There was something vaguely asinine about this whole affair. 

Though, what about it was asinine was entirely open to individual interpretation.  There were many aspects of his agreement with Figaro that offered potential candidates and, much like finding shapes in clouds, different individuals would probably zero in on different aspects.  But, asinine or not, here he was.  The sooner he got this over with, the better. 

Care of Magical Creatures had always been one of Sasha's favorite classes.  It ranked up there with Runes and Astronomy, though Professor Hagrid was far less familiar than Professors Trishna or Reid.  Which was part of what made this whole situation so complicated.  Sasha had a pretty good idea what Professors Trisha's and Reid's respective reactions would be to Sasha's current predicament.  Trishna would probably be amused and talk Sasha into going through with the foolishness.  Professor Reid would chide him quietly and coolly for his choice in company and the consequences of such.  Taking on additional tutoring duties was a likely consequence even though Sasha hadn't technically done anything wrong, yet.

Professor Hagrid was, still, an unknown entity.  Because of his schedule, Sasha had had little opportunity to interact with the man outside of class.  Not unlike Taryn, despite his size, the Professor seemed reasonably approachable and accepting but Sasha had yet to identify what the half-giant's priorities in his students were.  Did his values lean more towards calculated, academic performance like Professor Reid or more towards personal growth and achievement like Professor Trishna?  Or something completely different?

Baldur trotted dutifully at Sasha's heels as the Ravenclaw crossed the school lawn towards the professor's ... tree.  It wasn't until the pair had traversed roughly two-thirds of the distance that it occurred to him bringing the dog might not have been the wisest of choices.  The dog knew better than to mark peoples' homes but peoples' homes rarely resembled trees.  Just to be on the safe side, Sasha slipped the dog's leash over his head just as he reached the bottom step before climbing up to the door. 

"Professor, sir?" Sasha called as he knocked on the heavy wooden door.  "May I have a moment?" 

At the visitors approaching the half-giant's residence, a large white figure of feathers moved from behind a stack of pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns pouring from behind one of the trunks arching away from the side of Hagrid's large tree. After a large huff the white hippogriff leaned out to look at the Ravenclaw and his dog, disapprovingly, but with a heavy chain and leash around his neck there wasn't much the large creature could do.

Then, the tall wide red doors of Hagrid's home opened and the large professor loomed in the doorway, his beard was braided like he just disembarked from a viking ship and one of the ends of his long mustache was fizzing with smoke, with a bright pink flowery apron hanging over his broad torso and long legs.

Hagrid took his large fingers and twisted his burning mustache between his fingers, extinguishing the fizzing as his beetle black eyes regarded the boy curiously. "Ah, whaddya need boy?" the professor's jolly voice rumbled, "Somethin' for an assignment? Or you want a pumpkin ta carve?" Hagrid pointed over to where Buckbeak dully looked back at Hagrid and the visitors, before rolling onto its side, turning its back to everyone.

There was no doubt Sasha was an animal lover and Care of Magical Creatures had always been one of his favored classes.  Aside from his own assortment of muggle pets, and deep passion for equestrian sports, his first (magical) summer internship had been with the magizoology clinic in Hogsmeade.  So, he wasn't too concerned with the hippogriff's display of annoyance at being disturbed. 

His personal interest in the subject matter was just one small part of what made this whole situation so asinine. 

The treehouse's door swung open and Sasha turned away from the hippogriff and towards their new professor.  He dipped his head, blushing slightly as the Professor Hagrid listed off a couple of potential reasons for the current visit.  All of which were much more ... reasonable and logical than what actually brought Sasha there. 

"Sir," Sasha offered with another dip of his head.  "I'm sorry to disturb you but I ... yes.  I did want to ask you about an assignment.    Our assignment for this class.  Where we find an infestation?"  The one due the following day which, under Figaro's guidance[1]...Figaro's guidance ... Sasha wasn't intending on turning in.  "I need to talk to you about it.  It ..."  He glanced around him, anxioiusly.  It was unlikely any classmates were stalking him, hiding behind strategic hippogriffs to gain access to unassuming gossip.  "But, I can come back another time, if you prefer."

1.	One Imp, Two Imp - Fig tries to help Sasha 'loosen up' by agreeing to blow off an assignment and earn a failing grade.

"Nah boy, I've got time," Hagrid opened the lower left door to allow Schalgenweit to walk inside the towering entrance, along with his dog. "Mind your fidgeting though, you'll upset Buckbeak," he added amiably. After two wars the hippogriff didn't have a lot of patience for those who decided to act overly suspicious of everything. From Hagrid's experience, it was usually a sure sign of guilt or regret.

As they entered into the giant-sized home, Hagrid gestured towards the kitchen as he made his way over to a steaming pot sitting on his stovetop. The giant then let his eyes rest on the ceiling for a moment before ominously adding, "Are you talking 'bout the assignment yeh haven't turned in yet?"

