Silent Paws

Rescue attempt

Severus burst into the tent. The wizard's eyes narrowed when he took in his surroundings.
In the dim light, he could make out rows of cages. There were shuffling noises when the restless animals paced in them.

The wizard cast a silent Lumos and walked forward, leaving behind the unconscious form of the guard he'd knocked out.

The blue light of his wand fell onto a larger cage that held an old Chinese Fireball. Yet strangely, the dragon was not much larger than a horse.

The red dragon huffed in suspicion and his eyes narrowed to slits when Severus passed him.

The next cage held a hippogriff that snorted nervously. In the cage after was a Great Eagle.

Severus gritted his teeth when he saw how malnourished and dirty the animals were. He had to get his friends and then he would return to save the rest.

A whinny echoed in the stuffy air. A familiar sound that Severus recognized instantly. He strode forward and stopped in front of a cage that held a Silverwing.

"Scorpius," Severus whispered.

The Silverwing neighed again happily and leaned forward, pressing his muzzle through the bars. Severus extended his free hand and placed it on Scorpius' nose.

"I'll get you out."

Took you long enough, said Scorpius, but Severus could hear the relief in the Silverwing's voice. Mioha's great-grandson was covered in dirt, his shiny horn had lost its glow and black chains surrounded his hooves. Claudes chains that blocked his magic.

Severus stepped back and raised his wand, casting a silencing spell on the tent. Then he pointed it at the chains.

"Bombarda," he said firmly.

The chains shattered into small pieces and Scorpius neighed triumphantly. He shook his hooves, pushing the black metal away. His horn began to glow slightly.

"Alohomora!"

The cage door opened and Severus hurried to the next, freeing first Erly, then Aurora. He turned around, searching for Cita. She had to be in another tent.

She's in the arena, said Scorpius, trotting out of his cage. He shifted nervously and laid his ears back when loud voices reached their tent.

Severus cursed. He'd arrived early to get Cita when she was being taken to the arena, but again he was too late.

"Hugo is waiting for you," he said and looked at the three, pulling out an old key from his pocket. "This will take you to him."

What about our friends? said Aurora and looked at the hippogriff, the three-headed dog, the Great Eagle and the old dragon.

Severus gritted his teeth. He had to hurry. Any moment, someone could be coming to check on the animals.

Please, Severus, said Erly through Legilimency. Her tired eyes locked with Severus' and in them he could see the small hope that they could finally return home. And that the other animals only wanted that as well.

He exhaled and moved to the next cage that held the three-headed dog.
"You'd better not be related to Fluffy," he warned, thinking of how that dog had bitten him many, many years ago.

The dog growled and shot out of the cage, all three heads instantly slobbering all over Severus as they showed him their gratitude.

"Enough!" Severus pushed the dog aside and moved on to the hippogriff, but couldn't stop himself from feeling glad these animals would return home. After more muttered spells, all animals had left their cages. The Great Eagle instantly took off and Severus cursed silently.