Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar.
Akuma-sama: Hey, can I use that list of DADA teacher-names you did there? They funny.
AlL rOaDs LeAd To HeLl: Thank you ... I also don't like And The Hat Said Slytherin as much ... this one is the one I'm proud of, and hardly anyone bothers with it because they all say they like ATHSS better *grumbles*. I'm glad you prefer this one, really.
dstrbd child: You're welcome ... and I try to make Theo as demented as possible, so thanks for noticing.
angelkas: I've said it before, and I'll say it again ... you're crazy.
dragonsprincess: What's he going to hate about "Moody"? Well he'll not be too happy about being turned into a ferret, will he? And yes, I can say angst ... and I might do that, too.
This chapter was fun - poor Draco, getting attacked when he didn't even realise he'd done something wrong - say it with me: awwwwwww, poor ickle Dwaco.
Chapter 5 - Did I Say Something Wrong?
That afternoon was Care of Magical Creatures class. Before I found out that Hagrid was teaching it, I had been looking forward to it. Now I felt a sort of cold dread in the pit of my stomach, and I just KNEW something was going to go terribly wrong. Maybe I should have taken Divination class, with Cat, instead.
My apprehension only increased as Hagrid said, "Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!"
"And his idea of a 'real treat' is?" I asked Theo, with scepticism, as we followed at what I hoped was a safe distance.
"Getting your hand bitten off by a Chimera?" Theo replied. I nodded - it was possible.
"Everyone gather round the fence here! That's it - make sure yeh can see. Now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books -"
"How?" I asked, all too aware of the smug look Blaise was giving me.
"Eh?" Hagrid asked, obviously assuming we all had Blaise's natural talent to solve puzzles.
I took out my book, which I had bound with charmed-to-be-unbreakable rope, to keep it from snapping my hand off, "How do we open our books?" I repeated. Some other students took out their books, as well. Blaise grinned as she took out her Spellotaped book and proceeded to play dumb.
"Hasn' - hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?" Hagrid asked, stunned and obviously disappointed. Everyone, even Blaise shook their heads, although the grin that Blaise wore made it obvious to me that she was just trying to aid in upsetting the 'teacher'. "Yeh've got ter stroke 'em." he said, taking Hermione's book, removing the Spellotape and doing just that.
Blaise, behind Goyle's back so Hagrid couldn't see her, mirrored his action with her own book, at the same time as he did it. I glared at her smug grin, "Oh, how silly we've been!" I said, sarcastically, "We should have stroked them! Why didn't we guess!"
I then shot another glare at Blaise, who smirked, "Cause you are silly, Draco." she whispered. I sneered at her.
"I ... I thought they were funny." the giant-wannabie said, looking at Hermione in the fond hope that she'd take his side.
"Oh, tremendously funny! Really witty, giving us books that try and rip our hands off!" I snapped. Blaise sniggered, grinning at me maliciously.
"Shut up, Malfoy." Potter growled. It was his turn to be sneered at.
Hagrid seemed a little lost, but quickly tried to pick up where he had been interrupted, "Righ' then. So ... so yeh've got yer books an' ... an' ... now yeh need the Magical Creatures." he said, sounding vaguely distracted, "Yeah. So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on ..." and he walked off across the paddock.
I shook my head - with this man teaching, we'd never learn anything good. I decided to share this opinion, "Gods, this place is going to the dogs. That oaf teaching classes - my father'll have a fit when I tell him -"
"Shut up, Malfoy." Potter repeated.
I refused to do anything he told me to, so I said the first insult I could think of for him, just to avoid shutting up, "Careful, Potter, there's a Dementor behind you -"
I was interrupted (quite rudely) by one of the Gryffindor girls squealing and pointing to where the pathetic excuse for a teacher had reappeared, with a group of ... they looked like Hippogriffs. Sure enough, as soon as he got to the fence, that was the first word he said, "Hippogriffs! Beautifully, aren' they?" Admittedly, they were gorgeous creatures, but I've learned that the more beautiful beasts are often the more dangerous (admittedly not always, but I think unicorns are the exception to the rule). "So, if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer ..."
I looked around at everyone else - no one seemed keen to get any closer to these beasts ... until Potter and his gang very nervously stepped forward. "Bloody stupid Gryffindors." I muttered, then turned to Crabbe and Goyle, "What's the betting one of those things kills a Gryffindor?"
Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other then back to me. Crabbe spoke up, "I'd bet Potter gets hurt." Goyle nodded in agreement.
