A couple of days later, during one of Aine's free periods, she went along to visit Professor Lupin after being told by her house head, Professor McGonagall. She had been fairly curious and excited as to what the older had told her. Apparently, it was to learn something. Perhaps it was a new spell. But whatever it is, she was delighted to learn something new.
"I'll see you later," Aine tells Ginny who nodded her head, her friend had asked her if she was in any kind of trouble when Professor McGonagall told her to stay behind after class. However, there was no trouble at all. "See you!" Ginny waves.
Skipping down the corridors of Hogwarts, before she stopped outside the familiar classroom where she had her Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson with Professor Lockhart the previous year. She cringed, remember the tests he gave to the class on the first day of their lesson. Aine wondered what she would be learning this year, she had learnt from Hermione that the third year would be playing with Boggarts. However, as interesting as that may sound, Aine would have to wait for another year to be exposed to them. She hesitantly knocked on the door, hoping there wasn't any class happening at the moment. To her surprise, the door swung open on its own and she was led into an empty classroom with Professor Lupin standing outside his office in front. "Aine!" He welcomes her brightly and Aine smiles, "Um. Hello, professor." she greets back.
"Come on in!" he says enthusiastically. "Professor McGonagall has told me you will be coming."
"Um, Professor?" Aine asked, and the man turned to her, "What is it we are doing today?"
He chuckles, seeing the slightly anxious face of Aine, he studies her facial features and blinks, she was so like her in every way, Professor Lupin thought to himself, recalling the familiar person he met many years ago when he was at Hogwarts. Eyes bright and big, filled with curiosity and yet caution. Skin porcelain-like that even looked like there were pearl accents at certain angles. But more prominently, was the fact she was just as beautiful as her. Her wavy hair brushed to the side and flowed as she walks. Almost as if they were dancing along. Aine was staring right at him for his answer that he quickly brushed the thought off and said, "Nothing to worry about, I just want to have a talk with you before we start."
He brought her to a chair before sitting down on his desk, "Now, Aine." he started and the girl gulps.
"Why I wanted to see you is because, as you remembered-- the dementors incident on the Hogwarts train."
"...Yes." Aine answers.
"Professor Dumbledore has heard of what happened and he had asked me to teach you a spell." Professor Lupin said, his brows knitted and he went on, "Now, this spell that I am about to teach you is very difficult. Perhaps even one of those advanced magic well beyond the Ordinary Wizarding Levels, do you understand?"
"Yes, professor", she replies and he continues, "It is something that is extremely challenging to conjure especially at your age, but Professor McGonagall has told me of your talents. I heard you're gifted in non-verbal magic, correct?"
Aine blushes at the compliment, it was true she knew how to do non-verbal magic, but it wasn't something she had done every single time. Professor McGonagall thinks too highly of me, she says to herself. "I still need practice for it, professor," Aine replies and he smiles, but she was simply being humble.
"Indeed. You certainly will," he says and Aine continued, "So, what is it that you will be teaching me?"
"You won't be learning alone, I've known you are friends with Harry?" Professor Lupin says and Aine blinks back, "Yes, professor."
"Well, you will be learning together with him a spell called the Patronus Charm."
"What is that?" she questions, Aine had never heard of that before.
"It's a shield charm that protects you from the Dementors." he explains, "I will tell you more about it in time, as now. I may not be in the right shape to teach such advanced spell."
Aine grew worried, "Are you sick, professor?"
"Oh no. Not to fret, it seems the flu has gotten to me." He waves, telling the girl not to worry but Aine seems unconvinced, she stares at the bags under his eyes, it reminded her of herself. Everyone has a battle that others know not. So all she could say was, "I hope you do get better soon, professor. Perhaps you can ask Professor Snape or Madam Pomfrey to cook up medicine for you?" she suggests.
He merely smiles and nods his head, "I will do that."
"Now, off you go, Aine. I look forward to seeing you on our first class of Defense Against the Dark Arts." Professor Lupin adds.
"See you, professor." Aine bids before leaving to fulfil her day's duties.
Later that afternoon, Aine then heads towards the great hall, where Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting. They had a free study period and was doing some light revision. On their faces, they clearly looked annoyed and solemn, often glancing at the Slytherin table onto a familiar blonde boy. Aine walks towards them, her eyes instantly meeting Draco's as he grins to her, showing off his prize-- a casted hand.
She looked away, frowning. He was hurt, by what? She doesn't know. By whom? She doesn't know either. Why? She was about to find out when she thumps down a seat next to Ron. "Hey, guys," she says glumly.
"Hey, Aine." Harry and Ron said together.
"Hi there, Aine!" Hermione smiles.
"What happened?" she finally asks, jerking her head at Draco who was shamefully exhibiting his 'lovely' arm.
Ron rolls his eyes and Hermione purses her lips, glancing a look at Harry who looks back down on his book.
"Well, Malfoy was being a usual git." Ron explains, "We were having Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid and that bloody oaf was insulting and complaining about the class the whole time."
