flobberworms are cute
Mon often wonders what has she ever done in her past life to deserve the unnerving hatred seeping out from Sam Anantrakul’s eyes whenever her gaze was directed upon her. There seems to never be a time where the long hair brunette looks at her without a frown or spewing something snarky or just simply….glare.
Mon was just a muggle born living a very normal life until she received her letter of acceptance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry. So imagine how starry eyed she was as a first year, walking in line to the Great Hall; seeing candles floating and magically enchanted stars hung above the sky on the glass pane as they got ready to be sorted.
As she chattered excitedly with her other fellow giddy friends, there was one girl who stood in front of her; maybe an inch or two taller, long dark black hair falling past her shoulder and once in a while giving the meanest glare to Mon and her newfound friends.
“That’s Sam Anantrakul…” Yuki whispered in her ear, “Her family is pretty well-known in the Wizarding World.”
“Really?” Mon continued to eye the girl from the back.
“Her grandma’s an influential Auror,” Yuki shook her head and corrected, “I mean, ex-Auror. Her parents died of dragonpox, her eldest sister is currently training to be an Auror as well, while her second sister is in her fifth year here!”
“What’s an Auror?” Mon asked, still very much unaccustomed to the magical terms and jargons the wizarding world used. When she first received her books in Diagon Alley, she did spend hours flipping page to page of every book but naturally, there are far too many things that she must learn and memorise.
Yuki hummed, “Let’s just say…they are like the Muggles term of Police - but more functional and discreet.”
“So like a CIA?”
“What’s a CI–”
“Yuki Malaiwong!” Professor Mcgonagall called out at the center of the hall, a long list gripped in her hands while the sorting hat sat still on a stool.
“My goodness that’s me! Pray that I get to be in Gryffindor!” Yuki scrambled clumsily to the front.
At the mention of it, Sam who now fell in line beside her scoffed openly. “She looks more like a Hufflepuff.”
“How would you know?” Mon timidly asked. She swallowed as Sam turned to look at her. The girl had long lashes with big black eyes; the kind where you feel entranced - even when she was giving you a borderline demeaning look.
“Doesn’t take long for one to figure where a gossiper would be.”
Crap, she heard that we were talking about her, Mon thought. And just like Sam had predicted, Yuki was sorted to Hufflepuff. Mon doesn’t know much of what each House advocates for but when she was in the Hogwarts Express; everyone was talking positively of Gryffindor while Slytherin was typecasted negatively.
So when Sam was called out to the front, naturally Mon thought the brooding girl would be placed in Slytherin but she was sorted to Ravenclaw instead – a house known for having intellectually bright and witty students.
Sam’s face was expressionless as she went to take a seat with the Ravenclaw students. But when Mon, (happily) settled down with her Gryffindor peers, she saw Sam’s gaze flickered to her, an indescribable look on her face.
=
=
=
Sam hardly changes, Mon thought. Even as two years go by, the girl who constantly has a RBF (according to Yuki) remains the same. They share some classes together, become potion lab partners - (forced, Sam would say), excel in their studies and usually become top students in their year and House but still their friendship was pretty much undefined.
Undefined; because they don’t hang out and talk like friends do - even if they do, they were mostly snide remarks from Sam. Not that Mon never tried making friends with Sam, no matter how intimidating the girl was.
After the whole mini gossiping fiasco, Mon tried to put it behind and start with a clear slate when she found out that Sam and her shared the same Potions class. She knew Sam was a bright student as she was able to name every single ingredient needed to brew a Cure for Boils. So when their Potions Master let them choose their own pair mate from the opposite House to make it, Mon was the only one who approached the girl.
“You…” Sam muttered under her breath when Mon stood next to her. “You’re going to ruin the Cure for Boils”
“Don’t worry. I did my revision last night.” Mon chirped, trying to gain Sam’s trust.
“Last night? I knew how to do this in my sleep.” Sam bragged.
Working as potion partners also meant Mon kept receiving commands and orders all the time. Sam was too much of a perfectionist and it drove her almost to insanity.
“These fangs aren’t properly crushed!” Sam peered at the mortar where Mon has been diligently grinding with the heavy pestle.
“It’s as fine as sand.” Mon denied, before Sam pushed her aside and proceeded to crush the fangs harder.
“Go stir the cauldron instead.” Sam ordered.
Mon sighed, but still did as what’s been told. Clockwise, clockwise, anti-clockwise, clockwise, she muttered under her breath as she stirred the pot. And soon the colour of the potion turned a queasy looking yellow when Sam added the crushed fangs.
“We’ve got to add the horned slugs next,” Mon made known, rechecking the instructions on her open book.
