Last time...

"Well I'll be. A Princess is have'n tea in me own hut, an' I ain' even had time ter do the wash'n." Hagrid teased, knowing full well she wouldn't take to him treating her any differently than he already did. "Certainly explains why they was askin' me ter take exams again, quiet like too. Me bein' yer professor was a bit of a trial by fire, now tha' I think about it. Wouldn't have lasted much longer if somethin' hadn't cleared me. Yer new familiar?"

"One of them, yes." Hera nodded.

"Shield-brethren too? Tha's old magic, that. Couldn'a picked a better bunch." Hagrid remarked. "Someone ter watch yer back while yer on one of yer adventures is always good ter have, an' you've got a whole group! Ye look after each other?"

"As best as we can." Ron agreed, before cracking a rueful grin. "Bit hard with us in different Houses, but we manage."

"I don' relish the idea of bein within hearin' distance when Molly finds out about the tattoo, mind." Hagrid continued, grinning a touch when Ron's ears pinked. "Don' worry too much. Once she sees ye all have 'em, an wha' they are, she'll understand."


Chapter 77

Hagrid's reappearance at the staff table at breakfast the next day was not greeted with enthusiasm from all Hogwarts' students. Some happily rushed up to the Head Table to wring Hagrid's enormous hand, while others looked to their friends and shook their heads. Hera, having happily shook his hand before taking her seat at the Head Table in her continual effort to annoy Umbridge, understood that it was with good reason. Hagrid still had problems understanding the differences in danger to the other students, especially with Hera herself able to take on as much as she did, but she also knew that he'd agreed to give Grubby-Plank's lesson plans a look through. That had given Hermione heart, at the very least, that things might go well; Hera, on the other hand, kept a sharp eye on the paper she'd copied from Umbridge's office, looking for when the woman would inspect Hagrid.

Come Tuesday morning, they all marched down to Hagrid's. Hera slowly shifted to her Jötunn form, partly so as not to surprise the others, and partly because maintaining her human skin while also keeping an eye out for whatever could go wrong was usually more taxing than it was worth. People still marvelled at it all the same, though they were at least more subtle about it than they'd been at the beginning of it all. She frowned when they reached the hut, and Hagrid sported new injuries; all minor things she was able to fix before others noticed, but new all the same. He nodded to her in thanks before getting the lesson started.

"We're workin' in here today!" Hagrid announced happily, jerking his head back at the dark trees behind him, half of a dead cow leveraged onto his shoulder with no explanation whatsoever. "Bit more sheltered! Anyway, they prefer the dark. . . ."

"What prefers the dark?" Draco whispered nearby to Crabbe and Goyle, a bit panicked. "What did he say prefers the dark — did you hear?"

"He didn't say." Hera whispered back, catching their attention. "I wouldn't worry too much this time. We've told him about Umbridge."

"Even with the cow?!" Draco hissed.

"Even with the cow."

This seemed to ease the minds of many a student around them.

"Ready?" said Hagrid happily, looking around at the class. "Right, well, I've bin savin' a trip inter the forest fer yer fifth year. Thought we'd go an' see these creatures in their natural habitat. Now, what we're studyin' today is pretty rare, I reckon I'm probably the only person in Britain who's managed ter train 'em."

He turned and strode straight into the forest, not that anyone else seemed predisposed to following. Hera looked to her friends, and surprisingly it was Neville who caught her eye first to give a nod. Together the two head into the forest, followed swiftly by Ron and the others, and thus leading the rest of the class. When the others began making small talk, Neville cocked his head to the side, making a motion with his hand. Hera took it that he wanted a private conversation, and cast the spell discretely.

"Shield-brethren then?" Neville inquired, keeping his voice low even with the spell in place.

"Hermione's idea. I kind of freaked out when they took my secrets better than I thought they would." Hera admitted, and then frowned. "Neville, I-"

"Relax, Hera. We're not as close as you are to them, and that's okay." Neville acknowledged, even though she still felt guilty for not inviting him along.

"You're really okay with this?" She asked, nervously.

"I don't have to be your shield-sibling to be your friend, Hera." He insisted. "We're good as we are. Besides, you get into a lot of adventures. They're good at watching your back, I can tell. Me? If you need plant advice, I'm your guy. I'm not the adventuring type."

