*The Forbidden Forest*
Deep within the darkest depths of the Forbidden Forest, along the outskirts of Hogwarts, an evil conclave of villains gathered in a small clearing in the giant trees. Chrysalis, Cozy Glow, and Tirek surrounded the mysterious benefactor, hidden within the shadows, standing there as if in deep thought.
“So… what exactly is it that you want us to do here?” Cozy Glow asked.
“You told us that goblin bank had what we needed in the vaults,” Tirek added irritated. “But when we got there… nothing!”
The Benefactor slowly raised its cloaked head from its original position, looking straight toward their allies.
“Seems they anticipated our intentions to steal it and have now moved it to a new location.”
The three villains groaned in frustration.
“Once again, we find ourselves right back to where we started!” Chrysalis growled. “Why is it we continue to listen to you again?”
“Because we are offering all three of you something you’ve never come close to gaining,” The Benefactor shot back. “Equestria itself.”
“Yes, you’ve said that time and time again,” Tirek spoke up. “And what do we have to show for it? A single jar of protoplasm goop… a mind control element… and now you say without the final piece, we can’t bring him back.”
The Benefactor turned toward the weakened Centaur. Though he couldn’t see it, they were glaring daggers at him. They then turned back to address the entire gathering.
“Did you think this was going to be easy?” The Benefactor asked. “Did you not think that many different pieces needed to be moved into perfect alignment for our plans to come to fruition? If you feel my plans are not worth it, we’d be more than satisfied to place you back in that stone prison we found you in.”
The three villains looked amongst each other with knowing glances. The Benefactor was absolutely right; they don’t comply, it’s back to being stiff as stone for eternity. What little magic they possessed was not enough to stand against a being with power strung enough to disrupt the magic of the princesses and the Lord of Chaos. Sighs escape their lips as they turned back toward their leader.
“Do you at least have a plan of action here?” Cozy Glow asked.
The Benefactor turned completely away from the trio, staring through the dense trees of the forest. A slight glimpse of Hogwarts form a tiny smile on their hidden face.
“Fortunately, we know exactly where the power we seek is being held,” They said. “The problem is finding the proper… distraction.”
“And what do you suggest?” Chrysalis asked.
The Benefactor turned back toward the group with that same wicked smirk.
“Do any of you have experience with mountain trolls?”
<>
Later that Halloween night, the great hall was abuzz with the spirit of the season. The enchanted ceiling lit up with lightning flashes, as Jack O’Lanterns took the place of the candles usually floating above the hall. The staff and students of Hogwarts sat down for the Halloween feast. The Student Six sat at the Gryffindor table with Harry and Ron. And once again the Mane Six decided to join them rather than sitting at the teachers’ table. Currently, Pinkie Pie was stuffing her face with any of the candy and sweets sitting around while everyone watched in amazement.
“How long as she been going at it?” Rainbow asked.
“Ah reckon it’s been about forty-five minutes,” Applejack answered, with a head shake.
“In all the years we’ve known her, I’ve never seen Pinkie eat this much before,” Fluttershy spoke softly.
“We should say something to her,” Rarity suggested.
“Of course,” Twilight nodded.
The lavender alicorn princess lightly tapped Pinkie along the side. The pink party pony turned her head toward her friend.
“Hey Twilight!” She greeted, between bites. “Need something?”
Twilight tried not to notice the way Pinkie talked with her mouth full. Or the fact the alicorn could clearly see all the food she was chewing.
“Don’t take this the wrong way Pinkie,” Twilight began. “But you see, we’ve noticed lately you um… well you see, it’s just…”
“Just… what?”
“You’re eating more than usual,” Twilight finished.
Suddenly, out of the blue, Pinkie’s expressions shifted from confusion to absolute fury.
“ARE YOU CALLING ME FAT?!” She screamed.
The sudden reaction sent Twilight and the others back, so great the rest of the Great Hall looked their way. Twilight’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head as she tried to form a response.
“N-N-No, not at all,” She stumbled. “It j-just seems y-you were eating more than usual. T-That’s all I was s-saying.”
Then, as quickly as the fury came, Pinkie regained her usual cheery nature.
“Okie-dokie-lokie then!” She giggled. “I suppose I have been eating more than usual; for some reason, I don’t even feel full at all.”
The others gazed down where they could clearly see Pinkie had suddenly put on some weight since they first arrived.
