𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 ;𝐑.𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐲

"I like normal books better."

Rachelle next appeared during Care of Magical Creatures, having skipped lunch.

"Save it." She mumbled as she stood next to them, her book clutched in her arms as she wrestled with it. "Leave it to Hagrid to give us a book that almost kills us." She muttered darkly when it almost escaped.

"Everyone gather round the fence here!' he called. 'That's it – make sure yeh can see. Now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books –'
'How?' said the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy.
'Eh?' said Hagrid.
'How do we open our books?' Malfoy repeated. He took out his copy of The Monster Book of Monsters, which he had bound shut with a length of rope. Other people took theirs out, too; some, like Harry, had belted their book shut; others had crammed them inside tight bags or clamped them together with bullclips.
'Hasn' – hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?' said Hagrid, looking crestfallen.
The class all shook their heads.
'Yeh've got ter stroke 'em,' said Hagrid, as though this was the most obvious thing in the world. 'Look ...'
He took Hermione's copy and ripped off the Spellotape that bound it. The book tried to bite, but Hagrid ran a giant forefinger down its spine, and the book shivered, and then fell open and lay quiet in his hand.

"As interesting as this is, I like normal books better." Rachelle whispered.

"Oh, how silly we've all been!' Malfoy sneered. 'We should have stroked them! Why didn't we guess!'
'I ... I thought they were funny,' Hagrid said uncertainly to Hermione.
'Oh, tremendously funny!' said Malfoy. 'Really witty, giving us books that try and rip our hands off!'
'Shut up, Malfoy,' said Harry quietly. Hagrid was looking downcast and the quartet wanted Hagrid's first lesson to be a success.
'Righ' then,' said Hagrid, who seemed to have lost his thread, 'so ... so yeh've got yer books an' ... an' ... now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Yeah. So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on ...'
He strode away from them into the Forest and out of sight.
'God, this place is going to the dogs,' said Malfoy loudly. 'That oaf teaching classes, my father'll have a fit when I tell him –'
'Shut up, Malfoy,' Harry repeated.
'Careful, Potter, there's a Dementor behind you –'

"You shut up right now or you'll find my wand to far up your—"

'Oooooooh!' squealed Lavender Brown, pointing towards the opposite side of the paddock.

Trotting towards them was a weird creature to say the least.

They had the bodies, hind legs and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles, with cruel, steel-coloured beaks and large, brilliantly orange eyes. The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly-looking. Each of the beasts had a thick leather collar around its neck, which was attached to a long chain, and the ends of all of these were held in the vast hands of Hagrid, who came jogging into the paddock behind the creatures.

"It's a hippogriff." Rachelle told her friends next to her, who stared at the animal in shock. "Proud creatures. Very easily offended. You always wait for the hippogriff to make the first move. It's only polite." Rachelle said.

"My dad knows his stuff." She responded to her classmates and Hagrid's questioning looks.

"Well you know all the important stuff, who wants ter go first?" Hagrid asked.

Everyone backed away except Harry and Rachelle, the latter of whom stood there with an excited look.

"I'll do it." Harry volunteered, much to Rachelle's dismay. "I'm after him!" She claimed.

There was an intake of breath from behind him and both Lavender and Parvati whispered, 'Oooh, no, Harry, remember your tea leaves!'
Harry ignored them. He 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 grey Hippogriff away from his fellows and slipped off his leather collar. The class on the other side of the paddock seemed to be holding its breath. Malfoy's eyes were narrowed maliciously.
'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 ...'
Harry's eyes immediately began to water, but he didn't shut them. Buckbeak had turned his great, sharp head, and was staring at Harry with one fierce orange eye.
'Tha's it,' said Hagrid. 'Tha's it, Harry ... now, bow ...'
Harry didn't feel much like exposing the back of his neck to Buckbeak, but he did as he was told. He gave a short bow and then looked up.

The hippogriff stared at Harry.

Hagrid told Harry to back away but at the last second the creature before the black haired boy bowed.

Hagrid got Harry to pet buckbeak and Harry did so without much complaint. It was when Hagrid heaved him up onto the back of the hippogriff when he protested.

"Hagrid!" He shrieked.

Harry got onto buckbeak and flew off anyway, Harry clutching on for his life.

"Good work, Harry!' roared Hagrid, as everyone except Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle cheered. 'OK, who else wants a go?'
Emboldened by Harry's success, the rest of the class climbed cautiously into the paddock. Hagrid untied the Hippogriffs one by one, and soon people were bowing nervously, all over the paddock. Neville ran repeatedly backwards from his, which didn't seem to want to bend its knees. Ron and Hermione practised on the chestnut, while Harry watched.
Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle had taken over Buckbeak. He had bowed to Malfoy, who was now patting his beak, looking disdainful.
'This is very easy,' Malfoy drawled, loud enough for Harry to hear him. 'I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it ... I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?' he said to the Hippogriff. 'Are you, you ugly great brute?'
It happened in a flash of steely talons; Malfoy let out a high-pitched scream and next moment, Hagrid was wrestling Buckbeak back into his collar as he strained to get at Malfoy, who lay curled in the grass, blood blossoming over his robes.

Hagrid had to bring Malfoy to the Hospital wing, and Rachelle looked throughly depressed as she never got to ride the majestic creature.

"Dang it."