After Divination was Transfiguration, and the trek from the north tower to the Transfiguration classroom was a long one. They were onlyjuston time. When they walked into the room, Grace felt someone tug her hand and she turned to see Harry, who was pulling her to a set of seats in the back of the classroom. She turned to look at Neville and mouthed 'sorry' to him. She usually sat with Neville in Transfiguration, and Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Charms and…well most of their classes really.
"You alright?" Grace whispered to Harry as they sat down, but he didn't answer as he took his book out. Grace glanced at him, then noticed the glances they were receiving from their classmates; they kept looking at Harry as if he was going to drop dead any second. She glared at Megan Jones from across the room, the dirty blonde quickly turned away with pink cheeks. "Ignore them," she whispered to him and squeezed his hand.
"Really, what has got into you all today?" Professor McGonagall sighed after she had turned back into herself from her cat form. "Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got applause from a class."
Grace glared at everyone as they turned to look at Harry.
"Please, Professor, we've just had our first Divination class, and we were reading the tea leaves, and-"
"Ah, of course," Professor McGonagall frowned in understanding. "There is no need to say anymore, Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?"
"Me," Harry spoke up, and Grace squeezed his hand again under their desk.
"I see," Professor McGonagall sighed, looking at Harry. "Then you should know, Potter, that Sybill Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she arrived at this school. None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favorite way of greeting a new class. If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues-" She paused, her nostrils flaring as she took a deep breath to compose herself. "Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True Seers are very rare, and Professor Trelawney-" McGonagall paused again, then nodded stiffly. "You look in excellent health to me, Potter, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in."
"Ron, cheer up," Hermione said as she pushed some stew toward him at lunch. "You heard what Professor McGonagall said."
Ron pushed around the contents of his stew with a spoon. "Harry," He started, in a low, serious voice, "youhaven'tseen a great black dog anywhere, have you?"
"Yeah, I have," Harry answered. "I saw one the night I left the Dursleys'." At this, Ron's fork fell.
"Probably a stray," Hermione spoke up nonchalantly, and Ron looked at her as if she's gone mad.
"Hermione! If Harry's seen a Grim that's- that'sbad," He sputtered. "My – my uncle Bilius saw one and – and he died twenty-four hours later!"
"Coincidence," Hermione shrugged as she poured herself some pumpkin juice.
"You don't know what you're talking about!" Ron exclaimed angrily. "Grims scare the living daylights out of most wizards!"
"There you have it, then," Hermione replied heatedly. "They see the Grim and die of fright. The Grim's not an omen, it's the cause of death! And Harry's still with us because he's not stupid enough to see one and think, right, well, I'd better kick the bucket then!"
Ron stared at Hermione like a fish out of water as the girl opened her bag and took out her Arithmancy book, and propped it open against the juice jug.
"I think Divination seems very woolly," she said, searching for a page in her book. "A lot of guesswork, if you ask me."
"There was nothing woolly about the Grim in that cup!" Ron hissed.
"You didn't seem quite so confident when you were telling Harry it was a sheep," Hermione retorted coolly. Grace and Harry shared a glance across the table and sighed. It was another year of them arguing.
"Professor Trelawney said you didn't have the right aura! You just don't like being bad at something for a change!" Ron sneered. It was obvious to both Harry and Grace that Ron had touched a nerve, as Hermione slammed her Arithmancy book down so hard that bits of meat and carrot flew everywhere.
"If being good at Divination means I have to pretend to see death omens in a lump of tea leaves, I'm not sure I'll be studying it much longer! That lesson was absolute rubbish compared to my Arithmancy class!" With that, Hermione 'hmph'd as she took her book and her bag and stalked away from the Gryffindor table.
"What's she talking about?" Ron asked, turning to look at Harry across the table. "She hasn't' been to an Arithmancy class yet…"
"I hate to admit it," Grace spoke up after taking a sip of her pumpkin juice. "But…maybe Hermione has a point," Ron gasped dramatically as he whipped to look at her. "Oh, please, Ron, don't give me that! I just mean-"
"Youcan'tbe taking her side! You always takemyside!"
