Harry was pleased to get out of the castle after lunch. Yesterday's rain had cleared; the sky was a pale gray, and the grass was springy and damp underfoot as they set off for their first-ever Care of Magical Creatures class. Harry walked beside Ron and Hermione in silence as they went down the sloping lawns to Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest It was on what he spotted three only-too-familiar backs ahead of them that he recognized they must be having these lessons with the Slytherins. Malfoy was miming fainting to Crabbe and Goyle. Harry rolled his eyes. Hagrid was waiting for his class at the door of his hut. He stood in his moleskin overcoat, with Fang the boarhound at his heel, looking impatient to start.
"C'mon, now, get a move on!" he called as the class approached.
"Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!"
"Wait a second Hagrid," Jack interrupted, running up to them panting slightly, "Sorry I'm late, I didn't know where the class was." Harry had forgotten about Jack, he was a transfer student from up north; this was his first day at Hogwarts and he had no sense of direction in the ever-changing castle halls.
"It's alrigh' Jack, glad you were able to find us. Yehr all gonna love this lesson!" Hagrid said enthusiastically.
For one nasty moment, Harry thought that Hagrid would lead them into the forest. However, Hagrid strolled off around the edge of the trees, and five minutes later, they found themselves outside a kind of paddock. There was nothing in there. Talk about anticlimactic.
"Everyone gather round the fence here!" he called. "That's it - make sure yeh can see - now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books - "
"How?" said the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy.
"Eh?" said Hagrid.
"How do we open our books?" Malfoy repeated. He took out his copy of The Monster Book of Monsters, which he had bound shut with a length of rope. Other people took theirs out too; some, like Harry, had belted their book shut; others had crammed the side tight bags or clamped them together with a binder clip, and some Spellotaped it closed like a present.
"Hasn' - hasn' anyone been able ter open their book" Hagrid, looking crestfallen. The class all shook their heads.
"Yeh've got ter stroke 'em," said Hagrid, as though this was the most obvious thing in the world. "Look."
He took Hermione's copy and ripped off the Spellotape that bound it. The book tried to bite, but Hagrid ran a giant forefinger down its spine, the book shivered and then fell open and lay quiet in his hand.
"Oh, how silly we've all been!" Malfoy sneered. "We should have stroked them! Why didn't we guess!"
"I - I thought they were funny," Hagrid said uncertainly to Hermione.
"Oh, tremendously funny!" said Malfoy. "Really witty, giving us books that try to rip our hands off!"
"Shut up, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Hagrid was looking downcast and Harry wanted Hagrid's first lesson to succeed. Hermione, Ron, and Jack glared at Malfoy.
"Righ' then," said Hagrid, who seemed to have lost his thread.
"So yeh've got yer books an' - an' - now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Yeah. So I'll go an' get them. Hang on..." He strode away from them into the forest and out of sight.
"God, this place is going to the dogs," said Malfoy loudly. "That imbecile teaching classes, my father will have a fit when I tell him"
"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry repeated.
"Careful, Potter, there's a dementor behind you,"
"Oooooooh!" squealed Lavender Brown, pointing toward the opposite side of the paddock.
A dozen of the most bizarre creatures Harry had ever seen were trotting toward them. They had the bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings, and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles, with cruel, steel-colored beaks and large, brilliant, orange eyes. The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly-looking. Each of the beasts had a thick leather collar around its neck, which was attached to a long chain, and the ends of all of these were held in the vast hands of Hagrid, who came jogging into the paddock behind the creatures.
"Gee up, there!" he roared, shaking the chains and urging the creatures toward the fence where the class stood. Everyone drew back slightly as Hagrid reached them and tethered the animals to the fence.
"Hippogriffs!" Hagrid boomed happily, waving a hand at them. "Beau'iful, aren' they?"
Harry could sort of see what Hagrid meant. Once you got over the first shock of seeing something that was half horse, half bird, you started to appreciate the hippogriffs' gleaming coats, changing smoothly from feather to hair, each of them a different color: stormy gray, bronze, pinkish roan, gleaming chestnut, and inky black.
"So," said Hagrid, rubbing his hands together and beaming around, "if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer"
No one seemed to want to except Jack; who moved a little closer. Harry, Ron, and Hermione approached the fence cautiously.
"Now firs' thing yeh got ter know abou' Hippogriffs they're very proud," Hagrid said "Yeh never want to offend a Hippogriff it might just be the last thing yeh ever do. And yeh always wait fer the hippogriff ter make the firs' move. 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."
The class shared a frightened look. Harry noticed Jack's small smile like he knew something no one else did but that didn't take away from the frightened look in his eyes.
"Right - who wants ter go first? Jack, why don't you come say hello."
"Umm… Hagrid I really don't think this is a good idea," Jack said, backing away slightly.
"Aww come on Jack get over here," Hagrid said
Jack looked at the hippogriffs and then looked at Hagrid. They had a quick conversation with their eyes with occasional eyebrow-raising.
