Ben's first class on their first day was Muggle Studies, the subject he had been looking forward to for the whole summer. He was one of the first students to arrive in class, and he sat relatively close to the teacher's blackboard.

He had saved Hermione a seat, but she was nowhere to be seen so, when the class was about to start and a Hufflepuff girl asked him to sit there, he had no reason to not let her.

"What's your name?" he asked.

The girl was pulling out her books from her backpack, her short brown hair covering her face for a second. "Er- Marina Ortíz."

Ben gasped, and considered mentioning what happened on Saint Valentine's day last year, but decided not to.

"Nice to meet you..." he mumbled nervously. "My name's Ben Walker."

"Yeah, I know you," she chuckled, her lips forming a smile.

"D-Do you?"

Marina laughed. "Of course."

And then the teacher, a middle-aged woman with long blonde hair and grey eyes called Charity Burbage, walked in, and all the students went silent. She first took roll of all the students and, to Ben's surprise, Hermione had turned up. She was sitting at the back of the class, and when the boy turned around, she waved at him happily.

Then she told them that, before starting to teach the material from the books, she preferred to spend a couple of classes giving an introduction and to ask the students some questions about the muggle world to check their knowledge.

Hermione answered all of the questions.

"Is she some sort of genius?" Marina asked Ben in a whisper.

"I'm pretty sure she is a genius," he whispered back. "But her parents are muggles, too."

Marina raised her eyebrows. "That explains everything."

Ben was surprised to realise that he didn't really know much about the muggle world. The only thing he knew was what he had read in books, and most of it was fiction or fantasy, so it wasn't much use.

But, when the class was over, he didn't feel unmotivated in the slightest. He was eager to learn as much as he could during those classes. When Professor Burbage dismissed the students, Hermione had already disappeared again, so both Ben and Marina left together.

"So," she said, brushing her bangs out of her dark brown eyes. "May I ask why has the Benjamin Walker chosen to learn Muggle Studies?"

"What'd you mean?"

They were both walking towards the Divination class, where Ben was supposed to meet Harry and Ron to go to Transfiguration, and Marina needed to wait for her friend before going to their History of Magic class.

"Well, everybody knows everything about your family," she explained, not looking away from him. "They aren't exactly the biggest muggle fans ever, if you know what I mean."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," he said, slightly nettled, and stared at his shoes. "I guess it's just that interests aren't usually genetic."

"Oi, I didn't mean to offend you," Marina told him, meeting his eyes again. "I was just curious, I'm sorry."

"It's alright."

They were silent for a couple of seconds. Ben usually found it easy to come up with subjects to talk about, but it wasn't working with her now, and he didn't know how to act.

After at least nine uncomfortable minutes of walking up what was probably the longest staircase Ben had ever seen in silence, they arrived at the North Tower. Harry was standing near the end, and Ben was so happy and relieved to see him that he found it hard to resist the urge to jump.

"Hey," greeted Ron, appearing from behind Harry with Hermione.

Ben frowned at the girl, confused. Why was she getting out of the Divination classroom if she hadn't attended that class? He didn't ask her about it, anyway.

"Well, it was nice to talk to you, Ben," smiled Marina from beside him. "See you soon!"

"Bye!"

Ben watched as Marina ran to some really curly-haired girl, and then turned to his friends.

"Who's that?" asked Harry.

"Marina," he answered. Harry's eyebrows raised slightly.

Ron's jaw dropped. "Is she the girl who sent you that card last year, on Saint Valentine's?"

"She is," confirmed Hermione before Ben could do it himself. The other Gryffindors walked past them, in a very odd silence, and gazed at Harry. "Well, what class do we have now?"

"How come you haven't memorised it yet?" asked Ron. "That's weird, coming from you."

"I have a very busy timetable this year," she remarked.

"We have Transfiguration," Harry told them, monotonously.

"Hey, what's wrong?" frowned Ben as all the Gryffindors began walking to their next class.

"Professor Trelawney said I'm going to die," he muttered.

Ben raised his eyebrows. "Oh, I had forgotten Trelawney still teaches that class... Look, that woman isn't a good Seer, she's been predicting the stupidest things for years, and none of it happened. So don't worry, you'll be okay."

But Harry didn't stop worrying. Perhaps because he knew Ben would try to make him feel better even if everything was going terribly wrong, so he didn't know if Ben was saying that because he actually thought he wasn't in danger or just because he didn't want him to panic.

All the Gryffindors were worried about what happened, and it was pretty obvious, because nobody was saying a word at Transfiguration. Even Professor McGonagall noticed their unusual behaviour when her students barely reacted as she transformed herself in front of their eyes into a tabby cat with spectacle markings around her eyes

"Really, what has got into you all today?" Professor McGonagall turned back to herself, and looked around at her students in perplexity. "Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not gotten applause from a class."

