IN WHICH they have their first new classes

Harry, Ron, Aubery, and Hermione sit on fat little poufs in a murky, incense-laden room, along with Neville, Dean, Seamus, Lavender, Parvati, and others.

"Welcome, my children. In this room, you shall explore the mysterious art of Divination. In this room, you shall discover if you possess..." A crimson scrim flutters and Sybil Trelawney, Divination Professor, glides dramatically into view, eyes huge and bug-like behind enormous glasses. "...the Sight. Hello. I am Professor Trelawney. Together, we shall cast ourselves into the future. But know this. One either has the Gift or not. It cannot be divined from the pages of a book. Books only cloud one's Inner Eye."

"What rubbish," Hermione mutters.

Ron spins and frowns at Hermione. "Where'd you come from?" 

"Me? I've been here all along." Hermione snaps.

Trelawney spins on Neville. "You, boy! Is your grandmother well?"

"I... I think so." Neville stutters.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Trelawney replies. "You, my dear." Trelawney points to Aubery.

"Me?" Aubery asks.

"Yes. Is your father fine?" Trelawney questions.

"Yeah." Aubery nods.

"Beware of the full moon dear. But, the full moon for you must be a terrible thing. Young ones must go through pain." Trelawney shakes her head.

"Yeah, beware of the full moon because it's a round moon," Aubery snorts.

Trelawney glares at Aubery. "Listen child, but your fate is up to the heavens to decide. The first term will be devoted to the reading of tea leaves. If all goes well, we will proceed to palmistry, fire omens, and finally... the crystal ball." Eyeing Parvati. "By the way, dear, beware a red-haired man."

Parvati eyes Ron dubiously and edges her pouf away.

"Unfortunately, classes will be disrupted in February by a nasty bout of flu. I myself will lose my voice. And in late spring, one of our number will... leave us forever."  As the class exchanges uneasy glances, Trelawney smiles brightly. "Well then. Shall we?"

Inside, a cloud of tea leaves mutates oddly. Harry, sitting opposite Ron now, frowns at the leaves, consults the symbols in the textbook, Unfogging the Future at his elbow. Trelawney walks amongst them, robes flowing.

"Broaden your minds, my dears. And allow your eyes to see... beyond." Trelawney takes Lavender's cup, and peers inside. "A five-leaf clover... You can expect to wake with a horrible rash tomorrow morning, dear." Then, casually. "Mr. Longbottom, after you've broken your first cup..."

CA-CHINK! Neville fumbles the cup in his hands and the brittle crash of china is heard.

"... would you be so kind as to select one of the blue ones? I'm rather partial to the pink." 

"Why should we care if our tea leaves spell die, Aubery, die or, beware of the full moon. It's just tea leaves." Aubery grumbles. 

Trelawney pauses by Ron. "What do you see in Mr. Potter's cup, Mr. Weasley?"

"Well. He's got a wonky sort of cross- that's trials and suffering. But this lot here could be the sun- that's great happiness. So... he's going to suffer but be very happy about it." Ron answers. 

Professor Trelawney takes the cup, peers inside, and gasps. "Ahhh!"

"What is it, Professor?" Parvati asks.

Trelawney regards Harry with a mixture of pity and fear. "My dear boy... You have the Grim."

"The Grin? What's the Grin?" Seamus asks, as Aubery snickers. 

"Not the grin, you idiot. The Grim." Parvati says.

"But what does it mean, Professor?" Lavender asks

"'The Grim...'" All turn, see Dean bent over his textbook."'Taking the form of a giant spectral dog, it is among the darkest omens in our world. It is an omen... of death.'"

Harry peers into his cup. The tea leaves shift. The dog disappears. 

The squad emerges from the bridge and make their way toward Hagrid's hut. The Whomping Willow looms in the distance.

"Watch out Harry, you have The Grin." Aubery laughs. "What a funny subject."

Hermione huffs. "Death omens. Honestly. If you ask me, Divination's a very wooly discipline. Now Ancient Runes. That's a fascinating subject."

"Ancient Runes? Exactly how many classes are you taking this term?" Ron questions.

