Harry and Luke moved slowly through the marshy clearing until the ruins thinned out and the ground dipped toward a wide, muddy pond. The air was heavy with moisture, and the faint smell of algae mixed with the metallic scent of Bogano's mineral-rich soil. Luke walked quietly now, instinctively cautious, while Harry's eyes scanned the terrain with trained awareness.
Then Luke froze.
"Harry…" he whispered.
There, just beyond the pond's edge, stood a Binog.
It was enormous — far larger than Harry had expected from scouting glimpses. Seeing it up close was something else entirely. The creature's body resembled a cross between a gigantic reptile and a deep-water fish. Three sets of small, muscular legs supported its bulk, while a long scaled tail dragged behind it. At the tail's end spread a skeletal fin, sharp-edged like a weapon.
Its nostrils flared wide, and every slow breath made a low rumbling sound. The scales along its body looked thick enough to stop conventional weapons entirely.
Harry blinked once, genuinely impressed.
"Well… that is bigger than I expected."
Instead of immediately attacking, he calmly reached into a pouch at his belt and pulled out a small enchanted camera.
Click.
The magical shutter flashed briefly.
Luke stared.
"What was that?"
Harry grinned slightly.
"A camera. Magical one."
Luke tilted his head.
"What does it do?"
"It stores memories," Harry explained quietly. "Pictures of moments. Things you don't want to forget. Later I can look at it again and remember exactly how it looked."
Luke nodded slowly, fascinated.
"Well… now that we're here…" he said carefully, "how exactly are you planning to kill that thing?"
Harry slipped the camera away and answered simply:
"The old-fashioned way."
With a soft hum, a red lightsaber ignited in his hand, casting crimson light across the reeds.
Luke's eyes widened.
"That'll cut through its scales?"
"It should," Harry said. "Metal weapons won't. That hide is basically natural armor."
Luke hesitated, then asked:
"You could just use lightning, right? I've seen you do that when sparring with Dobby. One big blast — finished."
Harry shook his head immediately.
"Bad idea."
"Why?"
"Lightning causes massive internal damage. Burns tissue unevenly. Spoils the meat faster. If we're hunting for food, precision matters."
Luke hadn't considered that.
"Oh."
Harry rested a hand briefly on the boy's shoulder.
"You stay up here on the ridge. Observe. Watch everything."
Luke frowned slightly.
"Why?"
"Because next time," Harry said calmly, "you're doing this alone."
Luke swallowed.
"…Right."
Before the boy could argue further, Harry stepped back, focused, and then—
Force jump.
He launched forward with a burst of controlled power, flying far beyond normal human capability and landing lightly near the Binog.
The creature hadn't noticed them earlier, apparently unused to predators. Bogano had few animals capable of challenging something that large, and complacency had settled in.
That changed instantly.
The Binog's head snapped toward Harry. Its nostrils flared, sensing him, and its tail whipped around.
Fast.
Much faster than something that size should move.
Harry barely avoided the first swing, the razor-edged fin slicing air where he'd stood a moment before.
From the ridge, Luke sucked in a breath.
"Whoa…"
The tail came again. Harry sidestepped, using a short Force push to boost his reflexes. Mud splashed around his boots as he repositioned.
Then the creature lunged.
Its jaws opened wide enough to swallow him whole. Rows of blunt crushing teeth glistened in the dim light.
Harry shoved himself sideways with another Force burst, narrowly avoiding the snap.
"Fast," he muttered to himself.
The Binog roared — a deep, wet sound — and lashed its tail again while advancing. Harry evaded strike after strike, reading its rhythm, testing its speed.
Something else became clear quickly.
"It's trying to reach the water…"
The pond lay only a few meters behind the creature. If it submerged fully, they'd lose it — and possibly never find it again.
Harry couldn't allow that.
Timing the next tail swing, he leapt sideways, sprinted, then jumped again — this time landing directly between the Binog and the waterline.
