Cassian knocked on Hagrid’s door, then pushed it open. “Ready or not, here I come.”

Inside, Harry, Neville, Hermione, and Ron were already settled, knees bumping under the small table, mugs in hand, steam curling lazily from them. The fire snapped in the hearth, wet cloaks drying nearby.

Cassian raised a brow and dropped into the large armchair. “What’s this? Detention or therapy?”

Hagrid lurched to his feet. “Cassian.” His voice came out slightly too cheerful. “Didn’t expect yeh.”

Cassian tilted his head. “Clearly. What’s with the bruises?”

Hagrid looked anywhere but at him. “Let me get yeh some tea.” He was already moving, back turned before Cassian could press again.

Cassian frowned at his back, but didn’t say anything. He glanced at the others instead. “So. How’s the chaos?”

“Depends which class,” Harry muttered.

Ron took a sip from his mug. “Potions is… well, Potions.”

Cassian made a face. “Still surviving Snape’s personality, then. Impressive.”

Hermione perked up. “Professor Black has turned Defence into some sort of stunt workshop.”

Cassian blinked. “He hasn’t exploded anything yet?”

“Only emotionally,” Harry said, deadpan.

Cassian pointed his mug at him. “Good. Builds character.”

Hagrid returned and set a cup down with an awkward thud, sloshing the tea over the side.

“Cheers,” Cassian said, eyeing the large and heavy mug. He took a sip anyway. It tasted vaguely of honey and something herbal he couldn’t name.

Ron scratched at his neck. “You gonna ask him properly?”

Cassian looked up. “Ask who what?”

Harry shifted in his seat. “Hagrid’s hurt.”

Hagrid waved a hand. “Nothing serious.”

Hermione frowned. “It’s not nothing. You came to breakfast limping.”

“And you winced when you sat down,” Neville added.

Cassian glanced between them, then looked back at Hagrid. “If this is another secret dragon, blink twice.”

Hagrid busied himself refilling the kettle.

Cassian sighed. “Right. Someone tell me before I start guessing and end up right.”

Hermione glanced at Hagrid, then at the others.

Harry spoke first. “Something’s in the Forest.”

Cassian didn’t react to that. There were a lot of somethings in the forest.

Ron added, “It’s been moving. Closer. Hagrid’s been trying to keep it away.”

Cassian leaned forward slightly. “And what, exactly, are we dealing with? Something local? Something brought in?”

Hagrid did a very good job of ignoring them.

Hermione’s hand curled around her mug. “It hasn’t attacked anyone yet. But… something’s wrong.”

Cassian switched targets. He set the mug down and looked at the others. “You lot. No wandering near the Forest. If you even think about a shortcut, I will personally drag you back and assign you detention with Filch.”

Ron groaned. “Bit harsh.”

“Will keep you alive,” Cassian said. “Take the trade.”

They talked for a while after that. Just the usual bits. Class gossip. Neville’s greenhouse project. Hagrid’s newest “definitely not dangerous” pet.

Then Harry leaned forward, brows drawn. “Why is that woman coming to our classes?”

Cassian didn’t need to ask who he meant. The question came with a scowl. There was only one person in the castle who could cause that face.

He set his mug down. “Because the Ministry thinks we’re hiding something.”

Hermione shifted. “What kind of something?”

Cassian raised an eyebrow. “The big, terrifying, political kind. Voldemort came back. Two people saw it. One of them is under a Blood Oath. The other’s me.”

Harry looked down at his mug.

Ron muttered, “They think you’re lying?”

Cassian shrugged. “They think it’s inconvenient. Truth usually is.”

Hermione’s jaw twitched. “But she sits in on lessons.”

“Mm. Because clearly the curriculum is the real threat,” Cassian said. “Gods forbid someone learn what happened the last time people ignored a snake cult.”

Neville stared into his tea. “So they’re spying on Professors.”

Cassian gestured at the door. “Spying, sniffing, sniffing while spying. Hard to tell. She’s got that face like she wants to send someone to bed without pudding.”

Harry looked up. “So what happens now?”