"Oh shush!" Grace glowered at him. "I'm just saying that…maybethat dog was a stray, that it was all just coincidence!" Ron blinked at her as his mouth fell open. "It has to be-"
"Itcan't-"
"Ron, I saw a black dog too!" Grace cut him off, and the color vanished from Ron's face.
"My cousin…my favorite cousin is going to-"
"Ohhush!" Grace rolled her eyes. "And I'm youronlycousin by the way."
"You saw a black dog too?" Harry asked confused and Grace nodded.
"I saw one on my way home that Friday I made you the treacle tart," she answered and took a bite of her stew. "It can't have been the Grim," she added, narrowing her eyes at Ron, who was trying to form words. "Itcan't, Ron, because the dog saved me."
"Savedyou!?" Ron and Harry exclaimed and the girl rolled her eyes. "I thought you said you would be fine getting home-"
"Iwas!" Grace cut him off, narrowing her eyes at him in a way that made him want to shrink in his seat across from her. "But Dudley and his goons decided to corner me-" Harry and Ron exclaimed, but she continued anyway, "and they wouldn't give me back my bag from the corner shop and then one of them pushed me, that was when this black dog came out barking at them and started chasing them down the street," she then turned to Ron with a narrowed look. "So, itcouldn'thave been a Grim because it was helping me! It was just a stray dog, Ron, and Hermioneisright. Divinationisa bit woolly, and there is a lot of guesswork with the subject. A lot of things are up to interpretation –"
"So, what, are you dropping it too?" Ron muttered, annoyed.
"Oh no, I quite enjoy it. I think that's what makes the subject fun, you can be creative with it. There aren't any limitations, and there are endless possibilities to what you can see and interpret," she shrugged. "But I do agree with you," she added, turning to grin at Ron. "Hermione doesn't like being bad atanything."
After lunch was Care of Magical Creatures, and Grace was excited. Not only because she enjoyed animals, and because Hagrid was teaching the subject, but because they were able to get out of the castle for a little while. The only thing that put a damper on the beautiful day outside, was the fact that Ron and Hermione weren't speaking to each other.
"It's nice to get out of the castle, isn't it?" Grace asked, smiling, as she looped her arm with Harry's as they made their way to Hagrid's hut. "I wish we could have more classes outside, I think it would make learning more enjoyable," Harry only smiled at her.
"We have Herbology in the greenhouses," Neville spoke up, jogging to catch up to them.
"But we're still inside, aren't we?" She replied. "I want to smell the fresh air, feel the wind through my hair!"
"I'm sure if you could, you'd live outdoors," Neville teased and Grace grinned at him.
"I hate being cooped up inside all day, it should be a crime-" Grace's smile fell and turned into a scowl when she caught sight of three figures a little ways ahead of them. "Great. We're stuck withthemagain," she muttered, motioning to Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle.
"C'mon, now, let's get a move on!" Hagrid called from his hut, with Fang at his feet, looking impatient to start. Grace grinned at him and waved excitedly, the gesture seemed to ease Hagrid's nerves a little. "Got a real treat for yeh all today! Great lesson comin' up! Follow me!" He nodded and started to make his way closer to the forest.
Grace's heart fell, she really hoped they weren't going to gointhe forest for their first lesson. However, Hagrid was leading them along the edge of the trees and after a five or so minute walk, they found themselves outside a paddock of some kind; but there was nothing there. "Everyone gather 'round the fence here!" He called, motioning to the outside of the fence. "That's it – make sure yeh can see – now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books –"
"How?" Draco asked coldly from the back.
"Eh?"
"How do we open our books?" Malfoy repeated, as he held up his own copy ofThe Monster Book of Monsters, which was bound shut with some rope. Other people had taken their books out too, many were belted or taped shut. Grace frowned as she pulled her own book from her bag, she had no problem with her book.
"Hasn'- hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?" Hagrid asked, looking crestfallen.
