Hogwarts: a school of Witchcraft and Love (Tom Marvolo Riddle x F!reader)

Chapter 3-03

With a start, your eyes popped open as far as they would go, clouded with fear as if still escaping the clutches of the nightmare. Scoping out the room, you saw the warm mahogany furniture and your talismans of Hogwarts on the walls. You weren't being chased in some scary copy of the orphanage- you were safe inside the castle's walls.

That was some bad dream, but nothing you would remember between now and the end of the day. You got dressed in your uniform and joined Alyssa for breakfast in the Great Hall. As you ate, she told you of an upcoming excursion to Hogsmeade. It was something new because aside from boarding the Express to travel back and forth between the school and the train station, you'd never been in the actual village before.

But reality set in when one of the conditions was a permission slip from your parents. Who would sign yours? Mrs. Cole? But she wasn't here...

She didn't let you give up easily. Maybe you could ask professor McGonagall to sign it for you, as she was the Head of your House. There was no reason she would say no to you.

All of it made you think of that you didn't have the luxury the others. Having parents. Your mum and dad were alive which was better than anything you could have hoped for, but you didn't have them waiting for you back in London, receiving you with open arms and love.

But before you could sink deeper into the murky waters of self-pity, the redhead poked you in the ribs, jerking you back to the present. "(Y/N)! We have Magical Care soon. You can worry about your form later, you've still got a week before we go."

She was right. There was no use in sulking about your orphan status. You had many other things to look forward to, such as Magic Care Class with Silvanus Kettleburn! This class was a compulsory part of magical education at Hogwarts, and even if it was important to go, you more than anything were fired up for it.

The class was held beyond campus grounds and the Forbidden Forest, and in a field where many magical creatures roamed freely. It was close to seeing the chaos of the Magical Menagerie in Diagon Alley, only now, the animals were in their natural habitats, free from the constraints of cages, and that made it even better.

This lesson involved winning trust through acts of kindness and respect before any magical caretaking could happen. And what better way to illustrate this than with the majestic Hippogriff?

Its powerful wings were folded neatly against its body, and its sharp talons dug into the earth. You were intimidated by how large it was, about the size of a horse, but with the teacher you felt a lot safer. Silvanus made the importance of treating the creature with respect and kindness, known. These creatures were intelligent and could sense the intentions of those who came near them. It was crucial to create a bond of trust before trying out any magical interactions.

With a smile, Kettleburn showed the class how it was done. He walked towards the creature slowly and respectfully, making sure to look it in the eyes without being too imposing. He spoke to the Hippogriff in a gentle tone, telling it that he meant no harm.

"M-may I-ye try next, professor?"

The class turned as one, locating the person who volunteered to near the Hippogriff. Kettleburn was no exception.

"Go right ahead, Hagrid. But do be cautious."

Hagrid appeared from the back. He was from your House but it wasn't easy to tell with what he was wearing. He wasn't donning the typical school uniform or robes, giving him a uniqueness that came from necessity. The boy was so tall he could easily fit two of your bodies in his.

He kept mostly to himself but you had seen him near the Forbidden Forest a lot. His hands, each the size of your head, wriggled at his sides, begging for a chance to connect with the creature. Even without never having personally spoken to him, it was easy to see that he really wanted to come close to the Hipogriff.