Chapter 2
I groaned as I sat up and opened my eyes. "Ah, Miss Malfoy. Awake at last, I see. I'm really hoping this doesn't become a habit with you but after befriending Potter, Granger and Weasley, I can't say I'd be surprised if it does," Madam Pomfrey said. "Two years in a row you've spent your first day at Hogwarts in the Hospital Wing now. I warned Dumbledore about those Dementors. I have to say, I'm surprised you were out so long. Even Potter woke up before the train stopped, though I insisted on checking him out anyway."
"Yeah, I've been here for half an hour," Harry said and I turned to see him on the bed next to me. "I'm fine."
"Well, I'm not! I've missed another Sorting! First I missed my year's Sorting and now I've missed this year's! Am I ever going to get to see one? So not fair," I said.
"I missed this year's and last year's too."
"Yeah, but you experienced your own Sorting. I didn't."
"I'm sorry to say, Miss Malfoy, but you're staying here until Friday," Madam Pomfrey said and I groaned before frantically checking my pockets and I sighed in relief when I realised that Bellatrix and Regulus were okay.
"Oh, thank the Gods," I whispered. Luckily, Orion, Rigel and Andromeda are in their cages and Uncle Sev brought the Basilisk egg with him as it was safer for it than the train.
"What is that?" Harry asked, pointing at Regulus.
"Regulus. My Occamy. I mentioned last year that I wanted an Occamy called Regulus, a Snake called Rigel, which I got when Draco summoned that Snake during your duel with him, and a Cat called Andromeda. I got Andromeda from the Magical Menagerie when we went to get our school supplies, remember? I got Regulus about a week before when visiting Exotic Creatures in Knockturn Alley."
"Exotic Creatures? Huh. Cool. Maybe I should check the place out."
...
"Hey, Hagrid," I said as I approached him. "Congratulations on becoming a Professor. I can't go to classes until tomorrow but I was hoping to see your first class. Can I?"
"Yeah, sure. Your Brother, Harry, Ron and Hermione are in it," Hagrid said. Hermione? How can she be taking so many subjects? I'll have to write to my Dad and see if he knows how she's doing it. I spotted Hagrid's class coming and waited for them all to get here.
"Cassie?" Pansy asked.
"Hi, Pans," I said with a smirk. "Looking as cute as ever." Pansy blushed a little. I can't believe I made Pansy blush. She never blushes! I heard a scoff and turned to see Hermione with the jealous look on her face that she usually only gets around Ginny. "Hi, Cutie." Hermione blushed and quickly turned away. I smirked as Hagrid talked to the class. Hagrid led us a little way into the Forest.
"Right, you lot," Hagrid said. "Less chattering. Form a group over there." He pointed to where he wanted everyone to go. "And open your books to page 49."
"Exactly how do we do that?" Draco asked as he held his book by the belt he was using to keep it shut.
"Just stroke the spine, of course. Goodness me." Hagrid walked off as we walked over to where he had told us to. Longbottom didn't stroke the spine first and just tried to open it, causing him to get attacked by his book and everyone laughed at him.
"Don't be such a wimp, Longbottom," Draco said. A few seconds later, Longbottom was attacked by his book again.
"I think they're funny," Hermione said.
"Oh, yeah," Draco sarcastically said. "Terribly funny. Really witty." Hermione, Harry, Ron and I turned to see Draco with Crabbe, Goyle, Theo and Pansy. "God, this place has gone to the Dogs. Wait until Father hears Dumbledore's got this oaf teaching classes."
"Shut up, Draco," I growled and Draco winced for a second before nodding.
"Sorry, Cassie. I forgot he's your friend." Hagrid coughed and we all looked over at him.
"Tah-tah-dah-dah!" Hagrid said as he gestured to the Creature beside him.
"Oh, my Gods, it's a Hippogriff!" I exclaimed and I ran a little closer so I was in front of everyone. The Hippogriff snarled a little.
"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid asked before throwing the Hippogriff a dead Ferret.
"Yeah," I whispered in awe. He's incredible.
"Say hello to Buckbeak."
Hi, Buckbeak. You're gorgeous.
Hi.
"Hagrid, exactly what is that?" Ron asked.
"Buckbeak is a Hippogriff and a gorgeous one at that," I said to Ron. "Look at him. Can I pet him, Hagrid?"
"Er, yeah, that... That was the next part of the lesson. First thing you want to know about Hippogriffs is they're very proud Creatures. Very easily offended. You do not want to insult a Hippogriff. It may just be the last thing you ever do. Anyone else wanna try before Cassie?" Hagrid looked at Buckbeak and everyone but Harry quickly ran backwards. When Hagrid turned around, he spotted Harry. "Well done, Harry. Well done." Harry looked behind him and glared at Ron and Hermione.
"Oh, er, Cassie can go first," Harry said.
"Yes!" I exclaimed before slowly making my way closer to Buckbeak. I stopped a little distance away and bowed. I waited for a moment and then Buckbeak bowed back. I walked over to him and petted him. You're incredible.
Thanks. So are you. You knew what to do before Hagrid even told you.
I love Magical Creatures. Dragons, Veela, Sirens, Mermaids, Nifflers, Hippogriffs... Well, other than Trolls and Giants. Though I don't mind Half-Giants like Hagrid or Goblins. Buckbeak chuckled. Can I ride you?
Yeah. I don't see why not. I've never met someone who can understand me before. Buckbeak lowered himself.
