It was just as she'd thought. He wasn't out here which meant she'd wasted her time walking all the way over here with the cauldron cakes and chocolate frogs she'd bought for him. Such a shame. He said they were his favourite. POUT.

WAIT WHAAA??

Now that the girl mentioned it she didn't see the dog that was usually so hyper active...Pepper actually left poor Millie alone?? At a time like this when things were stealing candy??? Didn't the dog have a heart? ....Unless.... "You don't think something happened to her, do you?" She just refused to believe the dog would abandon her friend without a good reason.

Oh? So he'd be coming back. Good. It meant she didn't have to leave and she hadn't wasted her time completely. "Sure, I'll stay!" GRIN. She knelt next to the seemingly traumatized creature and began petting her gently. It's a good thing Felix wasn't there...he got jealous much too easily.

Minerva watched as Alexa thought of a few things, she turned looking at Millie and then back at Alexa when she talked again. "I don't know. I was hoping maybe Mr. Gibbins just had Pepper on a walk or maybe Pepper was in the hut still. I was wondering if I should go to the hut and see if Pepper was there, but didn't want to leave Millie all by herself."

She smiled as Alexa said she would stay. "I think Millie likes the company. So hows classes going Alexa? Are you enjoying your first year?" She hadn't really talked to the girl other then giving her gummy worms and a short conversation in class. "Have you liked Hogwarts so far?" She remembered loving her first term, so she hoped everyone had a great time as well.

"You think so?" She asked curiously. "I mean...would Shiny Ground's Keeper really only take one of them for a walk?" It seemed more logical to have them both tag along. Leaving Millie here all alone must have made her so afraid. This was a fairly big playground and she wasn't all that big. Leaving her by herself would've been mean but she knew the Shiny Ground's Keeper was anything but mean so it had to be something else. She would have to question him about it when he got there.

In the meantime...

The 11 year old was feeling absolutely horrid. She was supposed to find a way to make this girl cry but here the girl was being all nice to her. This wasn't good. Lex wanted to make Vivi proud but at the same time she couldn't see herself being mean to a girl that was being so nice to her. Hardly any older students were exactly nice to her which meant this one was one of the different ones.

She smiled through the uncomfortable feeling that was bubbling in her stomach. "Yeah...I think she'll like the company too..." Merlin she was even asking her about her classes! This girl NEEDED to stop before she made Lex change her mind about following her Boss Lady's orders. "Oh, they've been great! Definitely interesting." Nod. "And are you kidding? This is the best place on earth! It's gonna suck when I have to leave but I guess I miss my Daddy...and Jeremy too." That was one good thing about having to break from Hogwarts, wasn't it? Seeing them again.

Minerva listened to her reasoning and sighed, "I was hoping it could just be something simple like he took Pepper on a walk. I don't want to think that she ran away or is missing." Minerva frowned and showed the worry on her face. She looked around the area, if Pepper was gone, which way did the pooch even run. It would be harder to find her then anything. "I hope Pepper is ok, this worries me a bit." She looked at Alexa hoping maybe she would have thoughts on what do to do.

"Well I'm glad your loving Hogwarts and classes. I have learned so much in the four terms I've been here. Like my favorite spell that changes my hair color." She smiled and pointed to the blue, it had been her favorite since first year. "Yeah.. summer.. It's coming quickly isn't it." She frowned a bit and looked to the ground. "Dont' get me wrong I can't wait to see my grandparents, but I have had so many changes the last four years, this place is the only thing that has stayed the same. I wish I could just stay here." She looked with interest, "Is Jeremy your brother?"

Just hearing the older girl's response made her get even more worried. Somewhere deep down even she was thinking that something had happened to Pepper; but what? The gate was most likely locked so for her to be gone she would've had to...well she'd have had to go over the fence or something but why would the dog do that? More importantly, why would she leave Millie? Her eyes widened a little when she saw the girl looking at her as if she might have had some kind of answer. Well she didn't. Not an accurate one anyway. "The way I see it, she ran off...maybe she saw something and went after it?" But really she was thinking something snatched the dog and hauled it off. See? Made no sense.

What the girl was saying made some amount of sense. "I guess you're right." She'd only been here for something under a year but the school was very consistent. Something she appreciated when you considered all the changes in her house since she left.

"Oh I don't have any sibl--" She stopped suddenly, remembering the shock that had greeted her when she went home during her suspension and the owl she gotten over the Christmas. Her face dropped a bit. "No...he's one of my bestfriends... he couldn't come here though 'cause he's a muggle." And Will never let him forget that whenever the three hung out together. Sigh.