Cassian leaned back. “I keep teaching. You lot keep learning. And if she asks you anything, be polite, smile, and lie through your teeth.”

Hermione gave him a look.

“What?” he said. “Good practice. Might come in handy when the world tries to make you smaller.”

Harry’s fingers curled around the handle of his mug.

After a while he kicked them back to the castle, pointed at the door, and waited until the last one slouched off muttering about unfinished tea.

Then he turned to Hagrid. “Bonded with anything yet? I know you’re itching, but Bathsheda says Ash eats half her magic. Greedy little thing, but dragons are a different breed. Stronger magic, heavier pull. You might bond with more, but their power’ll be thin. So… think before you snog the first thestral you see.”

Hagrid nodded, scratching at his chin. “Aye. Thought about a few. Decided to hold off for now. Would be nice if there were another dragon hatchling though.”

Cassian hummed. He might be able to get one from Weasleys, man worked with them daily, probably had spares. Technically, Ash had been Hagrid’s in the first place anyway, before it made a very illegal detour. But still… could Hagrid manage it?

Bathsheda only managed because her magic echoed Yrsa’s. And because she wrangled the beast before the bond. Not many could do that. Dragons weren’t house-pets.

“What happened to Fluffy?” Cassian asked.

Hagrid’s face pulled like someone had stepped on a puppy.

“Headmaster sent him back to the camp after first year,” he said, voice thick. “I miss him terribly. He was a good lad.”

Cassian raised both brows. “That three-headed menace?”

“He weren’t a menace,” Hagrid muttered. “He liked music.”

“So do banshees,” Cassian said. “Doesn’t mean I want one guarding my closet.”

Hagrid looked vaguely offended on Fluffy’s behalf.

Cassian reached over and gave him a solid clap on the arm. “Right, you sentimental brick. If a dragon shows up, I’ll put in a word.”

Hagrid gave a crooked smile. “Thanks, Cassian.”

“Don’t thank me yet. Baby dragon’s one thing. Bonding with an adult dragon is not easy.”

Hagrid waved it off. “I’ll train him proper.”

Cassian snorted, shaking his head. “Sure you will.”

He didn’t say no, though. Just tucked the thought away. Then he checked the visible skin… bruising.

“Johnny Johnny.”

Hagrid stiffened.

“Yes, Papa?”

Cassian squinted. “Hiding secrets?”

“No, Papa,” Hagrid mumbled, already fidgeting.

He raised a finger. “Telling lies?”

Hagrid shook his head, bit too quick. “No, Papa.”

Cassian sighed and sat back. “Raise your sleeve.”

Hagrid gave an awkward little laugh, somewhere between nervous and guilty. “Ha ha ha…”

Cassian didn’t move. “Tell me what can injure you. I know it’s not beasts.”

Hagrid fiddled with the hem of his coat. “It’s… hard to explain.”

Cassian didn’t blink. “Try me.”

Hagrid looked at the door like he was hoping someone else might walk in and save him. No one did. Even Fang had buggered off somewhere.

“It’s not creatures,” Hagrid said finally. “It’s my brother.”

Cassian paused mid-sip. “Didn’t know you had a brother.”

Hagrid sighed. “Half-brother. He’s a giant.”

Cassian huffed. “Oh. Well, that explains the bruises.”

“Wasn’t meant to go this way,” Hagrid muttered.

Cassian looked at him for a long moment. “Start from the top. What happened?”

Hagrid shifted his weight, fingers worrying the hem of his coat. “Dumbledore sent me and Maxime on a job,” he said. “Last summer. Said it was important. We went to find the giants,” Hagrid went on, not quite meeting his eyes. “Try and talk to ’em. Get ’em on our side, if they’d listen.”

Cassian shook his head. “How’d that go?”

Hagrid scratched at his beard. “Not well. First three days were fine. Got a few of the elders to sit down, listen. Then the new Gurg, chief that is, he didn’t like the idea of peace. Thought we were spies.”

“Were you?”

“No,” Hagrid said, quick. “But didn’t matter. They started throwing rocks. Maxime nearly got her ribs crushed.”

