The next morning, when heading to breakfast with his Gryffindor friends, Draco Malfoy, who seemed to be entertaining a large group of Slytherins with a very funny story. As they passed, Malfoy did a ridiculous impression of a swooning fit and there was a roar of laughter.
"I know Draco is overly pathetic, but there is no need to laugh at his horrible practice for joining the drama club," Zarif says shutting many of them up.
Harry and Ron smiled as they head for their table as a familiar screech was heard and Autumn came in early.
"And what are you doing up early?" Zarif asks knowingly.
Autumn screeched at him as if demanding food now.
Zarif sighs and holds up some bacon. "Don't push this every day. This is only because it's the first day of school."
"You spoil her and you know it," Merula says as she and Morgana came walking up.
"Only because she is the other nicest girl I know," Zarif says grinning.
"Oh really?" Merula and Hermione asks and it seemed like Morgana was asking it too.
Zarif just kept grinning like an idiot. "So are we going to compare schedules?" Zarif asks.
"I got mine here," Merula says digging into her cloak and takes out a piece of paper before placing it on the table. "Should be fun."
"And Hermione's has ten on it I see," Zarif points out.
"What? That's impossible oh my gosh. It is possible," Merula quickly says seeing her paper. "How did you get this approved? And some of the times overlap."
"It's obviously a mistake," Ron says.
Zarif raises an eyebrow to Hermione who looks innocent. "You really took divination?" Zarif asks.
Hagrid entered the Great Hall. He was wearing his long moleskin overcoat and was absentmindedly swinging a dead polecat from one enormous hand. "All righ'?" he said eagerly, pausing on the way to the staff table. "Yer in my firs' ever lesson! Right after lunch! Bin up since five gettin' everythin' ready. Hope it's okay…me, a teacher…hones'ly…" he grinned broadly at them and headed off to the staff table, still swinging the polecat.
"I wonder what he has planned," Zarif wonders aloud.
"Really nervous though," Ron observed as Hagrid doesn't seem to be in heavy thought.
The group kept talking together as they ate before heading off to their classes. Harry, Ron, and Hermione went to divinations while he and Merula headed to ancient runes. When the two got there they were surprised to see Hermione was there already. They were going to question this, but the professor came in and started the class, preventing them from doing this.
Classes continued on until after lunch, they started heading down to the care of magical creatures class. Zarif was a bit happier than Harry, Ron, and Hermione about having class with the slytherins. Daxar, Eranior,, Onelle, and Avae were also with the class. The only downside is Draco and his gang was there.
Hagrid was waiting for his class at the door of his hut. He stood in his moleskin overcoat, with Fang the boarhound at his heels, looking impatient to start. "C'mon, now, get a move on!" he called as the class approached. "Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!" Hagrid calls starting to lead them into the forbidden forest.
"Remember back when Dumbledore told us to stay out?" Zarif whispers to his friends and they smile or chuckle a little.
Hagrid strolled off around the edge of the trees, and five minutes later, they found themselves outside a kind of paddock. There was nothing in there. "Everyone gather 'round the fence here!" he called. "That's it, make sure yeh can see, now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books…"
Zarif reached into his pack and pulled it out. With many seeing that his was not tied shut with a belt, quickly back away. Zarif seeing them squirms and just strokes the spine of the book opening it up.
Except for Neville who quickly opened his book without seeing him and immediately gets pounced on with papers flying and his robes getting ripped up. "I'm okay," Neville pants as he sits up before getting attacked again.
"Stroke the spine and it will turn docile Neville," Zarif calls.
Draco meanwhile just annoyed strokes the spine that he has to deal with this class. Thinking it was easy and not a problem. Something he can sleep through at least.
Many of Merula's gang huddled around excitedly until Hagrid stopped. "Now before I start teachin' this, Professor McGonagall reminded me to have all of you sign the wavers. This is a dangerous class and you can easily lose a finger or other body parts," Hagrid says reaching a pile of papers. Zarif tried to look innocent on that, but Merula knowing Hagrid knew he would never had remembered them while so excited and thus she looked at first Hermione who looked surprised, then to Zarif who was trying to look innocent.
