Magic? || Years 1-5

The Hippogriffs: Year 3

"You don't think I'm going to go running back in there, do you?" She mouthed to Draco, raising an eyebrow.

"I can never tell with you, maybe you would want to be rescued again," He replied, smirking.

She glared back, turning away before he could see the pink on her cheeks. They had reached an empty paddock.

"Everyone gather 'round the fence here! That's it -- make sure yeh can see -- now firs' thing yeh'll want to do is open yer books -- " He started.

"How?" Malfoy asked coldly.

So much for Hermione thinking they would be getting along.

"Eh?" Hagrid replied, confused.

"How do we open our books?" He clarified, pulling out his copy of The Monster Book of Monsters.

It was tied closed with a cord of thick rope.

As others took out their own books Amisty glanced around, some of them were belted, others were stuffed inside bags or clamped with binder clips.

"Hasn' -- hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?" Hagrid asked softly, his eyebrows creasing. Everyone shook their heads no. "Yeh've got ter stroke 'em. Look -- "

He took Hermione's copy gently and tore off the Spellotape that kept it tightly shut.

The second the tape was gone the book started to fight but all Hagrid did was run his finger down the spine of the book. It quivered and then opened quietly on his hand.

"Oh, how silly we've all been! We should have stroked them! Why didn't we guess!" Malfoy exclaimed sarcastically.

Amisty's fingers twitched and she refused to even look at him, even though the rest of class's attention was on him.

"I -- I thought they were funny," Hagrid replied awkwardly, his smile quickly turning into a frown.

"Oh, tremendously funny! Really witty, giving us books that try and rip our heads off!" Malfoy snapped back.

"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry hissed, his eyes narrowed.

"Righ', then, so -- so yeh've got yer books an' -- an' -- now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Yeah. So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on..." He nodded, no longer cheerful as he walked into the forest.

"God, this place is going to the dogs. That oaf teaching classes, my father'll have a fit when I tell him -- " Malfoy started up again, letting his voice carry after Hagrid.

Amisty, after giving Hermione an 'I told you so,' look, strode toward him.

It was more difficult than she had thought it would be, having to squeeze through the tight knots of friends.

"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry repeated, his voice even angrier than it had been the first time.

She was only a few more steps away.

"Careful, Potter, there's a dementor behind you -- " He started, only to break off as Amisty gave a well aimed stomp on his foot.

Thankfully his cry of pain was quieted by the high pitched squeal from Lavender Brown, who was pointing down the paddock.

Malfoy and Amisty locked gazes, she smirked, curtsied, and slipped away before Crabbe and Goyle could get a hold of her.

The creatures that Hagrid had ushered toward them were gorgeous. With gleaming horse coats of many colors and wings and heads of eagles. Pale grey beaks adorned their faces, bright orange eyes illuminating their faces, and their front legs had long, sharp talons that looked as if they could inflict far more damage than a kitchen knife. Leather collars hung loosely around their neck connected to long metal chains that Hagrid was holding.

"Gee up, there!" Hagrid shouted, urging them forward. "Hippogriffs! Beau'iful, aren' they?"

Amisty got up on her tiptoes after rejoining her friends, easily catching sight of them because of their towering height.

"So, if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer -- " He gestured for them to move.

Only Amisty, Hermione, Harry, and Ron crept closer.

"Now, fis' thing yeh gotta know abou' hippogriffs is, they're proud. Easily offended, hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do."

Amisty's ears twitched and she glanced around, trying to see who was whispering.

Unsurprisingly, it was the three idiots.

Also unsurprisingly, Malfoy's mouth quirked up into a smirk when he caught her looking.

"Yeh always wait fer the hippogriff ter make the firs' move. It's polite, see? Yeh walk toward him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt," He turned toward them. "Right -- who wants ter go first?"

Everyone took a small step back, some took massive steps, their eyes fixed on the hippogriffs in fear.

"No one?" Hagrid asked, his voice edging toward pleading.

"I'll do it," Harry decided loudly, stepping forward with a determined look on his face.

"Oooh, no, Harry, remember your tea leaves!" Parvati and Lavender whispered, sounding terrified. He paid them no heed and stepped into the paddock.

"Good man, Harry! Right then -- let's see how yeh get on with Buckbeak!" Hagrid grinned, clapping him on the back.

He walked over to a magnificent grey hippogriff and slipped off his leather collar gently. Amisty watched tensely, her gaze flickering over to Malfoy to see his eyes narrowed.

"Easy, now, Harry. Yeh've got eye contact, now try not ter blink... Hippogriff's don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much..." Hagrid explained, watching to the side as Buckbeak turned his head so he was surveying Harry with one eye.

"Tha's it. Tha's it, Harry... now, bow," Hagrid guided him gently. Harry followed his directions, bowing shortly and glancing back up at Buckbeak. The hippogriff didn't move. "Ah. Right -- back away, now, Harry, easy does it -- "

And then, to everyone's surprise and shock, Buckbeak dipped down on his knees and bowed.

"Well done, Harry! Right -- yeh can touch him. Pat his beak, go on!" Hagrid cheered, the nervousness gone from his voice.

Very hesitantly, Harry walked forward and patted the hippogriff's beak gently.

"Righ' then, Harry. I reckon he might' let yeh ride him!" Hagrid exclaimed, grinning. Well... oh dear.