Hey all, it's been awhile I know, but here's a bright shiny new chapter just in time for Christmas~!

If you like what you've read so far, leave a comment so I know~!

Happy Holidays everyone, and without further ado...!

Xxxx -DxH- xxxX

"Well don't keep us in suspense, Potter!" Pansy crooned giddily, tapping her feet in excitement. "C'mon and tell us what happened next!"

Harry groaned slightly and turned to his lover with a pout. "You tell the next part."

"Hm? No. You're doing just fine," Draco refuted easily, waving his hand dismissively.

"But you know the part that happens next- I was barely conscious for most of it!"

"Barely conscious? What ever were you doing, Potter?" Blaise questioned in amusement.

Harry flushed slightly with a scowl. "Hey, it wasn't my fault."

"Oh? Are you now trying to shove the blame over to me?" A blonde eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

"Well, no- not exactly. But I think we both agreed that that entire situation was not my fault," Harry pouted.

"Sounds like another thing that needs to be solved by hearing both sides of the story," Theo chimed in cooly.

Harry sniffed indignantly and purposefully turned away from his lover, causing Draco to throw a hand in the air in annoyance. "Alright, fine. I'll tell this part of the story.

"Just bloody brilliant," Ron muttered under his breath, earning a chastising look from Hermione.

"Now please, do continue," Blaise promoted with an evil grin.

Draco sighed and reached forward to take a sip of his coffee before drumming his fingers on the table thoughtfully. "Well, let's see then- what did happen next? I suppose that after we finished our meeting with Kingsley...we each went our separate ways for the night- then we met up again at the Ministry the next morning. The ceremony was to take place in one of the hearing rooms in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement- with only a few people to serve as witnesses..."

Xxxx -DxH- xxxX

"As Minister of Magic, I now call this session into order," Kinglsey's deep voice boomed through the open room, followed by the rap of a gavel hitting the stand. "To all who are gathered here today, I have asked you to bear witness to the initiation ceremony for two of our newly entered Auror trainees. Directly following the initiation, we will continue on with the ritual for Auror partnership."

The Minister glanced around the room, receiving nods of confirmation from those around him. "Now then- let us begin. As I call your name, please enter and stand before me."

Kingsley glanced down at the piece of parchment in front of him for formality. It wasn't like he really needed to remember the two names he was going to be calling- but he did so just to keep with the tradition.

"Harry Potter."

Polite clapping ensued, with some of the more friendly Aurors whistling enthusiastically as Harry emerged from an adjoining room behind the podium where Kingsley stood- moving until he was in the center of the room and stood facing Kingsley.

"Alright. Draco Malfoy."

This time a hush broke over the small group, and only Florence began clapping as the blonde strode out quickly- not making eye contact with anyone in the room. The shocked group slowly followed suit and began clapping until Draco stood in his destined spot beside Harry.

"Very good," Kingsley nodded and pulled a new piece of parchment and laid it on top of the podium. "We will now begin the initiation of new Aurors into the Department. I would like to ask the mentor of each of these two to step forward. Auror Florence Knightly, if you please."

Florence rose from his seat with a broad grin, waving at the applause that broke out as he made him way down to where Harry and Draco stood.

"Nervous boys?" He whispered brightly as he stopped between them. Neither answered, and that spoke loud enough to Florence. "Don't worry, everything'll be just splendid."

"As it is stated by the law," Kingsley continued. "Any person- wizard or witch, who wishes to be inducted into the Department of Aurors, must first undergo a series of training to be conducted by a senior mentor in the Department. Once that mentor has deemed the trainee to be competent in both mind and body while out on the job- he may recommend that trainee to be considered for complete initiation into the Department of Aurors, with a rank of full-fledged Auror."

Kingsley turned to Florence. "Senior Auror Knightly was tasked with the mentoring of both Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy. So to Auror Knightly I ask; do you recommend these individuals brought before me be initiated into the Department of Aurors?"

"Yes I do Minister," Florence declared resolutely.

"Do you swear that they were trained to Department standards, and taught with the knowledge of the goal that we here at the Ministry strive to achieve?"

"Yes I do Minister," Florence responded once again, nodding his head firmly.

Draco glanced briefly at the eccentric older man, seeing his face slightly stern and serious for the first time. For some reason it made him feel even more nervous- as though now everything he did would be brought back to Florence due to his training. He shook his head and tried to pay attention as Kingsley's voice boomed through the room again.

