Darkness and Light - Snape's Daughter

Chapter 16

Lucy's POV

Christmas break with Severus had been some of the most relaxing days I ever had. We just lounged around while reading books all day or chatting in front of the fire place. I had started to feel really comfortable around him and we were getting along great. I never took him for much of a talker, but sometimes our conversations lasted hours.

When we apparated back I headed straight for my dorm room and was delighted to see Jennie again and thanked her in person for the gift she had gotten me. I did owl her a thank you letter, but it felt right to also thank her in person.

I placed the little cat bed Severus had gotten Panther on our windowsill and put away my clothes and books in my wardrobe.

The next few days I kept thinking back to the day where I met the black dragon in the forest. I was wondering if he was doing alright. I knew I would definitely not want to go back into that forest again alone so I decided the best person to ask about the matter was Hagrid.

I knocked on the wooden door to his hut and he opened it with a welcoming smile "Hello there Lucy, what brings ye here?"

"There is something I want to talk to you about Hagrid." I explained and he offered me to take a seat and gave me some tea.

I explained the whole experience to him. "I was really wondering if you could just check on him if he is okay, he was really gentle and not dangerous seeming at all. I just wanna know if his leg healed alright." I added once I finished explaining.

"You know, dragons are vastly misunderstood creatures. Nevertheless they are usually hostile when it comes to Humans. You are lucky he didn't attack you." Hagrid placed his teacup down on the table and stood up.

"I'll go check on him right now, better not tell anyone about this though alright? Don't want ya getting in trouble." He winked and opened the door.

"Thank you so much Hagrid, you have no idea how much this means." I thanked him and raced to the caste, seeing that class was about to start soon.

Later that evening Harry tapped my arm right before I was about to head to Severus. "Hagrid needs you." He told me.

I knew this was concerning the dragon, so I ran as quickly as I could to Hagrid's hut, hoping for good news.

"I'm sorry to disappoint, but he didn't let me near him at all. I am concerned about him though, something seems off." I sighed and sat down on Hagrid's couch.

I thought for a second. "I wanna go help him." I decided.

"I know ya do, but it's too dangerous for you to go back in that forest again." Hagrid reasoned, but I was determined to go help this dragon. I felt like I had some sort of connection to him.

"Then you go with me." I suggested. Hagrid sighed once again. "Alright, it is important we help this poor fella after all. But first we need to ask yer father, can't just bring you into the forbidden forest without letting him know."

I shot up and bobbed my head up and down quickly. "Let's go then!" I cheered.

"Absolutely not! Have you lost your mind Hagrid?" Severus smashed his hands onto his office desk.

"I get it's dangerous, but you need to understand that the life of this creature might depend on whether she goes or not." Hagrid tried persuading Severus, but I could sense that he was not anywhere close to giving in.

I decided I should give it a shot to try and convince him. "Please, I really want to help this dragon. Hagrid will be there with me the whole time to keep me safe. He knows the forest better than anyone here."

Severus frowned and slumped into his armchair. He squeezed the bridge of his nose, I could tell he was considering it.

"Fine." He shot a threatening look at Hagrid. "But if she returns with even a single scratch on her-"

Hagrid cut him off "I promise I'll protect her from any harm, we better get going."

"Keep close to me the whole time." Hagrid warned. "Earlier he was by a cliff so my guess is he should still be there"

I made sure to be right next to him the whole time once we entered the forest. At one point I heard a terrifying screech somewhere not too far from us and moved even closer to Hagrid.

He was right, once we arrived at what looked like a large stone cliff leading into nothingness I spotted the dragon. Because it was so dark, I could only see the outlines of his figure, making him look a little like a shadow.

He huffed slightly, then moved his head towards me. I felt warm air shooting out of his nostrils and he did that purring sound again.

Hagrid looked surprised "He really likes ya." He grinned.

I bent down and inspected his leg again. "His injury looks the same as the day I untangled him from that plant." I frowned.

"I think it is best if we lead him out of the forest and behind my hut, I have somethin' that can help his leg." I nodded at Hagrid and gently placed my hand on the dragons scaly neck and began walking, in an attempt to signal to him that I want to lead him.

To my surprise this actually worked and he trailed behind me, limping ever so slightly.

With Hagrid's help I wrapped a bandage with an ointment around the dragons leg once we arrived at our destination outside of the forest.

I watched the Dragon lay down to rest in front of a campfire that Hagrid had burning behind his hut.

"So what will ya name him?" Hagrid asked. "He's gotta have a name you know."

I thought for a second. "Shadow." I decided, considering he looks more like the silhouette of a dragon than an actual dragon because of his midnight black colour.