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Blake, Zabini, Charlotte and Tracey reunited with Greengrass at the Slytherin table, right before the Sorting.
"Were you guys alright?" Charlotte immediately asked. "Y'know, with the Dementors."
"Yes," Greengrass responded absentmindedly, looking towards the benches. "We were fine. What about you?"
"We got attacked - well, mainly Blake, but-"
"What?"
Greengrass whipped around quickly, looking at Blake intensely, and the boy felt his cheeks redden.
"Did you have chocolate?" she demanded.
"Obviously," Blake muttered, looking away.
"The new Defence teacher was there," Tracey said, grinning at Blake's blush. "Blake knew the spell to get rid of the Dementors, but they all ganged up on him, so Lupin drove them away."
"I see," Greengrass said, before turning back around.
"Which one's your sister?" Zabini asked, looking at the benches for the new students.
"You'll see, won't you?" Greengrass responded. To most people, she sounded normal, but Blake, and apparently Tracey, heard something off in her voice. Her voice is strained - she's stressed. Her sister's Sorting, most likely.
They waited in anticipation, until finally, the younger Greengrass's name was called.
"Astoria Greengrass!"
A blonde girl with blue eyes stood up, and Blake could instantly see the resemblance. The girl had similar features to Greengrass - the same hair, colour of eyes, and similar face, nose and lip shapes, but they were also noticeably different. More than that, however, was the fact that the girl seemed… off.
Her blood curse, Blake thought. She looks fragile.
But despite her illness, the younger Greengrass seemed to be strong-minded. She walked up to the Sorting Hat stool confidently, and placed it on her head. Even though there was a delay for her Sorting, her expression didn't falter, until finally the Hat yelled loudly: "Slytherin!"
Blake didn't miss the happy expression on her face, nor the relieved expression on Greengrass's. As she sat down with the others from her year, she gave Greengrass a little wave, and, in a rare show of positivity, the older sister waved back. Blake couldn't help but smile at that. He thought back to what Ron described Greengrass as, back in the Burrow. 'Icy and princess-like', my ass.
Meanwhile, the group overheard Malfoy gloating on the way to the dorms - they'd been right. Harry had indeed been the one to be attacked by the Dementors, and unfortunately for the Chosen One, he didn't have the luxury of knowing Expecto Patronum beforehand.
Unlucky, Harry.
"He fainted?" Tracey laughed. "I thought he'd be able to fight them off."
"Don't be silly, Tracey," Zabini chided. "There's only one spell that can fend off Dementors - even we didn't know it. How do you expect Potter who lives with Muggles to know it?"
"Blake knew it!"
"That's different!"
Classes resumed later that day, and Blake, as nerdy as it was, was excited. Runes and Arithmancy… that's got to be useful for the future. You need Arithmancy for basically everything complex in wizarding society - it's like Maths in the Muggle world, and Runes are powerful. They were used in ancient, strong magic, and still today by the best wizards and witches.
Even Care of Magical Creatures should be useful - there's no magical zoos, and plenty of people that would show up for it.
Blake was not disappointed - Arithmancy and Runes were already proving to be useful and interesting by the end of the first lessons. They work well together, Blake thought. Runes is kind of like English, and Arithmancy is kind of like Maths, except way more powerful. By using the correct runes in the correct order and number, you multiply the effects of both. I can definitely sell enchanted stuff using Runes and Arithmancy.
Care of Magical Creatures, however, was a bit of a letdown. Apparently, the syllabus mainly entailed the more common magical creatures found in Britain, and none really exotic or new. I suppose there's still a market for zoos though, Blake mused. There was, however, one major plus point.
"Blake," Hagrid chortled. "an' Harry, Ron and Hermione! This might be one of my favourite classes!"
"Thanks, Hagrid," Harry grinned. Blake observed Harry. He seemed to be a bit more relaxed - no doubt feeling safer in Hogwarts.
"Hagrid, I appreciate that, but you really shouldn't be saying you have favourites," Hermione said seriously. Hagrid muttered a small agreement, but Ron laughed. "Hermione, Hagrid's just being honest. Besides-"
"Really?" a new voice came from seemingly nowhere. "I thought we'd have Professor Kettleburn, a real Professor."
"Malfoy," Ron growled, any trace of amusement in his voice gone.
"Hagrid is a real Professor, Malfoy," Harry responded coldly. "Why don't you bugger off before you end up with a wand up your-"
"Right, that's enough, Harry!" Hagrid said gruffly. "An' Malfoy, if yer don't like it, find a different subject. I certainly ain't forcin' yer to be here."
Blake stifled a laugh at the expression on Malfoy's, and Crabbe's and Goyle's, faces.
"Anyway, welcome to Care of Magical Creatures! As I'm sure yer all know by now, Professor Kettleburn decided to retire last year, so now I'm yer Professor for Care of Magical Creatures. The first thing we're gonna learn about is Hippogriffs!" Hagrid roared with excitement, before retreating back beyond the trees, leaving the class to murmur.
"Oi, Blake," Tracey nudged. "What's a Hippogriff?" she asked, as Malfoy and Harry argued about Hagrid's legitimacy as a Professor.
