Chapter 49 - Meeting Lupin (2/2)
As the train started to move again, Neal then slowly walked towards him and asked, ”what are you doing here? Don't tell me..”. Lupin smiled, ”I'm going to be your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher starting this term”.
Later, the train reached Hogsmeade station. After sitting in the Great Hall, they waited for the first years sorting ceremony. Just like he expected, Astoria Greengrass was sorted into Slytherin. Neal smiled at her while she sat beside Daphne, ”welcome to Slytherin, Astoria”.
She didn't look him in the eye and nodded shyly while looking at the table. After the welcome speech of Dumbledore is over, he introduced R.J. Lupin as the new teacher for D.A.D.A. subject and Hagrid as the new teacher for Care for Magical creatures subject which earned a lot of sighs from students as they know about Hagrid's level.
Then he also said about Dementors being stationed in the entrances of the school grounds and warned the students to not provoke them.
Malfoy sneered, ”seriously? In our first year, a thief became our teacher, in our second year, a fraud became our teacher and now Hagrid is going to teach? Then, we're even having Dementors roaming around the school? I wonder why the level of Hogwarts is going down. I should ask my father to look into this issue”.
The next day, their first lessons started with Care for magical creatures class which is conducted somewhere in the edges of the forbidden forest. As Malfoy began to tease Harry, for fainting in the train because of a Dementor, Hagrid brought a grey colored magical beast that had the front legs, wings, and head of a giant eagle and the body, hind legs, and tail of a horse.
Neal smiled after looking at the magical creature and asked, ”Hagrid, is that Buckbeak?”. He went near it without any reservations and stroked its head, ”it's been a while, hasn't it, buddy?”. After returning to the rest of them, Ron pointed it out, ”what is exactly that thing?”.
Hagrid replied instead of Neal, ”it's a Hippogriff, Ron. First thing you wanna know about them is that they're very proud creatures. Very easily offended. You do not want to insult a Hippogriff”. Ron commented, ”doesn't seem like that very much when Neal is petting it”.
Neal replied, ”please, you can try it yourself. When I met this one for the first time, it almost kicked me in a fury. Don't provoke it or else you will be sent to hospital wing directly from here”. Hagrid cleared his throat, ”ok, now, who of you want to come and say hello?”.
As everyone but Neal and Harry moved a few steps back, Hagrid said, ”Neal, you already know him. Let Harry do it”. Neal smiled, ”sure” while Harry turned back in confusion to see everyone else stepped back”.
As Harry bowed and managed to touch it without any problems, Hagrid lifted him and put him on its back making Neal frown as it is dangerous to do that. After Harry returned with a huge laugh on his face, Malfoy quickly walked towards it in arrogance thinking he can just tame it easily.
Seeing it, Neal wanted to stop him but before he did, Malfoy already provoked it and got his arm scratched, a bit deep and the blood gushed out and fell on the grass.
After Neal rushed in front of him and calmed it down, he looked at Hagrid, ”he needs to go to the hospital, right now”. Hagrid instantly picked him up, ”I'm the teacher. I'll take him there”.
He began to scream in pain, ”you gonna regret this. You and your bloody chicken”.
Later, as everyone is hanging out in the Great Hall, Harry and his friends were discussing the news of Sirius Black who was last sighted at Dufftown which isn't far away from Hogwarts and started to worry whether he will break into Hogwarts.
Meanwhile, Neal and Daphne went to the Ancient Runes class. He saw only a dozen people sitting in the class as Professor Bathsheda Babbling entered. Daphne whispered, ”It seems like the subject isn't quite popular”.