“You may want to cut back on the sweets there, Pinkster,” Rainbow pointed out. “You’re getting a bit of a belly there.”
Pinkie gazed down at her slightly expanded belly and gave a hearty laugh.
“Wowie, so I have! Guess all those sweets really gave me the pudgy-wudgies! I hear some ponies think of that as chunky, but I prefer to think of it as jolly… NOT THAT YOU’RE ONE TO TALK, FAT FLANK!!”
Rainbow actually leapt behind Applejack after Pinkie’s sudden outburst, slowly poking her shaking head out. Pinkie’s expression turned to shock the moment she saw how her friend was clearly frightened.
“Rainbow, I am so, so, so, super-duper sorry!” She apologized. “I don’t know why that happened.”
Rainbow chuckled nervously from behind Applejack.
“No sweat Pinkie,” She said nervously. “But I think I’ll just stay here for the time being.”
Rarity stepped up toward Pinkie Pie, placing a tender hoof along her shoulders.
“Now Pinkie darling,” She began. “There’s no reason to make a big fuss about it. We’re just worried about you. Not to be rude or disrespectful, but it seems lately you ‘ve not leading a very healthy lifestyle.”
“IS THAT ANOTHER FAT JOKE?!!!”
Rarity quickly scurried away, hiding behind the still-shaking Rainbow Dash. All of a sudden, Pinkie started laughing out of nowhere.
“Because if it is, it’s really funny…” She laughed, then cried. “…And so hurtful, I could cry!!!”
Every creature looked at one another, completely confused over what’s going on with Pinkie Pie. They know Pinkie Pie is a pony beyond explanation, but this was odd even coming from her. Being extremely cautious, Twilight scooted over to Pinkie with a nervous smile.
“Pinkie, maybe you should probably go back to the dormitory,” Twilight suggested sweetly. “Lie down for a bit and get some rest.”
Pinkie was completely still for a moment, as if she were processing her friend’s words. Before long, she nodded her head in agreement.
“You’re right Twilight,” She nodded. “Maybe a little nap and I’ll be the same lovable Pinkie-Winkie again…”
Pinkie stood from the table and made her way toward the entrance to the Great Hall. Everyone watched her as she went when she suddenly spun her head back.
“AND STOP LOOKING AT MY CALVES!!!”
Everyone immediately turned away till Pinkie finally left the Great Hall. Twilight and her friends shook their heads, as they faced each other with wide eyes.
“What… was… that?” Spike asked.
“That was extremely weird,” Rainbow said. “Even for Pinkie Pie.”
“Something is clearly up with that pony lately,” Twilight wondered. “The question is: What is it?”
As they tried to sort this out, the Student Six tried their best to enjoy their own meals. But as Harry looked over, for some strange reason, he noticed an empty space along the bench.
“Where’s Hermione?” He asked curiously.
Neville looked around, as if to see if anyone was listening, before leaning over to whisper.
“Parvati Patil said that she wouldn’t come out of the girl’s bathroom. She said that she’d been in there all afternoon… crying.”
Harry glanced toward Ron with a disapproving stare, while Ron just shrugged. Whereas for Gallus, the griffin found himself having trouble of his own. Around that same afternoon, Silverstream had been ‘trying’ to avoid Gallus and the griffin couldn’t figure out why. Every time he’d try to speak with her, she avoided him as if he carried the plague. Even now, as he watched her across the table, Silverstream was uncharacteristically quiet this evening… she barely even touched her food, just picking around and played with it.
“Come on Silver, will you please talk to me?” Gallus pleaded.
But his question was met with the same response all day: Silence. A whole day of being ignored, for reasons Gallus couldn’t comprehend, it really started to bug him.
“Seriously, you’ve been avoiding me all day! We’ve got to talk eventually!”
Sandbar tapped the young griffin along the shoulder, as he leaned over to listen.
“Dude, I think she’s really peeved at you because you and Ron insulted Hermione earlier.”
“I just gave an honest opinion!” Gallus whispered back. “What does that have to do with Silver? She knows I hate know-it-alls, especially the way they think they are better than everyone else. Hermione overreacted, that’s not my fault!”
Though they spoke in a hushed tone, Silverstream could still hear everything they said. And those choice of words Gallus had was the final straw for her. She slammed her utensils against the table so hard, everyone turned toward her as she got up to leave.
“Silver, where are you going?” Ocellus asked.
“I need some air!” Silverstream responded.
