(PoA) CHAPTER EIGHT: FIRST DAY OF CLASS
Despite the strangeness of her conversation with Fred, things returned to normal with them by the next morning. They discussed their class schedules as a group, noting with interest that Hermione seemed to be taking more classes than was physically possible, and then with even more interest that the new Care of Magical Creatures teacher was none other than Rubeus Hagrid.
"This explains the book he sent me over the summer," Harry said cheerfully as he walked hand-in-hand to Divination with Ellie. It was a long way, and once they finally reached the Divination Tower, they still had to climb up it.
"This'll be fun to do all year," grumbled Seamus as they all started to climb the ladder.
"Greetings, everyone," said the professor in a misty voice about twenty minutes later when they had all taken their seats. "My name is Professor Trelawney."
Ellie did her best to listen as Trelawney started to spew out random predictions for the year, but she didn't quite buy it, and Harry didn't seem to, either. He slipped a note to her—Lovely; a straight year of this—but before she got a chance to reply, Trelawney cast her gaze on them.
"Mr. Potter, I see that in a moment you will receive a note from Miss Prince—one that I will then collect and read to the class."
Ellie blushed and stuffed the note in her pocket.
"That's what I thought," said Trelawney with a bit of a smirk. She spun back around, continuing her description of Divination. When she finally finished, she announced that they would be reading tea leaves for the entirety of fall term, and instructed them to get to work.
None of them could define what they saw. They tried using their textbooks, but it was no use. Ellie and Harry's were the same, but neither of them could tell what they were. But when Trelawney came over to check on them, she gasped.
"What?" Ellie demanded. "What is it?"
"It's the—the—the Grim!" shrieked Trelawney. "The great, black dog… Do you not see it, child? Never in my many years of teaching have two beautiful children's deaths been predicted in a single sitting!"
Hermione raised an eyebrow at that. "Are you suggesting that one has?"
"Naturally," said Trelawney dismissively, not bothering to look at Hermione.
Ellie and Harry glanced at each other. Harry looked no more concerned than Ellie did; in all likelihood, he assumed that a "great, black dog" was just a sign of his love for her. She, of course, knew the truth: it was a sign that Sirius was near.
She made a mental note to try and find him as soon as possible—though not before accessing the Pensieve.
"Well," she said to Trelawney, clearing her throat and taking Harry by the hand. "Thanks for the heads-up, Professor. We'll try and watch our backs."
"Oh, they're in love!" wailed Trelawney dramatically. "Horrible world, why?"
Ron looked nervous, and even Hermione seemed a bit concerned, but Ellie and Harry just laughed.
Unfortunately, no one else in class seemed to find it as funny as they did. Everyone remained eerily silent as they climbed down the ladder—even Seamus, who usually never shut up. By the time they reached McGonagall's room, even she could pick up on the tension.
"Well, the silence is a nice change, but I must admit it has me worried," she announced. "What's happened?"
"It's Professor Trelawney," explained Hermione bitterly. "She's predicted Ellie and Harry's deaths."
McGonagall looked amused. "And you all believed her?"
"Not all of us," said Ellie pointedly. "But apparently a large majority."
"Well, the majority ought to take notes from the minority," said McGonagall. "Professor Trelawney has predicted one student's death every year since coming to Hogwarts, and so far none have come true. Now, if you can all find a way back to normalcy, I'd very much like to start my class."
Potions was as dull and gloomy as always, but luckily seemed to go by quickly. They had a long lunch that day, and Ellie spent the first half of it with her friends in the Great Hall. But when she spotted Dumbledore rising to leave, she rose, as well, and darted off to follow him.
"Sir," she said as soon as they were in the hall and out of earshot of the others. "Sir—could I have just a moment of your time?"
Dumbledore came to a stop, turning back toward her and offering her an easy smile. "Of course, Miss Prince. How can I help?"
"I was wondering…" She bit her lip. She'd meant to come up with a good excuse that morning, but had failed. "I was wondering if I could use the Pensieve in your office."
Dumbledore looked genuinely startled by that. "The Pensieve? How do you even know about such a device?"
"I can't exactly say," she admitted, frowning. "But it's perfectly safe, sir."
He eyed her skeptically, not looking convinced. "And the source of the memories? You can't say who that is, either?"
She shook her head. "I'm sorry—no. But, sir, it's nothing bad. Honest. It's nothing you wouldn't let me see, anyway. It's just… memories."
It was hard to tell what Dumbledore was thinking beyond those twinkling, blue eyes. When he spoke, he didn't sound like he had quite made up his mind yet, himself. "Were this, say, five years ago, I might say yes. But these past few years—particularly this year—it is of the utmost importance that I keep everyone safe. Memories can be tampered with, Ellie—there could be real danger in them."
"I trust this person, sir," she promised Dumbledore. "There's nothing nefarious afoot. I've just given them my word not to share their identity."
Nothing she was saying was a lie, but she still felt a bit guilty. If Dumbledore knew that this was about Sirius, he'd be furious… right?
"Very well," Dumbledore finally said—to her utmost surprise. "But you will bring one of your friends in to join you, and at the first sign of trouble, you will contact them. Does that sound fair to you?"
She bit her lip. She would have preferred to do this alone, but if that was Dumbledore's condition, she didn't exactly have a choice; she'd have to tell Fred. "Okay," she said, nodding. "You have yourself a deal. Thank you, sir—truly."
