Except For You ~ {Fred Weasley}

Chapter 21

So, I wanted to do something different that doesn't really add to the plot because why not? 🙃
So this is just classes at the start of term (which means it's out of order in the timeline, sorryy) where y/n is being a girl boss like usual 😎
Enjoy!!!
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It's the first day back and I've gotten my timetable from Professor Flitwick already. As I'm getting my stuff for classes I'm memorising it. And thank Merlin I have Care of Magical Creatures first.
I walk down to Hagrid's hut, as it was announced he would be the new Care of Magical Creatures teacher (that explains the book), with Lily. I'm silently reading and she's still trying to figure out that darned monster book.
When we make it to Hagrid's hut, only a couple others are there. And thankfully it's Hufflepuff. I mean, I would have loved to have Slytherin to be with Del, but I don't despise anyone in Hufflepuff either.
Once everyone was there, Hagrid led everyone into the forest. After a few minutes we came into a clearing and I saw the most majestic creature I've ever seen in my life.
I recognised it immediately: a hippogriff. A mythical creature that has the body of a horse, but a head and wings of an eagle.
Everyone's jaw dropped, including mine. But everyone else seemed scared of it. I was in awe, mesmerised.
Hagrid starting talking about the hippogriff, Buckbeak he was called, and everyone took notes, standing back.
Then Hagrid did the unthinkable. He asked for a volunteer.
Everybody moved back before I could even register what he said. So, obviously, he thought I had volunteered. Not that I wouldn't have, to be honest.
I glance back at Lily, then move forward to the hippogriff gracefully. When Hagrid instructed, I bowed deeply and elegantly. After a moment he told me that Buckbeak had bowed back, so now I could approach him closer.
I straightened and walked slowly up to the beast, offering my hand as a sign of peace. He sniffed it, then let me pet him. I grinned, scratching his nose.
"Now you are just amazing, aren't you?" I whispered. Buckbeak nuzzled my neck and I giggled from the tickle. All of a sudden Hagrid has picked me up and is moving me around Buckbeak. "Woah! What are you doing?" I kicked my feet, trying to get down.
"Oi reckon ya can ride 'im now!"
"What? No, no, no, I'm not one for this kind of thing!" But he didn't listen. He placed me on Buckbeak's back, just behind the wing joint. I tightened my grip with my knees, placing my hands down on either side of Buckbeak and gripping hard, but not hurting him.
"Make sure ya don' pull out any of 'is feathers, 'e doesn' like 'at." Hagrid says (And I don't like dying, I thought), and before I can respond, he has slapped the hippogriff's flank.
Buckbeak spreads his wings, flaps them and leaps into the air. The sudden force of air travelling around me makes me lie on his back, hugging him. Soon enough we're gliding steadily through the air, and I open one eye. I slowly raise myself off of my stomach, looking down at what Hogwarts looks like from the air. A smile breaks onto my face, and I steady my breathing.
"You really are amazing Buckbeak." I breathe, and the creature coos affectionately in response.
The crisp, fresh air flowed against my face and over my body, making me laugh.
It was one of the best things I ever experienced. And that's exactly what I told Lily when I got back.

When Buckbeak reached the ground, my braids had been blown around so much they were half out, but I didn't care.
I slipped off the hippogriff's back, still laughing to myself. I scratched Buckbeak again, earning more coos. I blew out, then turned and walked back to Lily. I ignored how everyone was gaping at me and grinned at Lily.
We whispered to each other for the rest of the lesson. A few minutes before we were dismissed, Hagrid let me feed Buckbeak a ferret, saying how I was one of his best students.
"Really?" I asked, chucking a ferret to Buckbeak like a game of catch.
"I've checked y'er records from Professor Kettleburn. 'E said ya we're one of 'is favourites. I now know why." He added with a grin. "Are ya gonna use care taking in y'er career?" I felt my cheeks flush.
"I don't know really." Kind of the truth. I didn't really intend on using these skills much. "Me and Del are going to do internships, then maybe open a business." He nodded, but his face was downcast. "But, I don't know if I really want to do that anymore." I added. "Being a teacher seems much more my style. I think Del has been having similar thoughts."
"Well, if ya ever do pursue caretaking, ya can just ask me and I can get ya some form of internship." He replies, grinning.
"Thanks Hagrid (he hated when we said 'Professor')." I smile back at him, petting Buckbeak as he had come up to us after he finished eating. "I might just take you up on that."

The rest of my classes were definitely not as fun, as they all had the same 'O.W.Ls' speech. I mean, I get that we have to be prepared, but I've gotten through all of Hogwarts with studying a measly twice.
So, most of the time I doodled, trying to figure out what I would say to Del. I mean, this had been out dream since we were eleven.
But that's the thing. Maybe our childhood dream just didn't fit what I wanted anymore. At lunch, I decided to bite the bullet.

"Del?" I fiddled with my hands in my lap, and she immediately put her sandwich down without taking a bite.
"Yeah?"
I blow out, close my eyes, then ramble my sentence. "I don't wanna do the internship anymore!" After a second I open one eye. Del is just staring at me, trying to comprehend. When she has, she exhales in relief.
"Oh thank Merlin!"
I laugh, "You don't want to either, do you?"
She shook her head, also laughing. "No."
"Thank goodness." I blow out. "My word, that was stressful." We look at each other, then start laughing.
After a moment, Del speaks again. "So... What do you want to do?"
"I was thinking... teaching."
"Oh my gosh, yes! That screams you!"
"Thanks! What about you?"
Del shrugs. "I don't know yet. But, opening a business seems to closed in for me."
"Well, you'll find the perfect job, I'm sure."
"Thanks."
I smile, then stuff a bite of my sandwich into my mouth. Del shines back and also takes a bite. That went smoothly, I thought. I'm glad Del's gonna be happier now.

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So... I didn't know where to end it, like always, so I ended it there.
This chapter was kinda dumb and pointless, but I liked writing it, so why not?
Thanks for reading this far, it was probably torture 😅 but yeah, thanksssss <3