Everyone but Grace shook their heads, while the girl rose her hand. "I have," she smiled. Everyone had turned their gaze to Grace, whose cheeks were now red from the attention.
"Why don' yer tell the class how to open their books, Gracie," Hagrid instructed and she nodded. "I'll go round up our lesson,"
"You're supposed to stroke the spine," Grace said, as she stroked the spine of her own book gently.
"Oh, how silly we've all been," Malfoy sneered at her. "We should havestrokedthem! How didn't we guess!"
"Common sense," Grace started again, her voice turning cold and her eyes narrowed dangerously at the boy. "Isn't a flower that grows in everyone's garden,apparently," she finished, making most of the class stifle their laughter. "It may be a book, but it's acreaturetoo! You're supposed to show it affection like you would a pet! They're a little funny-"
"Oh, tremendously funny!" said Malfoy. "Really witty, giving us books that try and rip our hands off!"
"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry glared at the blond boy, as he stood in front of Grace.
"God," Malfoy scoffed in disgust. "This place is going to the dogs. That oaf teaching classes, my father'll have a fit when he hears this-"
"Isaidshut up, Malfoy," Harry hissed again. Draco looked behind them, fear flooding over him as he pointed shakingly to the air.
"Dementor! Dementor!" Grace's heart lept into her throat as she whipped around, fearfully, but sighed in relief when there wasn't anything there. She turned and glared at Malfoy.
"Piss off, Malfoy," She hissed, giving him a dirty look before turning Harry around.
"Oooooh!" Lavender exclaimed excitedly, catching all of their attention to the other side of the paddock.
Trotting toward them were a dozen of the most majestic creatures, Grace has probably seen. Bodies, hind legs and tails like a horse, but a front, wings and a head of a giant eagle with steel colored beaks and large orange eyes. They looked intimidating but beautiful. "Hippogriffs!" Hagrid exclaimed excitedly. "Beau'iful, aren't they?" Grace nodded as her lips spread into a smile. "Come on a bit closer-" Ron, Grace, Harry and Hermione were the only ones that seemed brave enough to step closer to the fence.
"Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' hippogriffs is, they're proud creatures," Hagrid started. "Easily offended, hippogriffs are. Don't want to insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do." He told them, and Grace nodded eagerly as she gripped the fence. She could feel herself bouncing in excitement. "Yeh always wait fer the hippogriff ter make the firs' move," Hagrid continued. "It's polite, see? Yeh walk toward 'em, and yeh bow, an yeh wait. If they bow back, yeh're allowed ter touch 'em. If they don't bow, then get away from 'em, 'cause those talons hurt. Right – who wants ter go first?"
Grace wanted to have a go, but she didn't want to be the first one. She was about to raise her hand when Harry spoke up. "I'll do it," and she sighed. She'll go after Harry, because if Harry could do it, she knew she could.
"Oooh, no, Harry!" Parvati spoke up. "Remember your tea leaves!"
Harry, thankfully, ignored the girls protest as he climbed over the paddock fence.
"Good man, Harry!" Hagrid exclaimed happily. "Right then – let's see how yeh get on with Buckbeack!" Hagrid said as he untied one of the chains, and pulled a silvery hippogriff away from it's fellows, then slipped off it's leather collar. "Easy, now, Harry," Hagrid said quietly. "Yeh've got eye contact, now try not ter blink… Hippogriffs don' trush yeh if yeh blink too much," Grace gripped the fence, staring in wide eyed wonder and holding onto everything that Hagrid was saying. "That's it," Hagrid encouraged. "Tha's it Harry… now, bow…"
Grace watched as Harry bowed in front of Buckbeak. The hippogriff didn't do anything but continue to stare haughtily at him. "Ah," Hagrid whispered worringly, "right – back away, now, Harry, easy does it – " but before Harry took a step back, the hippogriff bent it's front knees and sank into an unmistakable bow. "Well done, Harry!" Hagrid cheered. "Right – yeh can touch him now, go on, pat his beak!" Grace was the first in the class to break into applause when Harry had started patting the beak sever times.
