Black Notice

Chapter Four

"Hello." Came an unexpected voice from behind Pansy. Care of Magical Creatures had just started and the class had been divided up into groups of four. As there is an odd amount of Slytherins and Gryffindors she obviously was the one to be sent go work on a team with three Gryffindors.

Three males walked towards her and Pansy was suddenly thinking of where the missing girl was. "Hi." She said, waving slightly at the three males. Two of which made up the Gryffindor trio all Slytherins should hate. The other being the klutz Neville Longbottom.

"Are you going to join us, or just stand about in your own little world?" Red-headed Ron asked. His voice, of course, held much animosity, making the creature in the cage next to them squirm uncomfortably.

She had never stated before to other Slytherins, but she rather enjoyed Care of Magical Creatures, even if it was rather dangerous with the Half-giant Hagrid in charge of classes still. As such, she found herself walking towards them, hoping to at least try and enjoy the lesson.

Neville looked nervous to have her in their tight knit group, but she couldn't really blame him for that, after some of the rather nasty things she had done and said to him throughout their school years.

Ron looked rather harassed at her being there, wishing instead that she were Granger she was betting. It was plain for all to see that they were a couple nowadays.

Potter...Harry just looked tired. There were bags under his eyes, he looked perpetually sad and his back stooped a little. She found herself thinking something she had never truly thought of before...just how would he feel being the supposed saviour of the Wizarding world.

Still, he managed to give her a slight smile, not truly caring what House she was from. That surprised her for a moment before another realisation struck her...he just didn't care anymore! The world was, in a way, on his shoulders and he couldn't hold petty grudges for a quarter of the school. In fact, the only one he didn't truly get along with was Draco. No wonder he didn't react to anything said to him nowadays...unless it came from the Malfoy brat.

Looking into the crate on one side, the other three taking a corner of their own, she recognised the creature as a mix between a lion and an eagle. She smiled at it. Griffins! She had always liked the animals, intelligent and neutral, they were very much like herself.

This was a baby though and Pansy had to wonder what had happened to its parents.

"Right! We all ready then? Well! Get 'em out o' their cages, they won't hurt yeh. They have been raised by people and are quite tame." Pansy thought a moment about how 'quite' tame they truly were, but joined Neville who was at the side of the crate that opened. It was plain that the bumbling boy was about as indecisive as she was.

She was being stared at and turning slightly, realised that the three boys were wanting her to open it up. With a sigh and slight shake of her head, she slowly unhinged the crate and opened it, making sure that it couldn't escape before slowly putting a hand in front of it to sniff at.

When it didn't try to take a chunk out of her skin, she reached fully into the crate and slowly lifted it out, careful of sharp talons on its front feet. Claws were still retracted on its hind feet and, without any trouble it curled itself up in her arms and began squeaking loudly for all to hear.

She smiled brightly at it, before hearing something she thought she would never hear. Hagrid grinned down at her and said in a very loud, "Very good, Miss Parkinson."

The whole class turned to look at her. She hadn't realised that she had been the only one to reach in and grab the griffin in the crate she was beside. She wrapped her hands more tightly about the creature and it gave a distinct grunt.

She loosened her grip and lifted one hand up to gently stroke the feathery head. The golden brown feathers were not yet developed fully, only a few true feathers had formed and grey down covering most of the front part of the body and head. The other half was the slightly spotted brownish fur of a young lion cub.

"This, class, is a Griffin. These fella's were sold as eggs and their parents shot outta the sky. A friend let me borrow the hatchlings, but it seems he didn't want 'em any more. I thought yeh might have fun raisin' them yerselves since yer 7th year students."

Pansy looked towards the three males she was working with, quite sure that the silent tears she was shedding would make them laugh.

"We should give it a name then." She stated, sitting heavily on the ground hugging the creature towards her.

Looking around at the other Griffins now out of their crates and noting that this was the only one which would have golden feathers, the others all having the more conventional plain brown, she decided that a name depicting that would be good. Not wanting to see but wanting to know the sex of the baby animal, she lifted it up so it was standing on its hind legs and got one of the boys to tell her what it was.

"It's a boy." Ron, the one in front of it stated, before looking quickly away.

A boy...now to think of a name.

"Sunrise...Sunset?" Came the voice of Harry, but she and the other two shook their heads.

"Dusk, since Dawn is a girls name?" Asked Ron. Again shaking of heads followed.

Pansy then smirked and looked towards the red head. "How about naming it Ron Jr.?" Amazingly enough Neville snorted in suppressed humour and Harry grinned.

Ron rolled his eyes and scowled at her.

"How about....Glory? It may be a female's name, but in a way it would suit him. I mean, he will grow up golden and bright?"

Neville looked embarrassed by his name, but the others thought about it and Pansy pictured quite clearly in her head a golden Griffin flying and nodded. "It would suit him. I like it."

"I agree." Harry replied, before Ron gave a slight nod of his head in the affirmative.

Neville looked quite pleased with himself and Pansy couldn't help but snort in humour. Who would have thought someone with a pet toad called Trevor would be good at naming pets and animals.

"Someone else named your pet, didn't they?" She asked Longbottom, not surprised when he nodded.

The rest of the lesson passed by in a blur and it could possibly be the best class she had experienced since Professor Grubbly-Plank had taught them about Unicorns. The four had taken it in turns of holding the baby which started screeching for food halfway through the lesson and was fed a few pieces of raw meat chunks.

It didn't eat too much and she couldn't help but sympathize with the creature she held. She too didn't have much of an appetite and surely he knew he wasn't being raised by his own kind.

She watched as Harry slowly lowered Glory back into his crate and closed it, saying good bye to the animal, just as the bell for the next class rang.

She walked to catch up to him as Harry and Ron were making their way to Charms. "Where was Granger today?" She asked, not realising that Hermione hadn't been in Care of Magical Creatures all year.

Ron sighed and kept on walking, but Harry stopped and turned towards her. "Care of Magical Creatures is on at the same time as Arithmancy, which has always been her favourite class, she quit."

Not having an answer for that, she shrugged and left to go to History of Magic. Who would have thought Know-it-all Granger had it her to quit a lesson?

A/N - Alright, this chapter is a bit smaller than the others, but that is because I wanted the teachers' views on the events of this chapter to be all together, so expect a bigger chapter next time!

It will feature Severus, Minerva, Hagrid (of whom has an extremely hard accent to write!) and, to all of you wondering where he is in all this mess, Dumbledore! Yes, there is going to be a meeting between the Headmaster and Pansy. Just not next chapter.

Thanks as always go to my reviewers.

IAMOFDRACO - What should remain with Draco? I got a bit confused there, but thanks for the review anyway. Yes, she is bad, but she is a Slytherin.

smeagol's preciousss - I am glad you think it is great. I have also thought of the interesting characters that always seem toe left behind in fanfiction, such as Pansy.

Kemenran - Here is more. Enjoy!

Barbara Kennedy - I think in a way it would have been an epiphany for her, that is why it was written that way. I am glad someone picked up on that. I think she would have thought on it, but didn't think it would ever happen.

Lilybee2003 - Thank you for thinking my story wonderful still, lol. I am trying to perceive Minerva as a stern, yet kind woman and Severus as the Head of Slytherin House. I mean, he would have to talk to the students in his House with matters such as these.

Slytherin-girl TF lover - Harry/Pansy huh? Could be, might not be. Draco/Pansy, yes, I clearly see them two together much more myself, but for the sake of this story...