CAN DOGS EAT CHEESE?

THE BEGINNING OF IVY ARORA'S LAST YEAR at Hogwarts was certainly interesting. Though she didn't consider the Dementors' constant patrolling outside nearly as interesting as all the Muggleborns that had been petrified the year before. Hogwarts seemed haunted — and not in the good way that Nearly Headless Nick and the Fat Friar and Peeves haunted the grounds. Students avoided them at all costs, not wanting to be surrounded by the coldness and feeling of dread that accompanied them.

Despite their presence, some continued about their days, determined to not let the Dementors ruin their time at Hogwarts. Ivy was one of them, who still spent her time studying on the grass or reading near the Black Lake. The farther from the castle she got, though, the fewer people would come and join her. She found that her friends in Gryffindor and Slytherin were the ones most comfortable near the outskirts of the campus where the Dementors could easily be spotted in the distance. Her fellow Hufflepuffs seemed a bit too timid and the Ravenclaws thought it not wise to get so close to them.

Yes, it was safe to say the Dementors had easily ruined the warm and inviting feeling that the grounds of Hogwarts possessed.

It was why there wasn't really anyone outside to see Ivy and another seventh-year Ravenclaw boy, Chase Bilisby, walking along the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

"Thanks for helping me search for Dittany," Ivy told Chase, smiling politely. She had offered to help out Professor Sprout, who was in need of more of the healing herb, and upon hearing Ivy volunteer after class, Chase had offered his assistance. "We probably should hurry though. I told Cedric I'd come watch Hufflepuff's Quidditch tryouts."

"Yes, I heard Diggory got Captain," Chase said, not really caring about the conversation. Ivy was too busy searching the ground of Dittany to notice the way his eyes would flick from her to the empty area surrounding them.

"You're a Beater, right?" she asked, trying to recall what she remembered about the Ravenclaw boy. They had probably only spoken a handful of times in their ongoing years of school together, Chase opting to hang out around a rowdier crowd than she preferred. "From how Fred and George talk about it, you must have to have really quick reflexes."

"I'm strong too," Chase said, flashing a flirty smirk that Ivy didn't catch as she was still too interested in plants. "Say, Arora, you got a date for the first Hogsmeade trip?"

Ivy's cheeks heated up uncomfortably as they always did when someone she didn't know very well asked her to Hogsmeade. The young witch, who had turned eighteen just a few days ago, had never actually been on a date, and she certainly didn't want her first one to be with someone like Chase Bilisby.

"No, I don't," she said in a quiet tone. "I really just like to go with friends on the weekends. More fun with everyone around. But you can come with us if you'd like," she sweetly offered.

Chase grimaced at the thought. "I rather think it's more fun to be alone with someone. Like we are now."

I'm not really having fun though, Ivy couldn't help but think. She'd rather Chase hadn't volunteered to help her.

And she certainly wasn't having fun when Chase ran his hand down her back.

Ivy awkwardly stepped away, biting her lip nervously as she peered up at Chase. "I'm sorry, but could you not do that?" But then Chase's hands were on her again, grabbing her waist. She all but squeaked in response and maneuvered out of his hold, backing into a tree. "Stop, Chase. That's not funny."

"Jus' trying to have some fun," he told her with a smirk, walking closer to her. "Just you and me. A little one-on-one fun."

Before Ivy could even think of grabbing her wand, Chase was roughly pushing her up against the tree. She tried to wriggle away but stopped and yelped when one hand pulled at her shirt and the other grabbed her thigh tightly.

"S - stop it, Chase," Ivy said, her voice trembling.

"C'mon, Arora. Everyone's been wanting to see what you keep under that short little skirt since fourth year. Gimme a taste."

"Let me go!" she said, managing to raise her voice. Though, there was no one around to hear her.

At least, she thought.

"You can't really be as innocent as you let on," Chase sneered, his hands roaming. "I'll bet you're just dying to have someone like me ruin y—"

Chase was cut off by a deep growl. Neither of them really knew what happened, but one moment, Chase's hand had been up Ivy's skirt, and then next he was on the ground with a huge dog attacking him. Chase screamed as the dog bit at him, and Ivy quickly scrambled back, tripping over her feet and landing on her back.

