Diary of a Discovered Girl
by Ash-Caro-Lynn
Chapter IV : Of Consequences and Complications
"And who am I, Harry?"
"Pafoo'!"
"See, James, I told you. Prongslet likes me best."
"We'll see about that. Who's he, Harry?"
"Moony!"
"D-Did she just..."
"I believe that our bet was just called off, Sirius."
"Hold on a second. Let me get this straight. You dreamed... about me, someone named 'Pafoo''-"
"Padfoot. It was Padfoot."
"But you said I said 'Pafoo'.'"
"Yeah. I know. But it was Padfoot, I'm certain of it."
"Alright, then... so someone called 'Sirius,' whose nickname was 'Padfoot,' a James you're about certain is our father, someone called 'Moony,' and then you and I."
"Pretty much, Harry. What do you make of it?"
"Well, I've looked it up in here... it says you're crazy."
"Harry!"
"Well, what else am I supposed to say? Why don't you ask Professor Trelawney?"
"What am I supposed to say to her, Harry? 'Hey, Professor, I had a dream about my father and two of his best friends, along with my twin brother who's actually the Boy-Who-Lived, what do you make of that?'"
Harry stared at me for a moment before breaking out in laughter.
"Only you," he got out between his chuckles. Hermione and Ron, who were sitting at our table, simultaneously raised their eyebrows.
Man, and I thought Harry and I completing each others' sentences was cool. This was mindblowing... back to topic.
"Why am I even taking this class?" I asked curiously, flipping through the assigned book. "I mean, what do dreams about balloons have to do with magic?"
"And that is why you should have actually read the electives list before checking them all off," replied Harry with a laugh. "Divination has more to do with magic than Arithmancy."
"But what if I want to... I don't know... get a species change and become a goblin at Gringotts? I'm going to need to know some maths," I tried. "Okay, maybe Arithmancy is a totally useless subject."
"And let's not even get started on what Muggle Studies has to do with magic," added Ron as he tried to decipher Hermione's dream.
"It's useful to know what it's like without magic," I argued. "I might get a job where I have to interact with Muggles, I don't want to completely slaughter the terms of the International Statute of Secrecy and spill every single piece of information about our world."
"I'm sure you have enough sense not to do that," mumbled Harry. "It's not like you're half bad at keeping secrets." I rolled my eyes.
"Touché, Potter."
"What do we have next, 'Mione?" I asked after Ancient Runes as we stole into a super secret corner we had discovered.
"Care of Magical Creatures," she answered, and we each turned our Time Turners, being sent back an hour in time and quickly rushing out of the castle and to Hagrid's hut.
Hagrid – or Professor Hagrid, as he now was known – was our friend. Mine, Harry, Hermione and Ron's, that is. He was a tall, imposing man (being a half giant) but he really was a softie once one got to know him. He had newly been appointed the Care of Magical Creatures professor after serving as Gamekeeper and Keeper of the Keys (yes, Hogwarts really does have that many keys) and lived in a small hut on the edge of the school grounds.
"What do you think we'll be learning about today?" asked Hermione enthusiastically.
"Maybe some sort of magical creature," I replied with a shrug. "Knowing Hagrid, though, it'll probably be extremely dangerous. A dragon, maybe. Or a three-headed dog."
"I doubt he's going to introduce us to dragons or three-headed dogs," replied Hermione, rolling her eyes. "Or anything quite that dangerous. It wouldn't be that safe."
"Hermione," I replied, "hiring a half giant who enjoys hugging children isn't that safe either."
"Did someone say hugging children?" I turned around, raising an eyebrow at Harry, who had just appeared behind us. "What? Don't look at me like that!"
"Like what, like you just said something that made you sound stupid, 'cause in that case, my look is perfectly merited," I replied. "We were discussing Hagrid."
"Hugging children? You mean trying to kill his students?" I shot Hermione a smirk, who opened her mouth as if to defend our Care of Magical Creatures professor before said half giant appeared from the Forbidden Forest.
Oh yeah, did I mention that Hogwarts has a forest on the edge of its grounds that students are banned from entering?
"G'mornin', class!" he called out.
"G'mornin', Hagrid!" replied a few of us – namely the three Gryffindors who had just been discussing him.
"Have yeh got yer books?" he asked, pulling out a copy of the assigned book, The Monster Book of Monsters.
The Monster Book of Monsters was an absolutely terrifying book, in that it had fangs and its covers were jaws. I frowned, pulling out the book from my bag. Somehow, I had miraculously managed to get it to stop snapping, though others were not as lucky. I raised an eyebrow at Harry, whose book was secured shut with a belt.
"How'd you get yours still?" he questioned.
"I have no clue," I replied. "Hagrid, how were we supposed to get these books to stop trying to eat us?"