"With the recommendation of Auror Knightly, we will now proceed with the affirmation and oath by the candidates for initiation."

Affirmation? Oath?Draco frowned at the serious-sounding words and glanced across Florence to Harry. Apparently the boy-wonder was thinking similarly- his face was pale and his brows drawn towards his eyes.

"Harry James Potter and Draco Lucius Malfoy."

Draco jerked and snapped to attention at having his full name called so loudly.

"Do you both swear that Auror Knightly has trained you to the best of his potential, to become fully functioning members of the Department of Aurors?"

Draco met Harry's eyes briefly, as though unsure of the answer.

"Hehe, this is where you're supposed to give a resounding 'yes'!" Florence whispered helpfully, though his voice sounded strangely nervous- as if he himself wasn't even sure if he had done what was asked.

"Yes Minister," Harry declared resolutely, and Kingsley nodded- turning to Draco.

"Yes Minister," Draco followed suit, nodding affirmatively.

"Excellent. Now- you must both swear by the rules and ethos of the Department of Aurors, to uphold and protect the name with which you will soon be bestowed." Kingsley shifted parchments and cleared his throat before reading.

"Do you both swear to protect any and all forms of life- whether wizard, muggle, magical being, or other- so long as you are both Aurors?"

"I swear." Harry responded immediately. He glanced over as Draco faltered for a moment.

"...I swear."

"Good. Do you swear to follow the rules and views of both the Department of Aurors, as well as the Ministry of Magic itself- so long as you are Aurors?"

This time, they answered together. "I swear."

Kingsley nodded and continued. "With the verbal affirmation from the two candidates, I would now like to invite both Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy- as well as their mentor, Auror Florence Knightly, to come to the podium and sign the contracted Oath of the Aurors."

Harry and Draco glanced over at Florence, who gestured for them to follow him up to the podium where Kingsley stood.

"All I need is for each of you to sign underneath your designated line." Kingsley explained quietly, gesturing for Harry to step forwards. "Right here."

A quill appeared, hovering over the paper. Harry took it and glanced down to where Kingsley pointed, taking a deep breath and signing his name.

"Good, good." Kingsley nodded, retrieving the quill from Harry's hand and then gesturing Draco forward.

"Right here, Draco."

Draco looked down at the parchment and hesitated slightly before bending down and signing his name.

"Excellent, now Florence- if you would."

Florence bounded forwards and signed the bottom of the parchment with a grin. He handed both quill and parchment back to Kingsley before guiding the boys back down to their place in front of the podium as Kingsley took one final look over the paper in his hands.

"It seems everything is in order now," He cleared his throat and gazed over at the crowd of Aurors. "With the power invested in me, as Minister for Magic- and with the signed contracts of both Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy- it is my pleasure to now officially announce to you the newest members of the Department of Aurors! Auror Potter, and Auror Malfoy."

Polite clapping and a few cheers erupted from the small band of Aurors.

"Excellent job ma'boys. It's well earned and deserved," Florence congratulated, turning between the two and clapping them each on the back.

"Thank you, sir," Harry beamed with a grin, almost forgetting that in mere moments he was going to be paired as partners with Draco.

"Thanks," Draco responded quietly, oddly pensive at the moment.

Kingsley smiled down at the two and offered his own round of applause before reaching underneath the podium and bringing forth a sealed role of parchment that the pair knew all too well from the night before.

"The partner contract...," Harry mumbled, suddenly feeling queasy and nervous again.

"Don't worry, this ceremony is a lot shorter- more of a formality, really," Florence assured, sensing Harry's shift in mood.

"We really have to make the Unbreakable Vow, don't we...," Draco murmured aloud, more to himself than anyone else.

A loud banging suddenly filled the room as Kingsley knocked his gavel against the podium, and a hush grew across the room once again. All eyes turned to the Minister as he held up the contract for all to see.

"This is the partner contract for Aurors Malfoy and Potter." He turned and made sure that all saw the scroll raised in his hand before continuing. "I as Minister bore witness to the creation of this contract, and have signed my name along with the two Aurors to be partnered. I would now like to invite them forwards to bind and seal this contract by means of the Unbreakable Vow- ensuring that neither will go against the terms that they've signed into."

Draco paled slightly and side-eyed Harry. The Gryffindor didn't look any less nervous than Draco himself felt- but he wasn't so sure if that was a consolation or not.

