Ruby loved coming to this classroom, from her reading she'd managed to know a majority of the different creatures that resided here. Her favourite was probably a cute little bird with bright, rainbow feathers that sang so sweetly that she would often lose track of time whilst she listened to it. She'd also learnt that to get the bird to sing more, all she had to do was hand it some breadcrumbs and rub her knuckle on his fluffy chest gently. Sometimes when Ruby was feeling particularly at ease she would sit and hum along to the birdsong.

Today was one of those days, the young redhead made her way across the empty classroom and went about her usual routine of scattering breadcrumbs on the floor of the birds cage and stroking him ever so gently when he started to eat. She sat feeling his soft feathers beneath her fingertips as she waited for him to start singing, when he did she smiled and began to hum along quietly and gently.


She was so caught up in the music that she didn't hear the footsteps approach.

@caleb

It was rare that Caleb actually felt like, he was actually happy for a change. Maybe it was because his father had written saying that the two of them would be going camping come summer and that his grandfather might come along too. Caleb and his father hadn’t been camping since before he started at Hogwarts. But the last time they had gone, he did recall that he had had a lot of fun. Sure it would be only for a few days but that was enough to make Caleb happy, at least for a little while.

To extend upon his happiness, the boy thought he would wander up to the Magical Creatures classroom; he grabbed his textbook for the class and took the many winding staircases up to the second floor. He was careful not to step on any trick stairs along the way; he had made that mistake too many times during his first and second years. As he made his way down the corridor to the classroom, Caleb opened his book and started looking through the first couple of pages as he turned into the classroom.

It took him a few seconds to register that one of the birds was singing a melodious tune and that someone else was already in the room. He looked up and saw the redheaded girl. “Shit! Sorry didn’t realise someone was already here, I can leave if you want” he told her, speaking at a rapid pace as he made a move to leave.

Ruby jumped and immediately stopped singing, her face becoming a bright red that was only a shade darker than her hair, she hated people hear her sing. She'd only ever sing to Iris and even then it was a lullaby to get her to go to sleep. "S-Sorry. No you can stay if you want. I can leave, I don't mind." She said hurriedly getting to her feet quickly and starting to rush to the door.

In her hurry, she caught her ankle on the edge of the table and let out a hiss of sharp air from her clenched death, "Goddammit that hurt." She growled, limping to a desk and sitting on it, rubbing where she'd hit it to try and ease the throb. She was silent as she continued trying to get rid of the pain from her ankle before sitting up and running her fingers through her ginger curls, "Great. I'll definitely be limping for a few days now." She grumbled to herself. It was then that Ruby turned her attention to the newcomer once more, "Who are you anyway? I know your face just not your name." Ruby asked, a little hostile from the pain.

Caleb’s first reaction was to look at the red-headed girl in confusion. Why should she be the one leaving? He had arrived after her, he should be the one to leave. And by the singing that was happening it seemed liked he had interrupted something, he could go anywhere else if had to with this rare happy mood of his. “Please don’t apologise, it was completely my fault, if it’s any consolation you sing nicely” he added, trying to reassure her, reassure her of what? Well he wasn’t quite sure. Caleb had never been in such a situation before so he wasn’t sure what do to do, did he just turn on his heel and walk out?


The boy watched and winced internally as the girl’s foot got caught and she stumbled over the edge of a table. He knew that people sometimes laughed when seeing other’s getting hurt but he didn’t think it was right given that he had already interrupted the girl, laughing at her would probably result in her hexing him. He arched his brow at the tone she used in asking him what his name was….but he supposed it was from the pain she was currently explaining in her ankle. “I’m Caleb and you are? Also do you need to see the healer?” the Hufflepuff asked the girl in return, trying to keep his tone friendly.

Ruby let out a breathy laugh when he complimented her singing, "Thanks I guess." She said with a shrug, "I only sing in this room because the bird sings when I do." She explained, gesturing to the brightly coloured creature that was sat on a perch behind her, tweeting a little song. "I'm Ruby." She informed Caleb, her tone politer and more friendly now that the pain was starting to ease a little. "I don't think I need a healer, it'll just be a little bruised tomorrow is all." She replied, with a small smile. "How come you're here anyway, this classroom is normally quiet?" She asked curiously. "Professor Tennebris is really good when it comes to letting his students in the classroom, as long as we're quiet or whatever we can spend our free time here." She said randomly.

