words. The Potions Professor wasn't against animal testing, he'd done plenty in his researching days, but it had to be done ethically and by the book. Somehow, even with the Hufflepuff Prefect's tendencies for exaggeration, Noble didn't think Petrov was abiding by the rules. Not after seeing the bowtruckle.
"Chloe's right, Derfael," Noble responded. "Some thought is required as to what getting them out safely entails...especially around here." Scrimgeour and Petrov wouldn't take the disappearance of all the creatures from the barns lightly, he knew that much. He looked at Max then, at the suggestion of releasing them into the forest. "They're not wild animals. It's a solution...but perhaps not the most optimal one."
He could feel all their eyes on him. Expectant. Funnily enough, he couldn't conjure stables and pens from nowhere. He wasn't even that good with creatures. Had they seen the grumpy fat cat in his office? Several years ago now, his own familiar, his crup, had even decided it'd rather stay with his ex-wife. A magizoologist, Noble was not.
"You can try the dittany." He held out the small vial to the Hufflepuff, not having forgotten his request. He didn't think it would work, but perhaps he was wrong. It would at least provide a distraction from the crazy ideas the sixth year was now formulating. Before he got to chance to rebuke it as a plan though, a familiar voice interrupted. "There has been an incident at the barn, Professor Marchand," Noble answered. "It has left Derfael here rather shaken."
He looked to his colleague, who looked like he too was simmering under the surface. Noble's voice softened slightly. "We have reason to believe that the creatures are being mistreated. Perhaps we could owl Tristan...get some advice about moving them?" He looked at the gathered students now. "We could do with evidence, too."
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