The next day, Harry, Ron and Hermione all arrived at the Divination Tower for class. Professor Trelawny, the Divination teacher, was a thin lady with stringy hair, baggy clothes and thick lensed glasses that amplified her eyes, making her look like an owl or something. She walked around the room, lighting each and every incense and candle there, claiming it was to 'clear the mind and open the third eye'
"What a load of rubbish" huffed Hermione as she sat beside the secret animagus and the 'snack hole' - a nickname for Ron due to his bottomless stomach - after Trelawny told them the instructions for the day.
"I completely agree with you, Hermione. I just joined the class cause I thought it would be easy points" admitted Ron, who looked down at his tea cup which had tea leaves in his. "Harry, mate, what does this look like to you?" he asked as he handed the teacup to Harry.
He took it gently and tilted his head. "It… looks like a ship… according to the book… you're gonna go places. Or, it could be a crutch, in which case you're gonna hurt a leg or arm later this year" he said as he handed the cup back to Ron with a shrug. Hermione started to cough. Harry looked at her, concern in her eyes. "'Mione, you alright?"
She stopped the coughing fit after a bit and cleared her throat and put a hand to her chest. "Yes, I'm fine, Harry. Thank you. It's just that I'm severely allergic to bullshit" she said, causing Ron to laugh loudly, and Harry to shake his head and chuckle.
However, Trelawny happened to hear. "Dear, you don't have to believe in Divination in order for you to enjoy this class" she stated as she looked into Harry's teacup, her face paling as she sees the tea leaves.
"That is true. However, I don't even find this class enjoyable, even if I don't believe in it" she said as she grabbed her bag and was about to leave until she heard the sound of glass breaking and someone cursing. She turned her head to see that Trelawny had dropped the tea cup and it landed on Harry's hand, causing it to shatter and cut his hand. It was bleeding profusely. She rushed to help him, but he did something that caused her to stop in her tracks.
Harry winced when he felt the shards cut his hand. He hated pain and just wanted it to go away. So, on instinct from the Nukalavee inside, after making sure no one was looking - and not realizing that Hermione was watching - he licked the wounds clean of blood, the coppery, warm, thick liquid tasting like paradise on his tongue, leaving his Beast wanting more.
He had to close his eyes in order for him to fight the urge to shift and find more blood, and to also hide the fact that his eyes had turned to the soul-less crimson. When he opened them, he saw that the wound was slowly healing, not at a very rapid rate like potions would do, but like a slow time lapse of wounds closing.
He looked up when Trelawny spoke.
"My boy… you have many signs in your leaves. Most of them are good. For instance, the infinity heart means that you'll find many unconditional love. However, you have one grave one. The Grimm… the Omen of Death…" she said.
He rolled his eyes. Great, just what he needed, another attempt on his life. Maybe it's Black? Or maybe Voldemort himself?
The next class was Care of Magical Creatures. In this class, taught by the half giant, Ruby Hagrid, the students were to learn how to care for and how to protect themselves against the many magical creatures that populate the wilds. Wether it be small or large, thin or fat, slimy or dry, soft or rough, they would learn to care for the creature. So, naturally, a lot of students were excited by this fact.
Ron, Harry and Hermione were waiting for Hagrid to come and start the lesson. She had arrived, close to five minutes after the bell rang for class to begin. She apologized again and again about it. However, this changed when she remembered the lesson she had planned.
"Well? Water ya wait'n for? Les go me' Buckbeak!" she said excitedly, clapping her large hands together. She then turned around and bounded to behind her hut, which rested at the edge of the Black Lake and the Forbidden Forest. What they aw there blew their minds.
There, standing in a pen, was majestic creature, half horse and half bird. The fur and feathers were grey and spotted with black and white. It's large, intelligent eyes were a deep gold and it's head turned every which way, looking at everything and anything, seemingly judging everyone silently.
"This 'ere is Buckbeak! 'e's an 'ippogriff!" stated Ruby as she tossed a piece of raw meat into the air. The Hippogriff caught it in his mouth and ate it like a bird, or some type of lizard. "Alright, you lot. Open your books" she stated before she frowned at the bewildered faces. "Nunna ya figered out 'ow ta open yer books?" she asked, sounding extremely sad.
