Random Mounds of Carrots

Random Mounds of Carrots

Moldy carrots

For once the day began without the vigorous sounds of mutinous uproar. Harry woke up to find his slippers missing; he didn't really give a damn about his slippers it was just pretty damn frustrating to have to walk through the castle with cold feet. Later that day as he, Hermione and Ron were entering Herbology they noticed something odd occurring in relative proximity to where they were standing. Professor Sprout was bending over attending to some ordinary, boring, moldy-looking carrots.

"What are those for?" Ron asked curiously, attempting to figure out what possible magical properties could be contained in the boring rotting specimens dangling before him.

Professor Sprout turned around, began to walk towards them and pushed past them and out of the greenhouse.

"That was weird," stated the observant Ron.

"Riight," responded the responsive Harry.

They decided to check out the carrots, for some peculiar reason everyone figured they were the main source of Sprout's strange behaviour.

Hermione picked one up and turned it over, "Anyone fancy tasting one?"

Harry and Ron stood mute; they turned their heads and pointed. Hermione, following the direction of their fingers, gasped in horror.

"AAAAAAAAAGh?"

It was a bunny, a weird, dilapidated, sorry-looking creature with a fluffy body, furless face, long floppy ears, green eyes and teeth way too big for its mouth.

"Shouldn't someone kill it?" Hermione added hopefully.

"What for? rabbits should have a bit of character," said the inhumane Ron.

Harry picked up a handy shovel and began to hack off its head. The bunny remained unresponsive and the periodic blows seemed to do nothing except cause its eyes to flicker orange and its neck to ooze the occasional spot of green before completely healing up again.

"I think we should get out of here," said Harry to himself, the others had disappeared.

"Hey! Wait up!" Harry caught up with them at the edge of the forbidden forest, right outside of Hagrid's cabin.

"What are we doing here?" asked the ever-observant Harry.

"We are here to ask where Hagrid got that mutated abomination," Hermione said as she knocked on Hagrid's cabin door. It creaked open slightly and millions of furless, teeth-ridden faces tried to gnaw their way out, Hagrid pushed them back and Fang tried to bite one's head off.

They managed to make their way inside and as they entered they looked querulously into Hagrid's beetle black eyes.

"So, what're you three up to eh? Inerested in these fascinatin' creatures I've got 'ere I suppose."

Harry shook his head and stared, dumbstruck as one of the bunnies climbed up Hagrid's massive body and jumped off. It was fairly obvious that these creatures knew they were an abomination and did not want to live.

"Poor little fellow, he's probably not used to being surrounded by all his mates."

It was clear that the "little fellows" as Hagrid called them did not enjoy being surrounded by others of the same freakish state and although many of them were trying to kill themselves and only managing to mildly produce a small amount of green ooze, others where trying to destroy the others by biting them. As Fang discovered, this was physically impossible as they swelled to an enormous size when wet and they couldn't be divided into smaller portions as they were indestructible.

Harry, Ron and Hermione knew that Hagrid enjoyed the company of what he called "Inerestin' creatures" or terrifying monsters as others might see them. They had experienced a three headed dog named Fluffy, Norbert a rather nasty dragon, giant spiders and some "Blast ended skrewts." Although the bunnies were pretty much harmless and friendly compared to the others, they were, however, an abomination and they needed to be destroyed.

"Er, Hagrid, does Dumbledore know you have these, er, things loose on the grounds." Harry didn't mean to be mean, they were just Creepy. Magical creatures didn't normally appear to be crimes against nature and these certainly were.

Ron shuffled his feet. "Do you know how to get rid of them Hagrid?" he said. "I mean they seem to repopulate by the dozens. Another one just popped out of that one's lump on its back!" Ron pointed to one particularly sorry one where a large green hole on its back was repairing itself, "may I just add, yuck!"

Hagrid's little beetle black eyes began to fill with tears. "I diden mean no 'arm," he said, "they were jus' so helpless where they were. So pathetic and miserable, yeh know. I had to rescue 'em. They need me!"

And with that he burst into sobs, Harry, Ron and Hermione saw that it wouldn't do any good to hang around Hagrid in this state, so they headed across the grounds, trying to destroy the random mounds of carrots that were occasionally popping up places. Just as they reached the castle a high-pitched scream accentuated by a loud growl filled the air and they ran towards the sound, hoping to see what the cause of the commotion was.