“I know.” Sam deadpanned and the girl soon brought out a mini box from her sling bag.
“Are those your horned slugs?”
Sam nodded, “I bought mine from a third year. It cost me 2 Galleons.”
“Mines from the girls bathroom.” Mon pointed on her own, which was in a small brown pouch. “You should search there next time. You can save up some of your money.”
“I have enough money to buy anything I want.” Sam took both of their slugs and indifferently put it in the cauldron.
Mon glowered at the girl’s statement before continuing to stir the cauldron and waving her wand to let the potion brew until it finally turned to a shade of blue. “I think we did it!”
Sam inspected the potion, lifting the ladle and inquiring the thickness of said liquid. “I think the blue should’ve been a tad bit darker.”
Mon looked around her other classmates and noticed how everyone was still struggling; either chasing their horned slugs, stirring their unchangeable potion or some overheating their cauldon until it broke to pieces.
“I think we’re doing just fine compared to the rest.”
And sure enough they were the first pair to succeed in making Cure for Boils potion and both of them were awarded 10 points each from their Professor. Later on, despite the grumbles and complaints from Sam, they would always manage to brew the best potion that was being assigned.
So maybe their undefined status could be re-defined as unofficial potion-partners.
=
=
But soon, their unofficial lab-partners status changed in their third year.
Being a third year means they would also take new subjects like Care of Magical Creatures. Most of the Gryffindors, especially Mon’s friend Jim, weren't big on the subject.
“I saw Hagrid and some fifth years bring out cages of flobberworms the other day,” Jim pant beside her as they went down the uneven stairs heading to the open ground outside the Forbidden Forest.
“Might be interesting.” Mon shrugged, tightening her scarf as the Autumn wind blew. “I read that we might be learning about Hippogriffs as well.”
“I’d rather that than the monstrosity I saw!” Jim exclaimed, “Oh great, we’re with the nerds for this class. Let’s just let them do all the feeding and work.”
As soon as the third year Gryffindors arrived, the Ravenclaws were already at the open ground, huddled all close in a circle; looking a mixture of anticipation and anxiousness at the same time. It was easy for Mon to spot Sam. Not that she was the odd one out; but her eyes were always able to detect the girl even from afar.
Sam had her arms folded underneath her black cloak, her hair catching the gust of wind once in a while and Mon can’t help to notice how Sam’s features gradually sharpen as the years go by. Mon admitted, Sam was haughtily beautiful but she would be more beautiful if she didn't throw that small frown whenever she spotted her - like now.
“Miss Bossy is looking at you already,” Jim nudged her, “Are you sure she doesn’t have a crush on you or something?”
“D-don’t be silly,” Mon pulls away from Sam’s stare. The word ‘crush’ resonated in her head for some weird reason.
As the two classes gathered; sure enough Hagrid introduced them to flobberworms; a ten inch toothless brown worm which eats vegetables, especially lettuces and cabbage. When the time came to elect a volunteer to hold the flobberworm (very harmless and adorable creature, Hagrid said), nobody raised their hand except Heng, the tall, lanky boy from Gryffindor whose underarm was tickled by none other than Jim.
Poor Heng, mildly horrified half of the time, held the flabby looking worm while Hagrid explained its anatomy as he tried to brave it out in front of his peers. But things took a turn when said harmless creature wiggled out of Heng’s hold, resulting in him dropping the mushy worm on the ground and everyone scrambling away from it - except for one.
Sam cooly walked and picked up the flobberworm, cradling it in her arm like a baby before giving it back to Hagrid. Mon noticed that there was something almost like admiration in her eyes when Sam carried the creature. And the fondness continued when they were told to feed the other flobberworms with lettuces.
“Did you know flobberworms are edible?” Mon overheard Kade, a fellow Ravenclaw, talking to Jim.
“You’re telling me someone voluntarily eats this?” Jim asked incredulously, a whole cabbage in her hand.
A familiar voice answered, “Don’t you know? The school sometimes makes flobberworm fritters and serves it for lunch.” Sam crouched nearby, tearing pieces of cabbage and gently feeding the anticipating flobberworms.
“Who in their right mind would eat it?!”
“Her.” Mon was surprised when Sam looked up to her.
“Me?”
“Yes, I’ve seen you eat it before in the Great Hall.”
Suddenly Mon has second thoughts over whatever she consumed in the Great Hall. “You’re joking, right?”
“Do you ever see me joking?” Sam stoically replied.
At the sudden uneasiness and queasiness, Jim teased, “Ohh….so you were watching Mon all along eating her lunch at the Great Hall, huh?”