"Let me guess, Harry attacked him?" Aine guessed and Harry shot right up, "Excuse me?" he says, offended.
"No?" Aine asks.
"Of course not! I'm such a cool hearted guy." Harry replies, and Hermione smirks. "Well, he almost wanted to."
"Then?" the younger questions and Harry sighs, "Hagrid brought a Hippogriff to class, its name is Buckbeak."
"Hagrid calls him Beaky," Hermione adds.
"Did he really?" Aine inquires and they nod.
Aine knew of Hippogriffs, she had read about them in a book and she knew they were very prideful, proud and often described as aggressive beasts. She only saw pictures illustrated in books, but have never met one before in her life. To think that Harry, Ron and Hermione had encountered one in their class. Aine was even more envious of them, they got to learn about Boggarts and met a Hippogriff. She was more than ever, excited to go to her third year to learn about them.
"So, you know you have to bow before meeting them? And if they bow back, you can go pet them." Ron says and Aine nods her head, "Obviously, Malfoy didn't have the brains to do that. So when he strutted towards Buckbeak, the creature attacked him as he should." he finishes and Aine laughs at his latter.
"He honestly deserved that." Harry snarled and Aine turns to Draco who had a fellow Slytherin girl by her side, overly displaying her care for him and as he caught Aine's stare, he turns to the girl beside him, "Yeah, it hurts a ton. I consider myself lucky. Madam Pomfrey said if I were to come a minute late, my arm will be lost!" he boasted like a child and Ron mutters under his breath, "What a wimp."
Aine shot Ron a look and watches as the girl strokes his casted arm, almost as if soothing it"Oh its awful, Draco."
"Yeah, terrible," Goyle says, and Crabbe nods furiously, "I hope that oaf of Hagrid gets fired!"
"I hope he gets expelled," Harry says spitefully and Hermione glares at the Slytherins. "So how's Hagrid on his first-day teaching?" Aine asks, changing the topic and everyone was immediately brightened at the question. "Brilliant," Ron says.
"Yeah, he just needs a little confidence boost." Hermione replies and Harry nods, "Why don't you come with us to see Hagrid, maybe have a glance at Buckbeak?" he suggests.
"Yeah, sure," Aine replies.
Just then, a voice erupted from the great hall, "He's been sighted! He's been sighted" Someone announced and all chatterings came to an abrupt stop, looking at the Gryffindor boy, Seamus Finnigan.
He slams the Daily Prophet newspaper at the table and everyone crowds around him, "Who?"
"Sirius Black!" the boy says and there was a wave of gasps and uneasy glances around.
Hermione held onto Aine's shoulders from behind, glancing over her at the paper where there was a moving picture of Sirius Black, holding his prison number, and a muted scream as he yanks the chain binding him. Saliva was pouring out of his mouth, shouting and it reminded Aine of a monster. "Daft Town?!" Hermione gasps and Neville choked on his goblet.
He was very near to Hogwarts, and to know that despite Dementors are stationed all around, Sirius Black continues to climb another step. "You don't think he's coming to Hogwarts, do you?" Dean blurts.
Well, why wouldn't he not? Aine says to herself, as long as someone has set their mind on something like escaping Azkaban, they obviously would have a plan to do something even worse. "With Dementors stationed at every part of Hogwarts?" Ron adds.
"Dementors?" another student chimed.
"Who's to say he wouldn't do it again?" Aine finally said, and Fred and George rested their chin on their palms, they look worried too.
"That's right. He's escaped from Azkaban once, from those ferocious guards. There might be a high chance that he'll slip past them again!"
There was a shudder among their backs, "It's like... trying to catch smoke."
"Yeah, with your bare hands."
~
"Are you sure he's okay with me coming?" Aine asks, fidgety as she follows Harry, Ron and Hermione down to Hagrid.
"Of course! You're our friend! Hagrid's totally fine with it!" Ron reassures.
"I mean it's almost night. I thought we aren't supposed to go around when the sun sets?" Aine asks and Harry was just swaggering in front of them, "It'll be fine~ We have Hagrid!"
The boys seemed to be overly confident but the girls were doubtful. The four of them ended up going to Hagrid's hut anyways. Soon, a large figure came into Aine's view, it was laying down, its talons crossed and rested on it was its head. Her eyes brightened as she nears it, and it started to raise its head in curiosity and caution. "Wait," Harry says, putting his hand up to stop them before getting closer. Even though the creature was chained, there were still doubts about whether or not it could rip the chains away.
Harry slowly grabs Aine's wrists, pulling her closer but keeping watch of the distance between the Hippogriff and his friend. He whispers to her, "Follow my action behind me." and slowly moves ahead of Aine, he first bowed. And Aine repeated.
She bent her back downwards, looking up to see the Hippogriff staring right at her. She gulps but stares back, and the next thing she knew, the creature lowers his head and its huge eyes blinked slowly back at her. She beams and Harry gave her a thumbs up before the door flew open and Hagrid stood by the frame of it, smiling at them.
