Up and Down

Freedom and Bonds

"You've got to be kidding me. Please tell me you are."

"Steady now, Ominis. It's alright. She won't hurt you."

"We are not studying those creatures in the class for a reason, Anna!"

"Hippogryphs are much cleverer than you give them credit for. And Highwing is a good friend."

"Friend?!" Ominis pinches the bridge of his nose as he paces across the frozen grass, "what's wrong with using Floo powder, it would also be much faster!"

"I need to clear my head. Flight... is perfect for that."

"Easy for you to say," he is nervous, but... she knows he will understand once they are in the air.

"I'll make sure you'll be safe, Ominis. I promise."

"F-fine! It wouldn't be... the absolute craziest thing you've roped me into, I suppose."

"Alright. She's about two yards in front of you. We're going to approach her. And we're going to bow."

"What?!"

"Bow. I know you can, quite elegantly, too."

"I've been taught how since I learned how to stand, but that's beside the point! Are you saying I need to bow before this... predator? Expose my head and neck to it?"

"Yup."

"Merlin, you are not joking."

"Hippogryphs value good manners, I'm sure you of all people understand."

Ominis is still frozen in what she can only assume grave worry. She takes his hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze.

"You will be alright. I have it on good authority that Highwing knows a good egg when she sees one, to quote Poppy."

"It's less comforting than you think it is."

"Oh, hush. You are the best of the three of us... She will know."

"I hope you're right," his voice is trembling just slightly. Anna smiles and stands on tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek. His breath evens out a little bit.

"Let's go."

She slowly leads Ominis toward Highwing. The snow-white hippogryph gives a soft screech and a series of clicks which she knows is a greeting, but Ominis tenses up at the sound.

"Alright, that's close enough. We need to bow now."

"Very well..."

Anna bows before Highwing and pulls Ominis with her. Then pulls him a bit lower.

Highwing clicks her beak again and bows in return.

"What's happening?" Ominis' hand jerks towards his wand at the sound, but Anna catches his wrist.

"She bowed back. She has accepted your greeting."

"And... what now?"

"Now, we get on."

She guides Ominis' hands to Highwing's feathered neck and helps him up onto her broad back.

"Don't pull her feathers out. She doesn't like it."

"What am I supposed to hold onto then?!"

"You can hold on, just don't yank," she easily leaps on behind him and wraps her arms around his svelte waist, "alright then."

She wiggles around a bit, settling comfortably, not quite used to sitting this far back. Then, she spurs the hippogryph forward with a nudge of her heels.