Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe belongs to J. K. Rowling and Warner Bros. The author does not claim or imply the rights to any item related nor belonging to the Harry Potter Universe.

Summary: Hagrid gets some new pets…um, I'm not really sure I want to say more.  Oh, and Hermione has some witty comebacks for Malfoy.

Chapter II

Wyverns

"We've got O.W.L.S. this year."  Hermione was nearly sobbing.  "How are we to do well if we've got the Snape family taking over our classes?"

Harry ignored Hermione's complaint; he had something much more important on his mind.

"He's taking over Quidditch.  Dumbledore's put a Slytherin in charge of Quidditch," Fred croaked.

The thought was crunching.  With a name like Salazar Snape, it was quite obvious that the new professor would favour the Slytherins.  What this meant for the Quidditch matches…this was worse news for Harry than Voldemort.

"Two Snapes!" Ron moaned.  "How could there possibly be two gits like that on this planet—at this school?  What was Dumbledore thinking?  Maybe he is a bit loony."

Neville Longbottom looked as if he were about to faint.  Harry could only imagine how the idea of two Snape's was going to affect poor Neville.

All the Gryffindor students seemed to be conversing on the same topic.  No one was happy and things didn't look any brighter when they all received their course schedules the next morning.

"Double Potions in the morning and then Defense Against the Dark Arts in the afternoon of the same day!"  Harry exclaimed upon getting his.

"Looks like we won't ever be able to look forward to Fridays," said Ron dismally.

"At least we won't have to see either of them until the end of the week.  Only look," Hermione was going over her schedule as well, "Defense Against the Dark Arts is on Mondays too."

Neville made a small sniffing noise.  His schedule was crumpled in his hand.

"What's the matter?" Hermione asked.

"Went to Professor McGonagall," Neville's voice had an uncharacteristic hint of anger to it.  "Tried to drop Defense Against the Dark Arts.  She wouldn't let me do it.  Said there was a seven year requirement."

"Well, you won't be suffering alone," Harry replied.  He noticed that Neville seemed to have changed a lot.  He looked taller, but it was about time, this being their fifth year.

After breakfast, they all went up to Professor Trelawney's tower for Divination and Harry and Ron were able to doze off for a pleasant nap until they were interrupted.  Professor Trelawney loomed above them, her thin face looking very displeased and her bangled arms crossed in front of her chest.  They were all too happy to leave her stuffy scented classroom and go outside for their next class, Care of Magical Creatures.  Harry was looking forward to seeing Hagrid.  He hoped that he would have a chance to talk since there was a two-hour break before Transfiguration in the afternoon.

As they walked down the humming green lawn, they came upon another group of students who were joining the class.  The Slytherins were all walking closely together in their usual pack, listening to the drawling voice of Draco Malfoy.

"No, Pansy, he's not Professor Snape's brother, they're cousins.  I should know.  He and my father are good friends.  He was over at our house not that long ago.  And wouldn't you like to know some of the spells he taught me."

"Like what?" Pansy Parkinson asked.

"He's well versed in the things not taught here, and he's just wicked at transfiguration," Malfoy explained.  "He's one of the few Animagi of the century, but he's the only wizard ever to be known to turn into a dragon beside Merlin. Well, not exactly a dragon—but close."

"Maybe he should teach transfiguration," someone suggested.

"No," Malfoy disagreed, "he used to teach at Durmstrang—and they teach the Dark Arts over there, not this defense crap.  He's going to be the best professor we've had yet."

"How come then," Pansy thought, "Why do you think Dumbledore had him come here then?"

Malfoy threw his hands into the air.  "Don't ask me.  Dumbledore's crazy."

"Sounds like Defense Against the Dark Arts is going to be a real joy," Ron said sarcastically.

"He assigned a lot of summer reading," Harry commented.  "I didn't finish it all."

"Neither did I," Ron confessed.

Hermione tutted.

"Oh, look who it is," a grating, drawling voice said from the Slytherin crowd.

"Hope this year's better for you, Potter.  Hope you don't get anyone else killed."

"Shut up, Malfoy!" Ron barked.  Both Harry and Hermione instinctively grabbed a hold of him.

"Oh, yes.  It's Weasel the muggle-loving pauper.  My father's got a score to set with your family.  He wasn't very happy about the hex you used on me…"

"Is your father coming then?  Or how about your mother," Ron interrupted.  "Know you can't win against us so you've got to run to mommy and daddy."