“N-no,” Sam stammered, before clearing her throat. “I was just curious to see if anyone noticed what’s on the table. But I guess you must’ve been so hungry at that time.”
“On the bright side, flobberworms have lots of protein.” Kade added, reassuringly. Although it didn’t do much for Mon.
And for the first time, Mon saw the end of Sam’s lips slightly tugged upward. Three years of being acquainted with this girl and this was her first smile that Mon ever saw - an over her demise?
“Oh you found this amusing, do you?” Mon asked, and the smile was quickly replaced with Sam’s usual stoic expression. “I hope one of these days you find yourself eating one too.”
“I’m more observant and picky of what I eat - unlike you.”
Mon was trying to find another comeback to that when Hagrid loudly announced, to everyone’s horror, that they would have to raise the flobberworm for a week in pairs (Gryffindor-Ravenclaw). They have to feed and take turns taking care of the creature in their dorm. If the flobberworms end up alive and well-fed, 20 points will be given to each House.
Jim immediately attached herself to Kade, which left her and Sam staring at each other. Mon was about to resign herself to Sam when Kirk made himself known, shyly waving at Sam at the same time while the girl looked indifferently at him.
“Sam…I know I didn’t show the best example of holding the worm earlier,” Kirk continued, “but if we become partners for this, I promise you, I will be the greatest flobberworm father you’ve ever met.”
Jim cringed, Kade looking fairly surprised, while Mon stood still, unsure of what decision Sam would make. They have been potion partners for three years so far, Sam might have wanted a different pairwork partner this time around. Aside from that, it was quite transparent that Heng had a thing for Sam, whether the latter noticed it or not, Mon doesn’t know but it left a weird feeling inside her.
“Sorry, but I’m already teaming up with her. Right, Mon?” Sam raised an eyebrow to her, as if insinuating for her to agree.
“Yeah…. We’re co-parenting the flobberworms.” Mon answered, at the back of her mind she was screaming at her choice of word.
“Oh…” Kirk looked back and forth between her and Sam, “Okay then. Another time I guess.”
Heng awkwardly left the group and Jim left out a whistle, “Aww you two would make such great parents to this abominable creature!”
There was a tint of pink on her cheeks when Sam declared, “I won’t be getting that 20 points if I was paired up with him. Mon was brave enough to eat flobberworm fritters, so what is it to her to take care of the real thing?”
“Sam!”
And just like that, their lab partners' relationship changed to co-parents of a flobberworm.
=
=
=
For the whole week, Sam had made a schedule on which time they would meet up and exchange the flobberworms. Mon noticed Sam had taken the co-parenting seriously and even made a time-table on what time she should feed the said worm. Very typical of her.
“Ouch!” Mon flinched, as a hand was swatted onto her own.
“That’s a piece too big! You want our worm to choke?”
They were outside of the Great Hall; students loitering around in the corridors after the last class ended and the weekend loomed in. On one secluded spot between two pillars sat Sam and Mon feeding their flobberworm.
“That was the exact size I fed it just before,” Mon protested.
“It has to be exactly this size,” Sam holds a piece of cabbage in between her eyes, before feeding the worm with the same adoration look she had days ago.
Mon rolled her eyes, “You seem to like being around this worm more than you like being around humans.”
Sam didn’t say anything at that and once she was done feeding the worm, she thrusted the cage to her. “Remember, she must be fed every 6 hours with the same piece as I’ve shown you before.”
“I know.” Mon sighed, about to head back to her own common room when the brunette trailed along beside her. “Where are you going?”
“To Gryffindor’s Tower.” Sam answered before hastily adding, “Just want to make sure you don’t accidentally let loose the worm.”
“The cage is locked.”
Sam shrugged and nodded along for Mon to walk and they trailed back silently. While on the staircase, she heard Sam clear her throat.
“I do like being around humans by the way.” Sam folded her arms, staring ahead. “I’m just selective on who I want to be around with.”
“Do you like being around me then?” Mon tilted her head toward the girl. Not sure herself why she was asking the question but she held her breath waiting for Sam’s answer.
Sam eyed her, her deep black eyes flitted downwards to her lips before she quickly looked away and nodded her head at The Fat Lady Portrait in front of them. Ignoring Mon’s question, she spoke, “I reckon tomorrow we should bring the flobberworm for some fresh air near the great lake. So meet me there at 4pm.”
Without a word, Sam turned her back towards her and hurried down the stairs, quickly out of sight while leaving Mon momentarily speechless.
“Are you going to tell me the password, dear?” The Fat Lady Portrait broke the silence.