Their eyes are hungry, green and possessed with malice

As Harry, Ron and Hermione reached the castle, they noticed a large group of students huddled closely together.

"What's going on here?" Harry asked a Hufflepuff first-year.

The boy regarded him incredulously, his eyes widened and he said, "Ooh, haven't you seen them?"

The boy shuddered and took a deep breath, "You know, those things roaming about, mass populating."

The boy put his fingers up to his mouth like teeth, hopping on the spot to highlight his point.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, hasn't everyone?" he said. "I mean, they're everywhere. I know they're creepy but they're harmless really, I'm sure Dumbledore can get rid of them."

Hermione and Ron nodded in agreement but the Hufflepuff boy just shook his head.

"They're indestructible the teachers have tried everything and their eyes, I mean, those freakish glowing green orbs in their heads, well magical curses just rebound off them."

He paused for a moment, trying to refrain from smiling and said, "Professor Snape got a bad dose of myxomatosis after he tried to infect the rabbits with it!"

Nodding insistently, he knowledgeably said, "That's a disease that's only meant to harm bunnies, it's like a scientific fact or something, he'll be incapacitated for months."

The boy looked mournfully at his toes for a second and then headed up the castle stairs with a slight skip in his step. Harry pushed his way through the crowd and as he neared the centre he saw Professor McGonagall and Lee Jordan sprawled on the stone steps with an odd green glow in their eyes. The students surrounding them appeared at a loss. As Ron and Hermione reached Harry they looked inquisitively into his horrified expression and then followed his gaze.

"What the -"

"Ron!" Hermione gestured towards the ground.

"Well, look at them, they're glowing I mean, if there ever was an appropriate time to use that word, I think it would be now."

Hermione shrugged. "Yes, I know it's not that, just look at their hands."

Hermione pointed emphatically towards them as bunnies emerged from gaping green holes in their hands. Oddly entranced by the spectacle, no one seemed to be running away.

"I think it's time we ran for it," Ron stated urgently.

He nudged Hermione and Harry who quickly pulled themselves together.

When they reached the Fat Lady, Neville ran up to meet them.

"Hiya, have you heard about Snape?"

They nodded silently, still shocked about what they had seen.

"Oh and a seventh year told me they changed the password to that disease Snape's got and I don't think there's the slightest chance of me forgetting it."

Neville chuckled to himself.

"Er, what's wrong? You all seem, odd."

Hermione walked up to the Fat Lady and sighed, ("Myxamatosis") and as the portrait swung open they explained to Neville what had just happened outside.

"So what are we going to do?"

Harry looked around pleadingly, Hermione was pacing in front of the fire and Neville was fidgeting with a small statue of the Gryffindor lion. Ron was seated, staring at the ground and mumbling to himself.

Neville shrugged. "I don't know, I'm so confused, I think I'll go to bed and hug my knees."

Ron stood up and looking dejected he said, "I have no response to that."

Harry looked at them both and sighed. "The bunnies can't be destroyed, they're using their eyes to attack people and I think they can also take complete control over a person's will."

He thought for a moment and said, "It's probably some magical creature form of the Imperius curse because, if you remember, Professor Sprout was acting extremely oddly the other day in Herbology."

Harry tugged at his hair in frustration, "and now they've got McGonagall and Lee and they wouldn't take Snape for some reason because he only got out with Myxamatosis."

Ron leant against the fireplace and barked, "Only got out with Myxamatosis! Harry, do you know what happens to bunnies that get that disease? They die, or worse."

He shook his head in disbelief, "I'm pretty sure Madam Pomfrey can cure him but who knows what else those things are capable of? I only hope we can get out of their way before they ... they ... use us as their breeding grounds, blegh!"

With that he walked over to the table, sat down and banged his head several times against it.

The next morning as they were eating breakfast, Dumbledore stood up to make an announcement.

"Students, teachers and unwelcome pests," Filch looked mildly offended until he remembered the rabbits. "As you know our Care of Magical Creatures teacher has introduced a new species of magical creature onto the Hogwarts grounds. At present every possible step is being taken to take care of this problem but until we find a way to rid ourselves of these ... things, students will have all their classes inside the castle walls, no one is permitted to leave."

The students let out a cry of protest but Dumbledore put up a hand to silence them.

"The doors will be barred with special charms to prevent anyone going out and any thing coming in."

