Van walked to the window beside her bed, and discovered that a fresh blanket of snow covered the soil that morning. The Giant Squid was making himself a hole in the ice, and as her gaze turned to Hagrid's hut, she saw that he was holding on to a couple of leashes which seamed to be attached to little eagles with horse backside. They were as big as a medium sized dog. The baby Hippogriffs seamed to not enjoy being under a leash, but Hagrid obviously did not realize it. Van ran downstairs to tell the others.

"Guys! Guess what! Hagrid got himself a new litter of Hippogriffs!"

"Oh no!" Exclaimed Hermione. "He got banned of owning anymore Hippogriffs since Buckbeak attacked Malfoy, Lucius made sure of it… I hope he won't get himself in any more trouble…"

"Can we go see him?" Asked Steph, who obviously wanted to see a baby Hippogriff from up close.

"Why not?" Said Harry. "We promised him a visit this time soon anyway!"

"Well lets go then!" Exclaimed Ron.

The five made their way to the entrance hall and ran out the door as peeves was apparently thinking that throwing pieces of armor was a good idea. The sky was bright blue, and compared to the other days, the air was nice and mild. A couple of student were walking calmly on the side on the dark lake, but other were having fun throwing food in the hole that the Giant Squid had done. The food would hover pointlessly on the surface, then a giant tentacle would rise out of it and snatch the food.

"Hey Hagrid!" exclaimed Harry.

"Hi ter Arry!" Hagris answered. "I'ave somethin ta show ya!"

"I think I know what it is, Hippogriff cubs?"

"How do ya know?!" Hagrid asked, looking worried. "Who told ya?!"

"No one, Van saw themfrom her dormitory window."

"Did ya?" He looked worry again. "Do you know if anyone else saw? I…eu…"

"Hagrid, Are you allowed to own them?" Hermione asked.

"Well I, heu… They came at a good deal ya know… And the pore things! Without a mummy to take care of'em! I needed to do somethin!"

"You don't whant to get yourself in trouble Hagrid! If Malfoy finds out, he'll use any opportunity to sack you!" Ron said.

"You don't go and worry about me you lot, I'ave a good, well idden place for'em. Do ya wanna come and see'em?" Hagrid asked.

"Yes!" Steph exclaimed.

"Well come along then!"

They all headed towards Hagrid's hut. For a minute, the five were horror struck when they thought the Hagrid had hidden them in is house, but Hagrid came out with some dead rats. "I'ave ta feed'em." He said. They headed in the dark forest, fallowing a trail that was quite difficult to walk upon. Ron started to say little incomprehensive squeals when Hagrid took the direction towards Aragog's tunnel, but after about 10 minutes of walking, they changed their direction towards a clearing that could be seen thorough the thick foliage. Soon enough, faint, high pitched Buckbeak like sounds could be heard. At the opposite end of the clearing, a house sized cage was standing, obviously, Hagrid had built it in a hurry. The cage looked as if it would fall any second now. Hagrid, who had seen the teens' expression said,

"I know its not much ta look at, but I added a re-enforcement spell ta make it as solid as steal!"

"They look furious Hagrid! Are you sure their used to being captive?" Hermione said.

"Well, you know, they'll be fine, I just' ave to train'em to be used ta human contact. It may be a bit rough, even Buckbeak wasn't that wild when I got'im with the others."

Steph who had bent down close to the cage was staring in admiration.

"There so cute! Hope I'll be able to touch one eventually!"

"Well, not now, or you'll loose a finger."

One of the Hippogriffs, a bright chestnut one, took a couple of steps closer towards Steph. Apparently intrigued in the candy cane that Stephhad beensucking.

"Well that a good step!" Hagrid exclaimed. He threw a dead rat at Steph. "Try to feed it to'em. The more people he gets use to, the better." He looked around. "Do you kids wanna try? I'ave plenty o'rats!"

Ron and Van stepped back in disgust, but Harry and Hermione each grabbed one by the tail and stepped closer to the cage. Soon enough, three other Hippogriffs were stepping closer. A black one was walking towards Hermione, and the two other one were heading towards Harry. Steph looked at the back of the cage were a little gray one was laying in the corner.

"What's wrong with this one Hagrid?" She asked.

"I dunno, she's always by herself, the runt of the litter I reckon." He answered.

Steph got up and stepped closer to the little gray one.

"Here you go girl, your allowed to have one to are you!" She said, stretching out her hand to give out the rat. As she did so, the chestnut one, who had gotten jealous for the fact that Steph had left him for the little gray one, jumped in the air, biting the gray Hippogriffs wing savagely, which caused a bleeding wound to appear.

"What the!? Get off!" Steph exclaimed, throwing the rat in the cage, away from the little gray female. "Hagrid! You have to get her out of there, there going to kill her!"

