When we left the castle in the afternoon, the rain from yesterday had stopped.
The sky was clear and light grey, and the grass beneath his feet was soft and wet. Damon went to his first Care of Magical Creatures class at this time, feeling calm.
Although he knew that Hagrid would soon create some fun in the next class.
Ron and Hermione were still arguing about what happened at lunch, and Harry followed them. The three of them were silent, walking behind Damon.
Gryffindor and Slytherin took this class together.
Malfoy had a frivolous smile on his face, and although he didn't say anything, Harry and the others felt the mockery and anger - even though they themselves were not optimistic about Hagrid's class.
Hagrid was waiting for his students at the door of the hut.
He was wearing a moleskin coat, with the hound Fang at his feet, and he seemed eager to set off.
"Come on, hurry up! We've got something for you today! We're about to start a wonderful lesson!
Is everyone here? Okay, follow me!"
Hagrid led the students along the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Five minutes later, they were outside a paddock-like area—empty.
"Everyone, get over to this fence!" Hagrid called. "That's right—stand where you can see. Now, the first thing you have to do is open your books—"
Damon held out the incredibly docile "Monster Book of Monsters" in his hands and studied the others with interest. Some had their books tied with string, others in sturdy bags, and Neville had secured the entire book with a ridiculously large green clamp, making it look like a Piranha plant swallowing its book in one gulp but unable to do so.
Hagrid was heartened by Damon's ease in opening his own book—but then he was dismayed by the other students' gnashing of teeth as they tried to open their books.
"Except for Damon, none of you can open this book?"
Malfoy's face flushed crimson at Hagrid's words, and he frantically tried to pry open the uncooperative book.
"Whoa!"
The next moment, the book suddenly bared its teeth and bit down hard on his fingers—if it had really bitten, Malfoy would have gone to the infirmary in tears.
Damon quietly blew into the air—the air, carrying magic, flowed through the monster book in Malfoy's hands, causing it to sneeze violently, halting its attack.
Hagrid, oblivious to the dangerous scene, took Hermione's book and tore off the tape binding it.
The book tried to bite, but Hagrid slid his index finger down the spine, and it trembled, then opened and lay quietly in his hand.
"We must sort these books,"
Hagrid said as if this was the most obvious thing in the world.
Malfoy did as he was told and successfully opened the book in his hand, but his face was not very good. He couldn't help but complain:
"If this thing is so simple, why didn't you teach us it in the first place? Are you making fun of us?"
"I think these books are ridiculous."
Hagrid ignored Malfoy and said this hesitantly to Hermione, as if to explain why everyone brought this book to class.
"Oh, ridiculous!" Malfoy was furious. "How clever, giving us books that want to tear them out of our hands!"
Harry frowned and was about to tell him to shut up, but he heard Damon chuckle and say:
"I think it's quite funny."
The voice was very soft, just enough for those present to hear clearly. If you were not paying attention, you might even be distracted by Malfoy's voice and miss it.
But every student present had heard it.
"Is—is that so? You really think so?"
Now it was Hagrid's turn to blush.
Seeing Damon nod, everyone fell silent. Even Ron and Hermione looked at him as if he were a freak.
Hagrid's thoughts seemed to suddenly clear up. He clapped his hands and said,
"So you all have your books. All you need next are magical creatures. I'll go find them. Wait!"
He dropped the students and hurried off into the Forbidden Forest.
"Couldn't he have prepared in advance?" Malfoy shook his head, suppressing his displeasure.
But soon, a student shouted excitedly, pointing across the paddock.
Hagrid was leading twelve bizarre creatures trotting towards them—they had the bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses, but their forelegs, wings, and heads looked like eagles. They had steel-like beaks and large, bright orange eyes, and their front legs had claws half a foot long.
Each beast wore a dense feather collar around its neck, attached to a long chain. The ends of these chains were held in Hagrid's large hand as he trotted out into the paddock behind them.
Hippogriffs, rated by the Ministry of Magic as dangerous.
Damon studied the most majestic beast and waved at it. Its haughty expression seemed a little startled, then it looked at Damon with a look of doubt, finally hesitantly waving its wings at him.
"They're beautiful, aren't they?"
Hagrid proudly shared them with the students as he tied them to the fence—though everyone except Damon took a step back.
"Did you see those claws? I feel like if they got a hold of my stomach, they'd pull my intestines out!"
Ron muttered quietly, standing beside Harry.
"You're right, Hagrid took a bit of a risk."
"Just a bit? I don't quite understand what he's thinking. What if there's a teaching accident on the first day of class?"
Hermione, ignoring her disagreement with Ron, joined in the conversation.
"But it's really beautiful, isn't it?"
Damon admired the hippogriffs in all their glory—their shiny fur was incredibly distinctive, flowing smoothly from their fur to their bodies in a variety of colors: dark gray, bronze, pinkish sand (red and white), shiny chestnut, and finally, inky black.
"I'm glad you appreciate its charm, Damon—you can come closer if you like."
"Uh—"
Amidst the subconscious groans of fear from some, Damon walked up to the hippogriff he had just chosen and gazed at it quietly.
"Very good! The first thing you must know about hippogriffs is that they are proud," Hagrid said belatedly. "It's easy to offend them without realizing it—never insult a hippogriff, because it might be the last thing you do."
Shouldn't something this important be said right away?
Harry and the other two were secretly glad that Damon had been the first to demonstrate.
Read 20+ advanced chapters at p4treon
Support me for my study...
[email protected]/Horizons685
(End of Chapter)