"No, ma'am. How are we supposed to do it?" a student asked.
"Why, ya stroke the spine o' course! Either tha' or ya show dominance" she said. "Like 'arry 'ere!" she said as she gestured to the young animagus.
Everyone looked to him, wanting to see what they were talking about. They saw that Harry was practically wrestling it, a lot like what Steve Irwin did with crocodiles. He had his arm wrapped around the book tight, glaring into it's eyes. Soon, the book whimpered and it submitted. It flipped open to the page.
This causes many of the students to be in awe, while Jackie, Hermione and Hagrid all blushed very lightly at this show of dominance. It was obvious that he was an Alpha.
Hagrid clears her throat before she smiles and speaks once more.
"Now, 'ippogriffs are very proud, noble creatures, 'owever they're very prideful. Don't look them in the eye, as they'll take offense an' mos' likely attack" she stated before she clapped her large hands. "Now, who's wanting to volunteer to pet 'I'm?"
Everyone steps back besides Harry, who was lost in his thoughts about where he can go shift to his beast.
"Ah, 'Arry! Good job! Now, c'mon, don' be shy!" she stated as she clapped her hand on his back, sending him stumbling forward a bit, before he stood before the grey creature. "Now then, to allow 'im to let you pet 'im, you gotta bow. Make sure to avoid eye contact. If 'e bows as well, slowly reach for him, and 'e should allow you"
Harry did as she asked, bowing low, eye cast to the ground, quiet and waiting. Eventually, he hears the squawk of the great beast in front of him, then the ruffling of feathers as it bowed on it's forelegs. He stood and, still avoiding eye contact, extended his hand to the Hippogriff. He then felt soft feathers on his palm, signifying that the creature started to rub it's head against his hand.
"Amazin'! Now, I bet 'e'll let you ride 'im!" bellowed Hagrid happily. She picked him up, despite his protests, and set him on Buckbeak's back. With a slap on his rump, the great beast took off, it flying.
At first, Harry was scared. No, not Harry. The Nukalavee was scared. It was terrified of heights. Which was kinda obvious, as it was a massive land creature, usually not meant for flight. However, when Harry got the Beast's panic under control, he smiled wide and threw his arms into the air, letting out an excited yell, just as Buckbeak started to skim over the water of the Black Lake.
The rest of the lesson was normal after Harry landed. Draco tried to be a pompous git who could go fist himself with a cactus for all he cared. However, he knew he was trying to get Hagrid in trouble by purposefully riling up the proud Hippogriff, despite the rules that the half-giantess told the class.
When Buckbeak was about to attack, Harry shoved Malfoy out of the way and glared right into Buckbeak's eyes. Auburn met emerald. Then, auburn met crimson. It was a match between wills.
This class was a disaster. That was obvious to Ruby Hagrid, as she saw that Buckbeak was about to attack the Malfoy heir. It was on purpose, too. She had heard the Slytherin whisper to his goons about what he was going to do. That is, until Harry shoved Malfoy out of the way, and standing in between the big, fat, ugly beast and the Hippogriff. Emerald met auburn in a clash of the ages, the two beings of immense power staring each other down. Unbeknownst to most of them, except for Ruby, who knew about the animagus form the young wizard has, Harry's eyes turned to the pure, deadly crimson.
As the two glared at each other, it was obvious who was winning the fight. Buckbeak was starting to cower under the immense power the young man held in just a stare. When it tried to be defiant and show itself as the Alpha, Harry just glared harder, growling deep in his throat. This went on for a bit until Buckbeak laid on it's belly, head resting on it's front legs.
Harry's eyes changed back as he sighed, rubbing his eyes a bit. That was when he realized the cheering. He turned to see everyone cheering for him, except for the git Malfoy.
'Damn that Potter! Damn that half-breed whore! Damn that abomination! Wait till my father hears about this!' Draco thought as he fumed silently. He was supposed to get attacked by the creature to get the half-breed fired. And, Potter, the attention seeking brat he is, just had to ruin it! Damn that Potter…