Carnival I.M

10

Professor Umbridge was standing not very far away from the Gryffindors, and Emma eyed her up and down while trying not to curl her lip. Umbridge was wearing a green hat and a pink coat with her clipboard in her hand. It was a horrible fashion combination in Emma's opinion. The pudgy woman cleared her throat again when Hagrid didn't notice her standing there and he turned around as quick as a big man could and cried a happy 'Hello!'

The entire class was paying attention to Professor Umbridge. They were either really happy she was here or really furious that she was here. Emma easily understood which category belonged to which house.

"You received the note I sent to your cabin this morning?" the toad of a woman asked loudly and slowly, a tone used to address either someone who couldn't speak proper english or a toddler just beginning to speak. "Telling you that I would be inspecting your lesson?"

"Oh, yeah," Hagrid continued to use his happy tone, smiling brightly at the woman who was clearly much, much more shorter than him. Emma kind of wished Hagrid would lift his leg and step on the Ministry woman. "Glad yeh found the place all righ'! Well, as yeh can see - or, I dunno - can you? We're doin' Thestrals today."

"I'm sorry?" Umbridge said loudly again while cupping her hand over her ear. Emma huffed her hair out her face. She didn't appear to be the only one bothered with this womans attitude. Harry and his trio looked contempt, as did many of the other Gryffindors who were sending sharp glares her way if they weren't too focused on the cow carcass disappearing. Professor Umbridge frowned up at Hagrid. "What did you say?"

Draco laughed loudly, causing Harry and his friends to glare over at him. "Let's see this oaf wriggle out of it this time!"

Daphne, who was standing further in front of Emma, squealed slightly and her body leaned back a little bit, as though a dog had just run through her legs. "Merlin's beard!"

But Emma wasn't paying attention to Sabrina and Daphne's cries or Draco's silent but verbal torment toward Hagrid. She had only been here in this class with this new teacher for no more than forty minutes, and everything was just not going as well as she'd hoped it would.

Hagrid was probably one of the nicest teachers she had, even if she did not know him well nor did he know her well. Professor Flitwick was the only other teacher she really liked. She didn't mind Professor McGonagall, but sometimes her stern level bothered Emma. She had a bit of a grudge against Professor Sprout; whenever Professor Sprout spoke, she spoke very loudly and Emma always sensed that she was being yelled at. Professor Snape had been odd around her ever since she arrived and never addressed her, talked to her, or even looked at her. The only words he ever said to her was how much she scored on a potion for her O.W.L's. But so far Hagrid was her favourite.

While Umbridge continued to speak with Hagrid as though he was stupid, Draco and Pansy were having silent fits of laughter while Crabbe and Goyle had wide smirks.

'Please don't be sacked,' Emma thought desperately. 'Sack Snape instead.'

Umbridge proceeded to walk around the class and talk among the students, which some looked done for when she addressed them. Umbridge walked over to Pansy.

"Do you find that you are able to understand Professor Hagrid when he talks?" she asked loudly, and Emma knew she was doing it on purpose.

Pansy had tears of laughter in her eyes but she tried to suppress her giggles as she talked. "No, because...well...it sounds like - haha - grunting all the time."

Emma nearly cried out and reached over to rip Pansy's hair back but decided to just dig her nails into her own arm. Hagrid continued to teach the class, throwing worried glances over at Umbridge.

"Er...well...yeah, er...good stuff abou' Thestrals. Well, once they're tamed, like this lot, yeh'll never be lost again. Amazin' sense o' direction, jus' tell 'em where yeh want ter go -"

"Assuming they can understand you, of course," Draco said loudly, making Pansy nearly fall back from how much she was giggling. Draco earned an indulgent smile from Umbridge before she headed over to the other Gryffindor boy, Neville, who could see Thestrals.

"Draco, stop it," Emma pleaded.

Draco opened his mouth to say something but Umbridge appeared to have heard Emma, and she stopped walking toward Neville.

"Miss Baranov, isn't it?" Umbridge's annoying high-pitched voice said slowly, and she turned toward Emma with her clipboard at the ready. Emma nodded, biting her tongue. "And this is your very first class with Hagrid, is that right?"

"Yes," Emma said loudly.

"And how are you liking it so far with Professor Hagrid?" she asked slowly, an unreadable expression on her face but Emma knew she wanted to receive something nasty about Hagrid.

"It's great," Emma said brightly. "I've only been here no more than an hour and it's great."

But Professor Umbridge did not seem happy with Emma's answer, and moved along to Neville without scribbling down a thing that Emma had told her.

As the minutes ticked by in Care of Magical Creatures, Emma grew bored with Umbridge being rude toward Hagrid, and Hagrid casting a swift glance her way and unable to talk properly without stuttering from how nervous and confused he was. Harry appeared to be holding out his hand toward something Emma could not see.

She cautiously left the Slytherins and tread over toward Harry and his two friends who were glaring at the back of Umbridge's hair. Hermione had furious tears in her eyes.

"Hi, Harry," Emma said quietly in order to keep him from being startled, as well as these invisible creatures. It worried her to think of something she was unable to see biting her.

"Oh," Harry said, surprised. It appeared that Harry was also furious with this Ministry woman, and was using the Thestrals as a distraction. "Hi."

"So...how big is it?"

Harry blinked and floundered.

"The Thestral," Emma quickly recovered, biting her lip to keep from laughing. "How big is the Thestral that you're touching?"

"Oh," Harry chortled half-heartedly. "Right, er...well, this one's about as tall as your bellybutton."

"Where is it exactly?" Emma searched for a spot on the ground that didn't look right, but failed.

"Here," Harry seemed to sense Emma's desperation and grabbed her hand, and guided her over toward the Thestral. "Watch your step, don't trod over it's foot."

Thanks to Harry, Emma was able to feel a Thestral for the first time. It felt stiff and it had rough, bumpy skin. Harry moved Emma's hand over the Thestral's wing and this time it felt smooth, not a bump or crease, as though Hagrid had just finished ironing it's wing.

Emma let out a small chuckle of surprise. "Wow. That's so weird. What colour is it?"

"This ones blackish."

"What colour are its eyes?"

"White."

"Is it looking at me?"

"You ask a lot of questions," Harry smiled slightly.

Emma bit her lip and shrugged. "Wouldn't you if you couldn't see them?"

Care of Magical Creatures finished not too long afterwards, and Emma made her way up to the castle. But not before she spotted a pair of grey eyes glaring into someone else's green eyes.

A/N
Hello people of wattpad!!!!!!!!!!!!
Its me Ivy!!!! Hope you like the story! Double update!!
Bey!
~Ivy
Malfoy;)