Chapter 11

Taking Flight

I was happy that we had potions first. I went early to talk to my dad. I knocked on the classroom door and then walked in.

"Professor?"

I still hated calling him that. It was so weird.

"Lily, you don't have to call me professor when no one else is here."

"Thank Merlin!"

He smirked and I walked inside.

"Do you have a problem with Professor Lupin?"

He immediately stopped what he was doing. This worried me a bit.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because of the way you were looking at him last night."

He sighed and turned to me.

"This is one of those things I don't want you to know about."

I sighed in frustration and put down my books.

"Dad, I tell you everything! I don't have any secrets from you. Why do you always keep secrets from me? And don't say its to protect me." I said.

He smiled a bit.

"You're so much like your mother. Very well, but all I will say is that I was almost killed when I was at school with him."

My eyebrows shot up.

"W-What?"

"Because of him and a few of his friends. I almost died…..but I will admit that….James Potter did save my life that day."

I smiled.

"Well good. Because I wouldn't want to have been raised by anyone else."

He smiled a little.

"You must never tell anyone. Not even Potter."

"I promise you I won't."

I hugged him quickly and then the other students began to come through the door. It was all about shrinking potions today. And Neville was having a very difficult time. I knew my dad was only going to bully him for it. Eventually, dad said at the end of class he would test Neville's potion on his toad, Trevor.

"Professor that seems a little harsh." I said.

"Nonsense Miss Snape, I'm certain even Mr. Longbottom can manage to make a shrinking potion." He said with a smirk.

I scowled and looked at Neville. He looked absolutely terrified. Throughout the class I would look up to see how he was doing. Hermione was quietly whispering instructions out of the corner of her mouth. I smiled a bit and kept going. At the end of class, dad had us all gather around Neville's cauldron. The potion was the correct color. I held my breath as dad gave Trevor the potion. I smiled when Trevor shrunk down to a tadpole.

"Five points from Gryffindor. I told you not to help him Miss Granger." He said.

I sighed in frustration and we all moved to our next class. Divination. I had absolutely no idea why I'd chosen to take this class. The tower was filled with Myrrh and other different forms of incense. It looked a little like a new age tea shop. We all took our seats and the teacher came out. She was wearing several sorts of rings and she wore large black glasses. The lenses made her eyes much bigger than they were, almost like a magnifying glass. She seemed incredibly kind though.

"Welcome my children, welcome to the noble art of divination!"

She went on giving a small speech and I looked at Draco. He rolled his eyes and I smiled a bit. He winked and my cheeks turned a bit red.

"That was a little rubbish."

Hermione had come from nowhere. I looked at Harry.

"When did you get here?" Ron asked.

"Me? I've been here all this time." She said.

No she hadn't.

"Please take the cup of the person sitting opposite you." Professor Trewalney said.

I took Ron's cup, Ron took Harry's and Hermione took mine. I looked at the glob

of tea at the bottom of Ron's cup. I had absolutely no idea what I was looking at. I looked at my brother and friends and from the looks if it, they didn't know either.

"Oh! Your aurora is passing dear, are you in the beyond? I think you are!"

"Sure." He said.

"Look at the cup, tell me what you see." She said.

"Well Harry's got a sort of a wonky cross, that's trials and suffering. But this lot her could be the sun and that's happiness. So, you're gonna suffer, but you're gonna be happy about it." Ron said.

I smirked and tried not to laugh. She asked for the cup but screamed and slammed it down when she saw it. Hermione rolled her eyes and I looked at her in confusion.

"You have…. The Grim!" she said.

I narrowed my eyes and took the cup. I wouldn't show my fear, but I could see the shape of a dog. I put the cup down and shook my head.

"Rubbish." I said.

"An omen of death."

I balled my hand into a fist and tried to stay calm. At the end of class I stormed out of that room.

"Lily! Lily wait!"

I stopped and turned so Draco could catch up to me. He put his hand on my arm and looked into my eyes.

"Are you alright?"

I arched my brow and he nodded.

"Right, stupid question. I'm sure it means nothing. Divination is complete rubbish."

I smiled a bit and hugged him.

"You're right. Now let's go, I'm looking forward to the next class."

I turned but I still saw him roll his eyes. I elbowed him in the stomach and he growled. This of course, only made me laugh. The fresh air made me feel much better. I took a deep breath and we all headed down to Hagrid's Hut. Hagrid seemed really excited.

"Now gather round. I got a real treat for you today and a great lesson. Follow me!"

I smiled and we followed him into the woods.

"That's right now form a group over there. Open your books to page forty nine."

"Exactly how do we do that?" Draco asked.

"Well just stroke the spine of course. Goodness me."

I smiled a bit and then I heard a scream. I ran forward to help Neville from his book. I quickly stroked the spin and it went limp. Neville smiled.

"Thanks Lily."

"Happy to help a friend."

"Friend?"

I smiled.

"Of course."

I helped him up and pat his shoulder. I heard someone shout Dementor and I turned. Draco was making fun of Harry again. Harry took a step forward and I got between them.

"Enough!" I shouted.

I scowled at them both.

"One or both of you need to be the bigger person. Because I am really getting sick of this!" I snapped.

Both of them looked down and then I heard Hagrid come back. He had three of the most interesting creatures with him.

"Isn't he beautiful? Say hello to Buckbeak!" Hagrid said.

"Hagrid, what exactly is that?" Ron asked.

"That Ron is a Hippagriff. Now, first thing you need to know about Hippagriffs is that they're very proud creatures, very easily offended. You do NOT want to insult a Hippagriff. It may just be the last thing you ever do. Now, who'd like to come and say hello?"

I smiled and raised my hand.

"Lily and Harry!"

I looked behind me to see my brother standing there. The rest of the class had moved back. I smiled and grabbed Harry's hand.

"Now, Lily you'll go first. Step up, give him a nice bow, then wait and see if he bows back. If he does, you can go and touch him. If not… well we'll get to that later. Now keep eye contact, Lily. That's very important that is."

I took a step forward and Buckbeak looked at me. I looked into his eyes and gave him a low bow. He bowed to me and I smiled. I slowly went forward and put my hand on his beak.

"Well done Lily! Now you next Harry."

I stepped to the side Harry bowed. Buckbeak squawked.

"Back off Harry! Back off!"

I was getting worried. Harry stepped on a twig and Hagrid told him to keep still. After a few seconds, Buckbeak bowed. I smiled in relief and then Harry came up to touch him.

"I think he may let ye ride him now."

I smiled in excitement. Buckbeak knelt down for me and then Hagrid put Harry on behind me.

Draco's POV

She looked so happy. I smiled as the Hippagriff took off. I loved it when she smiled, she had such a beautiful smile. Pansy was batting her eyelashes at me and I rolled my eyes. When the Hippagriff came back, Lily looked as though she'd had the time of her life. She hugged her brother and he gave me a smirk. I narrowed my eyes. I wanted to impress her. I walked forward.

"You're not dangerous at all are you? You great ugly brute."

Lily's eyes went wide and the Hippagriff reared up. People screamed and I held up my arm. I was shoved to the ground and then someone screamed.

"LILY!"

My stomach lurched and I opened my eyes. The Hippagriff was backing away, looking as though it were ashamed. Her arm was bleeding and there were tears in her eyes. I ran to her and she scowled at me.

"Lily I… I didn't know that…."

Potter shoved me violently. Hagrid picked her up and took her away. I felt horrible. Potter clocked me in the face and I fell to the ground.

"You stay away from my sister!"

I didn't say anything, because I knew I deserved the hit. Lily got hurt because of me. Professor Snape was going to murder me.