Everybody turned to Harry, but nobody spoke.

Until Hermione, who was sitting next to Ben, raised her hand. "Please, Professor, we've just had our first Divination class, and we were reading the tea leaves, and-"

Professor McGonagall suddenly frowned. "Ah, of course. There is no need to say any more, Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?"

They all stared at her in surprise and confusion, until Harry seemed to have had enough and broke the silence. "Me."

"I see," Professor McGonagall fixed her beady eyes on Harry. "Then you should know, Potter, that Sybill Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she arrived at this school. None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favourite way of greeting a new class. If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues-" Professor McGonagall broke off, and they saw that her nostrils had gone white. She went on, more calmly, "Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True Seers are very rare, and Professor Trelawney..."

She stopped again, and then said, in a very matter-of-fact tone, "You look in excellent health to me, Potter, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in."

Everyone laughed, some feeling relieved and others not so much. Ben didn't really know how he felt, but he laughed anyway. If McGonagall thought there was nothing to be scared of, it was because there really was nothing to be scared of. But what if they dropped their guard and something happened to Harry? No, they weren't going to let that happen.

———————————————

The weather was lovely outside that afternoon, which was great, because the Gryffindors had Care of Magical Creatures near the forest. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ben were walking to Hagrid's hut to receive their and the man's first class.

Ben was in a really good mood and it was pretty obvious, because his eyes were glowing in excitement for that class. However, Hermione and Ron were giving each other a silent treatment ever since their argument at lunch.

In short, Hermione was making fun of Ron for being scared of what happened at Divination class, so he told her that she was just mad that she wasn't good at something for once.

Once they arrived at the edge of the forest, Hagrid was standing at the door of his hut, waiting for his new students with Fang sitting next to him happily.

"C'mon, now, get a move on!" he called as the class approached. "Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!"

Hagrid strolled off around the edge of the trees, and five minutes later, they found themselves outside a kind of paddock, with nothing inside.

"Everyone gather 'round the fence here!" he instructed loudly. "That's it- make sure yeh can see... Now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books-"

"How?" asked Malfoy, his voice sounding more irritating than usual.

"Eh?"

"How do we open our books?" he repeated. He took out his copy of The Monster Book of Monsters, which he had bound shut with a length of rope. Other classmates took them out too: some of them had belted their books shut, such as Harry and Ben; others had crammed them inside tight bags or clamped them together with binder clips.

"Hasn'- hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?" mumbled Hagrid, looking crestfallen.

They all shook their heads, and Ben felt terribly sad for his friend.

"It was a bit complicated, Professor Hagrid."

Hagrid's face lit up at the word 'Professor'. "Yeh've got ter stroke 'em," he explained, looking happy again. "Look-"

He took Hermione's copy and ripped off the Spellotape that bound it. The book tried to bite, but Hagrid ran a giant forefinger down its spine, and the book shivered, and then fell open and lay quiet in his hand.

"Aw," exclaimed Ben.

Harry arched an eyebrow at him, and whispered, "Weirdo."

"Shut it," he whispered back. Harry smirked to himself.

"Oh, how silly we've all been!" sneered Malfoy. "We should have stroked them! Why didn't we guess!"

"I- I thought they were funny," murmured Hagrid, and began blinking very quickly as he looked away.

"Oh, tremendously funny!" sneered Malfoy. "Really witty, giving us books that try and rip our hands off!"

Ben was about to tell Malfoy that he wished that had happened, but Harry spoke first.

"Shut up, Malfoy."

"Righ' then," Hagrid cleared his throat awkwardly, "so- so yeh've got yer books an'... an'... now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Yeah. So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on..."

He strode away from them into the forest and out of sight.

"God, this place is going to the dogs," said Malfoy, almost loud enough to be considered a shout. "Wait until my father hears that Dumbledore's got this oaf teaching classes."

"Malfoy," called Ben. "I think it's my duty to remind you that nobody cares about your father."

"You're saying this because you're jealous of me, right Walker?" he spat.

"Why would I be jealous of you, because of your peroxide hair?"

Crabbe and Goyle, behind Malfoy, were having trouble understanding what peroxide meant.

"No, because my parents actually love me."

Before Ben had the chance to be offended and think of a comeback, Harry turned to glare at Draco as he snapped. "Shut up, Malfoy."

"Careful, Potter, there's a Dementor behind you-"

"Oooooooh!" squealed Lavender Brown, pointing toward the opposite side of the paddock.