He sighed and added, "We hope this is not of too great an inconvenience but it is for your utmost protection."

The other professors looked sceptical but Dumbledore continued,

"Also Hagrid and Fang will be residing in the Gryffindor common room as their cabin has become overrun with depressed, suicidal bunnies. These are less power-ridden than the mutations ripping up the grounds but nonetheless, they are dangerous in their own way."

With that Dumbledore turned and left the students to discuss their imminent imprisonment.

.........................................................................................................................................

As Harry stared out the window, absently regarding the mass of swarming bunnies, he noticed something that made his blood boil.

"You little bastard!" he yelled when he noticed one of them dancing maniacally with his slippers draped on its ears.

Resolve

"I've had enough." Harry got up, Ron following closely behind. They made their way to the common room and Harry turned to Ron. "Gather everyone up. We're going to take the little bastards head-on."

Ron's eyes widened. "What about the people they've possessed?" he said, "we couldn't possibly..."

Harry shrugged. "They're out there, running around doing their bidding. They don't have the inch-thick impenetrable hides of the bunnies, so we can stun them."

Ron moved in close to Harry and whispered, "do you know how to get rid of them then?"

Harry just turned and began running out of the common room.

He yelled over his shoulder, "NO, But Snape does!"

Ron smiled slightly and Harry heard him shout to the common room at large; "Everyone, gather up your bloody wands! We're taking the little bastards to the butcher!"

Harry turned the corner and out of earshot.

"Where are you going?"

It was Ginny Weasley and she was dragging Neville behind her. Harry looked at Neville who seemed to be semi-conscious.

"What happened to him?" he asked.

Ginny shrugged and offered the obvious explanation in two words; "Draco Malfoy."

Ginny let go of Neville, who rolled over limply, and said, "I'm coming with you; those things stole my damned slippers."

Harry laughed. "Alright, we'll need a distraction."

As they got to Madam Pomfrey's ward, Ginny gestured to Harry to hide behind the suit of armor. She walked over to Pomfrey and began sobbing, "Malfoy... Neville... Unconscious... in... the ... hall ... go ... quick ..."

Pomfrey's eyes widened and she ran off in the direction Ginny had come from.

Ginny wiped her face and opened the door.

"After you," she said.

Harry ran inside and Ginny closed it behind them. Harry crossed the room to Snape's bed.

"So, Snape, still unconscious?" he asked.

Harry took out his wand and pointed it at him. "Enervate!" he cried, but nothing happened.

"I guess that only works for people who've been stunned."

He looked at Ginny helplessly and her eyes widened.

She smiled and said, "I know, 'Wingardium Leviosa.'"

Snape rose from his bed to about six feet in the air, Ginny had a malicious expression on her face as Snape rose higher and higher and then, suddenly, she let him fall. There was a loud thud and a scream as Snape woke up cursing, Ginny smiled sadistically.

"He's all yours."

Harry returned the smile and turned to Snape.

"We don't have much time sir," he said, "we need your help."

Snape's face, already contorted with rage, became almost demonic at the sight of Harry.

"Where am I Potter? What is it that you think you're doing to me?"

Harry looked at him curiously. "The bunnies, sir. How come your eyes aren't glowing green and you're not chanting, 'Grow more carrots' like the other attackees?"

Snape narrowed his eyes and seemed to wake up. "In case you haven't noticed, Potter, I didn't exactly escape unscathed."

Harry just shook his head. "Don't give me that bull about having myxamitosis." he said. "I think you're afraid. They did something to you, I know," he narrowed his eyes in thought, "and I also know that you must've done something to them. Did you pretend to be unconscious so they'd let you live?"

Snape stood up on his wobbly legs. "Now, Potter, I am not going to lie here and let you call me a coward..."

Harry stepped closer to him. "Then help us."

Ginny stepped forward too. "Or I'll bat bogey you into the next century."

Snape scowled and shook his head resignedly.

"Fine. What, may I ask, is your genius plan?"

Harry smirked maliciously. "Follow me and find out."

Ron had gathered everyone he could find to the school entrance and he and Hermione were standing above them, trying to get them to listen.

Ron, tired of gesturing frantically, began yelling, "Oy! Shut. Up. Right. Now!"

His ears had gone red and when he saw Harry, Ginny and Snape walk towards him, he turned to Hermie and said, "It's about bloody time!"

