Safest Place in the Wizarding World

Chapter 3

The coming weeks brought on the chill of autumn wind. September faded to October and the forbidden forest became a deep red, a strong contrast from its usual deep green. The semester was in full swing and assignments were piling up.

Professor Lupin had opted to take a walk through the wood behind the gamekeeper's hut to get his mind off the work waiting for him at the office. He observed the thick pines swaying in the wind and the parcels of crows hanging in the branches. One bird had caught his eye and he observed it for a moment, noting how peculiar it was that this crow was sitting far away from the others. The longer he stared, the more it felt like the bird was staring back at him.

A lumbering presence came quickly stomping through the trees.

"Buckbeak!" Cried Hagrid. "Where are ya, Buckbeak?" Lupin had been distracted from the bird by Hagrid but when he turned, it was gone.

"Oh, professor! You haven't happened to seen a hippogriff roaming about, have ya?"

Lupin was taken aback. "A hippogriff? No, I don't believe so. I'm not sure I'd know one even if I saw it."

"Ah well. He'll turn up sooner or later, bloody bird. Semester goin alright for ya, professor?"

"Ah as well as it can. I haven't had too many problems, nothing compared to when the boggart got loose in my first-year class."

"I heard you're sharing a classroom with one of my favorite professors," Hagrid said knowingly

"Professor Priestley? I wasn't aware you knew her before."

"Of course! She had a gift for magical creatures; she was constantly comin' to me with stray animals asking me how to feed 'em and hide 'em in my hut." Hagrid chuckled. "Her and I kept in touch for some time after she graduated. Last I heard she was studying herbology in Germany. She had many a talent for natural magic."

"Yes, I've heard she's quite the alchemy professor. I didn't know magical creatures were her forte." Lupin was pleasantly surprised. Of course, he expected nothing less from her.

"She was one of the few students I trusted to traverse the forest at night, and things were far more dangerous back then, I'm sure you remember. Hell, she probably knows these woods as well as you and I..." Hagrid stopped as he realized the implications his words might have had. He hoped Lupin hadn't noticed.

"I surely hope not," Lupin muttered under his breath. The two of them were quiet for a moment before Hagrid spoke.

"She doesn't know...does she?"

"I don't think it's terribly important. Assuming Snape's potions are as effective as I've heard, no one ever has to know." Lupin fiddled with the end of his scarf to keep his eyes away from Hagrid's.

"I'm sure they will Remus. Snape's a bit...well, he's an excellent potions master."

Their conversation was interrupted by a long, thunderous screech. Out from above the treeline was a bird with the legs of a horse and the wings of an eagle.

"Buckbeak!" Shouted Hagrid "There ya are, bloody menace!" The eagle came down and landed in the clearing where Hagrid and Lupin stood. Buckbeak came right up to Hagrid like an excited child. He tossed the bird a fish and in one swoop, it went right down its gullet.

"He's magnificent, Hagrid," Lupin said with a faint smile.

"Right he is." Hagrid gently stroked the creature's beak before Lupin got too close, and the bird gave a mean-sounding squawk.

"Sorry professor. Hippogriffs aren't terribly fond of strangers." Hagrid apologized.

"Oh, it's no worry. I should head back anyway, I'm up to my ears in assignments to grade." With that, Hagrid took a large chain and tossed it over Buckbeak's neck, and lead the giant bird back to his hut. Lupin did the same and made his way back to the castle. On his way back, he noticed the same strange crow, watching him.