Chapter 1: The Race
(I own my character...not Harry Potter)
It was a nice and warm April day on the grounds of Hogwarts. I spent my free time outside sitting on some of the rocks on the hillside reflecting on the day, and all the work I had left to do. It was getting close to graduation from Hogwarts. I was getting so excited but so very nervous about leaving Hogwarts. I'm a seventh year, obviously, at Hogwarts, and I'm a proud Gryffindor. My name is Kairos Nicole Grey. Sounds like a crazy name but I love it.
"Kai…quit day dreaming and come back down to earth! We were talking to you and you weren't even paying us no mind." The guy with long shaggy hair, Sirius Black, sitting beside to me said.
"Sorry guys. It's just such a pretty day! I want to go and fly a bit, but I don't have time."
"Well, not everybody has a 13 foot wingspan and can fly at the drop of a hat. But don't mind us! We'll just sit right here minding our own business," said Sirius's friend Remus Lupin, a tall, slender, seemingly meek guy. They were both in their sixth year as was James Potter who was currently talking to Lily Evans out on the grounds, failing once again at asking her out on a date before she hexed him for the nth time. Oh did I mention I have wings? Not a normal thing I know, but it's normal to me. I was born with them. They spread 13 foot from tip to tip across my back, and are a glorious brown with black and white flecks, very much like a hawk's wing.
"Flying may be the only thing you are not capable of, but you seem to think you're capable of just about everything else," I said jokingly. Sirius is a notorious flirt.
"And the ladies flock to me, get it? Flocked? We were talking about flying…?" You could have heard crickets chirp between me and Remus. "Oh come on Moony, not even a single laugh? I'm goin' to find James and find a prank to pull on you two."
"We are shaking in our robes, Pads." Remus joked as Sirius stalked off down the grounds in search of Sirius, or some other people to terrorize. These guys were some of my closest friends. I don't really know how we came to be so close over the last couple years, since I was a year ahead, but we had become close friends fast. They obviously knew about my ability to fly, as did the rest of the school. I didn't exactly want to hide it from everyone, so the first day of classes, my first year, I cut slits in the back of my school robes so that my wings wouldn't be restricted. It also allowed me to take off at a moment's notice if I needed to. I had not told them about my other ability. I was a natural animagi. It didn't take me long to master the ability to change into an animal. I actually learned it before I even had my wand. Kids have the ability to demonstrate magic accidentally, and one day I got a little upset, stormed into the yard at my parent's house, and then I was on all fours. I looked back and seen a pattern of white and black stripes and a long tail. I had turned into a white tiger. So not only was I the freak with wings anymore, but I could also transform into a huge white tiger, and yes the wings disappear when I am in tiger form. I knew that the "Marauders" as James' little group was referred to were animagi. I also knew that Lupin was a werewolf. I just never for some reason told them that I also was an animagus. I've always been wary about letting that secret out to people. My wings I can't hide, but this I can, and I've always felt that my animagus is not for show.
"Kai, I'm heading on up to class. We'll see you back in the common room." Remus said, standing up.
"Okay, I'll see you guys in a little while! Hopefully Professor Shaw doesn't hold us too long in Care of Magical Creatures."
"I'm sure he will, I reckon you're dealing with hippogriff's again today."
"M'kay, thanks Moony!"
I got up from my rocky seat and walked down to the grounds on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. This was where our Care of Magical creatures class was held. As if I wasn't freakish enough, being half bird and inner tiger, I also get along great with animals. I have an affinity for their trust. Today's class was sure to be a breeze. Professor Shaw lectured about the finer details of the Hippogriff. Not just the basic, 'Don't insult 'em, pay 'em some respect" stuff. He talked about the mindset of Hippogriffs, why they're so proud, why they're loyal, how they operate in the wild. It was a very interesting lesson, that's what I loved about this class. Professor Shaw started closing his lecture, ending the class about 10 minutes early.
"Before we go, since we have a few extra minutes, let's have a bit of fun. Does anyone fancy a ride on Nox?" My hand automatically shot up like a nerd's would. "Kai, you can already fly. Let's let someone else – oh, I just got an idea. Come up here Kai. Okay, Ian, you too. We're going to have a bit of a race. Both Kai and Nox's wingspans are roughly 12 feet…"
"ahem, 13 feet Professor Shaw," I said smiling.
"…okay then 13 feet. Let's see who is faster. Ian, you will ride Nox to the edge of the school grounds, the far side of the lake, and then turn sharp right and right back here to the finish line. Same thing for you Kairos except when you reach the border of the lake, you will turn left, to keep from running into each other. Ian, if you will."
Ian bowed to Nox, the beautiful dark gray hippogriff, and as she bowed back to him, he petted her head, right above her beak. Professor Shaw helped him to mount onto Nox. Ian leaned forward and whispered to Nox, "Let's kick Bird Girl's butt." I couldn't help but laugh. Names like these don't bother me, especially coming from Ian and my friends at the school. Anybody else had better watch it, though. I shed my school robes and my shoes and extended my wings giving them a good downward thrust to shake them out. I was so excited. I had never raced a hippogriff before. This was going to be interesting.