Sasha dipped his head apologetically though he knew the fidgeting wasn't likely to stop anytime soon.  He was here confess to a professor he had considered intentionally flunking an assignment.  He'd have to settle for being inside and out of view of the hippogriff.  Sharing none of the Ravenclaw's unease, the German Shepherd trotted through the door and gave a cursory sniff towards the pot on the stove before flopping, face first, unceremoniously on the rug in front of the fire, rolling onto his back to scratch his back against the warmed carpet fibers. 

"Ja," Sasha confirmed in resignation.  "That one."  While the final, completed assignment wasn't due until the following day, Sasha had missed all of the due dates for notifying the professor of the infestations they were going to study and the subsequent drafts. 

No amount of careful wording or explanations was going to make the whole affair sound less foolish.  "Look, sir, I'm sorry.  Really, I am.  I know this is going to sound stupid but ... I have it.  I've got the whole thing.  I was hoping I could give it to you now and maybe tomorrow you could pretend like I never did it when I don't turn it in?"

Hagrid gave the young boy a stern look as he walked over to his stovetop and stirred his pot for a moment. He looked over to the couch where there was a gentle snort, the flying hogs were sleeping on the couch rather peacefully. The half giants' eyes then looked towards the ceiling as if looking for some divine intervention in this situation--kids.

"So..." the half-giant's heavy raspy voice broke the silence as he looked towards Sasha, "You didn' contact me fer a month, didn' meet any due dates, then you do the assignment like you weren't s'pose to, and now you come to askin' fer special treatment--asking me ta do somethin' I wouldn't do for your other classmates?" Hagrid rubbed one of his large hands over his face before looking down at the Ravenclaw once more.

"That's a deep grave you dug boy, fer impressin' someone or takin' on some silly dare--or whatever it is you kids do these days."

Well, at least something good was coming out of all of this.  The next time Figaro, or anyone else for that matter, gave Sasha grief for putting his school work before everything else, Sasha would at least know exactly why he did so. 

This was miserable.  And, the Professor was right, he had no right to be here.  This had all been a foolish act of desperation and the best that could come from it is knowing he wouldn't make the same mistake again.  The Ravenclaw flushed a brilliant shade of red and frowned, shaking his head. 

"You're right, sir.  I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have come.  I just ..."  He'd been taught early on to accept responsibility for his mistakes and do his best to rectify them or accept the consequences stoically if he couldn't.  He wasn't about to waste the professor's time with complaining or pleading and he certainly wasn't going to offer excuses. 

With a subtle sigh of resignation, Sasha nodded and readjusted his book bag.  "I'm sorry to have wasted your time and...whatever consequence you think appropriate I'll accept.  Baldur komm gleich."  After calling the Shepherd to him, Sasha turned and started for the door.

"Nah it's good that you came," Hagrid said without looking up from his pot, though his voice was still heavy with concern, "Cus now you can tell me somethin'" The half giant looked up from his pot and spooned out an egg, burning with a red glow and covered in coal dust. Without even a trace of concern for the egg he cast a look of doubt upon Sasha.

"Why are you even taking this NEWT course, boy?" his voice rang quizzically through the room, with absolute honesty.

The Ravenclaw had only taken a stride or two before the man's question brought him to a halt.  When he turned back towards the half-giant, his expression made no attempt to hide his surprise and uncertainty.  "Sir?" But, of course, Sasha understood the question even if the reason for it was a mystery. 

"I didn't ... this wasn't about not wanting to be in this class."  Sasha gestured towards his bag and, ultimately, the carefully drafted essay inside.

Sasha shrugged.  There were few he'd been completely honest about his future plans with; he had no idea how safe it was to be thoroughly honest with the man by the hearth.  He started with the simple answer.  "I like animals - I ... I guess I'm kind of one of those that likes animals more than people sometimes.  I work a lot with them in the muggle world and I did a magizoology internship the summer before last.  I ... I like the class."  Despite present appearances, he'd always done well.  It, along with Astronomy and Muggle Studies, was one of his 'break classes.' 

Then, his blush deepening, Sasha decided to take a leap of faith and offered the other half of his reasoning.  "It's the closest thing we have here to natural and life sciences.  To ... biology." 

Hagrid shook his head and put the egg back into the pot before rubbing a hand down his face. Then his deep voice gave a reverberating scoff as the half-giant spoke, "'Course it isn't about what you don't want, boy!" he walked over to a counter and pulled out some pink oven mits, "It's about what ya' need out of this class."

His voice softened as his face was carved with pitiable frustration, "I love havin' students, never had so many 'fore, but a NEWT class it isn't about explorin' hobbies or things you like-- that's what OWL's was for. This is a step up, where you start workin' towards a goal--somethin' special. Bein' a good student ain't enough ta' make an O."

