Chapter Nine – Cara

The Hippogriffs

By the time we were finished setting up for our first lesson of the year, Hagrid and I were well on our way to becoming fast friends. I knew the marauders had loved the half-giant while they were at school, but Rose and I had never really gotten to know him. I found him hilarious, to say the least, and he really knew his animals. Of course, he absolutely loved dragons, and I spent the first couple of hours talking about Norberta for him.

"She's lovely, righ'?" Hagrid asked, and I smiled. We were making our way up to the Great Hall for lunch and I was extraordinarily excited for the first Care of Magical Creatures lesson.

"Of course she is, Hagrid," I replied. "I got a letter from Charlie a couple of days away; she's just been bred with Sânge, who is a Chinese Fireball. We're trying to create some variation in the breeding lines, and he says it's really interesting – the results, that is. The eggs are purple, apparently, with orange polka dots."

"Amazin'," Hagrid said with a happy sigh.

I grinned at the man and said, "Come on, you dolt. Let's go and eat." We hurried inside and took our seats, deeply engrossed in our conversation, when Remus plopped himself tiredly into a seat beside me. I looked up at him, worriedly. "Remus, honey. Are you okay?"

He smiled at me, but he was pale. "You know I am, Cara."

I reached out and took his hand, worried for him. His condition had taken a terrible toll on him over the years, and I sometimes worried if it was going to… well, going to kill him. I couldn't stand it if he died. I'd die myself. "Are you sure?" I couldn't help but ask. "Maybe you should go and have a lie down…"

"Cara, love, I'm fine," he said softly, and kissed me quickly. "Besides, I have the fourth years this afternoon – our Beth is going to be in my class for the first time."

I smiled, excited. "Oh, I do hope she's okay. I mean, I know she's perfect for the house she's in, but she doesn't know anyone…"

"She'll make friends easily – you know she always has," was his sanguine answer. "Now stop worrying so much."

"The day your wife stops worrying is the day hell will freeze over," McGonagall said as she passed us by. She shot a smile at us and lowered her voice. "Keep an eye on Rose for me, will you? She's…"

"Is she okay?" I blurted out, worried (don't laugh! I always worry).

"She's fine," she soothed. "And her class – I saw them as they came out – loved her, and seemed very impressed. But I can't help but worry."

"Two peas in a pod," Remus said with a charming smile. "The both of you need to worry less. Rose is fine, Beth will be fine, and everyone is, in fact, fine!"

Just then, the door opened, and Rose and Dumbledore came in, arm in arm. Rose was smiling up at the old professor, and he was chuckling, his eyes twinkling mischievously. I heard their conversation as it carried up to us. "Yes, Rose, I remember. You were so very… mischievous. I don't doubt you could give Mr Weasley and Mr Weasley a run for their money – you know, they are our modern day marauders."

She laughed and said, "I don't know. It's been a long time since I pranked someone…"

"Lies," Will said as he jumped up to join his mother and his headmaster. "You pranked Aunt Cara just last week."

I watched my twin blush bright red and said, "William, now is not the place-"

"It was you," I blurted out as they reached the head table. "And to think, you let me blame James and Dan."

She giggled. "I did not. I told you I doubted it was them…"

"You should have owned up!" I told her, with a mock serious glare.

She laughed again and replied, "Well, you shouldn't have been as stupid as to leave your wand there, should you?"

I rolled my eyes as she took her place, and Dumbledore joined her. The two were chatting away like old friends – which I thought quite ironic, as he had once sanctioned her walking to her death (well, alright, she might not have died… but the thought was there) – and Severus marched in, looking as moody as ever. Rose grinned and gestured to him, so he joined them. The three sat for all of lunch, talking quietly between themselves.

When lunch was finally finished, Hagrid gestured for me to join him and, after kissing Remus goodbye, we walked down to his hut. There we waited for the third years to join us.

"It's Slytherin and Gryffindor, right Hagrid?" I asked him quietly as the students made their way from the castle.

"Righ' yeh are, Cara," he agreed. "A troublesome lo' if I do say so me self," he added quietly. "Always at each other's throats."

"Of course," I murmured. "Would you like to start or shall I?"

"Ladies firs'," he said. I smiled at him.

"Good afternoon, everyone," I called, drawing the third years' attention onto me. "Is everybody here? Yes? Good! I am Professor Lupin and this is Professor Hagrid. If you'd like to follow us, we can get started."

Together, Hagrid and I turned and marched around the forest, to the paddock. "Gather round, please!" I commanded. "Hagrid?"

"Righ'! Now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books-"

"How?" drawled Draco Malfoy.