She started toward the entrance when Gallus quickly flew up and followed her.
“Come on Silver,” Gallus spoke.
“Don’t talk to me…” Silverstream grumbled.
“Will you please just stop—”
“I said, ‘Don’t talk to me’!”
“What did I do that was so wrong? Just tell me!”
Suddenly, Silverstream stopped in her tracks, so fast Gallus had to stop himself from bumping into her. The hippogriff turned around and the griffin could clearly see the sadness and anger on her face.
“You seriously don’t know what you did was wrong?” She asked.
Gallus meant to reply, but based on the tone Silverstream was using, he felt if he did it would only incite her further. Silverstream groaned loudly and turned around to leave again. Gallus stopped her again with one talon on her shoulder.
“Look… if I did anything to upset you, I’m sorry,” He apologized. “Whatever I said, it wasn’t toward—”
Once more, Silverstream whipped around to face him.
“It’s not what you did to me,” She said angrily. “You were a real jerk to Hermione and that’s not okay! We’ve been friends for a long time, but I have never heard you say things that mean before. I understand Hermione can be a little standoffish, but there was no need for the things you and Ron said about her. If this is who the real Gallus is… I don’t want to know you any further. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go and check on my other friend that you sent running and crying!”
She finally turned back to leave the hall, as the faint sound of her cries echoed briefly. Gallus stood completely stunned for a moment before his head sunk down in shame. Slowly, he returned to his spot at the table as the others stared at him in sorrow.
“I’ve really bucked up this time…” Gallus sighed. “I don’t know how this could possibly get any worse.”
Suddenly, Professor Quirrell stormed into the Great Hall in panic.
“TROLL!” He screamed. “IN THE DUNGEON! T-TROOLLL IN THE DUNGEON!!!”
Dumbledore rose from his seat, showing great concern. Everyone stared at Quirrell, as he stopped. For a moment, there was utter silence amongst the Great Hall… not a single word spoken.
“Thought you ought to know,” Quirrell whispered.
The professor proceeded to faint in the middle of the hall. There was a flight of light and a roll of thunder and suddenly everyone began to freak out. All the kids started screaming and proceeded to run for the exit. Some of the kids started to push past the Mane Six, who tried to calm the sudden storm.
“Everyone! Calm yourselves!” Twilight called out. “There’s no cause for alarm!”
“No pushing! No shoving—ow!” Rarity cried out. “No! You stepped on my tail!”
“SILLLLLEEENNNNCEEEEE!”
The moment Dumbledore belted out through the hall, everyone stopped and calmed down.
“Everyone will please, not panic,” He said more calmly. “Now, Prefects will lead their houses back to their dormitories. Teachers will follow me to the dungeons.”
The students started following their prefects back to their respective dormitories, though they were still fearful for their lives.
“Hufflepuff, this way!” The Hufflepuff prefect yelled.
“Stay together!” Ravenclaws prefect shouted.
Snape looked aghast, as he walked out through a doorway behind the teachers’ table. As the students filed out of the Great Hall, the Student Six (Minus Silverstream) rushed to the table where the Mane Six waited for them.
“What’s going on Headmare Twilight?” Ocellus asked fearfully.
“Is troll really in castle?” Yona added.
“I guess so Yona,” Twilight replied.
“What should we do?” Gallus asked. “Do we go after it? What happens?”
The Mane Six faced each other, nodding their heads before looking back at their students.
“You guys are going back to the common room with everyone else until we come and get you,” Twilight instructed.
“WHAT?!” The students yelled.
“Sorry y’all, but we can’t go risking yer safety,” Applejack said.
“Your parents and relatives would kill us if anything happened to you,” Rainbow added.
“But we can help!” Smolder complained.
“We know,” Fluttershy said. “You can help us by making sure the other students remain safe.”
“Please just return to the common room, we’ll be back once the threat is over,” Rarity added.
“But…” Smolder protested.
“Please!” Twilight pleaded.
The five students faced each other before sighing and nodding reluctantly. They quickly followed the rest of Gryffindor house back to the common room, while the Mane Six followed the rest of the teachers toward the dungeon. As for the students, Percy lead the house through a corridor.
“Gryffindors, keep up please!” Percy called out. “And stay alert!”
“How could a troll get in?” Harry questioned.
“Not by itself,” Ron replied. “Trolls are really stupid. Probably people playing jokes.”