"Those who do not sign these are no' allowed to take par' in the class," Hagrid informs, starting to hand the papers out.
Hearing that, a few were a little weary of this until Harry was the first to step up and sign the paper along with a few others. Eventually, even Draco, was forced to sign the waiver with everyone else and to many's shock Madam Pomfrey came up and read each one of the forms. "She must be here for in case of injury," Zarif whispers to Harry.
"Considering first day, most likely," Harry whispers back.
"Oooooooh!" squealed Lavender Brown, pointing toward the opposite side of the paddock.
Trotting toward them were a dozen of the most bizarre creatures Harry had ever seen. They had the bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings, and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles, with cruel, steel-colored beaks and large, brilliantly orange eyes. The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly looking. Each of the beasts had a thick leather collar around its neck, which was attached to a long chain, and the ends of all of these were held in the vast hands of Hagrid, who came jogging into the paddock behind the creatures.
"Are those Hippogriffs?" Zarif asks.
"Gee up, there!" he roared, shaking the chains and urging the creatures toward the fence where the class stood. Everyone drew back slightly as Hagrid reached them and tethered the creatures to the fence. "Hippogriffs!" Hagrid roared happily, waving a hand at them. "Beau'iful, aren' they?"
"So," said Hagrid, rubbing his hands together and beaming around, "if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer?" Hagrid asks and Merula had to hold Zarif back from running up to the fence and made him walk up calmly with her and her gang.
"Easy. These guys are really proud and can sense you," Zarif warns as he carefully leads them up to the fence like all the beasts tilt their heads at them.
"Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' hippogriffs is, they're proud," said Hagrid. "Easily offended, hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do."
Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle weren't listening; they were talking in an undertone. "Merula, run interference on the backup dancers won't you?" Zarif whispers to her.
"Yeh always wait fer the hippogriff ter make the firs' move," Hagrid continued. "It's polite, see? Yeh walk toward him, and 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?" Most of the class backed farther away in answer.
Zarif wanted to volunteer but he was too busy watching Draco and his gang with Merula and Hagrid soon called on Harry.
Hearing that, Zarif turned back and watched Harry as he approached the hippogriff and soon enough he was taking off on it's back for a flight.
"That…is kinda cool," Merula admits as they all watch the two disappear from view.
"Someone is jealous," Daxar says pointing out Draco.
"He is going to do something very stupid," Zarif mutters.
"Plan?" Merula whispers.
"Let him be stupid, we got more important things to do," Zarif says looking at the other hippogriffs. "Which one are you looking at?" Zarif asks the rest of the gang.
"That dark spotted one," Daxar says pointing at it.
"I think I will go with the dark brown one," Zarif says.
"Harry's back," Merula calls to them as she watches the sky.
The gang turned their attention to the sky and started clapping on Harry's way down.
"Good work, Harry!" roared Hagrid as everyone except Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle cheered. "Okay, who else wants a go?"
Emboldened by Harry's success, the rest of the class climbed cautiously into the paddock. Hagrid untied the hippogriffs one by one, and soon people were bowing nervously, all over the paddock.
Zarif walked to the one he had his eyes on all this time and waited for it to take notice of him. The hippogriff barks unevenly and tilts its head at him after munching down the dead ferret it was given. Zarif, seeing eye contact was made, starts bowing before this hippogriff. The hippogriff growls and snaps its beak at him, scratching the ground a little. Zarif didn't retreat or break eye contact. He kept staring into the hippogriff's eyes.
The hippogriff chuffs and snaps its beak again before tilting its head and stepping forward a little. Zarif kept the eye contact and soon the hippogriff bowed back and Zarif slowly made his way forward and start petting it. "Hey there you magnificent creature," Zarif says softly.
The hippogriff chuffs and nuzzles his hand back.
Zarif smiles as he keeps petting the hippogriff before hugging it and it laid it's head down on his shoulder.
