A Trio of Serpents

22: Who Let the Grim In?

*slaps phone screen* This bad boy can fit so many words (almost 3000)

Summary: Malfoy's a nuisance. No surprise there. Remus is a great teacher. Also not a surprise. Sirius Black tries to break in. Somehow a surprise.

"Is it true, Potter? Did you faint? You actually fainted?" Malfoy asked as they were getting off the carriages. His face was alight with glee.

"Shove off, Malfoy," said Ron.

"Did you faint as well, Weasley? Did the scary old dementor frighten you as well?"

"Is there a problem?" came Remus' mild voice.

Malfoy gave him an insolent stare. "Oh, no, Professor." He smirked at Crabbe and Goyle and they went in.

"Granger!" Professor McGonagall was walking their way. "I need to have a word with you."

Hermione looked surprised, but she pushed her way past the other students to her side. Ron and Harry were forced to enter the Great Hall without her.

Remus went to take a seat at the High Table. Harry saw Snape curl his lip at him, to which Remus responded with a curt nod.

After the Sorting, Dumbledore welcomed Remus and Hagrid to their respective positions and at last the feast began.

"So what did McGonagall want?" Ron asked Hermione, who had arrived just after the Sorting.

"Just wanted to go over my timetable," she replied and Ron, too hungry to really question her further, let it drop.

All throughout breakfast and lunch the following day, Malfoy did ridiculous impressions of Harry fainting. Quite abruptly, his plate lurched upward, smashing into his face.

Harry looked around to Hermione, who shrugged, but Ron was moving his arm under the table in a manner that reminded Harry of when Dudley tried to smuggle candy to his room. Feeling better, Harry finished the last of his food.

Care of Magical Creatures was their next class, so the Slytherins all headed down to Hagrid's hut. Soon, the Gryffindors arrived as well and Hagrid began class.

"God, this place is going to the dogs," Malfoy complained. "That oaf teaching classes, my father'll have a fit when I tell him —"

"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry said, rolling his eyes. Honestly, Malfoy would complain to his father if a tree looked even slightly bent.

Hagrid brought out a dozen hippogriffs, strange yet beautiful creatures that had the front end of an eagle and the back of a horse.

"Don't look a gift horse in the... rear?" Jayson muttered, tilting his head to one side and frowning.

Harry rolled his eyes again.

"First thing you gotta know about hippogriffs is they're proud," Hagrid explained. "Easily offended, hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, cause it might be the last thing you do."

Harry could hear Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle muttering among themselves. Ron glanced at them and whispered in Harry's ear, "Someone's gonna get hurt."

"You always wait for the Hippogriff to make the first move," Hagrid continued. "It's polite, see? You walk towards him, and you bow, and you wait. If he bows back, you're allowed to touch him. If he doesn't bow, then get away from him sharpish, cause those talons hurt."

"Right — who wants to go first?"

No one volunteered; not even Harry was keen. But he could see the desperation on Hagrid's face, so he squared his shoulders and stepped forward. He reckoned this was pretty much how you'd approach any animal unfamiliar with you, minus the bowing, which made Harry feel rather vulnerable. Although he'd probably choose to go out via Buckbeak, the gray hippogriff, that was defending itself than a furious Vernon.