Wizarding Royalty

Chapter 28: Pegasi

Many of the gathered young witches and wizards marveled at the beautiful creature Professor Grubby-Plank was stroking lightly. The creature was a pure black stallion with large wings of the same color, beside him was another pegasus this one of a pure white. Both horses nickered a greeting to the students around them. 

"Can anyone tell me what type of creatures these two are?" Professor Grubby-Plank asked the class. Immediately, hands shot up into the air as the wizards made connections to creatures they had only read about in books. 

"Mr. Jackson?" Professor Grubby-Plank gestured to Percy who had his hand raised. 

"They are pegasi, ma'am," Percy said confidently. 

"Correct. Ten points to Hufflepuff. As some of you may know pegasi are rare within our world. Little to no accounts have been recorded on how to take care of them. Many assume they can be taken care of like regular nonmagical horses besides the need to stretch their wings occasionally. 

I want you to get in small groups and be careful. While they might not be as volatile as the hippogriffs you have come in contact with we don't know how they will react. They seem pretty docile so we should have no problems if everyone keeps their wits about them. I want you to study them. Write down any behaviors you notice." 

Percy, Thalia, and Nico looked at each other and came to a silent agreement. They settled down near where Hermione, Ron, and Harry had sat. Nico and Thalia were leaning against a tree while Percy wrote something down his face scrunched in concentration while he tried not to make a mistake. The two pegasi walked up to them and the black one nudged at Percy's shoulder. The raven laughed out loud and stroked the stallion's nose giving in to his silent demand. 

"Hey, Blackjack," he said. "Hello, Porkpie." He gave the white one pets too. Later, Harry would wonder how the other boy knew their names, but it didn't occur to him that no one had given them names before. 

The two pegasi seemed to shy away from Nico but felt no one way or another about Thalia. Many students watched the interaction and wrote down what they saw. Even Professor Grubby-Plank seemed confused. 

"They seem quite fond of you, Mr. Jackson," Professor Grubby-Plank observed. 

"What?" Percy questioned with confusion, looking up from where he had been absentmindedly stroking the two pegasi. "I guess they do." 

~~~

Percy stopped in his tracks when he saw Blackjack and Porkpie standing next to Professor Grubby-Plank. As they walked closer the two pegasi seemed to grow more excited and calls of Blackjack's "Boss" and Porkpie's "Lord" floated through Percy's mind. Percy sent them back a mental hello and joined the circle of fifth years. 

Some were clamoring excitedly at the sight, others were openly gaping. Percy just smiled fondly and started talking to them mentally. He did not want to look weird in front of mortals for talking to horses. Not the best way to keep a secret. 

'Why are you here? You two are supposed to be at Camp,' Percy questioned mentally.  

'It's boring without you, Boss.' Blackjack replied. 'Do you have any donuts?' 

'What have I said about calling me Boss? And no I don't have any donuts.'

'But you're the boss, Boss.' 

Percy sighed knowing it was a useless fight. He turned to Porkpie. 

'Why did you let him do this?' Percy asked.

'He asked me if I wanted to go for a fly. I just followed him,' Porkpie responded, but Percy saw the slight amusement in the white pegasus's eyes.