Suddenly he felt himself being pushed and beckoned forwards, and he realized that he was supposed to step closer to the podium. Kingsley slowly descended from the stand and stopped between the two boys smiling gently.

"Don't worry, it'll be done and over before you know it," He assured quietly, removing his wand from the confines of his silk robes and raising it slightly. "Now face each other, please."

Harry sighed and tried not to grimace as he turned and stood facing Draco's gaunt profile. Though the blonde had seemed as snarky and confident yesterday as Harry had remembered him being in school, the boy he now saw in front of him looked oddly nervous and timid. Draco's pale grey eyes flitted around quickly and his pale hands clenched together tightly, relaxing a second later only to clench back into a tight fist.

Draco grit his teeth together and tried to focus on what Kingsley was saying when he noticed the older man's lips moving once again. He was finding it hard to concentrate and kept zoning out accidentally.

Apparently something was said that he missed, for he soon realized that Harry and Kingsley were both staring straight at him- waiting for him to do something.

"Uh, sorry...?" Draco mumbled out with a slightly frown.

"Your hand," Kingsley replied, and Draco finally realized that Harry had his own hand outstretched- waiting for Draco to grasp on.

"Oh..." He slowly extended his left arm forward, hesitating before loosely grasping Harry's forearm. Weird... Draco immediately quirked a brow. Though Harry didn't look it, his forearms felt oddly firm and muscular. When the bloody hell did he get fit? I remember him being scrawny throughout school...

He jerked slightly and snapped out of his train of thought as he felt equally firm fingers suddenly contact his own forearm.

Harry glanced up and met his gaze in surprise. Apparently the strange reaction caught him off guard. Draco shook his head slightly and diverted his attention as the fingers gripped his arm firmly.

"Now," Kingsley raised his wand and slowly began drawing a figure-eight over top of their connected arms. "Do you, Harry James Potter, swear to uphold to all of the terms written on your Auror contract- to do your best to keep yourself and your partner safe, and always do what is truly the right thing in any situation you may encounter while performing your duties as Auror?"

Harry took a deep breath and swallowed the lump in his throat before nodding. "...I swear."

Kingsley nodded in satisfaction and turned to Draco, still moving his wand over the pair of connected arms. "And you, Draco Lucius Malfoy- do you swear to uphold to all of the terms written on your Auror contract- to do your best to keep yourself and your partner safe, and always do what is truly the right thing in any situation you may encounter while performing your duties as Auror?"

Draco felt his heart hammering madly against his ribs and unintentionally tightened his grip around Harry's arm. "..Y-Yes...I swear..."

"Alright then," Kingsley stopped moving his wand, and only wispy silver lines remained as evidence of the spell, wrapping and curving around the boys' still-entwined arms. Both stared at the arms numbly as Kingsley stored his wand and turned to address the small crowd of Aurors. "Witches and Wizards of the Department of Aurors- may I present to you the newest team of Aurors to the department!"

Applause broke out in the room and Florence grinned broadly from the front of the crowd, giving an enthusiastic thumbs up to the pair.

"You can let go of each other's arms now," Kingsley chuckled lowly as he turned back to Harry and Draco happily. "You two did well- I'm proud of you!"

Draco's pale cheeks dusted over with crimson at the remark, and he hastily withdrew his arm with an embarrassed frown. Harry likewise retreated his arm quickly as he glanced up at Kingsley with a mixed expression. "So...that's it now? We're really...stuck like this together now...?" His voice sounded equal parts dread and uncertainty.

Kingsley bit back the chuckle that threatened to rise in his throat once more and clapped each of those boys on the back with a wide smile. "Don't worry! I have all the faith that you two will do extremely well together."

He grinned to himself as they returned doubtful stares. I'm counting on the two of you...

Xxxx -DxH- xxxX

"Wow, I cant believe you guys actually went through with it and made the Unbreakable Vow..." Blaise commented seriously, his expression giving way to the honest surprise that he felt.

"Yes, I as well..." Theo murmured with a somewhat confused frown and a nod of his head. "That seems like...somewhat drastic measures."

A collective nod of heads bobbed around the table. Hermione frowned and opened her mouth, looking like she wanted to say something- then closed it again with a deeper frown.

"What is it, Hermione?" Harry asked as he directed his gaze towards her puzzled face. He could practically hear the gears turning in her head.

"Well...not that I'm any sort of expert that knows everything there is to know about complex spells and such..." She trailed off seriously before continuing, and Harry saw Draco open his mouth with a gleeful smirk.

