Chapter 15 Something With Feathers

By the time I had reached my friends, I noticed that Hermione had taken a turn before she had gotten to McGonagall's class. But then she came out of the opposite corridor.

"Wha-" I paused and I got pushed.

"Sorry Cassie." It was Pavarti who accidentally pushed me.

"You're fine." I said, heading into the Transfiguration classroom.

Harry chose a seat in the back of the room and I was quick to sit next to him, making Ron sit next to Hermione.

"Hermione?" I tried to keep my voice a whisper.

"Yeah?" She turned around.

"Which class did you just come from?"

"Arith - Divination, with you guys of course." She was quick to catch herself.

I squinted my eyes at her as she turned to face the front.

"Today, we are going to be learning about Animagi." McGonagall said.

I perked up as she started the lecture.

I learned a lot from the class. I took all of the notes about how when one wants to be an Animagi, they had to have a mandrake leaf in their mouth for a month! They couldn't eat, or drink anything. And if it came out, or if they accidentally swallowed it, they had to start all over.

She even demonstrated, by turning into a tabby cat with spectacle markings around her eyes. I was the only to react to it.

"Really, what has got into you all today!" McGonagall turned back with a pop and stared at all of us.

I politely clapped my right fingers against my left palm to let her know I was impressed, but I didn't want to be that weird kid clapping by myself.

"Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got applause from a class. With the exception of Miss Zwart." McGonagall gave me a slight nod.

I watched as everyone turned to face Harry. I leaned my shoulder against him. He didn't need another set of eyes on him. I felt him relax against my touch.

"Please, Professor," Hermione had raised her hand. "We've had our first Divination class, and we were reading the tea leaves, and -"

"Ah, of course," McGonagall started to frown. "There is no need to say any more, Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?"

"Me." Harry answered.

"I see," McGonagall nodded and fixing her stare on Harry. "Then you should know, Potter, that Sibyll Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she arrived at this school. None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favorite way of greeting a new class. If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues -"

She broke herself off. Her nostrils flared and I noticed they were whiter than usual.

"Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True Seers are very rare, and Professor Trelawney -"

She stopped again and took a moment to breathe again.

"You look in excellent health to me, Potter, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in."

Hermione and I laughed at that, and Harry even had a small smile on his face after that comment. We got through the rest of the class with a little more enthusiasm.

I couldn't sit still in my seat during lunch. I was so excited for Hagrid's lesson, ever since my comment at breakfast, I couldn't stop hearing the flutter of wings in my ears now that I was able to focus on it.

"Ron, cheer up." Hermione sounded exasperated.

"Harry." Ron said in a low, serious voice. "You haven't seen a great black dog anywhere, have you?"

"Yeah, I have," Harry nodded. "I saw one the night I left the Dursleys'."

Ron's fork fell with a clatter against his plate.

"That was probably Snuffles, my stray." I said.

Ron looked at me like I was mad.

"Cassie, if Harry's seen a Grim, that's - that's bad. My - My uncle Bilius saw one and - and he died twenty-four hours later!"

"Coincidence." Hermione poured herself some pumpkin juice.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Ron was starting to get angry. "Grims scare the living daylights out of most wizards!"

"There you are, then," Hermione said in a superior tone. "They see the Grim and die of fright. The Grim's not an Omen, it's the cause of death! And Harry and Cassie are still with us because they're not stupid enough to see one and think, right, well, I'd better kick the bucket then!"

"I saw him and thought, he needs some food! And I fed him, made sure he got some water, and bathed him." I said, looking at Harry.

"I saw the dog in the dark, so I didn't get a good look at him." Harry shrugged.

Ron mouthed wordlessly at us.

"Don't you think it's weird that, coincidentally, we encounter the same things but have different perspectives and interactions with those things?" I asked Harry.

He took a bite of his sandwich and thought for a moment.

"You're right. That is a weird coincidence." He nodded at me.

"I think Divination seems very wooly," Hermione said, opening up her Arithmancy book and searching for her the last page she was on. "A lot of guesswork, if you ask me."

"There was nothing woolly about the Grim in that cup!" Ron snapped.

"You didn't seem quite confident when you were telling Harry it was a sheep." Hermione's voice had a cool tone to it.

"Or admitting you thought it was a bowler hat." I added.

"Professor Trelawney said you didn't have the right aura! You just don't like being bad at something for a change!" Ron snapped.

Hermione slammed her Arithmancy book down so hard on the table, it sent bits of meat and carrots all over the place.

"If being good at Divination means I have to pretend to see death omens in a lump of teas, I'm not sure I'll be studying it much longer! That lesson was absolute rubbish compared with my Arithmancy class!" She picked up her bag and stomped away.

"What's she talking about?" Ron asked as I got up. "She hasn't been to an Arithmancy class yet."

"Oh you're an insensitive teaspoon Ronald!" I rolled my eyes as I went after Hermione.