"Ugh fine," Jack hopped over the fence. The other kids looked at him like he was crazy.
"Thank you, Jack, now come and say hi to Buckbeak."
He untied one of the chains, pulled the gray hippogriff away from its fellows, and slipped off its leather collar.
Jack turned away and started unbuttoning his robes. He folded them and handed them to Ron leaving him in the white button-down shirt and gray pants of the uniform. After a pause and a big breath, he turned around and walked towards Buckbeak. The class had a collective gasp on Jack's back where two large brown, black, and white wings. They were beautiful, and when he unfurled them, they saw the impressive wingspan. Jack got on one knee in front of Buckbeak and bowed his head, draping his wings on the ground.
Everyone held their breaths for 20 seconds then Buckbeak nelt down on his two front legs. There was a collective sigh of relief.
"Oh thank goodness," whispered Hermione.
Jack slowly got up and stroked the hippogriff's beak. Buckbeak lifted his talons and after one horrifying second wrapped his arms around Jack who in turn wrapped his arms around his neck. Hagrid started clapping until he realized that no one else was. his neck. Hagrid started clapping until he realized that no one else was. The class was shocked even Malfoy had nothing to say. He seemed too busy glaring at Jack's wings.
Jack gave Buckbeak a short bow at the waist and walked back to the fence plucking fluff from his shirt. Ron broke the silence.
"Mate what the quidditch?" He half screamed.
"I'd rather not say to be honest," Jack mumbled hopping over the fence with a flap of his large wings.
"You can't show us massive wings on your back and then not tell us how you got them!" Dean argued.
"I can it is called privacy," Jack remarked, pointing at Hagrid "In fact, I wouldn't have told any of you if he hadn't made me."
"Don't blame me. You said you didn't like that you couldn't let your wings out."
"I also said I didn't want anyone to know about them!"
"You don't have to tell us Jack. We are curious but that doesn't mean you must tell us." Hermione said, trying to defuse the situation.
Jack nodded and mumbled "I'll tell you guys when I'm ready. Thanks, Hermione."
"Alrigh' would anyone else wan' to hav' a go?"
A thick silence fell over the class. After a moment or so Harry stepped forward.
"I'll do it," said Harry.
There was an intake of breath behind him, and both Lavender and Parvati whispered, "Ooh, no, Harry, remember your tea leaves!"
Harry ignored them. He climbed over the paddock fence.
"Good man, Harry!" Hagrid smiled.
The class on the other side of the paddock seemed to be holding its breath. Malfoy's eyes were narrowed maliciously.
"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's eyes immediately began to water, but he didn't shut them. Buckbeak had turned his great, sharp head and was staring at Harry with one fierce orange eye.
"Tha's it," said Hagrid. "Tha's it, Harry now, bow." Harry didn't feel much like exposing the back of his neck to the frightening creature, but he did as he was told. He gave a short bow and then looked up.
"Head down Harry," Jack said firmly. Harry ducked his head.
The hippogriff was still staring haughtily at him. It didn't move. "Ah," said Hagrid, sounding worried. "Right – back away, now, Harry, easy does it"
But then, to Harry's enormous surprise, the hippogriff suddenly bent its scaly front knees and sank into an unmistakable bow.
"Well done, Harry!" said Hagrid, ecstatic. "Right – yeh can touch him! Pat his beak, go on!"
Feeling that a better reward would have been to back away, Harry moved slowly toward the hippogriff and reached out toward it. He patted the beak several times and the hippogriff closed its eyes lazily, as though enjoying it.
"I reckon he'll let you ride him" Hagrid lifted Harry onto Buckbeak's back and ignored Harry's protests. "There, jus' behind the wing joint, Jack get over here! We don't want him falling." Jack didn't argue and went next to Buckbeak gently stroking his neck.
"Mind yeh don' pull any of his feathers out, he won' like tha'"
Hagrid slapped Buckbeak in the hindquarters. Buckbeak spread his twelve-foot wings Harry seized the hippogriff around the neck before Buckbeak took a running start and soared upward. Jack ran with them and took off a moment later.
"Whoa!"
They flew away from the paddock and brushed along the forest treetops. They flew to the castle swirling around the towers. Buckbeak let out a great caw, Jack made a similar but more human sound. They flew to the Black Lake flying just above it. Buckbeak put a talon in the water spraying Jack directly in the face. With a laugh, Jack shoved both arms in the water and sprayed Buckbeak and Harry. Harry spit out the water, aiming at Jack.
"Ewww that's nasty!" He exclaimed dodging.
"You deserved it!"
Jack sighed conteently "Man I missed this!" he dived into the lake then emerged, soaked but laughing.
"Now that's gross the giant squid pees in that all day!" Harry cringed.
"I could care less! I'm too happy!" Jack beamed while shaking water out of his hair.
"Don't you do this all the time?
