Chapter 2

Harry and Ron waited impatiently in the Common Room. There were no classes today, but Hermione still never slept this late. They saw Luna Lovegood come out of the girls' dormitories and stopped her.

"Luna, have you seen Hermione or Mattie? Are they there?"

"No, sorry Harry. I saw them get up about 2 hours ago. They're probably already downstairs." Harry sighed in exasperation.

"Come on, Ron. They're not up there."

"You're telling me we waited all that time and they're not even there?" Ron sighed melodramatically at Harry's nod. "We're eating breakfast ... now! You can go off searching for them yourself for all I care!" Harry laughed and he and Ron started for the Great Hall.

"Harry! Ron! Where have you been? We've been up for hours!" Hermione and Mattie strode in through the front doors just as Harry and Ron were about to enter the Great Hall.

"No, Harry. Breakfast now!" Ron grabbed Harry's hand and dragged him into the Hall. Plopping down at the Gryffindor Table Ron's plate immediately filled with food and he started eating. Hermione and Mattie followed, more slowly, and sat down across from Harry and Ron.

"We've been waiting in the Common Room for you two for about an hour." Ron nodded in agreement, his mouth too full to talk.

Mattie laughed, "We got up about two hours ago and we had something to eat and then we went to visit Hagrid."

"How do you know Hagrid?" Harry was a little surprised that Mattie would know him, seeing as she had never been to the school before yesterday.

"I met him when I came here during the summer. When I was trying to work out something with Professor Dumbledore about coming here." Mattie grabbed an apple from a nearby fruit bowl. Laying it on the table, she took out her wand. Mumbling something Hermione didn't catch, Mattie waved her wand over the apple. It immediately fell into 6 perfect slices, with the core, detached, still standing in the middle.

"Hat waf azing." Ron said through his food. Mattie looked up to see everyone's eyes on her.

"How did you learn that? All the professors frown on using magic for everyday conveniences. They say it takes too much energy for something you could do just as easily by hand." Hermione looked at Mattie penetratingly as she started eating her apple.

"Well the professors didn't teach me. A very old friend ... did. That was the first charm I ever learned." Mattie looked back to her apple, sadly now. "But I haven't seen him in ..." she looked as though she were about to cry "a very, very long time." Hermione put her hand on Mattie's shoulder.

"Will you teach me?"

Mattie smiled, "Of course, but not now. Why don't we all go back to Hagrid's? He's promised to show us some creatures."

Ron swallowed and nodded his head. Hermione looked at him in disgust, "Ron, your face!"

"Oh." Ron grabbed a napkin, blushing, and wiped off his face while Harry laughed. He hated the thought that Hermione had seen him with food on his face.

They headed down to Hagrid's cabin at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. On their way, they noticed several Hippogriffs circling the lake. As they neared Hagrid's cabin one of the Hippogriffs changed its path and started flying towards them. It got closer, and let out a blood-curdling shriek.

"Harry!" Ron's eyes were fixed on the Hippogriff, that up until now, no one else had noticed. "Harry!"

"Come on! Let's get to Hagrid's, hurry!" Harry grabbed Hermione and Ron and pulled them towards Hagrid's cabin. It wasn't long before he realized that Mattie was still standing in the same spot, looking up at the Hippogriff. "Mattie!"

"Oh my God, Harry!" Hermione looked up at Harry, looking pale. Harry looked at Hermione and then back to Mattie.

"Harry!"

"Oh, shutup Ron! It's just a Hippogriff!" They were all startled to hear Mattie's voice. She hadn't looked at them; she was still staring at the Hippogriff that was diving straight for her. They watched in horror as the Hippogriff neared her, not even slowing down. Just as it was about to pummel Mattie, it lifted its wings slightly and landed gracefully right in front of her. "Why, halo Callista." The Hippogriff opened its beak in a sort of a smiled and nuzzled Mattie's cheek. Mattie turned to where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were crouched, "Don't tell me you've never seen a Hippogriff before?" Harry laughed a forced laugh and shook his head, no. Ron looked at Hermione; she was very pale. The last encounter she had with a Hippogriff was her flight with Buckbeak last year. He resisted the urge to put a hand on her shoulder.

Harry cautiously stepped forward; Callista immediately stepped between Mattie and shrieked loudly.

"Hush, Callista!" Mattie put a hand on the Hippogriff's neck, nudging it out of her way. She walked towards Harry and held out a hand to him. "She will see that you do not intend to harm me." Harry took Mattie's hand slowly and they both walked towards the large animal, carefully. "Bow, Harry." Keeping his eyes on Callista, Harry bowed low. A few seconds later, Callista stretched out her right, front leg and did the same. Harry's stomach did a flip as he realized he was still holding Mattie's hand.

"What's going on out 'ere?" Hagrid emerged from his cabin looking flustered. Harry, keeping his eyes on Callista, walked up to her and pat her neck. "'ello, Ron, Hermione, Harry, Mattie. I see Callista's happy to see you back."

Mattie turned to see Hermione's confused look and said, "I was here for quite a while this summer, and Hagrid introduced me to Callista." Mattie turned back to Callista, "Go on, you can't come in the house, you know that!" Callista looked at her indignantly. "Hmmm." Mattie pulled a sugar cube out of her pocket, much to Callista's delight. "Go on." Callista held out her tongue and Mattie put the sugar cube on it. Immediately, Callista ran in same direction she had come from and took off, to rejoin the other Hippogriffs flying over the lake.

"Come on you lot, I've some tea ready." Hagrid ushered them all inside his small cabin. Fang was sitting in the corner and rose to greet them. Ron let out a sigh of disgust as Fang slobbered all over his shirt. Hagrid laughed and poured them all some tea. "Have you met the new Care of Magical Creatures Teacher?"

"No, I was surprised when Dumbledore didn't introduce him or her at the banquet last night," Harry replied as he sat down in one of the chairs.

"He's not even 'ere yet. He was late for the train; that's what McGonagall said." Hagrid shook his head and sat down across from Harry.

"That's horrible! How could a teacher now show up for the banquet? Dumbledore must've had a fit," Hermione said in disgust. Mattie laughed.

"Well I hope its someone good, with our luck they'll probably have Snape fill in until he gets here." Ron shuddered.

"Don't be so melodramatic, Ron." Mattie rolled her eyes and Hermione laughed. "Snape's not going to fill in."