“I don’t know man,” Smolder shook her head. “Something ‘funny’ is going on at that school, but I don’t think it’s the humorous kind…”
Suddenly, Harry stopped in realization and pulled Ron aside.
“What?” Ron asked.
“Hermione! She doesn’t know!”
Hearing Hermione’s name, Gallus’ eyes widened as he turned toward Ocellus.
“Ocellus, where did Silverstream go?” Gallus asked frantically. “Did she tell you where she was going?”
“All she said was that she was going to get some air,” Ocellus answered, then gasped. “Unless…”
The seven separated themselves from the crowd, making a mad dash down the corridor to find their friends. They ran down a hall when they came to a complete stop. There in front of them, a grunting sound bellowing across the walls, a large shadow motioned toward the side.
“I think the troll’s left the dungeon!” Ron stated.
“Ron think?!” Yona asked.
Harry pulled Ron into a doorway, while the others followed close behind the pair. One by one, they peered out from the corner. Their eyes watch as a large, ugly troll stomp into a room… a wooden club in its slimy grasp.
“It’s going into the Girl’s Bathroom!” Harry observed.
“Please don’t be in there…” Gallus silently prayed. “Please don’t be in there…”
<>
Earlier, inside the girls’ bathroom, Hermione sat inside one of the stalls silently crying to herself. She stopped for a moment to brush her eyes when she heard someone else crying on the stall next to her. Laying a piece of toilet paper on the wall, she pressed her ear against it and somehow recognized the girl’s voice.
“Silver?” Hermione spoke, her voice cracked. “Is that you?”
“Oh! U-Um, sorry…” Silverstream answered tearfully. “I-I know you wanted to be alone… but I feel so terrible, I didn’t think of anywhere else to go…”
“I understand why I’m upset… but why are youcrying?”
“I… I just don’t understand any creature sometimes,” Silverstream spoke, clasping her talons over her face. “You leave your own home just for a chance to meet somebody. They act like they’re so nice, only to find out the things one of your so-called ‘friends’ say behind your back! Not to me personally, but… boys are just the worst Mione!”
As Hermione listened to Silverstream talk, the girl slowly nodded her head from within her stall. In a way, she could sympathize with what the hippogriff was saying. And here she was assuming she was the only girl feeling terrible about herself.
“If it’s any consolation, at least you ‘do’ have many friends,” Hermione spoke up. “In the town where I came from, before coming to Hogwarts… people looked at me… and they’d think I’m a freak. Who’d ever want to be friends with a girl who spends her life reading books? It’s even worse when you’re the one person who can do magic… and everyone, but your parents, are scared of you because of that.”
Silverstream sniffed, as she took a piece of toilet paper and blew her nose loudly. A sigh escaped her lips, as she sadly smiled while leaning along her own wall in the stall.
“You know what’s funny?” Silverstream replied. “Honestly, when we met, I thought we were already friends. You were already able to do magic… I only just started to learn more than what I already knew. In a way… I hoped to be just like you.”
“… Thanks Silver,” Hermione spoke softly. “Maybe we should get back to the common room.”
“Yeah… after tonight, I’m really not in the mood to see anybody. Least not right now…”
Eventually, the two girls stepped from their individual stalls, closing the doors behind them, and wiping their eyes. They just made their way toward the exit when they stopped upon a huge shadow cast over them. Slowly looking up and their eyes widening in shock, the troll stood before them. Fearfully, the girls slowly backed away and dashed into a single stall together, just as the troll raised its club and smashed the top part of the stalls. The girls screamed, as Harry, Ron, and their friends burst into the bathroom.
“SILVER!!!” Gallus shouted.
“Gallus?!” Silverstream called out.
“Girls, move!!!” Harry ordered.
The girls struggled to crawl away through the debris, as the troll smashed the remaining stalls over their heads.
“Help! Help!” Hermione cried out.
“C’mon! We’ve gotta help them!” Smolder called out.
The boys, along with Yona and Ocellus, hurl bits of wood toward the troll. Not so much to hurt him, but to distract him.
“Hey, pea brain!” Ron shouted, throwing wood.
One piece hit the troll on the head, but he barely flinched. But he backed away when Smolder breathed a stream of fire in the air.
“Your mama was a Twitter wash-up, booger lips!” Smolder insulted.
With a mighty yell, Yona charged against the troll and head-butted the beast against the knee. She grunted and pushed with all her strength, but the troll merely looked down dumbly… and hurled its knee knocking the Yak back, sending her crashing into the other students.