Acting before his lover could deliver what would no doubt be a clever and witty remark to turn Hermione's statement, Harry quickly kicked Draco in the shin- silencing any retort on the tip of his tongue.

This exchange went unnoticed as everyone else had there attention directed towards Hermione with interest- whether feigned or not.

"Owww." Draco meanwhile complained with a scowl, rubbing his shin discreetly as Hermione continued to ramble on about some theory or another that she had. "You didn't have to kick me that hard!"

"Sorry." Harry muttered half-heartedly. "I saw that look in your eye though. You were either about to say something mean or dirty."

Draco narrowed his eyes accusingly. "How do you figure?"

Harry rolled his eyes impatiently. "Because. It's the same expression that you wear whenever you're about to insult somebody's clothing at the Ministry- and it's also the same expression that you make in bed when you're about to tease me or do something that I don't like."

Draco's jaw slackened in surprise, and a short stutter of disbelieving laughter escaped his lips. "W-what? Harry, that's embarrassing..."

"Well, it's the truth..." Harry muttered back quietly.

Suddenly Hermione stopped talking and stared directly at him, and Harry realized that she must have asked him something.

"Uh, gee- I don't know Hermione, maybe...?" He replied vaguely, scratching the back of his neck as tried to appear as though he knew full well what she had asked him.

She sighed deeply and nodded her head. "Yes, that's what I was thinking too. Pity though..."

Harry exchanged slightly worried glances with Draco, wondering if he should ask just what it was that they were talking about- but Pansy suddenly cut in before he could get a word out.

"Alright, alright already! I wanna hear mooore! What happens next?" She asked enthusiastically, practically bouncing in her seat in excitement.

"Excited much, Parkinson?" Draco drawled dryly, raising a blonde eyebrow.

"Oh just get on with it you bloody tosser." Ron cut in impatiently, frowning in annoyance.

"I'll get on with it when I very well feel like it, Weaslebe."

"Draco," Harry warned.

"Bring it, ferret-face!"

"Ronald!" Hermione chastised.

"Oh come now, can't we just continue on with the story like civilized Gryffindors and Slytherins?" Blaise cut silkily, earning an array of scowls in return.

"You know we're technically not related to houses anymore," Theo interjected pointedly, earning a shrug from the Italian.

"Once a snake, always a snake." Ron bit out, this time earning a glare from everyone at the table.

"Honestly Ron, grow up," Harry finally exclaimed, glaring down the redhead until he finally dropped his gaze with a grumble.

"Alright, let's continue," He prompted his lover once he was sure that no one else was going to raise a fuss.

"Ah yes- where were we now...?" Draco contemplated with a sigh, as if having to search through his memories to think of where the story was going.

"Initiation day," Harry huffed impatiently, drawing a smirk from the blonde.

"Ah yes, now I have it..." He paused for dramatic affect to make sure he had captured everyone's attention before continuing the story.

"So after our initiation, Kingsley called us both to his office to have yet another meeting..."

Xxxx -DxH- xxxX

"You two did excellent today. I'm glad everything went accordingly..." Kingsley remarked as he levitated a teapot and poured liquid into the mug sitting on the coffee table in front of him.

After the initiation had finished and the formalities were over with, Kingsley had promptly ushered both Harry and Draco up to his office- where they now awkwardly sat while they waited for Kingsley to get on with their meeting.

Harry and Draco sat on the couch across from the Minister, plastered as far away as the opposite sides of the couch would let them be. They were both tense and unsure of what would be happening next.

"Tea?" Kingsley glanced up and pushed two freshly-filled mugs across the table towards them. "You both seem nervous, this will help."

"Thanks..." Harry murmured quietly, hesitantly pulling the mug closest to him into his hands. Kingsley nodded and turned to glance at Draco, but the blonde remained frozen and made no move to reach for his mug- staring blankly at the wall somewhere behind Kingsley.

"Draco. Are you feeling alright?"

"...Mmm?" Draco blinked and shook his head before snapping attention- glancing over at Kingsley with a slightly glazed-over expression. "...Sorry?"

Kingsley frowned slightly. "I asked if you're feeling alright. You look pale- do you feel nauseous or anything?"

Draco frowned and shook his head again, avoiding Kingsley's probing stare. "No...I'm fine..."

Harry chanced a glance to the opposite side of the couch and immediately quirked a brow. Bloody hell, how come he looks like death already...?

