Loopholes

When the post owls arrived, Severus left the Great Hall. The hooting birds sweeping over the room created enough distraction for him to leave unnoticed. After dealing with Slughorn, he didn't have the strength to manage Minerva too. He needed some peace and quiet.

He didn't think he would find that peace and quiet in Care of Magical Creatures, and for a while he wandered the grounds, regretting the decision to stay at Hogwarts.

He had started to walk towards Hagrid's hut when he heard voices behind him. Looking back, he saw a group of students. The glum conclusion was that he would be forced to have Care of Magical Creatures with a group of Gryffindors, because they were all easy enough to identify. It was Harry Potter, Dean Thomas, Ronald Weasley and Lavender Brown from the 8th year and Ginny Weasley and Demelza Robins from the 7th , and they were all heading in the same direction as he was.

It seemed that William Weasley had forced every Gryffindor with a mark better than Troll into the class, and now they had seen him. Severus's misery was complete when Thomas pointed in his direction, said something to the others and waved at him. The group hurried to catch up, and Severus didn't have much choice but to wait for them.

He noticed that Potter looked relaxed in a way Severus had never seen before. He had placed his arm around Ginny Weasley's shoulders, holding her tight against his side; his back was ramrod straight as always, but without that strained quality he used to display. Now Potter's posture seemed effortless and relaxed as he talked and laughed with the rest of the group. It was Potter with nothing to prove, nothing to fear, and nothing to hide any more. Severus felt a violent pang of envy watching him.

"Hey," said Weasley when he caught up with Severus.

Severus acknowledged him with a nod.

Severus noticed an uncanny likeness to Molly when Weasley looked him over. It was the exact same look Molly wore just before she declared that someone looked peaky and started to ladle large amounts of food onto their plates. He had been exposed to that more than once himself.

"Blimey, you really look just like your dad. I reckoned there would be at least some differences up close, except for the age thing, but I can't see any."

"So I've been told," Severus answered, adding a deliberate sneer to demonstrate that he wasn't at all interested in the subject.

"So you're taking Care of Magical Creatures too?" said Robins with a careful smile in Severus's direction.

"Obviously," Severus said. Then he fell quiet, not knowing how to continue.

Thomas chuckled. "We were strong-armed into the class by our new Head of House," he said. "I'm kind of nervous, truth be told."

"But you chose the subject, didn't you?" asked Potter, looking at Severus.

"Not chose, exactly. I have to take it on account of an apprenticeship," Severus said, looking away from Potter, hoping that his attitude would put them off trying to get to know him.

"Hagrid's happy, at any rate," said Potter. "Hagrid's our teacher, by the way, and this is his first NEWT class ever. Talked to him yesterday, and he said the lessons would be exciting."

Lavender moaned behind them. "I don't want exciting," she said, sounding morose. "I've had enough excitement."

"The Thestrals and Hippogryffs were pretty much ok, but the Blast-Ended-Skrewts ... " said Weasley. "I wonder what he's going to bring us next?"

Potter chuckled. "Acromantulas?"

Weasley visibly paled. "Don't even joke about that."

"More dragons then?" Potter said and smirked.

Before Weasley had had a chance to answer, Hagrid came around the corner of his cottage with Fang trailing behind him. With broad smiles on their faces, Potter and Weasley waved. They obviously felt that being with Hagrid was enough compensation for having to be in his class. The other Gryffindors followed suit, and Severus let himself fall behind the group, feeling like an outsider.

"Mornin'," said Hagrid, beaming at them. "I though' we'd start indoors today, havin' a cuppa while goin' through the theory stuff." He stepped aside, inviting them in.

Lavender looked confused. Severus noted that her eyebrows – when she drew them together – formed an upside down v over the bridge of her nose. She looked ... endearing.

"Hagrid," she said, "you never used to teach much theory before?"

"No, didn' care much abou' theory. Borin' stuff, tha'. But ye' can find good stuff too, if yer lookin' in the righ' place."

