snake in the lions den|| WTM

twenty-four

The trio emerge from the bridge and make their way toward Hagrid's hut. The Whomping Willow looms in the distance "You don't think that Grim thing got anything to do with Sirius Black?" Ron says worried about his friend "Ron. Honestly. If you ask me, Divination's a very wooly discipline. Now Ancient Runes. That's a fascinating subject."

"Ancient Runes? Exactly how many classes are you taking this term?"

"A fair few."

"Hang on. Ancient Runes is the same time as Divination. You'd  have to be in two classes at once."

"Don't be silly. How could anyone be in two classes at once?" Hermione starts mimicking Trelawney "Broaden your minds..."

Students gather around Hagrid as Ada, Ron and Hermione arrive. Mattheo, Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle stand with the Slytherins. "C'mon now, get a move on! Got areal treat for yeh. Great lesson comin' up. Follow me."

"Theo!" Ada calls out. Mattheo turns and smiles slightly at the girl. "Theo?" Ada smiles, nods and skips over to him and then starts talking whilst following Hagrid. Draco looks up confused to why Mattheo was talking to Potter. And why was he smiling, he never smiles, just glares.

"Awe I make you smile." She teases poking his side repeatedly. Mattheo rolls his eyes fondly before grabbing her hand, placing a kiss on her palm. "Yeah, yeah. Hush it." He grumbles but still smiling.

Hagrid leads them toward a small paddock just this side of the Forbidden Forest. In the paddock, a freestanding iron rack hangs with dead Ferrets , buzzing with flies. Nearby is a pumpkin patch. "Gather 'round. Find yerself a spot. That's it. Now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books." Hagrid calls out.

"And exactly how do we do that?" Draco sneers

"Crikey. Didn' yeh know? All yeh've got ter do is stroke 'em. Look "Hagrid takes Hermione's copy, snaps the Spellotape binding it. As it begins to bite, Hagrid calmly runs afore finger down the book's spine and it... shivers. Falls quietly open. Hagrid glances at the class, looking suddenly unsure. "Righ' then. So... so... yeh've got yer books, an' now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Right. So... I'll... I'll go an' get 'em." Hagrid turns, disappears into the trees.

Neville tries to open it but it just turns to attacks him causing him to fall. "Don't be wimp Longbottom." Draco says walking past him. "I'm okay." Neville says before getting attacked again.

"Oh Nev." Luna sighs stroking his arm in comfort causing the boys face to turn red.

"I think they're funny." Hermione says Draco shakes his head, speaking loudly to Crabbe and Goyle. "Oh, yeah. Terribly funny, really witty. God, this place is going to the dogs. Wait until my father hears Dumbledore's got this oaf teaching classes."

"Shut the fuck up Malfoy" Ada tells him with a dead expression, he was really pissing her off. The boy 'ohhs' and hands his bag to Crabbe stepping up to Ada. She sees Draco's eyes widening in fear, Malfoy steps back, points. "Dementor! Dementor!" Everyone turns around bar Mattheo and Ada, they just look at Draco and his goons in annoyance as the put their hoods up and impersonates a dementor. Hermione pulls a face at them and pulls Ada away.

"How did you know that there wasn't a dementor?" Charlie Weasley asks the two. "Well It's not too hard to know when you are near a dementor. Plus it's Malfoy." Ada says gaining nods from everyone in the room. "What's that suppose to mean?" Draco asks, offence written allover his face. Everyone just gives him a look. "Fair enough."

A beautiful creature emerges from the trees. It has the torso, hind legs, and tail of a horse, but the front legs, wings and head of a giant eagle. The students step back in fear, then Hagrid appears, shooing the beast on. "Get up, there! Beau'iful, isn' he?" Hagrid says while grinning. Everyone looks nervous but Ada who had a giddy smile.