"Well, just let me know later how you're feeling- can't have you kids sick out on your first assignment tomorrow!" Kingsley managed to say brightly, drawing looks of horror from the two boys.

"Our first mission...?" Harry questioned in a tone of dread.

"...Tomorrow...?" Draco continued, his voice barely above a horrified whisper. He gave Kingsley a look that made it seem as if the older man had suggested he marry a hippogriff.

"Sir," Harry interrupted Draco's dumbstruck train of thought. "You can't possibly be suggesting that we go out on our own for our first mission together tomorrow already? I mean we haven't even trained together!"

His protests seemed to fall on deaf ears as Kingsley merely dismissed them with a smile and a wave of his hand.

"No worries, Potter. I know the two of you will do just fine..."

Xxxx -DxH- xxxX

"Alright, so let me go over this one more time." Florence Knightly pushed his glasses up his nose slightly as he glanced at the piece of parchment he was holding. "You two, Potter and Malfoy, have been assigned by the Ministry to complete your first assignment as Auror partners together today."

He paused and glanced up between the two before returning to the parchment.

"You first assignment is as follows. You have been tasked to a reconnaissance mission, trying to track a group of snatchers who have been suspected of illegally transporting foreign substances—including magical creatures." Florence rolled up the piece of parchment and stared at the two boys with an uncharacteristically serious mien. "Though this is only a recon mission, it is very important that you two stay on constant alert."

Harry nodded and glanced to his side to see Draco follow suit.

"As of now we don't know where the snatchers' route is, so part of your job today is to scope out this area and the ones adjacent to see if there are any signs of the snatchers, or evidence that they've been here." Florence explained. "If you see the snatchers, do NOT engage. Send a Patronus message to the Auror office and we'll meet you, got it?"

The older man stared them both in the eye to make sure they were paying attention.

"Yes sir."

"Alrighty then, any last question?"

"Um, when do we leave?"

"Ah, good question." Florence pulled an ornate pocket watch out of the confines of his robes and turned his head sideways to read it.

"It looks like you'll have to get leaving in a few minutes. The Department hasn't given many specifics of this mission, so there isn't a required time which you need to be out or return by..." The older man stroked his mustache thoughtfully. "If It were me, I'd try to find any evidence of the group of snatchers in question and check the surrounding area—you two should probably only be out for a few hours at most. Once you've done that, return back here with a report on your findings."

Again, Harry and Draco both nodded their heads- oddly quiet.

"Um. Knightly, sir?" Draco's quiet voice broke the heavy silence that had filled the room, and Florence looked happy that one of them had finally spoken up.

"Malfoy ma boy, what is it?"

Draco paused and his pale brows drew down toward his grey eyes in an uncertain frown. "Is there...anything else we should know before we go out on our mission...?"

"Anything you should know?" Florence paused and cast his gaze up thoughtfully. "I can't say that there's anything specific, all the information concerning your mission was written up on that parchment that I read you..."

"Well then, is there any...advice...that your could...possibly give us...?" Draco bit the inside of his cheek awkwardly as Harry stared at him as if he had two heads, and Florence looked like he wanted gush over how cute he was acting.

"Bloody hell, to think the day would come..." Harry mumbled under his breath with a disbelieving shake of his head.

Florence ignored Harry's under the breath comment and turned to Draco with a gentle smile. "The best advice I can give you is to stick to your instincts. I know what both of you are capable of, and you'll do just fine if you remember your training and work together!"

Draco hesitated before stiffly nodding. "Thanks."

"Alright now—stay safe and do me proud, boys!" Florence called off with a wave as he retreated back in the office a few feet. On the desk in front of them, a rock shaped paperweight had begun to glow.

"That's your ride boys!"

Harry and Draco glanced at each other briefly before each placing a finger on the glowing object. Immediately their fingers were stuck to the object, and the room began to spin as the Portkey transported them.

Xxxx -DxH- xxxX

With a sudden 'crack', Harry and Draco fell from the sky, landing hard on the ground of a dim and quiet forest.

Each took a careful look around before jumping to their feet and pulling out their wands.

As soon as he was sure they were alone, Draco released an agitated sigh and began pacing around, muttering angrily under his breath. "Bloody terrific...Hardly gave us any information, dumped us in the middle of a creepy forest, tells us to find evidence of a group of snatchers... "observe" the surroundings..."

Harry stared at the blonde with a frown. He realized that it was the first time he had actually been alone with Draco since their impromptu reunion the other day in Kingsley's office.

