The first month of term flew by quickly. Most of the students seemed to be enjoying Care of Magical Creatures but none nearly as much as Scorpius Malfoy. They had spent the first couple of weeks learning about caring for baby hippogriffs - both injured and heathy. Then they moved adult hippogriffs. Amethyst had asked her students if they were interested in learning about thestrals and that was met with great enthusiasm. So she decided that would be good as they neared Halloween. The acromantulas had been quiet since the day they attacked the baby hippogriffs. That all changed towards the end of October.
"Hey, Hagrid!" Scorpius and Albus had finished classes for the day and had some time before dinner. They decided to see Amethyst about the hippogriff lesson from the other day.
"What are you boys up to?" Hagrid was tending the pumpkin patch outside his cottage.
"We came to see Professor Abbott." Scorpius answered.
"She's in the hippogriff paddock." Hagrid nodded in the direction of that paddock. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for dinner?"
"We have some time. Thanks." Albus called as they made their way to the paddock. They stayed outside as they watched Amethyst with the babies - they were flying in small circles around her. Ember was perched on a post nearby and chirped when she saw them.
"Hello, boys, what brings you by?" Amethyst waved them inside.
"We had a couple of questions about the hippogriffs." Scorpius said as they dodged the flying babies.
"That couldn't wait?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Well…" Albus looked at Scorpius. "It was something Mr. Malfoy said in his lecture today."
"Oh?" Amethyst wasn't sure what Draco would have said about hippogriffs in his History of Magic lecture. Draco had pretty much stayed at Hogwarts since the start of term.
"Did they really fight at the Battle of Hogwarts?" Scorpius asked.
"Yes." Amethyst nodded. She motioned for them to take a seat as she continued. "Some beasts choose to remain neutral - well most do - when it comes to the affairs of humans. Some choose to fight on the side of evil, some choose to fight on the side of good, and some are dependent on individuals within the species." She paused before continuing. "Buckbeak, Flamebeak's grandsire, was a Hogwarts hippogriff. He was very loyal Hogwarts, Hagrid, and Harry. Story is that Harry and Hermione saved Buckbeak from being executed and then helped Sirius Black escape when he was captured here."
"Buckbeak?" Albus thought for a moment. "Witherwing?" Amethyst nodded.
"Wasn't Sirius Black your dad's godfather?" Scorpius looked at Albus.
"Yeah, James is named after him, too." Albus nodded.
"Dad said he'd been kicked out of the family because he ran away and eventually joined the Order of the Phoenix. He was a cousin to my dad's mum." Scorpius explained what Draco had once told him.
"Falsely imprisoned in Azkaban while he managed to escape." Amethyst said. "According to the story, Buckbeak stayed with Sirius until the latter's death then he was left to Harry in his will."
"Is he the hippogriff that attacked Dad?" Scorpius asked with realization.
"Yes, because your father didn't listen to my lesson." Hagrid came up behind them. "Ready for dinner?"
"Actually, so you think you could tell my dad that we're running late?" Scorpius wanted to know more.
"We really should be getting you two back to the castle. It'll be dusk soon." Amethyst urged. There was no way she would be letting her guard down. "Saturday is coming up, we can talk more then."
"But…" Scorpius tried to argue but Albus stopped him.
"They're right." Albus was looking into the darkening forest. "We should get back to the castle." His eyes went wide. Amethyst turned to see what he was looking at. Orion jumped onto her shoulders. Adult hippogriffs started landing around them in a protective circle.
"Hagrid, get in the paddock now." She said sternly as she noticed the movement of the underbrush. "Albus, Scorpius, climb onto Sunbeam." A golden hippogriff came forward and knelt down so the boys could climb onto her back. "You will lead the babies to the main courtyard of the castle. Hagrid, take Flamebeak and follow behind them. The other adults will help."
"What about you?" Scorpius asked Amethyst.
"Silvermist and I will wait till you are clear. Scorpius, take Orion." Amethyst handed him the reluctant kneazle. "Go!" The sound of branches snapping was growing louder and louder until a giant spider begun to emerge from the tree line. Sunbeam took off and the baby hippogriffs followed behind. They stayed low to the ground once they cleared the fence. There were two adult hippogriffs on either side and Flamebeak brought up the rear. "Aracnis!" She pointed her want at the acromantulas emerging from the forest. "Aracnis duo!" She tried a spell she'd been working on. It worked but she could feel the blood running down her arm and soaking the sleeve of her robe. "Come on, Silver…" Before she could even get her name out, the hippogriff maneuvered to where Amethyst was flung onto her back. They soared into the sky with Ember flying to their right.
