Chapter 193
Chapter 193
The following morning, Suer left the castle behind a flock of chattering girls–all of them from Ravenclaw.
Nearly every Hufflepuff from a wizarding family had chosen Care of Magical Creatures. It was curious how students Sorted into Hufflepuff tended to have at least some fondness for magical creatures, probably because of Mr Scamander’s influence.
After all, almost every wizarding household owned one essential book: Newt Scamander’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
Newt Scamander had once been an idol himself.
Hagrid was already waiting outside in his moleskin coat. One could tell that he had put a great deal of effort into the lesson. No one else noticed anything different, but Suer did.
At the very least, that was not the moleskin coat Hagrid had worn yesterday. Which raised the question: exactly how many moleskin coats did Hagrid own?
His beard and hair had been groomed too. Drops of water still clung to them, glittering in the sunlight.
“Come along, hurry up.” Hagrid spotted the students approaching along the path from a great distance. As they drew close, he clapped his hands.
“Is everyone here? Good. You should all know me, but I’ll introduce myself anyway. My name is Rubeus Hagrid. Today, I’ve prepared something excellent to show you. I promise this lesson will be absolutely brilliant.”
Hagrid winked at Suer in the crowd, signalling that he had arranged everything and there was no need to worry.
That expression only makes me worry more. Suer sighed inwardly and followed Hagrid towards the Forbidden Forest with the rest of the class.
Just as Suer expected, Hagrid led them along the edge of the Forbidden Forest until they reached a simple enclosure surrounded by a wooden fence. It was the same place Hagrid and Suer had passed the previous day.
“Gather around the fence, everyone.” Hagrid smiled. “Yes, just like that. You all brought your textbooks, didn’t you? Now we need to open them.”
The students produced the book that had sent an assistant at Flourish and Blotts to hospital–The Monster Book of Monsters. A considerable number had tied it tightly with rope, others had clamped it shut, and only a handful carried it unrestrained. Suer was one of them.
“It’s a very interesting book,” Hagrid said. “I expect you’ve never seen a book that can move by itself.”
The students immediately began whispering among themselves.
“There’s nothing interesting about it. This book nearly bit through my grandmother’s wrist,” a student beside Suer complained. He was one of the few Ravenclaw boys, and he stared in wonder at the docile book in Suer’s hands.
“How did you do that? What spell did you use?” the boy whispered.
Hagrid spoke again. He seemed not to have heard the students muttering at all. “I’m pleased that one young wizard knows how to calm it.”
“So I would like Mr Suer Bones to come forwards and demonstrate.”
Suer blinked at being called upon so suddenly, but walked out and stood beside Hagrid.
“Would anyone lend me a book? Mine is already calm, so I can’t demonstrate with it.” Suer showed no nervousness beneath the gaze of so many students.
“You can borrow mine.” A Ravenclaw girl raised her hand.
“Thank you.” Suer thanked her politely, accepted the book and tore away the magical tape to her cry of surprise.
Before the book could open its mouth and bite him, he deftly ran his forefinger down its spine. It immediately lay quiet in his palm.
“See how simple it is. A gentle stroke is all it takes to calm them. We use similar methods when dealing with magical creatures.” Hagrid immediately spoke and began applauding.
The students followed Suer’s example and subdued their Monster Books. Then one student suddenly raised a hand.
“Professor, if we meet a dragon, will stroking it make it calm down instead of eating us?”
“Certainly not.” Hagrid did not appear remotely troubled by the teasing. He winked at the student. “If you encounter a dragon and don’t possess Professor Dumbledore’s power, I advise you to run at once. With luck, you might take a little longer to become dragon dung.”
The simple joke enlivened the atmosphere, and several students burst out laughing.
Suer saw Hagrid in a new light, though the joke was rather disgusting.
Hagrid seized the moment. “In fact, you can get along with most magical creatures as long as you find the proper method. Yes, even dragons, although dragons generally have dreadful tempers.”
“But we don’t have a dragon here, so I can’t teach you how to live peacefully with one.” Hagrid sounded wistful, as though remembering Norbert, far away at the dragon reserve.
“What I can teach you is how to deal with magical creatures that look fierce, but can live peacefully with you and even help you once you know the right way.”
“For example–well, that remains a secret. You’ll see them soon.”
Hagrid smiled mysteriously, whetting every student’s curiosity.
“Before that, children, we need a proper understanding of magical creatures. Open your books–provided you have kept them calm, of course. Yes, I mean you, the one standing over there.”
Hagrid was clearly trying very hard. He must have prepared a lesson plan and memorised it for today. Though nervous and somewhat hesitant when explaining the concepts behind magical creatures, he persevered.
He nevertheless explained everything clearly, and the students rewarded him with friendly applause.
Suer gave Hagrid a thumbs-up. He truly looked the part of a professor.
Hagrid scratched his head happily, finding confidence in the applause.
“All right, all right. Thank you, everyone. Now, to borrow the words of an expert who came before me: magical creatures do not exist merely upon the pages of books. They are living beings. A qualified magizoologist must have met magical creatures personally and maintained close contact with them.”
“Bright as you are, I expect you can guess what we’re going to do next.”
The students expressed their eagerness. Receiving that signal, Hagrid did not keep them waiting any longer.
“Wait here while I bring them over. Is everyone ready?”
“Ready, Professor,” a bold boy answered loudly.