"You sure keep it together in front of the important people, but now that we're alone your mask sure has fallen, Malfoy." Harry goaded, strangely happy to see Draco exhibiting characteristics that he was actually familiar with from school.

"Oh can it, Potter." Draco bit back irritably, ceasing his muttering long enough to throw the green-eyed boy a piercing glare. "I act how I have to in front of the people that judge my standing in the Wizarding World—are you really any different?"

Harry opened his mouth for a comeback but faltered, and closed his mouth again with a frown.

"Thought so." Draco sneered, resuming his pacing.

Harry threw a glare at the back off the blonde's head before looking around and surveying their location. Minutes passed and Draco still hadn't stopped pacing.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing?" Harry finally asked irritably, sighing in relief when at last the blonde came to a stop.

"Thinking." Draco snapped back shortly, turning his face up to the sky.

"About?" Harry prompted, again glancing around at their surroundings. "If it doesn't have anything to do with where to go or how to track these snatchers, then you're wasting our time, Malfoy."

"Oh, is Saint Potter waiting on lowly me to give directions on where we should go?" Draco mocked.

"No." Harry returned angrily, balling his hands into fists in irritation. "I just figured that it would be better if we formulated some sort of plan instead of wandering around in circles. Knightly has been gone for almost 15 minutes now and we haven't moved an inch from where he dropped us off at."

Draco crossed his arms over his chest and stared Harry down. "Alright then savior of the Wizarding World—what's your plan?"

Harry sighed and bit back the retort on his tongue. "First we should figure out where we're even at." He glanced around yet again and found nothing but trees—tall and looming.

"I know where we are." Draco returned cooly, glancing around for show and shrugging easily. "Laimen Forest. Not far from Hogsmeade, if I remember correctly."

Harry frowned. "How do you know that?"

"Does it really matter, Potter?" Draco returned with an agitated sigh. "If we walk North from here we should be able to make it to Hogsmeade in about 15 minutes."

"Why not apparate then?" Harry questioned.

"Because there are wards around Hogsmeade, Potter." Draco explained impatiently. "It's rare to not find a town protected by wards after the war now. At least it keeps people from apparating straight in."

Harry nodded stiffly at the explanation. "Alright then. We should start by going to Hogsmeade—maybe we can find some clues about where the snatchers have gone from there."

Draco rolled his eyes and followed behind as Harry began walking through an opening of trees that seemed to have a decently tamped down walking trail.

Minutes passed and nothing but the sound of crunching leaves and the whisper of a breeze filled the air. Harry walked in front, wand held loosely by his side as he kept a steady watch around for anything that might be ahead of them. Draco followed only a short distance behind, his own wand stashed away in the confines of his back pocket as he trained his focus in just ahead of Harry's figure. So far they had been walking for closed to 10 minutes and hadn't seen sight of a single thing—person nor creature.

Draco frowned and glanced up at the sky, and then to the tops of the trees. That's weird...even if there aren't normally very many animals and magical creatures that live in this forest, there's usually always birds that fly overhead and rest in the trees...

"Hey Potter, I think we should—"

SNAP!

A sudden branch breaking stopped Draco's line of thought, and he froze—pulling his wand out instinctively.

"Shh, Shh! Don't move, Malfoy." Harry suddenly hissed, squinting at something off to the side in the tree-line.

Draco obediently followed the command, wand at the ready as his grey eyes scanned the bushes rapidly.

SNAP!

Another branch snapped and Harry and Draco both whirled toward the direction that they thought it came from. Harry held his hand up to warn Draco not to move again. His eyes darted around until they trained in on something—a pair of red eyes staring back.

"Malfoy, that's..."

"A Hippogriff..." The blonde whispered back tightly, not daring to speak too loudly.

The figure pranced closer to the tree-line until it emerged in front of them—gold and brown feathers glittering slightly in the dimly lit forest. It clicked its beak at them and slowly paced back and forth—eyes never leaving them.

"Why on earth would there be a Hippogriff here? They're endangered species so all of them should be in Ministry monitored sanctuaries." Harry mumbled with a frown. "Unless..."

"Snatchers." Draco breathed, still frozen stiff next to Harry. "Look at the chain around its neck."

Sure enough, though it wasn't immediately noticeable in the dim lighting, a thin silvery chain was looped several times around the Hippogriff's neck—the remains hanging limply and trailing behind the beast as it walked.

