Chapter 7

Sam felt Remus' inquisitive eyes on him, pressing him for information. He didn't see the harm in telling him why. He would eventually do it anyway right? Or is it because I tell him to do it that he does it? How does this alternate time line stuff work? Sam thought. "I really shouldn't say." he finally decided.

"In a word?" Remus asked.

"In a word . . . Dementors."

"Here? At the castle?" Remus' face became deadpan serious, all the playfulness had left him swiftly. He almost seemed angry. "The one on the train was bad enough, but here?"

"Yes. But I really can't say anything else. I wish I could." Sam said apologetically. "Dumbledore told me –"

"There is only one reason Dementors would come here!" Remus said enraged. "That means that Sirius Black will come looking for Harry!"

"See, this is why I didn't want to say anything." Sam said.

Remus took a deep breath and calmed himself. "No, it is my fault." he said, the kindness returning to his voice. "I should not have asked. Dumbledore was correct, foreknowledge is dangerous. I will teach Harry the Patronus Charm, but when the time is right."

"You're going to teach us too, right?" Dean asked.

"It is highly advanced magic. Even some of the more accomplished witches and wizards have trouble with creating one. Well, a corporeal one anyhow. It depends on how well you manage to recall your happiest memory under a Dementors influence. I will try to teach you regardless, I'm just saying that you should try not to feel too put off if you don't manage it."

"There ain't too many happy memories for us." said Dean.

The three of them froze and turned toward the door at the sound of hurried footsteps echoing down the corridor through the open door. They waited for whoever it was to pass by, but to their surprise, the footsteps belong to Minerva who popped her head in the door.

"Ah! There you are Sam!" she said slightly out of breath but cheerfully. "I have your first assignment."

"My – my assignment?" he repeated.

"Yes! We must get you both started right away! Oh, good, you've met Remus already. Hello, Remus."

"Good day, Minerva." he said with a slight nod and a smile.

"Now Dean, you will stay here with Remus and begin your lessons, Sam, you come with me. You will begin your training with Hagrid."

"Hagrid?"

"Yes, he is going to have his first class in Care of Magical Creatures on Monday. You seem to have the knack with animals so you will be his teaching assistant for the time being. "

"But what about my private lessons?" Sam said obviously disappointed. "I mean, yes. I would love to help Hagrid with his classes, but . . ."

"Dumbledore thought it would be a good idea to get acquainted with the hippogriffs Hagrid plans on showing to the class for their first lesson. And frankly, I agree with him, Sam. Frightfully temperamental, those hippogriffs."

Sam recalled how Hagrid's first class went in the book. Perhaps it wasn't such a bad idea after all to have them get used to him.

"You're right. I do need to spend some time with them. I read the . . ." Sam stopped himself. "The Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them." he lied.

"Well." Minerva said. "Let's get you down to Hagrid shall we?"

"Yeah, sure. See you guys later." he said to Remus and his brother.

The snow that had been there the night before had melted away. It was still a bit too early for snow in September, but Sam thought it had to do with them being sent here, some kind of atmospheric disturbance or something. Today was a beautiful day, chilly but dry, with the warm sun cutting through the light breeze.

Minerva led Sam across the grounds toward the edge of the forest where in the distance he could see a small cottage. All around it were gardens overflowing with good sized pumpkins and a few that given the time to grow would surely be a monstrous size.

As they approached the cottage, a giant black boarhound raised its head from its slumber at the foot of the stoop. It gave a couple of loud, deep barks to alert its Master that company was coming.

The door to the cottage swung open, and a giant of a man came out into the open air.

"Oi! Quiet down, Fang! Wha' yeh barkin' fer?" Hagrid looked up and saw Sam and Minerva headed toward him. "Ah! 'Ello Professors! Didn' know yeh were comin' ter see me."

"Hello, Hagrid. Yes, I wanted to introduce you to Sam Winchester, he will be assisting you with a helping hand during your classes." said Minerva.

Hagrid looked confused for a moment and then almost hurt.

"Don' Dumbledore think I can handle it by me'self?" the giant man asked.

Understanding where Hagrid was coming from, Minerva comforted him. "Oh, it's not that, Hagrid. Sam and his brother are last minute additions to the staff and as such they have nowhere to be until after the break when they will have their own classes. Sam seems to have a way with animals, so we thought it best to put him with you. If that's alright with you?" she added.