Minerva agreed, "Yes maybe Pepper saw something and went after it. I don't think she would have just left to leave. She is a smart dog though, so hopefully if she did get out she will be back soon." Looking at Millie she pet the wombat, "I wish you could just tell me where your friend went, it would be easier." Looking at the fence she frowned, "Maybe we really should go looking for her or Mr. Gibbins. Maybe we could just take Millie with us so she's not alone." She knew they shouldn't take Millie out of the play area, but Mr. Gibbin's couldn't be upset if they were doing it for Millie's safety or well being, right?

Minerva picked up on something was wrong and looked at her first year friend concerned. "Alexa are you alright? You know if you need to talk about anything I'm always around. I have had enough family issues of my own the last few years. So I get it.." Then she talked about a best friend and Min smiled. "Well that's nice that you have a muggle best friend. When I lived with my parents before here, we moved so much that I never really got to know people. So didn't really have many friends." She looked at the ground a bit and then back up, "So when I go back to the States it's just myself and my grandparents for the entire summer." Not that she minded her grandparents, but it would be nice to be around some people her own age.

Lex took what the girl said into consideration before giving her response. "No...I don't think we need to go find him...them being here means he's near by so he must have heard me calling." The girl had been loud enough; she was sure of that. "I think we should stay here with Millie and see if Pepper comes back. It'd be awful if she came back and couldn't find anyone including her friend; she might run off again." And don't even suggest one staying behind. Nope. That's how people got killed. Lex was an expert on survival, she should know.

Hearing Minnie say that only reminded her of the horrible situation that fabricated itself at her home. Her eyes lowered as she wondered whether or not to even say anything. The girl seemed genuinely concerned afterall and it couldn't have hurt to tell someone, especially someone else who had 'family problems'. "It's nothing really, just...my Daddy's trying to replace me...Amanda got a baby and now I have to share..." And it was terrible!!! While she was here that CREATURE was at home receiving all her father's love and affection. Once she got home it would have to be returned to wherever it was coming from. Yup.

"And I'm sorry to hear that." Her grandparents weren't her favourite people so she couldn't see the girl enjoying it. If that was the case she wouldn't have wanted to go home either. "Can't you just go home with a friend?"

As the girls got to talking and jumping to incorrect conclusions, the Umbrella Vinora slipped in through a rail surrounding the playground. One long tendril snaked across the grassy area, blending right in like a garden snake, and heading straight for its prey.

Ah, wombat. Such a delicious foreign delicacy, but one the plant enjoyed immensely. The tendril crept right up the Hufflepuff petting Millie and gave her a harsh slap on her face. Then it bounced over to the Gryffindor and slapped her cheek as well, taking advantage of their shock to snatch the wombat out of their hands and wrap it up like a sausage roll.

The tendril dragged the struggling, squealing, crying wombat back to the rest of its body, where it was devoured in no time. Bon appetite!

Lex looked over at Minnie waiting on her answer but quickly fell back onto her butt when she saw something--a vine maybe...branch? Whatever the hell it was climbing Minnie.

"I...uh...Minnie...." She tried speaking but no words came. What in merlin's beard was that? And why was it crawling over the girl?? Where'd it even come from?! She was visibly shocked when the thing slapped Minnie across the face but became even more so when it did the same to her. Wha--How ruuuude! She reached for her wand to teach the thing a lesson but in the second she took to do this the thing had grabbed Millie and began pulling her away.

O___O

JBOSBSX LCHDLB SIFSSB!!

Lex watched in horror as the poor wombat squealed for dear life before disappearing with the plant. Oh. Merlin.

She turned her attention once again to the girl. "Come on! We gotta find Shiny Ground's Keeper!!" She said, jumping to her feet, still a little shocked by all that just happened. If there was any chance of saving the wombat they had to take it!

Minerva listened to Alexa and couldn't help but agree with her. Yes staying with Millie here was probably the best place in case Pepper did come back. "Okay, we will just stay here. It's Millie's home anyway. She probably feels safer here." Min looked down and smiled at the wombat. She enjoyed playing and petting the cute little thing.

Minerva frowned as Alexa talked about her family issues. "So is Amanda a step mom then? It can be hard to adjust to changes especially when babies are involved. Maybe when summer comes you can talk to you dad more about it and share how you feel." She then gave a weak smile, "Well I have had some offers from friends, but I will have to go back to my grandparents for a bit. They had just gotten custody of me last summer and I haven't seen them since I came to school in the fall."