"Well, seems Stormhawk really likes ye Zarif," Hagrid says coming over.
"I like her as well," Zarif says petting her softly.
Stormhawk barks and nuzzles his side happily.
"Aren't you going to get on that one?" Merula calls on the back of a hippogriff already.
"Let me enjoy hugging Stormhawk here first," Zarif says.
Stormhawk barks in agreement and wraps a wing around him.
Merula smirked and was about to say something when they heard Malfoy's high-pitched scream and next moment, Hagrid was wrestling Buckbeak back into his collar as he strained to get at Malfoy, who lay curled in the grass, blood blossoming over his robes.
"I'm dying!" Malfoy yelled as the class panicked. "I'm dying, look at me! It's killed me!"
"You're not dying," Madam Pomfrey says using her wand to lift Draco up and takes him over to the prepared field hospital and started working. "Yes, it's not too bad. Be happy Mr. Malfoy it could have been far worse," Pomfrey informs starting to heal him up as Pansy blubbers a bit.
"And there is the wake up call. He were very foolish to insult Buckbeak, wasn't he?" Zarif asks Stormhawk.
Stormhawk chuffs and flaps her other wing annoyed.
"Want to stretch your wings?" Zarif asks.
Stormhawk barks a little happily and flaps her wings eagerly.
"Shall we go?" Zarif asks before getting on her back. Stormhawk immediately starts running before taking off with a jump over the small rock wall. Zarif hearing running behind them and looks to see Merula and her hippogriff following after them. "Decided to join us I see?"
"How about a race? I think Swiftscream can outfly you," Merula challenges and her hippogriff gives a screech at Stormhawk who answers back with the same.
"I think that is a yes," Zarif says.
"Try to keep up," Merula teases and Swiftscream flaps past them and goes over a cliff before tucking its wings and diving and Stormhawk follows right behind them.
"Stick to their tail and conserve your stamina at the end when they are tired, put everything into passing them," Zarif whispers to Stormhawk.
Stormhawk barks and tucks in her wings before pulling them open and starts to fly above the two, keeping an eye before they are going. Merula seemingly looking behind her to find them as she tries to steer Swiftscream through the trees. Stormhawk looks ahead of them and tilts her head as the lake is just ahead. She then turns her head to Zarif and he smirks at her before nodding. Stormhawk barks before tucking her wings and diving as Zarif plants himself against her back.
Merula and Swiftscream come out of the treeline and she looks behind them. A smirk on her face before something pokes her head a few times and looks up to see Zarif smirking at her. Flying upside as Stormhawk seems to be gliding above them. Zarif gives a wink before Stormhawk barks and spins around them, ending up beside them and flaps her wings, giving them very deep flaps that propel them forward. Swiftscream chuffing and flaps his wings as well after them.
"How did you do that?!" Merula calls as they flew up beside them.
"Simple, we conserved stamina you guys used up a bit for an early lead," Zarif informs.
Merula looks at him annoyed as they fly close enough and Zarif leans over smirking. "Try and keep up," he quips and Merula reaches over and socks him in the shoulder, making him laugh as Stormhawk gives a hard flap and flies ahead of them as they glide across the lake. The sound of laughter emanates from him as Merula shakes her hand a little.
Swiftscream cries out and tries to keep flapping his wings, catching up a little as Stormhawk glides for a bit and they both turn back at them. Finally taking off from the lake and starts to turn back. Merula patting Swiftscream's side and makes him flap his wings to take off from the lake and try to catch up to the two. "Glide!" Zarif calls as they kept climbing to the clouds before ending up in a glide. Merula and Swiftscream catching up and flying behind them.
"Last one that makes it back gets lunch for the other!" Merula calls and Zarif turns to her with a smile.
"You sure you want to bet that?" Zarif calls back and gives a light kick.
"Yes. Now let's go," Merula says before they got into a dive towards the class area.
