"Don't worry," Hagrid said, noticing the worried looks on the students' faces. "Hippogriffs are very gentle creatures."
After a moment's thought, he felt that statement wasn't quite right, so he added, "Assuming you don't go provoking them first, that is."
Hearing Hagrid's words, Kyle rolled his eyes.
If that was the standard for judging whether a magical creature was gentle or not, then even dragons could be classified as gentle creatures.
Hagrid rubbed his hands together and beamed at the class.
"In this lesson, every one of you will get to experience what it's like to ride a Hippogriff, letting it take you soaring freely through the sky."
Hagrid cast a pleading look toward his teaching assistant—none other than Kyle.
Out of all the students present, Kyle was the only one who had prior experience dealing with Hippogriffs.
However, despite being the teaching assistant, Kyle didn't budge.
Instead, it was Hannah who pulled Hermione out from the crowd, leading the little beaver toward the fence.
A flash of confusion crossed Hagrid's eyes, but he didn't ask why. Instead, he began explaining the facts about Hippogriffs to the students.
"Hippogriffs are immensely proud creatures," Hagrid said. "Never insult one, because it might just be the last thing you ever do."
Not all the students were listening to Hagrid's lecture.
Over on the Slytherin side, Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson weren't paying attention at all.
Upon hearing Hagrid say that every student would have a chance to ride a Hippogriff, Draco immediately looked around and began calculating the number of students taking this elective.
The number of students registered for Care of Magical Creatures was massive—a total of forty people.
That was nearly two-thirds of the entire third-year student body, an enrollment number no other elective course had ever achieved.
Generally speaking, having twenty students sign up for an elective was already considered a lot.
The reason the students showed such immense enthusiasm for this class was because they heard Kyle would be serving as the teaching assistant.
The last course that featured Kyle's involvement in teaching traced back to the previous school year's Muggle Art Appreciation class.
With Kyle around—the scourge of fathers who deeply understood the students' psychology and interests—Care of Magical Creatures was bound to be incredibly fun.
As a result, enrollment numbers completely skyrocketed.
There were forty students, but only twelve Hippogriffs.
If everyone wanted a turn to experience flying on a Hippogriff, a single class period would definitely not be enough time.
Because of this, two students would inevitably have to share a single mount to ensure everyone got a turn within the hour.
Realizing this, a blazing fire of desire ignited in Draco Malfoy's eyes—he was going to ride with Harry!
Under Hagrid's explanations and Hannah's guidance, Hermione cautiously approached Buckbeak, who was at the front.
"Now, bow..."
Buckbeak was no stranger to Hannah, who frequently came by to feed him. For Hannah's sake, he bent his scaly front knees toward the little beaver beside her, unmistakably returning the bow.
"Well done, Hermione!" Hagrid bellowed happily.
With Kyle's help, Hermione climbed onto Buckbeak's back.
Hannah climbed up right after her, her hands rather mischievously wrapping around the little beaver's waist, making the scene instantly ripe with "orange" vibes.
Buckbeak carried the two of them soaring over the paddock for three or four minutes. When they returned, the entire class cheered.
It seemed these Hippogriffs weren't so dangerous after all.
"Next, form three lines! Then step forward in pairs! Don't crowd!"
Under the guidance of Hagrid, Kyle, and Hannah, the remaining thirty-seven students, excluding Hermione, formed three lines.
Malfoy seized his chance, shoving Ron into another line while squeezing himself right next to Harry.
Ron found himself completely bewildered, somehow suddenly wedged right between Crabbe and Goyle.
Ron: ???
By the time he realized it, the lines had already formed, and it wouldn't look good for Ron to break formation and run back.
Fortunately, they were pairing up freely rather than just going up with whoever they stood next to, so he didn't have to worry about ending up with either Crabbe or Goyle.
Standing behind Goyle, Pansy Parkinson glared with eyes full of fire at Draco and Harry, who were chatting and laughing in the other line.
Ever since Halie danced Gokuraku Jodo in the Great Hall last Halloween, Pansy had noticed that the way Draco looked at Halie had completely changed.
What flickered in Draco's eyes was the radiance of true love.
Pansy was all too familiar with that look.
Because that was exactly how she looked at Draco.
How could this discovery not leave her both shocked and infuriated?
Over the next while, the paddock was filled with students nervously bowing, as the twelve Hippogriffs continuously carried them up into the sky.
Shouts of pleasant surprise and cheers from the students continuously echoed from high above the paddock.
The lines moved rather slowly, as gaining the approval of these beasts was no easy task.
Watching his classmates succeed one after another, Harry's tightly wound nerves finally began to relax.
It really did seem like there was no danger.
"Harry, it's our turn," Draco said, trying his best to suppress his inner excitement, keeping his voice even.
Hearing Draco's words, Harry pulled his gaze back down from the sky.
The two of them cautiously stepped forward, approached Buckbeak, and gave him a deep bow.
For some unknown reason, upon witnessing this scene, a voice suddenly echoed in Kyle's mind:
"First bow to Heaven and Earth!"
"Cough, cough! Hack..." Kyle nearly choked to death on his own saliva.
Managing to hold back his laughter with great effort, Kyle pointed behind the joint of Buckbeak's wing. "You can climb up from here."
Harry took the lead and climbed up, with Draco following close behind.
When Pansy saw Draco's hands wrapping around Harry's waist, she finally snapped.
Harry's spot should have been hers!
Just as Kyle turned around to guide another group of students, Pansy charged furiously toward Buckbeak, grabbed Harry's foot, and tried to yank him down.
Reflexively, Harry grabbed onto Buckbeak's feathers.
However, it was completely useless.
In her sheer rage, Pansy unleashed two hundred percent of her usual strength, ripping Harry clean out of Draco's embrace in one swift pull.
Under the combined forces of Pansy's tugging and gravity, a handful of Buckbeak's feathers were ripped right off by Harry.
Hissing in pain, Buckbeak's orange eyes glared furiously at the culprit, Pansy.
He fiercely raised his steel-gray talons toward Pansy.
————
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