"Why not go to my father?"  Malfoy took on a malevolent look that showed that he was evidently pleased with whatever he was about to say.  "At least my father doesn't have to hide behind Dumbledore's beard.  My father's a real wizard, not some muggle-loving nitwit.  Mine could beat yours in a duel any day—especially now."

Hermione let out a laugh.  "I'd watch it, Malfoy.  Your father goes slithering around with a big snake, as I understand it, and do you know what snakes eat?  Rodents, Malfoy, and I'm sure they would find a little ferret like you an appetizing snack."

Malfoy looked as if he was attempting to sort out this statement, but gave up and hissed, "Watch it yourself, mudblood.  You'll be lucky to make it through the year."

"What's that supposed to mean?"  Ron said rabidly.  "Don't you dare threaten her, you slimy little…"

"Hey now!  This isn't the way to start the year."

It was Hagrid, and just in time.  Ron and Malfoy had to back down.  Hagrid set down a large crate that soon gained everyone's attention.  It was smoking and it sounded as if something was scratching around inside.

"Not more Blast-Ended Screwts!"  Dean Thomas exclaimed as a distinct small explosion was heard and smoke filtered out of the holes in the crate.

"Nope," replied Hagrid, "those are gone now.  What I've got here is something that I thought you all might like a bit more.  Had to look all over a number of dungeons for these."

"Wonderful," Malfoy drawled.  "How many poisonous spikes does this thing have?"

"You should know," Ron interjected.  "Sounds like he found him at your house."

"None," Hagrid replied simply.  "But they can burn you, so you haveta be careful.  I'll not have any of you touchin' 'em quite yet.  I'm still readin' up on 'em."

"So what's exactly in there?" Harry asked warily, getting ready to run as Hagrid began to unlock the door.

"They're wyverns."

Immediately, both Hermione and Malfoy stepped back.

"What Malfoy?  You really do have those at your in your basement?" Ron jeered as he too retreated.

"Shut up, Ron.  At least I have a basement."

Harry decided to retreat quite a distance.  He didn't want to be near anything that would be found lurking in the Malfoy dungeons.  "What's a wyvern?" he asked Hermione.

"They're a type of dragon," she explained.

"Dragons?  Hagrid…" Harry began.

Hagrid grinned as he stuck a gloved hand into the crate, something that Harry would not have personally done even with dragon hide gloves.  "It's a'right 'arry.  Oh!  Now it's a'right little feller.  No need to try an' defend yerself against me."

"Hagrid," Harry said warily, "are these—legal?"

"'Course they are.  Wyverns don't get very big.  These guys are already full grown.  No need to worry—Ouch!  Now there!" Hagrid finally managed to pull out one of the small leathery winged dragons but the sleeve to his arm was singed.  "At first you'll notice that wyverns are more snakelike than a dragon," Hagrid began.  "And ain't he a beauty."  He held up the blue wyvern for all to see.

Other than it's color, the wyvern was anything but "a beauty."  It had the head of a dragon with antennae-like tendrils curling from its jaw and ears and its wings were dragon-like as well.  The rest of its long, thin body was more serpentine than dragon. It had legs, but they were tiny and only seemed to serve the purpose of making the creature able to scratch. Its most snake-like attribute, though, were the eyes.  They were definitely the eyes of a snake—but glowing red.  They reminded Harry all too well of something—someone, and he felt a prickly sensation run up his spine as he looked at them.

"Wyverns are mischievous creatures," Hagrid continued.  "They tend t' like cold dark places an' can be real pests in the lower floors of castles, dungeons, or even in basements.  If ye've ever been somewhere at night, say yer basement, and thought you saw a pair o' red eyes, it was prob'bly a wyvern.  They tend to even get into muggle houses sometimes by mistake, but they don't stay fer long 'cause they prefer feedin' off a lot of the items used in potions.  We used to have a real problem with 'em here until Professor Snape took the position of Potions Master.  They're mean pests that can make a mess if not taken care of.  But never, never try to take care of 'em yerself unless yuh know what yer doin.'"  The wyvern he was holding suddenly let out a small puff of blue flame that caught Hagrid's other sleeve on fire.  He rather swiftly put it back into the crate with the other wyverns while the Slytherins laughed.

"The rest of class was spent reading what their textbook had to say on wyverns and ended early so that Hagrid could tend to his burns.  Harry, Hermione, and Ron followed him into his hut.

"Good t' see you all again," said Hagrid, opening a jar full of a strange colored cream.  "You want some jelly tarts?"  He motioned to a plate on the table with some blackened dollops of dough.