"Dunno," Blake responded as he weighed the pros and cons of trying out a Bat Bogey Hex on Malfoy. Probably not the best move, he decided with great sadness as the half-giant reappeared, followed by a herd of odd looking creatures, I don't want to mess up Hagrid's first lesson.
Hagrid rattled off, explaining how to treat a Hippogriff, and Blake found himself - surprisingly - mildly interested. Forgetting the fact that it would be exciting to try and ride this animal, they were also gorgeous. Weird, but gorgeous.
"Right! Who wants a go first?"
Blake waited to see if anyone would go first, but unsurprisingly, no one seemed to be too eager. Thought one of you would say yes, he thought, glancing at the Golden Trio. He sighed, and prepared to raise his hand, but someone beat him to it.
"I will."
Harry stepped forward, an uncertain look on his face. Hagrid looked relieved as he applauded Harry's bravery, explaining what to do. Blake took the opportunity to pinch Tracey.
"Ow! What was that for?" she hissed.
"2 Galleons if you volunteer right now."
"Are you crazy? That thing might kill me!"
"I'll volunteer before you."
"2 Galleons?"
"5."
"Done."
"Professor," Blake interrupted. "Sorry to interrupt, but d'you think I could have a turn too?"
"And me!" Tracey chimed, somewhat reluctantly. As Hagrid stuttered his approval, seemingly becoming emotional at the interest, Blake shot a look at Ron and Hermione.
"Uhh… me too, Hagrid!"
"Ron!" Hermione chided. "You mean, 'Professor Hagrid'! And me too, please, Professor!"
Hagrid looked as though he was about to burst into tears. Luckily, however, lacking any supervision, Harry had somehow managed to climb onto the Hippogriff, Buckbeak's, back, and shoot off into the sky.
"Harry!" Hagrid bellowed. For a brief moment, Blake worried that Harry was in danger - but only for a second.
"WHOOOOOOO!" Harry screamed, the thrill in his voice unmistakable as he circled around the castle.
"Professor, I want a turn too!" one of the Gryffindor girls said quickly.
"Me too!"
"And me!"
The classroom quickly descended into chaos, until finally, Hagrid regained his senses.
"Oi!" he bellowed. The class fell silent, as would any when a giant surrounded by half bird, half horse animals yelled at them.
"Right - Blake was next, wasn't he?"
"Yes," the boy in question confirmed.
"Right - y'know what to do, don't yer Blake?" he asked, after Harry had descended. "And you, uh, sorry, what was-"
"Tracey Davis."
"Right, uh-"
"You can call me Tracey, Professor," the girl said, almost rolling her eyes.
"Right, Tracey, y'know what to do, don't yer?"
"Yes," she said, slightly shakily.
"Ok - begin!"
The entire affair was exciting. Both Tracey and Blake succeeded in their attempt, and soon found themselves flying up into the sky, soaring above and around Hogwarts.
It really is beautiful, Blake admired. Sometimes I forget how beautiful it is. Probably because something or the other's always trying to kill someone I care about.
Unfortunately, however, when Blake landed, someone was on the ground, screaming.
"Calm down, Malfoy!" Hagrid yelled as the boy screamed in agony, blood oozing from his arm and staining the ground. Blake immediately guessed what happened. Malfoy was an egotistic d*ckhead like always, and Buckbeak gave him what he deserved.
Hagrid tried to pick him up, but Blake hurried over and stopped him.
"Wait, Hagrid!"
He quickly drew his wand, and before Hagrid could protest, said, "Episkey!" The wound stopped bleeding immediately and soon began to mend itself, eventually not even leaving a scar behind as physical proof Malfoy had ever been hurt.
The blood's still proof though, Blake realised, looking at the blood stained floor and clothes.
"Scourgify!"
The blood disappeared from Malfoy's robes and the ground. Now, there wasn't a single trace that Malfoy had even been attacked, but he was still screaming, as if in pain.
"Wait till my father-"
"Merlin, you really are a coward, aren't you, Malfoy?" Blake said loudly. The pain immediately ceased.
"I mean, Harry, didn't you break all your bones last year? You didn't make nearly as much of a fuss as Malfoy's doing right now, did you? And seriously, everyone else had no problem with Hippogriffs - even me, Hermione, Thomas and Brown - mudbloods like us -"
"Blake!" Hermione said, mortified.
"- we could ride the Hippogriffs! And even more insulting, you needed a mudblood to save you, Malfoy. What would your father say if he knew all of that? Especially after considering the fact that the mudblood that saved you was the same one that landed you in a hospital wing for a week after a fair duel? What would Mr Lucius Malfoy say?"
Malfoy had now turned purple, and seemed to be biting his tongue to stop himself from saying something.
"Renshaw!" Pansy Parkinson screeched, wand pointed at him. "How - how dare a mudblood like you-"
"I'll give you 3 seconds to put your wand away, Parkinson. You two as well," he said calmly, not bothering to look at Crabbe and Goyle.
"What? Don't-"
"3."
"What're you doing, you useless buffoons?" the girl screeched at Crabbe and Goyle.
"2."
"Why don't you do it?" Goyle grunted at her. Blake closed his eyes leisurely.
"1."
When he opened his eyes, all three of them had put their wands away. Blake smirked.
"That's what I thought."
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