Ellie was a few minutes late to Care of Magical Creatures after her meeting with Dumbledore, but Hagrid said nothing of it. She felt Harry's curious gaze on her, having seen her follow Dumbledore out of the Great Hall at lunch, but he didn't get the chance to ask her about it; they were all preoccupied with the large, part-eagle, part-horse creatures he had fenced into the paddock in front of them.
"They're called Hippogriffs," Hagrid explained delightedly as the class eyed the beasts warily. "Beau'iful creatures, Hippogriffs—but awfully proud. Long as yeh're polite to 'em, an' give 'em the proper respect they require, they wouldn't hurt a fly."
Ellie wasn't entirely sure that the rest of the class considered the beasts "beautiful," but she had to admit there was something about them that took her breath away.
Hagrid went on to explain the process of bowing to the creatures, waiting for them to bow back, and then petting them. He was grinning from ear to ear, and the sight warmed her heart. Despite the terror and pain she'd experienced in the Chamber of Secrets the year before, she was glad that it had meant clearing Hagrid's name and finally allowing him to teach.
"So," Hagrid said when he was finished. "Would anyone care ter volunteer to go first?"
All of the students around them backed away from the paddock at that, leaving just Ellie and Harry at the fence.
"Great!" said Hagrid happily. "Harry firs', then Ellie. Yeh can pet him together after."
Harry ducked carefully into the paddock, then stepped tentatively over to Buckbeak, who gave him a rather condescending expression. Harry kept his eyes on the creature, not blinking, and swept into a deep, low bow. When he straightened, Buckbeak peered back at him for several seconds as if considering. Finally, he bowed.
"All right'—well done!" cheered Hagrid. "Your turn, Ellie."
Ellie joined Harry and Buckbeak in the paddock, smiling as warmly as she could at the birdlike creature—maintaining eye contact in a lighter way. When she bowed, Buckbeak bowed at the same time.
"Wonderful!" exclaimed Hagrid. "He really likes yeh, Ellie."
Ellie smiled as she reached out to pet the creature, who nuzzled her hand like a contented kitten. Harry chuckled softly as he, too, reached out to pet him.
"Yeh know," said Hagrid, "I bet he'd love ter take the two o' yeh up."
"Up?" repeated Ellie, grey eyes widening. "You mean, on a ride?"
Hagrid nodded eagerly. "He's mighty strong, and seems to really like the both of yeh. 'Arry, whaddaya say?"
Harry looked back at Hagrid's big, brown eyes filled with childlike hopefulness and sighed. "Yeah, sure, Hagrid."
Ellie got on first, with a little help from Hagrid. She grabbed some of Buckbeak's neck feathers for balance as Harry climbed on behind her, settling his arms around her waist. She smiled to herself at the pleasantly comfortable feeling.
"All righ', Buckbeak," said Hagrid, giving the Hippogriff a smack on the rump. "Fly!"
The pleasantly comfortable feeling left Ellie as Buckbeak launched himself hard and fast into the air. Harry helped, grabbing her tighter. Within a few minutes, Ellie relaxed into the flight, even letting herself smile.
"You're okay?" Harry murmured from behind her. "This isn't… freaking you out?"
"No—it's amazing," she said softly, releasing Buckbeak's neck feathers and spreading her arms out beside her. She closed her eyes, absorbing the amazing feeling of the wind in her hair and all the complications of the earthly world falling away. It was similar to how she felt when she rode a broomstick, but this time, she didn't have to think about steering.
Harry settled his chin onto her shoulder as Buckbeak soared back down to the class. By the time they landed, she had a feeling neither of them really wanted to get off, at all.
The class cheered for them along with Hagrid as they reluctantly dismounted—everyone, that was, except for Draco.
"Doesn't make them special," he growled as he stormed into the paddock with them. "Bet he's not dangerous at all, is he?" He strode over to Buckbeak. "You're just a big, ugly brute, aren't you?"
And with that, Buckbeak attacked him.
"Buckbeak!" Ellie shouted, and the Hippogriff seemed to snap out of it, but a second too late; Draco's arm was bleeding.
"Hagrid," said Hermione reluctantly. "He has to be taken to the hospital wing."
"Righ'—righ'." The expression on Hagrid's face was heartbreaking; Ellie was overwhelmed with the urge to cry. "Er—class dismissed." And with that, he scooped up Draco and carried him back toward the castle.
"I really hate that guy," Ellie muttered to Harry, Ron, and Hermione as the rest of the class funneled out.
"I know the feeling," said Harry. "How could he do that to Hagrid on his first day?"
"He was jealous," said Hermione, shaking her head. "I'm really worried about Hagrid. Malfoy's sure to tell his father, and I don't like to think what he'll do."
"Loads of people saw what happened, though," pointed out Ron. "We can back him up."
"Right," said Hermione hesitantly. "But there are people who will back up Malfoy, too."
Ellie sighed. Class was over, and she didn't want to think about Draco or Hagrid anymore. It was too depressing, and she had something far too important to get to.
"I'll catch up with you later," she said to Harry.
It was time to find Fred—and then the Pensieve.
If you're interested in the Serena/Sirius storyline of this saga, you're in for a treat with the next chapter, "The Pensieve." We've already heard Serena's side of the story, but it's a whole other thing to LIVE it from Sirius' perspective! Stay tuned for that, and don't forget to review if you're enjoying the story!