She watched for a moment as the dog continued to attack Chase, but soon her head caught up with her and she fumbled around in her skirt pocket for her wand. Chase went still as the stunning spell hit him, knocking him unconscious with the dog still on top of him.

Ivy quickly got to her feet and fled, not looking back as she ran closer to the castle and the safety that came with being within sight of others. Once she could see the courtyard and the students milling around it, her legs seemed to give out on her as if the jelly-legs jinx had been cast on her and she dropped to the ground by a tree.

She took deep breaths to try and calm down while wiping under her eyes, knowing she needed to try and calm down if she was meant to go find a teacher and lead them to Chase, who she made sure would remain unconscious for some time.

A moment later, she heard the soft sound of the dog approaching her. Ivy tensed up as she looked at the dog, worried that it was going to attack her like it had Chase, but it seemed much calmer and watched her with an almost concerned expression. But that was ridiculous, as dogs couldn't show concern like a human did, she thought. But clearly, it had been smart enough to stop Chase from attacking her.

When she realized the animal wasn't going to hurt her, Ivy relaxed the smallest bit and studied him. He was a big dog, bigger than she had ever seen, with long, shaggy, dirty black fur. But despite the fur, she could see how skinny and underfed the animal was and dubbed him a stray that had likely wandered from Hogsmeade.

The dog took a slow step closer, his head lolling to the side a bit as he watched her. Ivy wiped under her eyes before fixing the few buttons that Chase had managed to undo.

"Thank you," she said in a small voice, tucking her shirt back into her skirt. Of course, she knew he couldn't actually understand her just like how her cat never understood her over-affectionate coos, but she thanked him no less. Ivy didn't actually know much about dogs but she did know they were rather smart compared to other household pets.

Her eyes flicked from his dark eyes to the ribs she could see poking against his skin, and pity washed over her. Pulling her bag into her lap, she began to dig through it. The dog watched, not quite sure what she was doing and why it was taking her so long.

"Stupid extension charm," Ivy mumbled, half her arm inside. Then she rolled her eyes at herself and pulled it out, clearing her throat. "Accio sandwich."

A second later, a cloth square flew from the bag and into her hand. It was a sandwich that she had taken with her from the Great Hall and wrapped in a napkin for later. As soon as she unwrapped it, the dog perked up at the sight of food.

Still a bit hesitant, Ivy walked on her knees over to the dog. "Hope you like turkey," she told him. Ivy didn't even get a chance to set the sandwich on the grass in front of him before he was chomping down on it, taking it from her hands. Ivy only wished she had another one as the starving stray scarfed it down.

"Can dogs eat cheese?" she asked, tilting her head as she remembered the slice of cheddar cheese on the sandwich. Even if they couldn't, it didn't slow the dog down.

Ivy stayed and watched the dog eat, taking the extra time to calm down. Once he finished eating, he looked back up at her while licking the leftover bits of food off his teeth.

"I don't really have more food," she said, frowning. But then she offered the animal a smile. "Maybe I can sneak some out to you after dinner tonight. If not, I live right near the kitchens and can find something."

The dog perked up at the promise of food, and Ivy studied him curiously. She really wasn't sure how much dogs understood compared to cats, but figured that if he had any training before becoming a stray, then maybe he knew what food meant.

"I, um, I have to go get a teacher," she said, nervously looking in the direction she had left Chase. She slowly got to her feet, her knees wobbling significantly less. Then, looking down at the dog, she slowly pet him, as if testing the action — she certainly wasn't as comfortable around such a large animal as she was her small cat. The dog froze at her contact, and just as soon as her touch was there, it was gone.

"Thanks again," she called before rushing off towards the castle.

Once she made it to the entrance, she looked back once and saw that the dog was still waiting by the tree, his eyes trained on her. Ivy didn't know why but almost felt as if he was waiting to make sure she safely made it inside. That was, after all, what he was doing, and once she was out of sight, he was running off to his hiding spot in the Forbidden Forest.