"You shouldn't sell yourself short, Nev." Hera said quietly, thinking that's what he was doing.

"Bravery isn't always something that has to be measured by being all gung-ho for adventure, Hera. That's something Gryffindor couldn't teach me." Neville assured her. "I'm glad I followed you into Slytherin. They're much more accepting of my quiet form of bravery."

"I'm glad." She replied, and the two fell into a comfortable quiet.

"Don't get me wrong." Neville stated, a little while later, with determination. "I have no problem standing up for myself now, and I'll gladly fight at your side if you need the help. Don't think I won't."

"It would be a grave mistake for me to underestimate such an esteemed Herbologist as yourself, Neville." She replied innocently, before adding. "Herbologists know all the best ways to make it look like an accident."

"Darn tootn." Neville promptly nodded, before cracking a smile.

She couldn't keep the grin to herself even if she'd wanted.

"Gather roun', gather roun'," said Hagrid encouragingly, once he'd dropped the half a cow with an audible thud. "Now, they'll be attracted by the smell o' the meat but I'm goin' ter give 'em a call anyway, 'cause they'll like ter know it's me. . . ."

Hagrid turned and gave an odd, shrieking cry that echoed through the dark trees. No one laughed. Most looked to Hera and her friends for affirmation. Hera didn't think that Hagrid would knowingly endanger them with something as crazy as introducing them to acromantulas or something, but she couldn't fully discount it either. Hagrid gave the shrieking cry again, and after a minute Hera finally saw what Hagrid was calling for. A pair of blank, white, shining eyes were growing larger through the gloom, and a moment later the dragonish face, neck, and then skeletal body of the great, black, winged horse that Hera knew now to be a thestral emerged from the dark.

It looked around at the class for a few seconds, swishing its long black tail, then bowed its head and began to tear flesh from the dead cow with its pointed fangs. It became clear rather quickly that most of the class couldn't see it. Many were wearing expressions of confusion, just as her friends were. Only two other people of their classmates could see them; Zabini, who watched the horse eating with a neutral expression that mostly hid his distaste, and Neville, whose eyes were glued to the creature as well. A second one appeared out of the dark trees, folding its leathery wings closer to its body, and dipped its head to gorge on the meat.

"Now . . . put yer hands up, who can see 'em?" Hagrid asked the class. Hera, Neville, and Zabini raised their hands. "Hera?"

"I've been able to see them for a while now, Hagrid." Hera admitted with a grimace.

"An' you too, Neville, eh? An' —"

"Excuse me," Draco interrupted. "but what exactly are we supposed to be seeing?"

In answer, Hagrid pointed at the cow carcass. The class stared at it for a few seconds, and then several people gasped. Hera could understand why. If you couldn't see them, seeing bits of flesh stripped away and disappearing had to look pretty odd. Most retreated behind trees; as if that would protect them from the unknown.

"What's doing it?" Parvati demanded in a terrified voice, having been one of those that had retreated behind the nearest tree. "What's eating it?"

"Thestrals!" Hagrid beamed proudly.

Hera heard Hermione's soft – "Oh!" – of comprehension, having remembered the conversation with Luna about the animals before them now.

"Hogwarts has got a whole herd of 'em in here. Now, who knows — ?"

"But they're really, really unlucky!" interrupted Parvati, looking alarmed. "They're supposed to bring all sorts of horrible misfortune on people who see them. Professor Trelawney told me once —"

"No, no, no," Hagrid chuckled "tha's jus' superstition, that is. They aren' unlucky. They're dead clever an' useful! 'Course, this lot don' get a lot o' work, it's mainly jus' pullin' the school carriages unless Dumbledore's takin' a long journey an' don' want ter Apparate."

More and more were coming out of the woodwork now.

"Righ', now, who can tell me why some o' you can see them an' some can't?"

Hermione raised her hand.

"Go on then." Hagrid beamed at her.

"The only people who can see thestrals," she said, "are people who have seen death."

"Tha's exactly right," said Hagrid solemnly, "ten points ter Slytherin. Now, thestrals —"

One of the foals makes a piercing cry, and then bolts for Hera. Hagrid cries out in alarm, but Hera'd sort of been expecting this. It had happened with the pixies and bowtruckles, after all. So she opened her arms to accept the little thing. The foal rubs its head along every part of her it can reach, happy for pets and rubs.

