Duels and Hippogriffs
Harry reached the Gryffindor Common Room and had to pull himself up the stairs by the railing. He hadn't realized just how tired he was until he collapsed on his bed and passed out. He didn't even have time to remove his glasses. Down in the Defense Corridor, Ron and Hermione reached the classroom. Lupin was nowhere to be seen and neither was Harry. They both tried to shrug it off as they took seats near the middle of the room, watching as fellow Gryffindors and unfortunately Slytherins filtered into the room. Finally the bell rang and the last few stragglers slipped into the room and took seats. From the stairway above them, Lupin appeared. He still looked a little shabby in regards to hi clothing, especially for a teacher. Lupin descended the staircase and took stock of the students. It was going to be an interesting year.
"Good morning," he greeted.
"Good morning, Professor," the majority of the students replied.
"Where's Harry?" Ron hissed in Neville's ear.
"I don't know. I haven't seen him since Potions." Lupin cleared his throat, looking directly at Ron and Neville. Both boys shrunk back in their seats a few centimeters.
"Today is going to be an easy class. We will run through the syllabus for the term and do a little review. I have been informed your previous professor was less than knowledgeable." Hermione sat with quill poised over parchment, ready to scribble furiously to take down everything Lupin said.
Lupin leaned against the desk at the front of the room, glancing at the board every now and again to keep himself on track. He received several groans about the amount of reading that was required for the course.
"Now, who would like to do a little bit of dueling?" Hands shot up all around the room.
"Wonderful. Let's move the desk out of the way. Let's form two lines please."
The students moved as quickly as they could to get the desks out of the room. Within minutes they had formed two lines, clearly delineated by house lines.
"What a joke." Draco snickered in Pansy Parkinson's ear. She giggled that high pitched laugh of hers, making several people around her cringe.
"Only disarming spells. I don't want to have to give anyone detention on your first day back," Lupin warned. Draco rolled his eyes as the lines moved forwards. Each student was allowed to cast two spells at their opponent. When Draco reached the front of the line, he let out a harsh laugh. He was facing Hermione.
"Get her Malfoy," Crabbe guffawed.
"Ready Mudblood?" Draco taunted. Hermione just glared at him, wand at the ready.
"Go." Draco raised his wand, ready to send her hurtling across the room.
"Expeliarmus," she chanted. Draco's wand flew across the room and he stumbled backwards into the people behind him.
"Very good technique, Miss Granger."
"You'll pay for that," Draco hissed as he retrieved his wand. Without warning, Draco flicked his wrist, sending Hermione in a full body bind. Several of the Gryffindor students gasped as the girl fell to the ground with a 'thud'. Lupin placed himself between her and Draco.
"I believe my instructions were to disarm only. I'm afraid I'm going to have to take ten points from Slytherin and I will see you this evening in detention, Mr. Malfoy." Draco looked insulted as he was ushered to the back of the line. The rest of the class went by quickly and students raced too put the desks back in order.
"Remember, read the first two chapters for next class," Lupin called. Hermione and Ron stayed behind as their fellow third years filed out.
"May I help you?"
"We just wanted to let you know that we don't know where Harry is. It's not like him to miss class," Hermione explained.
"No need to worry, Miss Granger. He arrived early and I sent him back to Gryffindor Tower. The poor lad was exhausted. I trust you will give him the assignment."
"Yes, Sir." With that, the pair made their way towards the Great Hall.
"We should check on Harry. We've got Care of Magical Creatures next. I don't think he'd want to miss class with Hagrid," Ron said.
"I'll see you in the Great Hall." They parted ways and Ron ran as fast as he could back to the Tower. He raced up the stairs and burst into the room to find Harry just waking up.
"Feeling better, mate?" Ron asked. Harry nodded, rubbing at his eyes.
"Loads better actually. I have to remember to tell Professor Lupin thanks."
"Come on, you're missing lunch. Then we've got Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid."
"Don't want to miss that."
"So what did I miss?" Harry asked as they made their way down to the Great Hall.