Minerva was enjoying her time with Millie and Alexa. She was glad that she was getting to know Alexa a little better. She knew the Laura had trouble with her, but the more she was getting to know Alexa, the more she wondered if it was just a huge misunderstanding. Maybe she could try to help those two once she saw and talked to Laura a bit. As she sat petting Millie, she felt something touch her. Thinking it was just a bug or spider she just moved her arm a bit, but then Alexa was acting all strange. Just as she was about to look at her arm something slammed into her face, hitting her right across the nose, her eyes watered instantly so that her vision blurred a bit.

As she tried to focus she heard Alexa cry out as if hit at well. Then all of the sudden it hit her. IT WAS THAT PLANT.. That horrible, horrible plant from the hotsprings.. Minerva jumped up and forced herself to see through the water and pain. What she saw was right out of a horror movie, the plant had Millie.. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" she screamed and pulled her wand. "Drop her now you stupid plant. I should have shredded you when I had the chance." Pulling her wand she started screaming "STUPEFY", but with her blurred watery eyes she kept missing. Finally she froze watching the horror leave the playground.

Turning quickly towards Alexa she tried to stop her eyes watering and her face was stinging. "Alexa, are you okay? Did you get hurt? I have seen that plant before. We need to run, get out of here and find Mr. Gibbins. Let's head to the hut." She tried to check Alexa to make sure she had no serious injuries. Finally her eyes were starting to focus from the watering that had been going on. Minerva took off toward the hut screaming Mr. Gibbin's name the entire way to try and save time if he was already there he would hear them screaming.

Alexa slowed down considerably when she got back to the gate of the play pen. It was empty inside, just as they'd left; no Pepper in sight.

Swinging the gate open she walked in rather cautiously. Her eyes were glued to the ground. Checking for any sight of that plant. It could have been waiting for its next meal and she wasn't very interested in that position.

Lex made her way to the centre of the playground then looked down. "Here. This is where we were with Millie then that plant thing crawled onto Minnie and started slapping. " The scene replayed in the 11 year old's mind. The poor creature being hauled off...squealing and crying as it did...

She looked to a side of the fence then pointed. "She got dragged that way so I'm guessing the plant is somewhere in that direction." If that's where the plant was then they could try going after it. "Maybe we could even get Professor Bentley's help?" She was the Herbology Professor afterall. If anyone was gonna know about a wombat eating plant it had to be her...right?

Minerva walked cautiously back into the playground. It was so empty without Millie and Pepper. Keeping her wand in hand she glanced around and around, over and over again in the yard. That thing was not going to climb her again if it was there. She always scanned the area for Pepper. They just had to find Pepper, where could she have gone. Following Alexa she watched as she told where they were. "Yes it drug her that way." Pointing in the direction Minerva walked toward the fence area, but didn't see anything.

Still looking around she heard Alexa say about Professor Bentley and looked up, "Yes maybe we should, we probably should inform the head mistress as well. If it is taking animals, she will need to keep an eye on the barn animals." Then a thought crossed Min's mind. The jobberknolls.. Could their fate be from that plant... Minerva tried not to think like that, because if they were done in by the plant then Millie... No.. they would find Millie, they had to find Millie.

Seb followed behind the girls as they made their way towards the playground. He too had his wand out but wasn't really on the lookout, his mind was too busy thinking about what Alexa and Minerva had told him. Millie was taken by a plant and Pepper was missing.

He hadn't realised they had stopped until he almost ran into them and he gave himself a small shake so that he could take in what the girls were telling him. He looked in the direction they were pointing and heaved a sigh. "I think the Headmistress is busy trying to get the common rooms open."And he didn't want to bother her with a report of a missing wombat and dog. She would probably have a hard time believing the story anyway. Seb was still trying to get his head around it.

"I'm going to see if I can find anything that will help me...understand...what happened." He glanced over at the two girls and gave them a sad sort of smile. "You two don't have to hang around...if you...you know...have better things to do."

Poor Shiny Ground's Keeper. He just seemed in such a haze. He needed a hug or something to make him feel better--but this was no time for hugging. Nope. Stop for a second to give a hug and the next thing you know you're being hauled off like a wombat for not paying attention. She couldn't have that happening now could she?

Thankfully she'd left Felix back on her sleeping bag in the Great Hall or she might have done something stupid.