"Looks like he's gonna let you ride him," Hagrid said. "Though, given you've been speaking to him, I assume you knew that."
"Yep." I climbed onto Buckbeak and he stood up. He ran a little before flying up in the air. He flew over to Black Lake and got close enough that I could touch the water. "This is so much fun!" After a few minutes, Buckbeak flew back and I got off of him. Everyone cheered as I made my way back over to them. I wanted to focus on Harry but Pansy and Draco were fussing over me too much to let me focus on anyone else. After a few minutes, they pulled away as everyone cheered again. I spotted Harry being lifted off of Buckbeak by Hagrid.
"Oh, please," Draco scoffed and he barged past everyone. Oh, no. "Yes, you're not dangerous at all, are you?" Draco asked as he swaggered towards Buckbeak.
"Draco, no!" I yelled.
"You great ugly brute."
"Malfoy, no..." Hagrid warned Draco in a whisper but it was too late.
How dare you insult me! I ran over to Draco as Buckbeak reared up and pushed Draco out of the way. Unfortunately, I was a moment too late as Buckbeak slashed into my back and I fell to the ground.
"Ow!"
"Cassie!" Draco yelled.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get you.
I know but I had to protect my Brother. He's an idiot and I'm sorry... That he... Offended... You... Once again, everything went black.
...
"Today, we'll be covering Boggarts," Professor Lupin said.
"Are you okay, Cassie?" Hestia whispered.
"Yeah, you've been in the Hospital Wing for 2 weeks," Flora whispered.
"My back's all bandaged up and I can't play Quidditch until after the holidays so Marcus got the Slytherin-Gryffindor Match postponed. It's going to be Gryffindor against Hufflepuff instead," I whispered.
"Can anyone tell me what a Boggart looks like?" Professor Lupin asked.
"No one knows," I said. "Boggarts are shape-shifters." I felt my hair change colour and I suppressed a groan. It's been changing non-stop recently. "They take the shape of whatever a person fears the most. That's what makes them so terrifying. The Spell to repel a Boggart is simple and it's called the Boggart-Banishing Spell. The incantation is Riddikulus."
"Yes, Miss...?"
"Malfoy, Sir," I said. "Cassiopeia Malfoy."
"5 points to Slytherin. Now, let's practice without wands, please. After me. Riddikulus."
"Riddikulus," everyone repeated.
"Very good. A little loud and very clear. Listen: Riddikulus."
"Riddikulus," everyone repeated, this time louder than before. "Very good. So much for the easy part. You see, the incantation alone is not enough. What really finishes a Boggart is laughter. You need to force it to assume a shape you find truly amusing. Let me explain, er... Cassiopeia, would you join me please?" I walked over to Professor Lupin. "Now, what frightens you the most?"
"I don't know."
"Well, whatever form it takes for you, I want you to find a way to make it funny." He opened the door of the wardrobe the Boggart was in and out came Dumbledore holding Tom Riddle's real Diary. No. No. He can't have found out. This is just a Boggart. It's not real. I pointed my wand at the Boggart.
"Did you really think I'd fall for it? That I don't know the truth about the Diary?" Boggart Dumbledore asked. "Of course, I know. You--"
"Riddikulus!" I yelled and Boggart Dumbledore suddenly had a pumpkin head. The whole class laughed and I quickly moved to the back of the classroom. Does Dumbledore really know? If he does, he'll never trust me. He'll try to find the Diary and destroy it. He'd be one step closer to permanently killing my Adoptive Father before I even get to meet him. That can't happen. I gave the real Diary back to Dad and he's keeping it safe. He won't let Dumbledore anywhere near it. It's fine.
...
"What's wrong, Harry?" I asked as I spotted him sulking while everyone else was leaving for Hogsmeade.
"My Uncle didn't sign my permission slip. I can't go," Harry said.
"Well, I can't go either... Why don't you fake your Uncle's signature? They obviously won't ask him about it and your Occlumency's getting pretty good. Besides, why do you think we can't use pens or pencils on our assignments or during exams? Pencils don't have ink and with Muggle pens, the ink isn't doing directly onto the page it goes through the ball thing. They can't use Magic to detect forgeries or cheating or anything like that with Muggle stuff and your Uncle wouldn't be using Wizarding stuff."
"Oh, yeah. Do you have a pen on you?" I gave him one of the pens Hermione gave me and he quickly forged his Uncle's signature before giving me the pen back. "Here." He passed me the Invisibility Cloak. "Come with us."
"Oh, er, I'll join you another time. I want to talk to Fred and George. I'll see you later." I walked over to Fred and George as Harry ran over to Professor McGonagall to give her the permission slip. "Hey, guys. What's up?"
"Not going to Hogsmeade, Cassie?" Fred asked.
"I'm a second year. I can't go. I wish I could control my Metamorphmagus ability. Then, I could go as someone who has permission but chooses to stay at the Castle. It's just been going haywire recently."
"Oh, yeah. That happened to Tonks during her second year, apparently. She was feeling a whole bunch of different emotions all the time and her Metamorphmagus ability reacted to them," George said. "At least, that's what she told us once."
"Maybe I should write to her. I wanted to meet with her over the summer but I ended up not doing that... I'd really like to meet her and Andromeda, though."
"Well, we have something that can help," Fred said before pulling out some parchment.
"This is the key to our success... It's a wrench giving it to you, believe me," George said.
"But we've decided your needs are greater than ours." Fred and George explained the Marauder's Map to me and I grinned. This is gonna be so useful.
...