"Alice?"
Charlie called softly.
On his bed, Alice turned her head and looked at him with a puzzled tilt. Her little three-lobed mouth twitched, then she hopped down and bounded straight toward him.
Charlie crouched, scooped her up, and lifted her high.
The blue-white highlight around her was still there.
He hadn't imagined it.
Alice rubbed her face with her front paws, her black-bean eyes fixed on him in confusion.
Charlie set her back down. He'd head to the Owlery tomorrow to check things out—see whether any animal could be specialized, or if there were special conditions involved.
"Go get some sleep, little one."
He gave her a gentle pat, then moved to the desk, opened his books, and started on his homework.
Night settled over the dormitory. The firelight glowed warmly while a few candles drifted silently to his desk, keeping him quiet company through the hours.
The next morning.
Just after nine, once breakfast was finished in the Great Hall, Charlie headed out through the main gates. The grounds were blanketed in thick snow.
One step and the snow swallowed past his mid-calf.
Thankfully the robes kept him warm. The early-morning wind was sharp, carrying fine snowflakes that tried to sneak down his collar.
He pressed his hat down tighter and soon reached the Owlery.
Inside it was warm, but thick with a heavy, stubborn stench.
He opened the system panel and scanned the room, then frowned in confusion.
No highlights anywhere.
Well—except for the carved owl sculptures set into the recessed walls.
Living creatures, however, showed nothing he could specialize.
"Hoo?"
An owl fluttered down in front of him, staring curiously.
"No letter today. Just came to see you."
Charlie stroked the owl's head.
It hooted happily and squinted its eyes in pleasure.
Heavy footsteps thumped behind him. A moment later, the towering figure stood beside him.
"Hey, Charlie!"
Hagrid looked surprised to find a young wizard inside the Owlery.
"Morning, Hagrid."
Charlie turned. Hagrid wore a thick moleskin coat; every breath puffed out thick white fog.
Hagrid's body temperature must run higher than a normal person's, Charlie thought randomly.
The big man's arms were cradling three owls.
"You here to send a letter, Charlie?"
"Nope, just looking around. You?"
Hagrid noticed Charlie's gaze and explained, "These little ones delivered mail yesterday and got half-frozen. I took 'em back to my hut to warm up, then brought 'em back."
He opened his arms. The three owls flapped up to the small wooden nesting boxes along the upper walls.
"Want to come warm up by the fire in my hut?"
Charlie thought for a second, then nodded. "Sure."
The odd pair—one huge, one small—left the Owlery and trudged through the snowy grounds toward the lopsided little cabin.
Before they even got close, excited barking rang out. Fang bounded toward them, tail wagging furiously as he circled Hagrid and Charlie.
Charlie glanced at Fang.
No highlight.
So… to specialize an animal, it has to belong to me?
Unlike moving sculptures or paintings—which were clearly magical constructs and not truly alive—animals had subjective sentience.
Fang was loyal to Hagrid. The owls in the Owlery were loyal to Hogwarts.
Only Alice had attached herself to him.
That was the only reason he could think of right now.
They crunched through the snow, the sound sharp and clear. Fang raced ahead happily. Soon Hagrid's crooked little hut came into view.
Not a single flake of snow clung to the roof. Square stones, chimney puffing white smoke.
"Come on in, Charlie!"
Hagrid took two big strides, shoved the wooden door open, and stepped aside to let Charlie enter first.
The moment they stepped inside, soft hoots reached Charlie's ears.
Two owls were perched by the fireplace, warming themselves.
Wow. More owls in here too.
"They were frozen stiff," Hagrid said. He picked up a teapot from the table and hung it by the fire. "Tea'll be ready in a minute."
Charlie nodded, pulled up a chair, rubbed his hands, then took off his hat.
With a soft pop, Alice returned to rabbit form.
The sound caught Hagrid's attention. He turned, and his face immediately split into a huge, doting grin.
"Oh, blimey! That's your little transforming rabbit. I remember her jumping down at the start-of-term feast."
"Yeah. Her name's Alice."
Charlie nodded.
Alice eyed Hagrid warily. The next second, Hagrid's big, rough hands gently scooped her up.
He handled her as delicately as fragile glass.
Hagrid turned Alice this way and that, parting her ginger back fur and flipping up her white belly.
"You've raised her beautifully," Hagrid praised. "Though she's a bit soft. Doesn't get enough exercise, does she?"
"Maybe not," Charlie admitted uncertainly.
"Transforming rabbits need plenty of movement. You can use Lumos or other spells to play chase with her. Good for the body and strengthens the bond."
"They're animals that really need companionship."
"I used to keep one myself."
"You kept a transforming rabbit?" Charlie asked, genuinely surprised.
He'd always pictured Hagrid favoring huge, fierce, monstrous creatures.
But seeing him now, maybe every magical creature looked equally lovable in Hagrid's eyes.
"Yeah, but she didn't last long."
At those words, Alice gave a little shiver in Hagrid's massive hands.
"Poor little thing had been abandoned. Found her in the Forbidden Forest. A wolf was after her and she turned into a wool scarf in a flash."
The image was funny in description, but Hagrid's face showed only pity and helplessness.
"Wild transforming rabbits can turn into stones, branches, that sort of thing. It's how they survive."
"But the ones raised by wizards usually only turn into accessories or clothing."
"When they're abandoned, they've got no chance out there."
Charlie nodded. "You saved her, right? So why did she still die?"
"Transforming rabbits get depressed, Charlie. If you don't pay attention to them or play with them, they lose all their spark."
"That one was the same. She could turn into a scarf, so in winter her owner must've needed her."
"But once the weather warmed up, who wears a scarf every day? She got neglected, grew sad and listless."
"Then she was abandoned."
Charlie immediately thought of parrots. They also needed companionship, yet many people just stuck them in a cage to look at.
Over time the parrot grew depressed, plucked out its own feathers, until the owner couldn't stand it anymore and tossed it out.
"A depressed transforming rabbit is almost impossible to save. So like I said, Charlie—you're doing a great job with her."
Hagrid gently turned Alice again. "You can feed her a little mandrake leaf now and then. Just one small leaf, mind—not too much."
"Mandrake strengthens their transforming ability."
With that, Hagrid set Alice on the table and stood up to rummage through a cabinet.