Never Too Young To Die

Stupid Chicken

~HARRY~

Buckbeak landed on the ground gentler than I imagined. I barely felt it. I was too busy trying to actually get my head around the fact that Hazeline had her arms around me. It made me feel awkward. And happy of course.

"Alrigh' you two," Hagrid announced. "Just hang on. I'll come and get ya down."

He stomped over to us, lifting Hazeline off the giant hawk-horse and resting her on the ground. I was next, and it was slightly more awkward for me, mainly because I was a boy, and I could hear Malfoy snickering.

"That was amazing!" Hazeline gushed as we rejoined the crowd of red and green.

I don't know why, but my cheeks were still red. Maybe it was just because of the wind. Or maybe it's because of Hazel, a voice in my head commented. I shook off my queries and looked over at my friends.

Ron looked angry. Actually, he looked furious. Nobody knew why but he did not look happy. Hazeline was rolling her eyes at Hermione, who kept nudging her repeatedly. I was so glad Hazel had warmed up to us. I mean, she still had moments when she'd stiffen and go all quiet, but at least she felt comfortable around us now and she stood up for herself.

"Quite a scary creature," Hazel told Hermione, who nodded in agreement. "But Harry was really brave."

I looked at my feet quickly, but my head shot up when I felt someone shove past me roughly.

"Hey!" I complained.

It was Malfoy, naturally. He stalked up to the Hippogriff, with steam coming from his ears. Well, metaphorically. Everything suddenly went silent, and if I didn't know any better I'd say Hazeline looked frightened.

"Hey, Malfoy!" Hagrid warned. "Don't-"

Malfoy ignored him. "Stupid chicken," he muttered.

The next second he had clearly crossed the line because Buckbeak reared up his (her?) hind legs and slashed out at Mafloy. He screamed like a girl. Ron laughed under his breath when he screamed like a little five year old girl, but quickly covered it with a cough when Hagrid scowled him.

Hermione was the first one to say anything. "Hagrid, he has to go to the hospital wing!"

Hagrid scooped up the big baby, saying, "yes, 'Mione. I'm the teacher I'll take care of it."

Everyone cleared away when he came stomping through the swarm of confused students, yelling, "class dismissed!"
_________________________________________________________

The rest of the day didn't go so well. Malfoy really had injured his arm, which was perfectly okay with me but I was not okay with him boasting about how he was going to persuade his dad to get Hagrid fired. What rubbish. Dumbledore would never fire Hagrid. Besides, I don't think Ron, Hermione, Hazel and I would ever let that happen.

We were on our way to Hagrid's hut right now, as a matter of fact. I could tell Hazeline was nervous. She wasn't talking and she was fiddling with her sleeves, walking faster than us despite her height. I don't know how someone could walk that fast, and for long periods of time as well!

Ron and Hermione were laughing about something, but I didn't really care what it was about. I was starting to get anxious about seeing Hagrid too. What was he going to say? "I'm sorry, I got the sack?" No, that can't be it. It won't be. It's got to be something else. Good news, possibly?

Ron banged on the door, loud enough for Fang to start barking from inside. Hazeline was still fiddling with her sleeves, but I felt the same way, really. She was wearing her hair in two thick, golden plaits that were slightly shorter than they were last year, since she cut her hair. She still looked beautiful to me.

The door finally opened, revealing Hagrid, who reeked of fire whiskey.

"What do you want?" He demanded, not so soberly I might add.

Hazeline cringed slightly, whispering, "we just wanted to see how you were doing."

This seemed to sober him up slightly, but not fully as he ushered us inside, which also reeked of alcohol. We sat down around the small wooden table, a place we'd been coming to for two years. Everything seemed so familiar, but not as welcoming.

Hagrid came and sat down next to Hazeline, who moved her chair away from his slightly when he pulled out another bottle of stinking fire whiskey. He to a large swig from the bottle and then set it down on the table, bursting into tears.
Everyone was a little surprised, so for a few seconds we all just sat there gawking at him before Ron spoke up.

"What in the bloody hell happened to you?"

Not the most comforting sentence, but it was what we were all thinking to be honest. Hagrid burped, before wiping his eyes and burping, spreading the stench. Hazeline and Ron pinched their noses, disgusted.

"Lucius Malfoy is going to kill Buckbeak!" He wailed, sobbing loudly.

Hazel's mouth fell open and Ron fell crestfallen, Hermione hung her head. I handed Hagrid the tissue box from behind me, and he blew his nose loudly.

"No, Hagrid," Hazel said. "They can't do that!" She turned to me and Ron. "Can they?"

Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but Hagrid waved her off. "He's already got the whole Ministry on his side!"

"This is all my idiot cousins fault!" Hazeline was red with fury. "Ugh!"

Ron nodded. "Why do the Malfoys ruin everything?"

Everything was silent for a few moments, before Hagrid threw the bottle off the table, spilling fire whiskey and yelling, "you ain't supposed to be 'ere! Get back to the castle!"

His words were unclear and slurred together but we got up and left anyway, leaving a weeping Hagrid to sober up.