The Forest Guardians

31. HP Chapter 3

Mike's POV

It was decided by Professor Dumbledore that I was to aid Hagrid in his Care of Magical Creatures Classes for the duration of my stay here.

So here I am.

Watching the class of students from the Slytherin and Gryffindor Houses gasped in awe as the Hippogriffs was led in front of them. The creatures stared down on them haughtily as they tugged at the thick chains that Hagrid held on and stretched their powerful wings.

Hagrid was no less overjoyed to share the joy of teaching the students with me about the "gentle creatures" as he would call them. To be honest, I could relate to him about how majestic the creatures were.

But gentle?

That was where the difference between us lay.

A bonus is that being a Guardian allowed me to easily converse with anyone regardless of the language barrier. Hence, this job was easy to me because the beasts were more susceptible to me due to this ability.

Perhaps the only type of organism that most Guardians and I could not talk to is the plants. That ability is curiously opened to those who are closer to nature like Omen because of her elemental affinity. I do believe that she once commented that it didn't feel like talking but more like feeling. Connecting with nature was rawer and more intimate than with anyone since there wasn't much of a barrier except your heart has to be open and accepting.

I knew that opening myself to others was nearly impossible.

But...

Meeting Kagura and then Omen, it seemed like it was possible. My past memories became a shackle to me, preventing me from truly reaching out to people.

Kagura...

She had never once forced me to reach out. She... was always so patient. And forceful too, for she could never give up the opportunity to get me out of the Library to attend the festivals. Kagura loosened my shackles, telling me in her actions that I... I am not my past self.

While Omen...

Though our time together was miniscule compared to Kagura, she was an irreplaceable person in my life as a Guardian. Yet, I was unable to separate the girl in my memories, past Omen from the Omen now. Despite how I treated her, how much I was a jerk to her, she still stood her ground.

...

I only feared that once Omen realised who I once was to her... she would come to hate me. If she does by that time, I would gladly give her my life to repay the debts I owed to her.

A ruffle of wings shook me out of my thoughts when a proud Hippogriff with a beautiful coat of inky black and a white teardrop on its forehead stood in front of me. While the creatures are half horse and half bird, their gleaming coats that changed smoothly from feathers to hair was something that I could never quite get my fascination over it.

"Penny for your thoughts, Professor?" *Caldwell is speaking in his own tongue. 

"Long time no see, Caldwell."

Unblinkingly, I gave him a bow and watched his reaction. His orange eyes gave a cursory glance over me before sinking into his own form of a bow.

"I see your bow is as terrible as ever."

Smiling to myself at his words, I came over and gave him a few strokes on his beak. In response, he blinked his eyes lazily while leaning more towards my touch.

"But your scratch is still the best."

I chuckled at the tone of annoyance in his words. I had the pleasure of getting to know Caldwell in my previous mission so he easily recognised me.