"Stop tryin' ter eat yeh?" repeated Hagrid. "Why, yeh just had ter stroke the spine!"
"Stroke the spine?" repeated a haughty voice from behind me. I turned, scowling at he who had spoken.
Malfoy.
"I thought they were books, not animals," he continued.
"Can I smack him?" I mumbled under my breath to Harry. He glanced pointedly in Hagrid's direction.
"You really shouldn't," he replied. I frowned, and made to protest, but he quickly added, "while Hagrid is looking."
I grinned as Hagrid told us to follow him, turning and starting to walk, and slowed down a little, matching pace with Malfoy before subtly delivering a swift kick to his shin and speeding up again.
"Willow!" hissed Hermione. I grinned, giving her a thumbs-up before looking at the creatures Hagrid had led us to.
In a large pen were four giant birds – if one could call them that. They seemed to be awesome hybrids, with the head, wings and talons of a giant eagle and the body and back legs of a horse.
"Can anyone tell me what these are?" asked Hagrid. I knew exactly what they were, but I was too busy gawking to answer.
Luckily, Hermione was never deterred by magnificence, and raised her hand, saying, "Hippogriffs."
"Five points ter Gryffindor," said Hagrid. I held my hand up for a high five, and Hermione rolled her eyes, leaving me hanging. "Now, can I get a volunteer? Willow?"
"Wha- oh." I realized that I hadn't bothered to put my hand down. See what happens when you leave me hanging, 'Mione? "Er – sure thing, Hagrid!"
The crowd parted to let me pass, and I walked up beside Hagrid.
"Now, yeh're goin' ter have to climb over the fence an' partner up with Buckbeak – he's the one o'er there, see – and follow my instructions from there. Are we clear?"
"Sir yes sir," I replied with a salute, carefully lifting myself over the fence and approaching Buckbeak, maintaining a distance from the dangerous creature.
"Now, I want yeh to bow ter 'im, maintainin' eye contact!" shouted Hagrid. I did as he said, bowing deeply and feeling rather ridiculous as I kept my head up, looking into the dark brown orbs that were the hippogriff's eyes.
They actually narrowed at me for a moment, and I stepped back a bit as a precaution, but his front legs bent and he bowed back. I allowed myself to grin like an idiot for a moment as he got back up, listening for Hagrid's instructions.
"Good job!" he called out. "Now, yeh've got ter approach him with yer arm out, nice and slowly now... there!"
My hand was now almost touching Buckbeak's face, and I gasped as he nuzzled his forehead into my hand.
"This is the most coolest thing ever!" I exclaimed. "What now, Hagrid?"
"Now," replied Hagrid, "yeh could ride 'im, if yeh'd like."
"Shut. Up." I replied in amazement. "What do you say to that, Buckbeak?"
As if he understood (and knowing the wise creatures that hippogriff are, he probably did), the hippogriff bent his legs. I grinned, carefully stepping up to him. Buckbeak gestured for me where to put my foot with his head, and I used the ridge he had gestured to climb on top of the creature, gasping as he put out his wings, running a bit before taking off.
I held on tighter, the ride not being the most... smooth gliding. I definitely preferred a broom, but there was nothing quite like riding a hippogriff. Just as I started to relax, Buckbeak flew back to the ground, landing and allowing me to get off. I disembarked, tucking my windswept hair back behind my ear and trying to catch my breath.
"Excellent job!" called out Hagrid. "Now, the rest of yeh can get on in there. Be careful – hippogriffs are proud creatures! Don' insult one, it'll probably be the last thing yeh do."
"Hear that Harry?" I mumbled to my brother (who had just hopped the fence, along with the rest of the students). "Be good, now. Don't hurt the hippogriff... or his pride."
"Wouldn't dream of it," he replied, bowing and maintaining eye contact. "He's pretty beautiful, isn't he?"
"Harry, Harry, Harry..." I shook my head. "As much as I support you, I really don't think that Buckbeak is interested in a relationship."
"I'd roll my eyes if it wouldn't offend him," replied Harry.
"You're whipped, mate," I said sympathetically. "Sorry, Buckbeak... let him down easy, will you?"
I was interrupted from further teasing my brother as a girlish scream came from behind me. I flinched, and Harry broke his eye contact with his hippogriff as we simultaneously turned, staring with identical wide eyes at the student who was now on the ground.
"He insulted it, didn't he?" muttered Harry.
"Wouldn't be unlike him," I replied. "I'm trying, really I am, but somehow I can't bring myself to feel any sympathy for him."
"Malfoy deserved this, didn't he?" I frowned.
"I wouldn't say he deserved it," I replied. "But if I were in that Hippogriff's shoes, I'd've done the same."