Warning bells went off in Severus's head. That was a worrying statement, knowing Hagrid.

"So ... where's the right place?" asked Potter, eyes narrowing behind his glasses, clearly drawing the same conclusion as Severus. Potter wore an odd look of combined curiosity and trepidation.

"The Library of Wizardin' Laws, Rules an' Regulations," Hagrid said, looking very pleased. "But sit down now, every un', an' have summat to eat an' drink while we talk."

The group sat down around Hagrid's table as he rummaged around the kitchen, pouring tea and putting a plate filled with rock cakes on the table in front of them.

"How come you went there in the first place?" said Weasley.

Hagrid chuckled. "Ye' know how fond I am of certain kinds o' beasts?" Hagrid said, winking at them.

"Dragons, you mean," said Weasley. "Yeah, we knew that. What's that got to do with the library?"

Severus had an inkling but was hoping he was wrong.

"It started when me an' yer dad had a couple o' fire-whiskeys at the Leaky Cauldron. We talked abou' missin' Fred. I though' I'd try to cheer him up, so I asked him abou' tha' car o' his: how it was tha' he was allowed to keep it. An' tha's when he told me." Judging from the expression on Hagrid's face, Arthur Weasley had given him directions to the holy grail. "He told me abou' the loopholes." Hagrid gave them a solemn nod.

"Loopholes?" asked Thomas.

"Loopholes." Hagrid nodded again. "The loopholes in the law. I asked him where to find them loopholes, o'course, an' he told me. The librarian there was nice. Small man. Reminded me o' me dad. He helped me," Hagrid said, unperturbed by his unenthusiastic students.

He pulled a pile of battered scrolls from one of his pockets, looking closely at each one. "Tha's them," he said and started handing them out. "I never could teach yeh lot ter' handle 'em, since I wasn' allowed to keep dragons."

Severus received his scroll and bent over it. It was written in a small, pedantic copperplate, probably belonging to the librarian. It said:

According to the book 'Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit', a dragon has the following defining characteristics:

To be classified as a dragon, the creature in question must fulfil all of the above stated criteria or it is to be classified as a beast that is something else than a dragon.

His hunch was correct then. Severus rolled down the scroll and continued reading.

At the Warlock Convention of 1709, the above definition was accepted and used as grounds for the law forbidding private ownership and/or breeding of dragons. The definition above was accepted without changes or additions. However, the definition above leaves out several dragon-like beasts of which the most notable are:

Fortunately for the Wizengamot, in the common wizarding mind the creatures listed above have never in fact been viewed as anything but dragons – definitions aside – and therefore no one in their right mind has ever tried to breed or domesticate these beasts.

Severus straightened and looked up.

Lavender's cheeks had turned a bright blotchy red, her scars purple; the Weasleys were paste white; Thomas's face was a sickly greyish brown, and Robins was clenching her jaws so tight, Severus was expecting to hear her teeth crack from the pressure. Potter was the only one not exhibiting much distress. He was looking thoughtful more than anything.

"All o' those aren't dragons." Hagrid beamed at them. "Just a beast that is something else than a dragon."

"Hagrid," Potter said, "just because the law ... "

"Bu' tha's the beauty of it, see? We can work with beasts other than dragons, withou' breakin' the law."

"And which of these creatures are we going to meet today?" said Severus.

Hagrid chuckled. "Yer a sharp un'. Jus' like yer dad. We're goin' to have a closer look at a Pyrolisk. She arrived yesterday. Beautiful, she is. Yeh should know a couple o' things abou' it before we go out, though. She's got scales, and she has wings an' can fly fairly well. She's tied down though. The chains are long, so ye'll have to watch out. The Pyrolisk doesn't breath fire; tha's why it's not considered a dragon. It's her gaze yeh need to worry abou'. Her gaze can incinerate yeh."

"A bit like the Basilisk then," said Potter, looking gloomy.

"Tha's righ'."