I grinned. "Of course, we forgot to mention that, didn't we Hagrid?" I laughed. "You have to stroke the spine. It's quite amusing actually – ironic." The students looked unconvinced, but I took the one out of Hermione's hands, ripped off the spellotape and ran my finger down the spine. It shuddered and lay open in my hands. "Easy."

The students did as they were told and I smiled at Hagrid.

"Righ' then," he said, "So, yeh've got yer books an' now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Yeah. So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on." He hurried into the forest to bring back the beautiful creatures (okay, some people thought they were ugly, but I loved Hippogriffs!).

I turned around as I heard voices between Malfoy and Harry, and I frowned as I listened. The boy was far too like his father for anyone's good; one Lucius Malfoy was enough for the world.

"Oooooooh!" squealed a girl who I thank was called Lavender Brown, and Hagrid brought the beasts out. Hippogriffs. Their bodies, hind legs and tails were of a horse, but with the front legs, wings and heads of eagles (giant ones, of course) and their talons were long enough to slice people's limbs off. I gave a shiver of delight.

"Gee up, there!" Hagrid roared, urging the creatures up to the fence where the class stood (who drew back nervously as they approached).

"Hippogriffs," Hagrid explained happily. "Beau'iful, aren' they?"

"Come closer, class," I ordered them. They seemed a little reticent, but Harry, Hermione and Ron (typical brave Gryffindors…) approached the fence cautiously.

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

"Pay attention there," I snapped at the group of three boys – Malfoy and two lackeys that looked like the descendants of Crabbe and Goyle (who on earth did those two reproduce?) – who were talking quietly. "This is important information that might save your life."

Hagrid nodded at me and I carried on. "The first thing you do when approaching a Hippogriff is wait for it to make the first move. You must bow – keeping eye contact, as they don't trust people who blink too readily – and then wait. If they bow back, it is safe to approach them. If they do not, run away. Fast."

I smiled at Hagrid as he asked, "Righ' – who wants ter go firs'?"

Most of the class backed away, but Harry said, "I'll do it." People around him gasped and I swear I heard a girl whisper something about tea leaves, but he climbed over the paddock fence.

I grinned. "Brave of you, Harry. Come on, let's try you with Buckbeak." Hagrid untied one of the chains and brought my favourite – the grey one – away from his fellows and slipped off the leather collar.

"Easy now, Harry," Hagrid said quietly. "Yeh've got eye contact, try not ter blink…"

Harry stared straight at the Hippogriff, unblinking, and bowed quickly. I hid a smile, knowing this was not the moment to be laughing at the boy, but it was amusing – he was scared, too scared to show the back of his neck for too long. For a long moment, the hippogriff didn't move, and Hagrid stiffened, saying, "Ah, well, migh' want ter back away, there, Harry-"

"No, Hagrid," I whispered, and the beast bowed back, dropping to its knees. I grinned. "Well done, Harry!"

"Go on, pat his beak, Harry!" Hagrid said, and Harry moved cautiously forwards and patted his beak rather quickly. I hid another smile as the class applauded. Buckbeak closed his eyes lazily, as if enjoying the attention.

"Righ' then, Harry," said Hagrid. "I reckon he migh' let yeh ride him!" Harry looked up, alarmed, and I couldn't withhold a giggle as I moved forwards to assist Hagrid in helping Harry climb up onto the Hippogriff.

Harry clambered up and looked accusingly at me. "It's all very well to laugh now- whoa!" And the Hippogriff launched up into the air, circling around the paddock. I watched my friends' son grip around the neck of the beast and look extraordinarily uncomfortable, but Buckbeak just circled once and landed again. Harry curled forwards for the impact, but straightened up again quickly, and the class let out cheers.

"Well done," I told him as I helped him down. "Okay, who else wants a go?" The class surged forwards, emboldened by Harry's success, and soon everyone was bowing nervously, all over the paddock. The boy from the train – Neville Longbottom (shame about Alice and Frank; I had heard about them while we were in Romania) – was backing away nervously, and Harry watched Ron and Hermione work on theirs.

Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle (it was them, it turned out) were now working with Buckbeak, and I turned around just in time to hear Malfoy – who was patting Buckbeak on the nose, say, "I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you? Are you, you great ugly brute?"

"No!" I cried out and ran forwards, but I was too late to stop Beaky from doing it. In seconds, Malfoy lay on the floor, crying out in pain, and Hagrid was wrestling the beast away from him. With two flicks of my wand I had the beasts back in their collars and pulled away from the students, Beaky included.

"Hagrid!" I ordered, "Carry him to the Hospital Wing. You lot, get inside the castle now! Miss Parkinson, run ahead and warn Madam Pomfrey – I'm going to fetch Rose. Move, now!"

With that, I took off, leaving the students behind as ran, faster than most others (you learn to run away quickly from dragons) could have, fleeing to find my sister before the boy could bleed out.