"Do ya think so? I'll go in and get er then, I can keep her in my house until she gets better." He said.

"Are you sure it a good Idea Hagrid?" Asked Van.

"She's small." He simply said. He walked into the cage, heading towards the gray hippogriff, and without a fight, got the collar on. He led her out of the cage without a fuss.

"She's awfully quiet Hagrid, don't you think?" Steph said.

"I know, I gave er some remedial potion this morning. I think she's sick, but I don't know what it is." He answered.

As he closed the door of the cage behind him, Steph walked towards the Hippogriff. She quietly placed a hand on her head, petting her gently.

"The poor…" She simply said. "What are you going to call her Hagrid?"

"I didn't think about it, what do ya think guys?"

"I like Hope, cuz that's all she got…" Said Hermione.

"Yea, but its to common…" Added Van. "How about Shreya? Its Indian for lucky?"

"I like it!" Steph said. "Hagrid?"

"Me to, its original I suppose."

Steph had become more serious all of a suddent. She walked over to Van.

"Can I ask you something?" She said.

"What would you say if I had a new pet…I mean, I would give you our owl."

"But…Why?" Van asked, confused. Steph stepped away.

"Hagrid? Which of these Hippogriff is your favorite?" She asked.

"I dunno, I realy like the white one, quite a character let me tell you! Why?"

"What do you think of this one here, I mean, Shreya?"

"Hein? Well, I like her, but she's not my favorite, she to shy ya know… Why?"

"Oh…Nothing…"

On the way back, Steph seemed preoccupied by something…

----

While Steph was out for a walk with Ron, Van thought it was a suitable time to talk to Kertis. She walked down the stone steps in the entrance hall and headed to the great hall, the only place were she thought she could find him. Soon enough, she spotted him.

"Kertis?" She called.

He turned around.

"Oh Hi!" He exclaimed, taking Van by surprise. She had expected much worst. "Look, about yesterday-"

"Yea about yesterday-"

"I think I over reacted a bit." They both finished together.

"Well then, that's settled!" Van laughed.

"Yea. I wasn't myself yesterday… That's all." He said.

"You know, lets forget about it, want to go for a walk or something?" Van asked.

"Sure, I need some sun, my common room is not what there is best when you want the sun…"

"About that," Van started as they stepped outside. "What house are you in?"

"I'm… Oh look! Is that you friend atHagrid's?"

"Yea... We just came back from there...odd"

"I like that teacher, I don't know why the other Slytherin don't, he's great, and the creature that he makes us learn about are actually interesting!"

"Your right, although sometime he takes to much of a risk…"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh nothing…"

The rest of the day was pretty relax, but for some students, it meant homework. School was starting in a week, and some, including Harry, Ron and apparently Steph which Van was sure she did finish everything, waited at the last minute do it all.

"Didn't you do all you homework before Christmas?" Van asked Steph.

"Yea." She answered.

"Then why locked up in that library all the time when you could be outside?"

"I have stuff to do… For me."

"Oh…" Van didn't insist in knowing more, Steph definitely looked like she wasn't going to speak.

After Christmas, Van found that she spent much more time with Kertis, although she was scared that when term would start, all this would be over. And to top her worry, Steph seamed strange, she looked always preoccupied with something, and she was often at the library. She new that Ron went often there with her, so Van decided to ask Ron what was up.

"So, Ron, How is it going?" She asked.

"Real good. You?"

"Good to. Look, have you seen Steph?"

"She's at the library, doing some research."

"Oh, for what. I mean, what class?"

"No class, just for herself."

"About what?"

"I'm not sure, she's often on books about magical beast. I saw her read about Hippogriffs to, I think she really likes Hippogriffs… Much better then horesses."

"Horses Ron."

"Oh… Anyway, I have to go, my potion homework needs work, see ya later Van."

"Ya, later Ron."

Van thought that that little conversation was revealing, but not enough though. She decided to drop the matter anyway, New Year was approaching, and so was school, more important thing were to be thought of, like exams.

The day of New Year Harry and Ron sneaked in the School kitchen and asked Dobby for some food and butter beers, so the party was long and loud. It took end at two in the morning when professor McGonagall arrived in the room in her Scottish grown telling them to all go to bed, a bit abruptly…

The next day, the day before school started Van caught Steph reading a book about Hippogriffs in the common room.

"Hippogriffs?" Van asked.

"Hein?" Steph said, lifting her eye, peering at Vanover the book's pages.

"Never mind. Talking about book, did you like the one I bought you? Did you finish it already?" Van asked curiously.

"Ya, your book is great! I, well, I read the first couple of pages anyway…"

"Well would you of rather wanted me to buy you one about Hippogriffs?"

"No no! The Unicorns are great! I just have a sudden interest in Hippogriffs, that's all…" She answered, jumping back in the reading of her book.