Professor Kettleburn rapped his stubby horsewhip on the board sharply. Lily winced. She hated that whip. He always carried it around with him and slapped it, without warning, on some various surface. That “surface” could be a piece of wood, the board, or even someone’s wandering hand. Once, that whip had been long and quick. But, since an angry grindylow snapped most of it off, it was more of a horsewhip.
“Silence!” he barked. All the jabbering students shut their mouths and looked up at their teacher on his platform. “Miss Alice! Please stop talking and pay attention!”
Alice stopped whispering to Amy out of the corner of her mouth about an anonymous love note sent to her during breakfast. Her cheeks were tainted pink and she folded her arms behind her back.
“Now…” Professor Kettleburn’s dark blue eyes scanned the room for any remaining blabbermouths. Satisfied, he climbed down his small flight of stairs and paraded through the clusters of students. They made a respectable walkway for him.
“Now, my little N.E.W.T. class, we will be handling a very ancient creature. But, beware, for Newt Scamander, the author of ‘Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find them,’ has published a piece about this animal with a total of four X’s.” A gang of boys in the back perked up their heads.
“Now, who can inform me of the meaning of four X’s.” He waved his short whip in the air and spun around. “No one? Yes, I know you know, Miss Evans. Let someone else have a turn this time.”
Lily slowly brought down her raised hand. She saw that either no one had read Newt Salamander’s novel or just did not bother answering.
Prof. Kettleburn pointed his whip at someone towards the door. “Yes, Mr. Potter.”
Lily blinked, numbly. She had not seen James’ slightly raised hand in the back. James Potter was actually going to remark something that did not include the latest Zonko product or when the next Quidditch game was?
~
“Professor, the classifications for perceived dangerousness of an animal was founded by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Beasts. They consist of five categories. One X signifies that the animal is boring and dull. Two X’s signify that the animal is harmless and may be domesticated. Three X’s mean that the animal should be around a competent wizard. Four X’s represent that the animal is dangerous and a skilled wizard may handle it. Finally, five X’s warn that the beast is a known wizard killer and is impossible to train or domesticate.”
The whole room was silent. But that didn’t dampen James’ pride. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Lily staring at him. No, he admitted to himself, she hadn’t been expecting it.
Professor Kettleburn was the first to speak. “Well… I believe Mr. Potter here has deprived this class of their homework tonight.” Cheers came from everyone’s mouths and Peter hugged Sirius out of pure joy.
“Uh… Peter… you can get off now.” Sirius untangled Peter’s arms from his and pushed him away.
“And…” He waited for silence. “Twenty points to Gryffindor.” Louder cheers poured out of the Gryffindors’ mouth. The Hufflepuffs clapped politely.
“Alright, settle down class, settle down. We have to get to work. Now, I was talking about our latest creature we’re going to be studying. With four X’s, it originated in Greece, and its body is mixed between different species.” He pulled out his wand from an inside pocket of his leather cloak and tapped it in the air. A cage appeared out of nowhere. Inside was the most magnificent creature James had ever seen.
It was a griffin. Its hind lion legs scratched the metal cage floor. Its scarlet, eagle wings flapped furiously in its prison. Its beak tugged on the bars, screeching and entreating for freedom.
Students closest to the cage backed away, but James took a few steps forward. But, he was not the only one to do so. Several daring Hufflepuffs and a couple of Gryffindors yearned for a closer look.
“This, class, is a griffin,” Professor Kettleburn announced. “They are very fickle creatures. Now, just for precaution, do any of you know what ‘fickle’ means. Yes, Mr. Lupin?”
While Remus was giving the definition of fickle, James continued to wander forward. The griffin’s feathers were smooth and elegant. Its claws were unlike any James’ eyes had seen. Its brown eyes were captivating and mysterious, and they once again stared into James’.
Free me, the eye seemed to beg.
“Yes, Mr. Lupin is absolutely correct. Griffins are very unpredictable creatures, which is why I have fastened a magical collar around this throat. It allows it to be its natural self, except for the instinct, that is to maul intruders. See?”
James looked through the griffin’s feathery neck and was surprised to see a plain, old, leather collar.
~
The griffin looked at Lily straight in the eye. It let out another shriek and flapped its wing, fruitlessly. Muscles tingled down her neck and spine.
“Now, who’d like to get a closer look?” Professor Kettleburn announced, happily. Lily held her hands behind her back, struggling not to shoot her eager hand up in the air.
“No one?” Professor Kettleburn began to stroll around the room, inspecting each student’s faces. “Then, I’ll just have to hand pick some unlucky individuals.”
Several cowardly students hid behind others. Professor Kettleburn frowned at them.
“Why not our head students? Mr. Potter? Miss Evans? Why don’t you two step forward?”
The only “forward” was towards the griffin cage. Amy gave Lily and quick shove. Lily met up with James on the platform next to the caged animal.
~
“Have you ever been in contact with griffins before?” James asked her. He wanted to know if she was afraid. But she didn't seem afraid. In fact, she looked more relax than he felt.
“I’ve met more dangerous creatures than this one.”
“Everyone please step back…” Professor Kettleburn motioned everyone to back away. A tall fence erupted from the ground, circling Lily, James, and the imprisoned griffin.
“Try me,” James answered. “I know you’ve had… brief connections with a dementor, but other than that your life seemed very simple.”
“Well,” she answered, “There’s always Malfoy. He gets on my nerves. Professor Madres-”
“You mean you hate all Slytherins?”
“I don’t have a reason to hate all the Slytherins, and Slytherins aren’t the only ones I should he careful of.” She looked at him in the eye when she said the finals words.
A/N: Sorry about the delays! This chapter was rejected due to some speeding and wandering ideas of mine. Of course, the speeding ideas got a ticket and the wandering ones were told to go home. I tried to patch it up best I could and I hope it gets through!!!
SpRiNg Is cOmInG!!!!!!