"He did very well today."
Douglas unhurriedly sprinkled some spices over the roasting meat.
"He helped Remus and the werewolves carry the logs for building houses. Picked them up, to be more precise."
"The werewolves here are much more patient than you."
"More importantly, they have magic to keep him in line."
"In a place with such strict rules."
"Grawp is learning to work in exchange for food and respect."
Hagrid sniffed in relief, leaning his enormous body slightly toward Douglas.
"Thank you, really..."
"If your fleet hadn't arrived just in time..."
"If you and Sirius hadn't gotten Dumbledore to sign that transit document with you..."
"And it happened to coincide with that frenzied search by the Ministry of Magic's Aurors..."
"Grawp would definitely have died under the interception spells at the border."
Having expressed his gratitude, Hagrid picked up the wooden bucket and turned deeper into the cave. He was going to see the giant brother he had endured so much hardship to bring back.
The small clearing outside the cave fell quiet again, leaving only the crackle of firewood snapping in the campfire.
Firenze the centaur slowly emerged from behind a thick Thousand-Year Fir.
His long, silvery-blond hair glimmered in the dim firelight.
His hooves pressed into the soft, thick leaf mold with a restless irritation he was holding back.
"You deliberately avoided the start-of-term feast."
Firenze stopped at the edge of the shadows, five paces from the fire.
"Yet you came deep into the Forbidden Forest to gnaw on this wretched, rotten meat."
"Those officials' fake smiles at the feast were more stomach-turning than this cold wind."
Douglas speared a steaming piece of lamb with the tip of his knife and casually tossed it toward a quiet corner beside Firenze.
A snow-white figure sprang nimbly up, gracefully