And all Mon could think as she walked back inside Gryffindor’s common room and into her dorm was, 4pm-Great Lake-tomorrow.
=
=
Mon must’ve looked quite silly.
Because who in their right mind would’ve gone to the shores of the Great Lake on a rather chilly mid October while carrying a flobberworm to supposingly give it some fresh air.
“Maybe you could change her mind and ask her to go to Hogsmeade later,” Yuki suggested as they brace themselves walking out of the great door’s entrance with a number of other jolly looking students.
“You’d think she will agree.” Mon grumbled, heaving the flobberworm cage.
“To be honest, you’re the only person she will usually talk and listen to…”
“She doesn’t talk - she gives demands more like.” Mon smiled, thinking about Sam’s way with words.
“Maybe you should demand something back.” Yuki proposed, “Once in a while she has to listen to you no matter how demanding she can be.”
“So I must demand her to go to Hogsmeade with me and somehow bring this flobberworm along and scare everyone in the vicinity.”
“Suit yourself!” Yuki pushed her slightly, “I’m gonna have the best time at The Three Broomsticks and might get some luck spotting Tee there too!”
“Right,” Mon sighed.
They parted ways and Mon dragged herself to the Great Lake. Students were sparse as most spent their weekends either in Hogsmeade or huddled close near the fireplace in their respective common rooms playing wizard chess or exploding snaps. But no, Sam Anantrakul just had to make her come here of all days.
And there she was, feet circling randomness on the powdery sand with hands in the pocket of her pants. Sam had a black jumper on with a grey beanie on top of her head.
“You’re late.” - was the first thing the girl spoke, her index finger pointing at an expensive looking gold watch on her left wrist.
“Well not everyone is keen to come to the Great Lake in this weather.” Mon answered, holding the cage toward her.
“Don’t tell me you’re one of those regular Three Broomsticks go-ers…” judged Sam while she inspected the sleepy looking flobberworm.
“It’s a fun and cosy place to be at!”
“Cosiest place in Hogwars is the library.” Sam put down the cage and gently poked the flobberworm. “Did you feed it on time?”
“Of course.” Mon sat down, watching Sam cradling the thing in her with eyes full of admiration. She wondered if Sam realised her current demeanour at the moment. “You’re sure into flobberworms aren’t you?”
“They’re cute.” Sam curtly answered and proceeded to point at a part of the flobberworm, “See how their cheeks are so wobbly?”
“I honestly can’t tell which is which except for the ends where the mucus comes out,” Mon swallowed, thinking about how the worm had excreted a blob of mucus on her robes while she fed it the other night.
Sam huffed, looking slightly annoyed. She carefully placed the flobberworm back inside the cage and sat it between them. They were in complete silence except for the sound of rustling leaves and Sam sniffing once in a while.
“So…” Mon started, still thinking about the girl’s statement from last night. “Is this your idea of spending time with people who you like to be with?”
“You can see Merpeople here if you’re lucky.” Sam retorted, not directly answering her question but at the same time confirming Mon’s curiosity.
“Have you?”
“Have I what?”
“See Merpeople.”
Sam hummed, “I think I did from the windows of Ravenclaw Tower.”
“They’re mean so I’ve heard.” Mon recalled Tee, a boisterously handsome Slytherin, telling a group of people in their Defence Against The Dark Arts class the other week.
“That might just be a perception…” Sam put the cage on top of her lap, “People see what they want to see and what people might see never has anything to do with the truth.”
Mon nodded, agreeing for once. “And everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact.”
“So what’s your opinion on me?” Sam suddenly asked, her deep black orbs looking straight at Mon’s own.
“I think….” The question took Mon off guard, but she tried to find the right words to describe the girl. “I think you’re very smart. I also think you’re such a big gloat and super demanding.”
“I think you’re bright too.” Sam retorted, “but you’re clumsy and you annoyingly whine a lot.”
“Well, I think….”Mon tried to find an adjective to describe the girl beside her but the word ‘beautiful’ kept popping in her head.
“I think you are just like this flobberworm!” Sam declared.
“What….” Does Sam find her so unsightly to compare her to this ominous looking flobberworm? “You’re so…mean.”
Sam frowned, looking genuinely confused. “I just complimented you.”
“How is being compared to that a compliment?”
“This flobberworm is cute!” Sam claimed loudly, before her hand flew to her own mouth suddenly being conscious if she was too loud.
Mon chuckled at the brunette’s peculiar antics. “You’re saying I’m cute?”
Sam merely hummed, cheeks pink while she looked everywhere else except at her. And in that blush was a genuine hidden sweetness that only Mon secretly craves and bears witness.