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This was it. Luna was certain the tracks she had been following were finally proof that the Crumple-Horned Snorkacks did truly exist. She smiled and hummed to herself.
A few more feet and the forested mountainside let out into an open meadow. Luna craned her neck hopefully, but she was disappointed to find the meadow empty of Snorkacks. Strangely, it seemed empty of everything else, too.
She felt a shiver go down her back as she contemplated whether there might be a predator stalking her. Then Luna felt a soft snout rub down her back. She was so surprised, she jumped and screeched.
The creature behind her backed up, but didn’t startle and run as she had expected. Instead, it regarded her with ocean blue, intelligent eyes as Luna tried to slow her heart rate and calm down. It wasn’t often that she utterly lost control of herself like that.
Blinking, she realized that this was the majestic creature she had been tracking. It looked a bit like a moose, if the moose’s antlers had been smooshed almost flat to its head. No wonder it was called Crumple-Horned.
Luna gasped when she realized. Yes, here it was. A real, live Crumple-Horned Snorkack.
Tears of wonder streamed down her cheeks unbidden as Luna reached out and allowed the creature time to creep forward at its own pace. She was surprised by how quickly it nuzzled into her hand, showing no fear.
“Have you encountered witches before?” she asked rhetorically. To her absolute shock, the Snorkack nodded its head.
“Y-you have? Merlin! And you learned to communicate with them?”
It nodded again. “Could you— is there some other way to communicate?”
The Snorkack almost seemed to smile as it nodded and pawed the ground. Luna was astounded to see that it was spelling something. In regular English letters.
C-U-R-S-E-D
“You were cursed?” she asked, knowing its answer would be yes before it even nodded.
“How can I help?” she asked, having learned that this was often a practical thing to ask someone who was in distress.
K-I-S-S M-E
“Kiss you?” she questioned. That seemed ridiculous. How did one kiss a Crumple-Horned Snorkack? And how mad would a Snorkack be to be kissed?
Well, this one seemed quite invigorated by the idea. He was looking at her, practically begging with his eyes.
Luna put a hand on either side of its enormous head, guiding it to look straight at her. This wasn’t going to be pleasant, but if the creature thought it would help…
Pressing her lips to the Snorkack’s, Luna was surprised by how soft and velvety the Snorkack felt. And then, she felt a sucking sensation, like the creature was stuck to her lips. Magic whipped the tall grasses of the meadow all around them and a wind encircled the two of them, creature and witch.
The Snorkack made a strange, almost human sound, and suddenly there were arms around her, and lips kissing hers enthusiastically. Shocked to the core, Luna pulled back as the magic began to settle around them.
Standing in front of her, his hands in front of himself to cover up as best he could, was a stocky man with muscular arms, curly red hair, a million freckles, and those same beautiful ocean eyes. There was something familiar about him, but Luna was so shocked she couldn’t think what. “I never knew Crumple-Horned Snorkacks could shapeshift into humans,” she mumbled.
With a lopsided smile, the man shook his head. “I’m afraid I’ve always been human until I was cursed into the form of a creature.”
Luna processed that for a moment, feeling a sudden sad pull inside. “So… you’re not a Snorkack at all?”
“Is that what I was?” he asked. “I wondered what they were called. No, I’m afraid I’m just a wizard. Charlie Weasley.”
“Weasley?” she repeated, realizing why he looked so familiar. She could see the family resemblance now in his jaw and cheekbones, not to mention the hair.
“Charlie,” he told her.
“The dragon tamer,” she commented, putting the pieces together. “Who cursed you?”
“A poacher. I think he was hoping to disorient me and get to the herd, but the animal instincts just made me more protective,” Charlie said with that heart squeezing smile. Luna couldn’t believe he was talking with her so casually after what he had been through. She began rummaging through her pack for a blanket he could transfigure into clothes.
“Wait,” she said abruptly. “What herd? Of dragons?”
Charlie laughed. “No, though it was my dragons who led me up here on this mountain. I was chasing one who had escaped, but I sort of think he was looking out for the — what did you call them? Snorlacks?”
“Snorkacks,” Luna said, trying not to get excited yet. “Are you saying there really are some here?”
“There are,” he agreed. “Do you want me to take you to meet them?”
Luna’s mouth dropped open in surprise. “Could you?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
“Of course. I’ll introduce you. They can’t communicate as well as I could, but they’re very intelligent. It’s why wizardkind hasn’t been able to find them for so long. I don’t know how those bloody poachers discovered them, but between myself and my dragon, we don’t have to worry about the herd being revealed.”
“You don’t think wizards should know about them?” Luna asked in surprise.
Charlie looked perplexed. “I want to share them with others. I can’t wait to share them with you, but what if these are the only ones? What if exposing them to the wider world brings more poachers down on them and the…” he paused as he fought his way into the clothes he had created, clearly trying to remember their name.
“Crumple-Horned Snorkacks,” Luna supplied.
“Yes, them,” Charlie beamed before looking serious again, “Cease to exist because they’re poached? I’ve seen it happen to too many creatures.”
Luna nodded solemnly. She hadn’t thought of that. Perhaps she could write an article all about them without revealing where she had found them.
“But, right now, let me show you!” he said enthusiastically, reaching his hand out to take hers.
She took it without thinking about it, only realizing how perfect it felt clasped around hers once they were moving quickly through the underbrush of the forest as Charlie tracked the herd he knew was there. In all the years Luna had hunted her creatures, she had never met another human who believed they were real. She couldn’t help but wonder if he would believe her about the others.
Finally, they arrived in another meadow, one further down this side of the mountain. Luna couldn’t believe her eyes when they peaked out from behind the bushes and saw, indeed, an entire herd. “Do you think—” she began just as Charlie said, “Why don’t you take some photos. And I’ll help you with notes.”
“You don’t think that will be dangerous for them?” Luna queried. She didn’t want to be the downfall of the creatures she had worked so long to find.
Charlie shook his head. “I’ve been thinking about it while we followed them,” he explained. “As long as we don’t reveal where they are, I think these amazing creatures deserve to be shared with others.”
“You know I’ll publish about them in The Quibbler,” she told him hesitantly. Most people saw it as a rubbish paper.
Instead of the negative response she was expecting, he grinned. “Been reading it my whole life and I wouldn’t trust any other paper for a discovery like this. The Prophet would sensationalize them and have every poacher on the planet out for their blood in no time.”
“But you think people will take it seriously in The Quibbler?” she asked.
“The smart ones will,” Charlie told her, seeming unconcerned about it. Luna was enamoured with his easy-going attitude.
They sat together watching all afternoon, Charlie telling her stories about the herd while Luna transcribed it all into notes for the article. Later, he introduced her to a few of the ones he said were Elders, and she found that they did a peculiar head-bob in response to most questions that seemed to mean yes. It wasn’t quite a nod like Charlie had done, but close enough.
She even received their permission to use their photos. As it began to get dark, Charlie asked a question that would change her life, and Luna couldn’t wait to answer it.
“I’m going to apparate home. Will you join me?”
“For how long?” she asked in return.
“Tonight, longer, forever. I want to taste your lips again, but it’s always your right to decide.”
“Forever then,” she said decisively.