Innocence | Severus Snape x Reader

21 - We All Know He Won't

I stood outside Hagrid's hut with him, anxiously waiting for our first class of students, which would be Third years. I watched as a line of them came down the hill from the castle and down to the hut. Harry and his two friends were the first down. 

"I got a real treat for you today, a great lesson, so follow me," Hagrid says. He started walking to the forest and I walk with him, leading the students down the same path I took earlier that morning. 

"Right you lot. Less chattering. Form a group over there and turn your books to page forty-nine."

"And how exactly do we do that?" Malfoy asks with some snark. I lean on a nearby tree and watch the group. 

"You stroke the spine of course," I say, remembering what Hagrid had told me not long ago. I watch as the Malfoy boy strokes the spine with his two fingers before looking up again. My head whips over as I watch Neville get attacked by his book and fall to the ground.

"Don't be such a wimp Longbottom." I roll my eyes. 

"I think they're funny." Hermione groans from across the way to the Potter boy and the other one I can remember being another Weasley. 

"Oh yeah terribly funny. Really witty." Malfoy turns to the side and talks to no one in particular. "God this place has gone to the dumps. Wait till my father hears Dumbledore's got this oaf teaching classes."

"Shut up Malfoy." Harry says. All of Malfoy's group 'ooh's at Harry. 

Malfoy tosses his bag. He moves towards the boy with a swaggering walk, one hand in his pocket and the other hanging loosely. His head moves up and he extends his arm, pointing at the air.

"Dementor Dementor!" Harry and his friends turn quickly in fear and I have to stifle my laughter by biting my lip. Come on Y/n it wasn't that funny. Malfoy walks back and puts his hood up, everyone else but me following. They wiggle their fingers at the boy and make 'ghost' noises.

Hermione and Ron grab Harry and Granger makes a face at the lot that made fun of Harry.

"That'll be five points from Slytherin," I say looking to the group of Slytherins. I notice Malfoy's face scrunch up before I look over to Hagrid and see he's brought Buckbeak out. 

"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid blankly questions. Yes, he is. "Say ello to Buckbeak."

"Hagrid," Weasley blurts, "Exactly what is that?"

"That, Ron, is a hippogriff. First things you want to know about hippogriffs is that they're very proud creatures, easily offended. You do not want to insult hippogriffs. It may just be the last thing you do." My eyes for from Buckbeak and then back to the students, my eyes scanning the group of them. 

"Now who wants to come and say hello?"

Everyone shuffles backwards and Harry is the only one left sticking out. I cross my legs and watch intently.

"Well done, Harry, Well done." Hagrid congratulates. Harry looks around awkwardly before stepping forward. Hagrid then instructs him to bow for the beast, he does so but Buckbeak gets agitated and Hagrid has to tell the boy to back off, which he complies. Buckbeak bows back and Hagrid treats him one of the furry animals attached to a chain. Harry then was allowed to pet the beast.

"He might let you ride him now." I suggest. 

"What?" With that Hagrid lifts Harry and puts him on Buckbeak's back.

"Don't pull out any of his feathers, he won't thank you for that." Hagrid pats Buckbeak on the rear and he takes off running before lifting off the ground in a beautiful, powerful, graceful way.

I smiled as I watched the pair go, similar to how I did earlier that morning. Hagrid came over to me. 

"How do you think I'm doing?" He asked, which made me feel a bit sympathetic. 

"As a former student, you're doing great. As an adult, I'd keep an eye out for Malfoy."

"Right, I'll remember that." Hagrid nods and then walks back over in front of the students. "The rest of you start reading a bit. And again stroke the spine of the book, we don't want any mishaps." 

 Soon enough I watch Buckbeak land with Harry on his back. Harry slides off smiling like an idiot and then the next idiot makes his move.

"Oh please." Malfoy uncrosses his arms and start sauntering over to Buckbeak. "Yes, you're not dangerous at all are you."

"Malfoy stop!" I try calling out to him in a failed attempt to get him to back down from the creature. He didn't listen.

"You great ugly brute." Malfoy gets to the bird and it rears up on its hind legs. A few people scream and Buckbeak comes down on Malfoy. He puts his arm up to block and then falls to the ground, clutching his arm. 

Hagrid is quick to calm the beast in panic while Draco starts groaning. I toss one of the dead ferrets away and Buckbeak goes after it now that he's calm. 

"Away you silly creature." I grumble, despite the light tone of my voice and the smile on my face.

"Oh, it's killed me... it's killed me." Malfoy says in a high-pitched voice as he rolls around on the ground, still clutching his arm.

"Calm down... I-it's just a scratch.." Hagrid pleads. Poor man, it only his first day and it's all gone sour because of one boy.

"Hagrid, he needs to be taken to the hospital." Hermione says. 

"I'm the teacher, I'll do it." Hagrid scoops up Malfoy and starts carrying him off.

"You're gonna regret this. Wait till my father hears about this. Bloody chicken-" Malfoy continues to whimper as Hagrid carries him away. I look back at the group who all seem dumbfounded. 

"Erm right, to any of you who actually were enjoying the lesson I'll apologize on behalf of Malfoy. We all know he won." I look around at the students awkwardly. "Now hurry up and get back to the castle. Class dismissed." I said using a more authoritative tone. 

All the kids started walking off and I watched as they did. 

"Excuse me, Professor?" I heard from beside me. I look and see Harry, who is quite a bit shorter than me. 

"Yes, Mr Potter?" I ask, turning to him. His friends are the only two left waiting for him. 

"Sorry if I'm mistaken, but weren't you just here last year as a student?" He seemed confused by my presence and I realise now that must have been why he looked at me so strangely in the Great Hall. 

"I was, and I was one of the students that got petrified too. Thanks by the way for sorting that out. With the Chamber and all that." 

"Oh it's uh, no problem." Harry walked away and turned to me briefly. "I'll see you around Professor!" 

"It was nice meeting you Harry!"