"Thank you, but we'll be going to lunch soon," Hermione swiftly declined the offer.

"So how was your summer?" Harry asked.  "Did you…" There was something that Harry had wanted to ask all summer since the end of the Tri-Wizard Tournament.  "Did you talk with the giants?  Are they going to help us?"

"Awe, now how would you know so much about that?  Dumbledore tell you?" Hagrid slowly began wrapping his left forearm with a bandage.  "Well, I suppose yer smart Harry.  Yes, Madam Maxime and I talked with many o'er the course o' the summer.  Unfortunately, we didn't make much progress."

"Are they going to be a threat?" Hermione asked anxiously.

"Well, I cant' say.  You see, Hermione, giants tend t' be solitary folk.  They ain't organized, so there's no way to speak t' all of 'em at once.  Maxime and I talked to all that we could, an' there were some that seemed fairly certain that they wouldn't want t' have nothin' ter do with—with Voldemort."  This was the first time that Harry had heard Hagrid use Voldemort's name.  It was probably Dumbledore's doing.  "We were even able to get a few to help us, but on the whole, I don't think that the giants will all be on our side.  Nor will they all be for him either.  Maxime an' I still have a lot l' work ter do."

They were all silent after Hagrid finished, then Harry asked, "Voldemort's here in England, right?  How much trouble is he going to cause elsewhere?  I just was wondering if Hogwarts is the only place we have to worry about him being right now."

Hagrid frowned.  "I wish that were true, but he's got followers elsewhere.  You ever hear of Grindelwald?"  They all nodded.  "Well, he caused havoc mainly in Germany and no one thought much of it, but wasn't long 'for he dragged the whole world into it.  And I'll tell you, Voldemort's got potential t' be lot worse than Grindelwald was—I heard this from Dumbledore.  But we'll haveta keep our eyes an' ears open outside England and Scotland.  The Ministry's already been real particular 'bout who they chose for the new Headmaster at Durmstrang, taking that school's reputation an' all."

"Speaking of Durmstrang," said Hermione suddenly, "What is with the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?  Why would Dumbledore choose someone from Durmstrang?"

"Or another Snape," Ron added.

"Well, I'm not the one to be questioning Albus Dumbledore," Hagrid began, "but I remember that greasy little git. Severus' shadow he was."

"I take it you didn't care much for him," Harry surmised.

"No. Dumbledore seemed to think there was somethin' in him, but there wasn't.  Proved it when he dropped out of school his fifth year to get tangled with You-Know—I mean Voldemort.  And I know he was involved.  Came back to our side with Severus, but he was so bad that the ministry wouldn't hear of lettin' him go, an' they threw him in Azkaban.  Took a month for Dumbledore to get him out.  When he finally did get out, though, he was bitter.  Refused to cooperate with the ministry.  He helped out his cousin, Severus, but his business was a bit shady.  I think Severus has covered up some o' the things he did.  I remember him in school.  Never did or said much.  Real quiet type, but when he did do something, it wasn't ord'nary, an' it warn't good.  S'pose the reason he's here now is 'cause Dumbledore and Severus were the only ones he thought he could turn to.  Karkaroff was the only one who would hire him outside o' Britain—'cept Crabhill and Funk in the States where I supposed they'd ne'er heard of him.  But he didn't keep that job long.  But b'lieve me, he warn't goin' t' hang 'round here.  Heard that the first thing the new Headmaster of Durmstrang did was fire that snake."

"Malfoy said something about him being named after Salazar, is that true?" Ron asked.

"Don't know, but Salazar's nickname throughout school was Draco and he was like this with the Malfoy family," and Hagrid crossed his fingers.  "Both he and Severus grew up with Lucius. If you ask me, though, if Lucius Malfoy named his son after Salazar, he couldn't have picked a better person.  Shame to teach students whom you know will be usin' the Dark Arts when they leave," he said, shaking his head.

"I have a question," Hermione said slowly.  "If he worked for Voldemort, then how come he's so young?  He looks no older than some of the seventh years."

This was true and both Harry and Ron looked at Hagrid for an answer.

"Well…" Hagrid thought.  "He's only two years younger than Severus.  I suppose it's powerful dark magic.  Don't know what else it could be."

None of this talk did anything brighten their spirits, so they all turned the subject to Hagrid's newest "pets."  It was only when he invited them to help put the wyverns into their new home, a cold cage built into the ground, that they decided to head back to the school for lunch.