Trotting toward them were a dozen of really bizarre creatures that looked like a mixture between horses and giant eagles. The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly looking. Each of the beasts had a thick leather collar around its neck, which was attached to a long chain, and the ends of all of these were held in the vast hands of Hagrid, who came jogging into the paddock behind the creatures.

"Gee up, there!" he roared, shaking the chains and pulling the creatures toward the fence where the class stood. Everyone drew back slightly as Hagrid reached them and tethered the creatures to the fence.

"Hippogriffs!" Hagrid shouted happily, waving a hand at them. "Beau'iful, aren' they?"

Ben had to agree with him but, in all honesty, he was kind of afraid of the creatures, too.

"Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' Hippogriffs is, they're proud," said Hagrid. "Easily offended, Hippogriffs are. Don't ever insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do."

Hagrid apparently had a thing for creatures that can easily kill people.

"Yeh always wait fer the Hippogriff ter make the firs' move," he continued. "It's polite, see? Yeh walk toward him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt."

Ben wondered if that last comment came from past experiences.

"Right... Who wants to go first?"

Literally everyone but Harry took a step back. The black-haired boy didn't even notice, and Ben considered warning him before he had no choice but to approach the Hippogriff. However, Hagrid spun around to face his students again, and Ben feared he'd think he wanted to do it, too, so he didn't move.

"Good man, Harry!" roared Hagrid, and Harry suddenly understood what had happened. "Right then- let's see how yeh get on with Buckbeak."

He untied one of the chains, pulled the grey Hippogriff away from its fellows, and slipped off its leather collar. The class on the other side of the paddock seemed to be holding its breath. Malfoy's eyes were narrowed maliciously.

"Easy now, Harry," said Hagrid, almost whispering. "Yeh've got eye contact, now try not ter blink... Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much..." Harry stopped blinking. "Tha's it, Harry... now, bow."

He bowed hesitantly, and everyone held their breaths, waiting for a reaction from Buckbeak. But the Hippogriff was only staring at Harry, a deathly look in his eyes that made Ben's heartbeat race.

"Ah!" gasped Hagrid. "Right- Back away, now, Harry, easy does it-"

But then, to everyone's enormous surprise, the Hippogriff suddenly bent its scaly front knees and sank into what was an unmistakable bow.

"Well done, Harry!" exclaimed Hagrid, blissfully. "Right- yeh can touch him! Pat his beak, go on!"

Feeling that a better reward would have been to back away, Harry moved slowly toward the Hippogriff and reached out toward it. He patted the beak several times and the Hippogriff closed its eyes lazily, as though enjoying it.

The class broke into applause, all except for Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were looking deeply disappointed.

"Righ' then, Harry," smiled Hagrid. "I reckon he migh' let yeh ride him!"

Harry turned to Hagrid, eyes wide open and looking as horrified as ever. "What?"

Hagrid lifted him off the floor as Harry panicked. "Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey- Hagrid!"

"Don' pull out any o' his feathers, cause he won' thank yeh fer tha'!"

And then he slapped the creature's headquarters. Buckbeak stood on his bottom legs, spreading his wings, and took off, running past the group of students, and then both Harry and Buckbeak disappeared.

"Professor Hagrid," called Ben nervously. "Buckbeak won't hurt him, will he?"

"Don' worry, Ben, Buckbeak's a good hippogriff! Wouldn' hurt a fly- Unless it offended 'im, o' course."

But Ben wasn't convinced, and crossed his fingers as they all waited for Harry to come back alive. Around five minutes later, a "Woohoo!" was heard, and then a fluttering of wings came closer, until Buckbeak appeared flying up, with a smiling Harry.

Everyone- except Malfoy and his minions- began cheering and clapping, congratulating Harry. Until Malfoy felt the urge to be in the spotlight, as usual, and shoved people out of his way.

"Yes. You're not dangerous at all, are you?" he spat, strutting towards Buckbeak.

"Malfoy!" Hagrid tried to stop him.

"Are you, you great ugly brute?" he repeated.

And then something happened really quickly. Malfoy let out a high pitched scream and next moment, Hagrid was wrestling Buckbeak back into his collar as he strained to get at Malfoy, who lay curled in the grass, blood blossoming over his robes.

"I'm dying!" Malfoy yelled as the class panicked. "I'm dying, look at me! It's killed me!"

"Yer not dyin'!" shouted Hagrid, who had gone very white. "Someone help me- gotta get him outta here..."

Hermione ran to hold open the gate as Hagrid lifted Malfoy easily. As they passed, Harry saw that there was a long, deep gash on Malfoy's arm; blood splattered the grass and Hagrid ran with him, up the slope toward the castle.