CHAPTER EIGHT
INJURIES AND NEW NEWS
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My eyes were wide open as the hippogriff lifted off into the air. Luckily, I didn't have a fear of heights, which also helps when it comes to quidditch. I laughed with glee as Feathermoon lifted high, then leveled out so we were no longer on an incline.
I was amazed. We were in between layers of clouds, some above us and some below us. I looked down and took in a sharp breath at how beautiful everything looked. The green grass was basically glowing, and I could still see the ripples of the gray-bue lake near Hogwarts. And I could see all of Hogwarts itself. I hadn't realized how massive the castle is. The towers of the building still rose higher than Feathermoon and I.
"Giovanna!" I heard someone call and looked behind me to see Harry flying close on Buckbeak.
"Harry, this is amazing!" I laughed. "I never want to go back down."
"Me either!" Harry laughed gleefully.
Feathermoon flew close to Buckbeak so that Harry and I were side by side.
Speeding forward, Feathermoon flew in a circle around the Astronomy tower, followed by Buckbeak and Harry. Once we passed that, we glided smoothly down near the courtyards. I could hear the loud yells of students below. Then, Buckbeak turned and flew down towards the lake.
For a moment I thought that Buckbeak was going to dive straight into the water, until him and Harry began to glide smoothly across the surface of the water. Feathermoon followed and did the same, right next t.o Buckbeak. Harry and I began to slowly and carefully let go with our arms, until we were holding them out to our sides, water spraying us.
Soon, we lifted up into the sky once again, and the two Hippogriffs circled each other midair. Laughing, I sat up, watching Harry's nervous face as each turn made him fear falling. It was hilarious. It was nice, a moment where both of us didn't have to worry about who we are. A moment to be me and him, not The Chosen Ones nor The Potter Twins, just two magical students.
"Giovanna, I think we should head back now." Harry called to me.
"I don't want to." I whined.
"I know, but maybe Hagrid can let us ride them again after class or something. Come on."
We prodded the two Hippogriffs to soar back to the class area, which wasn't that far away. We looped down, landing with a gallop onto the ground. The class cheered and clapped, yelling out praises.
"Well done, Harry!"
"Great job, Giovanna!"
"Brilliant, both of you!" Hagrid clapped, then helped Harry and I off of the hippogriffs. "How was the flight?"
Harry and I grinned at each other, then both breathed, "Terrific."
While the class talked to each other, Hagrid pulled Harry and I aside. "How am I doing on me first day?" He asked us nervously.
"Brilliant, Hagrid." I smiled reassuringly. As Harry answered, I looked behind Hagrid to see Draco walking up to Buckbeak, pushing people out of the way.
"Yeah, see you're not dangerous at all, are you?" He sneered.
"Draco-" I tried, but was cut off by Draco.
"Great ugly prute."
"Malfoy-" Hagrid tried as well, turning around.
Buckbeak reared back onto his back two legs, and kicked out his front two talons. Draco held his arm up to block his face and Buckbeack tore his talon through Draco's arm, making him fall back onto the ground.
Hagrid rushed between the boy and the hippogriff while I skidded to my knees next to the blonde prat. The rest of the class ran back fearfully.
"Buckbeak!" Hagrid scolded the hippogriff, then tossed a dead ferret to the side to distract the beast.
"It's killed me, it's killed me!" Draco whimpered. I rolled my eyes and carefully held his arm. It was bloody torn, all right.
"It has not killed you, knock it off." I huffed. "But it got you good. What on Merlin's beard were you trying to prove?"
"That I can do it better than Potter."
"Who cares?"
"I thought you might."
I stayed silent at this, and turned to Hagrid instead. "Hagrid! He has to be taken to the hospital!"
Hagrid nodded, and lifted Draco into his arms. "Alright. I'm the teacher, I'll do it. Giovanna, you come, too."
I nodded.
