Chapter 10
Sam spent an hour with Minerva learning the basics of transfiguration. She taught him Vera Verto and successfully turned a guinea pig into a goblet, which he argued was most impractical. Minerva told him that next time he was lost in the woods without a drinking vessel next to a babbling brook he would remember this lesson and be thankful.
Minerva moved on to Avifors and taught him how to turn a target into a bird. She told him it could be most useful in a duel. "A winged creature cannot hold a wand, Sam." she told him. He couldn't argue with that and managed to turn a chair into a flamingo.
He sat through the Transfiguration class getting to see Minerva become a cat and attempt to amaze the students by transforming back into human. She claimed it worked every time, yet they seemed as though it was tedious. The students explained that Trelawney had told Harry he was going to die.
"I see." said Minerva. "Then you should know, Potter, that Sybill 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 paused to collect herself. "The truth of the matter is that Professor Winchester here knows more about the future than she does."
There were a few scattered laughs around the classroom. She looked at Harry over the rim of her spectacles. "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."
During lunch Dean and Sam discussed their experiences in class. Dean recounted all the weirdness of Divination including Sybill's crazy predictions.
"Did Neville break the teacups?" Sam asked.
"Yeah, he did."
"Did she tell Lavender Brown that the thing she was dreading would happen in October?"
Dean thought about it a moment. "No. She didn't."
"Huh." Sam mulled that over.
"No she told me that I would get most but not all the answers I seek on Halloween."
"That never happened in the book. When did she tell give you her 'prediction'?"
"She was walking around the room telling everybody what was going to happen in the semester and throwing in a prediction in here and there, she asked me to pass her a silver teapot, so I did, and –"
"She asked you to pass her the teapot?" Sam interrupted.
"Yeah, why?"
"In the book, she asks Lavender Brown to pass her the teapot. That's when she told her the thing she had been dreading would happen."
"What kinda name is Lavender Brown, anyway? It's just two colors. Pfft! So I got her prediction then? Too bad she won't get the answers she's seeking on Halloween."
"Her prediction wasn't for Halloween though. It was mid October."
"Sooo . . . what does that mean?"
"It means . . . that she either gave you 'your own personal reading' cause you happened to be in front of her at the time, or she is pulling stuff out of her . . ." Sam censored himself as a couple of students walked by the head table.
"Is she a fraud or not?" Dean asked.
"She is the Granddaughter of an infamous Seer named Cassandra Trelawney. She does have the Gift, she's the one who made the prediction about Harry and Volde . . . You-Know-Who."
Dean rolled his eyes. "Oh my God, really? Did you just say that?"
Sam paused, slightly annoyed. "When in Rome." he said. "It's not really clear whether or not she fakes it. To be honest, the predictions she makes actually do ring kinda true in the end. The prediction she made for Lavender pans out that her rabbit back at home died. And Harry really does see a big black dog that could be easily mistaken for an actual Grim. So my guess is that she can see things but they aren't exactly as she says they are."
Dean pondered over everything Sam had said. "Hmm. I guess we'll just have to wait until Halloween to see if anything happens."
Sam looked at his watch. "Ooh! I gotta get down to Hagrid's." He took one last bite of his roast and washed it down with the dregs of pumpkin juice still left in his glass.
"Yeah, me too. Minerva wants me to have a private lesson in Potions with that Severus guy."
Sam winced. "Eugh. Have fun with that. You know he's not really a bad guy right?" he added.
"Yeah, yeah. I saw the movie. He kinda does look like Alan Rickman doesn't he?"
"A little bit yeah. More like Paul McGann." said Sam and Dean nodded in agreeance. "Seriously though. He is a bit hostile at times but he really does mean to do the right thing. Even if he –"
"I get it Sam. Run along and go play with your bird-ponies."
Sam laughed. "Alright, I'll see you later."
Sam had arrived ten minutes later at the hut to find Hagrid pacing about in back next to the pumpkin patch.
"Ah, Sam! There yeh are!" he was extremely pleased to see him. "Are yeh ready fer the class t'day?"
"Yeah, I think so." he said with a half smile.
"That's the spirit!" Hagrid said and clapped him on the back.
Sam saw the hand coming his way and braced himself. He took the impact like a champ and only grimaced a bit. He did his best to smile and laugh it off.
"So, let's go out an' feed 'em now so's they don't feel the need to peck at the children." Hagrid said as if it was a normal topic of conversation.
Sam nodded. "Yeah, probably a good idea."
They both walked out to the forest's edge with a basket full of freshly hunted rabbits. Hagrid had given Sam a smock to wear which covered him from chin to toe and wrapped around him twice.
They entered the pen and bowed in unison to the group of hippogriffs. They came bounding over to the two of them and were obviously more concerned with the tender morsels in the basket than a proper greeting. They all hastily bowed back and began to crowd them and stamp at the ground impatiently.
"Don't worry guys, there's plenty for everyone." Sam said nervously. He reached into the basket and picked up one of the rabbits. He tossed it upwards and a few of the hippogriffs tried to pluck it out of the air. One of them succeeded and the others squawked in protest. He continued to toss them till all the rabbits were gone and everyone was well fed.
Sam unrolled himself from the smock and hung it over the fence. Hagrid watched in delight.
"Yeh know, yeh really do got a way wit' them animals." he said proudly. "I'm sorry if I made yeh feel like I didn' want yeh around."
"Oh, no!" Sam said quickly. "It's okay. This is your show, Hagrid. I'm just here to help."
"An' lemme tell yeh, jus' between you and me, I'm glad yeh're here." he said. "I'm nervous about the class. I jus' want ev'rythin ter go smoothly, ya know."
