HP: Hogwart's Journey

The morning passed quickly as the three young wizards enjoyed themselves. 

After figuring out the best technique for extracting Bubotuber pus, the three of them easily found the method that suited them best. 

"If I didn't know this stuff made acne worse, I might have taken some back for Ron," Fred mused, pinching a bit of the yellow-green liquid through his dragon-hide gloves. "Diluted properly, this works wonders on pimples." 

Robert was speechless. 'Is your little brother even getting acne yet? He's still a kid! No need to plan that far ahead!' 

"Alright, children, well done. You may leave now," Professor Sprout suddenly entered the greenhouse, just in time to see Fred playing with the pus. "Be careful, Mr. Weasley, or you'll be paying a visit to the hospital wing alongside Miss Barbara." 

Fred quickly stuck out his tongue and rushed to wash off his gloves. 

As they finished up, each of them received a box of coconut ice from Professor Sprout—she really seemed to love this particular treat. After a long morning's work, it was the perfect way to cool down. 

"I wonder if Filch is awake yet," Robert said absentmindedly while digging into his ice. 

Fred pulled a dramatic face. "Mate, are you actually concerned about Filch?" 

"He's the kind of guy who just keeps coming back for more. A little setback means nothing to him," George added. 

Robert inwardly rolled his eyes. 'Nothing? Ha! That was his lifelong dream going up in smoke…' 

As they chatted, they arrived back at the castle, only to walk straight into a heated argument. 

Filch was furiously yelling at Professor McGonagall, his face red with frustration. "What they did was outrageous! They should be given detention! They must be punished!" 

Professor McGonagall, however, remained firm, completely unfazed by Filch's shouting. "Enough, Mr. Filch. Professor Sprout and I have already disciplined them. If you wish to escalate this matter, you are free to bring it up with Headmaster Dumbledore, though I doubt he will share your opinion." 

With that, she turned and walked away. 

Filch suddenly deflated, cradling Mrs. Norris in his arms like a lifeline. "Oh, they always do this… poor, poor Filch…" 

But just as he started to leave, Peeves appeared. 

"Oooooh! What do we have here? Is Filchy crying? Now, this is a rare sight! Look, everyone! Crybaby Filch! The wimpiest squib in Hogwarts!" 

"You blasted menace! Peeves, get back here!" 

The three boys exchanged glances. Fred and George hesitated before speaking. 

"Uh… do you think maybe we went a bit too far?" Fred asked. 

Robert gave them a deadpan look. "What do you think?" 

"Well…" Fred scratched his head, then suddenly brightened. "Since that's the case, how about another prank?" 

Robert was stunned. 'What kind of logic is that? The man's already miserable, and you want to mess with him again? Merlin's beard…' 

But, in the end, the twins weren't completely heartless. 

A prank here and there was all in good fun, but outright bullying wasn't their style—not even against a squib. 

Besides, when it came to pranks, Fred and George were professionals. 

"So, this is why you want to go into the Forbidden Forest?" Hagrid's booming voice echoed in his hut, making their eardrums ring. "To give Filch a surprise?" 

Charlie Weasley looked just as confused, his expression practically screaming, 'My little brothers? Being thoughtful? Impossible.' 

"Aw, don't look so shocked, Hagrid!" Robert explained. "It's not for Filch—it's a gift for Mrs. Norris. It has nothing to do with him at all." 

But Hagrid and Charlie clearly weren't listening. 

"Filch getting a present, huh?" Hagrid chuckled. "Back when your parents were at school, he was just as nasty. No one ever gave him anything." 

"I've given out plenty of gifts," Charlie sighed, "but never once to Filch… Maybe I should get him something too?" 

Robert's face went blank. 'Are you two doing this on purpose? I literally just said it's for Mrs. Norris!' 

Realizing there was no convincing them, he gave up with a sigh. "We're planning to make a cat bed—something soft, comfortable, and a little fancy. Stuffing it with cotton seems too ordinary, though. Hagrid, do you have any recommendations? Maybe something fluffier, like a certain type of fur or plant fiber? It just needs to be soft and non-aggressive." 

"Just call me Hagrid," the giant said with a grin. "Hmm… if it's softness you're after, I've got just the thing." 

Standing up—he was massive, like a walking fortress—Hagrid rummaged through his hut until he finally pulled out a pile of golden fluff. Unfortunately, it was covered in dust, making it look rather unappealing. 

"What's this dusty stuff?" Fred poked at it. "Feels like animal fur." 

Hagrid grinned mysteriously. 

Robert was also intrigued. 'That's a lot of fur. Whatever it came from… isn't it bald by now?' 

"This," Hagrid declared proudly, "is unicorn hair." 

Robert swallowed hard. "Hold on, Hagrid, this is way too extravagant! Do you realize how much unicorn tail hair costs? Ten Galleons per strand! And you've got this much?!" 

Hagrid scratched his head sheepishly. "You like unicorn tail hair, Robert? Those are tougher to come by, but I can keep an eye out for you next time I'm in the forest." 

Robert blinked in surprise. He finally took a closer look at the pile and realized the hairs weren't nearly as long as he'd expected. They were incredibly soft—more like an animal's body fur. 

"Wait a minute… unicorn hair isn't supposed to be this soft. Even if it's not tail hair, it shouldn't feel like this." 

Hagrid leaned in conspiratorially. "This is baby unicorn hair." 

Robert's eyes widened. "You mean… unicorn foals shed their baby fur?!" 

"Yup," Hagrid said proudly. 

Robert inhaled sharply. "Hagrid, listen to me—this needs to stay a secret. You can't go around telling people!" 

Because that would basically be shouting to the world, 'Hey, there's a unicorn nursery over here!'

But Hagrid just laughed heartily. "Why, though? I only found these under that big old oak tree. There's nothing hidden around there." 

Robert buried his face in his hands. 

'This man is hopeless.'

Joke of the day: I entrusted my secret to Hagrid… and asked him to keep it. 

Sighing, Robert gave the half-giant a long, exasperated look. 

(End of Chapter)