Hermione nodded as Ron jumped off his chair and offered his hand to help her down. She smiled at him and patted his shoulder as she jumped off, looking highly amused. As an afterthought she pecked his cheek. Harry walked up to them and smiled.

"Good work Ron."

Ron nodded awkwardly as Harry got up onto one of the chairs.

"Everyone, listen up!"

Everything went suddenly quiet with the exception of a few whispered; "It's Harry Potter, shut up!"

Harry looked around the room and pulled Snape onto the other chair. "We have a plan, has everyone got their wands?"

The room nodded as one and Harry looked at Snape who sighed and explained how it was that he was not possessed.

As it got dark, everyone sat quietly, waiting for Harry to give them the signal. Everyone was equipped with their wands and a small stoppered bottle of green liquid.

Harry walked to the doors and said, "Is everyone ready?"

Once again the group nodded as one and Harry smiled.

"Ok, NOW!"

Professor Flitwick removed the charms from the doors and once they had opened, everyone ran out in groups of threes and fours, spreading out over the grounds. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny eaded for the edge of the dark forest to Hagrid's cabin. They positioned themselves in a line outside Hagrid's door and Harry walked towards it, he turned the handle, pulled it open and jumped aside quickly. The bunnies in Hagrid's cabin had changed, they looked furious and there seemed to be less of them. This was quickly explained as one with particularly large teeth cranked open its jaws and swallowed another one whole, the bunny seemed to double in size as the one it swallowed swelled up inside it. Ron looked disgusted and said, "I know I've said this before, but, BLEGH!"

Everyone stepped forward with their bottles of liquid and uncorked them, Harry went first and said the words they had practiced in the Hall.

"Hashish Exoticus! I purge this cabin of your wrath!"

He threw the concentrated fertiliser into the centre of the cabin and everyone stepped back.

"Ye Gods! That stuff's awful." Ron pinched his nose and stepped forward to throw his own bottle into the fray.

"Hashish Exoticus!"

Then Hermione and Ginny stepped forwards as one and threw theirs down onto the front stoop. Together they yelled, "Hashish Exoticus!"

There was no flash of light, but the smell was awful, they ran backwards and watched the potion take effect. The bunnies writhed and tried to escape Hagrid's cabin but a vortex had formed in the centre of it and was sucking the bunnies in one by one with an odd "Shoop" noise every time. All over the school grounds the same vortexes were opening up and "shooping" the bunnies into them. A few of the bunnies were letting off weird green glows of light that were quickly sucked back into the vortexes.

The bunnies tried to use those they had possessed to fight back, but these attacks were easily thrown off with stunning spells. This was mostly because those who'd been possessed tended to move in a lopsided, depressingly slow manner and made for easy targets. Draco, Crabbe and Goyle, who had sneered at Ron earlier, were drawn into the fray, armed only with wands and annoyingly smug expressions. When the bunnies came for them; they were defenceless.

Dean, Seamus and Colin arrived at the scene too late to stop them. Malfoy repeatedly tried to stun the bunnies and the bunnies were repeatedly healing themselves. There was a giant flash of green light and Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle crumpled to the ground. Seamus quickly threw his potion and exclaimed, "Hashish Exoticus!" Forming a vortex and sucking in Malfoy's bunnies.

Harry looked out over the grounds and got a sickened feeling in his gut as he noticed the crumpled gits lying there. He sat down on the castle stairs and felt a hand press lightly on his shoulder.

"They'll probably be fine."

Harry looked up into the sparkling blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore, Dumbledore took a second look and added, "Probably."

Harry noticed that all of the stray bunnies that had been running around hopelessly had been sucked up towards a powerful central vortex.

Harry shrugged and said, "You're a bit late sir."

Dumbledore sighed, his eyes danced around the school grounds. "I think Hagrid might have to stay in the Gryffindor common room for a bit longer," he said, "there seems to be a certain lack of roof on his cabin."

Harry smiled as Dumbledore turned onto the grounds and began levitating all the unconscious parties off to the hospital ward.

Ginny walked over to Harry and smiled. "Evil bunnies, what next?"

Harry nodded and then he remembered something. "Did you find your slippers?"

Ginny laughed and pointed to an odd pile near Hagrid's cabin. "The great wall of bunny-kin slippers."

She giggled slightly and looked up at Harry. "I think it's time we went back inside."

She held his hand as they walked through the front doors and back to school.

The End