Deceiving Magic's Child

Harry was pleased to get out of the castle after lunch... Ron and Hermione weren't speaking to each other.

Both Mrs Weasley and Mrs Granger looked unimpressed but neither of them spoke up.

Harry walked beside them in silence... going to lead them into the forest;

"Please no," Mrs Weasley whispered.

Harry had had enough unpleasant experiences... "How do we open our books?" Malfoy repeated.

Hagrid blushed. He remembered how awkward it had been when he realised none of them had been able to open their text books.

He took out his copy... then fell open and lay quiet in his hand.

"Didn't the shop assistant tell you?" Charlie asked, bewildered. He might not think it was the best choice of text book for a class of third years but he couldn't deny that it was very informative.

"Oh, how silly we've all been!" Malfoy sneered. "We should have stroked them! Why didn't we guess!"

"Draco!" Narcissa glared at her son.

"Sorry," Draco muttered.

"I -- I thought they were funny,"... giving us books that try and rip our hands off!"

Hagrid looked crestfallen once again. 

"Shut up, Malfoy,"... "That oaf teaching classes, my father'll have a fit when I tell him -"

Lucius glared at his son.

"Shut up, Malfoy,".... there's a Dementor behind you -"

"That is really quite enough," Narcissa murmured. 

"Oooooooh!"... "Beau'iful, aren' they?"

"Wow!" Charlie whistled.

Harry could sort of see what Hagrid meant... approached the fence cautiously.

"Not the safest choice for a first lesson," young Amos said.

"Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know... 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do. "

"I hope everyone is paying attention," Charlie said. "Otherwise someone might get seriously hurt."

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle weren't listening;

"Of course not," Lucius frowned.

they were talking in an undertone... 'cause those talons hurt. "

Lucius frowned at his son. He'd implied that Professor Hagrid hadn't even told them that hippogriffs were dangerous.

"Right - who wants ter go first?"... "I'll do it," said Harry.

"Rather you than me, mate," Dean said.

There was an intake of breath... Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much..."

Lucius sat forward, so far this lesson had been nothing like his son had said. Not that it really mattered, he knew his son knew how to handle himself with hippogriffs.

Harry's eyes immediately began to water... an unmistakable bow.

"Cool," Fred said, his eyes wide.

"Well done, Harry!"... who were looking deeply disappointed.

"Probably wanted you to be trampled," Ron muttered.

"Righ' then, Harry," said Hagrid. "I reckon he migh' let yeh ride him!"

"Wait! What?" young Harry asked, his eyes wide and fearful.

This was more than Harry had bargained for... everything in front of him was covered with feathers.

"Damn it, Harry," Charlie groaned. "You really do get all the creature luck."

"Go on, then!"... He just managed to hold on and push himself straight again.

"Wow!" several of the youngerones said eagerly.

"Good work, Harry!"... which didn't seem to want to bend its knees.

"I think it knew I was scared," Neville admitted.

Ron and Hermione practiced... "Are you, you great ugly brute?"

Lucius was working hard to school his expression, lest he lose his temper in front of the whole chamber. How could his son be so stupid?

It happened in a flash of steely talons... "I'm dying, look at me! It's killed me!"

Narcissa frowned at her son.

"Yer not dyin'!"... gotta get him outta here -"

This too was different. Draco had made it sound like Hagrid just left him to it.

Hermione ran to hold open the gate... "They should sack him straight away!" said Pansy Parkinson, who was in tears.

"That would be unwarranted," Lucius said softly.

"It was Malfoy's fault!"... "You think he'll be all right?" said Hermione nervously.

Malfoy looked surprised that Hermione even cared.

"Course he will... "Trust Malfoy to mess things up for him. . . "

Lucius frowned. It was a strange day when he found himself agreeing with a Weasley.

They were among the first... not touching her steak-and-kidney pudding.

"You wer' worried about me?" Hagrid asked, his eyes wide.

"Of course, we were." Harry gave him a sad smile.

"They'd better not,"... cooking up their own version of how Malfoy had been injured.

Blaise laughed. "That's exactly what those three were doing."

"Well, you can't say... It's still quite early..."

"You really shouldn't!" Mrs Weasley said.

"Was it after curfew?" Sirius asked.

"No," Harry replied.

"Then of course you could go," Sirius said. "You're not a prisoner."

"I don't know,"... "Sirius Black hasn't got past the Dementors yet, has he?"

"Except to escape Azkaban," Theo said with a sarcastic lilt to his voice.

So they put their things away... as they weren't entirely sure they were supposed to be out.

"Technically, you weren't breaking school rules," Minerva said with a shrug, all the while knowing full well she'd have sent them back to their common room if she'd caught them.

The grass was still wet... "Don' reckon they've ever had a teacher who lasted on'y a day before."

Draco actually looked ashamed. Sometimes - well, most of the time - he forgot to remember that the half-giant had feelings too.

"You haven't been fired... "But's only a matter o' time, I'n't, after Malfoy..."

Lucius frowned. "I didn't even ask for you job. You did nothing wrong."

"How is he?"... moanin'..."

Lucius sighed. Was it unfatherly to say that he thought his son was ridiculous?

"He's faking it,"... Trust Malfoy to milk it for all it's worth. "

Malfoy looked torn between offended and embarrassed.

"School gov'nors have bin told, o' course,"... Jus' thought it'd make a good firs' lesson's all my fault. . . "

"Flobberworms?" Charlie groaned. "BORING!"

"It's all Malfoy's fault, Hagrid!"... We'll tell Dumbledore what really happened. "

Sirius smiled at Harry. He was a good kid.

"Yeah, don't worry, Hagrid, we'll back you up," said Ron.

Arthur nodded approvingly at Ron, pride clear in his eyes.

Tears leaked out... a bone-breaking hug.

"Careful!" Poppy huffed.

"I think you've had enough... went outside to empty it.

Several of the adults gaped at the girl. What was she doing telling a grown man how to behave in his own house?

"Ah, maybe she's right,"... wiping the water out of his eyes.

Several people chuckled.

"That's better,"... "WHAT D'YEH THINK YOU'RE DOIN', EH?" he roared, so suddenly that they jumped a foot in the air.

"Funny how everyone just expected me to know that I needed to stay in the castle," Harry complained. "For all you knew, Hagrid, I didn't even know Black was after me."

"YEH'RE NOT TO GO WANDERIN' AROUND AFTER DARK, HARRY! AN, YOU TWO! LETTIN' HIM!"

Harry counted to ten, focusing on his breathing. He would not take his temper out on Hagrid.

Hagrid strode over to Harry... I'm not worth that!"

"You're wrong, you know," Harry said. "You're definitely worth it."