Weasley Charm | Fred Weasley

Chapter 3-2: The Hippogriff

"Hello children, and welcome to Divination. In this class, you shall discover if you have the sight. I am Professor Trelawney. Together we shall cast ourselves into the future with Tessomancy, the art of reading tea leaves. Please, take the cup of the person sitting opposite. You see the truth lies buried like a sentence deep within a book waiting to be read, but you must first broaden your minds. You must look beyond," Professor Trelawney said, beginning her opening speech to the class.

"What a load of rubbish," Hermione said, adjusting herself in her seat.

Delaney jumped, clutching her chest with her hand from fright, "Where did you come from?"

"I've been here all this time," Hermione said matter-of-factly.

Trelawney caught Delaney's attention again, "You boy, is your grandmother quite well?"

"I think so," Neville answered nervously.

"Wouldn't be so sure of that," She said, turning away from Neville, seeking her next victim. Her eyes set on Ron and Delaney found herself fighting a smirk, "Your aura is pulsing dear. Are you in the beyond?"

"Um sure," Ron said confusedly.

"Look at the cup!" she said, rushing Ron to open the book.

"Well, Harry's got sort of a wonky cross, that's trials and suffering. That there could be the Sun, that's happiness. So you're gonna suffer but you're going to be happy about it." Ron said reluctantly, knowing his answer was a load of rubbish.

"Give me the cup," Trelawney said as she grabbed the cup. "Oh! Oh! Oh, my dear boy. You have the Grim."

* * *

"You don't think that grim thing has anything to do with Sirius Black do you?" Ron asked as the group of four walked down to Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid. Divination had ended a while ago, but none of them brought up Trelawney's words until now.

"Oh honestly Ron, I don't think you can trust what Trelawney says," Delaney said, feeling her eyes roll. She never wanted to disrespect a teacher by insinuating that they were not equipped to teach a class. And yet, Trelawney's eagerness to administer dismal prophecies to anyone she sets her eyes on made Delaney believe her assessment of her new professor may be true.

"If you ask me I think Ancient Runes is a much more fascinating subject," Hermione added, walking side by side with Delaney down the stone steps to Hagrid's hut.

"Ancient Runes? Exactly how many classes are you taking this year?" Delaney asked.

"Wait, that's not possible, Ancient Runes is at the same time as Divination. You'd have to be in two classes at once," Ron said, his head whipping towards Hermione in confusion. Delaney thought he made an interesting point as well.

"Oh don't be silly Ronald, how could anyone be in two places at once?" Hermione asked in a dismissive tone. Again, another valid point Delaney thought.

Delaney waited between Hermione and Harry with the rest of the class for Hagrid. The class was supposed to start any minute now. The Professor being late on the first day of class certainly would not bode well amongst the parents of students. Delaney knew how much the approval of parents affected what went on in Hogwarts—how much the approval of those high in society affected every aspect of the wizarding world.

"Alright everyone come in closer. I've got a real treat for you today. Follow me," Hagrid said, walking from around his home.

Did he come from the Dark Forest? Delaney asked herself. No, that's not possible. Students weren't allowed in there.

Sure enough, Hagrid led the group of students into a wooded opening in the Forbidden Forest. "Right you lot. Less chattering and form a group over there. Open your books to page forty-nine."

"Exactly how do we do that?" Draco Malfoy snarled, causing Delaney to roll her eyes. Malfoy was a right prat and everyone in their Hogwarts year knew it.

"Stroke the spine, obviously," Delaney said with an attitude. Noting the scowl on Malfoy's face, she then returned to her usual group of friends.

"I think they're funny," Hermione said. Delaney had no idea what Hermione was talking about but she was sure she'd figure it out.

"Oh yeah, terribly funny, really witty. God this place has gone to the dogs. Wait until my father hears that Dumbledore's got this oaf teaching classes," Draco snarled.

Delaney turned on her heel with quick agility, "Oh, shut it, Malfoy."

Hagrid cleared his large throat, gaining the attention of the class, "Right, class if I can have your attention. Isn't he beautiful? Say hello to Buckbeak."

"Hagrid, exactly what is that?" Ron asked, amazement lining his voice clear as day.

"That Ron is a Hippogriff. The first thing you want to know about Hippogriffs is that they are very proud creatures, very easily offended. You do not want to insult the Hippogriff, it may just be the last thing you ever do." said Hagrid. "Now, who'd like to come and say hello?"

Delaney backed away from the rest of the class. Sure, Hagrid was always there for her and her friends, but he wasn't the brightest with student safety and animals. The reminder of Ron's dragon bite in their previous years ran through her mind. Harry was the only one who remained where the class stood before.

"Well done Harry, well done," Hagrid said happily.

"We're about to witness something bad," Delaney whispered to Hermione.

"Come on now, you have to let him make the first move, it's only polite. So step up, give a nice bow, then wait and see if he bows back. If he does, you can go and touch him." Hagrid said.

Buckbeak was quick to bow to Harry. Before Delaney knew it, Harry was being placed on top of the Hippogriff and the bird was sent soaring through the air. The class watched with wonder at the sight. He returned shortly, after a few minutes. Delaney let out a breath of relief at Harry's safety now back on the ground.

Malfoy, however, forced his way through the crowd in his typical arrogant manner. "Yeah, you're not dangerous at all are you? Great ugly brute."

"Malfoy don't," Hagrid warned, putting out a timid hand.

But, it was too late. Buckbeak stood on two legs and quickly scratched Malfoy's arm. "It's killed me, it's killed meh."

"Hagrid, he has to be taken to the hospital," Delaney and Hermione said in unison.

"I'm the teacher, I'll do it," Hagrid said, picking Malfoy up in a cradled hold. "Class dismissed."

"You're going to regret this...you and your bloody chicken," Draco whined once more, causing a few chuckles to erupt from the class.

Later that night, at dinner, Delaney sat with Ron, Hermione, and Harry. Each of them discussed what they expected their favorite classes of the year would be, even though they had still yet to attend some of them.

"Oi, what happened to Malfoy today?" George asked as he and Fred sat down with the four. Both of the twins sat on each side of Harry and Ron. Ginny, who hadn't been walking with her brothers but arrived at the same time as them, sat next to Delaney, eager to hear the story.

"It was bloody brilliant. Harry had just gotten off of Buckbeak—Hagrid's Hippogriff—when Malfoy came walking up. He managed to insult Buckbeak to the point that Buckbeak reared back on his hind legs to scratch him," Delaney said, laughing as Malfoys self-imposed whines echoed in her mind.

"It wasn't brilliant. Hagrid's going to get into trouble," Hermione said, spearing her dinner with her fork. She may have been right, Delaney knew that, but that did not mean Malfoy hadn't got what he deserved.

Delaney turned to the twins and mouthed, "It was brilliant."

Fred and George looked at Delaney, then at each other before bursting out in a fit of laughter.