"I'll take that one." I said, grinning, "Five sickles." they both nodded enthusiastically.
I turned my attention back to Hagrid as he said, "Yeh walk towards him, an' yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him, sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt. Right - who wants ter go first?"
Yeah, right ... I backed away two steps, as did most of the class.
"No one?" Hagrid pleaded.
Potter stepped forward and said, "I'll do it."
Damn - I was going to lose my money.
A couple of Gryffindor girls said something about tea-leaves (probably Divination-related). Potter deliberately ignored them and climbed over the fence.
"Good man, Harry. Right then - let's see how yeh get on with Buckbeak." Hagrid said, untying a relatively handsome grey Hippogriff.
If that git gets hurt and loses me ten sickles, I'll kill him.
"Easy, now, Harry. Yeh've got eye contact, now try not to blink - Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much ... tha's it, Harry ... now, bow ..." Potter bowed, but the Hippogriff didn't move. Hagrid looked uneasy, as he said, "Ah. Right - back away, now, Harry, easy does it -" then as Potter was about to escape to safety, the Hippogriff bowed to him. Hagrid seemed pleased, "Well done, Harry!" he cheered, "Right - yeh can touch him! Pat his beak, go on!"
As Potter reluctantly approached the creature and patted its beak, the whole class (even Pansy) except for Crabbe, Goyle and I, applauded. If it was that easy, there was no reason to praise him - I could have done that if I'd wanted to.
"Righ' then, Harry. I reckon he migh' let yeh ride him!" Hagrid said. I watched as Potter followed the oaf's instructions and ended up flying around the paddock on the Hippogriff's back. As the lucky git landed, somehow not falling off over the creature's neck, everyone else (as in everyone that wasn't me - even Crabbe and Goyle, this time) cheered loudly. He was just lucky, brave and stupid - he didn't deserve such high praise for that.
After that, the rest of us were allowed to approach the Hippogriffs - Crabbe, Goyle and I claimed the grey Hippogriff that Potter had flown. It refused point-blank to bow to either of the Two Twits, but after some consideration, it bowed to me and let me approach it.
I spotted Potter watching me and decided to indulge in one of my favourite pastimes - insulting him, "This is very easy. I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it." I said loudly enough for him to hear me. I then turned to the Hippogriff - Buckbeak, I think Hagrid called it, "I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?"
"Ten sickles on that one, Draco." I heard Theo say from where he was trying unsuccessfully to get the black Hippogriff to bow to him.
I ignored Theo and continued speaking to Buckbeak, "Are you, you ugly great brute?"
I saw its eyes flash angrily and the next thing I knew, I was on the ground and my arm hurt like hell - good reason for that was that it was also bleeding profusely, all over the grass and my now-torn robes. I stared at my bleeding arm for a full five seconds, in shock. I hadn't realised there was that much blood in a human body ... and it was rapidly leaving mine.
"I'm dying!" I said, sincerely believing what I was saying - I thought I really would bleed to death, "I'm dying, look at me!" Can you believe I said that? Even in what I thought were my dying breaths, I was still a shameless attention seeker! "It's killed me!"
"Yer not dyin'!" Hagrid's voice said, sounding very distant to my ears ... and I think I passed out then.
* * *
My arm still hurt. I forced my eyes to open, only to be assaulted by too much sunlight from a window, reflecting off too-white walls. I blinked a few times before my eyes adjusted and I could clearly recognise the Hospital Wing. The next thing I recognised was Pansy's pug-like face watching me with deep concern.
Her eyes lit up as I looked at her, "Draco! You're awake!"
"I noticed." I muttered, "What happened?"
"I don't think the Hippogriff appreciated being called 'ugly'." she answered, sitting herself down on the edge of my bed, "Madam Pomfrey fixed you - how do you feel?"
"It still hurts." I answered honestly. I tried to sit up, failing miserably when my head started spinning. "And I feel dizzy."
"That's only to be expected, Mr Malfoy." Madam Pomfrey said as she bustled over to me, from her office, "You lost a lot of blood - something I couldn't help you with until you woke up. Drink this." she ordered, handing me a goblet containing a red-brown coloured potion.
I wrinkled my nose at the smell of it, but drank it anyway. It tasted worse than it smelled. "What was that?" I asked.
"It will help you recover from the blood-loss." she answered, as if that should have been obvious. She then took my right arm and examined it. "I'm afraid you're going to have a scar there. Magical creatures often have trace elements in their claws that inhibit total magical healing, much like a laceration curse." I winced at that and contemplated with distaste the concept of the scar I was now looking at on my arm being a permanent feature marring my otherwise perfect skin.
