Fallen Star (Harry Potter Love Story)

Chapter 4: Buckbeaks and Cheek Kisses

(Soundtrack: Track 4: Why Try by Ariana Grande)

"Welcome my children. In this room you shall explore the wonderful art of Divinition. In this room you shall discover if you possess the sight-" she was cut off by bumping into the desk in front of her causing everyone to snicker including me which made Harry dig his elbow into my ribs to shut me up.
"I am professor Trelawney and together we shall cast ourselves into the future!" She yelled.
"Someone had a bowl of crazy oats this morning." I muttered to Hermione now sitting across from me and she snickered along with Harry and Ron and we only heard the last part of the professor's speech.
"-take the cup of the person sitting opposite from you!"
I took Hermione's cup and she took mine. Since there weren't enough tables me and he shared the small table with Ron and Harry.
"The truth lies imbedded in the sentence of a book waiting to be read." She said shakily, walking around.
"But first you must broaden your minds. First you must look beyond."
"This is all just rubbish." Hermione muttered.
"Wait. When did you get here?" Ron asked turning around.
"Me? I've been here all this time." She replied defensively.
I knew of her secret, as me being her best friend I DO have a right to know and the professor trusted me enough.
"YOU boy." She said pointing to Neville.
"Is your grandmother well?" She asked.
"I-I think so." Neville stuttered.
"I wouldn't be so sure of that." She said walking away leaving a horrified Neville.
"Give me the cup." She said to the person sitting across from him.
He handed her the cup and she replied with an, "Ohh. Mmm. Pity."
Before walking towards us.
"You! You have a sister, correct?" She asked pointing to me.
I looked around but then nodded.
"I sense she is in grave danger." She said grabbing the cup from Hermione.
"Hmm. Thought so." She said softly placing the cup down and shaking her head.
I sat there a second in shock and looked to Hermione who stared at me shaking her head once she saw I believed the woman.
'Not true' she mouthed and I nodded gulping and Harry patted my knee.
"Here, read what you see in the cup." She said to Ron.
"Oh. Um. Harry has sort of a wonky cross which means trials and suffering and uh that there could be a sun which means happiness. So uh, your going to suffer and your gonna be happy about it." Ron said uncertainly making me smile at my lap as I was in deep thought.
"My sister isn't really in danger is she? She's going to a college in Russia an her dorm mate is really nice. I'm sure she'll protect her. Then again...." I was cut off by my thoughts when I heard the professor yell and throw the cup back down on the tray making Ron jump.
"My dear. You have, the grim." She said slowly looking as if she had just seen Voldemort himself.
"What's the grim?" Seamus asked.
I basically ignored the rest of the lesson and just sat there staring at the ceiling.
'That can't be right. My sister is studying at a five star facility highly protected and very intimidating. Not even to mention her boyfriend, Nathan who is also from London studying there. He would never let anything happen to her.' I thought.
"Class dismissed."
I collected all my things and quickly fled to the professor who was sitting by the magic ball at her small desk.
"Yes dear?" She asked.
"You said my sister is in danger? Can you tell me what kind of danger?" I asked her but was dragged away by the back of my robe. by none other than Hermione who was followed by Harry and Ron who were laughing.
"Wait wait! I'll ask you later!" I yelled to her grabbing onto the doorframe before being yanked even more by Hermione.
"Oh come on, Matilda! You can't tell me you believe that hogwash." She laughed.
"Well how did she know I had a sister?" I asked her.
"Many people have sisters, Matilda." Ron pointed out.
"Well how did she know that Neville has a grandmother?" I asked.
"Many people have grandmothers, Matilda." Harry sighed.
"Oh well but I'm still writing to her tonight just in case. Oh and Harry can I borrow Hedwig?" I asked him walking forward again.
"Of course but where's your owl?" He asked me.
"Oh. Leonardo is staying at the orphanage. I told Alex how to use him if something was to go wrong." I told them and they just nodded.
Ron only knows I'm an orphan. Nothing more, nothing less which is good. What I mean is that Harry and Hermione say that I'm a victim of abuse but I wouldn't exactly call it that. I mean obviously I did something wrong to deserve something like that to happen to me so I deserve what I get but of course they don't think so. Harry on the other hand gets starved and that actually IS abuse and a knows that. But Hermione and Harry are the only ones who've known that because if anyone else knew then I'd be forced away and I might not even have time to tell my sister where I'm going an she might not be able to afford to adopt me, plus I like the location of the orphanage. It's rather nice, in a quiet part of town and the people are really friendly....well except for the one living with us.
"You don't think that grim thing has got anything to do with Sirius Black do you?" Ron asked as we walked towards Hagrid's class outside.
"Oh please Ron. If you ask me Divination is a very witty discipline. Now Ancient Runes. That's a fascinating subject." Hermione smiled.