"Okay, line up right here beside me Kai, next to Nox and Ian. There you go. Now when I say 'Go', you may take off and begin the race. Ian, just a slight kick and lean forward will get Nox going, and then just dip to the right when you turn. Okay, get ready, and…on your mark….," I crouched down with my wings at the ready, "…get set…," I dug my toes into the ground, "…GO!" I was off like a whirlwind barely kicking off of the ground before I was lifted up into the sky by my strong wings. I chanced a glance and seen that Nox had to have a running start and was one length behind me. I kicked my wings into high gear, pushing the boundaries of my speed. It wasn't all that long before we reached the lake, soaring over it. I could see Ian's reflection from on top of the hippogriff staring back at me through the lake. I looked back up to see the edge of the lake getting closer. I then turned sharply to the left, banking as hard as I could, and started pounding my wings at the air again. Nox made the turn as quick as I did and we were side by side. I looked over at Nox and her deep amber eyes looked back at me, loving the competition. I winked at her and then kicked it up another notch and inched in front of her. I could hear Ian giving it everything he had, but I pushed and crossed the finish line a whole torso ahead of Nox and Ian. Ian and I started laughing as we slowed our flight and circled back around together and landed on either side of Professor Shaw.
"I must say, that has to be one of the best things I have ever witnessed. A human racing a hippogriff and winning! What a day, what a day. Okay! Class! Everyone is dismissed, and thanks to this stellar performance today, no scrolls to be turned in Monday, have a great weekend!"
"Nice race Bird Girl, really awesome job. I think that's the fastest I've seen you fly." Ian said as he handed me my school cloak and walked with me back up toward the castle. "Wait till everyone hears you beat Nox. Supposedly she's the fastest hippogriff we have here at Hogwarts."
"Thanks, Ian. You looked pretty stellar up there, too. I don't think I've seen anyone ride a hippogriff the way you did." I joked with him. "That's what you get for calling me bird girl, Nox was just protecting her fellow winged's pride."
"Yeah, because hippogriff's aren't prideful. She's probably skulking in the forest right now."
"Oh, she'll get over it. I'll let her beat me next time. If it makes it any better for her, that is the fastest I have ever flown, didn't know I could push my wings that hard."
Ian and I talked all the way up the castle, wandering what was going through Nox's head right now. At the great hall, Ian left to go to Ravenclaw and I climbed the moving staircases heading toward Gryffindor tower.
"A hippogriff, Kai? You raced a hippogriff and won? We have the coolest friend Sirius!" James exclaimed. "Come on, tell us all about it! We only heard the minor details on how it's the fastest you've ever flown. Your powers must be growing!"
"Well, yeah, it is the fastest I've ever flown," I stood proudly and recounted the events. Flexing my wings and smacking Sirius in the head with one of them. "It took a lot to beat Nox. I've never pushed my wings that hard before. I'm probably gonna have to go drink a good butterbeer and eat some treacle to get some energy back into me."
"I sure wish I could have seen it. Anything would have beaten that crazy divination class." Remus said.
"Oh, surely you want to know all about the stars, and especially the moon, Moony!" Sirius barked a good laugh out at his joke.
"Luckily for me, I have an internal clock on the phases of the moon. It lets me know all I need to know."
Mandy, my closest girlfriend came over then and sat with us while we talked by the fire. "So are you going to Hogsmeade with us tomorrow, Kai? Me and Sara are going to go to the Three Broomstick's for some downtime tomorrow. Are you up for it?"
"Yeah I'm up for it Mandy." I turned to look at the guys, "Are you guys going down tomorrow? Do you want to go to the Broomstick with us? I'm sure Sarah wouldn't mind Pads tagging along," I winked at Padfoot. Little did he know Sarah, one of only about 30 at Hogwarts, was crazy over him and those long black locks of his. He had girls swooning left and right, and of course Moony, Prongs, and I always got a good tease out of it.
"Yeah we're going, but not until later in the day, so you can go on with the girls. We can catch up later." James said.
It was getting late and so I headed for my dormitory room. I was very tired from racing a hippogriff today, so I headed out early leaving the Marauders and few other people hanging about in the common room. Remus would be planning with the boys at the full moon the next day. Being a student at Hogwarts and also being a werewolf was quite dangerous. Remus was always extra careful as to avoid being around any other people while phasing or in phase. He would either go out to the Shrieking Shack or out into the Forbidden Forest to spend his time as a wolf. The only way to assure he didn't go preying on the townsfolk or students was if James and Sirius stayed in their animagi forms and kept Lupin busy, either chasing them or fighting them, etc. It's always a rough night for all three of them. They're all extremely tired the next day. But luckily Dumbledore and most of their professors know about Remus's condition and oblige him. I know all about their full moon escapades because I often watch them, just to make sure that no one gets hurt and that Lupin doesn't get too out of hand. So far I haven't had to step in yet, which is another reason why they don't know about my animagi. I have been able to keep it underwraps by keeping to the shadows of the Forbidden Forest. Of course, inevitably that would all change.