Of Apples and Oranges

II: vi: Hippogriff Advocate

The Slytherin quartet stood under a large Oak tree atop a hill by the gamekeeper's grounds. They were at Care of Magical Creatures class. Vincent was nodding off against it, but the other three were wide awake. Aurum was bursting with excitement to see the hippogriffs, Draco was eating an apple as if it was his last due to him oversleeping and missing most of breakfast, and Gregory was still trying to cool off from the previous day.

"Let's go mess with Potter." Draco suggested giddily, looking up ahead. "You guys love that. Besides, I'm bored with this talk of overgrown birds."

"I don't think we should ever mess with Harry. We should really leave him to his own business." Aurum protested.

Silence as they stared at the rest of class from their shade beneath the trees.

"I think something's going on with Granger." Draco put out there.

Aurum scoffed. "What's wrong with her? And why do you care?"

"I don't. It's just that she just kind of showed up."

"Yeah, Draco, people go to class. It's a thing people do." Gregory smirked.

"You imbecile, I meant that she flashed onto the grounds like she apparated in." Draco snapped. "It was really weird."

"So what's going on with Ronald?" Aurum asked, leaning against the tree to her right.

"Nothing. What makes you ask about the Weasel?" Draco sneered.

"Something's wrong with Harry and Hermione, so there must be something with him too." Aurum raised her eyebrows. "And please don't call him a weasel."

"I was only worried about Granger is all." Draco groaned.

Vincent quickly awoke as Gregory and Aurum's laughs rang through the grounds. People were beginning to stare, and seeing nothing but Draco's scarlet face, they turned back around to focus on their professor, Hagrid.

"Worried? About Granger? Since when?" Gregory chortled.

"Since she started doing some kind of freaky magic!" Draco gestured towards her spastically. His face still glowed red. He bit into his apple fiercely. "She's like the Juliet to my Benvolio."

"Whatever you say, Romeo. I just want to go pet some hippogriffs." Aurum giggled, running towards the front of the class. The other three ran after her to catch up.

"Look at this beautiful birdie!" Aurum gestured towards the biggest hippogriff, Buckbeak according to Hagrid. She hopped over to a much smaller one. "This one is so cute!" she pointed.

"I'm glad yer excited about them, Ms. Creste." Hagrid scratched the back of his head.

Aurum smiled ear to ear looking at all of the hippogriffs. "My gramma said she rode one once," she said offhandedly to Draco. "She said it was unbelievably cool."

"I wouldn't ride it. It looks dangerous. Just look at its talons." Draco pointed to the claws of Buckbeak.

Aurum bit her lip until it nearly bled when Hagrid chose Harry to try to fly on the hippogriff first. She didn't want to say anything, but felt it unfair since she was so much more excited about it when Hagrid asked for volunteers.

When Harry returned from his flight, Aurum shrieked for a turn against the screams of other students. Aurum and Draco were granted chances to ride the hippogriffs. She was given a small golden one and he was given Buckbeak. She bowed to the creature and it immediately bowed back, chirping happily at her. She hopped onto it and was ready to fly upon it until she saw Draco collapsed on the ground being attacked by Buckbeak.

"Stop! Stop it!" Aurum screamed at the hippogriff as she hopped off of hers to help Draco. She heaved the screaming boy by the back away along with Gregory and Vincent at the arms.

Everyone had backed off now, seeing how the hippogriff had attacked Draco. He may have insulted the bird as Aurum barely noticed, but he didn't deserve the large gashes across his chest and arm.

Hagrid dismissed class and took Draco to the infirmary with Hermione opening the gate out of the gamekeeper's grounds. Aurum, Gregory, and Vincent followed them closely and with worry in their eyes.