"Oh yeah...she's busy trying to rescue my candy...she can't help much." Sure the woman had other reasons for breaking open the common rooms but the one Lex chose to fixate on was the one that involved her being reunited with her sweets after so long. Buying a whole new bag of candy didn't mean she had any less interest in the one locked up in Gryffindor Tower.

Her eyes widened when he said they didn't have to stay if they had better things to do. What could be more important than saving Millie and Pepper?! Those two were precious and at the moment rather unsafe. "I wanna help." She protested. "If I go back to the castle I'll just end up pacing the floor, wondering if the plant got you and Pepper too..." Not very good for an 11 year old to contemplate; not when she had such an active imagination to boot. The girl would probably start freaking out from just the thoughts her mind managed to conjure up. Did he really want her to go through that?

Minerva looked back and forth from Mr. Gibbin's to Alexa, "But sir.. What if this plant will go after other animals at school. We have so many in the barn. Do you think we should inform someone about it's presence?" She wasn't sure what to do and she didn't want to question an adult, but that plant was evil. It just had to be evil to wrap it's self around a students leg and now take a poor, helpless, cute, animal like Millie. She searched the ground for any clues and bent down touching the grass a bit. Why couldn't the plant have left dragging marks or something they could have followed it's direction.

Her mind was racing with so many questions, but questions she decided were not going to be asked at the moment. Where was this plant at, it couldn't be in the greenhouses...could it? Maybe it was a forbidden forest plant, that made more sense. Whatever the answer was Minerva hoped someone would find it soon. Then there was the Pepper issue. Standing back up she looked at Mr. Gibbin's. "Mr. Gibbin's if it's alright with you, I would like to stay and help. I think the more of us help maybe the better luck we will have finding Pepper and hopefully the plant with Millie." Yes, there was no way she was going back to that castle if she could help out in some way here.

Minerva had a point. There was a strange plant running rampant in the grounds of Hogwarts eating everything in its sights, he probably should let at least one of the Professor's know what was going on. And he knew exactly who to tell as well. The one person that could sympathise with him because she too had lost her beloved pets.

He took out his wand and pointed it in the direction of Vanora Newlin's office, a burst of silvery mist burst out of his wand and took the form of a dragonfly and flew off in the direction of the COMC Professor. "There you go Minnie. I just informed someone."

As upset as he was about Millie, Seb couldn't stop the smile from forming on his lips when the two girls said they wanted to stay and help. He was rather touched by their wanting to help and their concern for Millie and Pepper. "Okay then. But if things get a little hairy, you two get out, okay? No heroics. Just go. Do I have your word on that?" His gaze immediately went to Alexa when he asked that question. She was young and enthusiastic and she was also a Gryffindor.

Lex watched in fascination as the Ground's Keeper conjure up a dragonfly looking thing and watched it fly off. Those most have been what they called patronuses. She'd never seen one before. How did one go about making them anyway...? And why was his a dragonfly? Did you pick what kind it was...? So many questions but unfortunately this was the wrong time to go asking them.

"Who'd you inform?" She asked, looking up at him with big, curious eyes. That question she could ask because it had something to do with the matter at hand. There were only so many people who could actually do anything about any of this.

Wait whaaaaat...?

No heroics? Get out of there and leave him to possibly die?? And just why was he looking at her like that?! It wasn't like she'd go and do something stupid. Lex had to bite down on her lip to keep it from pouting. She didn't like the idea of abandoning a mission just because things got a bit wonky but she had a feeling that if she didn't agree then she'd be sent right back to the castle immediately so quite reluctantly she gave a response. "Okay...no heroics..." Though Vivi didn't seem to mind her heroics.

A plant was involved in the DEATH of her creatures?

If it wasn't Hogwarts, Vanora would have had a very, VERY difficult time believing that. But it was the castle, and they were her creatures, plus, she was desperate to find out what really happened to them all. How could they just die like that!? So, once the groundskeeper's patronus disappeared from off her shoulder, she made sure her little coati was safe in her office, with extra charms placed around her, before leaving the hut.

She felt really bad for the groundskeeper. At least she knew what happened to her creatures, well, she knew that they were no longer with her, but he had no idea what happened, or was happening to his.

Practically running, the creatures professor finally made it to the playground, only to stop when she was standing next to Sebastian. She offered the man a condoling smile, albeit not a very good one. "So, where do we look first?" If it was a creature killing plant, she would guess the forbidden forest. She then noticed the two girls in the playground as well and she raised her eyebrows. "Did anyone see what it looked like?"

