NIGHT OF THE PHOENIX

 

Rating: PG
Genre: Adventure/ vague mystery
Setting: All over the place, including different dimensions, other planets and vague places that fit nowhere.
Main Characters: Harry, Malfoy

 

Part 3

Harry headed straight towards Hagrid’s hut. Malfoy jogged slightly to catch up with him.

“Oi, Potter! Where do you think your going? The gates the other way!” Harry stopped suddenly, causing Malfoy to walk into him. They both fell to the floor. Harry pulled himself to his feet again, with an exasperated sigh.

“Listen, Malfoy. The town we need is miles away! It will take up to much time to walk out of Hogwarts and then fiddle around with the device Dumbledore gave us to travel distances. If we stop by Hagrid’s, we can pick up a couple of Hippogriffs and fly there in no time.” Malfoy stopped in the middle of standing up.

“Hi…Hi….Hippogriffs! Those things are lethal! Last time I went near one it nearly killed me!” Harry shook his head, annoyed.
“It did not! It just scratched you, that’s all.” Malfoy glared angrily at Harry, scrambling completely to his feet.
“Listen, Potter, I’m not going to go near those awful things!” Harry grinned

“Well, I guess that means I’m on my own then! Too bad!” he was unsuccessful about hiding the joy from his voice. But Malfoy glared at him with malice deep in his eyes. Harry saw the look Malfoy gave him and realised that there was no way he could get rid of Malfoy, short of knocking him out and running. But then Dumbledore would know that he had done it. Harry was left with no choice but to talk Malfoy into riding a hippogriff.

“Listen, I know you’re a complete coward Malfoy, but if you want to save the Slytherins you have no choice but to fly on a hippogriff.” Harry felt a wave of pleasure at the indignant look on Malfoy’s face at being called a coward. Malfoy threw his head high and sauntered past Harry, towards Hagrid’s hut. Harry suppressed a snigger at his high and mighty attitude, and followed him.
They approached Hagrid’s hut just as Hagrid emerged from the forbidden forest. He was leading a beautiful golden brown hippogriff, with eyes that glinted in the sun. Malfoy gave a whimper at the sight of the proud beast, which stood surveying the grounds as royalty might survey their kingdom. It turned its glossy head in the direction of Malfoy, giving him a haughty stare. Malfoy visibly slowed his pace, allowing Harry to approach Hagrid some way in front of him. Harry gave a wave as Hagrid tied the hippogriff to a tree.

“Harry! What are you doin’ here?”

“Hi Hagrid, we’re on a mission from Dumbledore to retrieve Fawkes. We need to borrow a hippogriff” Hagrid nodded seriously. Harry guessed that he would probably know about the mission, as the virus spreading throughout the school was hardly a secret.

“fair enough. You wanna use Airyglyph  there. He’s one o’ the fastest hippogriffs ‘ere. You’ll find Fawkes in no time!”

“Great! Thanks Hagrid!” Harry turned to Malfoy, who was cowering a little way away. “Malfoy, come on! Airyglyph can take us to the village.” Malfoy made no move to approach the hippogriff. Harry could hear Hagrid nearby, trying not to laugh at Malfoy. Harry, sniggering to himself, turned back to the creature. He approached it boldly, faltering slightly as it swivelled its head around to look directly at him. Harry had never realised how sharp the hippogriffs beaks were. He heard Malfoy shout behind him.

“What’s the matter Potter, afraid are you?” Harry gritted his teeth in annoyance, facing Airyglyph. He remembered a lesson from a care of magical creatures’ class. He had to bow to the hippogriff in order to gain its trust. He took a deep breath. Airyglyph looked far less amiable than Buckbeak, the hippogriff who Malfoy claimed had mauled him. That story was partly true, Malfoy had been scratched by Buckbeak, but only because he had insulted him. Hippogriffs were proud creatures.  Harry had saved Buckbeak from execution, using the creature to rescue his godfather, Sirius. They had flown away that night. Harry slowly bowed to Airyglyph, the hairs on the back of his neck prickling, as he realised that the hippogriff had not taken his eyes off of Harry. He straightened up, trying not to look the regal figure in the eye. The hippogriff eyed him a moment longer, ending its surveillance by looking at Malfoy. Harry distinctly heard Malfoy whimper again, as Airyglyph’s gaze drifted back to Harry. The magnificent creature bowed back to Harry, elegantly, and gracefully. Harry approached him, and carefully stroked his neck feathers. He turned back to Malfoy.

“Come on, hurry up will you! We need to leave immediately!” Harry could see that Malfoy was not at all happy having to approach Airyglyph, but he had no other choice. Slowly, hesitantly, Malfoy copied Harry’s actions, receiving, in return, an elegant bow from Airyglyph. Harry breathed a sigh of relief, as he hauled himself up on Airyglyph’s back. As much as he hated Malfoy, as Hagrid helped him up on the hippogriff behind Harry, he was almost glad of the company. He knew he would hate having to go on this quest alone. He waved goodbye to Hagrid as Airyglyph took off into the air. Malfoy clung onto Harry frantically. As the hippogriff swooped over the grounds, making for the clear sky to the south, Harry looked down at the castle, declining slowly as they gained more distance.
“Hold on Ron, Hermione. We’ll find Fawkes, no matter what.” Airyglyph climbed higher, breaking through the clouds, and Hogwarts was lost to sight. Harry prayed that they would find Fawkes in time.

 

END OF PART 3