Draco didn't reappear in classes until late on Thursday morning, when us Slytherins and the Gryffindors were halfway through Potions. Draco swaggered into the dungeons, and I rolled my eyes. His arm was covered in bandages and held by a sling. He was acting as though he was the heroic survivor of a terrible war.
"How is it, Draco?" Pansy asked with too much concern. I scoffed in distaste. "Does it hurt much?"
"Yeah." Draco said bravely, but winked at Crabbe and Goyle when Pansy looked away. He glanced over at me, saw my annoyed face, and dropped his smirk.
"Settle down, settle down." Snape said idly. I lanced over at Harry and Ron, who were at the table next to Hermione and I. Snape would've never said "settle down" if they walked in late.
But, unfortunately to them but fortunately to me, all Slytherins had always been able to get away with anything in Snape's classes. Snape was head of Slytherin House, and generality favored his own students above all others.
Today we were making a potion called the Shrinking Solution. Hermione and I worked effortlessly, since we both did well in Potions.
"Sir," Draco called, "Sir, I'll need help cutting these daisy roots because of my arm-" I scowled up at the blonde.
"Oh, it's just a bloody scratch." Hermione muttered under her breath, and I nodded in agreement.
"Weasley, cut Malfoy's roots for him." Snape ordered carelessly.
Ron's face turned red. "There's nothing wrong with your arm, Malfoy." He hissed at Draco, who simply smirked.
"Weasley, you heard Professor Snape, cut the roots." Draco smirked.
"I can do it, Professor!" I raised my hand, glaring at Draco, who's smirk fell. And, since Snape isn't too fond of me either, he agreed. Draco was defeated, he obviously didn't want me to do the work. But I didn't let him win and I did it anyways.
"Seen your pal Hagrid recently?" Draco asked Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I quietly.
"None of your business." Ron said jerkily without looking at the boy.
"I'm afraid he won't be teaching much longer. Father's not too happy about my injury-"
"Draco, keep talking and I'll give you a real injury." I seethed, sending his roots back over to him.
"-he's complained to the school governors. And to the Ministry of Magic. Father's got a lot of influence, you know. And a lasting injury like this," he gave a huge, fake sigh, "who knows if my arm'll ever be the same again?"
"Oh for Merlin's sake, I hope they have to chop it off." I held up the knife I was using to cut the next ingredient and pointed it at Draco. "I'll gladly do it myself."
"So that's why you're putting it on,"Harry continued, accidentally beheading
a dead caterpillar because his hand was shaking in anger. "To try to get Hagrid fired."
"Well," Draco began lowering his voice to a whisper, "partly, Potter. But there are other benefits too. Weasley, slice my caterpillars for me."
Since I had already saved Ron the work once, he took this one for himself.
"Hey, Harry, Giovanna," Seamus Finnigan, leaning over to borrow Harry's brass scales, began. "Have you heard? Daily Prophet this morning- they reckon Sirius Black's been sighted."
"What?" I raised my eyebrows.
"Where?" Harry asked.
I noticed Draco looked up, listening closely. I didn't care, even if he didn't hear, I would probably just tell him later anyways.
"Not too far from here," said Seamus, who looked excited. "It was a Muggle who saw him. 'Course, she didn't really understand. The Muggles think he's just an ordinary criminal, don't they? So she phoned the telephone hot line. By the time the Ministry of Magic got there, he was gone."
"Not too far from here... " Ron repeated, looking significantly at Harry. He turned around and noticed Draco watching closely. "What, Malfoy? Need something else skinned?"
But instead, Malfoy's eyes were shining malevolently, and they were fixed Harry. He leaned across the table. "Thinking of trying to catch Black single-handed, Potters?"
"Yeah, you got it."
"That's right."
Harry and I both say sarcastically.
Before Draco could reply, Snape had dismissed the class. We all packed up and headed out of the classroom quickly. Sure, I was good at Potions, but I downright hated it.