Otherwise, they would be inspecting every blade of grass.

Minerva gave an awkward smile.. Was she being to bossy, he was the adult, but she was just so frazzled from it all that her brain was working overtime. "I know it's all up to you Mr. Gibbins, but the more people we have to look for them, the better chance we have to hopefully find them." Yes, they had to find the animals, this was a bad dream that they had to find the happy ended to. As Minerva kept scanning the grass from anxiety, possibly nerves of the plant coming back she heard him say something else that made her look up. He was looking at Alexa, well of course, she was a bit outgoing and a first year so she wouldn't know many spells, but Min didn't know if she was faced to face with that horrid plant again if she could just run away from it. She wanted to see it possibly diced into pieces. "Whatever you need us to do Mr. Gibbins, sir." She knew that was the only way to get to stay and help.

Just as she was continuing to look around she heard someone and looked up. Professor Newlin had been the person he informed. Good, she needed to know that the animals in the barn could possibly be in danger. Looking between both adults Minerva's eyes traced the visual she had been seeing, since coming back into the playground. The bad memory of the plant dragging Millie wouldn't leave her head and she eyed the way it went. "Professor, it's a vine from the plant that seems to be moving different places. It's actually the second time I have seen it." She looked down at the ground hating that she didn't do something to that plant sooner when she did have the chance, but what would Professor Bentley have said, slicing a vine of a plant, just because it was around your leg. She didn't even know what kind of plant it was at the time.

"A few months ago I was at the hot springs with a friend and the same vine had wrapped around my leg. I still don't really know how I wiggled out of it's grasp." Looking down at the ground she sighed, "Alexa and I were with Millie right here when the thing crawled up my arm then smacked me across my face, it then turned on Alexa hitting her as well. Once we were distracted from the hits.. Well you know the rest.. It took Millie that way.." Minerva pointed in the direction the plant had went. Then she looked up at the professor, "Professor...do..you know.. I mean do you think.. this plant, could have.. with the Jabborknolls?" She was so hesitant with the question, but she had to know the answer. Even though most of her wanted nothing to do with the truth, because if the truth was what she thought it was then Millie could.. No.. she moved it from her mind and waited to here the outcome of what she might say as well as what they should do.

She was beginning to think that no one had faith in her. Didn't he think she could take care of herself if the situation got kinda bad? Hmph!

The sound of footprints caught her attention. Looking up, she saw Professor Newlin. Good choice. She'd care an awful lot more about the missing animals than the Headmistress ever could. This would be just as hard on her; she was the one with a barn full of animals afterall.

Lex listened to Minnie explain everything, much better than she would've too. In all honesty all she'd seen was a vine--a very rude vine that had the nerve to slap her across the face and leave a mark. "It must be a really big plant though for it to be able to stretch all the way over here and still be unseen...either that or it stretches far--" Wait... "How far do you think it stretches???" Because this could pose a serious problem if everywhere was accessible to the thing.

Eeep.

Felix was left back in the Great Hall. The plant couldn't get in there...right...?

“Professor Newlin.” He said in answer to Alexa’s question. At least he knew that she would be able sympathise with him. After all she was going through the same thing as he was. And Seb figured that the woman would want to find the culprit and destroy it, just like he did.

He glanced at the two girls and smiled grimly. “I have never been one for violence but I gotta say, I wouldn’t mind…blasting that thing into smithereens.” He probably shouldn’t have said that in front of a couple of students, but at this point in time, he didn’t particularly care. Millie and Pepper were gone. And the thing responsible needed to pay.


Seb figured that Vanora would come as soon as she got his patronus and he offered up a small smile of his own when she stood beside him. And he too was having the same thought as she was even though he didn’t know it. “Forbidden Forest?” That’s usually where all the dangerous things lived, so it seemed the most obvious place.

It seemed to only attack those living creatures that were outside.



He listened as the two girls talked and he scratched the back of his neck for a moment while he thought about what particular type of plant could be doing this. “Devils Snare is deadly but it likes the dark too much so I couldn’t imagine it coming out during the day to attack.” Merlin, it had been so long since he had studied plants. Of any kind. “There’s Venomous Tentacula of course but I don’t think it’s tendrils can stretch that far. A hybrid maybe?” He was thinking out loud, he didn’t expect his company to answer him.

