Chapter 2. Birds Of A Feather
The morning came all too quickly, The girls and I got ready in the crowded bathroom, pushing some of the younger girls out of our way. Pansy took the longest, swooning over herself while she did her hair and makeup. We made our way down to the Great Hall for breakfast. We took our usual seats and the boys joined us not long after, striding over to the table with a self-assurance I certainly didn't feel. I grabbed some toast, bacon and scrambled eggs. Pansy gave my plate a venomous look and grabbed some fruit for herself.
"Emilia, if you are quite done with your breakfast, can you please come with me."
Snape's voice cut through our mindless chatter, I looked up at him and nodded. I shoved my plate away and stood, following him out of the Great Hall.
"We're going to see Dumbledore, he has a proposition for you, given your…academic aptitude."
We arrived at a gargoyle statue.
"Lemon Cakes."
A staircase revealed itself, just as we were joined by Professor McGonagall and Hermione Granger. Granger and I exchanged an awkward, semi loathing look and followed our professors up the staircase. I instinctively pushed in front of her and threw a smug look over my shoulder at her. We all file into Dumbledore's office, Hermione and I stand shoulder to shoulder with our Head of House on our respective sides.
"Miss Granger, Miss Chase. I have requested a meeting with you before classes start to advise of some changes to your class schedules."
I look up at Snape and as expected he only has a small smile tugging at his lips.
"Miss Chase, Professor Snape has advised me of your substantial advancement in Potions. It is his desire that you also take Advanced Potions in preparation for your O.W.L.S."
I lift my chin slightly feeling pride swell in my chest.
"Professor McGonagall advises me that you are also far ahead in Transfiguration, you will also be attending Advanced Transfiguration."
Snape looked down at me and handed me a piece of parchment. So now I was taking lvl 3 Charms, lvl 3 Herbology, lvl 3 Defense Against the Dark Arts, lvl 3 Astronomy, lvl 3 History Of Magic, lvl 3 Transfiguration, lvl 4 Transfiguration, lvl 3 Potions, lvl 4 Potions, Care of Magical Creatures and Ancient Runes.
Two new subjects. I vaguely listened to Dumbledore explaining about the time turner to Hermione, she was taking on a lot more study than myself. Personally, I think she's a bit of a masochist for doing so, but that's not my problem.
Hermione make our way to Care of Magical Creatures and separate once we catch up to our dawdling class mates.
"What did Dumbledore want with you?"
Pansy is trying to pull off a nonchalant air, but failing. I know she's as nosey as ever.
"Just to work out some kinks in my timetable. Snape wants me doing forth year Potions."
Pansy set her face is her best 'I'm pretending to be happy for you' face and went on to tell me how great it is that Snape thinks I'm doing so well and that they Professors have high hopes for me. Yeah, whatever.
We arrive at our lesson, Hagrid is of course our new professor.
"That's it. C'mon now. Come closer! Less talkin', if you don' mind. I got
a real treat for yeh today. A great lesson. So follow me."
We follow Hagrid into a small clearing and I see an odd looking beast in front of me.
"Right, you lot. Less chatterin'. Form a group over there. And open yer
books to page forty-nine."
Draco snorted next to me;
" And exactly how do we do that?"
Pansy gave an agreeing, smug giggle next to me and I felt myself roll my eyes before I could stop myself.
"Well, just stroke the spine, o' course. Goodness me!"
I stroke the spine of my book and it falls open. I have to admit that it's quite clever. Hermione threw a pointed glare at Draco;
"I think they're funny."
The tension is the air became tangible, thick. You could cut it with a knife.
"Oh, yeah. Terribly funny. Really witty. God, this place has gone to the
dogs. Wait until my father hears that Dumbledore's got this oaf teaching
classes."
Draco was on his usual crusade, and as per usually he's hiding behind the hem of Daddy's cloak. Not that I think Draco is a bad guy, but come on. Grow a pair. Crabbe and Goyle voice their usual mindless support of Draco and I suppress another eye roll.
"Shut up, Malfoy!"
I look up at Harry and see him…is he grinding his teeth. He must really loathe Draco.
" Dementor! Dementor!"
Draco's face contorts with dramatized fear, pointing somewhere behind Harry. Harry turns around quickly, concern etched on own face. When he turns back around Draco, Crabbe and Goyle have their hoods pulled up over their heads and are doing their Dementor impersonation. Is it an impersonation if the subject of impersonation isn't a person? Pansy stood, stroking Draco's ego. She's a frustrating person.
"Ahem. Ta-ta-ta-dah! Isn't he beautiful? Say hello to Buckbeak."
