Her shoulder wound heals in no time under the watchful eye of Madam Pomfrey and the care of her gaggle of friends. It took ages but her friends had finally stopped fussing over her and Draco. Though nothing could've prepared anyone for what was to come.

Sitting in the common room everyone is doing bits of activities, Lily still trying and failing at learning to knit when they hear a commotion in the hall.

Leaning forward from her place on the couch between Draco and Theo, Lily looks at Pansy. "What's going on?" She whispers nervously, the commotion gets louder and louder. The obvious aggression gives her anxiety as Draco grabs her hand.

He bumps their shoulders. "I'm sure it'll be alright." She leans her head onto his shoulder, "It's most likely just some disgruntled studen-"

He is cut off by the sound of the common room door opening and Lucius Malfoy strides in, his robes billowing dramatically. The room falls into a sudden hush as he walks through the room with Professor Snape. Lucius made his way toward the group of Slytherins, where Draco sat with his friends. As he approached, Draco's gaze met his father's, a mix of curiosity and expectation in his eyes. Kneeling beside Draco, Lucius began to examine him for any lingering signs of injury. His skilled hands moved with a gentleness that contradicted his usual stern demeanor.

"Draco, my boy," he said, his voice carrying a warmth most never hear, "are you truly all right? I heard about the incident with Buckbeak."

Draco offered a small smile, appreciating the concern in his father's eyes. "I'm fine, Father, just a few scratches. Madam Pomfrey took care of it."

Lucius nodded, a relieved expression crossing his face. "Good. I was worried when I heard. Your safety is of the utmost importance to me."

Severus Snape, standing a step behind Lucius, observed the interaction with his usual stoicism, a silent guardian in the background.

Lucius then turned his attention to Lily, who was seated nearby. "Miss Lily," he addressed her with a nod, "I hope you are recovering well too. It seems you were involved in the incident as well."

Lily nodded, her gaze meeting Lucius's. "I'm doing alright, Mr. Malfoy. Thank you for asking."

Lucius inclined his head, acknowledging her response. "Please, call me Lucius. Rest assured that I will make sure that the necessary steps are taken to address the situation with Buckbeak. Safety is very important to me, and incidents like these should not occur within the confines of Hogwarts." The room seemed to hush, the weight of Lucius Malfoy's concern creating an unexpected quietude. In that moment, father and son shared a connection that went beyond the usual expectations of the Malfoy name, and the Slytherin common room witnessed a rare display of familial warmth. "I'll handle this matter personally," Lucius assured Draco, placing a reassuring hand on his son's shoulder. "You focus on your studies, Draco. I am proud of the way you handled yourself." As Lucius rose to his feet, the Slytherin common room resumed its usual activity, but the echoes of this unexpected wholesome moment lingered in the air, leaving behind a subtle warmth in the hearts of those who had witnessed it.

Severus Snape, known for his stern and imposing presence, lingered for a moment longer after Lucius had risen to his feet. His dark eyes softened as he regarded both Draco and Lily with an uncharacteristic touch of warmth. The flickering light from the common room's fireplace played upon his features, casting shadows that emphasized the complexity of his emotions.

Draco looked up at Snape, his expression a mix of respect and familiarity that extended beyond the boundaries of a mere professor-student relationship.

Severus then turned his attention to Lily, who sat nearby. With a gentle air, he extended his hand and set it atop her red-haired head, a gesture that spoke volumes despite the lack of words. It was a rare display of affection from a man who was more often associated with severity and reserve.

"Take care, both of you," Severus said in a voice that carried a quiet paternal concern. "Accidents happen, but it's in learning from them that we truly grow."

Lily, though typically outgoing and joyous, felt a reassurance in Snape's touch. She nodded, a silent acknowledgment of the guidance and care offered at that moment.

With a final, lingering gaze, Severus Snape straightened himself and made his way toward the exit, disappearing into the shadows of the Slytherin common room. The air, though unchanged to an observer, held a lingering sense of connection and understanding—a reminder that even in the darkest corners of Hogwarts, bonds were formed that surpassed the boundaries of houses and roles.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The day progresses much the same, a sort of sleepy, dreary air around everyone. Deciding that she had been done with being cooped up in the nice warm castle, Lily gathered her cloak and a besweatered Claude before heading out onto the chilly grounds. Keeping an eye out for dementors she makes her way down towards the lake. She sees a lovely little patch of flowers, daisies she thinks. On these flowers are about three common blue butterflies, as she gets closer they begin to flitter away. She follows closely, trying to catch them and they drift farther and farther away, nearer to the edge of the forest when a large black dog crosses their path. The butterflies fly away as Lily's attention shifts. Noticing her, the dog stops and stares at her, its once sleek fur now transformed into a coarse mat of mud and grime. The thick layer of filth clung to its once-glossy coat, obscuring any hint of the dog's original color. The animal's fur, now a patchwork of dark shades, betrayed the hardships it had endured on the unforgiving streets. The dog's frame, though undoubtedly robust, seemed more slender than it should be, indicative of the relentless struggle for survival it had faced over the years. Its ribs were faintly visible beneath the mud-streaked fur, and its once-taut skin sagged with the weight of prolonged malnutrition. The creature's posture, hunched and cautious, spoke volumes about a life spent navigating the treacherous alleys and forgotten corners of the urban landscape. The dog's eyes, once bright and expressive, were now dulled by a combination of weariness and the grim reality of its existence. They held a mixture of caution and longing, a silent plea for understanding from a world that had seemingly forgotten it. Despite its apparent hardships, the dog still bore a certain majesty. Its large frame, though now lean and weathered, spoke of a once-powerful physique that had allowed it to navigate the challenges of its former life. The coarse, mud-caked fur had formed a protective layer against the elements, a makeshift armor that bore witness to the dog's resilience.

