tw: n/a

"REMIND ME AGAIN WHY YOU HAVE TO DO THIS?" Cass said boredly. She lounged on her fluffy blue bed, picking at her nails. Last night, the two girls had stayed up till midnight playing Exploding Snap together, and now, it was a misty morning, and Malka had her first ever Care of Magical Creatures class. 

"Because I need it for alchemy, Cass," Malka chuckled, putting her hair in a ponytail with a green ribbon. 

Malka shoved one hand into her drawers, searching for her brush. Her drawers were no-man's land, as Cass had named once. Everything from spare Potions vials to Chocolate Frog cards were in there, and Malka pulled out a broken quill, several yew leaves, and a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans before finally reaching her brush. It was only seven o'clock in the morning, for Merlin's sake. Why did Care of Magical Creatures have to meet so damn early?

"But you're leaving me alone with Binns! Ugh, if I give you some chocolate, will you stay?" Cass said, batting her eyelashes. Cass was a light sleeper and didn't have classes till nine, but Malka had accidentally woken her up that morning when getting ready.

"No, Cassana, even if I want to. Goodbye," Malka rolled her eyes lightly before stepping out their door. 

She'd asked a Hufflepuff where Care of Magical Creatures met, and they'd replied with the same thing Flitwick told her. So she made her way out of the castle. She had to admit that even if she wasn't the most naturey person, the walk down to the Forest was quite beautiful. She and Cassana had taken several tours around the grounds in their first year, but after that, she'd barely ever walked around the Castle. It occurred to her that she had never even swam in the Black Lake, or even flown on the Quidditch Pitch since first year. If one could call her hideous attempts on a broomstick 'flying'.

The morning was thick with fog, and Malka had to keep her eyes fixed onto the ground, making sure she didn't slip on the thick blades of wet grass surrounding the pebbled path. She wore her hair up today, knowing they were working with unicorns. She had also worn a plain black miniskirt instead of her usual tweed, not wanting to dirty it, paired with a black top and her neverchanging red cardigan.

"Ah, our new friend: Miss Malka Mei Arslan!" Professor Kettleburn proclaimed. And Malka could see why Cass thought he was scary in Third Year. Three of his extremities were artificial, with a pirate hook arm and two wooden legs. He also wore a golden eye patch, had frizzy white facial hair, but was otherwise bald and spoke with a grizzly-bear like voice.

Malka felt a tinge of surprise at his address of her middle name. The class was small, with only about ten other students (out of which nine were boys), but they were from every house. She could see mostly Gryffindor boys, with a few Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and Reg. He was staring at her with eyes as wide as saucers, transfixed as if she had two heads.

"I'm not one for welcomes, anyway, so moving on," Kettleburn scuttled her along into the mass of the other students, where she was jostled briefly before regaining her footing. "Unicorns! Big! Shiny! Pretty, even! Now, the five I have in the forest we'll be studying for the next three weeks. They are young enough that their coats have silver in them and they do not mind a man's touch, but they are old enough to ride. Though I don't recommend you even try until the second week of studying has passed. Especially you, Mister Clarke,"

Kettleburn opened his one-and-a-half arms wide, as if waiting for applause. When the class stared silently, he looked down, disappointed. "Okay. Find partners, then follow me,"

There was a milling about as people shuffling into groups of two, but that line thinned out as the parade marched into the misty morning forest.

"And what is a lady like yourself doing in such a rugged class?" Reg said, appearing and walking at her side. 

"Rugged? I hardly think that is the word for this group," Malka said, pink coming into her cheeks at how casually they spoke.

"Mm, you don't know how bad it was when we worked with the centaur-pixies last term. They heighten mens' virtue. Kettleburn almost had to stop a brawl," Reg chuckled. And as Malka looked around, there were only two other girls in the class (two Ravenclaws) alongside ten boys.

"I can't imagine that," Malka admitted. "In truth, McGonagall said I should be here. It was the only new class she recommended for me after...I told her I wanted to be an alchemist,"

"You told someone?" Reg said, turning and looking down at her in surprise. "Erm- congrats,"

Malka laughed. "Thanks. It was you who inspired me to do so, I won't forget that. And how was your meeting?"

Reg made a little gesture that meant 'you're welcome'. "My career meeting was rather dull. We only spoke of Ministry positions,"

"Sounds dreadful,"

They walked in comfortable silence for the next few steps, before Malka broke it. "So, what is a refined gentleman like you doing here?"

"Magical creatures are refined," Reg said a bit passionately. "They are more than mere beasts and are worth studying,"

"All right," Malka observed the change in his mood. He hid it well, very well, and if Malka was not a Legilimens, she wouldn't be able to tell that there was a certain fire in his mind when he spoke of Magical Creatures, an obsession that Malka would never had guessed was present. "Well, I am quite behind in terms of coursework. At least I know it will be interesting,"

"It is interesting," Regulus admitted quietly, clutching his fingers together and smiling down at his shoes. 