"Ancient Runes? Exactly how many classes are you taking this term?" Ron asked her but I answered.
"She's taking them all, Ron." I said softly trailing behind them to kick pebbles with Harry by my side.
"Wait a minute. That's not possible. Ancient Runes is the same time as divination. You'd have to be in two classes at once." Ron pointed out.
"Don't be silly, Ron. How can anyone be in two classes at once?" Hermione asked, "Broaden your minds. Use your inner eye to see the future!"
She giggled jumping down the steps ahead of us.
Harry, Ron, and I just eyed each other warily.
This is going to be a long year.
***************************************
"That's it! Come on! Come closer! Hey less talking! I have a real treat for you today." Hagrid smiled and then turned towards me, "And Miss Watson here is going to help me show you! It's a great lesson! Follow me!" Hagrid said and I looked at him confused as we all began to walk.
I ran up and walked beside Hagrid, him taking longer strides made it kind of hard.
"Uh Hagrid! What am I going to help you with exactly?" I asked him.
"Buckbeak of course." He replied.
"Why me?"
"Because you love creatures and critters just as much a I do and you know how to handle them even better than I do so you'll help me with demonstration." He replied.
"Oh okay." I said walking back to Harry and Ron and Hermione.
"Come on now! Less chattering! Now, form a group over there and turn to page 49." Hagrid said.
"Exactly how do we do that?" Draco spat.
"Well you stroke the spine of course." I said turning around to face him for a moment before turning back.
Hagrid smiled down at me an I nodded.
Neville just opened his and it began to attack him.
I ran over and grabbed the book, cradling it and stroking it's spine until it sat still.
"I'm okay." Neville said sitting up and I smiled handing him his book.
"Thank you." He said smiling.
"No trouble at all." I smiled back then running back ahead of the group.
"I think they're funny." Hermione stated.
"Yeah they're funny. Real witty. God this place has gone to the dogs. Wait until my after heard, Dumbledore is letting this oaf teach his classes." Draco sneered.
I almost charged then an there but Ron gabbed me.
"Shut up Malfoy." Harry spat and everyone 'ooed' mocking Harry except Gryffindor.
Draco slowly walked up to him before looking up and making a scared face which I didn't believe, "D-d-Dementor! Dementor!"
Everyone around me gasped and turned around making Draco laugh an Hermione grabbed Harry making them laugh even more.
It was then that Ron saw Neville.
"You're supposed to stroke it!" Ron pointed out.
"No worries. Matilda helped me." Neville said.
Everyone turned to Hagrid as he cleared his throat and they gasped at the creature before them. Hagrid made a trumpeting sound, " Isn't she beautiful?" Hagrid asked admiring him, "Say hello to Buckbeak!
"Hagrid! Exactly what is that?" Ron asked.
"That, Ron, is a hippogriff! First thing you wanna know about Hippogriffs is they're very proud creatures. Easily offended. You do NOT want to insult a hippogriff. It may just be the last thing you ever do." Hagrid stated looking at everyone's looks of horror, "That being said, Matilda here volunteered to show you kids the proper way to approach a hippogriff." Hagrid smiled motioning towards me.
"Just when I thought this school could sink no lower they now allow mud bloods to teach too. Wait till my father heard about this." Draco chuckled but Hagrid was to busy feeding Buckbeak to notice what he said.
"Always rely on your daddy now do you, Malfoy?" I smirked not even looking back as everyone started to laugh including some Slytherins.
"Take it away Matilda!" Hagrid smiled.
I nodded and laid my book on the ground and stood up and faced the class, "What you must remember is always let IT make the first move. It's only polite and it mean that you respect it. So you must approach very carefully an make as little sound as possible. Once your a few feet away take a bow, like so." I demonstrated bowing in front of him and he immediately bowed.
"As you can see, if he nods that means your allowed to touch him or maybe even ride him if your lucky and if he doesn't like you, well, let's just say you'll find out pretty soon." I laughed kissing his beak and everyone else laughed along too even Hagrid.
"Any volunteers?" Hagrid asked and I stood on the other side of Buckbeak petting his neck.
Everyone backed up except Harry. "Harry! Excellent!" Hagrid said, "Now follow and do exactly as Matilda."
It was a slow process but eventually Buckbeak allowed Harry to pet him and Harry laughed.
Everyone applauded the both of us and I smiled kissing Buckbeak once more.
I then felt strong arms lift me up as if I was a feather and place me on Buckbeak's back making me yelp a bit.
"He may even let the both of you ride him now." Hagrid stated doing the same to the squirming Harry.
"Hagrid I'm not sure abou-" I began.
"Heaw!" Hagrid yelled smacking him on the hind making him fly and me and Harry screamed.
I wrapped my arms around Harry's waist and hid my face in his back as he gripped Buckbeak's feathers but not hard enough to yank them out.
After a while I looked up and we were flying over the lake and at this point Harry was laughing and whooping and I did the same and let go of his hair and let my arms out as if I were flying and Harry laughed and did the same.
"This is wicked!" I yelled into the wind and Harry laughed in response.