The boy looked between the girl and the bird in the enclosure, he smiled when she took his compliment. At least she didn’t pass it of as if he had just said it to be polite, because Caleb was always sincere in his compliments. “I do like that bird, I loved learning about it in class” he nodded at the bird before he walked over and sat at the edge of a table near hers. “Nice to meet you Ruby” he smiled showing a little bit of his teeth this time. “Well just try not walk on it too much or if you have to put a bandage on it to reduce the swelling” he told her in reference to her ankle. Why was he even talking about it still, Ruby had said she was fine and yet he still continued on about it…..maybe he was too much of a Hufflepuff. Why was he here again? In all that had happened the past two minutes he nearly forgotten his reason for venturing up here. “Oh I just came up here to read” he answered holding his Magical Creatures text book.

He looked at her with a confused expression on his face as she continued to talk about the Professor that used this classroom. “Well as long as he doesn’t mind us being in here, that’s good right?”

Ruby smiled and turned to Caleb, "Watch this." She said. Carefully she opened the cage and placed her finger in, it took a few moments of the bird pecking at her finger experimentally before it hopped on and she guided her finger out again. She used a knuckle on her other had to stroke the creatures fluffy back. With a smile the red head turned her attention back to Caleb, still stroking the bird whilst they talked, "I' will, it should be fine. I'm really clumsy, it isn't the first time I've tripped over something that wasn't directly in my way." She admitted with a coy smile.

The Ravenclaw looked at the front cover of the book the Caleb held up and she nodded, "Ah, is Care of Magical Creatures your favourite subject then?" She asked curiously, "And what's your favourite creature?" Ruby nodded her confirmation again when Caleb asked that it was good that Professor Tennebris let his students spend time in the class to study.

The Hufflepuff student watched carefully as the girl opened up the cage and took the bird out carefully. He had to hand it to her, she did have a way with birds. “you’re a natural at that” he smiled at her kindly as she stroked the bird softly. “I’ve never been able to do that” Caleb admitted. Well he had done that but only during class and the Professor was present. The blonde nodded his head as she confirmed she would tread carefully on her ankle. He chuckled as she spoke of tripping over objects that weren’t in her way. “Sorry, didn’t mean to laugh but I thought Ravenclaws would just be calculating in where they walked” he said back at her with his own coy smile.

He nodded in reply to her question. “It is one of my favourite subjects, yes, what about you?” he asked wondering if all Eagle were this curious, especially given her next question about his favourite creatures. “I have two actually, Fwoopers and Thestrals actually” he supposed that this was because he loved flying.

"I've always had a way with animals." She admitted sheepishly, "I prefer them to humans sometimes." She continued, grinning at him. When Caleb laughed at her admittance of clumsiness, Ruby couldn't help but chuckle a little too, "You would think wouldn't you? I'm far from it. I'm just talented at falling over." She smirked.

"It's my favourite too, and I like thestrals. People think because only those who can see them have witness a death that they're evil creatures, they're really not. They're so lovely, I once came across a mother and child and the little one was adorable." She said with a smile. "I like unicorns too, I think they're fascinating."

“Well maybe you could work with animals when you graduate Hogwarts, what year are you in anyway?” he asked, realising he didn’t know that yet and he supposed there were quite a few occupations that involved working with animals in both the magical and muggle worlds. “Really, a special talent of yours? Well if you happen to be on the Ravenclaw team I wouldn’t have to worry so much” He smirked in return. He wondered why he was even teasing the girl, he never teased anyone unless he was really comfortable with them like Kiki, and maybe it was looking that way with Ruby too.

‘She’s witnessed death too?’ was his first thought. “That’s true, after I started seeing them after my second year here they scared me at first, I’ll admit that but now I find them very graceful creatures” he told her. Caleb’s smile widened as she spoke of coming across a mother and child pair. It must have been a lovely experience for her. “What are some of your other favourite classes?” he enquired curiously.