The creature reacted instantly, lunging forward to break past him.
Harry waited.
Last second.
He pivoted, vaulted upward, and landed on the creature's massive head.
"Sorry," he murmured.
The lightsaber plunged downward.
Resistance.
Even with a lightsaber, the skull was thick. The blade sank in but didn't pass through entirely.
The Binog thrashed violently, trying to shake him off. Harry braced his feet against its scales, gripping with the Force for stability.
"This is tougher than I thought…"
The creature staggered, roaring, but it still moved — still alive.
Harry adjusted his grip and began dragging the blade sideways, carving a deep circular cut along the neck.
It was messy work.
Slow.
The lightsaber hissed loudly against dense tissue. Steam rose where it burned through.
Finally, the Binog's movements weakened.
Its legs buckled.
A final shudder passed through its massive body before it collapsed with a ground-shaking thud.
Silence returned to the marsh.
Harry exhaled slowly, deactivating the saber.
The head was technically still attached — the neck was simply too massive for a clean instant severing — but the creature was unquestionably dead.
From the ridge, Luke raised both hands enthusiastically.
A thumbs-up.
Dobby had taught him that gesture.
Harry laughed softly despite himself.
"Yeah," he called back, "I'll take that as approval."
Luke shouted down:
"That was AWESOME! Also terrifying! Mostly awesome!"
Harry shook his head, smiling.
"Come down carefully. And bring the blaster. We'll need to secure the area before we start processing it."
Luke began climbing down, excitement replacing earlier fear.
Luke stood beside the enormous fallen Binog. Up close, the creature looked even more impressive. Its scales shimmered faintly under Bogano's filtered sunlight, thick plates layered like natural armor. Luke cautiously reached out and touched the hide, half expecting it to twitch back to life.
"It's… really solid," Luke said, pressing his palm against the scales. "Feels like metal. Almost."
Harry nodded.
"Nature does that sometimes. Builds better armor than any factory. That's why hunting properly matters — otherwise you ruin everything useful."
Luke walked slowly around the creature, eyes wide with curiosity.
"So this one animal… it'll really feed us for months?"
"If processed properly, yes," Harry replied. "And the hide alone is worth more than the meat."
Then Harry raised his hand slightly and spoke in a calm voice:
"Dobby."
A soft pop sounded behind them.
The house-elf appeared instantly, blinking once before his eyes landed on the massive carcass.
For a second he said nothing.
Then his ears shot up.
"Oh! Master has hunted a magnificent beast!"
Dobby hurried forward, excitement clear in every movement. He circled the Binog, examining scales, tail fin, nostrils, joints — clearly assessing it with the eye of someone experienced in harvesting magical creatures.
"This is excellent. Very excellent. Thick hide. Strong bone structure. Lots of usable material."
Luke grinned.
"I helped."
Harry smirked slightly but didn't contradict him.
Dobby continued inspecting, then suddenly snapped his fingers.
"I have the tools, sir. The same ones we used when processing the basilisk back home. With those, this will be much easier."
Harry's smile widened.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
Without another word, Dobby vanished again.
Luke blinked.
"I don't think I'll ever get used to that teleporting."
"You will," Harry said casually. "Or you'll learn it yourself someday."
Luke perked up immediately.
"Seriously?"
"Eventually. Focus on basics first."
Another pop sounded, and Dobby reappeared — this time dragging a massive magically expanded toolkit chest. It unfolded itself automatically, revealing enchanted knives, preservation charms, skinning hooks, rune-inscribed containers, and several devices Luke couldn't even identify.
Luke whistled softly.
"That's… serious equipment."
"We prepared for long survival," Harry said. "Space exploration rarely comes with grocery stores."
Dobby was already mentally ahead.
"This hide, sir… perfect for cloaks. Maybe armor. Possibly both."
Luke looked impressed.
"You can make armor from that?"
