Hagrid's classes had been going well lately.
For one thing, with rules in place, the students were no longer fooling around.
For another, the lessons had become less dangerous. When it came to dangerous, large Fantastic Beasts, Hagrid would first find their young so the students could get to know them.
"Who can explain what a questing beast is?"
"Questing beasts are very powerfully built... enormous, and run very fast. They like living in water. They can cause floods or spread plagues... They're monsters born from mud through powerful magic..."
Looking at the tiny, adorable questing beast before him, Neville, who had eagerly been reciting the textbook, suddenly wondered whether calling it powerfully built and enormous went against his conscience.
Hagrid clapped and praised him.
"Very good. Two points to Gryffindor.
I found this baby questing beast beside a marsh in the Forbidden Forest. It's been years since a questing beast was born at Hogwarts.
It's all right, everyone, you can come closer. It's cute, isn't it? Looks exactly like the textbook says. Look at that snake's head, leopard's belly, lion's hindquarters, deer's antlers, and rabbit's paws."
Ron glanced at Draco Malfoy, who stood at the back of the crowd, and snorted disdainfully.
Ever since the Hippogriff incident, whenever a new creature appeared in Care of Magical Creatures, Draco would stand at the back and watch first, only approaching after he had worked out its temperament and habits and made sure it was safe.
By the time Care of Magical Creatures ended, it was dinnertime.
Harry and his two friends stayed behind until last, helping Hagrid clean up the Hogwarts Pasture.
Then they followed Hagrid to his hut.
Beaming, Hagrid gave each of them a mug of Butterbeer.
"It's been ages since you came to see me. This is to