Overshadowed

Chapter 11

"Have fun!" I wave goodbye to my friends as they are all heading back home for the holidays. I sigh as I wonder what to do with my day. It is clear Harry is still upset about what he learned yesterday as he wasn't at breakfast. I decide that it might be nice to take a stroll by the greenhouses before visiting Hagrid who I hadn't seen outside of class in a while. I head back to my dorm so I can bundle up.

***

I knock at Hagrid's door and hear rustling on the other side.

"Delilah! C'mon in ou' of the cold!" Hagrid ushers me in.

"Hi Hagrid, I figured I'd come for a cup of tea and a catch up."

I lean down and pet Fang who had come to investigate who was invading his home.

"Hey Fang!" I sit down on the floor so I can give Fang a good petting. Before I can stand up, Fang plops down in my lap relishing in my attention.

"Can you give me any hints about what creatures you have lined up for next semester?" I ask hoping for something cool like the hippogriffs.

"Yeh've gotta wait like everyone else."

Hagrid hands me a cup of tea which I place on the side table that is conveniently next to me.

"Thank you!"

We continue to talk about creatures and my classes. I tell Hagrid about my upcoming mandrake research and Hagrid tells me about the new additions to the thestral herd.

Our conversation is interrupted by a knocking at the door. Hagrid goes over to the door and I busy myself with Fang as I hear Dumbledore's voice. I figure it has something to do with the tree in the great hall or something else that's required of the groundskeeper.

I realize I'm wrong when I hear a squawk and some exclamations of disbelief from Hagrid. I go to stand up but am quickly back on the ground. I momentarily forgot about Fang lying across my lap. I manage to get Fang to move off of me and stand up to investigate. Dumbledore has left and I see Hagrid left with a letter and Buckbeak.

"What's going on?"

"Its awful!" Hagrid sobs as he throws the letter on the ground and moves toward the hippogriff.

I pick up the letter and read it quickly.

Dear Mr. Hagrid,

Further to our inquiry into the attack by a hippogriff on a student in your class, we have accepted the assurances of Professor Dumbledore that you bear no responsibility for the regrettable incident. However, we must register our concern about the hippogriff in question. We have decided to uphold the official complaint of Mr. Lucius Malfoy, and this matter will therefore be taken to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. The hearing will take place on April 20th, and we ask you to present yourself and your hippogriff at the Committee's offices in London on that date. In the meantime, the hippogriff should be kept tethered and isolated. Yours in fellowship...

My mouth drops open in shock. The disposal of dangerous creatures? Does that mean they kill animals? How is that even allowed, who allowed a whole department to be developed as a way to kill innocent creatures.

I regain some composure from my initial shock and look up to see Hagrid untethering Buckbeak.

"I can't leave him out here," Hagrid cries.

I nod in agreement and run over to the shed where Hagrid keeps the food for the creatures he looks after. Despite my disgust at handling the dead ferrets, I grab them knowing they are Buckbeak's favorite snack. I rush back out to Hagrid handing him the dead ferret. He uses it to lure Buckbeak into the hut, setting up a spot for him by the fire. I sit down next to Hagrid on the couch doing my best to comfort the half-giant.