"Hiya Aine!" He greets her, waving his huge hand and slowly beckoning them to come towards him as he made his way to his 'pet'.
Buckbeak gave a low chirp and Hagrid threw him a dead ferret in which the creature gobbled up happily. "How y'er like him?" Hagrid asks and Aine gave a cheery smile, "He's beautiful!"
"Yeah. Even if he attacked Malfoy. He did it with such grace." Ron says, "Aren't you a charmer?" he adds, cooingly and Buckbeak snapped at him, causing the children to flinch, "Beaky!" Hagrid scolds, "Ron was complimenting you. You mustn't be like this."
There was another chirp and Buckbeak turned to Aine who was looking back at it, eyes full of mesmerized. She bowed again and the Hippogriff bowed back.
"I think it reckons you to pet him," Hagrid suggests and Aine looks to him, in disbelief. She wasn't sure she will be petting a Hippogriff so suddenly. "Really?" she asks.
"Yeah, go ahead!" Hagrid says, "Just raise your hand a little high, and wait for him to come to you." And Aine did as she was told, slowly her hand raised, outstretched but keeping a safe distance, she wouldn't want the creature to snap off her fingers, or worse, her arm itself. It reminded Aine of cats, how they may suddenly pounce on and hiss or bite you when you introduce yourself to them. Her heart raced, and she kept on a smile.
Slowly, Buckbeak cocked his head and went towards her, taking a step closer as they both near each other. Her fingers were trembling and she could see that Harry has noticed it, he forced back a chuckle. Finally, Aine felt the smooth and slightly sandy texture of Buckbeak's beak, and she started to stroke his fluffy chin, her mouth opening slightly in awe at the majestic beast.
"Why don't you take Aine on a little tour, Beaky?" Hagrid says delightfully and it made Aine's eyes grow wide, "You want me to ride him?"
"Yeah, Harry's done it before too!" Hermione cheered, smiling broadly with encouragement. Aine turned to the boy and he flushed, his eyes darting away as he scratches his head, "You didn't tell me that, Harry!" Aine says, he had left that out throughout the whole time they were talking about it at the Great Hall.
"It's no big deal." He replies shortly and Aine looks at him deadpanned but gave a grin. "You'll see," he adds.
Buckbeak chirped and Hagrid took Aine's waist and plant her on the Hippogriff's back, it turned to her and its eyes were twinkling, it winked. "Don't pluck his feathers, will ya? But hold on tight!" Hagrid warns, undoing the chains binding the bird, then, slapping the beast's bum as it gave a loud shriek and started galloping into the Forbidden Forest, slowly taking the flight to the skies.
The girl held onto Buckbeak, throwing her arms over on its neck trying to circle it to make sure she didn't fall. It felt amazing, the wind brushing by her skin was so cooling, sure it felt like sitting on a broom, but having to soar the skies was another thing she had come to like. She could see the whole castle at every angle, even the tallest tower and the whole of the quidditch pitch. Aine let her arms spread open, feeling the gust of the wind's whisper. Buckbeak swoosh over to the dark lake and she looked down onto the water's reflection.
She could see the giant octopus swimming by, and she looked ahead at the horizon, the sun was setting behind the mountains, creating a silhouette of the hills. Buckbeak turn its head, looking at the girl who seemed to enjoy it, he even looked like he was smiling. He chirped at Aine, winking, before picking up the speed, and soared faster and higher.
Aine beamed, and let out a small cheer, "You're amazing, Beaky!"
It chirped back, Aine stroked its feathers, at this moment, she felt like she was actually flying. At this moment, all of her worries seemed to have vanished in thin air and, gliding around the skies cleared her head and she felt something she never felt before. Was it freedom? All she ever knew was, how much she liked this feeling, and at that moment of time. She envied all birds, she even envied Buckbeak. Because they had the freedom, to fly to the highest of skies, and away to the mysterious beauty that awaits them.
Was this how Hestia had felt every time she flew? Aine thought to herself, perhaps one day...
She could be free like them, and there will be nothing that will hold her back.
─── ⋆⋅☀⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☀⋅⋆ ───
Sorry for the delay in this chapter! As I've mentioned earlier, I've recently gotten a 2-year-old Tomcat, we have decided to name him Fuji, and he's extremely shy and timid, fearful of humans and touch. He too is afraid of toys and whenever he touches them, he tends to flinch. Probably due to the new environment and toys. Although one thing he certainly likes and is fascinated about is his reflection. He loves to stare at himself in the mirror, laying in front of it and staring at himself. It's quite cute, really. But things have been rather hectic lately as I was a little stress, seeing how he will adapt to the new home. It's also my first time having a cat so I'm quite worried and anxious when things don't go right. Nonetheless, I hope you understand!
I will be still updating once a week, twice if I'm lucky enough! As always, thank you for reading and be sure to upvote and comment! ^^
Sending love to all of you and stay safe!
- Zeneria