||Black Scarves and Careless Hearts|| A Dramione Fanfic

20. The Sanctuary for Magical Creatures

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"Judge people based on how they treat their inferiors."
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The Sanctuary for Magical Creatures was a vast expanse of forest cover in the Forbidden Forest, at just the right distance from Hogwarts so that the children couldn't go there alone, but could visit under Hagrid's supervision. Headquarters involved seven scattered hut-like buildings, with different duties assigned to each. Any lost or injured animals were brought there and tended to, then returned to their natural habitats. The Sanctuary also welcomed people who had come upon any such creature or being that needed assistance. 

That was the place Theodore Nott was currently walking to while carrying a misshapen bundle in his arms. It was really horrid that there were apparition wards on Hogwarts, because of which he had had to walk all the way from Hogsmeade, across the grounds, past the mucky side of the Lake, and through overgrown forest to get to his destination. All the while, the bundle in his arms quivered. 

The closeness of the trees growing overhead obscured sunlight to a level that made the occupants of the Forest live in constant twilight even during the day, and in pitch blackness during the night. 

Out of the gloom, Theodore caught sight of a cleared pathway veering away from the main path, lit by little floating tea lights with flames of different colors. 

Ah ha. 

Theodore turned and walked along the path, his steps becoming short and quick when it sloped downwards. 

The path opened into a large clearing, with the seven huts looming around him like overgrown clumps of moss. A fence ran to Theodore's left and right, till as far as he could see on either side. 

"Who's there?" 

Theodore jumped on hearing the voice. It was feathery and echoed through the trees, and Theodore first mistook it to be a tree nymph or something. 

But that was until the person who had spoken appeared from around a hut that was straight ahead. 

"I'm uh...here for he-help?" Theodore spoke hesitantly, unsure of the procedure to follow.

"Oh," the person walked ahead. From the distance and through the slight mist, Theodore could only see the person's outline. He could tell from the voice that it was a woman. 

"You can come across the fence," the woman said in that same dreamy voice, "What is that you have with you?"

Theodore stepped into the fenced area. 

He started noticing other looming shapes between the trees and all around him. He recognised the Thestrals, and he heard the hiss of what must have been an Occamy. 

"It's very kind of you to think about coming here for help," the woman was finally within a distance for Theodore to see clearly. Her dirty blond hair was strung around her shoulders in two scraggly braids, and her wand was placed behind her ears. Theodore highly doubted the safety standards of that method of wand safekeeping. She was walking barefoot, as if she didn't mind the bitter cold of the hard earth, or of the protruding roots and twigs of the trees. She spoke on, "Not every witch or wizard cares enough about magical creatures to think about trying to help them, you know. Most people kill them." She stopped right in front of Theodore and held her hand out, "Luna Lovegood, pleased to meet you."

Theodore gingerly clasped her hand, half afraid that she would turn out to be a form of mist. But her hand was as real as himself, and it was cold and scratchy, "Theodore Nott."

"Oh, are you the one whose father ran out of tax money?" She asked serenely, with such frankness that Theodore couldn't find it in himself to feel affronted.