The Golden One

Buckbeak - Chapter 6

Cassy's POV:

There was no sign of my little encounter with Malfoy ever happening when I glanced back at him in Transfiguration. What was I thinking, that a slimy, slick Slytherin like him would keep his word?! Even though his hair did look nicer when it wasn't slicked back, but why am I even thinking about that?

Blushing furiously, I turned my attention back to Professor McGonagall, but not before Malfoy got a glimpse of my expression and smirked.

"Is there anything you would like to say, Mr Malfoy?" Professor McGonagall said, peering at him with hawk-like eyes. "I do not appreciate young teenagers with an attitude, especially in the classroom! One more smirk, and I shall take off 10 points from Slytherin!"

And now it was my turn to smirk, so far so good, it was 1:1 to both of us. But my little reverie soon shattered as Mione shook me back into reality.

"Will you concentrate? Aren't you the one who told me you were worried about the OWLs. If you want to become an Auror, you need to be good at Transfiguration!" she whispered hurriedly.

I sighed and concentrated this time but thankfully, we were only doing theory work, so I let my mind wander in the lush green fields outside as I aimlessly copied down the notes on the board.

***

I took in huge gulps of the fresh air as I happily rushed out of Transfiguration into the open to have my favourite lesson with Hagrid. Up above, the sky shined happily with blue lustre as the clouds basked in the golden warm light of the morning sun. How I wanted to rise above and touch the clouds, marvel at their softness, fly amongst the birds in the sky.

Outside, up there in the vast azure canopy was where I belong, but I was harshly plunged back into the cold hard earth by Pugface, better known as Pansy Parkinson.

"Watch where you're going, filthy little Mudblood, you don't even deserve to be at Hogwarts." she spat in my face.

"Well, at least we all know who's a coward, you wouldn't even dare to challenge me to a duel and that is proper wizardry!" I retorted, knowing it was true.

"How dare you suggest, that I, Pansy Parkinson, am not a proper witch?! I am better than anything you ever will be and you need to remember that!"

"We all know you can't even ride on a broom properly, and I heard you boasting that Purebloods are far more supreme in the art of Quidditch than any other. I think it rather odd for such a supreme Pureblood to not be able to handle a petty broom let alone play Quidditch!"

Pugface was just about to argue back but Hagrid came just in time. It was time for my favourite lesson in the world, apart from Defence against the Dark arts and Quidditch.

Animals and nature were some of the things among which I truly felt I belonged. Even after the Muggle orphanage, I still felt I was supposed to be more than just a witch. But there was never a moment better than when I was outdoors, the feel of the wind combing through my hair, the smell of freshly mown grass and the sound of the golden brown leaves crunching beneath our feet in the autumn. The sheer joy of having lessons outside was something I could never get bored of. This was where I belong.

"Today we'll be looking at Hippogriffs," Hagrid began and bringing us closer to a little clearage in the forest, he showed us a grey mottled animal with a horse's body and an eagle's face and wings. "This is Buckbeak and we will be learning how to greet one."

Buckbeak stood in front of us, dignified and towering in his stature. His onyx eyes, however, apprehensively drifted through the crowd of students and landed on mine.

At the sight of me, he visibly calmed and eagerly cantered up to me as I stood by the gate, encouragingly reaching out my hand.

"Looks like someone already knows how to! Well then, Varens, why don't you show all these scaredy-cats how to greet Buckbeak?" Hagrid said good-humouredly.

But I heard nothing as I looked into those big black eyes and tentatively opened the gate and I closed it with a thud and got closer, Buckbeak moved dangerously close, I could feel his hot breath over my face as he loomed down on me. And suddenly, spreading out his wings gracefully, he cried with a shriek and bowed down under my feet. Astonished was the least I felt when he did so. This was definitely not how greeting a Hippogriff goes, I bow first and then him.

But this, as sure as the skies were blue and the grass was green, felt right. And as the wind caressed my face, I confidently smoothed my hand down on his muscly flank and stroked him lovingly. He snorted impatiently as he lowered himself further, willing me to ride him. With more determination than ever, I hoisted my petite frame onto his massive build and he took off brusquely before the astounded faces of the rest of the students. Harry mouthed good luck and before long, I was soaring through the very clouds I had longed to touch.
___________________
Hope that was a good chapter...meh I've got nothing more to tell all of u guys but a special shoutout to @Akari8 and harrypotter_31 for the supportive comments and votes, I really appreciate it 😊