"Nah things have been so crazy I haven't had time," Jack said somberly.
"What's been going on mate?"
"I recently discovered I was a wizard."
"Same found out 2 years ago"
"I found out 6 months ago dumbledore kinda just walked into my house dropped the bombshell and said to go to England."
"Merlin that's mental! Did he say anything else?"
Just that I wasn't allowed to fly around campus without permission." Jack said, flipping upside down, gliding.
Suddenly a shrill whistle cut through their conversation.
"Hagrid is calling us back," Jack said with a small smile.
Buckbeak started speeding in the direction of the paddock exited by Hagrids name. The two boys laughed and Jack followed Buckbeak back to their class.
They were greeted by clapping and cheering as they landed. This was the bit Harry had been dreading; he leaned back as the smooth neck lowered, feeling he was going to slip off over the beak, then felt a heavy thud as the four ill-assorted feet hit the ground. He just managed to hold on and push himself straight again.
"Good work, Harry!" roared Hagrid as everyone sans Malfoy cheered.
"Okay, who else wants a go?" Emboldened by Harry's success, the rest of the class climbed cautiously into the paddock. Hagrid untied the hippogriffs one by one, and soon people were bowing nervously, all over the paddock. Neville ran repeatedly backward from his, which didn't seem to want to bend its knees. Jack was helping him saying,
"If you're scared of them they won't trust you calm down and try again."
Ron and Hermione practiced on the chestnut, while Harry watched. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had taken over Buckbeak. He had bowed to Malfoy, who was now patting his beak, looking disdainful.
"This is very easy," Malfoy drawled, loud enough for Harry to hear him. "I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it" Then with a sly grin said "I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?" he said to the hippogriff. "Are you, you great ugly brute?"
"No!" Jack launched himself at Buckbeack.
It happened in a flash of steely talons; Malfoy let out a high-pitched scream and Jack began wrestling with the hippogriff. In a mess of feathers, Jack and Buckbeak clawed at each other hissing and chirping. Hagrid rushed in to break it up but before he could get there Jack slammed Buckbeak to the ground and screeched. The class stared in shock. After a moment Jack got up and shook his head dazed. Blood dripped down from his temple and his shirt was torn.
Hagrid wrestled Buckbeak back into his collar. Malfoy, who lay curled in the grass, blood blossoming over his robes. "I'm dying!" Malfoy yelled as the class panicked. "It's killed me! Look at me! It's killed me!"
"Yer not dyin'!" said Hagrid, who had gone very white. "Someone help me – gotta get him outta here."
Hermione ran to hold open the gate as Hagrid lifted Malfoy easily. As they passed, Harry saw that there was a long, deep gash on Malfoy's arm; blood splattered the grass and Hagrid ran with him, up the slope toward the castle. Jack stared at the blood on the grass in a trace. Harry went over and grabbed his hand dragging him to follow the very shaken, the Care of Magical Creatures class toward the castle. The Slytherins were all shouting about Hagrid.
"They should fire him straight away!" said Pansy Parkinson, who was in tears.
"It was Malfoy's fault!" snapped Dean Thomas. Crabbe and Goyle flexed their muscles threateningly. They all climbed the stone steps into the deserted entrance hall. "I'm going to see if he's okay!" said Pansy, and they all watched her run up the marble staircase. Jack detached himself from Harry and followed Pansy muttering a quick
"I'll see you later Harry"
The Slytherins, still muttering about Hagrid, headed away in the direction of their dungeon common room; Harry, Ron, and Hermione proceeded upstairs to Gryffindor Tower.
"D'you think he'll be all right?" said Hermione nervously. "Of Course, he will. Madam Pomfrey can mend cuts in about a second," said Harry, who had had far worse injuries mended magically by the nurse.
"That was a really bad thing to happen in Hagrid's first class, though, wasn't it?" said Ron, looking worried. "Trust Malfoy to mess things up for him,"
Jack came through the portrait hole a few minutes after them, healed and wearing a new shirt. He still looked very out of it as he sat next to them by the fire.
"How is Malfoy?" Hermione asked. Jack blinked and then responded.
"He's sleeping. Madam Pomfry said that the venom hadn't gotten to his heart so she was able to draw out most of it."
"What venom?" Harry asked.
"Hippogrifs have a venom in their talons," Ron replied.
They spent the rest of the day going to the library by request of Hermoine who said she wanted to get started on her homework.
They were among the first to reach the Great Hall at dinnertime, hoping to see Hagrid, but he wasn't there. "They wouldn't fire him, would they?" said Hermione anxiously, not touching her steak-and-kidney pudding. "They'd better not," said Ron, who wasn't eating either. Harry was watching the Slytherin table. A large group including Crabbe and Goyle was huddled together, deep in conversation. Harry was sure they were cooking up their own version of how Malfoy had been injured. "Well, you can't say it wasn't an interesting first day back," said Ron gloomily. Jack nodded meekly.