Lily crouches down, her hand extended as she tries to make her way toward it. She freezes as the dog whines and backs away deeper into the forest. Dropping completely to the grassy ground she holds out both hands, palms up, letting out little clicks and coos trying to entice the dog closer. "It's alright, I won't hurt you little guy."

Sniffing the air the dog slowly walks forward. Once it gets close enough to sniff her hands, she gives it little pets on the muzzle. It gets closer and she gives it better pets until it is close enough and lays down in her lap. It rolls over in her lap receiving belly rubs, at least I know he's a boy now. She tries to stay away from the mud to no avail. The feeling of his ribs sticking out through the course fur has her quite concerned. It isn't until she hears his stomach growl that she gets an idea.

She gently pushes him from her lap, standing as she gives him more head pats. "Don't go anywhere, I'll be right back." She whispers to him. Rushing back through the grounds she runs into the school in her mud-drenched clothes.

Getting to the kitchen she asks Twitchy for three steaks on a plate, blue rare. Getting the blood-soaked steaks she runs back to the lake, trying her best not to be seen in the early morning light. Arriving she looks around, not seeing the dog. She chatters some little wispspsps, the dog pokes its head out of a bush on the forest's edge, letting out a little huff. She sets the plate down, watching the dog tare into the steaks, sitting with him until he is finished, and licks the plate clean. Grabbing the plate she walks back to the school, leading the dog with her. She sets the plate on a windowsill in the castle and reaches out to the doggy. She carefully pulls the large animal into her arms, and pulls her cloak around it, trying to hide it. Waddling through the castle as fast as she can, she rushes down the dungeons, along the common room, and into her dorm.

Her roommates are very excited to see the poor, confused puppy. His eyes whir around trying to take in everything around him as they take him into their bathroom. The girls take the first hours of their day washing him with their pretty scented shampoo. They work the mud and matt from his fur the best they can. One of the girls has hair-cutting scissors and they give him a little trim, being very careful, especially around his toes, muzzle, and delicate area. Another has their cat claw cutters and they use it on his overgrown claws. Another takes a nail kit out and they remove the mud from behind his claws until they are nice and ivory. Checking his ears they are relieved to find no bugs, just a little muddy, nothing a few Q-tips can't handle. Once he is finally clean they remove him from the shower, drying him with towels and hair-drying spells. Once it is clean and fluffy, they put in different hair products to make the fur soft and silky. One of the girls has a spare Slytherin tie and they loop it loosely around his neck, then lead him out of the bathroom. He hides under the bed and all of the girls get ready for their day. It isn't until everyone is presentable and ready to go that he comes back out.

Entering the great hall they sit at the Slytherin table, the dog jumping up onto the benches, waiting for food. Draco gives him some scratches on his neck as Lily takes some chicken off the bone and sets it on a plate in front of the dog. He eats his chicken as Draco fills a bowl with water from the pitcher. As they go about lunch all of her friends take turns taking chicken off the bone for him to eat as they do. Suddenly Professor Snape appears behind them.

"Miss. Lily, I am sorry but the dog needs to be on the ground, not at the table." The dog growls at Severus but stops as Lily wraps her arms around him.

"No, no, don't growl at Professor Snape. We like Professor Snape, he's the best." The dog looks at her, cocking his head. "Yes."

They spend the rest of the day hanging out with the dog, playing games, and reading books. They go to two more meals and finally sit around the fire after dinner.

Lily is lying back on the dog on the carpet, she pets Claude as the dog nuzzles her hair. He suddenly lets out a sneeze, snuffling his snot back. Lily lets out a shrieked laugh, wiping his snot off of her. "Poor baby."

Pansy looks over, "Speaking of, what are you going to name him? He needs something besides a baby."

She thinks, looking into his eyes. "I think, I'll call you snuffles."

Snuffles let out a happy bark.