No Body No Crime □■ Hermione Granger

Chapter 8

"Right- who wants ter go first?"

The students tried to avoid meeting his eyes.

Blaise cleared his throat "Um professor, I love all magical creatures, but I don't think I'm willing to die just to pat one."

If Hagrid didn't look disappointed before, he certainly did now, Arlene turned around and glared at Blaise, before turning around to volunteer, only Harry beat her to it.

"I'll do it," said Harry, stepping closer to the fence.

There was an intake of breath from behind them and Parvati whispered, "Oh no, Harry, remember your tea leaves!"

Harry ignored them and climbed over the paddock fence.

"Good man, Harry!" roared Hagrid "Right then- let's see how yeh get on with Buckbeak."

He untied one of the chains, pulled the gray hippogriff away from its fellows, and slipped off its leather collar, the class on the other side of the paddock seemed to be holding its breath and Malfoy's eyes were narrowed maliciously, as if fantasizing about Harry being chopped up by 'Buckbeak'.

"Easy now, Harry," said Hagrid quietly "Yeh've got eye contact, now try not ter blink... Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much..."

Arlene could clearly see that Harry was struggling to keep his eyes open, she wondered how many staring contests he's been in.

Alas, even though his eyes were starting to water, he didn't shut them, Buckbeak had turned his great, sharp head and was staring at Harry with one fierce orange eye.

"He's gonna squash that kid like a little bug." Theo, who had approached the fence at one point, sighed from behind her as Harry bowed to Buckbeak.

Arlene rolled her eyes "He's Harry freaking Potter, getting squashed by a Hippogriff is the equivalent of dying on the toilet."

Luckily, Theo wasn't a seer as once Harry lifted his head, the Hippogriff sank into its knees in an unmistakable bow.

"Righ' then, Harry," said Hagrid. "I reckon he might' let yeh ride him!"

Harry looked visibly surprised, it was obviously not what he was expecting when he volunteered.

Hagrid helped get up on its back, and without warning, twelve-foot wings flapped open on either side of the Hippogriff, and Harry shot into the air.

"He's dead." Blaise decided, looking up at the sky as Buckbeak kept flying higher until he was practically a dot.

"He's Harry Freaking Potter." Arlene repeated casually.

Blaise turned to her "Okay, now you're just 'Because I'm Batman'ing."

Arlene frowned "That's not a thing."

"It totally is."

"No it's not."

"Yes it is."

"No it's not"

"Yes it is."

"No it no-"

"Guys!" Theo interrupted, pointing at the sky where Buckbeak appeared once again, flying down to the paddock.

Blaise' jaw was wide open "How!?"

Arlene smirked "It's Harry Freaking Potter, the rules of Physics and Logic don't apply to him."

"Alright," Hagrid said once Harry was on solid ground "who wants a go?"

Impressed by Harry's success, the rest of the class all raised their arms.