"A way with animals yeh say?" His mood changed to the point where his dark eyes nearly sparkled with delight. With one tremendous step forward, Hagrid scooped Sam up in one mighty arm and clenched him to his side in a half hug and shook him. "Well! Why didn' yeh say so! Pleased teh meet yeh, Sam!"

Sam's breath left him and he felt like a squeaky toy beset upon by a playful puppy. A great, big, massive puppy.

"Nice to meet you, big guy." was all he managed before gasping for air.

"There! See now!" Minerva said. "You two will get along just fine, I think!"

"Don' worry a bit, Professor, he'll make a fine helper!" he said and clapped a colossal hand on Sam's back knocking the wind out of him for the second time.

"I'll leave you two to it." Minerva said and turned toward the castle.

Hagrid turned to Sam. "So, yeh got a way wit' animals, do yeh?"

"Apparently so." said Sam, still recovering. "At least with Phoenixes."

Hagrid lifted his gigantic bushy eyebrows. "Yeah? How so?"

Sam reached into his robes and pulled out the phoenix feather necklace he was wearing and showed it to Hagrid.

Hagrid instantly gasped. "That's mi'ghty special, that is! Did yeh git it from Fawkes?"

"Yeah, I met him earlier today. Beautiful bird. Very friendly too."

"An' he gave it to yeh jus' like that, eh?"

"Yes he did."

"Thas' good enough fer me!" Hagrid said taking off around the side of his hut. Sam didn't know if he should follow or not, so he stood there still a bit winded. Hagrid poked his head around the corner. "Well, c'mon then! I'll introduce yeh to the hippogriffs!"

Sam made quick work of catching up to him and Hagrid led him to the edge of the forest. Just inside the foliage he could see a wooden pen holding a few large winged creatures. They were tall, feathered, and had the front legs, wings, and head of a giant eagle and the body, hind legs, and tail of a horse. They were all gathered in the pen drinking out of a trough.

Hagrid sauntered up to the pen and waited for Sam to catch up. "Beau'iful ain't they!" he said. Sam finally took a good look at them. They were terrifying actually. Sam had dealt with his fair share of monsters, but this was a different matter. Yet they were extremely majestic as well. He could see why Hagrid loved them so. The more he watched them strut around the pen, the more he appreciated them and the opportunity to see them up close.

"Yeah, they are." Sam said in earnest.

"Now, the thin' with Hippogriffs is, they're very proud creatures. Insult one, 'n it could be the last thin' yeh do!"

Sam swallowed hard. He remembered this part. What it did . . . would do, to Malfoy. "That's what I've heard." he said cooly. "You gotta bow, right?"

Hagrid seemed impressed. "Yeh know yer stuff, I'll give yeh that." With that he opened the pen. "Let's see how they like yeh!"

Sam breathed out. Just keep cool, he thought. Just do what he tells you to do and it should be fine. I hope.

"Now," Hagrid started. "Yeh gotta bow, like yeh said. But yeh gotta keep eye contact. Don' show 'em any fear! If he don' bow back, yeh best be backin' off quick-like. Got it?"

"Uh, yeah, sure." said Sam feeling uneasy.

Sam exhaled and approached one of the hippogriffs. Several of them turned his way, more attention than he wanted from them all at once. They eyed him carefully and bobbed their heads. Sam cleared his throat. "Good afternoon to you all." he said and bowed low and properly held eye contact as he was told. With a click of steely talons on the hard ground, he now had the attention of every last one of them and they had all come to see the human.

"Easy, now! Be prepared teh move." Hagrid warned. Sam held his position, a bead of sweat appearing at his temple. He waited. He waited for some sign that he wasn't about to become minced meat to a bunch of pissed off mythical creatures.

To his relief, one by one each of the hippogriffs began to bow to Sam in turn. Oh, thank goodness! he thought.

"Let them stand firs'." Hagrid said.

They all straightened themselves and waited for Sam to do the same. For a moment he was frozen on the spot, but he willed himself to stand.

"Very good, Sam. Well done!" Hagrid said. "I reckon yeh can feed 'em now."