'Hmm…now that I have one part of the main ingredients I only need the other.'
'Would Hagrid help me get it?' Loki wondered since he remembered the man offering to help him in the police station all those months ago. 'I remember him saying something about Knockturn Alley.'
"What do you think Little Guy?" Loki asked Sunny while scratching him behind his ear.
*Squeak* *Squeak*
"No, we can't steal that ingredient. I don't even know where it is sold."
*Squeak* *Squeak*
"Yeah, it doesn't hurt to ask him about it. We'll do it tomorrow." Loki said and pulled the sheets over himself sleeping while the Niffler stayed up to guard him and keep an eye on Elane in the two-way mirror.
Waking up the next morning, Loki found himself exiting the common room with Dominic at about the same time as he usually did so he didn't get any extra sleep.
"Why did you wake me up so early even today?" Loki asked Dominic with an accusing tone.
"Haha~ I've got NEWTs this year remember? I have to study for it. I didn't plan on disturbing your sleep so early, but I know I lose track of time while I'm studying so I woke you up early."
"*Sigh* Alright. By the way, do you know where Hagrid lives?" Loki asked to know where he had to go.
"Hagrid? Why do you want to go to him?" Dominic asked with confusion clear on his face.
"The doggy! The doggy in the Forbidden corridor, I wanted to ask him about it!!"
"The dogg- You mean the Cerberus?" Dominic asked with an incredulous expression.
"Un. Un."
"Ha~! Given your excitement about an XXXXX-class creature, you'll surely get along. He lives in the stone hut at the edge of the castle and the beginning of the school grounds."
"Thanks."
"Don't worry about it."
With his breakfast done, Loki parted ways with Dominic and moved to the castle grounds to spot Hagrid's hut.
'Where is it?'
Loki looked around the castle and soon spotted his target.
'Is it that stone hut?'
'How is he even able to fit in there? Isn't he very tall? Is there enough space for him in there?'
'I doubt that entire thing's more than a single room.'
Walking around the curving grass hills and the stone steps that led to it, Loki finally reached the hut that was gigantic compared to his size and stood in front of the door.
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*
Loki knocked.
*WUFF* *WUFF*
'Oh? There's another dog inside? He must truly love dogs to have so many dog pets.' Loki thought amusedly.
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*
"Coming!!!!" Loki heard a gruff voice shout from inside the hut.
And with a *click* the door opened as a bushy face peered out from inside.
"Hello Hagrid!" Loki said excitedly.
"Erm…do I know ye'?"
"How could you forget me!? After everything you did!" Loki said with a scandalous expression.
"Huh?" Hagrid opened the door wide immediately worried about what was happening.
"Just kidding, but how could you not remember me!? You saved me in the police station remember!? You set fir-"
Before Loki could complete the rest of the sentence, he found a large hand covering his face and dragging him into the hut after which the door was closed.
"Don't say it out loud!" Hagrid whispered worriedly.
"Haha~ So you do remember me!" Loki said with a happy smile on his face.
"You look very different. Did you grow bigger?"
"Yes, a little! But why aren't I allowed to speak about it?" Loki asked confused.
"Since I'm not supposed to use magic, especially not in front of muggles."
"Huh, care to tell me why?"
"Erm…don't worry about it. Why are you here anyway?" Hagrid asked trying to divert the conversation.
"I heard you own the cute fluffy doggy in the Forbidden Corridor."
"Fluffy?"
"Yes he's so cute and fluffy!" Loki explained misunderstanding Hagrid.
"Oh that he is, but his name is Fluffy too." Hagrid smiled and explained.
"Oh!!! But is he not uncomfortable over there? In such a small and tight room? Sitting all day?" Loki asked with worry.
"A little, but I can't do much about it you see, Headmaster Dumbledore's orders."
"Hmpf. Then he's a cruel and irresponsible headmaster if I've ever seen one." Loki complained folding his hand and standing with a huff.
"Haha~ You've gotten the wrong impression about him, but why don't you come back later? I've got to go to the forest now you see."
"Forest!? Isn't that dangerous?" Loki asked with wide eyes.
"Yes, but I need to check how everyone in there is doing. Need to tend to the Unicorns too, the young'uns often get hurt while playing."
"Unicorns!!!!???" Loki asked excitedly. "There are Unicorns in the Forbidden Forest!?"
"Huh? Yeh' there's all sorts of stuff in there, Bowtruckles, Unicorns, Demiguise, Diricrawls, and lot more that the ministry considers dangerous too like Acromantula, though I think they're harmless little spiders."
With each word that Hagrid spoke Loki found his eyes widening with excitement and holding his breath as if it were a dream, Loki said in a high-pitched voice, "Can I come with!?"
"Ehh…" Hagrid looked a bit confused wondering how to leave Loki behind but after seeing Loki's excited face he asked, "Don't you have homework to do?"
"No! I'm done with it all!" Loki immediately spat back but seeing Hagrid's hesitation he promptly said, "I promise I will stay close to you and do nothing to startle the creatures or worry you!"
"Are ye' sure?"
"I promise!!" Loki nodded excitedly.
"Hmm….fine then, but you stay behind me and only move where I tell you to." Hagrid finally agreed since he couldn't stand the earnest eyes Loki was looking up at him with when most other students just walked past him and ignored him.
"I bet ye're just going to go to the forbidden forest on ye own if I stopped ye." Hagrid said with a soft sigh but Loki only smiled embarassedly.
"Ah! By the way, I'm Loki. A first-year student at Hogwarts!"
"A firstie? I thought you'd be a second year or something." Hagrid confessed.
"What gave you that impression?" Loki asked with a confused look.
"I thought ye told me ye knew about wizards when you met me."
"Ah! I'd met other wizards before I met you, that's why." Loki lied as easily as breathing.
"Hmm…I see. Come on now let's go." Hagrid said moving to a wall and picking up the large crossbow that was hanging on it.
"Fang! Come on!"
*WUFF* *WUFF*
"His name's fang!? He's such a softie too!"
"An' a coward.", Hagrid added.
"Awww…such a cute guy, you can't blame him.", Loki said roughing up the Great Dane's head and scratching him under the chin simultaneously.