At least it wasn't as ugly as the Dark Mark.
"Now, move your hand." she ordered. I tried to do so, but all that happened was that my fingers twitched slightly. Madam Pomfrey tutted, "It cut through the nerve - that will have to take a few days to heal on its own, I'm afraid."
"What about my classes?" I asked.
"You've already been unconscious for almost twenty-four hours." Madam Pomfrey said sighing, "I can let you out tomorrow, but you'll have to report back here after dinner so I can check on you."
"I've missed a whole day?" I asked, stunned.
"That's right." she said, nodding.
"So it's now ...?" I prompted.
"Wednesday." Pansy offered, receiving a glare from Madam Pomfrey for interrupting.
"So I missed ... History, Herbology and Muggle Studies?" I asked. Pansy nodded, wrinkling her nose at the notion of Muggle Studies. Madam Pomfrey also nodded. "And I have to stay tonight, too?"
"Yes, most definitely." Madam Pomfrey said.
I sighed, knowing she'd not let me go - I've heard horror stories of patients of hers having perfectly healed and being kept in through Quidditch matches, holidays and/or exams, just for observation.
* * *
That evening, Theo led Crabbe and Goyle up to see me, "Hey, Draco - how's the mortal injury?" Theo asked immediately.
"My arm will be fine." I replied, before turning to Crabbe and Goyle and saying, "You owe me five Sickles ... each." They looked dumbly at me for ten seconds before I had to remind them, "We made a bet one of those creatures would hurt Potter - I don't see him here, so I must have won - pay up."
They took out some silver coins, and Theo cleared his throat, "Um, Draco - I bet you those things were dangerous - ten Sickles."
"I never accepted that bet." I said coldly, taking the money I had extorted from my bodyguards and putting it in my bag.
Theo glared daggers at me. "You need anything, oh invalid one?" he asked condescendingly.
"Yes ... Noctowl." I replied without a second's hesitation. I was going to send a letter to my father.
"You want me to go near that bloody vicious bird of yours?" Theo asked sceptically. I nodded, remembering the last time Noctowl had met Theo - there had been blood all over the dormitory ... and it had all been Theo's.
I waited patiently while the three boys left, and Theo returned alone, wearing his dragon-hide gloves and holding Noctowl by an owl-leash that was tied around both of the bird's clawed feet. He let go of the leash and Noctowl flew straight to me, settled on my left knee - I had both legs straight out in front of me - and proceeded to preen himself indignantly.
I carefully removed the leash from his feet, muttering platitudes along the lines of, "What did that mean, nasty boy do to you?"
Noctowl hooted and let out an angry screech at Theo, then ruffled his feathers and gave Theo the smug look that I often give when my father shows up to insult my enemies for me.
"So what did you want that blasted bird for, anyway?" Theo asked, eyeing Noctowl as if he thought the bird might attack as soon as he looked away.
"I'm going to send a letter to my father. Get that git fired and maybe see if I can get the Hippogriff in trouble with the dangerous creatures regulation board." I replied. I reached for a piece of parchment, some ink and a quill.
"You want me to help you with that?" Theo asked.
I looked up at him, "No - I can handle it." I replied, before taking the quill in my left hand and starting to write a fairly untidy but still legible letter:
'Father,
I am writing to you from the Hospital Wing
at school. I was mauled by a Hippogriff, in
my first Care of Magical Creatures class.
My right arm is temporarily unusable and
will have a permanent scar.
The new teacher is incompetent and that
creature is dangerous.
I hope to hear from you soon.
Draco.'
Theo watched with fascination as I wrote this and handed it to Noctowl, who took it and flew out the window, deliberately trying to hit Theo in the face with his wing as he passed. "You're left-handed?" he asked.
"Nope." I replied, "I can write with my left hand, but I'm not left-handed. I'm ambidextrous - I can use both hands equally ... I haven't done anything left-handed in years, because being left-handed is supposed to be a sign of evil."
"Your dad's left-handed, isn't he?" Theo noted. I nodded - it was true and there was no reason to deny it. "So can you use your wand with your left hand?"
"I don't know. Never tried." I replied, "We'll see, won't we?"
* * *
Late that night, I received a return letter telling me that my father would be dealing with the situation, and several details about exactly who he would threaten to accomplish vengeance on the gamekeeper and his Hippogriff.
* * *
End of chapter 5
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar.
