New chapter! Thanks for all the support!
x
"When facing a Hippogriff, you must never do anything that offends them, especially never anger them."
Hagrid demonstrated first. "The first thing is to bow. Look, just like this."
"If they return the bow, you can ride them. If they do not return the bow, then we have to stay far away. That means they might be in breeding season or simply in a bad mood."
It had to be said that Hagrid truly had a gift for dealing with magical creatures. No matter how powerful the magical creature was, he could somehow get along with it "amicably."
Probably because, like Dudley, he possessed very powerful "reason."
"Who wants to try first?"
Hagrid pointed at the Hippogriffs and asked the other students.
Looking at the powerful wings and the foot-long talons, every student took a neat step backward, including Malfoy, Neville, and Harry.
When everyone stepped backward and one person did not move, that person was effectively taking a step forward.
"Very good, Dudley. You are very brave. Come up and try."
Dudley: "..."
Since he had been called, he might as well try. After looking around, he chose a Hippogriff with black feathers.
It looked the strongest among the twelve.
If Dudley chose one at random, he was worried he might flatten it.
Back then, among the unicorn herd, not one had been able to bear his weight.
"This Hippogriff is called Peck-Peck."
Hagrid patted the creature's body and stepped aside. Seeing Dudley walk straight forward, he hurriedly reminded him.
"The first thing is to bow, remember? Just like I did just now—"
Before Hagrid could finish speaking, he heard a string of strange sounds come from Dudley's mouth.
Then he saw Dudley continue walking straight toward Peck-Peck.
"Dudley, don't get any closer! It is dangerous!"
Hagrid was startled and hurriedly shouted, "Bow! Bow quickly!"
If a student was attacked in his very first class, that would be terrible.
"Can I ride you?"
Dudley looked directly at Peck-Peck and asked.
"Hippogriffs are extremely proud creatures. If you do not bow, they..."
Hagrid had already rushed out, shouting as he ran.
He did not understand why Dudley refused to bow.
However, before Hagrid could finish, he saw something that nearly made his eyes pop out. As Dudley approached, Peck-Peck slowly bent down.
"This..."
Hagrid stopped. As someone who understood Hippogriffs very well, he knew clearly that this meant Peck-Peck had agreed to let Dudley ride it.
But how was that possible?
Dudley had not bowed yet.
"Do not worry, Professor Hagrid. I know a little Hippogriffish."
Dudley explained, holding his thumb and forefinger barely apart as he swung himself onto Peck-Peck's back.
Peck-Peck felt a great force press down on him. His four legs bent slightly, but he still forced himself to stand.
As expected of a descendant of a griffin. It could carry far more weight than a unicorn.
Dudley sighed in admiration.
As one of the people closest to Dudley, Hermione thought of the strange sounds Dudley had just made. They seemed rather similar to a Hippogriff's calls. Realizing something, she blurted out, "Hippogriffish?"
The students gasped.
'As expected of Mr. Dursley. He even knows such an obscure language.'
After carrying Dudley forward a few steps, Peck-Peck stopped moving. No matter how Hagrid called to him, he refused to take another step.
"Why isn't he flying?" Hagrid scratched his head in puzzlement.
Why was he not flying?
Too heavy.
He could not fly.
Sitting on Peck-Peck's back, Dudley could feel the Hippogriff's legs trembling beneath him.
Being able to carry Dudley for a few steps was already the limit.
If Hippogriffs were not such proud creatures, Peck-Peck would have already collapsed on the ground and lain there.
What a pity.
Dudley climbed down from Peck-Peck with some regret.
If he kept sitting there, he was worried he might break the creature's legs.
He had wanted to experience the joy of flight.
In the end, he could still only ride a dragon.
Far away in the Forbidden Forest, Fire-Spitting Dragon, who had already grown to look no different from an adult dragon, suddenly felt an inexplicable chill. It snorted, and a small cluster of flame sprayed from its nostrils.
"Mr. Dursley gave us a very good demonstration and made an excellent start. Now, is there anyone else who wants to ride these little fellows?"
Only Hagrid was qualified to call Hippogriffs little fellows.
In truth, he also wanted to ride a Hippogriff. But he and Dudley both faced the same problem.
No magical creature could carry either of them.
Perhaps a basilisk could?
The students did not seem especially eager to ride a Hippogriff, so they looked at one another, and no one was willing to go second.
Seeing that still no one stepped forward, Hagrid could only call on someone by name again.
"Harry, you try."
"This little fellow, then. His name is Buckbeak."
He chose the gentlest and least aggressive one.
Dudley's actions just now had truly frightened him.
"Trust me, you will love the feeling!"
Following Hagrid's instructions, Harry smoothly mounted Buckbeak, and then he rose into the sky.
It was indeed just as Hagrid had said. He would love the feeling.
Who could refuse riding a Hippogriff into the sky?
The students below stood on the ground and looked up at him enviously.
With Harry making such a good start, everyone's enthusiasm finally sparked. They rushed forward eagerly and began bowing to the Hippogriffs.
This confused quite a few Hippogriffs. One moment they returned a bow to this student, and the next they returned a bow to that student.
Seeing the students take to the sky one after another, Dudley decided he was absolutely not jealous.
He took three quick steps to Hagrid's side and asked softly, "Professor Hagrid, how are those carnivorous slugs doing?"
When he heard the words Professor Hagrid, Hagrid's rough, broad face flushed with a rare blush.
Hagrid was embarrassed.
"Not bad."
Hagrid said this in his muffled voice.
The magical snail-breeding plan was proceeding smoothly. For now, those carnivorous slugs were being kept in Hagrid's back garden.
"There is already a batch of carnivorous slugs that has started laying eggs. I don't know when they will hatch, but I imagine it should not take too long."
"Thank you very much, Professor Hagrid."
"P-please don't say that. I should be thanking you. If you had not recommended me to Dumbledore, I would not have become the Care of Magical Creatures professor."
Yes. The person who had recommended Hagrid as Care of Magical Creatures professor was Dudley.
"That is also because you are very good."
Although Hagrid was weaker on theory, his practical knowledge was remarkably deep. He was more than qualified to teach Care of Magical Creatures.
"By the way, Professor Hagrid, I like Peck-Peck very much. Can I often come to feed him?"
"Of course. I think he likes you very much too."
After being called Professor several times by Dudley, Hagrid felt dizzy and agreed without thinking.
He did not know what that meant.
Dudley smiled with satisfaction.
In the near future, there would be one more member in the red-and-white ball at his waist.
At that moment, a single word appeared above Peck-Peck's head:
Tameable.
x
x
x
If you're enjoying the story so far, consider supporting me on Patreon ❤️
You'll get weekly early access to chapters, along with some exclusive content:
https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheDevotedReader