Chapter 302 Buckbeak, the Bloodline Suppression of Magical Beasts
Everyone collectively took a step back, and some even directly squatted behind rocks, as if no one wanted to greet Buckbeak.
After all, Hagrid had said, 'If it goes wrong, it could cost you your life,' and they were just a group of students whose current psychological fortitude didn't support risking their lives.
Aaron also chose to follow the crowd; he was confident he could tame Buckbeak but didn't want to show off.
"Well done, Harry, well done," Hagrid said with relief. If no one had set an example in his first class, he really wouldn't have known what to do.
Harry Potter, realizing what had happened, looked back and saw that everyone else had retreated, and only he was still standing there dumbfounded, no wonder Hagrid had called on him.
Harry secretly groaned but still bravely climbed over the paddock fence.
"Now you have to show it respect and deference, that's polite.
Walk forward, bow to it, and then wait to see if it bows back," Hagrid patiently explained the essentials of communicating with a Hippogriff. "Only if it bows back can you touch it, otherwise, wait a while longer."
Harry nervously bent down and bowed, but Buckbeak did not return the bow; instead, it spread its wings and let out an arrogant shriek, which instantly made his heart leap into his throat.
"Back away, Harry, back away," Hagrid waved his arms anxiously, signaling him to gently retreat.
But Harry had only taken a few steps back when he stepped on a branch; the snapping sound was particularly clear, causing everyone present to miss a heartbeat.
However, Buckbeak did not seem displeased by this; instead, it slightly bent its scaly forelegs and slowly lowered its head, performing a bow.
"Well done, Harry," Hagrid said with an excited smile, then took a dead ferret and threw it to Buckbeak.
Harry straightened up with a sigh of relief, but before he could relax, he heard Hagrid continue: "You can go up and pat it now.
Go on, don't be shy, be gentle, be slow."
Harry nervously walked up to Buckbeak and cautiously reached out to touch it. Buckbeak was also quite cooperative, just like a docile pet.
Witnessing Harry Potter's success, the other students cheered and applauded.
Draco's face was not looking good, and his two cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, also looked somewhat disappointed.
"It doesn't look difficult at all," Draco said unhappily.
"Then you go try it!" Ron retorted, "You weren't any slower than us when you retreated just now!"
Draco glared fiercely at Ron, saying nothing more.
"I think it's willing to let you ride it," Hagrid said, placing Harry on Buckbeak's back without asking if he wanted to. "Sit behind the wing joint, and don't pull its feathers, it won't thank you."
Hagrid patted Buckbeak's hind leg, and it spread its twelve-foot-long wings and flew high into the sky, while a startled Harry on its back clung tightly to its neck, letting out terrified screams.
"Looks quite interesting," Aaron said with a smile.
"You call this interesting?" Hermione asked incredulously, "Harry must be terrified right now."
"Hmm... Actually, there's no need to worry. Once a Hippogriff accepts someone, it won't just throw them off its back. It'll come back after a little flight; this is much more interesting than riding a broomstick."
Sure enough, in less than two minutes, Buckbeak returned with Harry, though he looked somewhat pale and a bit unsteady when he dismounted.
"Excellent work, Harry!" Hagrid shouted, "Who else wants to try?"
With the first person having taken the plunge, the other students also cautiously entered the paddock, bowing and showing respect to each Hippogriff, but they still dared not fly on a Hippogriff.
"Aren't you going to try?" Hermione asked in confusion. She had just had a friendly encounter with a Hippogriff when she saw Aaron eating an apple on the stone fence.
"I have it," Aaron said, holding up one of Abey's paws. "Do you really think a dragon is inferior to a Hippogriff?"
Abey nodded solemnly. In front of this Holy Dragon, Hippogriffs were all trash.
Hermione:... Isn't that different?
"You should really try it," Hermione urged, "This is Hagrid's first class after all."
Upon hearing this, Aaron hesitated for a moment. "Alright! Consider it necessary respect for the teacher."
Saying that, he put Abey down and quickly walked towards a Hippogriff.
No bow, no salute, he simply sat on its back, as easily as mounting a tamed pony.
The Hippogriff showed no resistance, nor did it show any displeasure, simply because opposite it, a harmless but capable of tearing it to shreds in minutes adorable pet was smiling at it.
If you dare to displease my master, I will displease you.
"This..." Hagrid was utterly bewildered. Aren't Hippogriffs supposed to be proud? How was it tamed so easily?
Could it be that Aaron knew it before? But that was impossible!
"Aaron, how did you do that?"
"Maybe I've ridden dragons before!" Aaron hinted meaningfully.
Hagrid turned to look at Abey, and suddenly understood.
There was a bloodline suppression among magical creatures; with a dragon holding the fort for Aaron, the Hippogriff naturally had to cooperate obediently.
At this moment, Draco also walked up to Buckbeak, bowed, saluted, and touched its mouth.
"I told you it wasn't difficult," Draco said triumphantly. "It's not dangerous at all.
If Harry Potter can tame this ugly beast, there's no reason I can't."
No sooner had he spoken than Buckbeak let out an angry shriek, and its sharp, eagle-like claws lashed out.
Draco fell to the ground, screaming in Pain!, his arm stained with blood.
Hagrid immediately stood in front of Buckbeak, blocking it to prevent Malfoy from being attacked again.
"It's going to kill me!" Draco cried, his face distraught. "I'm going to make it pay!"
"Don't just stand there, hurry and take him to the School Hospital!" Aaron said urgently.
Hagrid reacted, immediately picked up Draco, and quickly ran up the hill towards the Castle.
Seeing this, the others quickly followed. Without Hagrid, they dared not stay with these Hippogriffs.
Upon reaching the Castle, Hagrid left the others in the entrance hall and took Draco to the School Hospitalhimself.
Aaron hesitated for a moment, sighed softly, and followed behind them.
"What are you doing here?" Hagrid asked, feeling a bit weary. "This is a doctor's job."
"Do you think I want to be here?" Aaron rolled his eyes, speechless. "Abey can help him heal."
Hagrid glanced at Abey, who was dozing in Aaron's arms, and asked with some doubt, "It can heal too?"
"Although it's not as good as Phoenix Tears, the effect isn't far off."
Draco struggled for a moment, stopping his whimpering. "Then quickly let it..."
"No," Aaron interrupted him, "Do you want Abey to expose its identity in broad daylight?"
Hearing this, Draco closed his eyes in Pain!.
A few minutes later, Hagrid placed him on a white hospital bed. "Wait a moment, Madam Pomfrey will be here soon."
"Can it be done now?" Draco's eyes held a hint of hope.
Aaron nodded, placed Abey in front of Draco, and said, "It's up to you."
Abey looked at his arm with some disdain, then began the treatment.
A white magic circle appeared on Draco's right arm, and the long, deep wound slowly healed under the white glow, and the rate of blood loss began to slow down.
"That's amazing!" Hagrid shouted excitedly. "I've never heard of dragons having such an ability."
"That's because you're ill-informed," Aaron shrugged, then picked up Abey and moved it aside.
"Eh? No..." Draco blinked blankly. "It's not finished healing yet!"
"I'll only ensure that your arm will be fine; the rest is up to Madam Pomfrey!" Aaron said indifferently. "You were injured and bleeding in plain sight. If the doctor finds that you're perfectly fine, what will she think?
And no matter what Madam Pomfrey arranges, you'll have to pretend to be sick for a few more days so no one will suspect anything."
Draco:... "Then can Abey secretly heal me afterwards? I'll pay for all its food this year."
Abey's eyes lit up, as if it saw a shortcut to hoarding food.
It looked at Aaron expectantly, hoping to see its master nod.
However, Aaron flatly refused, "No, this is a lesson for you.
Who told you to provoke a magical creature when you had nothing better to do, especially after Hagrid explicitly said not to insult Hippogriffs?
Draco, do you think it's impressive to question a teacher in class?"
"I..." Draco was speechless. He had only wanted to prove that he was no worse than Harry Potter, but he had accidentally gotten carried away.
Just then, Madam Pomfrey rushed over. She carefully examined Draco's injuries, and her expression became less grim.
"Madam Pomfrey, is Malfoy alright?"
"He's fine, it's not too serious.
I'll get him some medicine and bandage it up. He'll recover with a good rest, but he can't move his right hand until the injury is healed."
"Thank goodness."
"You should be grateful!" Draco said indignantly. "I can ignore you, but that bird must pay."
Hagrid's heart sank, and he said weakly, "Buckbeak is innocent."
"Innocent? My arm is like this!" Draco said angrily. "I'm definitely telling my dad."
"There's no need to tell your dad about this, is there?" Aaronfrowned slightly. If Lucius Malfoy found out about this, he would definitely make a big deal out of it.
"That's not up to me to say. I'm injured, so my dad will definitely know.
Even though he's no longer on the Board of Governors, Hogwarts matters can't be kept from him."
Aaron:... There's nothing I can do about that.
Hagrid's face also showed a touch of bitterness upon hearing this. He sat by the hospital bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, worried about Buckbeak's fate.