Hogwarts Assignment #12

Games & Sports: Board Games

Task #4: New York Zoo - Write a Zookeeper!AU

"Draco, darling, I've just received the most wonderful news!" Luna Malfoy exclaimed as she entered her husband's office.

"Apologies, Minister, it seems I'm needed at home," Draco offered with an awkward smile in the Floo.

"Nonsense, Draco. Heaven knows I know what that's like. Between the kids and my husband, it's a wonder I get any work done some days. Go and see what has our country's leading magizoologist so excited, and we'll continue this another time," Hermione chuckled.

Draco pulled his head out of the Floo to see his lovely Luna waving a piece of paper dangerously close to the flames. Quickly pulling it out of her hand, he stood and went to the settee, dragging Luna with him.

"What's this now?" It appeared to be a picture of an animal, but, despite his attempts at educating himself in his wife's field, he hadn't a clue as to what the animal could be. Looking like a cross between a swine and a unicorn, if either such creatures had taken on a violet hue, the creature definitely seemed like something that ought to belong on the front page of his deceased father-in-law's newspaper.

"Don't you see? It's a," here Luna's voice shifted, her fingers tightening on the image as though just speaking the name of the creature would make the image shift drastically. "Crumple-horned Snorkack!"

Now this, this was a creature that Draco was familiar with… in theory at least. For years, Luna and her father had searched for the elusive creature with no success. It was only in the last five years that Luna had begun to admit that it might not actually be a real beast at all.

But there was a photo, a suspiciously still photo.

"It was found by Muggle poachers but saved by others who were in the area. Muggles are hailing it as a newly discovered creature, and it has been healing at a Muggle zoo for rare creatures found in Switzerland. Draco, I-I must go. Someone needs to make sure it's being given the care it needs. And…"

Draco understood. This had been Xeno's, and Luna's by extension, dream. She owed it to her father to see this to its end.

"I'll talk to the Minister about getting you a Portkey tomorrow, love. Switzerland is notoriously hands-off about its Muggle population though. You may have to go in disguise."

"Oh! Maybe I can pretend to be a zookeeper!"

Draco sighed. He supposed there were worse ways that she could try to get her information.

"I'll write to Gringotts to get the appropriate certifications forged…"


"I'm ever so interested in the work you do here at the Baumgartner Animal Rescue!" Luna exclaimed. Some basic research into the place had uncovered that the owner of the rescue (now dead for some years) had been a Squib whose family focused on flora rather than fauna. In rebellion, he'd opened an animal rescue in the Muggle world for those magical creatures who accidentally were uncovered by Muggles. The place had a large selection of presumed lizards that were actually a rare breed of miniature dragon as well as a unicorn that was believed by the Muggles to have a skull abnormality. Due to its abundance of strange creatures, however, the Baumgarter Animal Rescue was considered somewhat of a niche place for animal lovers in the Muggle community.

"People with your list of qualifications rarely look twice at our little community, Mrs Lovelace," her tour guide, Anne Mueller, explained. Luna was going by the pseudonym Lovelace so as to avoid attention from the Swiss Magical Guard. "We're ever so happy that you wish to spend time working here. Are you sure that you want to spend time as an animal caregiver? We'd be equally happy to have you in the research building."

"No doubt, I'll work in both settings, Miss Mueller, but much of my interest lies in observing these creatures in the sanctuaries you've created for them. Tell me, is it true that you've found a Cr-uh horned pig?"

"You mean Carla? Yes, she's quite the interesting specimen. We're shocked she made it to adulthood, given the nature of her mutations. Did you know that her pigmentation is almost purple? We hadn't even known that such a hue could be found in land-based mammals before she came to us, mutant or not!"

The two continued to walk about the enclosures, Anne telling Luna all about the idiosyncrasies of the various creatures in their care. Luna loved every minute of it.


The thing about taking on a job under an assumed identity is that there's always the expectation that the job will eventually come to an end. No one actually wants to go by a completely different name, and, in the case of magicals working in the non-magical world, hiding magic from coworkers can be quite tiring. Luna's home was in Britain, and once she had spent enough time observing the Crumple-horned Snorkack, she would return to it and her wonderful husband, Draco.

Only, the staff of Baumgartner understood her love of eccentric and unusual creatures in a way that few did. Sure, most of their creatures were well understood by magical standards, but at their heart, the people caring for the creatures had a similar perspective of the world as Luna, and every day that passed had her spending just that little bit of extra time after work in the company of her Muggle coworkers. Even doing work the Muggle way like shovelling manure was a joy when surrounded by happy animals and fellow humans that wanted to care for them. Luna's research on the Crumple-horned Snorkack was going great, but Luna became less and less enthused about returning to her world as time passed.

She knew Draco missed her, and truthfully, she missed him. She just… she wished that she could have the best of both worlds.


"Hey, Luna! There's someone here to see you." Anne called to her friend from the entrance to Carla's enclosure. It had recently been discovered that Carla the pig had come to them pregnant, and Luna had stayed near the large swine for the last week or two in order to help with the birth if necessary.

Luna stood next to the large swine who was dozing in the sun and walked to Anne.

"Someone to see me? Whoever could it be?"

"He claims to be a friend from your university in Britain. He looks like someone from some seriously old money; I didn't even know people still did the whole cloak and robe look anymore. Is he into Dungeon and Dragon roleplay or something?"

Luna, who had been steadily walking towards Anne suddenly froze.

"Uh, Luna? Are you okay? If this dude's some psycho ex or something, we'll keep him away from you. Luna?"

But Luna had rushed out of the enclosure as if Carla was on her tail.


"Draco? What are you doing here?" Luna asked, shocked.

"Can't a man visit his girlfriend at her work?" he asked smoothly.

"Girlfriend?"

"I figure if we're moving to Switzerland, it makes more sense for me to be your long-distance boyfriend visiting with plans of proposal than for me to be your long-distance husband whom you accidentally forgot to mention."

"Move here? But what?"

"I've seen how happy this job makes you. These Muggles treat you well, and you're flourishing with them. If a change in scenery is needed to keep this smile on your face, I'd be a fool to not see that a move is necessary. I've arranged everything with the Minister. I'll be an ambassador with the Swiss Ministry of Magic while you, you continue your work protecting the magical and not-so-magical creatures in this unique reserve." Draco answered smugly.

"You planned all this without telling me?"

For the first time, Draco's smug look dropped.

"Are you angry with me?"

Luna's kiss said everything.