Akuma-sama: Hey, can I use that list of DADA teacher-names you did there? They funny.
AlL rOaDs LeAd To HeLl: Thank you ... I also don't like And The Hat Said Slytherin as much ... this one is the one I'm proud of, and hardly anyone bothers with it because they all say they like ATHSS better *grumbles*. I'm glad you prefer this one, really.
dstrbd child: You're welcome ... and I try to make Theo as demented as possible, so thanks for noticing.
angelkas: I've said it before, and I'll say it again ... you're crazy.
dragonsprincess: What's he going to hate about "Moody"? Well he'll not be too happy about being turned into a ferret, will he? And yes, I can say angst ... and I might do that, too.
This chapter was fun - poor Draco, getting attacked when he didn't even realise he'd done something wrong - say it with me: awwwwwww, poor ickle Dwaco.
Chapter 5 - Did I Say Something Wrong?
That afternoon was Care of Magical Creatures class. Before I found out that Hagrid was teaching it, I had been looking forward to it. Now I felt a sort of cold dread in the pit of my stomach, and I just KNEW something was going to go terribly wrong. Maybe I should have taken Divination class, with Cat, instead.
My apprehension only increased as Hagrid said, "Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!"
"And his idea of a 'real treat' is?" I asked Theo, with scepticism, as we followed at what I hoped was a safe distance.
"Getting your hand bitten off by a Chimera?" Theo replied. I nodded - it was possible.
"Everyone gather round the fence here! That's it - make sure yeh can see. Now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books -"
"How?" I asked, all too aware of the smug look Blaise was giving me.
"Eh?" Hagrid asked, obviously assuming we all had Blaise's natural talent to solve puzzles.
I took out my book, which I had bound with charmed-to-be-unbreakable rope, to keep it from snapping my hand off, "How do we open our books?" I repeated. Some other students took out their books, as well. Blaise grinned as she took out her Spellotaped book and proceeded to play dumb.
"Hasn' - hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?" Hagrid asked, stunned and obviously disappointed. Everyone, even Blaise shook their heads, although the grin that Blaise wore made it obvious to me that she was just trying to aid in upsetting the 'teacher'. "Yeh've got ter stroke 'em." he said, taking Hermione's book, removing the Spellotape and doing just that.
Blaise, behind Goyle's back so Hagrid couldn't see her, mirrored his action with her own book, at the same time as he did it. I glared at her smug grin, "Oh, how silly we've been!" I said, sarcastically, "We should have stroked them! Why didn't we guess!"
I then shot another glare at Blaise, who smirked, "Cause you are silly, Draco." she whispered. I sneered at her.
"I ... I thought they were funny." the giant-wannabie said, looking at Hermione in the fond hope that she'd take his side.
"Oh, tremendously funny! Really witty, giving us books that try and rip our hands off!" I snapped. Blaise sniggered, grinning at me maliciously.
"Shut up, Malfoy." Potter growled. It was his turn to be sneered at.
Hagrid seemed a little lost, but quickly tried to pick up where he had been interrupted, "Righ' then. So ... so yeh've got yer books an' ... an' ... now yeh need the Magical Creatures." he said, sounding vaguely distracted, "Yeah. So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on ..." and he walked off across the paddock.
I shook my head - with this man teaching, we'd never learn anything good. I decided to share this opinion, "Gods, this place is going to the dogs. That oaf teaching classes - my father'll have a fit when I tell him -"
"Shut up, Malfoy." Potter repeated.
I refused to do anything he told me to, so I said the first insult I could think of for him, just to avoid shutting up, "Careful, Potter, there's a Dementor behind you -"
I was interrupted (quite rudely) by one of the Gryffindor girls squealing and pointing to where the pathetic excuse for a teacher had reappeared, with a group of ... they looked like Hippogriffs. Sure enough, as soon as he got to the fence, that was the first word he said, "Hippogriffs! Beautifully, aren' they?" Admittedly, they were gorgeous creatures, but I've learned that the more beautiful beasts are often the more dangerous (admittedly not always, but I think unicorns are the exception to the rule). "So, if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer ..."
I looked around at everyone else - no one seemed keen to get any closer to these beasts ... until Potter and his gang very nervously stepped forward. "Bloody stupid Gryffindors." I muttered, then turned to Crabbe and Goyle, "What's the betting one of those things kills a Gryffindor?"
Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other then back to me. Crabbe spoke up, "I'd bet Potter gets hurt." Goyle nodded in agreement.