"A fair few," Hermione replies. 

Ron grabs the schedule out of Hermione's book bag. "Hang on. Ancient Runes is the same time as Divination. You'd have to be in two classes at once."

"Don't be silly. How could anyone be in two classes at once?" Hermione mimicks Trelawney. "Broaden your minds..."

Students gather around Hagrid as Harry, Aubery, Ron, and Hermione arrive. Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle stand with the Slytherins.

"C'mon now, get a move on! Got a real treat for yeh. Great lesson comin' up. Follow me." Hagrid leads them toward a small paddock just this side of the Forbidden Forest. In the paddock, a freestanding iron rack hangs with dead ferrets, buzzing with flies, nearby is a pumpkin patch. "Gather 'round. Find yerself a spot. That's it. Now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books-" 

"And exactly how do we do that?" Draco questions, as Aubery takes out her book with ease. 

Hagrid looks. Belts, rope, Spellotape: any means available have been employed to bridle The Monster Book of Monsters, which quivers violently.

"Crikey. Didn' yeh know? All yeh've got ter do is stroke 'em. Look-" Hagrid takes Hermione's copy, snaps the Spellotape binding it. As it begins to bite, Hagrid calmly runs a forefinger down the book's spine and it... shivers, and falls quietly open. Hagrid glances at the class, looking suddenly unsure. "Righ' then. So... so... yeh've got yer books, an' now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Right. So... I'll... I'll go an' get 'em."

Hagrid turns disappears into the trees. Draco shakes his head and speaks loudly to Crabbe and Goyle. "God, this place is going to the dogs. Wait until my father hears Dumbledore's got this oaf teaching classes." 

"Listen, you stupid prat-" Harry snaps. 

Eyes widening in fear, Malfoy steps back, points. "Potter, there's a Dementor behind you."

Harry jumps, wheels in fear, finds... nothing. Instantly, the Slytherins make an eerie ooh sound... then break up laughing. Harry reddens, embarrassed.

"I'll give something to worry about Malfoy." Aubery snaps, baring her canines and raises her wand. Everyone else backs off, either in fear, or admiration. "Melafors!"

Malfoy stumbles, and a pumpkin appears on his head. (A/N: Happy Halloween!) 

A loud cawing is heard, and a strange beast emerges from the trees. It has the torso, hind legs, and tail of a horse, but the front legs, wings, and head of a giant eagle. The students step back in fear, then Hagrid appears, shooing the beast on.

"See up, there! Beau'iful, isn' he?" Hagrid grins, then stops, seeing Malfoy. "Why does Malfoy have a pumpkin as his head?"

"I don't know," Aubery replies, muttering the counter-curse. The pumpkin disappears. 

"Well, isn't he a beauty?" 

There seems no consensus on this, but the students stare in wary wonder nonetheless. As Hagrid coaxes the beast to the center of the paddock, Ron stares uneasily.

"Hagrid. Exactly what is that?" Ron asks. 

"A Hippogriff, o' course. Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know is they're proud. Easily offended, Hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it migh' be the las' thing yeh do. Right then -- who wants ter come an' say hello?" Hagrid asks.

The entire class steps back, leaving Harry in front, as Aubery steps forward.

"Good man, woman, Harry, and Aubery!" Hagrid cheers.

Harry looks around, then- reluctantly- approaches, along with Aubery.

"Tha's it. Easy now... stop! This here's Buckbeak, Harry, Aubery. Yeh want ter let 'im make the firs' move. It's polite, see? Jus' take step forward, give 'im a bow, and if Buckbeak bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. Ready?" Hagrid questions.

Unsure, Harry nods anyway and steps forward and... bows. Buckbeak's head cocks, eagle eyes studying Harry cannily. Harry waits. And waits...

"Back off, Harry! Back off!" Hagrid whispers, as Aubery bows. Harry starts to step back, when... Buckbeak ducks his beak. Hagrid sighs, relieved.

"Well done, Harry, Aubery! Go on. Give 'im a pat."

Tentatively, Harry and Aubery reach out, lays his hand on Buckbeak's fierce beak. The class claps, and the two smile.