"...You could always be a magizoologist," Malka suddenly suggested, a smile growing on her face at the idea of Reg running around with animals, something he seemed to have a strange but strong affinity for.

"What?"

"You seem to enjoy magical beasts far more than anything else you've spoken to me about," Malka said defensively.

Reg's eyes narrowed, and Malka could sense the question forming in his head, so she spoke first.

"No, I did not read your mind. I promised, didn't I?" she said sharply. Regulus looked back down, slightly cowed by the anger in her eyes.

"Apologies. Anyways, that line of work...it's not quite suited for someone like me," he whispered sadly.

Their conversation simmered into melancholy, as most of them did, before they reached a pen with five unicorns.

Kettleburn cleared his scratchy throat. "Alright, before I explain- you should have read about how to approach unicorns in last night's reading, since we are only getting acquainted with these creatures today...I think I assigned it. Did I? I did. Any questions, call me over,"

Then he began to split them into groups. Most of the class went with their friends, anyway, since they were standing in their cliques. "Miss Arslan, the new-bee. You can go with Mister Black, the most capable pair of hands for unicorns,"

Malka blinked in surprise. So Regulus was involved with Care of Magical Creatures, far more than she could have ever assumed. "I guess we're partners," she murmured to him.

"Suppose this is my penance for doing so well in this class," Reg said snappily.

Malka turned to him, eyes wide. "Merlin, I think that's the first time you've ever made a joke in front of me. Turns out you Blacks have a humorous bone after all,"

"Of course we do," Reg snorted. "My Aunt Lucretia has quite the wit,"

"Good to know," Malka mused. 

Kettleburn caught their attention again, reminding them of the few pointers they needed to approach unicorns, before assigning each pair or trio to a specific unicorn. He led her and Reg to the smallest of the crop. This unicorn was a male, he said, and the youngest of the bunch. The unicorn's back was at her shoulder height, and it was a brilliant shimmery silver, with pure white patches beginning to seep through.

"He's beautiful," Malka said in awe after Kettleburn left. Even though her hands shook with fear. Though that unicorn did look the gentlest of the bunch. Maybe Kettleburn had some sense after all, and assigned to her an easier unicorn for her first project in the class. 

"Indeed," Regulus murmured, and when she turned around, his eyes quickly flickered away from her and back to the unicorn. "We should approach him properly,"

"Okay. Can you go first? Er- just so I can see how it's done, please?" Malka said, as Kettleburn instructed. Reg nodded, and so he turned to the unicorn, who fixed him with luminous golden eyes. "Hello. My name is Regulus Arcturus Black. It is an honor,"

The unicorn regarded him closely and almost regally, before dipping his head. Then Reg turned to her expectantly

She tried to keep her eyes wide, but serious and sincere at the same time as she slowly dipped her head. Her heart beat faster, and she desperately hoped it couldn't tell how nervous she was. She knew unicorns never rejected humans, but should also be respected. "Hello, my name is Malka Mei Arslan. It is an honor."

And to her relief, the unicorn dipped his head before turning to Reg, who spoke: "May we touch your pelt?" 

The unicorn let out a little light snort, and Reg's eyes gleamed in excitement as he reached his right hand out tenderly. Malka saw the way both unicorn and man flinched as they made contact with each other, but eased as Regulus began stroking the unicorn pelt so gently Malka was amazing.

"He's very soft," Reg said, not turning to her but keeping his eyes on the unicorn. "Come feel the pelt,"

"Erm-" Malka said hesitantly, and Reg turned to her.

His expression softened, and to her sweet surprise, he held out his left hand to her. "Do you trust me?"

"I-" Malka said, eyes flickering between the unicorn and the boy. "Yes,"

And she placed her wrist in his, as he guided her hands onto the unicorn. His hands were ever so cold. She felt the soft ends of its hair prickle upon her finger tips, and her heart started at the action, and it did again when he gently released her wrist. "You're right,"

He hummed back, as the two spent a few moments together, stroking the soft mane of such a pure creature, surrounded by small chatter from their classmates.

"If we're studying him for weeks on end, he needs a name," Reg said to her with a soft smile.

"Ooh. How about...Prancer?" Malka said, recalling the tales of Christmas she'd read as a child.

"That sounds agreeable," Reg said, not knowing the Muggle connotations behind it. She'd tell him another time, Malka decided. For now, they petted the newly named Prancer. Maybe Care of Magical Creatures wouldn't be so bad after all, if Black was there with her.

-

i love kettleburn lmao hes so funny