Pariah: The Other Malfoy

Chapter 19: Boggart

Our first day started with Divination, where Professor Trelawney predicted Harry's death. I rolled my eyes, glancing at Hermione who looked beyond done with the subject. According to McGonagall when she saw how quiet our class was during Transfiguration, Trelawney always started the year by predicting a death.

Next, we had Care of Magical Creatures which we were learning about Hippogriffs.

"God, this place is going to the dogs. Wait until my father hears Dumbledore's got this oaf teaching classes," Draco was complaining as we followed Hagrid.

"Shut it, Draco," I hissed.

"Oh yeah, and what will you do, blood traitor?" My blood was boiling at his words, but Ron quickly pulled me back.

"Not worth it," he whispered, and I allowed him to lead me to the other side of the group.

"This is Buckbeak!" said Hagrid pointing to a big, grey half horse, half eagle. I stared at Buckbeak in awe. He was magnificent, a proud beast, and I was surprised Hagrid had managed to get permission to host around twelve of them at Hogwarts.

"What is it?" asked Harry. He clearly elected not to glance at any of his books before school had started.

"A Hippogriff!" said Hermione, a wide grin on her face.

Harry was first to go to see the Hippogriffs and he managed to fly on Buckbeak. Everyone else then headed for different Hippogriffs and I went to Buckbeak, I was drawn to him for some reason. I bowed down low and looked up to see if he had bowed back. If he hadn't I would have had to back away quickly but he had so I went up to him and petted his beak, a huge grin appearing on my face. The Hippogriff liked me, at least, even if nobody else seemed to. His head was an eagle and he had talons at the front. All the rest of him was horse apart from the giant wings that were sprouting from his back.

"Well done, Lyra!" said Hagrid and I backed up so someone else could have a go, still grinning ear to ear.

Unfortunately, the next person to go up was my brother. He sauntered up to Buckbeak, his air of self-importance very obvious. I could see Buckbeak was agitated with the speed Draco was approaching him, he wasn't following what Hagrid had said to do. He walked past the point he should have been bowing and my eyes widened. His arrogance was about to get him killed, hadn't he listened to Hagrid? Hippogriffs were extremely proud creatures and if you didn't show them respect, you would most certainly regret it.

Draco stepped up to Buckbeak and said, "You ain't so scary, are you, you great, ugly brute!"

What an arse. Buckbeak shrieked and went up on his hind legs, bringing a talon down on Draco's arm. Everyone surrounding us screamed, taken aback by the sudden turn of events. Draco fell backwards, yelling in pain, and Hagrid asked me to calm Buckbeak down whilst he took Draco to the hospital wing.

"Calm down, boy!" I said, standing in front of Buckbeak and hoping he wouldn't try to strike me down as well.

He looked at me with amber eyes then nudged my face. I stroked him, grinning. I was really starting to like this Hippogriff.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" Hermione asked as I turned away from Buckbeak, joining the rest of the class again.

"He'll lay it on thick for a few days," I rolled my eyes, "If Buckbeak had wanted to hurt him, he would have."

She still looked concerned, "But what if Hagrid gets in trouble?"

"We'll be there to help him," Ron spoke, "It was Draco's fault!"

"I'll try and talk to my father, but no promises," I sighed.

Later, Draco was out of the Hospital Wing and laying it on thick at lunchtime. Tobias was sat at the Gryffindor table, and we had caught him up on what was going on, including my new relationship with my parents.