"I'll take that one." I said, grinning, "Five sickles." they both nodded enthusiastically.
I turned my attention back to Hagrid as he said, "Yeh walk towards him, an' yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him, sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt. Right - who wants ter go first?"
Yeah, right ... I backed away two steps, as did most of the class.
"No one?" Hagrid pleaded.
Potter stepped forward and said, "I'll do it."
Damn - I was going to lose my money.
A couple of Gryffindor girls said something about tea-leaves (probably Divination-related). Potter deliberately ignored them and climbed over the fence.
"Good man, Harry. Right then - let's see how yeh get on with Buckbeak." Hagrid said, untying a relatively handsome grey Hippogriff.
If that git gets hurt and loses me ten sickles, I'll kill him.
"Easy, now, Harry. Yeh've got eye contact, now try not to blink - Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much ... tha's it, Harry ... now, bow ..." Potter bowed, but the Hippogriff didn't move. Hagrid looked uneasy, as he said, "Ah. Right - back away, now, Harry, easy does it -" then as Potter was about to escape to safety, the Hippogriff bowed to him. Hagrid seemed pleased, "Well done, Harry!" he cheered, "Right - yeh can touch him! Pat his beak, go on!"
As Potter reluctantly approached the creature and patted its beak, the whole class (even Pansy) except for Crabbe, Goyle and I, applauded. If it was that easy, there was no reason to praise him - I could have done that if I'd wanted to.
"Righ' then, Harry. I reckon he migh' let yeh ride him!" Hagrid said. I watched as Potter followed the oaf's instructions and ended up flying around the paddock on the Hippogriff's back. As the lucky git landed, somehow not falling off over the creature's neck, everyone else (as in everyone that wasn't me - even Crabbe and Goyle, this time) cheered loudly. He was just lucky, brave and stupid - he didn't deserve such high praise for that.
After that, the rest of us were allowed to approach the Hippogriffs - Crabbe, Goyle and I claimed the grey Hippogriff that Potter had flown. It refused point-blank to bow to either of the Two Twits, but after some consideration, it bowed to me and let me approach it.
I spotted Potter watching me and decided to indulge in one of my favourite pastimes - insulting him, "This is very easy. I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it." I said loudly enough for him to hear me. I then turned to the Hippogriff - Buckbeak, I think Hagrid called it, "I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?"
"Ten sickles on that one, Draco." I heard Theo say from where he was trying unsuccessfully to get the black Hippogriff to bow to him.
I ignored Theo and continued speaking to Buckbeak, "Are you, you ugly great brute?"
I saw its eyes flash angrily and the next thing I knew, I was on the ground and my arm hurt like hell - good reason for that was that it was also bleeding profusely, all over the grass and my now-torn robes. I stared at my bleeding arm for a full five seconds, in shock. I hadn't realised there was that much blood in a human body ... and it was rapidly leaving mine.
"I'm dying!" I said, sincerely believing what I was saying - I thought I really would bleed to death, "I'm dying, look at me!" Can you believe I said that? Even in what I thought were my dying breaths, I was still a shameless attention seeker! "It's killed me!"
"Yer not dyin'!" Hagrid's voice said, sounding very distant to my ears ... and I think I passed out then.
* * *
My arm still hurt. I forced my eyes to open, only to be assaulted by too much sunlight from a window, reflecting off too-white walls. I blinked a few times before my eyes adjusted and I could clearly recognise the Hospital Wing. The next thing I recognised was Pansy's pug-like face watching me with deep concern.
Her eyes lit up as I looked at her, "Draco! You're awake!"
"I noticed." I muttered, "What happened?"
"I don't think the Hippogriff appreciated being called 'ugly'." she answered, sitting herself down on the edge of my bed, "Madam Pomfrey fixed you - how do you feel?"
"It still hurts." I answered honestly. I tried to sit up, failing miserably when my head started spinning. "And I feel dizzy."
"That's only to be expected, Mr Malfoy." Madam Pomfrey said as she bustled over to me, from her office, "You lost a lot of blood - something I couldn't help you with until you woke up. Drink this." she ordered, handing me a goblet containing a red-brown coloured potion.
I wrinkled my nose at the smell of it, but drank it anyway. It tasted worse than it smelled. "What was that?" I asked.
"It will help you recover from the blood-loss." she answered, as if that should have been obvious. She then took my right arm and examined it. "I'm afraid you're going to have a scar there. Magical creatures often have trace elements in their claws that inhibit total magical healing, much like a laceration curse." I winced at that and contemplated with distaste the concept of the scar I was now looking at on my arm being a permanent feature marring my otherwise perfect skin.
