THC
Round 2
House: Ravenclaw
Class: Charms
Category: Drabble
Prompt: [Creature] Hippogriff
Random Challenge Prompts: Dudley Dursley, Knockturn Alley, Howlers
Word Count: 984
Day in, day out, the little hippogriff chick stared out the window at the busy humans rushing by on Knockturn Alley. Many of the humans were scary, their auras chaotic and dark. When they'd look at him, if they looked at him, hints of green for greed and red for hate would bleed through, and he'd scuttle off to the side of the cage he had been kept in since he'd hatched. The chick wanted out, of course he did. Some instinct told him quite strongly that his kind weren't meant for cages, though experience had not yet allowed the chick to meet another like him. But experience had taught him to fear human hands reaching out to tear at his fluffy down, and as a result, he'd never been outside the four walls surrounding him.
It was a dark and dreary day like any other when he saw her. She seemed smaller than the other humans he had seen, a human chick perhaps? Her aura stood out in the dimness of the alley-happy yellows and peaceful sky-blues dominated. Her gait was also unique. As she ran through the alley, her steps were awkward, making the hippogriff remember his first days after hatching. She must be young indeed. In the distance, an older human who bore more than a passing resemblance with the girl could be seen giving chase. At least it seemed like she had an elder to care for her. The chick had seen too many frightening things on Knockturn Alley to believe that the child was truly safe on her own.
As she neared the shop in which he was held, she paused, seemingly looking for the best place to hide. A gnarled old woman with beady eyes and a menacing aura tried to convince the girl to enter her domain. Thankfully, she turned instead to the chick's own shop. As if drawn to each other by some unnameable force, their eyes met. Her already pleasing aura seemed to blossom pretty pink flowers amidst the yellow and blue background as she neared the cage in which he stood.
"Be careful, dearie. That one bites." the store owner hissed in false-concern.
But the small hippogriff didn't want to bite the human girl. As she reached in, he could not help but lean towards her until he was able to climb onto her arms. Something about her just made the young hippogriff feel safe, safe for the first time in his short life. He just knew that she wouldn't try to pluck at his down feathers, not for all the potions in the world.
The two chicks, one a hippogriff and the other a human, were soon snuggled up around each other on the ground. Distantly, the hippogriff noticed that the girl had metal things on her legs.
Those must be why she runs so strangely! he realized before trying to remove the strange contraptions. The hippogriff knew that he'd not like it if the humans put metal things on his wings once his flight feathers grew in; it only made sense that the metal on her legs was a similar hindrance.
The girl just laughed at his attempts to help. "Don't worry, little guy. Those are my braces. They help me to get around. It's okay," she crooned. The hippogriff chick loved the sound of her voice and chirped happily back at her, wanting her to speak more.
The owner of the establishment didn't dare interrupt. He'd been trying to get rid of that blasted hippogriff for months. One would think that the magical properties of its feathers would entice some buyers, but its bad attitude just didn't make it worth it to most buyers. He'd have to dispose of it before long to avoid the attention of the Aurors if he didn't find a buyer soon. Maybe the girl's interest would be a blessing, for all that he'd normally never allow a Mudblood (the metal things on her legs were obviously Muggle-made) in his shop.
Eventually, two men ran by the store. The redhead had been seen once or twice before on the Alley, looking for supplies for Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. The blond was overweight and obviously a Muggle, but the family resemblance between himself and the little girl sitting on the floor was clear to see. In moments, the redhead poked his head into the shop. "Mr. Burke, I don't suppose a young girl has come by here: has blonde hair and a teal-colored dress?"
Mr. Burke nodded solemnly and told Mr. Weasley to get the girl's father before pointing out the child.
After a fuss at the child, whose name was apparently Dahlia, for running off, the Muggle introduced himself.
"Dudley Dursley, at your service," he proclaimed as though the mention of a Muggle name ought to mean anything to him.
"Harry Potter's cousin," Mr. Weasley helpfully supplied as Mr. Burke reluctantly took the Muggle's hand.
"It seems my daughter's quite attached to that hippawhata you have there. Perhaps we could make a deal, take it off your hands?"
"Let's talk in my office," Burke offered.
George Weasley was nursing the motherload of all headaches when Harry Potter came over the next day.
"Hey, George, thanks for taking Dahlia and Dudley shopping for me. Leave it to the Auror department to call me in on the one day I have plans. Did everything go alright?"
George glared. "Did it go alright? Did it go alright? Damn it, Potter! You didn't tell me that Dahlia's a wanderer with a penchant for exotic creatures. I received five, yes FIVE, Howlers last night, and all I did was help Dudley get a good price off her new pet hippogriff."
"Pet hippogriff, you say?" Harry asked innocently.
"Yeah, why?"
"No reason, just thinking Ginny might like in on that Howler action,"
"You are a cruel, cruel man," George groaned. Harry howled with laughter.