We all turn our attention to the creature in front of us. It's a bit like a horse, but with feathers and an eagle head. Oh and wings.
"Hagrid. Exactly what is that?"
Ron voices his curiosity cut's my thoughts.
"That, Ron, is a hippogriff. Firs' thing yeh wanna know abou' hippogriffs
is that they're very proud creatures. Very easily offended. You do not want to insult a hippogriff. It may just be the las' thing yeh ever do. Now, who'd like ter come an' say hello?"
We all take three or four steps back. Buckbeak is more than intimidating than we feel comfortable with. Needless to say, Harry didn't share our obvious apprehension.
"Well done, Harry! Well done. Come on, now. Now, you have to let 'im make
the firs' move. It's only polite. So, step up, give 'im a nice bow. Then you wait and see if he bows back. And if he does, you can go and touch him. If not- well, we'll get to that later. Just make your bow. Nice and low."
We all stood and watched Harry awkwardly court the beast.
"Back off, Harry! Back off!"
Harry starts to step backwards and a twig breaks under his foot. I sharply inhale, what if he got hurt?
"Keep still. Keep still. Oh, ho! Well done, Harry! Well done! Here, ya big brute, ya... Right. I think you can go and pat 'im now. Go on. Don't be shy."
Harry started to walk up to him, hand extended. He looks like he was trying to feel for something invisible with his arm outstretched like that. He looks, to be honest, like a loser.
"Nice and slow, now. Nice and slow. Slow. Not so fast, Harry. Slow down, Harry. That's it... nice and slow. Now let 'im come to you. That's it. Slowly, now, slowly, slowly, that's it... Yes! Well done! Well done, Harry! Well done!"
Hagrid's happiness that things were going well was tangible in the air. You could see that he was so pleased everything is going well.
"I think he may let you ride 'im now."
"What?"
"Come on."
"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey... hey! Hagrid..."
Hagrid picks Harry up like you would with a little kid and places him on Buckbeaks back. I had a giggle to myself at the pure disdain on Harry's face
"We'll put you over here, just behind the wing joint. Don' pull out any of 'is feathers, because he won' thank you for that. Heh, heh..."
He smacked Buckbeak on the rump and Buckbeak took off taking Harry by surprise.
"Whoah!"
We watch as Harry and Buckbeak get smaller and smaller in the sky.
"I can't believe we're just standing around while Potter is flying. If we're lucky that beast will dump him in the Black Lake."
I look at Draco, his face twists with a deep hatred for Harry.
"Draco, is it Potter you hate or the fact he is always the centre of attention?"
Draco looks at me and I batt my eyelashes slightly. He looks slightly taken aback by my rhetoric, he honestly thinks I don't take that much notice of the world around me? Maybe it's just I'm most honest in my view on things.
Hagrid whistles loudly as Harry lands.
"Well done, Harry! And well done, Buckbeak!"
Ron rushes to congratulate Harry as well;
"Yeah, that was wicked, Harry!"
Draco, dripping with contempt, starts to voice his opinions.
"Oh, please!"
No-one paid Draco any attention, with the exception of the Slytherins in the class. Hagrid starts quizzing Harry,
"Well done, well done. How'm I doin' me firs' day?"
"Brilliant... Professor."
Draco starts striding towards Buckbeak,
"Draco…don't…"
My voice cracks with concern and I feel worry build in my chest and throat.
"Yes, you're not dangerous at all, are you, you great ugly brute."
Buckbeak rears up at Draco's intrusion, striking at him viciously with his long talons.
"Malfoy, Malfoy! No! Buckbeak! Whoa... whoa... whoa... whoa! Buckbeak!"
Hagrid steps in defensively over Draco, blocking Buckbeaks attack.
"Away, you silly creature!"
Draco lay on the floor writhing in apparent pain. Then I noticed the tears in his sleeve. I wasn't sure if Draco was being over dramatic or if he is seriously hurt. Pansy's making soft whimpering sounds next to me and I gently rub her shoulder in half-hearted comfort.
"Oh, it's killed me! It's killed me!"
"Calm down! It- it's jus' a scratch..."
I'm sure I see a sweat break on Hagrid's forehead. Hermione steps forward;
"Hagrid! He's got to be taken to the hospital."
"I'm the teacher. I'll do it."
He picks Draco up in his arms, Draco looks tiny and helpless for a moment.
"Oh! Oh! Ohhh, you're going to regret this..."
Hagrid starts to make his way towards the castle.
"Class dismissed!"
"...you and your bloody chicken!"
