But, Dad...

I sit in the teacher’s chair as my dad teaches. Today, the lesson had a lot to do with magic, so Dad let me just explore the castle.

Loud footsteps were coming closer to where I was walking. I’m gonna die. It’s troll. Isn’t it? I hide behind a statue, waiting as the steps get louder and closer and I am going to die. My mom and dad warned me about all the chances of dying but I didn’t listen.

“‘Ey! Whatcher doin’ out ‘er class?”

I glance out from my hiding spot to look up a great, big man.

“I, um,” I start, but then he laughs, a noise that echos through the corridor.

“Albus Severus Potter? Didn’t realize it w’s you! How are yer liken it ‘ere at ‘ogwarts, lad?” Before I can stutter out a reply, he answers himself. “O’ course, ‘arry’s teachin’ Defense Against th’ D’rk Arts, ain’t ‘e?”

“Yeah...” I mutter, realization striking. “You’re Hagrid, aren’t you?”

“Well o’ course I am! Who else would I be?”

“I- um- well, I don’t know.”

He looks down at me, eyes smiling. “Der yer wanna meet Buckbeak?”

My eyes widen and I nod. “That would be brilliant.”

“As long as yer don’t tell n’one.”

“Of course not.”

I follow the gameskeeper down the grounds to his hut. “My dad told me a lot about Buckbeak.”

“And how bloody Malfoy almost got ‘im killed?”

I laugh, remembering the part in the story Dad’s told a million times where Draco got his arm scratched by the hippogriff. Before I could stop myself I say, “But not all Malfoys are bad.”

Hagrid chuckles. “You and Scor good friends, huh?”

I just shrug. Thankfully, we arrive at the hippogriff area before I have to say anything in reply. I start remembering more of the story Dad’s third year. “It’s the scariest thing I ever did that year.”

“Buckbeak!”

The hippogriff shoots over to use, elegant even in his snapping up the ferrets being handed to him.

“Now, bow, remember,” Hagrid whispers, bowing to Buckbeak, who bows back immediately.

I stare up at the gorgeous beast for a few seconds before slowly bowing. It stares at me for a long while, then, at last, bows back, just as noisy chattering can be heard from a group of students walking down for Care of Magical Creatures. Yet the hippogriff doesn’t waver, his gaze still locked firmly with mine. Slowly, ever so slowly, I approach him, cautiously reaching out my hand to him.

“Oi, Alby! That you?” James hollers from the group of fifth-years. I freeze, and Buckbeak turns away from me.

Of bloody course it was too good to be true.

I stand there, defeated, as the hippogriff trots over to Hagrid for more food, doing its best to stay away from the noisy teenagers.

Hagrid frowns and sighs with me. “Try again, while I deal with this lot. You’ll get it.”

Buckbeak turns to me, not wanting to go close to the yelling students. I bow and receive a bow in return. Ok. You can do this. I step closer, slowly.

“Hey, Buckbeak,” I whisper to him as he allows me to pet his feathers. I’m careful not to hurt him whatsoever. “You’re one cool bird, y’know. My dad talks about you alot.” I know talking to an animal is weird, but oh well.

“You wanna a ride?” Hagrid asks me. “I don’t really trust these fifth-years.”

“I, um-”

“Good!” He lifts me up onto the great the bird/horse. I wrap arms around Buckbeak best I could before I’m in the fucking air.

I let out a small yelp before squeezing onto the beast tighter, the sudden fear of falling drowning out everything else. Oh, Merlin, this isn’t right I shouldn’t be in the air this isn’t natural why am I flying holy fuck dear Merlin-

As the ride becomes smoother, I crack my eyes open and look out. Buckbeak swoops past the Astrology Tower and down to the front gates of Hogwarts before gliding out over the lake. The feeling of wind through my hair and over my skin is breathtaking, and I find all my fear gone and replaced with amazement. Everything is beautiful.

“I think we should go back,” I whisper, and Buckbeak glances back at me before pushing off on the water and making his way back to the hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

As we landed, my stomach jumped, and I practically fell off the hippogriff, arms and legs shaking.

“Well?” Hagrid asks, calling over the tops of fifth-year heads.

“Brilliant,” I breathe, smiling and slowly lowering myself to the ground. I’m shaking too much to stand, and the dirty looks I’m getting from older Gryffindors and Slytherins isn’t making it any easier. Especially the evileye James is giving me.

‘Not fair,’ he mouths at me, scowling.

I close my eyes and pretend I didn’t see him.

After a few minutes I am able to stand up again. “I have to go!” I smile, running back up to the castle. It’s Dad’s hour with Scorpius.

“I WAS FLYING! I WAS FLYING!” I yell, running into the class.

“I saw!” My dad grins at me. “You flew past the window.”

“Yeah. James is really jealous.” I look at the class, almost forgetting they were there. “I’m the cooler son now.” I whisper, mostly to myself, but the kid I’m standing closest to hears me and snickers. Of course, it’s Scor.

I sit down in the teacher’s chair as class continues. At my school if someone had come in running and screaming, they’d get slapped, but this was Hogwarts, you can do whatever you want as long as no one goes home hurt or has a teacup.

“Okay. It’s time for lunch!” Dad breaks my thoughts I had gotten lost in.

Scorpius comes up to the desk and I smile at him. “You lucky bloke.”

I jump up and we head to lunch. “Flying was the best, like, it was scary, but then it was awesome. I just...” I tried to think of a word, but I can’t.

“You should play Quidditch sometime,” he says, before realizing what he’s really saying. I frown and the guilt is obvious on his face. “There’s a game today. Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff.”

“You aren’t on the team...are you?”

“Kinda.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Kinda?”

“I mean- I’m the Seeker, b-”

“How can you say kinda if you’re the Seeker?!” I shriek, grinning. “That’s awesome! I know James is a beater.”

At this, the blonde scowls slightly. “Yeah.”

I decide not to pressure for information, instead leading him towards the Great Hall for lunch.

“So what time’s the match?” I ask, which immediately gets the attention of everyone within a twenty-foot radius of me.

“In an hour and half,” James states. “Gonna bring your hippogriff friend?”

The last comment is almost a sneer, and I shrink back from it. “I-”

“Fuck off, James!” Scor snaps. “You’re jealous because he got to ride Buckbeak, even though you have no reason to be jealous. You’re lucky enough to be going to a wizard school, and you get to use magic and play quidditch and wizards’ chess. Can’t you just be happy for your little brother for once?”

“Language!” Rose hisses.

“Fuck language! He’s got no fucking right to treat someone that badly!”

“Scor...” I mumble, poking at my food.

“Sorry.”

A boy with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes, named Leo, coughed rapidly in succession, making Scorpius flare with anger.

“You motherfucking-”