I lost her outside of the Great Hall, but I found her in the courtyard reading her Arithmancy book. I sat next to her and pulled out my Monster Book. I had a piece of rope around it and it was growling at me.

"Do you know how to open it?" Hermione hadn't looked up from her book.

"Not yet." I said, running my hand over the cover of the book.

She nodded and we sat in silence while I tried to figure out how to calm the book. I traced a small circle around the top of the spine of the book and it shivered.

"I think I figured it out." I said, a smile on my face.

"Oh?" Hermione looked up from her book and to mine.

I rubbed my two fingers down the spine of the book. Even though the rope was in on it, it gave a shiver and relaxed completely in my hands. I untied the rope around it and Hermione and I waited for it to wake up and attack, but it didn't.

Before we could say anything about it, Harry and Ron walked out of the castle. Hermione and I stood up and Harry and I put ourselves between Hermione and Ron. They didn't want to talk to each other, I was okay with that. I had managed to get the book opened and I had my nose stuck in it. So Harry was kind enough to put my hand in the crook of his elbow to guide me.

"C'mon, now, get a move on!" Hagrid was calling.

I closed my book and stroke the spine again, I didn't know how long the book would stay dormant.

"Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!" Hagrid smiled at us and lead us away from his hut.

"Not the Forbidden Forest." Harry whispered under his breath.

I hoped he knew my squeeze was to comfort him. I didn't want to go in there if I could help it. And to our relief, Hagrid lead us away to a paddock of sorts just outside the Forbidden Forest.

"Everyone gather 'round the fence here!" Hagrid called. "That's it - make sure yeh can see - now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books -"

"How?" Draco said coldly.

"Eh?" Hagrid stopped.

"How do we open our books?" Draco repeated.

Everyone took out their Monster Book of Monsters. Each book was closed shut by a belt or rope.

"Hasn' - hasn' anyone bin able to open their books?" Hagrid asked, looking crestfallen.

"I have!" I threw my hand in the air.

"Really now?" Hagrid looked hopeful.

Draco sneered at me as I held my book out. It was wide open in my hands, not trying to attack me.

"Five points to Gryffindor! How did you do it?" Hagrid had a smile on his face.

"Stroke the spine." I answered, sharing his smile.

"Oh, how silly we've all been." Malfoy sneered. "We should ha -"

"Oh shut up Draco! You're just mad and upset and jealous and a whole bunch of other shit and no one cares!" I snapped.

"Cassie." Hagrid said in a low voice.

Malfoy sneered at me but I got him to shut up.

"Not sorry." I said just as lowly.

Hagrid gave me a grateful nod and turned to the class.

"Now yeh've got yer books an' now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Yeah, I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on…" Hagrid nodded and strode away into the forest.

"God, this place is going to the dogs." Malfoy was being loud on purpose. "That oaf teaching classes, my father'll have a fit when I tell him -"

"Shut up, Malfoy." Harry said.

"Why're you still taking this class for? Drop it." I sneered at Malfoy.

Malfoy went to open his mouth but Lavender squealed.

"Oooooh!" She was pointed toward the opposite side of the padlock.

Trotting toward us was some strange looking creatures.

"Something with feathers." Hermione said.

I turned my head to see my friends all looking at me with wide eyes.

"Divination is still a woolly subject." I said, looking back at the animals.

They had half the body of a horse, and half of an eagle. The excitement was building in my chest.

"Gee up, there!" Hagrid was shaking some chains and pulling them up closer to us.

Everyone took a step back, but I took a step forward. They were menacing looking creatures, but I knew Hagrid wouldn't introduce us to something he didn't think we could handle.

"Hippogriffs!" Hagrid called to us, waving a hand to the herd.

"Beau'iful, aren' they?"

I nodded in agreement, they each had their own unique color and markings.

"So," Hagrid was rubbing his hands together. "If yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer -"

I leaned against the fence. Looking back I saw my friends had approached cautiously.

"Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' hippogriff is, they're proud." Hagrid started to explain. "Easily offended, hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do."

I heard Malfoy talking behind me and I knew he was planning something.

"Yeh always wait fer the hippogriff ter make the firs' move," Hagrid continued, "it's polite, see? Yeh walked 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."

He looked around at his class.

"Right - who wants ter go first?"

No one answered right away. I was waiting to see if anyone wanted to go.

"I do, please!" I started to climb the fence.

"Alrigh' Cassie! Let's get you on Featherdust." Hagrid pulled a chestnut one and slipped its leather collar off.

"I'll do it too." Harry said behind me.

"Good man, Harry!" Hagrid turned around and gave us encouraging grins. "Let's see how yet get on with Buckbeak."

He let a gray one out of its collar.

"Easy, now, yeh two. Yeh've got to make eye contact, now try not ter blink… Hippogriffs don't trust yeh if yeh blink too much…"

My eyes started to water, but I didn't dare blink. Featherdust had turned an orange eye to me and was staring.