In the meantime, Hermione and Silverstream tried to escape. But with the troll still blocking the only means of escape, they duck under the sinks. But the troll was quick to spot them and raised its club, attempting to smash them. It cracked the sink, barely missing the girls. The group cringed, thankful that the troll missed.
“HELP!!!” Silverstream and Hermione cried out.
“Don’t worry girls!” Gallus called out. “We’ll save you!”
Acting fast, Gallus and Harry pulled out their wands. They rushed forward and latched themselves onto the troll’s club as the beast lifted it up.
“Whooa!” The boys shouted. “Whoa, whoa!”
They land upon the troll’s head, the creature twisted side to side trying to find them. The human and the griffin struggled to hold on, as they were hurled forward and back, and Harry’s wand shot straight up the troll’s nose.
“Ew!!!” Ron and Yona cringed.
“Ooh… I’m going to be sick!” Silverstream moaned, holding her mouth.
With Harry’s wand stuck in the troll’s nose, the beast snorted and whipped its head around trying to shake the boys off. Eventually, despite Gallus’ best efforts, the troll swung him off his back sending him crashing against the bathroom walls. Harry, meanwhile, was not so lucky as the troll picked him off its head and held him by one leg, upside down.
“Do something!” Harry called out.
The troll growled, raised its club, and swiped Harry, who managed to pull himself up… then down. The troll swiped away, trying to smash the boy in his grip.
“What?” Ron asked.
“Anything!” Harry insisted, dodging the swipes. “Hurry up!”
Ron reached for his wand and from under the sink, Hermione waved her head.
“Swish and flick!” Hermione instructed.
“And don’t forget to enunciate the words correctly!” Silverstream added.
“Wingardium Leviosa!” Ron shouted.
The club lifted out of the troll’s hand, hovering over the creature. The beast looked up, confused, just as the club came crashing back down and struck his head.
“Whoa!” Gallus gasped.
“Cool!” Ron smiled.
The club hit the troll’s head so hard, the creature wavered and dropped Harry. The boy quickly crawled away as the troll slowly came crashing down, knocking himself out cold. As the beast laid there, in a state of unconsciousness, Hermione and Silverstream removed themselves from their hiding spots and carefully approached. All the other students picked themselves up off the bathroom floor.
“Is it… dead?” Hermione asked.
“I don’t think so,” Harry observed. “Just knocked out.”
“Ooh boy…” Sandbar replied, looking around. “Filch is going to be so mad when he sees the state of this bathroom.”
Shaking his head, Harry reached for his wand and pulled it from its nostrils… the wand itself now covered in mucus.
“Ew! Troll bogies.”
“Now I know why we don’t often meet trolls in Equestria,” Gallus replied.
As Harry wiped the wand along his robes, McGonagall, Snape, and Quirrell suddenly rushed in. They all gasped at the sight of the knocked-out troll, along with all the kids in the bathroom.
“Oh, my goodness!” McGonagall gasped. “E-Explain yourselves, all of you!”
“Well, what it is…” Harry and Ron said together.
“It’s not what you think…” The Student Six all said.
“It’s my fault, Professor McGonagall,” Hermione suddenly spoke.
The teachers, Ron, Harry, and even the Equestrians looked at Hermione in shock. Especially Gallus, who’s eyes widened greater than they ever had before.
“Hermione…” Gallus spoke softly.
“Miss Granger?” McGonagall gasped again.
“I went looking for the troll,” Hermione continued. “I’d read about them and thought I could handle it. But I was wrong. If the others hadn’t come and found me… I’d probably be dead.”
While Hermione explained her story, Harry took one look at Snape, particularly his leg. His trouser leg was torn and there was a large cut in place. Snape noticed, covered it up, and glared daggers at Harry silently.
“Be that as it may be… it was an extremely foolish thing to do,” McGonagall scolded. “I would have expected more rational behavior on your part. I am very disappointed in you, Miss Granger. Five points will be taken from Gryffindor for your serious lack of judgment.”
Hermione looked down in shame, as McGonagall turned toward Harry, Ron, and the Student Six, even Silverstream who stood beside the girls.
“As for the rest of you, I just hope you realize how fortunate you are. Not many students could take on a fully grown mountain troll and live to tell the tale.”
Everyone looked down at the ground nervously, waiting for some punishment to come their way.
“Five points… will be awarded to each of you,” McGonagall announced.