"Well whatever you need, I'm here for you." Sam said reassuringly.
"It's about that time! You stay here an' round up the hippogriffs an' get the collars on 'em like I show'd yeh. I'm gonna go wait fer the kids at the hut."
"I'll have them ready when you get back. No problem"
"Thanks, Sam!" Hagrid said and scooped him up in a bear hug.
When he released Sam he turned and confidently strolled away toward his hut. Sam was glad he was able to lift his spirits and give him that little extra confidence. He stretched and heard his back pop in several places. "Eugh!" he groaned.
He then turned his attention to the creatures who were looking curiously at him.
"Oh, I'm fine." he said to them. "Now if I may ask your permission, I need to put on your collars on like we practiced before." he said and bowed lowly invoking a few more pops from his back.
It took some doing, but he was able to collar all of the hippogriffs within fifteen minutes, so when Hagrid returned with his class, he was able to lead them outside the pen with the whole lot of them attached to chains which he tied to the fence. Sam thought he looked pretty impressive leading a dozen large creatures toward the class. Maybe even impressive enough to look like a real professional in front of the kids.
Hagrid was teaching the class how to open their Monster Book of Monsters to much ridicule from the Slytherin students standing in the back of the group.
"Hippogriffs!" Hagrid gestured at them. "Beau'iful, aren' they? So, if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer..."
None of the students seemed to inclined to do so. Understandably so. Harry, Ron, and Hermione seemed to be the bravest and took a few careful steps closer.
"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.
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?"
Harry volunteered of course. Hagrid asked Sam to untie the grey one named Buckbeak and bring him forward. Sam expertly guided the winged creature to the group and then removed his collar.
"Thanks, Sam . . . er, Professor Winchester. Easy now, Harry," said Hagrid quietly. "Yeh've got eye contact, now try not ter blink...Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much..."
Harry bowed, Buckbeak hesitated, and Hagrid cautioned Harry. Even though Sam was witnessing everything he knew he had already read years before, he still held his breath as if it was not already predestined to happen.
It was such a weird feeling to Sam. Knowing everything that was going to happen before it happened. Was this how real psychics felt all the time, he thought? Sure enough, Buckbeak finally bowed. Hagrid invited him to pet Buckbeak, and as he did there was light applause from the class.
This is the weirdest feeling of déjà vu. Sam thought. He let his mind wonder a bit trying not to get too ahead of himself recalling what came next. Before he knew it, Harry was on Buckbeak's back and flying around the tops of the forest trees. He watched the hippogriff in flight and truly appreciated the creature for its strength and beauty. He finally saw what Hagrid saw when he looked at them. Perhaps he was a good Magical Creatures assistant after all.
Buckbeak came in for a landing and the lesson continued. The students were paired with hippogriffs and Sam found himself instructing a few students on his own while Hagrid did the same. He looked up from his group of Gryffindor students in time to overhear Draco Malfoy talking loud enough so everyone could hear his pompous and incredulous voice.
"This is very easy." Malfoy said. "I knew it must have been if Potter could do it."
Sam realized in a flash that this was the moment. This is the moment Malfoy would get hurt. By his own doing, this little brat would do himself a grave injury that would eventually lead to Buckbeak's execution.
"I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?" Malfoy said to the hippogriff. "Are you, you great –"
Sam couldn't help himself. "You'd better believe they are, Malfoy." he interrupted and prevented Draco from continuing his sentence that would have ended in blood. He walked over to him and looked him in the eyes. "I know you what you were about to say. And if you know what's good for you, the next time there is a lesson you should pay attention when a Professor tells you that insulting a creature like a hippogriff could be the last thing you do. If you had said what you were going to say, he would have sliced you open like a sack of potatoes."
Sam turned and began walking back to his group of students he was working with before.
"This place really has gone to the dogs." Draco muttered under his breath. "Wait till my father hears that they've gone and hired Americans." he said to Crabbe and Goyle who snickered to themselves.
Sam knew he shouldn't be surprised by anything Malfoy said, but that one stung a little bit. He stopped dead in his tracks and turned.
"Malfoy!" Sam said authoritatively making Draco jump. "Come here!"
Everyone in the class stopped what they were doing and watched as Draco was reprimanded in front of the whole class. Draco shuffled his feet and slowly made his way over to Sam.
"You've just earned yourself detention." Sam said, secretly loving the fact he was getting to do this. "And ten more points from Slytherin. Maybe you'll think twice about your behavior. Especially after you single handedly cost your house 20 points today."
Pansy Parkinson's jaw dropped and she gasped. She was obviously not happy about this news.
"Er . . ." Hagrid said trying to cut the tension. "I think we can stop there fer the day. Hope ya all enjoy'd yer firs' lesson!"
The students all made for the castle, Draco giving Sam the stink eye over his shoulder. Sam responded in kind by making the, 'I'm watching you' gesture by pointing at his eyes then at him. He hadn't noticed that Harry, Ron and Hermione had stayed behind a moment and approached him.
"Er, Professor?" Harry said to Sam.
It took him a bit by surprise. "Yes, Harry?"
"I . . . just wanted to thank you." he said.
"For what?"
"For this morning. The other Professor Winchester, he stopped them from making fun of me."
"Hey," Sam said. "If we catch any students being jerks we're gonna call them out on it."
"Well, I just wanted to say thanks."
"You're welcome, Harry. But the one you ought to be thanking is Hagrid for the awesome lesson, right?"
"It was great!" Ron said.
"Well, go let him know. He could use the encouragement. I'll see you around, yeah?"
"Yeah." Harry agreed with a smile and the three of them trotted over to Hagrid.