"Yes, young Luke," Dobby said proudly. "And I am already working with another material too."
Harry glanced at him.
"The Oggdo frog hides?"
"Yes, sir."
Dobby's expression shifted from excitement to determination.
"I have been clearing the rice field area Winky found. It was infested with those frogs. Dangerous creatures. Thick hides, very resistant. Even lightsabers struggle sometimes."
Luke grimaced.
"I remember those. One tried to eat my leg last week."
Harry chuckled.
"They're aggressive."
Dobby nodded vigorously.
"The only real weakness is the mouth. When they open it to attack — that is when I strike. Otherwise almost nothing penetrates."
He sounded almost proud of the tactical achievement.
"And you collected the hides?" Harry asked.
"Yes, sir. Planning armor sets eventually. Protection for everyone."
Harry's expression softened slightly.
"That's good thinking."
Then they got to work.
Processing a creature this size wasn't quick. Harry handled the main cuts with the lightsaber initially — precise, controlled burns that allowed clean separation without damaging useful tissues. Dobby followed immediately with enchanted blades to finish the job properly.
Luke observed closely, occasionally assisting under instruction. Harry explained everything:
"Always drain blood first. Prevents spoilage."
"Separate muscle groups carefully — don't rush."
"Organs can be useful, but inspect for toxins."
Luke listened seriously. This wasn't glamorous Force training — but it was survival training.
The hide alone took considerable effort. It peeled away slowly, revealing layers of dense muscle beneath. Once free, it folded into a massive sheet that looked heavy enough to crush Luke.
Dobby tapped it lightly with a preservation charm.
"Will dry it properly later."
Another teleport.
Hide gone.
Moments later he returned carrying a large enchanted storage trunk — one Harry had purchased back on Earth specifically for food preservation. Its interior was magically cooled and stabilized.
Harry opened it.
Luke peeked inside and saw rows of already stored meats: Earth livestock, preserved supplies.
"Whoa…"
The Binog meat was cut into manageable portions. Harry sliced; Dobby stored. Methodical, efficient.
Eventually the enormous carcass became organized stacks of food.
Only one large chunk remained — a thick cut from near the shoulder.
Harry wiped his hands.
"This one we test first."
Luke nodded knowingly.
"Winky decides if it's edible."
"Yes. She has the best judgment."
Dobby closed the trunk with satisfaction.
"This will sustain us very well."
Harry looked at the remaining meat piece thoughtfully.
"And if Winky approves… we'll finally have two local foods."
Luke groaned.
"Please never make me eat bograt again."
Harry laughed.
"Survival first. Comfort later."
Still, all three knew:
Today's hunt may be changed things.
And another step toward truly making Bogano their home — at least for now.
By the time Harry, Luke, and Dobby returned to their camp, the sun was dipping low behind Bogano's distant hills. Smoke curled gently from the cooking fire near the camp, and the rich scent of spices drifted toward them long before they saw Winky.
Luke's stomach growled audibly.
"Please tell me that's food," he said hopefully.
Harry laughed.
"That's definitely food."
As they stepped closer, the aroma intensified — herbs from Earth, alien greens from Bogano, and something savory simmering in a heavy iron pot. Winky stood over the fire with complete authority, stirring carefully, her ears twitching at the sound of their approach.
Luke didn't even hesitate. He rushed forward, dropping the blaster onto a nearby crate.
"I'm starving—"
"STOP!"
Winky's sharp voice cut through the air.
All three froze.
Winky turned slowly, hands on her hips.
"You three are stinking."
Luke blinked.
"What?"
"You smell like swamp and blood and bog mud!" she declared firmly. "No food until bath. Not one bite."
Luke groaned dramatically.
"But we just hunted—"
"And hunted beasts do not sit at table smelling like beasts!" Winky snapped. "Bath. Now."
Harry raised both hands in surrender.
Luke sighed heavily.