Standing around wasn’t going to get any answers though, so Seb gave himself a shake, tightened the grip on his wand and turned in the direction of the forest. “Okay then. Let’s go.”

"Same here!!" Lex chimed in. "I mean, I'm not usually given to violence," She averted her gaze just slightly, there was some truth to the statement but not much, "but that thing needs to go!" Ahem. Of course she was happy the Ground's Keeper saw eye to eye with her on this one. Besides...wouldn't everyone want this thing blasted beyond recognition? She knew she did and now she was sure he did too.

"You don't have to make excuses; Pepper and Millie need help, sometimes we have to be hands on!" Nod. Nod. Nod. Though she seemed to be hands on more times than not...meh.

Lex nearly squealed when she heard him say they would be going into the Forbidden Forest. She didn't though because whenever anyone saw an excited 11 year old they automatically assumed they would do something stupid and she would be crushed at having to be sent back at this point.

She'd never been in there an now she would have to legit reason and even two Professor with her!! Soooo much better than sneaking in and risking getting caught. Yup.

None of those plants sounded particularly nice but having very little knowledge on this subject she merely nodded her head in agreement to the plants he was naming. He was the Shiny Ground's Keeper; he'd know.

Then came the part she had been internally bouncing for. She turned sharply on her heel, ready to have an adventure enter the forest and rescue those poor animals. If they were lucky she'd even get the see the plant get what was coming to it.

Minerva was listening to all that was going on around her as she still kept looking around. Nervous that thing would come back she kept her guard up. Being touched by that plant was enough for her to know she didn't want touched by it again. "I would kind of like seeing it used in some potions just to know it was gone." Blushing a bit, she couldn't believe she said it out loud, but it was the truth, she wanted it as gone as it could.

When talks of where to look started Minerva snapped her head up at the forest talk, she had never been close to that forest since they weren't allowed in there. She felt her heart race a bit, but tried to look calm, she had to be brave to help, she wasn't backing out now. A thought crossed her mind though, "Mr. Gibbins... Professor.. You don't think any of the plants in any of the green houses are slipping out some how, do you?" She would think Professor Bentley would be keeping an eye on all those plants, but she was trying to think of all the places plants were around the castle and that was the only other place other then the forest she could think of.

When Gibbins said about going she looked up. "Should we take some treats or something in case we find Pepper, make it easier for her to calm down, she is probably so scared. Maybe some for Millie as well if we find her away from that plant." Yes, maybe she got away from the plant some how before it was to late, but Minerva's brain was focusing more and more and she knew enough from reading books and class to know that a plant wouldn't just take something for fun. They didn't work that way, a frown crossed her face thinking about it. It wasn't the time to feel sad, there was a job to do. Minerva tried to push it out of her mind and tightened her grip around her wand. "I'm ready.."

That was.. actually a lot to take in, and Vanora couldn't help but stare, wide eyed at Minerva.

Had she told anyone about her time in the hot spring? Of course, she could understand completely if the girl didn't, because truthfully, if something terrible hadn't happened to her creatures, she would have had a very, VERY hard time believing that story. Even if they were in Hogwarts. The place where an animal eating plant could be considered normal. But, the last thing she wanted to think about was any animal or creature being eaten, by a plant no less, and when they topic of her jobberknoll came up, her features softened and she smiled sadly. "I don't know, really. The jobberknoll were all left behind." As in, she had seen them. All laying on the barn floor. Dead. Unlike Sebastian's animals.

At least the groundskeeper seemed to be thinking along the same lines as she was, and the two girls looked more than willing to head into the forest to help.

Vanora pulled out her wand, tip already lit to let everyone know she was also ready. "Plants really aren't my thing." Unless her thing was grass, and the only reason she knew anything about that was because most of the animals she looked after ate it. "We should have pitchforks."

Not treats.

Minerva walked slowly down towards Mr. Gibbins hut. She wanted to talk with him before they left at the end of term. Now that classes were coming to a close and all the weird things have come to an end there was still a question in her mind, but she didn't know if anyone could answer that question. Plus, she had come to like Mr. Gibbins, he was nice to her and Minerva thought of him as like a father figure here at Hogwarts.

Before she went to the hut she stopped at the playground and frowned. She hadn't been there since that day. That horrible day, without thinking she turned and walked into the playground and went to the very spot and sat down. She wasn't sure why she sat down, but she did and just looked around. This was a horrible memory, but one she would never forget. A small tear left her eyes and she just sat wondering and feeling sad about Millie and Pepper.