With one giant hand the professor then gestured at the moving dragon murals over his stovetop with a firm and smooth pride, "Someone can love paintin', but maybe they want to be a healer--knowin' if they paint for a living they'd hate it. Merlin, I love history--ya' ain't never gonna catch me in a class for it though." The giant then turned back to Sasha, "So you like animals, I 'ave kids who hate 'em and do just as well in this class," Hagrid shook his head again, complete at a loss for the boy standing before him.

"But biology? Studyin' how the earth and life works?" Hagrid wasn't completely familiar with the muggle approach to those subjects, but Hagrid knew fully well what classes taught students about life, on several different levels, with several different approaches, "Lad, you're gonna find that in any class--if you don't already know, then you aren't lookin hard enough. There's a proper Transfiguration class, proper Herbology class, proper Potions class, even Astronomy--hell maybe even some codswallop from Divination can give you somethin' you may need for studyin' tha' earth, nature--all things mysterious. Maybe ya' just need a hobby."

"Now, can you tell me..." Hagrid tapped one of his thick fingers on his counter as he stared down at Sasha, "Why yer takin' this class? What ya' need it for?"

Sasha flinched and blinked as the Professor scoffed at him, his confusion and uncertainty showing.  Was all this questioning really stemming from the botched assignment?  He had completed the assignment itself on time; it wasn't due until the following day.  Yes, he hadn't checked in as he was supposed to and, yes, he had tried to turn it in early to avoid Figaro knowing he hadn't followed through on their agreement.  But, the completed project was still as solid, and as thorough as any of his assignments.  It no doubt made up for thoroughness what it lacked in preparatory steps. 

He understood the man's disappointment; Sasha had made a foolish decision and was more than willing to accept the consequences.  But, was the professor really questioning Sasha's dedication or commitment to the class?

"Sir," Sasha started, nervously, picking his words carefully.  "I know that NEWT levels are for more specialized, specific studies.  I know I'm ... And, I'm trying to draw what I need from it as much as I can.  I know what I need from the class - it's just not as ... it's just a bit unconventional.  I've assumed really getting into what I need isn't ... won't work for the actual class." 

Sasha hesitated, well aware that answering Professor Hagrid's question honestly and fully was the easiest way to minimize the man's confusions but he still wasn't sure how he'd respond.  With a sigh, he decided to take a leap of faith.  "I'm wanting to do comparative studies of scientific principles and principles of the magical world.  I don't know enough, yet, to know what I can rule out.  I - yes - biology is the study of life...not as much the Earth.  That's physics and chemistry."   Which was probably more details than Professor Hagrid needed to know. 

"It's the study of plants and animal life.  I'm using Herbology the same way.  Everything we're learning here I'll be using - what I really need from it, though, are the details.  Not ... what to feed a ... Griffin but how they ... migratory patterns and vocalization techniques.  How those compare with eagles.  Or lions.  I ... don't know if that makes sense.  But, I really do use and need this class.  I want to be in it."

Hagrid relaxed his shoulders and stood up straight again as he looked down at the boy. It wasn't about grades, not to Hagrid, and after all his years of experiences--a well written paper meant nothing but a grade--actions meant something much more, as well as dedication. Control damage, such as what the Schalgenweit boy had done, wasn't quite the same thing.

The age-withered face of the professor became soft as he nodded, "Now that sounds a bit better," but his pressed his lips together as he still cat worry down at the boy, but not as a professor or a teacher, just as another person. His voice softened as he continued, "but--and pardon me for sayin' this--it don't sound like y'ave learned much about yourself yet."

The half-giant patted his pink mit against his stomach before he set to work on his pot of Ashwinder eggs again, "So if you don't know it yet,you better git started--it'll be the most valuable and important thing you'll ever learn!" Hagrid began mixing his pot up again, moving the coal around to bury the eggs in burning coal.

"Anyway, it don't sound like you'll be working with creatures all that much boy, NEWT touches on the finer things--defining concepts learned in OWLs," Hagrid kept stirring as he casually resumed talking, "It sonuds like this is a better hobby than a class--" then he looked up at the mural above his stovetop with a twisted expression before he turned and raised a caterpillar eyebrow at the Ravenclaw.

"Know what you can rule out?" Hagrid repeated suspiciously, "Wait... what all are ya' takin'?"

Sasha shrugged, uncomfortably, and glanced around the interior of the cabin.  He wasn't sure how fair the professor's assessment was.  Yes, he didn't know everything about himself but did anyone?  Recent events had certainly complicated things - a lot had changed over the last year that made him pause to consider his personal identity.  But, that didn't mean he was simply guessing about this class.

