https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-363-The-Anticipated-Dark-Arts-Defense-Class/12538623/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-365-Give-Us-One-Reason-Not-to-Kill-You/12538625/
Chapter 364: The Hippogriff
Chapter 364: The Hippogriff
"Hagrid, your first class is about to start, isn't it?"
In a paddock beside the Forbidden Forest, Kyle, who had just finished his lunch, watched Hagrid bustling about and asked, "How are the preparations going?"
"I'm so nervous," Hagrid said, carrying a wooden rack with enthusiasm. "I woke up at five in the morning and got everything ready. I hope the class goes well... I'm finally a professor..."
"You'd better not say that to anyone else," Kyle smiled. "You know, students always wish for longer holidays."
"The length of the holidays isn't up to me," Hagrid laughed. "It's incredible... I'm a professor..."
He seemed to feel that the placement of the rack was a bit off, so he picked it up and changed its direction, asking, "Kyle, when are you coming to my class? Is it tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow afternoon, that's the first class," Kyle replied, then added, "But Hagrid, I think you should consider changing the magical creature."
"What?" Hagrid seemed not to have heard him clearly as he continued adjusting the rack's position.
Kyle persisted, "If I were you, I wouldn't let those third-year students interact with Hippogriffs in their first class."
"Oh, don't worry about that," Hagrid said nonchalantly. "I'll remind them to be polite. Hippogriffs aren't dangerous at all if you approach them respectfully."
"Can you guarantee that they'll all listen to you, though?" Kyle countered. "Harry and his friends will probably be fine, but what about the Slytherins?"
Hagrid's lips moved silently, and he muttered, "But I'm a professor... they have to obey me, right...?"
"Are you sure about that?"
This time, Hagrid's voice was even quieter, and Kyle couldn't quite make out what he said.
However, Kyle continued undeterred, "In fact, during our first Care of Magical Creatures class last year, we had a Bowtruckle as the subject, and still, some students ended up with pricked fingers."
The more Kyle spoke, the more silent Hagrid became.
He had thought of everything else, but he hadn't considered what would happen if the students didn't obey.
"There are plenty of other options," Kyle listed. "Bowtruckles, fairies, nifflers, billywigs, kneazles... any of them would be much better than Hippogriffs."
"But..." Hagrid stammered, "It's my first class, and I want to make an impression. Nothing would be more impressive than a Hippogriff... they're so beautiful, much prettier than nifflers."
"Most students might not see it that way. As a professor, you must learn to think from the students' perspective.
"As for making an impression..."
Kyle raised an eyebrow, "If you could get your hands on a baby unicorn, I guarantee your first class would be a blast.
Conveniently, young unicorns don't discriminate against males, and if you can let them touch or even hold the little golden fellow... before the class ends, you'll be the most popular professor in Hogwarts, even more popular than Professor Dumbledore himself."
"Professor... Dumbledore..."
Hagrid became noticeably more nervous, stammering, "Th-that's impossible. You're joking again."
After a moment's thought, he continued, "If it's a baby unicorn you want, there is one in the Forbidden Forest that just turned a month old today, but Katiata won't let me bring it here."
Katiata was probably the name of a unicorn... Hagrid always loved naming every magical creature in the Forbidden Forest. It was a wonder how he managed to remember them all.
"It's precisely because it's difficult that it will make an impression," Kyle said.
Glancing at the time, he added, "You have less than half an hour before class starts. If you have any ideas, you'd better act fast."
Hagrid hesitated for a moment before turning and heading into the Forbidden Forest.
Later, Kyle also found a group of tethered Hippogriffs in the depths of the Forbidden Forest behind the paddock.
Just as Hagrid had described, these creatures were indeed beautiful. Their shimmering feathers came in different shades—stormy gray, crystalline reddish-brown, and ink-black...
They tossed their fierce heads and stretched their powerful wings as if resenting being tied up this way.
Kyle walked up to them and one by one, he unlocked their chains and leather collars.
"Fly away..." he whispered.
The gray Hippogriff stepped forward, bending its front knees in an unmistakable bowing gesture.
Then, it spread its twelve-foot-long wings and, along with the other Hippogriffs, flew towards the depths of the Forbidden Forest.
Soon, all that was left were the chains and collars lying on the ground. As for whether Hagrid would return empty-handed or have time to find another magical creature, Kyle wasn't worried at all.
There were several medlar trees nearby, and one could easily find a dozen bowtruckles on them, more than enough for one class.
After that, Kyle turned and headed back towards the castle.
(End of Chapter)
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