Everyone looked up, suddenly ecstatic over the news.
“That’s amazing!” Silverstream said giddy.
“That’s forty points to Gryffindor all-together!” Ocellus smiled. “That more than makes up for—”
“Don’t get too overly excited,” McGonagall advised. “You got the points mostly for one thing alone… for sheer dumb luck.”
Snape and McGonagall turned and left the bathroom, leaving all the kids with Professor Quirrell.
“Perhaps you ought to go…” Quirrell chuckled nervously. “M-Might wake up… heh…”
“Sure thing, Professor Q,” Smolder nodded.
The students quickly left the bathroom until Quirrell was left alone with the unconscious troll. The beast growled, seemingly about to wake up as Quirrell stood nervously. In the meantime, the kids make their way back to the Gryffindor Common Room through the corridor.
“Good for you to get us out of trouble like that,” Harry told Hermione.
“Yeah…” Gallus chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. “Taking the fall for us like that… that was pretty cool! Thank you!”
“Mind you, I mean, we did save her life,” Ron brought up.
“Or maybe she didn’t need saving, if somebodyhadn’t insulted her in the first place,” Smolder argued.
“All right… all right…” Gallus muttered. “We get it! When you’re right, you’re right.”
“Hey! What are friends for?” Ron replied.
Hermione looked toward Ron, and the two kids smiled at each other as if they’ve made their peace somehow. As they carried on through the corridor, working their way toward the common room, Gallus saw Silverstream walking ahead of the group. He quickly approached the hippogriff and tapped her on the shoulder.
“Hey Silver, can we talk for a second?” He asked.
Silverstream stopped in her tracks, slowly turning toward Gallus. Everyone else stopped as well, nervously turning toward the two. Silverstream sighed as she acknowledged the rest of the group.
“You guys go ahead,” Silverstream gestured. “We’ll be behind you in a few minutes.”
The others nodded and proceeded back to the dormitory. This left Gallus and Silverstream alone together in the corridor.
“Look... Silver,” Gallus began. “I really want to say I’m sorry about what happened earlier today.”
“It’s okay—”
“No… no it’s not,” Gallus shook his head. “I’m really, really sorry. You were right about me; I was a total jerk. What I said about Hermione was wrong, it was stupid of me, and if I had the power I’d take it back if I could. But the thing I’m most sorry about though… is that I upset my very best friend in the whole world. I’d understand if you never want to talk to me again, that I’m not welcome in your castle, or if this never makes up for what I—”
Silverstream threw her arms around Gallus, interrupting the griffin with a huge hug. She smiled brightly toward Gallus, as they stood locked in each other’s embrace for what felt like an eternity. Until eventually, Silverstream finally pulled back as the smile still remained.
“You more than made up for it tonight,” Silverstream replied. “You risked your life against a troll for the both of us.”
“Well I mean, I didn’t have a big part in all of it. But still—”
Then, she did something that completely took Gallus by surprise. She leaned in and planted her beak right on his cheek giving him a long kiss. Though a beak would feel sharp and hard to some, for Gallus it felt like heaven. When Silverstream finally pulled away, the griffin stood stunned and completely silent. Silverstream started to walk away when he finally got some sense back and decided to finally be courageous.
“Hey Silver!” He yelled.
Silver stopped right in her tracks and slowly turned back toward Gallus.
“Yes Gallus?” She asked, batting her eyelashes.
Seeing her do that cute little motion she always did made Gallus’ heart instantly began to melt. He quickly recomposed himself, knowing what he was about to do was unbelievable. However, he was so nervous he found it difficult to get it out.
“Well um—you see—I was just—I was wondering if maybe—if you’re not, you know—doing anything tomorrow—and well, I don’t have any plans—that maybe…”
Knowing exactly where this was going, Silverstream smiled so brightly it could outshine the sun.
“Gallus Griffon!” She gasped. “Are you asking me on a date?”
Gallus’ face turned bright red, suddenly he found it hard to maintain eye contact.
“Well—I mean—if you weren’t—you know—doing anything,” He said nervously.
Silverstream giggled loudly, as she too found herself blushing. Never before had she been on a date before, not with her own kind or any other creature. And now, here was Gallus, actually asking her out.
“So what do you say?” Gallus asked hopefully.
“Well… seeing as how you almost got killed tonight trying to save me and Hermione…” Silverstream smiled. “I have no choice but to say… yes!”