"Right then, Harry," Hagrid spoke up again. "I reckon he migh' let yeh ride him now!"
"What?" Harry asked, turning to Hagrid with surprise.
"Yeh climb up there, jus' bhind the wing joint," said Hagrid as he helped a protesting Harry up on Buckbeak. "an' mind yeh don' pull on any of his feathers, he won' like that." Harry looked at Hagrid fearfully, as Hagrid smacked Buckbeak's hind, making the creature sprint into a run. Grace's eyes widened and she grinned as she watched Harry fly off.
When Harry and Buckbeak landed, the class (minus the Slytherins of course) cheered, and Hagrid clapped. "Well done, Harry! Well done! Now, who else wants a go?!"
"Oh! Me! Me!" Grace was already raising her hand before Hagrid had finished the question. Hagrid didn't even get a chance to motion for her to come before she tugged her cloak off and climbed the paddock gate.
"Alrigh' Gracie, I'll have you try Buckbeak too, I think he migh' like yeh," Hagrid told her and she grinned. She took a deep breath and stood a good way away from the hippogriff. Just as Hagrid had instructed, she bowed lowly, never breaking eye contact with Buckbeak. Buckbeak looked at her curiously as he tilted his head before bowing himself. "Good job, Gracie, go on, give him a pet," Hagrid encouraged, and Grace smiled as she carefully approached Buckbeak.
"Hello, Buckbeak," she whispered softly as she stroked the creatures beak. "You're beautiful, you know," she added, and Buckbeak leaned into her touch. "Can I ride you too?" She asked softly, and Buckbeak lowered his head before lowering himself down for her to get on. She grinned, turning to Hagrid who was clapping in pride.
"Alrigh', alrigh' one more go," He grinned as he helped Grace get onto Buckbeak's back.
She wrapped her arms around Buckbeak's neck firmly as he started running. Her stomach rose to her throat as Buckbeak soared into the air. Grace lifted her face and grinned as she felt the wind rip through her hair. She cheered excitedly as Buckbeak flew down close to the Black Lake, and she could see her reflection in the water. She had seen Hogwarts from the towers before, and from her broom, but in that moment, flying on the back of Buckbeak, she thought it was the most beautiful sight.
When Buckbeak landed, she was overcome with sadness because she didn't want to ride to end. Harry, this time, had helped her down from Buckbeak as Hagrid was helping the other students with the hippogriffs. "Oh, Harry," She whispered, gripping Harry's cardigan. "It was amazing!"
"Looked like you enjoyed it," He smiled at her and her cheeks, still red from the wind, but she felt them burn.
"I did, oh I want to do it again! Buckbeak's brilliant isn't he!?" She smiled, turning back to the hippogriff who nudged her shoulder.
"Maybe let someone else have a go?" Harry laughed at her and she sighed dramatically.
"I suppose," she whispered, petting Buckbeak's beak once more before letting Harry pull her away.
The next person to approach Buckbeak was, unfortunately, Malfoy. Grace scowled at the boy as she watched Buckbeak, who had miraculously bowed back. Malfoy was now patting his beak, looking disdainful. "This is very easy," Malfoy drawled, loud enough for Harry and Grace to hear him. "I knew it must've been, if Potter and Black could do it… I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?" he said to the Hippogriff. "Are you, you great ugly brute?"
It happened too fast for anything to have been done. Malfoy let out a high-pitched scream as he fell backward to the ground, holding his arm. Hagrid sprung into action quickly, wrestling Buckbeak into his collar.
"I'm dying!" Malfoy yelled from the ground. "I'm dying! Look it's killed me!"
"Yer not dyin'!" Hagrid told him.
"Hagrid, he's got to go to the hospital wing!" Hermione called out and Hagrid nodded.
"Alrigh' I'll do it, I'm the teacher," he bent down and carefully picked Malfoy up. "Someone open the paddock!"
"You're going to regret this," Malfoy called out painfully.
"Class dismissed!" Hagrid exclaimed.
"You and your bloody chicken!"