"If I'd known you were so friendly, I'd have visited ages ago." Hera cooed at the foal, only to freeze when she looked up.

It was very much like what happened with the pixies and bowtruckles. Every single one of them was staring at her, and when she smiled they all came up to her for attention. She cooed at each of them, rubbing behind their ears, gently running her fingers through their manes. She had to look strange to those that couldn't see them. Neville ventured close, cautious but willing to offer pets and rubs as well, which the thestrals eagerly accepted, and soon he was just as surrounded as she was.

"Hem, hem."

Umbridge had arrived, standing not far from them all now. The woman had on a green hat and cloak, clipboard at the ready, and not so subtly glaring in her direction. Hera knew why. She knew what she looked like now; blue skin and all, knew that Umbridge had a problem with people that were not to her standard of normal. Merlin's balls, it was like dealing with Petunia all over again.

"What are you doing, looking like that?!" Umbridge demanded, outraged.

"It's cold, Professor." Hera replied, civilly. "This just happens now when it gets cold enough. You should know that after the Dementors you sent-"

"I never sent any Dementors!"

"-back in third year." Hera continued. Umbridge looked like she'd swallowed a lemon. "What other incidents of Dementors being summoned were you thinking of? Surely not the ones that swarmed my relatives house? That would be scandalous for the Ministry if such a thing were true, would it not? Baseless accusations really shouldn't be bantered about like that, especially by one of the Ministry's own."

"Yes, well…" Umbridge looked flustered, before turning her attention to Hagrid. "You did get my message that I would be inspecting your class today, did you not?"

"Oh, yes. Glad ye could make it!" Hagrid replied with a nod. Hera glared at Hagrid, realizing that it must have been a spur of the moment decision on Umbridge's part and Hagrid hadn't said a word about it, knowing how worried she was for him. "Well, as you can see — or, I dunno — can you? We're doin' thestrals today —"

"I'm sorry?" Umbridge called out loudly, cupping her hand around her ear and frowning. "What did you say?"

Hagrid looked a little confused.

"Ye didn' have a hard time hear'n a moment ago." He replied, his voice filled with concern. "Perhaps a trip to the infirmary is in order?"

Ron snorted, and Umbridge turned to him with anger clearly written on her face. Hagrid would have no idea how much that comment could bother Umbridge, because the man would have had no idea that Umbridge had been in the infirmary for over a week. It was kind of funny to see Umbridge so wrong-footed, that even Hera found herself barely able to keep her laughter under wraps, her shoulders shaking from the effort. Many of the students had tears in their eyes, obviously trying not to laugh as well. Umbridge just huffed, and began walking among the students.

"Alright now. So, we started off with a male an' five females. This one," Hagrid patted the first horse to have appeared, "name o' Tenebrus, he's my special favorite, firs' one born here in the forest —"

"Are you aware," Umbridge demanded loudly, interrupting him, "that the Ministry of Magic has classified thestrals as 'dangerous'?"

"Not if yer careful, which is what Care of Magical Creatures is for, yes?" Hagrid countered, making the woman pause. "Ter teach people how to care for magical creatures and be aware of the dangers?"

The woman ignored him entirely.

"Do you find," Umbridge inquired, in a ringing voice to Pansy Parkinson "that you are able to understand Professor Hagrid when he talks?"

Now, Hera knew that Pansy did not care for Hagrid. She knew that Pansy had actually liked Grubby Plank as a professor better, but she didn't think Pansy would sell out Hagrid to this woman. Even so, she was nervous. She needn't have been. Pansy tilted her head just so, jutting out her chin in subtle defiance.

"Of course! Are you sure you don't need to go to the infirmary?" Pansy asked, eyes and voice filled with enough concern that Hera would award her an OSCAR if she had one to give. Umbridge harrumphed, and moved on.

"You can see the thestrals, can you, Longbottom?" Umbridge continued, zeroing in on Neville; who nodded. "Who did you see die?"

"You have no right asking him that." Hermione snapped, outraged on Neville's behalf. "That's personal information, and you're a stranger. How dare you!"

"Now see here!"

