By the end of the lesson, the Horned Serpent was visibly angrier. It no longer reacted to every one of Kettleburn's "provocations."
With the Horned Serpent curled up in a corner of its cage, Kettleburn invited the students closer to observe its finer details and reinforce what they had learned.
The students: *???*
It looks even more dangerous than before, doesn't it?!
Even so, none of them refused outright. They didn't have to put their hands into the cage, after all. Just getting a closer look couldn't be that dang—
BANG!
The Horned Serpent sprang from its coils and slammed into the cage. It had put plenty of force behind this attempt, and it had learned a little from the others: it struck near the top.
The entire cage lurched toward the students, nearly toppling forward. Given where the Horned Serpent had landed after the impact... the cage might have pinned them down while it took its time coming over to tear them apart through the wire mesh and have its meal.
"Aaaaaah!"
The four students observing the cage went deathly pale, their legs shaking. One bolted several yards away. Another tripped as he fled and scrambled off on his hands and knees.
Of the two who remained, one rolled his eyes back and fainted. The last looked desperate to escape, but his lower half refused to cooperate.
Move, you stupid legs!!!
"Quiet! Quiet! Please stay calm, ladies and gentlemen. No one's in danger. I'm still here."
Kettleburn had been startled too, though by the sudden commotion rather than the Horned Serpent's movement.
"Mike? Mike! Right, I'd better take him to the Hospital Wing. Does anyone else need to go?"
Kettleburn gently shook the unconscious Hufflepuff, then looked up at the other three with a helpless expression.
"Yes!" all three