Jack Potter: Prisoner of Azkaban

Never Insult a Hippogriff

Jack's POV

We arrive at Hagrid's hut where we have to gather before class. Turns out we'd sharing this class with Slytherin, oh joy. "C'mon, now, get a move on!" Hagrid calls as we approach him. "Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me" he instructs and we do so. Hagrid strolled off around the edge of the Forbidden Forest, and five minutes later, we found ourselves outside a kind of paddock. There was nothing in there though. He tells us to open our books.

"How do we open our books?" Malfoy asks him. I can see the rest of the class doesn't know how to either. Not even Hermione.

"You stroke the spine" I state demonstrating with my book for everyone to see. Before removing the belt I has around it. "What page Hagrid?" I ask as the others open their books.

"I'll show you what creature we're using first" he states smiling. He disappeared and reappeared with a herd of hippogriffs. Each one had a thick leather collar around its neck, which was attached to a long chain. The ends of all of these were held in the vast hands of Hagrid, who came jogging into the paddock behind them.He tethers them to the fence before turning to us.

"Hippogriffs, beautiful aren't they?" he asks as we turned to our hippogriff chapter.

"Their magnificent professor" I say smiling. "They're very proud creatures right?" I ask as I step forward with Harry, Hermione and Ron.

"Very proud, and are easily offended. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do" he states. I noticeMalfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle weren't listening; they were talking in an undertone. They had better not ruin this for Hagrid, it's his first lesson. "Yeh always let the hippogriffs make the first move, it's polite" Hagrid adds. "Yeh walk toward him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him quickly, 'cause those talons hurt" he explains.

"So what are we doing today?" Hermione asks curious.

"Why patting them and learning how to approach them properly. One of you will even be able to ride one maybe" Hagrid states. By now the rest of the class have joined us at the fence line. "Now who'd like to go first?" he asks us. Everyone but Harry steps back. "Well done Harry" Hagrid says smiling.

Harry looks at me and I give him an encouraging nod. I saw nothing bad happening if he patted a hippogriff. So he steps forward determined entering the paddock. As Hagrid pulled a grey hippogriff from the herd. "This is Buckbeak" Hagrid states removing his collar.

"Easy now Harry" Hagrid tells him. "Yeh've got eye contact, now try not ter blink...Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much. That's it, now bow" he instructs and Harry bows. Buckbeak didn't bow back and Hagrid told Harry to back off a little. Harry does so bowing a little lower not taking his eyes off of Buckbeak. Who suddenly bent its scaly front knees and sank into what was
an unmistakable bow.

I clap along with the rest of the class. "Right — yeh can touch him! Pat his beak, go on" Hagrid encourages. Harry holds his hand out stepping forward slowly. Stopping just a couple of feet from Buckbeak. Who approached him slowly and laid his beak onto Harry's extended hand. "I reckon he migh' let yeh ride him" Hagrid states and I smirk.

"What?" Harry asks as Hagrid places him on Buckbeak's back.

"Don' pull any of his feathers out, he won' like that" Hagrid states. "Go on, then!" Hagrid roars slapping the Buckbeak's hindquarters. Without warning, the twelve-foot wings flapped open on either side of Harry. He just had time to seize the Hippogriff around the neck before they were soaring upward while I laugh.

"Amazing Hagrid, what are the others names?" I ask curious.

"The black one if Cole, the chestnut is Jonah, then the two girls. Sara and her daughter Cindy" he states. Just then Buckbeak reappears with Harry still on his back. "Good work, Harry" he praises as they landed while the class cheers. Except for Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. We soon divide up between the five hippogriffs.

Harry, Hermione, Ron and I practicing with Jonah. While Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle now patted Buckbeak. "This is very easy" Malfoy drawls and I suddenly have a bad feeling. "I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it...I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you? You great ugly brute" he says to Buckbeak. Luckily most of the class were packing up as class was nearly over. But the same couldn't be said for Malfoy.

It happened in a flash of steely talons; Malfoy let out a high pitched scream. The next moment, Hagrid was wrestling Buckbeak back into his collar as he strained to get at Malfoy. Who now lay curled in the grass, blood blossoming over his right arm. I run over and kneel down beside him. He was my first friend and a part of me still cared that he was hurt. Even if it is his own fault.

Hagrid tethered Buckbeak and came over. He picks up Malfoy saying the class was dismissed before carrying him towards the castle. Me on his heels ignoring my brother's call. Madame Pomfrey tended to Malfoy after Hagrid told her what happened. Once Malfoy's arm was in a sling and we were alone I glare at him. "Honestly how can you be so stupid? Didn't you listen when Hagrid and I said hippogriffs are proud creatures. Easily offended and it would be last thing you'd ever do if you insulted one?" I demand.

"Honestly Jack, I didn't think you still cared" he grumbles.

"You were my first friend, I'll always care" I state. "You're lucky to be alive, just use your head next time" I tell him. "I have homework to do with Hermione, hope you get better soon" I say before leaving. I reach the library and sit beside Hermione getting my books out. We study in silence, until Fred drags me away to plan a prank on Filch.

A/N

Gif above of Buckbeak attacking Draco.