"There must be some sort of curse on it. There's no way a thin chain like that would be nearly enough to restrain a Hippogriff." Harry realized out loud, keeping a steady eye on the creature pacing in front of him. "I remember hearing about the cursed objects that snatchers use to capture and restrain magical creatures with."

"This Hippogriff must have escaped when they were trying to transport it." Draco nodded in agreement.

"Then if we get that chain, it'll be evidence against the snatchers!" Harry continued excitedly. "There may even be a chance that we could use the chain to track the snatchers!"

"Wai—Hold on, Potter!" Draco hissed quickly when Harry took a daring step towards the Hippogriff. He reached out a hand to hold Harry back when he heard subsequent branches snapping. He snapped his head around anxiously towards the sounds before grabbing Harry roughly by the back of his robe.

"Potter, get your arse over here!"

Draco sprinted in the opposite direction of the Hippogriff, dragging Harry behind him, and pulled them into hiding behind a dense thicket of bushes.

"Malfoy, what the bloody hell-?!"

"Shh!" Draco clamped a hand around Harry's mouth and sunk down to a low squat, dragging Harry down with them. Harry glared at the blonde indignantly at the treatment, but Draco wouldn't relent.

"Over there..." Draco whispered lowly, face inches beside Harry's. Harry attempted to ignore the feeling of the blonde's breath tickling his ear, and tried to look where Draco was gesturing. The pair peeked up above the bushes they were hiding behind just as a group of 4 men burst out of the trees and stood in the clearing—the exact place where Harry and Draco had just been seconds before.

"It's right there!"

"Told ya I knew where it went!"

"Well we wouldn't have to be searching for it in the first place if you wouldn't have let it escape, you tosser!"

"Merlin's beard, would you lot quit arguing and just catch the thing already? We've wasted enough time as it is, and we're going to be running late for our meeting if we don't hurry this little detour up."

One of the men produced a wand from the inside of his robes and pointed it at the Hippogriff.

"Stupefy!"

The jinx hit the Hippogriff in the right wing, and it faltered—dropping down to its knees.

"Quick, you two! Grab it!" The wizard said as he aimed his wand at the Hippogriff again. "Stupefy!"

This time the Hippogriff gave screech as it fell over—and two of the other wizards quickly ran over to restrain it.

"Put another chain around its wings so that it doesn't fly off again." The fourth wizard advised as he surveyed the other three wizards. He seemed to be the boss of the operation.

"Aye, and I reckon we outta muzzle it this time—I don't fancy gettin' ma fingers chomped again."

The leader waved his hand in a "do as you wish" sort of gesture.

The three wizards restrained the barely-conscious Hippogriff and bound it with two more of the silvery chains that Harry and Draco had seen around its neck earlier. Then, one of them produced a leather strap which they used to firmly clamp shut the Hippogriff's sharp beak.

Draco's breathing stilled. He could feel Harry squirming against his reach, no doubt dying to run out and intervene—but they couldn't risk it. They were complete newbies for one, and outnumbered two to one for another. Not to mention that there was no telling what that Hippogriff might do, or who it may attack if it regained consciousness.

"Potter, stop it." Draco grunted painfully as Harry redoubled his efforts to free himself from Draco's hold. "We can't take them on our own—we'll retreat and then call the Ministry for back up!"

Harry struggled and finally removed Draco's hand from over top his mouth.

"By that time it'll be too late!" Harry hissed angrily. "By the time we send message to the other Aurors and get some back up here, the snatchers will already be gone and the Hippogriff with them!"

"I wanna help too—but we can't just run out there and fight them!" Draco protested, watching helplessly as three of the snatchers used their wands to levitate the Hippogriff into the air.

"Dammit, that's it!" Harry finally maneuvered his elbow free and quickly rammed it backwards. It connected solidly with Draco's side and his grip on Harry released.

Harry distanced himself from Draco who lay sprawled on the ground, holding his side with a grimace.

"I knew you were always coward Malfoy, but I had hoped that that was one thing that you really had changed about yourself." Harry spat venomously, picking up his wand that had fallen carelessly nearby. With that he jumped out of his hiding spot in the bushes, holding his wand up as he prepared to confront the group of snatchers. "Leave that Hippogriff alone!"

The three snatchers levitating the Hippogriff immediately froze and looked apprehensively at the newcomer.

The leader of the snatcher group looked over at Harry in surprise. "Well, well, well—what do we have here, boys?"