"Not much…Hermione dueled Malfoy…Lupin let everyone duel. And Malfoy got detention for putting Hermione in a full body bind."
"He'll never learn will he?"
"He's just being his usual prick self." Just as they reached the doors, they ran into Irlynn. She surveyed Harry. She'd seen him in the corridor that morning in passing and had noticed he didn't look well.
"You look better," she commented. His brow furrowed at her statement. He hadn't seen her that morning, had he?
"I saw you in the corridor earlier and you looked horrible," she added.
"Yeah…Professor Lupin sent me back to the Tower to get some sleep. I crashed when I got there."
"Can I talk to you for a minute alone?" Harry nodded and led her to just beyond the door. Ron took this as his cue to go join the rest of the Gyrffindors for lunch.
"I've been thinking…I'd like to talk to Professor Snape…get to know him…since you know…he is my Dad…but I don't know how to go about it."
"I don't think hexing him would be a good idea. He'd probably dock points."
"Well I'd never intentionally hex my own Dad, stupid."
"Just…I don't know…stay after class or something. He's bound to notice you hanging around."
"Ok…I'll try that. Thanks." They entered the hall and headed to their separate tables.
Lunch passed quickly and soon the Gryffindors and Slytherins found themselves outside with Hagrid. He looked positively awestruck at having students to instruct. Harry saw how nervous he was and wished he could help to lessen some of the anxiety. Unfortunately, he was feeling his own anxiety at the moment. He glanced up briefly to see very faint shimmers in the sky; Dementors. Hagrid cleared his throat to get the group's attention.
"Right, now everyone please let's quiet down." Murmurs still floated through the crowd for a few minutes more before everyone had turned their gaze on the half giant.
"So…uh…welcome to Care of Magical Creatures. We're going to be jumping right in today." He paused for a long moment, looking over his shoulder. He waved his hand in the general direction.
"I'd like you all to meet Buckbeak."
"Hagrid….is that a hippogriff?" Hermione asked.
"Right you are, Hermione. Five points to Gryffindor."
"They are magnificent creatures. Very noble and honorable. Who wants to come meet him?" The group as a collective stepped back, leaving Harry alone.
"Brilliant. Harry come on up."
"What? Hagrid, I…" Harry trialed off and started towards the large beast.
"Ok…that's far enough. Now…make a nice, low bow." Harry did as he was directed but started to come up to fast.
"No…stay down. Wait for him to bow back. If he does, then you can touch him." Harry nodded and waited with baited breath. Just as his lower back started to get uncomfortable, the beast bent its two front legs and took a bow.
"Wonderful. Come on." Harry stood up and moved slowly towards Buckbeak.
"There you go." Hagrid said proudly as Harry patted the creature's beak.
"How about a ride?"
"A what? No…that's ok. Really Hagrid." Harry continued to protest as Hagrid picked him up and set him on the hippogriff's back.
"Hold on but try not to rip out his feathers." With that the creature took off into the air, soaring high above the trees of the Forbidden Forest. Harry's eyes widened as they climbed in altitude. He could faintly hear the voices of his fellow classmates cheering him on. He felt weightless, as if he almost didn't exist. Buckbeak dove downwards, grazing the surface of the lake with a talon or two. It seemed like an eternity before Harry was back on the ground.
"That was incredible," Harry gasped as Hagrid helped him off.
"Stupid Potter," Draco grumbled. Hagrid pulled Harry aside.
"How am I doing my first day?"
"Brilliant."
Behind them, Draco had decided to take matters into his own hands. He approached Buckbeak without taking the proper precautions or formalities and the beat had charged, knocking the blond to the ground. Draco howled in pain as he twisted on the ground, clutching his arm.
"My arm…oh it's broken. Oh I'm dying!"
"You're not dying," Hagrid assured the boy as he picked him.
"You'd better take him to hospital," Hermione called.
"Right." With that, the half giant raced off up towards the castle, a still mumbling Draco flailing abut in his arms.