"My parents didn't exactly promote that kind of stuff," Sasha offered with a slight shrug.  "I was always taught growing up that who we were was defined by our accomplishments and our status.  I've always been better at knowing what's expected of me than - you know.  I'm working on it, though.  And, this- I do know what I want to do.  It's the one thing I'm really confident about."  It probably shouldn't have been a surprise that he'd figured out academics and life goals first but they were the foundation - the basis everything else was falling into place around. 

Sasha suspected the professor wasn't understanding.  No, Sasha wasn't planning on working at some wizarding zoo or ... whatever most people did with this class.  But, like with all of his classes, there was bound to be information that was applicable.  And, if Sasha really had the liberty to do the projects that would be beneficial to him, well than really the sky was the limit. 

"I don't yet know if I'll be working with creatures," Sasha admitted.  "I assume so but ... I'm kind of figuring this out as I go.  It's not that this is a hobby.  It's more that it's one part of a bigger picture.  If I can really design projects that I know would be of use to me then ... I ... I can think of several off the top of my head I'd want to do." 

Sasha sighed when Professor Hagrid asked about his schedule and shrugged.  Most professors had a tendency to assume the worst and Sasha had heard all the comments and concerns and arguments before.  "I ... well, all of them," he admitted.  "I know what you are probably thinking, but I can manage it.  I have been since my third year.  Actually, it's less this year - I'm not taking all of the muggle subjects like before.  Just the ones I'm sitting exams for in December.  After that, things will lighten up even more.  I'll probably take a year off after seventh year before taking university entrance exams so the muggle stuff won't be quite pressing after winter holidays."

Hagrid was beginning to think this boy might never understand him as he listened to the boy list his classes and what all he was doing this term. Then there was the bit about the parents expecting so much of him--which is why he strove to succeed. He was beginning to see why someone would try and convince him to flunk something. So Hagrid decided to tell it to him straight, with a flat and heavy tone he said, "Boy, I don't know what you think you're provin', but yer doin' a lot of nothin'."

The half-giant then shook his head as he regarded the Ravenclaw again, "OWLs aren't NEWTs. Most of these classes are gonna start demandin' time an' energy ya clearly don't have--this  class alone--" Hagrid shrugged his massive shoulders as he looked back at the boy, "I've got some people puttin' in ten hours a week into it, and that's just for A's and E's." Rubeus Hagrid loved Care of Magical Creatures, but he sure didn't make it easy to get even an A. But a life around creatures was rough, and so was Hagrid's courseload.

A sigh weighed in his tone as he looked back at the kid, "You can't pick an' dabble at this point in your life boy, ya' need to start livin'--a hobby is a start fer that, it ain't a bad thing, or a plague--stop treatin' it like one. Some people have gotten famous from a simple hobby--it shows independence, smarts, and drive," Hagrid attended to his pot of Ashwinder eggs again before he continued.

"An' that's what I'm sayin' boy--NEWTs isn't an endgame fer learnin'--and learnin' starts with living. You have your whole life ahead of you to do anything you want," then Hagrid raised his hands up in the air as he looked at Sasha again, "Anything, and right now yer spendin' it trying to figure out what you want ta' do--you see where the serpent's biting its tail?"

"You want ta' do everything you're sayin,' muggle or not?" Hagrid asked as he lifted up a black top and covered his pot. Then the giant turned his full lumbering form to face the boy again, "Drop three classes. Maybe even four."

The confused and slightly worried stare that Sasha was giving Professor Hagrid confirmed that he was, in fact, understanding very little of what the man was saying.  Even if Sasha had no intentions of doing anything with the material (which wasn't the case), what was wrong with studying it for the sake of learning?  He knew the workload was going to get heavier but, well ... academics was something he really, truly was good at. 

But, if students really had to put ten hours a week into the class just to pass, Sasha would have to warn Figaro.  The poor Hufflepuff wasn't going to know what hit him. 

He was tempted to point out that he had a hobby but he knew that was hardly the point and would come across as simple pettiness.  Because, it was.  And, if Sasha actually forced himself to think about it, the man had a point.  Sasha's hobby didn't exactly follow him to school.  His hobbies were back at home.  They were usually put on hold for the majority of the year, during which time Sasha threw himself into classes.  Which was exactly Professor Hagrid's point. 

This had all been one big stupid idea.  If he'd never agreed to that stupid 'lesson,' he would never have been in this position.  He'd even done the assignment - he had it with him!  He'd put extra effort into it to make up for the missed meetings.  And, yet, there was still nothing to show for it.  He wasn't sure how Figaro found any enjoyment in this - all it had brought him was frustration and confusion. 

"I've just-" Sasha started, glancing around the cabin as if he might something that could straighten that ever growing mass of confusion.  "I've never really committed to being here.  School.  This."  Magic.  "I know what I want to do, I just ... I have no idea what classes I would drop.  I -" 

And, on top of it all, Professor Hagrid probably now thought him a right fool.