"There's something going on in the courtyard." Draco heard some students say as he was heading out of the Great Hall. "All of the hippogriffs have just landed there. The big one Hagrid was riding looked very agitated."
"Dad!" Scorpius yelled when he saw Draco at the top of the stairs. Albus was right beside him and both looked frantic.
"Scorpius, what is it?" Draco rushed down the stairs. "What happened?"
"Hagrid, what's going on?" Before Scorpius could answer, Professor McGonagall came rushing past.
"Acromantulas." Hagrid huffed. "They were coming out of the forest. Amethyst was giving us time to get the babies away." He looked at Draco and then back to McGonagall.
"Are you two alright?" Draco looked between his son and Albus. "What were you even doing there?"
"We went to ask Professor Abbott something about the hippogriff lesson. They were getting ready to bring us up to the castle when everything happened." Albus answered.
"I don't understand, she should be here by now…" Hagrid said under his breath but Draco heard it. Flamebeak took to the sky and headed toward the paddock. He looked down at Draco and dove towards him. Without realizing what he was doing, Draco launched himself onto the hippogriff's back. They were racing towards the paddock when Flamebeak made a sharp turn towards the lake. Draco noticed the stormy grey hippogriff standing guard over something laying on the ground. Ember was circling about them, also on guard.
"No." Draco's stomach dropped when realization dawned on him. Flamebeak sensed Draco's tension and dove straight towards the ground and then leveled out right before impact. As soon as Flamebeak landed, Draco was off and running towards Amethyst. "Amethyst!" He saw the blood covering her wand hand and pulled up the sleeve of her robe. There was a huge gash from her elbow to her wrist. "What did you do?" He pocketed her wand and then tried to clean the dried blood off her arm.
"Mmm…" Amethyst began to stir. She felt the cool water flowing over her arm but was not sure what was going on. "What… what happened? Are Scorpius and Albus…"
"They're fine; everyone is fine." Draco said calmly. He helped her sit up. "What happened?" She looked over at Silvermist and Flamebeak.
"I'm not sure." She looked at Draco, trying to remember. "Sunbeam took the boys and led the babies out of the paddock. Hagrid followed on Flamebeak. Silvermist and I stayed back to give them time. After I used aracnis duo, Silvermist decided it was time to leave." Amethyst looked down at her arm. "That's not good."
"Obviously." Draco said harsher than he meant.
"No, I mean, that's the worst I've ever seen." She could see that it was still bleeding. "Where's my wand?"
"In my pocket. I don't care. You're not getting it back until we know for sure." Draco said rather firmly and then tore the sleeve off his shirt to wrap Amethyst's arm. He pulled her wand out of his pocket and laid it on the grass. "Specialis revelio!" He cast a revealing charm on the wand.
"I guess now we know…" Amethyst sat and stared at the wand, unsure how to process the hexes that had just been revealed.
"We need to see Flitwick." Draco helped her up and then helped onto Flamebeak. He climbed up behind her. Flamebeak, Silvermist, and Ember headed to the main courtyard.
"There!" Albus shouted when he saw the two hippogriffs approaching.
"Dad!" Scorpius went running to them as soon as they landed. "Professor, are you okay?" He noticed Amethyst's arm.
"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you for looking after the babies and Orion. You, too, Albus." She smiled at them.
"Amethyst?" Hagrid looked worried.
"I'm okay, Hagrid. We'll need to alert Bane as well as the Ministry." Amethyst said. She really didn't want to worry the others about the want just yet.
"I'll get a note to Bane right away." Hagrid said and headed into the castle.
"I'll get word to the Minister." Professor McGonagall turned to address the students. "Please, all students head back insider the castle, preferably to your houses." The students obeyed and McGonagall proceeded up the stairs.
"Professor?" Draco called after her. She turned to face him as he met her on the stairs. He whispered something to her, which Amethyst figured was about her wand considering the look on McGonagall's face. "We need to see Professor Flitwick."
"Of course. He should be in his office. I'll send word to the Minister after." McGonagall motioned for Amethyst to join them. Draco helped steady her as they made their way to Flitwick's office.
"Come in!" A man's voice spoke when McGonagall knocked. "What brings you by, Minerva?" She stepped aside to allow for Draco and Amethyst to enter. "Amethyst? Draco?"
"There's something you should see, Professor." Draco said. He looked at Amethyst who seemed to be in a daze. He placed her wand on the desk and used the revealing charm again.
"Merlin's beard." Flitwick was at a loss for words at the sight of the hexes. "Whose want was this?" He looked up at Amethyst.
