Amisty took a seat at the back of the room, setting up her books in front of her.
The lesson Professor McGonagall was teaching was about Animagi and it was very fascinating, but no one in the class could focus. They all kept sending glances over at Harry, who looked increasingly more and more displeased with all the attention he was receiving.
She watched in extreme interest as Professor McGonagall turned herself into a tabby cat with markings around her eyes that looked like her spectacles, but no one else seemed to even notice.
It was amazing, but apparently Professor Trelawney had left more of an impression than Amisty thought.
Professor McGonagall transformed back into her human form, staring around at them all.
"Really, what has got into you all today? Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got applause from a class," She exclaimed, a trace of concern in her voice.
Everyone looked over at Harry once more.
Hermione raised her hand, "Please, Professor, we've just had our first Divination class, and we were reading the tea leaves and -- "
"Ah, of course. There is no need to say any more, Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?" She asked, a frown tugging on her lips.
Now the entire class's stares transferred to her.
"Me," Harry spoke at last, a heavy sigh following his voice.
There were a few nods around the room.
"I see. Then you should know, Potter, that Sybill Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she arrived at this school. None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favorite way of greeting a new class. If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues -- " Her voice broke off as it raised slightly with anger, as she continued it had simmered back down.
"Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True Seers are very rare and Professor Trelawney -- " Once again, she stopped. "You look in excellent health to me, Potter, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in."
Hermione and Amisty laughed lightly, the rest of the class were as silent as mice.
Harry did have a hint of a smile on his face, though, so Amisty felt better.
"But what about Neville's cup?" Lavender whispered, her brow furrowed as she thought back to the lesson.
Class continued and then it was time for lunch.
"Ron cheer up. You heard what Professor McGonagall said," Hermione reassured the redhead, who still looked very pale.
She pushed a bowl of stew toward him and he spooned some onto his plate.
"Harry you haven't seen a great black dog anywhere, have you?" Ron asked softly, his eyes dark.
"Yeah, I have. I saw one the night I left the Dursleys'," He turned over to Amisty. "Right, Am?"
She nodded and Ron's fork fell onto his plate with a loud clatter.
Now there was absolutely no color in his face whatsoever.
"Probably a stray," Hermione reasoned calmly.
"Hermione, if Harry's seen a Grim, that's -- that's bad. My -- my uncle Bilius saw one and -- and he died twenty-four hours later!" Ron argued, stumbling over his words.
"Coincidence," Hermione waved her hand, pouring herself a glass of pumpkin juice and filling Amisty's half full glass as well.
"You don't know what you're talking about! Grims scare the living daylights out of most wizards!" Ron's eyes narrowed, he was starting to get mad.
"There you are, then. They see the Grim and die of fright. The Grim's not an omen, it's the cause of death! And Harry's still with us because he's not stupid enough to see one and think, right, well, I'd better kick the bucket then!" Hermione replied, lifting her chin.
Ron couldn't seem to find the words to reply, his mouth moving with no sound coming out. Hermione took out her Arithmancy book and propped it against the juice jug as Amisty and Harry traded exasperated looks.
It was a very common occurrence for the two of them to argue.
"I think Divination seems very woolly. A lot of guesswork, if you ask me," Hermione sighed, flipping through her pages as she searched for the chapter she would be reading.
"There was nothing woolly about the Grim in that cup!" Ron insisted angrily.
"You didn't seem quite so confident when you were telling Harry it was a sheep," Hermione replied simply, not even lifting her gaze.
"Professor Trelawney said you didn't have the right aura! You just don't like being bad at something for a change!" Ron snapped.
Hermione stiffened and she slammed her book against the table.
Quite a few heads turned and immediately turned back at the sight of Hermione's face.
"If being good at Divination means I have to pretend to see death omens in a lump of tea leaves, I'm not sure I'll be studying it much longer! That lesson was absolute rubbish compared with my Arithmancy class!" She growled, grabbing up her bag and stalking away.
Amisty had just started to get to her feet when she turned back to her. "No, I'm fine."
Hermione's voice was firm, and Amisty had no choice other than to sit back down and watch as her friend disappeared out of the Great Hall.
"What's she talking about? She hasn't been to an Arithmancy class yet," Ron frowned, looking over at Harry and Amisty. They both shrugged.
-=+=-
Their next lesson was Care of Magical Creatures.
Amisty didn't know if the heavy feeling in her stomach as they walked outside the castle was excitement or terror.
The sky had cleared up since the night before, the dark clouds replaced by a clear dove grey and the grass was slightly damp and springy. It was a perfect temperature to go out.
The walk down was awkward, though, despite the cheerful weather. Hermione and Ron wouldn't even look at one another, let alone say a single word.
Amisty looked down the slopes they were walking, another strange emotion joining the jumble in her stomach at the sight of three heads. Of course, the one in the middle was harbouring the telltale blonde hair. The said blonde was talking very enthusiastically to his two goons, silver eyes alight as they both chuckled.
So they would be having this class with the Slytherins.
"C'mon, now, get a move on! Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up!" Hagrid called, grinning as they all crowded around him. "Everyone here? Right, follow me!"
He led them along the outskirts of the forest, Amisty highly aware of the gaze burning in the back of her neck.
She turned her head slightly to not draw attention from her friends, meeting a pair of silver eyes.
"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.