Cassian gave a whistle. “Lovely people.”

“They ain’t all bad,” Hagrid muttered. “But they don’t trust Magicks. Not after what happened with the Ministry.”

“No one does these days.”

Hagrid’s shoulders dropped. “We were about to leave when I found my brother. Grawp. Same mum. Different dads. Bit small for a giant. Still five metres, but that’s short by their standards.”

Cassian looked at the bruises again. “Did you need to fight?”

“He was getting knocked around,” Hagrid said. “Didn’t know any of the others. They kept throwing stuff at him, calling him runt. I couldn’t leave him.”

“So you smuggled a half-wild five-metre brother across Europe.”

“Aye.”

Cassian tilted his head. “Bold.”

“I thought maybe I could teach him,” Hagrid said, more to his mug than to Cassian. “Bring him round. Make him more… civil.”

“And he’s the one leaving you black and blue?”

Hagrid winced. “He don’t mean to. He’s just, he don’t understand boundaries. Or words. Or… most things.”

Cassian let out a long breath. “Where is he now?”

“Deep Forest. Past the ridge.”

Cassian gave him a flat look. “That’s close to Centaurs’ clearing, yeah?”

“Yeah. They’ve complained.”

“I bet.”

Hagrid rubbed his face with one massive hand. “I dunno. He tries to get back to the mountains sometimes. Doesn’t get far. Gets lost. Gets angry.”

Cassian frowned. It was family, technically. Didn’t mean it couldn’t flatten a village if it sneezed wrong.

“You should use the spell I taught you.”

Hagrid’s face pulled. “I thought about it,” he muttered. “But he’s not a beast.”

Cassian almost said he was. Giants were magical creatures. Dangerous ones, no matter how soft a backstory you slapped on. But Hagrid wasn’t looking for definitions. He was looking for a reason not to give up on someone with his blood.

“Centaur lot respect you. Dumbledore too.” He said with a sigh, “But you know they won’t put up with this forever. A giant camping next door? Kids to protect? Territory lines drawn? That won’t end quiet.”

Hagrid looked away.

Cassian went on. “And from the state of your ribs, I’m guessing your brother doesn’t really understand restraint.”

“He’s not mean,” Hagrid said quickly. “Just… confused.”

“Confused and five metres tall is still five metres tall, mate.” Cassian rubbed the side of his jaw. “One wrong move, he squashes a foal, and the Centaurs will answer with arrows.”

Hagrid didn’t argue.

Cassian sat back. “You’re playing a losing game here.”

“I can handle him.”

“No, you want to handle him. That’s different.”

Hagrid’s shoulders bunched like he’d been struck. But he didn’t say anything. “What d’you think I should do?”

Cassian didn’t answer right away. He stared into the mug, watching the leaves spin at the bottom.

Then he said, “Get him somewhere safe. Somewhere away. Somewhere he can’t hurt people just by turning too quick.”

“And how am I s’posed to do that?”

Cassian tapped the edge of the mug. “Dunno yet. But I’ll help you figure it out.”

Hagrid looked up. Eyes bloodshot, but clear. “You will?”

“I’m not letting you go stomp around the forest alone, playing babysitter to a half-feral brother who thinks trees are chew toys.”

A huff of something half-laugh, half-grief left Hagrid.

Cassian drained the mug. “Besides. You’ve still got a class to teach. And a lizard in your compost to explain.”

Hagrid gave a short, rough chuckle.

Cassian stood and reached for his coat. “We’ll talk to Dumbledore. See if he’s got a lead. And in the meantime, you will use that spell if Grawp loses control again. Understand?”

Hagrid nodded. It wasn’t proud. Wasn’t happy. But it was honest.

Cassian clapped him again on the shoulder. “Good.”

He paused at the door.

“Don’t wait too long, Hagrid. If he does something unforgivable, you’ll be forced to live with it.”

(Check Here)

He shoots! He scores! And the crowd… stays completely silent. Not a single sound. Amazing lack of energy tonight, folks! What an amazing performance!

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