"She's right." Draco interjected, pausing for long enough that Umbridge thought she had an ally. "You don't have any right asking him that."

"I'm actually surprised so many can see them." Umbridge trudged on, a but flustered that she was finding no support here. "Three in a class."

"We're children of war." Zabini spoke up for the first time of this lesson. "I'm more surprised so few of us see them, as the fighting was still going on when we were old enough to have brief glimpses of memories from that time. We've all processed what it means by now."

Hera has no idea what Zabini could have seen so young, but his glaring at Umbridge with sheer hatred for her line of questioning.

"I see. Well, Hagrid." Umbridge sniffed, turning to him. "You will receive your inspection assessment in ten days time."

"Professor Hagrid." If it was one, it was all of them, and Hagrid looked like he was about to cry with how proud he was of them all.

"Professor Hagrid." The woman choked out, looking as green as her hat, before storming off.


December came swiftly, and the ten days passed by with little note. Hagrid hadn't been sacked, to the relief of many. Hera found herself busy with studies of her own, as Hermione, Draco, and Ron were constantly being pulled away for prefect duties. Filch seemed to be everywhere in his efforts to make sure things continued to run smoothly, though she was happy to note that the House Elves helped him whenever he asked. Soon it was the day before winter break, and nothing bad had happened

Well, there was that thing about the dark magic plaguing the wrists of many a student now, but she couldn't figure out how to broach the subject. She was hoping one of them would come to her by now, the way Hermione had for Hagrid, but there'd been nothing. It was even starting to affect Fred and George. The day before had been an exhausting day for the DA, but now she was in this weird in between sleep thing; not quite dreaming, not quite awake, just floating along…Slithering, perhaps? That sounded better. It certainly explained why her viewpoint was so low to the ground.

Her thoughts were funny now too. She felt smooth, powerful, and flexible. It was like she was gliding between shining metal bars, across dark, cold stone. Was this her first animagus form? Wasn't she supposed to do some stuff before she got to this part? Objects shimmered around her in strange, vibrant colours…An empty corridor? There was no need for her to be here.

But there was a man sleeping in the chair, so not such an empty corridor after all. Why did she want to bite him? Just who was this? As she reared high from the floor, she finally saw who it was, and realized what was happening. Arthur Weasley was guarding a corridor for some reason, something that Riddle wanted in there no doubt. Wasn't that…The Hall of Prophecy? That idiot!

"NO!"

One moment, he's asleep – Guarding can be boring, after all – and the next moment he's being scared awake by Hera screaming. Wait, Hera? Hera! What was she doing here? She stood in front of him, wearing the armour he'd seen in that article in the Daily Prophet, defensive stance as she faced off against…Was that her Familiar? Couldn't be. Different colouring, no feather. Still worrying.

"Hera?" Arthur manages to croak out. "Are you…How are you here?"

"Don't know. Can't talk now." She replied, without looking back at him, and begins hissing at the snake. He wishes he could understand what was being said, worried out of his mind, because Hera should not be here.

"Arthur, is there any reason why you're…I dunno…not running right now?"

"I'm supposed to…" He doesn't know how to answer that, because she's not supposed to know about this. "Hera, what I'm doing is dangerous."

"Really? I had no idea."

He's fairly certain this is sarcasm, and he's not a fan when he hasn't had a bit of sleep in ages; not restful sleep anyway. Suddenly the snake lunges, and Hera takes a leap and grabs at it instead of dodging. The two go tumbling to the ground, and the snake begins coiling around her; squeezing with all its might. In retaliation, Hera turns blue, frost covers the snake, and it jerks away. It has just enough time to lung at him, biting once, before Hera can encase it in ice.

"Arthur!" Hera is by his side in seconds. "Were you bit? Stupid question, Hera, there's blood everywhere. Of course, he was bitten! Stay with me, Arthur! Where do we go?"

"Wha?"

"In case of emergency, where do we go?" Hera shouted, shaking him to keep his eyes open. "You had to have had a plan! What was it?!"

The world goes black before he can answer her.


AN: If any of you are wondering, no this doesn't count as Riddle making his choice yet, but more of a miscommunication that gets talked about next chapter. So, not a spoiler, I just didn't want anyone to freak out...yet lol