"This planet has too many rules."
Still, he obeyed. All three made their way toward the small pond that had become their bathing area. It had been cleared weeks earlier, carefully warded and scanned to ensure no predators lurked beneath its surface. It was shallow enough for safety and large enough for swimming — one of Luke's favorite discoveries on this world.
Harry had even simplified their drinking supply. Rather than hauling water from the pond daily, he used a controlled Aguamenti spell to conjure fresh water directly from the moisture in the air — purified and stored in containers near camp. It was faster and cleaner than trekking back and forth.
Luke stripped off his outer layers quickly and waded into the pond with enthusiasm.
Even after weeks here, he still couldn't quite believe swimming was something people did for pleasure.
Harry followed, rinsing swamp mud from his boots and arms, while Dobby meticulously cleaned every trace of blood from his hands using a combination of soap and minor cleansing charms.
Luke lathered himself with soap, grinning like he had just discovered treasure. He closed his eyes briefly as the water washed over him.
"And this soap… it smells amazing."
"Winky bought good supplies," Dobby said proudly.
By the time they finished, the swamp stink was gone, replaced by clean herbal scents. They returned to camp refreshed, hair damp, faces bright.
Winky inspected them carefully as they approached.
She nodded once.
"Acceptable."
Luke rushed to sit immediately.
Winky had already laid out a testing arrangement on the table.
Three different preparations of Binog meat rested on separate plates.
One boiled.
One fried in oil.
One steamed.
And a small raw sample beside them — just in case.
"We test plain first," Winky said seriously. "No spices. No herbs. If bad taste, no waste rare ingredients."
Harry nodded approvingly.
All four of them — Harry, Luke, Dobby, and Winky — sat around the table.
Harry took the first piece from the boiled portion and bit carefully.
He paused.
Then blinked.
Luke watched anxiously.
"Well?"
Harry chewed slowly, analyzing.
"It's… good."
"Good?" Luke pressed.
Harry swallowed.
"It tastes like tuna… and pork combined. A little fishy, but rich. Very rich."
Luke didn't wait for more explanation. He grabbed his own piece and bit into it.
His eyes widened instantly.
"Oh wow."
He swallowed quickly and reached for the fried sample without hesitation.
Dobby tried the steamed portion.
Winky watched all of them closely, ears raised.
Harry sampled the fried version next.
Crisp outside. Juicy inside.
Even without seasoning, it was delicious.
Winky finally allowed herself to taste.
Her expression softened into a satisfied smile.
"This is good," she declared proudly. "Very good. We can make stew, roast, jerky, broth… everything."
Dobby raised both hands.
"Excellent hunt, master!"
Luke raised his arms dramatically.
"No more bograts for me!"
They all laughed.
Winky began serving the rest of dinner — vegetables, grains, and a small portion of properly seasoned beef as the centerpiece.
The meal that night was the best they had eaten since leaving Tatooine.
The flavor lingered pleasantly in Harry's mouth long after he finished. It was satisfying in a way that felt… secure. Food security changed everything.
As the others talked and laughed, Harry leaned back slightly, thinking.
Their storage trunk was large. Very large.
They had space.
And Bogano had… many Binogs.
Or at least, enough that he had not yet seen signs of scarcity.
But once the creatures retreated into deeper waters, hunting would become significantly harder.
"I might hunt a few more," Harry said casually.
Luke blinked.
"Already?"
"Before they disappear into the ponds for good. If we're going to disappear ourselves someday, I want our storage full."
Winky nodded thoughtfully.
"Smart."
Dobby's eyes gleamed.
"More hide for armor too."
Harry looked out toward the darkening marshland beyond their warded perimeter.
He didn't know exactly how many Binogs existed on Bogano. But he knew one thing clearly:
Preparation meant freedom.
And if the day came when they had to leave this planet quickly — whether because of the Empire or something worse — he wanted them fully stocked.
Author's Note:
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