Candy For The Clabberts (Revamp- Annabel)

[Deleted]

Hagrid wasn't one for sweets himself. The sweetest thing he usually had was tea with some sugar. So for him to visit Honeydukes was a rare thing. But today he didn't pay the sweet shop a visit for himself. No, it was for someone else... or rather something else... or rather several things else. Some of the creatures he took care of had gained a taste for sweets, and he decided it was a nice little treat for those he visited often. There was, after all, hardly any creature on the Hogwarts grounds that wasn't Hagrid's friend, and he had the affinity for and ability to communicate with just about all of them.

As he looked about, he found that he didn't really know where anything was, given he hadn't been in there that much and, like most stores, stock was changed about ever so often. He also found he was distracted by adults and students who liked to stop and chat with him. And being the friendly fellow he was, he had to oblige them.

ANNABEL JANE COOPER

[ANNABEL JANE COOPER]

Silent Love is calling faith

---

Anna bent over to pick up some new products she was putting on the shelves out of the box on the floor. It was some new hard candy in the shape of a cauldron, Gooey chewy cauldron drums she remembered it being called. She sat there, looked around and put one aside for herself for later. The owner encouraged tasting new products but she didn't like eating in front of customers. It would seem unfair if she sat there and munched on products all day when some only got a wand lollipop. So she wrapped the gooey cauldron in a napkin and placed it on the counter so she could take it back to the back later.

She looked up to see a very familiar half giant. Hagrid had been one of his most favorite people from school. She loved the fact all the bizarre and majestic creatures on Hogwarts grounds adored him so and he could care for them so easily. She pushed the box she was working from off to the side behind the counter and ran up to half giant.

"Hello Hagrid! Fancy seeing you here."

@hagrid

[Deleted]

Hagrid turned when he heard the familiar voice. Over his many years at the school, he had made a wealth of friends, both young and old. And even in his grand old age, Hagrid still remembered all their names and most of the times spent with him. So naturally, he was pleased to see Annabel when she greeted him.

"Hello Ms. Annabel," he said. "And yes, I don't come to this here place all that often as I do some of the other shops in Hogsmeade. I go to visit Francis now and again, and today I need to stock up on Fudge Flies for the Clabberts what live behind my shack. Little buggers can't get enough of'em they can't. 'Course I'm the one to bloody blame for introducin'em to'em." He chuckled at that. "So how have you been since departin' from the halls of Hogwarts, Ms. Annabel? Reckon it must be a fine job indeed, workin' in a sweet shop, well pendin' you like sweets and all 'course."

ANNABEL JANE COOPER

[ANNABEL JANE COOPER]

Annabel smiled as Hagrid started talking about the Clabberts. She remembered back when she was in school, the little creature had seemed hideous to her at first especially because of the pustule on their foreheads. But she also remembered when Hagrid had proven her wrong and shown her the beauty of the strange creatures. Rory had been there with her during all this. He still had had a distaste for them when the both of them left Hogwarts.

She allowed herself a moment of remorse. Rory had been with her through all of her school years and he was supposed to be there throughout the rest of her life. Now only his shadow was left. He was now a shadow that followed her like a bad dream. She still tried to convince herself that he would show up one day, apologize for leaving her and they would live their happily ever after. But no matter the convincing she knew in her heart she shouldn't sit here and be saddened by the loss.

She shook herself from her deep thoughts. "Oh really? I never heard of a clabbert developing a taste in sweets. But we're never in short supply of Fudge Flies around here. In fact," She walked over to behind the counter and pulled out a large jar of the treats. "And I can offer you a special bulk price. My treat."

When Hagrid had asked about how she had been, she looked down at her toes. "I-I've been fine." She looked up at him and sighed. "I don't know if you heard, but you remember my boyfriend Rory from school? The boy I used to drag along with me? Long story short he's passed." She allowed her head to drop again. "I miss him terribly. But I'm trying to move on. But the loss of someone you've loved so deeply...It hurts further then just the heart. You know?"

@hagrid

[Deleted]

Hagrid smiled as Annabel offered her the bulk of fudge flies.

"Very kind of ya, Ms. Annabel, very kind," he said. "Think I'll take ya up on that there offer. Reckon along with the Clabberts, I can find a few other creatures hear and abouts that fancy'em."

Hagrid frowned about Rory's passing. He remembered the boy well. Rory was a good boy, at least in Hagrid's opinion. It always hurt the half-giant to hear about the passing of friends, especially when they were so young.

"I'm terribly sorry to hear that, Ms. Annabel, I truly am," he said. "Right fine boy, Rory was. And I won't lie to ya, Ms. Annabel, when someone you care for as much as that passes on, it takes quite a bit to ease the pain down. Merlin knows how many friends I've lost over the years. And to this day, I don't reckon I've completely gotten over their passin'. Best thing to do is go on livin' life as you should. Reckon that's what they want of ya more than anything."

Dumbledore of course came to mind, among others, including those killed in the Battle of Hogwarts.

ANNABEL JANE COOPER

[ANNABEL JANE COOPER]

Anna knew all too well the story of the Battle of Hogwarts. It was told throughout her school years. But to her it was only a story. The battle had happened before she was ever born. But she knew for Hagrid it was all too real. She knew of the people he had lost in that battle and before that as well. She remembered nights when she would come out to his hut and he had been drinking and just sit there listening to all that had happened in the poor half-giant's past. Right now she felt very connected to him. He knew her pain. He knew the feeling of loss.

"I completely agree Hagrid. Because life is too short to be down all the time."

Admittedly so, Anna's old self started to shine through at that moment. She was her witty and happy self again.

"I actually am getting off here in a few minutes. Do you think I can follow you back to the school grounds and help feed the Clabberts?"

@hagrid

[Deleted]

Hagrid just smiled and nodded when Annabel told him she agreed.

"Far too short, Ms. Annabel, far too short," he said.

He was glad to see her perk up a bit then, the Annabel he knew well from her school days. And when she asked if she could join him, he figured that could be just the thing to cheer her up. A bigger smile formed on his face.

"Well I don't see why not?" he said. "Clabberts are still cautious 'round Muggles, but far as I know, they don't get nervous 'round us magical folk. I'm sure they'll be right good friends with ya once you start feedin'em them fudge flies." Hagrid chuckled. "Might not leave ya alone."

(Bumping up the scene.)

Hagrid had Annabel follow her to the woodsy area. He already saw some Clabberts nearby, and they were already watching Annabel carefully and seeing if that could sense magic in her.

"Don't you worry, friends," he said. "Annabel's with me, and she ain't here to mean the lot of ya no harm." Hagrid then shook the box of fudge flies, bringing the whole lot of them out into the open.

ANNABEL JANE COOPER