After last week's success, Hagrid's confidence had inflated to nearly match his size.
Teaching was not difficult at all, he thought. The students had listened attentively, the practical portion had gone smoothly.
Naturally, Hagrid concluded that he had mastered the art of being a professor.
It was time to introduce something "cuter." Something more impressive. He would follow his original teaching plan.
The Hogwarts grounds housed plenty of little darlings, after all. And today's creature had been chosen with particular care.
"Just wait a moment, everyone! Get your textbooks out first!"
Hagrid waved enthusiastically from a distance, leading the Hippogriff into a fenced enclosure nearby before beckoning the students closer.
"Now then, open your books and listen to me, "
He stopped mid sentence.
The students were staring at him with dead fish eyes.
Some had tied their textbooks shut with rope. Others had glued them into solid lumps. A few bore visible lash marks across the covers.
"What… did you do to your books?" Hagrid asked weakly.
Malfoy snorted. "Tied it up. Unless you want it biting me?"
Parvati held hers at arm's length. "I sealed its mouth shut with industrial glue. Are you sure this is a textbook?"
"If you don't beat it, it won't behave," Rosier said coldly. "A few strikes and it stopped snapping."
Zabini gave a thumbs up. "Great minds think alike."
Nott's mouth twitched. Were they… experienced now? Veterans of textbook warfare?
Hagrid stared at the chorus of complaints and improvised solutions, clearly stunned.
This was not how it was supposed to go.
"Well… actually, you don't need to do all that," Hagrid said awkwardly. "If you just stroke the spine gently like this, "
He demonstrated.
Instantly, the book relaxed in his hands.
An eruption of irritated groans followed.
"You couldn't have told us that earlier?" Pansy snapped. "Do you know how many new outfits that monster ruined?"
"I thought you all knew…"
Hagrid gave an embarrassed chuckle.
As the students followed his instructions and calmed their books, he visibly relaxed. Then he turned and brought the Hippogriff forward.
The air changed.
A wild, predatory presence rolled over them.
Students instinctively retreated, especially under the creature's sharp, eagle like gaze. No one dared meet its eyes directly.
"Don't be afraid!" Hagrid tightened his grip on the chain. "With me here, it won't hurt you. Buckbeak's very gentle!"
Unfortunately, Hagrid had not yet built enough authority among them for that reassurance to mean much.
The students halted only after backing away nearly ten meters.
Hagrid sighed and began anyway.
"Alright then. Who can tell me what this is?"
Tom raised his hand.
Hagrid brightened immediately. "Tom! Go on."
"A Hippogriff, also called a Griffin Horse. Classified as a XXX magical creature. A hybrid descended from a griffin and a horse. Carnivorous, feeding on small animals and birds. Possesses exceptional eyesight and razor sharp talons. A natural predator. It requires a properly trained wizard to control it."
Tom deliberately emphasized the final point.
Hagrid, however, only caught the thoroughness of the answer.
"Excellent! Twenty points to Slytherin!"
That was far beyond the usual one or two points for a correct answer.
No one protested.
With Tom around, Slytherin was practically guaranteed the House Cup anyway. Other houses had grown numb to it over the past two years.
And Tom had his own reasons for taking this class.
A few easy points helped soothe the emptiness where his Achievement Points used to be.
He almost missed Quirrell and Lockhart.
"Harry! Come demonstrate how to earn Buckbeak's respect. It's simple!"
Harry looked stunned as Hagrid shoved him gently forward, whispering under his breath:
"Help me out, Harry."
With that plea, Harry had no choice.
Following Hagrid's guidance carefully, he bowed. Buckbeak bowed back.
A collective gasp.
Moments later, Harry was airborne.
He soared above Hogwarts, wind rushing through his hair, circling the towers and the Black Lake.
Watching him glide freely through the sky, the students' hearts stirred.
Objectively speaking, Hippogriffs were magnificent. Vast wings, white feathers gleaming in sunlight, fierce yet noble bearing.
Both boys and girls were captivated.
Tom had encountered them in the Forbidden Forest before, but since they lacked medicinal value, he had never bothered engaging.
When Harry landed safely, hands shot up everywhere.
Hagrid beamed. He hurried back into the forest and soon returned with ten more Hippogriffs he had prepared in advance.
"So it's just livestock," Malfoy sneered as more students succeeded. "Why bow to them?"
He stepped forward arrogantly.
"Draco."
Tom's voice stopped him.
Malfoy turned, confused.
"Do you know what real pride is?" Tom asked calmly. "It's not pretending to understand what you don't. If Hagrid teaches you this method, there's a reason. Don't be clever in the wrong place and create trouble for yourself."
Malfoy did not grasp every nuance, but he understood enough.
Tom was telling him to behave.
He swallowed and nodded quickly. "I understand, Tom."
This time, no accidents occurred.
Malfoy followed the proper steps, earned Buckbeak's respect, and took his turn flying.
When he landed, he muttered dismissively that it was nothing special.
Yet moments later, he had quietly joined the queue again.
Flying on a magical creature felt completely different from riding a broom.
On a broom, you controlled flight.
On a Hippogriff, it felt like you possessed it.