At least it wasn't as ugly as the Dark Mark.
"Now, move your hand." she ordered. I tried to do so, but all that happened was that my fingers twitched slightly. Madam Pomfrey tutted, "It cut through the nerve - that will have to take a few days to heal on its own, I'm afraid."
"What about my classes?" I asked.
"You've already been unconscious for almost twenty-four hours." Madam Pomfrey said sighing, "I can let you out tomorrow, but you'll have to report back here after dinner so I can check on you."
"I've missed a whole day?" I asked, stunned.
"That's right." she said, nodding.
"So it's now ...?" I prompted.
"Wednesday." Pansy offered, receiving a glare from Madam Pomfrey for interrupting.
"So I missed ... History, Herbology and Muggle Studies?" I asked. Pansy nodded, wrinkling her nose at the notion of Muggle Studies. Madam Pomfrey also nodded. "And I have to stay tonight, too?"
"Yes, most definitely." Madam Pomfrey said.
I sighed, knowing she'd not let me go - I've heard horror stories of patients of hers having perfectly healed and being kept in through Quidditch matches, holidays and/or exams, just for observation.
* * *
That evening, Theo led Crabbe and Goyle up to see me, "Hey, Draco - how's the mortal injury?" Theo asked immediately.
"My arm will be fine." I replied, before turning to Crabbe and Goyle and saying, "You owe me five Sickles ... each." They looked dumbly at me for ten seconds before I had to remind them, "We made a bet one of those creatures would hurt Potter - I don't see him here, so I must have won - pay up."
They took out some silver coins, and Theo cleared his throat, "Um, Draco - I bet you those things were dangerous - ten Sickles."
"I never accepted that bet." I said coldly, taking the money I had extorted from my bodyguards and putting it in my bag.
Theo glared daggers at me. "You need anything, oh invalid one?" he asked condescendingly.
"Yes ... Noctowl." I replied without a second's hesitation. I was going to send a letter to my father.
"You want me to go near that bloody vicious bird of yours?" Theo asked sceptically. I nodded, remembering the last time Noctowl had met Theo - there had been blood all over the dormitory ... and it had all been Theo's.
I waited patiently while the three boys left, and Theo returned alone, wearing his dragon-hide gloves and holding Noctowl by an owl-leash that was tied around both of the bird's clawed feet. He let go of the leash and Noctowl flew straight to me, settled on my left knee - I had both legs straight out in front of me - and proceeded to preen himself indignantly.
I carefully removed the leash from his feet, muttering platitudes along the lines of, "What did that mean, nasty boy do to you?"
Noctowl hooted and let out an angry screech at Theo, then ruffled his feathers and gave Theo the smug look that I often give when my father shows up to insult my enemies for me.
"So what did you want that blasted bird for, anyway?" Theo asked, eyeing Noctowl as if he thought the bird might attack as soon as he looked away.
"I'm going to send a letter to my father. Get that git fired and maybe see if I can get the Hippogriff in trouble with the dangerous creatures regulation board." I replied. I reached for a piece of parchment, some ink and a quill.
"You want me to help you with that?" Theo asked.
I looked up at him, "No - I can handle it." I replied, before taking the quill in my left hand and starting to write a fairly untidy but still legible letter:
'Father,
I am writing to you from the Hospital Wing
at school. I was mauled by a Hippogriff, in
my first Care of Magical Creatures class.
My right arm is temporarily unusable and
will have a permanent scar.
The new teacher is incompetent and that
creature is dangerous.
I hope to hear from you soon.
Draco.'
Theo watched with fascination as I wrote this and handed it to Noctowl, who took it and flew out the window, deliberately trying to hit Theo in the face with his wing as he passed. "You're left-handed?" he asked.
"Nope." I replied, "I can write with my left hand, but I'm not left-handed. I'm ambidextrous - I can use both hands equally ... I haven't done anything left-handed in years, because being left-handed is supposed to be a sign of evil."
"Your dad's left-handed, isn't he?" Theo noted. I nodded - it was true and there was no reason to deny it. "So can you use your wand with your left hand?"
"I don't know. Never tried." I replied, "We'll see, won't we?"
* * *
Late that night, I received a return letter telling me that my father would be dealing with the situation, and several details about exactly who he would threaten to accomplish vengeance on the gamekeeper and his Hippogriff.
* * *
End of chapter 5