"My father's…" Amethyst was trying to hold it together and Draco could tell. "He left it to me when he died… which I know is odd. Ollivander recommended that I not use it but there was never a wand that was compatible with me. I needed a wand. I have been practicing wandless magic but the stronger spells are not so easily done."
"I'm afraid there are too many hexes and it's an old wand. Breaking the hexes might just break the wand." Flitwick looked at the wand and then at Amethyst.
"Can you tell who placed them?" McGonagall asked. She was watching Amethyst just as much as Draco was.
"No. These hexes are specific enough but there's no way to know who cast them."
"What do you mean by 'specific'?" Draco looked at the charms professor.
"If anyone other than Amethyst were to use the wand it would not affect them as severely as it does her." Flitwick answered. "Should I attempt to break the hexes, or…"
"Just destroy the wand." Amethyst said without much emotion.
"I'll have Draco be in your classes, at least until you get a wand. I might suggest you take tomorrow and Friday off. I will have Hagrid cover your classes. We will, of course, implement the plan for the hippogriffs in the courtyard." McGonagall looked at Draco. "That is, if Draco doesn't mind being in your classes. If they overlap your lectures we can reschedule those."
"I don't mind." Draco looked at Amethyst.
"Okay." Amethyst was trying to process things.
"Incendio." Flitwick had placed the wand in a metal bowl after breaking it in half. Flame flew from his wand, igniting the broken wand. Amethyst reached beside her and squeezed Draco's hand when she saw the nervous expression on his face. Her gesture brought Draco back to the present and he relaxed a little. He wasn't keen on any fire charm after the Room of Requirement skirmish.
"I need to send word to the Minister about the acromantulas." McGonagall made her way towards the door.
"Professor?" Amethyst called after her.
"Yes?"
"Would it be alright if I took off for a few days? I could be back by Sunday evening in time for dinner. I think… there's someone in London I need to see." Amethyst waited for McGonagall's answer.
"Of course. Hagrid can cover your classes tomorrow and Friday. If you need longer, let me know as soon as possible." McGonagall nodded and then turned to Draco. "Will you be accompanying her?"
"Only if she wants me to." Draco answered, looking at Amethyst.
"I would like that but only if it doesn't conflict with any lectures." Amethyst nodded. She could use the company especially if he was willing to come with her.
"It does not. His next lecture is on Tuesday." McGonagall replied and then left the office.
"Who do you need to see?" Draco asked as they headed towards the courtyard.
"My father's solicitor. He may have some answers." Amethyst took a deep breath. "I'm glad you're coming with me. The few times I've met him, he's given me an uneasy feeling."
"What do you mean?" Draco asked as they walked down the stairs into the courtyard.
"There was just something off about him. Almost like he wasn't exactly who he appeared to be… something dark about him." Amethyst looked at Draco. She could see that he understood but he was also trying to remember something.
"What's his name?" Draco knew a few dark wizards through his father.
"Andrew Roberts." Amethyst said as she checked on the baby hippogriffs. When she looked back at Draco, his eyes were in a scowl and his brows knitted together like he was angry about something. "What?" She went up to him.
"Andrew Roberts was your dad's solicitor?" He nearly growled out the name.
"Yes, why? Do you know him?" Amethyst was now worried.
"You are right not to trust him. He and my father have had… dealings in the past." Draco relaxed a little when he noticed her tension. "I think we should talk to Harry before we see Roberts." Amethyst nodded; she wasn't going to argue if Andrew Roberts had ties to Lucious Malfoy.
"I'd like to leave after breakfast. We can disapparate from Hogsmeade. I'd like to have Scorpius look after Ember. I haven't decided about Orion. Sounds like having a kneazle around may help." Amethyst had thought about leaving Orion with Scorpius, but she knew how anxious he gets when he's not with her. As if on cue, Orion jumped onto her shoulders and started purring.
"He looks like a fuzzy scarf." Draco said scratching him under the chin which made him purr louder.
"He is easier to conceal from muggles." Amethyst made her decision. "We should get some sleep." She leaned up and kissed Draco on the cheek. "Thank you." He squeezed her hand before heading to his room inside the castle. Two tents had been set up in the courtyard: one for Hagrid and one for her. She headed into hers and as she settled in for the night, Ember flew in followed by the baby hippogriffs. They made a cozy pile in the middle of the tent. Ember flew down and rested her head on Amethyst's arm that was still wrapped with Draco's sleeve and began to cry. She didn't always heal Amethyst's injuries, but she sensed this was one of those times. When she was finished, Ember flew off to her perch. "I need to leave you here, Ember. Scorpius will look after you, but I know you can take care of yourself." Ember made a little chirp and then everyone fell into a deep sleep.