Potter sighed deeply hearing Hagrids answer. Potter showed no enthusiasm at all, and that surprised Severus. More than anything, Potter seemed tired.

"Don' worry Harry," said Hagrid, picking up on Harry's mood. "There's a difference, see. The Basilisk can't control it. It petrifies every livin' thing it happens to look in the eye. The Pyrolisk can control it." Hagrid gave the group a reassuring nod.

"Explain to me how it is good news that the beast has control and can aim," Severus said. He knew he was glowering at Hagrid but couldn't help himself.

"Not that I want to be a wet blanket or anything," Weasley said, "and not that I thought I would ever say these words, but Snape has a good point."

Severus repressed the urge to snarl and hex Weasley into oblivion.

"Now, don' worry. She migh' be able to aim, an' she aims well, too, but if yer observant, yeh can see when she's goin' to attack. She has three eyelids, see. The upper un', the lower un' an' the third un'. It's the third un' yeh need to watch."

"How can she see if her eyes are covered with an eyelid?" asked Ginny Weasley.

"Oh, she can see. It's just a thin membrane tha's see-through. As long as the third eyelid is closed, the eye looks yellow, bu' when the Pyrolisk lowers it, the eye starts changin' colour. Red, orange an' yellow, all swirlin' in her eyes. Really pretty. Jus' before she blasts ye', there is a tiny glint of blue in there. If ye' see tha' blue glint, yeh better get down." Hagrid chuckled.

"Does it have any weak points?" asked Potter. He sounded even more tired now, but it was an apt question. Very un-Potterish.

"O'course. Don' waste yer time tryin' to hit the body. Ye' aim at the forehead if she attacks. A stunner is good; tha' way she doesn' get too hurt."

"Anything that works is good, whether it kills it or not," Weasley said under his breath, earning himself a hard elbow in the ribs from his sister. Severus agreed with the boy. He showed a healthy dose of self-preservation, which wasn't to be frowned upon.

"Let's be off then," Hagrid said and rose from the table, heading for the door. Everyone rose, reluctantly following Hagrid out of the cabin. Severus swallowed his agitation and followed the others. He caught up with the group level with Hagrid's pumpkin patch. Lavender was lagging behind, and Severus walked up next to her. She threw him a quick glance and then looked down at the grass again as she continued walking beside him. Severus paused, wondering what to say.

After a moment, Severus knew his chance to talk to her had come and gone. He had waited too long to open a conversation, and the silence was getting awkward. He was wracking his brain for something, anything, to say, and he didn't notice that they had left the grounds of Hogwarts and were heading for the Forbidden Forest. He didn't even notice the stench of dragon dung at first.

But he did notice when Lavender came to an abrupt standstill. "Eurgh," she said, "that's so bad."

Severus looked up and realised that they were standing outside a big enclosure. Inside was the Pyrolisk, and it was the most bizarre creature Severus had ever had the misfortune to lay eyes on. He had seen pictures, but they hadn't done the creature justice.

It was bigger than an elephant, but only just, with a large head that had an odd pug-like quality, only it had scales instead of fur, just as Hagrid had told them. The protruding eyes were the size of bludgers. And it drooled. Long, slippery, foaming tendrils of saliva hung from its snout. The scales were greyish. Its backside and lizard-like tail were covered with feathers. Huge wings were folded over its back, the same way that some insects – like flying ants – folded them. Severus felt an almost overwhelming urge to laugh at the clumsy, disgusting creature, but succeeded in stifling it. It came out as a low snort instead.

"Isn' she gorgeous?" said Hagrid, looking at the monster in front of them, his adoration obvious.

The Pyrolisk hadn't noticed the small group of humans, Severus was sure of that, and looking at it, he found the creature's behaviour worrying. It was lumbering around the enclosure, and it seemed to Severus as if its behaviour was ... goal oriented. It was methodically searching out the places where the chains were fastened, and when it found one fastening, it kicked it a couple of times and then went to search out the next fastening point.