Zarif hums before pushing lightly on Stormhawk's neck and gets her into a dive as well, but steeper. Merula noticing the two diving at them before speeding past them to the ground. She looks down as she gets Swiftscream out into a dive, but Stormhawk gets out of hers before they hit the ground. The sudden stop catching the wings and sends them flying far forward than what Merula's side was going through. Merula frowns and pushes slightly on Swiftscream's neck, making him start to dove toward them but misses them and gets out of the dive, not having the same amount of speed the two got.
Zarif chuckles as he and Stormhawk landed and runs to a stop. Hearing some branches and rocks crumbling behind them and both look to see Merula almost off of Swiftscream as he tries to get his footing. Stormhawk quickly running over and Zarif pulls Merula up as Stormhawk pressed up against Swiftscream's side, stopping him from falling.
"So…do I have a choice of lunch?" Zarif asks chuckling and Merula goes for another sock and ends up hitting his arm but shakes her hand again. "Not bad a race."
"Yes, but I hope you like the great hall as that is where you get lunch from," Merula says smirking.
"You two also did great," Zarif says before petting both of them.
Both hippogriffs bark happily and flap their wings encouragingly.
Soon class ended and everyone started back to the school. With the exception of Draco's gang, most of the class had a good time and some wanted to try racing like Merula and Zarif had done.
"Wonder if it's limited today?" Zarif asks offhandedly as they walk into the great hall. "Think the dancer is done hopping around like a little girl?"
"Oh, take a look," Merula says and Zarif could only frown as Malfoy was now wearing a cast.
"Please don't sit with that idiot," Zarif requested dryly.
"I would more likely jinx him and there is your head of house. I think you want to talk to her with me about something," Merula says.
"Yeah…let's hope we can at least do it," Zarif hopes as they walk over to McGonagall.
"May I help you Mr. Trazax and Ms. Snyde?" McGonagall asks with her usual stern tone.
"Professor…can you teach us how to be an Animagus like you are?" Zarif asks pausing for a moment to think of how to word it.
McGonagall now stops and closes her book before putting it down. "This is not an easy request. It takes hard work and diligence on this. Maybe wait a year or two before you try it?" she suggested.
"I wish to try and learn it now Professor as I don't think I will be able to next year. There is something I wish to try and enter that year and if I am allowed to preparing would leave me little time to become an Animagus and…I need something to take my mind off the Dementors," Zarif says.
McGonagall hums and readjusts her glasses. "I see. Well, for something of your ages, it would be needed…fine then. Let me find the book on this matter and I will get back to you later."
"Thank you professor," the two said together and walked off.
Dumbledore, who had been listening, smiled.
"Surprisingly easy," Merula commented smiling.
"Well, we are here to learn," Zarif says.
"By the way, what about next year?" Merula asks now interested.
"You will learn tomorrow after our first potions class. Oh, there is professor Snape now," Zarif says picking up his speed to go see the potion master. "Professor," Zarif says walking up.
Snape looked up with his usual expression before seeing it was Zarif. "Yes, Mr. Trazax?" Snape asks in a less hostile tone.
"I was practicing my potion making and I wanted your opinion on the potion I had made since you are a potions master," Zarif says making Snape sigh.
"Very well. Let me see it," Snape says not sounding enthusiastic about this.
Zarif reached into his bag and pulled the bottle he had been carrying around with the warning label he had put on it still there. Snape took the vial and looked at it for a moment, his eyes widening for a moment before returning to normal. "You say you brewed this yourself?" Snape asks.
"Yes professor," Zarif informs.
"I will examine this Draught of Living Death later and tell you my verdict in class tomorrow," Snape informs stowing the bottle.
"Thank you, professor," Zarif says as Snape walked away.
Merula hums as he walks back to her. "Got you your victory meal," she says stepping to the side and shows a plate of food for him.
"Shall we eat together?" Zarif asks.
"Yeah. Better than my table," Merula shrugs.
"I think most of the Slytherins who aren't in Draco's gang feel the same," Zarif jokes.
Merula gives him the plate. "Now, shall we eat?"
"Let's," Zarif says smiling.