"Tha's it." Hagrid said quietly. "Now, bow…"

I did so, exposing the back of my neck to her.

"Oh good job Cassie!" I looked up and Featherdust had sank low.

But Buckbeak hadn't bowed.

"Ah," Hagrid sounded worried. "Right - back away, now, Harry, easy does it -"

But to our surprise, and my relief, Buckbeak sank down to his knees as well.

"Well done, Harry!" Hagrid sounded relieved. "Right - yeh both can touch them! Pat their beak, go on!"

I held my hand out as Harry slowly walked towards Buckbeak.

"You are beautiful, Featherdust." I said quietly.

She shook her feathers out and happily walked over to me.

Some of my classmates gasped and Hagrid even made a noise.

"Hello." I said happily. I patted her beak and even scratched the bridge of her nose, right between her eyes.

"You would get the friendly one." Harry said to me.

He was patting Buckbeaks beak.

"Righ' then, Cassie." Hagrid walked up to me.

"Can I ride her?" I asked.

Hagrid blinked and gave a laugh, "hop on her! Sit right behind the wing joint, don' pull any feathers out! She won' like tha'..." Hagrid explained as he helped Harry up on Buckbeak.

I found a rock to stand on, it took some coaxing from Hagrid and me to get her to come over to me but she did.

"Thank you, Featherdust." I said as I swung my leg over.

She made a weird noise in her throat as she moved under me.

"I know you don't want me pulling out feathers, but I don't know where to hold on."

She shook herself so I wrapped my arms around her neck.

It felt so much different than being on a broom. I could feel her breathing and my legs had to wrap around her back and it was a nice change.

"Go on, then!" Hagrid roared suddenly from behind me.

There was a slapping sound and Featherdust reared.

I let out a cry of delight as she took a running start and with a flap of her wings we were up in the air. I sat up and place my hands on the back of her neck. Harry and Buckbeak were flying next to us and Harry hadn't worked up the nerve to sit up yet.

We had left the area where the class was and Featherdust and Buckbeak were taking us around the Hogwarts castle.

All of the anger, frustration, confusion. All of the emotions I didn't realize I was holding onto just let go. I threw my arms back and let out a yell. Tears started to fall out of my eyes and when I looked over at Harry, he was staring at me in concern.

I rubbed my eyes clear and patted Featherdust's neck, "when you're ready."

She took her time, flying slowly back to the padlock with Buckbeak behind us. I was still trying to get the tears to stop when we landed.

"Good work, Cassie!" Hagrid was ready to get me off of Featherdust.

"Alrigh' there?" He asked, concern in his voice.

"I've got a lot going on, and that flight was needed." I answered, smiling at Hagrid and turning around hugging Featherdust around the neck.

She made a nose and I quickly backed away.

"Don't hug under the neck. Got it." I said, keeping my face away from my classmates.

The rest of the class joined us. Hermione, Harry, and Ron had joined me with Featherdust.

Harry pulled me away from Ron and Hermione.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"I have not been dealing with Sirius and all that baggage." I admitted quietly rubbing my eyes and slapping my face.

"When we get done, do you want to get our broomsticks out?" Harry asked, turning back to face the class.

"Yes." I nodded.

There was a sudden high pitched scream. Looking over, Draco was on the ground, and Hagrid was putting a collar on Buckbeak.

"I'm dying!" Malfoy was shouting from the ground. "I'm dying, look at me! It's killed me!"

"Yer not dyin'!" Hagrid had gone white. "Someone help me - gotta get him outta here -"

Hermione ran to hold the gate open as Hagrid carried Malfoy up to the castle.

"What happened?" I asked.

"That creature attack Draco!" Pansy shouted.

"What did he do to deserve it?" I asked.

All of the Slytherin's started to shout at once.

"Hagrid said not to offend them! Malfoy must have offended Buckbeak otherwise he wouldn't be at the Hospital Wing!" I snarled.

That good, freeing, feeling was gone. The anger was back.

"They should fire him straight away!" Pansy decided to not answer me.

"It was Malfoy's fault!" Dean snapped.

I held Harry back as we separated at the Great Hall. Pansy said something about going to check on Malfoy. Harry and I got each other to Gryffindor Tower. If we had let go of each other… Other Slytherin's would have been joining Pansy.

Shout out to The TimeKeepers Screwdriver for adding the second story to your favorite's list!

Shout out to Mistress Mysterious for following me and the story, and for adding this story and me to your favorite's list!

Shout out Pamela Hutchins, Mistress Mysterious and katie owl for leaving a review!

Pamela Hutchins: She's going to be fine! And you'll just have to wait and see!

Mistress Mysterious: Oh thank you! You're a sweetheart!

katie owl: Oh! I thought it was her but I thought better safe than sorry! And I'm glad it could brighten your day! I always saw those scenes in the movies and thought 'Harry why isn't your sass coming out?' And so Cassie is the Sass!