Severus had the unnerving feeling that she was looking for the weakest point.

"Blimey, Hagrid," said Weasley, "Do you reckon it's -- "

The Pyrolisk heard him and lifted its head. Severus watched as the creature turned around, looking straight at them, and to Severus's horror, it immediately opened its third eyelid. The eye was shifting in reds, oranges, yellows, and then it came, just as Hagrid had described it: blue, somewhere deep in the pupil.

He heard Potter shout to the others to get down, and Severus obeyed, going down with them.

"Stupefy her. Careful not to hurt her." Someone was roaring the words at the top of his lungs. Hagrid, Severus realised.

Severus's head snapped up. Potter had got to his feet, wand drawn, and was getting ready to take the creature on.

Severus rolled over, got up and in one swift movement drew his wand too.

"Get up, all of you!" Severus heard himself bark at the group of dazed students in the grass. "Potter can't take it down alone." Then Severus turned and faced the beast.

The Pyrolisk reared up on its hind legs and let out a furious screech, giving them the window they needed.

"Now!" Potter was taking the lead. Severus lifted his wand, and everyone sent their stunners flying. Seven red flashes hit the Pyrolisk – two of them hitting the head. It looked dazed but reared up once again.

"Again!" Potter's roaring carried even over the Pyrolisk's screeching.

Seven new stunners flew through the air, and this time five stunners hit the beast in the head, four in the forehead. The animal went down on all fours again. It was unsteady now, rocking back and forth in front of them. It took two tottering steps towards Severus and shook its head. The next second, the beast's legs gave out from under it, and it fell on its belly with a hollow thump, and with an exhalation that sounded like a groan, the beast closed its eyes.

"Good work every'un," said Hagrid, looking at the group with an approving nod. "Yeh'll be able to handle dragons in no time at all, continuin' like this."

Severus inhaled deeply and searched for something, anything, to say that would express his feelings in a satisfactory manner.

He never got the chance to vent his frustration. Weasley – who had been standing doubled over, supporting himself with his hands against his knees – beat him to it. Weasley looked up at Hagrid with an incredulous expression on his face, shaking his head.

"Hagrid," he said, "my dad's a nutter. At least as far as bending the rules and Muggle artefacts goes. You shouldn't be listening to him."

As Severus listened to the following conversation, a feeling of unease started niggling at him. Something was wrong. He looked around, trying to locate what was bothering him. He found it.

The beast was moving again.

It was lifting its big head and opening its eyes, looking straight at Lavender. Then the beast's eyes started to swirl with colour once again.

Severus threw the Shield Charm just in time. The fire blast hit the shield full force. He saw how Lavender covered her head with her arms and turned her back to the flames in a knee jerk reaction that would have been of no use at all if the shield hadn't been in place.

The Pyrolisk realised almost immediately that it had been thwarted. It let out a furious roar and then turned its head in search of another victim. Its gaze touched Severus, but then it seemed to change its mind and turned its attention back to Lavender.

At the same moment, as Severus threw another Shield Charm in an attempt to protect Lavender, he realised his mistake. At the last second the Pyrolisk turned its head back towards Severus, the blue glint in the depth of her eyes more pronounced than ever.

In that split second, while the zinging of thrown stunners sounded around him, three disconnected thoughts ran like lightning through Severus's mind: that he could swear that the beast was giving him a sly smile; that there was no time for him to raise a shield to protect himself and that he should have had the good sense to stick to wool robes, no matter how much they itched.

Then Severus was hit by a blaze of fire.

Note: I want to thank the creators of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons who, very conveniently came up with the idea of the Pyrolisk. I have changed the beast to suit my purpose, but its main feature, shooting fire with its eyes, remains. No copyright infringement is intended, and I'm still not making any money. I do, however, hope the Pyrolisk's creator earns loads: that kind of imagination should be rewarded. The same of course goes for the devine J.K Rowlings.