Aspiring Entomologists PV March Yeung

"Hey there, little guy."

She'd found it hidden underneath a small cluster of rocks, close to the divide that separated the grounds from the Forbidden Forest, all fifteen of its legs scuttling in harmony as it tried to figure out where its beloved rock had disappeared to. Caitríona had set it to the side as she bent down, head tilted to study the centipede's movements. The centipede was similar to one she had found back home, common to the UK and Ireland, the color of it a brownish-red hue. Its movements were fast as it tried to look for an escape, but Caitríona kept it blocked in between her body and the rocks surrounding them.

Her bug collection at Hogwarts was severely lacking, as she had only now got the chance to wander out to the grounds in search of some critters. The first few days of classes had been unsettling, hard to get used to learning in a classroom surrounded by others compared to her bedroom at home, so the breath she had released once she found the chance to slip away undisturbed had been stuck in her chest for some time. It was so tiring being surrounded by people every single day. Caitríona had yet to form a solid opinion on her classes. Some of them she couldn't help but find boring, others annoying because of the people in it, but Potions class had quickly gained some of her interest once it had been explained that they would later be required to study and dissect insects. Her growing fondness for it had little to do with the actual art of potion-making, but moreso for the bugs that went into creating the potions.

A small plastic jar in her hand housed the few she had already found; she would transfer them to a better habitat once she returned to her dorm. Some she would keep for class, but others, like the little centipede in front of her, would be kept for herself. Its movements had calmed down a fraction, either because it sensed no immediate danger or it had given up in looking for an escape. Caitríona was about to reach out and scoop it up, until her ears alerted her to the sound of approaching footsteps. She didn't get the chance to look up at who had come over to her corner before something slammed into her hard and she tumbled sideways, hitting the ground hard enough to make her wince. In the midst of it all, the centipede had used this momentary distraction to disappear into the grass.