Chapter 193: Buckbeak
Chapter 193: Buckbeak
Felix leaned in to examine the black hair on the red cloth. "Is this all we have?"
"Unfortunately, this is all we found at Azkaban", Dumbledore said.
"Alright", Felix nodded, thinking for a moment. "I can't guarantee the number of Scrying Mirrors... one, no problem! Two, it's a bit of a stretch, and three, it's purely down to luck."
Dumbledore smiled. "That's already beyond my expectations. I thought we could only make one Scrying Mirror."
After leaving the office, Felix checked the sky; it wasn't too late yet. He walked out of the castle and followed a small path straight to Hagrid's hut.
He inhaled the scent of the trees, the grass was damp from the recent rain. Soon, the outline of the house became clear.
"Fang, stop it."
Felix spoke to the black hound that was trying to jump on him, but it couldn't touch him through the air. He didn't want it to leave muddy paw prints on his clothes.
Felix took a warm beef pie from a special compartment in his ring and threw it to Fang.
Fang caught it in one bite and wagged his tail happily.
Felix knocked on the door. "Hagrid, it's me, Felix."
A sound that seemed like a sob came from inside.
"Come in, the door's not locked!"
He pushed the door open and was startled by the scene inside: the small room was cluttered, and Hagrid was sitting on a soft bed, chugging from a large barrel of alcohol, his eyes red and puffy with tears.
At his feet lay a Hippogriff, a copper basin filled with raw, bloody meat in front of it. Juice dripped from its mouth onto the floor, and it lifted its head sharply, eyeing Felix warily.
"Hagrid?"
Hagrid stared at him, muttering, "Felix, you've heard, haven't you..." He patted the Hippogriff's head. "Be good, Buckbeak. You can't make any more mistakes."
Buckbeak lowered its head and continued eating the raw meat.
"Want some?" Hagrid shook the barrel.
"No, thanks."
Felix sat down near him. "I did hear some rumors, but I didn't expect it to affect you this much."
Hagrid took another swig of alcohol, droplets clinging to his beard. "What can I do? I might be the shortest-serving professor in history..."
"They fired you?" Felix asked, surprised.
"Well, Harry and the others asked the same thing... Not yet, but it's only a matter of time. Yesterday, a representative of the school board came to see me. He was impeccably dressed, and to be honest, he reminded me a bit of you. He said my lessons were too risky and that I should be more cautious..."
"I don't think it's a big issue", Felix said. "From what I know, Hippogriffs are quite intelligent. Something must have gone wrong?"
"Wrong? You could say that... You tell me!" Hagrid suddenly shouted, startling the giant creature beside him. "That Malfoy student didn't listen to a word I said. I told him to bow! He acted like a fool!"
Felix looked at Hagrid with a strange expression and asked softly, "You let the students get close to it?"
"Yeah, I know them, they're not dangerous. As long as it returns your bow... burp!" Hagrid burped, shook the barrel, and poured the remaining alcohol into the copper basin. "That means it accepts you. They're very polite creatures, aren't they?"
Felix had his doubts. Bowing to gain acceptance was true, but not because of politeness. By exposing your vulnerable spot first, you earn their trust, and they will bow in return to gain yours.
It's a unique behavior.
"Hagrid, my advice is, for creatures capable of harming young wizards, like this one—"
“Buckbeak, it’s called Buckbeak.” Hagrid introduced the creature in a gruff voice.
“—For example, Buckbeak. It’s best to keep your distance during the first lesson. Once the students are more familiar, you can select a couple of well-behaved ones to approach it.”
“Good advice, but it’s not very useful right now,” Hagrid said sadly. “I’ve been in a funk all day. I had the students feed Flobberworms, and I just stared at the sky, thinking that any second now an owl would arrive telling me I’m fired.”
Felix spoke directly, “Hagrid, you don’t need to worry about your job. I’ve checked the records of your predecessor, Kettleburn. He had sixty-two instances of being placed on probation, some of which were far more serious than anything you’ve done, and he still made it to retirement.”
“Really? I didn’t think of that. The board representative looked like they were about to send me to Azkaban,” Hagrid said, his hopes rising.
“They can’t fire a tenured professor; that’s the Headmaster’s decision. At worst, they might give you a reprimand, but who really cares about that?” Felix said. He had studied these rules thoroughly and had never given them a second thought.
Hagrid’s spirits lifted as he looked at Felix, “So, I’m fine?”
“You were fine to begin with.”
“That’s great news!” Hagrid let out a cheer, droplets of ale from his beard flying everywhere, and Buckbeak sneezed.
“Oh, go on, Buckbeak, back to your place!” Hagrid laughed, pulling the creature up and gently pushing it out of the hut, despite its reluctant gaze.
“I was worried about losing my job and even the position of Keeper of the Forbidden Forest. I wanted to feed it one last time. Looks like I was overthinking it…”
Felix said, “Hagrid, let’s discuss the content of your next lesson. I think Baby Unicorns would be a good choice. They’re fluffy and cute, and I’m curious about the properties of their golden fur during their early years…”
“Would they be too tame?” Hagrid asked.
Felix looked at him calmly, making Hagrid feel a bit uneasy. He waved his hand, “Alright, you’re right. I shouldn’t take risks.”
He counted on his fingers, “Unicorns, Bowtruckles, Nifflers, Fire Crabs, Flower Fairies, and Augureys… Is their call dangerous?” He sought Felix’s opinion.
An Augurey is a small, dark green bird known for its shy nature and resemblance to a malnourished young vulture. They are famous for their heart-wrenching calls.
Felix thought for a moment, “I remember their calls are rhythmic, right?”
“Usually, they only call before a heavy rain. People used to use them to predict the weather, but the sound is unbearable… Some Augureys also howl continuously during winter, which means they are close to death,” Hagrid said thoughtfully. “I can find one on a sunny day when they are more subdued.”
Felix encouraged him, “Exactly, Hagrid. You need to consider the characteristics of magical creatures to minimize potential risks.”
“Ha, I think I’m getting the hang of it.”
…
Felix returned to his office as night fell. He looked at the photo of Nicolas Flamel on his desk and asked, “Is Nearly Headless Nick around?”
“I’m already asleep,” the person in the photo blinked.
“He’s been going to bed early lately,” Felix noted.
The Nicolas Flamel in the photo smiled, “Old people can’t stay up late.”
A man over six hundred years old…
Felix pondered the statement, “When he wakes up, please tell Nearly Headless Nick that I’ve prepared his Christmas gift. It has special meaning, and he’ll love it.”
(End of Chapter)
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