Disclaimer: The same as the previous chapters.

Chapter 17

Draco Malfoy and the deputy headmistress of Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall had burst open the main door of the ancient castle, by the time Harry managed to reach the few steps leading up to the castle entrance. Given a few more seconds, both Harry and Malfoy would have barreled into each other.

"Mr. Potter, the headmaster sounded quite urgent. What has happened? Is Hermione all right?"

Catching his breath, Harry announced, "He wants Professors Lupin and Professor Flitwick… and Malfoy and I… to reach St Mungo's immediately. He literally dragged Luna with him…"

"I have already alerted Filius and Remus, they would be arriving soon…ah, there they are…"

"Minerva, is Hermione ok? Has something happened? Has Severus…the Patronus message was…" The charms professor asked at once.

Harry interrupted, "Forgive me, sir, the headmaster has already left for St. Mungo's. Luna has gone with him. He wants both Professor Lupin and you, to come along with us," pointing both at Malfoy and himself," to St. Mungo's now."

"Oh! Merlin! Then, by all means, let's go."

Since Hagrid was still to return, McGonagall decided to accompany them to the gates.

"Mr. Potter, what happened all of a sudden?"

"I really don't know much, Madam…we were all gathered around the thestral enclosure…the new baby was refusing to eat or drink…Headmaster was…well…cranky…" that got him a disapproving look from his former head of the house.

Neville had by this time arrived over the path that was right beside Hargid's empty Hut.

"Hello, professors, Oh! Good, you have already made it, "nodding at Malfoy, "I don't really think we got to worry," gushing profusely over his next words, "Luna is brilliant…she just told us to show some love and care to the baby thestral who lost its mom. And I hugged it. It has drunk the full can of supplements…and perhaps that gave some idea to our headmaster…"

Amused at how the two extremely different scenario sounded, Flitwick chuckled despite the grim situation, "Lupin, Minerva, care to wager a bet…for a change, I would love to dig a hole in my account if the dour man, goes all soft, and gives hugs."

Draco grumbled another his breath, "yah, ok, he is not a cuddling man, but he is quite sensitive…"

McGonagall patted on his back, "We all know how he is, hard on the outside, soft on the inside. And, trust me on this Draco Malfoy, he is more loved than ever. With the war behind, Severus is now capable of seeing and feeling the true essence of effortless friendly association."

Malfoy mumbled under his breath," I still cant believe Severus giving magical creatures a hug!"

"Never can I," Lupin shared in solidarity. With Andromeda and Narcissa renewing their estranged relations, the Potion Apprentice and the DADA professor were often forced to exchange parcels which owls couldn't carry, namely freshly baked muggle delicacies. As they marched together, Remus pondered," but I have seen him tending to these creatures from the windows of the castle. He treats them like students."

"Ahem Sir, Just don't say that to the Headmaster. He bit my head off when I mentioned that," Longbottom warned swallowing hard at the memory.

Hogwarts was home to Rubeus Hagrid for as long as he could remember. Parking his motorcycle, he disillusioned it out of habit, so that those adventurous teens don't get stray ideas. The school reportedly had one flying car incident and Hagrid didn't want a repeat of a similar kind. With His mind still befuddled with the sight of Snape and Luna apparating together, he started walking towards the castle. He was late and he could not send an owl from the forest where his brother lived. Severus, like Minerva, hated tardiness. He decided it was better to see and notify the irate deputy headmistress at least. A hot mug of chocolate could wait.

The night was wet but it was not raining, I w'nder how, Laufey n her babe Loki 're doin'. It was a young, first-year, Slytherin, a half-blood witch, Gunhild Heskin, who suggested those names for the thestrals. In the aftermath of the war, Hagrid had been surprised on several occasions. First and foremost, Harry had cheated death once again. He did have a lot of difficulty in accepting and forgiving the spy who helped them in winning this war. But he had been shocked to find Draco Malfoy, knocking at his door the first weekend after the new sessions for the year 2002 had begun.

Always sure of himself, the young Malfoy shifting on his feet, trying to speak to him was a sight the half-giant will never forget. He was the new potion apprentice working under Horace Slughorn.

Hagrid didn't have much patience for him.

"What do yah want?"

The young man had come with his speech prepared. "Mr. Hagrid, I would like to apologize for being a nasty git, back…"

"What do yah want?"

"I am sorry."

"Fine. Yah need help, you can drop yar requirements, by the door or owl them, saves yah the trip."

With that, the door of the hut was closed on an unsure Draco Malfoy's face.

The moment Gunhild Heskin's eyes had landed on Hagrid, he had become her favorite. The young girl was friendly and spirited. She could hold on through the teasing and bullying in her much-subdued house. She had a keen interest in magical creatures. Hagrid had found the eleven-year-old student, lurking around the barricaded enclosures, many of the times. He was more surprised to see her drawing sketches of those beasts.

Very soon, Gunhild was getting invited to tea and rock cake parties. She had read about his friendship with the famous Golden Trio. She considered the privilege to be friends "of a friend of The Three". It was she who had found Malfoy trying hard to figure out a way to befriend the half-giant, if not for friendship but for the positions, they both held at school. To add on to that he would need Hagrid, to help him in gathering herbs from the Forbidden Forest.

Hagrid chuckled at the memory of Gunhild making them stand face to face and coxing them to shake hands of all things. The prophet would buy the photo for a sack of galleons if not less. He stopped on his tracks when he saw a crowd of dark figures coming his way, hurriedly.

"Madam Deputy Headmistress, Sirs…"

"Hagrid, finally, I will explain everything, now, could you please see these gentlemen out of the school gates, Mr. Longbottom and I will be waiting for you by your hut, Please Hagrid, hurry."

"As you say, Madam."

Saying quick hello, to the curious and thoroughly confused half-giant the rest of the party swiftly slipped past the giant gates and apparated off in a couple of seconds.

"Blimey, what's going on Fang?"- the gameskeeper of Hogwarts asked his boarhound dog, who greeted his master as soon as he had returned.

"I don't like this, I don't like the look of those wizards one bit, I tell yah that, Fang, I tell yah that," he muttered and walked back to his hut.

A/N: So what do you think is happening here? Share your thoughts. You never know, you might influence me, in adding a few of them in the future chapters.