I listened to Hagrid's further stories half-heartedly, gleaning only important information, like, creatures are proud, love to observe ceremony. In order to communicate with them, need to approach slowly, bow, and wait for a return bow; typical behavior tactics with a griffin if it is not initially aggressive. If the hippogriff bows in return, one can already approach closely, stroke there, or even ride it. And yes, same thing with griffins. Again, if they are not hostile. Ready to bet that there are a couple more tricks in their nature and habits, and if one violates the voiced scheme, the hippogriff will deliver a preemptive strike; always a light wound. Without exceptions. At least a griffin does so. And if you suddenly didn't understand the slightly bloody hint and climbed again; here your peril will lie.
After the briefing, there were no volunteers to make contact with these animals, and I can understand the students' fears. Once, I remember, being a human, I met a herd of horses. With my mind, I understood that they would not attack or anything like that; village ones, used to people. But damn them; they are huge! And jaws, and teeth, and with its nose, it seemed, it could "sniff" me to the skeleton! And here is an animal even bigger, with blades on paws and a beak capable of biting off your noggin. Not surprising that all children recoiled from the fence. Everyone except the hesitant Potter; Hagrid chose him in a voluntarily-compulsory order to get acquainted with the hippogriff.
Potter, to his credit, carried out the acquaintance procedure correctly, and Hagrid, seating Potter on the hippogriff, sent the latter into flight. Everyone was delighted.
"This is madness..." Justin shook his head, opening his mouth looking at the image of the huge animal flashing in the sky through tree crowns.
"This is Gryffindor!" Weasley grinned, you can't say otherwise, extremely smugly, as if he himself is there, in the sky right now.
Already realizing the degree of tension in relations between Gryffindor and Slytherin, and especially between Potter's and Malfoy's teams, I expected some dirty trick from the latter. Not for nothing is he actively discussing something together with two big guys, Crabbe and Goyle, slightly distancing from others.
Soon the hippogriff landed, and rider-Harry successfully dismounted. His appearance was dashing and foolish. The guy looked happy and disheveled worse than before. After such, many showed a desire to communicate with animals; guys with enthusiasm but without much courage entered the paddock, bowed to hippogriffs, those bowed in return. True, not all. Neville had to run from a dissatisfied hippogriff; the animal, being released from the tether by Hagrid, clicked its beak at Longbottom like at an unlucky cub. It is not surprising, for the approach voiced by Hagrid implies exactly such a position of a wizard before a hippogriff; a cub. True, if you still are rude or insult it, it's not a sin to scratch the insolent one.
I didn't take my eyes off Malfoy. When such people plan a nastiness, this desire literally hovers around them; so it was now. And therefore, when the hippogriff, which the blond reached after all and even stroked, suddenly reared up, the wand slipped into my hand, and I pronounced one of the school spells.
"Accio, Draco Malfoy."
Guys standing next to me, who decided to spend the lesson in safety, looked at me like an idiot. But they bestowed an even more shocked gaze on Malfoy literally rolling to my feet. He spat out dust and grass. Hagrid already rushed to the insulted hippogriff and instantly pacified it with a simple and effective method; a powerful collar. Well, and with holding such a beast this huge bearded man had no problems.
"It seems, Mr. Malfoy," in the best elven traditions, I turned on maximum condescension and greatness. "I saved your life."
He jumped up from the ground and looked at me with indignation. Other students quickly gathered around us and listened attentively. And I waited. Waited for what Malfoy would say, for now he is between two fires.
"I knew perfectly well what I was doing!" he blurted out one of the possible remarks, smoothing his hair with his hand.
"Oh, did you really purposefully provoke the hippogriff to a preemptive strike?" putting hands behind my back, I walked slowly around the blond. "Discredit Mr. Hagrid, get a slight injury? Were you really so afraid to perform with the team at the approaching Quidditch match? Perform, in the sky with Dementors?"
Malfoy jerked sharply, and silently headed away, grabbing his friends, Crabbe and Goyle, with him.
On this wonderful note, Hagrid decided to end the lesson, and we all headed back to the castle. Justin, walking next to me, could not help but start a conversation about what happened.
"Did I say already that I don't like Malfoy?"
"Yes."
"So. He, of course, I don't like, but aren't you going too far?"
"This dim-witted simpleton just amuses me. All his intrigues are not worth a broken Knut. And his arrogance and contempt for those around just beg for a response. Think, my dear friend. Malfoy, among other things, are breeders of hippogriffs, and their pets repeatedly took first places at the European exhibition of riding magical animals."
"And that is true!" Ernie walking on the other side was surprised. "I read about this in the Prophet about ten years ago."
"Precisely," I nodded.
When we entered the hall, students began to wander off in different directions.
"And also worth understanding," out of the corner of my eye I noted Hermione with Potter tacking onto us, clearly wishing to start a conversation, but waiting for the end of my speech. "Malfoy plotted something bad as soon as he saw hippogriffs. If his plot succeeded, he would not only sabotage the Quidditch match but also Hagrid's lesson."
"And what does the match have to do with it?" Justin didn't understand the essence.
"Malfoy is the only Seeker of the House. There is no replacement for him. Or is information known to me not reliable?"
"Well, seems so."
"And about Hagrid... Someone said that Potter is friends with him. Only the deaf in this castle hasn't heard about the conflict of Malfoy and Potter. Ruin life for Hagrid means ruin life for Potter. An injury at the lesson of a novice professor, and a half-breed at that, is a reason for inflating such a scandal that Hogwarts will be in a fever for a year, and the chair under Dumbledore will wobble. I am sure such a wizard must have enemies."
"How complicated everything is..." Justin scratched his head. "Are you sure Malfoy thought all this through?"
"Oh, no. He is dumb as a cork."
Those walking nearby laughed.
"Most likely, he came up with this plan on the go. Worth remembering how negatively he spoke about the very fact that the professor is Hagrid."
The conversation died down by itself, and precisely this moment Hermione chose to speak.
"Hector, hi."
"Hi."
"Need to talk."
"This isn't for two minutes, right?"
"Of course!"
"I have Runes now, and after—we have lunch. Sit with us at the table, we'll talk."
"Um... Okay, I'll do that."
Hermione quickly ran away in a direction known only to her, Potter trailed after her. My comrades had no idea where the Runes classroom is, and they themselves still have to go to their classes. So I ended up alone in the middle of the corridor. Only remained to hang the robe on the crook of the elbow, and start looking around bewilderedly. Seems there will be the first skipping. Eh, wish lunch would come sooner...
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