"Look at that! I reckon he migh' let yeh ride 'im!" Hagrid cheers. 

Harry's smile drops. "Excuse me?" 

Aubery looks dubious. "Hagrid-"

"We'll jus' set yeh behind the wing joint. Mind yeh don' pull any feathers out. He won' like that." Hagrid lifts Harry and Aubery high, drops them onto Buckbeak's back, and before their settled, he slaps Buckbeak's hindquarters.

"Off yeh go!"

As Buckbeak gallops forward, Harry slides scarily back, as Aubery closes her eyes, and holds onto Harry like a lifeline, giant wings unfold, huge and powerful, and they soar into the air. 

They rise higher, and higher, and higher. Gradually, Harry loosens his hold on Buckbeak's neck, and Aubery loosens her hold on Harry, losing themself in the joy of flying. 

They smile at the sight of Harry, Aubery, and Buckbeak's shadow racing across the grass below. Circling over the Whomping Willow, past Hogwarts castle, and then swooping, with heart-stopping speed, over the Black Lake, Buckbeak's talons tickling the smooth glass of the water, summoning the Giant Squid to the surface briefly. 

Hagrid whistles then, and Buckbeak wheels, beating his way back to the paddock, galloping to a halt. As Harry slides off, the class cheer- all except Draco, who narrows his eyes maliciously.

"Good work, Harry, Aubery!" Hagrid then whispers under his breath. "How'm I doin' me firs' day?"

"Brilliant... Professor." Harry smiles.

"Wow." Aubery smiles.

They grin. 

Draco shoves past them, walking towards Buckbeak. "Give me a go at that thing. If Potter and Lupin can do it, it must be easy. You're not dangerous at all, are you, you great ugly brute-" 

"Malfoy! No!" Hagrid yells. In a flash, Buckbeak's steely talons slash down. Malfoy freezes and looks down at the blood blossoming on his robes and shrieks. Instantly, Harry and Aubery dash forward. Buckbeak whips around, raising his talons and upon seeing Harry and Aubery lowers them and ducks his beak. Harry, realizing what he's done breathes.

"It's killed me! It's killed me!" Draco shrieks.

"Calm yerself! Yer fine... jus' a scratch..." Hagrid looks: a deep gash glistens on Draco's limp arm.

"Hagrid. He's got to be taken to a hospital. I'll go with you if you like-" Hermione asks.

"No. I'm the teacher. You all... you all just... Class dismissed!" And with that, Hagrid- looking shaken- swoops up Malfoy, flops him over his shoulder, and lumbers toward the castle.

Lavender and Parvati huddle over a dozen, avidly interpreting patterns in hushed voices, as Draco recounts the story of his "tragic" accident. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Aubery watch from the Gryffindor table.

"The little git. He's really laying it on thick, isn't he?" Ron scoffs.

"Definitely." Aubery nods.

"At least Hagrid didn't get sacked," Harry replies. 

"Yes. But I hear Draco's father's furious. I don't think we've heard the end of this..." Hermione shakes her head.

"He's been sighted!" Seamus yells. They turn. Seamus and the other Gryffindors are huddled over a copy of The Daily Prophet.

"Who?" Ron asks.

But the photograph on the Prophet's front page provides a chilling answer: Sirius Black. Hermione reads over the shoulders of others. 

"Achintee? That's not far from here..." Hermione says.

"You don't think he'd come to Hogwarts, do you?" Neville asks.

"With the Dementors at every entrance?" Lavender adds.

"Dementors? He's already slipped by them once, hasn't he? Who's to say he can't do it again?" Ron asks, and Aubery hits the side of his head.

"Stop worrying. Hogwarts is probably the safest place around here, expect for the fact that Voldemort's been in here, and the basilsik fiasco, and uh, yeah you can panic now. Sirius Black can definitely get in here." Aubery's face turns hopeful, and then hopeless.

A flicker of fear passes through Harry's face, Dean stares grimly at the grainy image of Black.

"That's right. Black could be anywhere. It's like trying to catch smoke. Like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands." Dean answers.