"Care of Magical Creatures, that's where you'll learn about any creature that you could work toward domesticating or at least taming. Don't mean that what you find isn't dangerous though. Unicorns are friendly enough for example, and are usually covered in yer third or fourth year, but if you make one mad, or don't treat it right it'll gore ya righ' through." Hagrid says. "If ya take the class, and I hope ya will, be sure ta listen ta Professor Kettleburn, or whoever has the post then. He's thinkin' 'bout retiring anyway."
"Would you want to be the Care of Magical Creatures Professor Hagrid?" Harry asks.
"Boy would I. I'd love t' get to show off all sorts a' critters. Probably wouldn't be allowed t' though. I didn't get to graduate Hogwarts, durin' my third year there was sum'n nasty making it's way through the castle. It killed a poor girl, an' they thought it was one o' me pets. So they took away me wand an' expelled me. Dumbledore believed me when I said it weren' me though, so he told the old Headmaster Dippett to let me work as teh groundskeeper. Been here ever since."
"Awh, I'm so sorry to hear that Hagrid." Padma says, looking at the friendly giant from her place on the floor next to Fang.
"Nothin' ta worry about. I love what I do here, wouldn't trade it for all the gold in Gringotts." Hagrid says, getting one of his scones. "They're cooled down enough now, dig in."
"Okay Hagrid, but I thought we were having tea?" Harry asks, reaching for one of the scone.
"Hornswaggle, knew I forgot something. Sorry kiddos, but it's probably going to be strong, it's been steeping for a while." Hagrid says, getting up and making his way to the kitchen, pouring the very dark tea into an oversized teapot. Bringing over the tea, and some coffee mugs the group sat down to enjoy each other's company.
As the trio get up to head back to their common room for some studying, Hagrid speaks up. "Oh, nearly forgot Harry, I made ya somethin' the other day, here ya go." Hagrid hands Harry a handmade flute carved of some unknown material. "It's made of Peryton antler. Was surprised to find one in the forest, they don't nest around here. Had to put it down after it tried to attack the Thestrals, can' be havin' tha'." Hagrid says.
"Oh! Thanks, Hagrid it's really nice looking." Harry says genuinely. The flute was a purple-ish black color with flakes of blue scattered underneath the surface that shone in the light occasionally. "What's a peryton though? Or a thestral?"
"Oh, sorry, not used to people not knowing. Perytons are a kind of mix between a raven and a deer, although they're the size of an elk and have huge fangs, they're nasty buggers, but they taste really good. Thestrals are kinda like horses with giant bat-like wings, and you can only see them if you've seen death, they pull the carriages at Hogwarts. I'm the only person in all of Britain who trains thestrals. I even got me a special medal from the ICW for 'Efforts in species conservation'." Hagrid says, a proud look on his face.
"Oh that's very cool Hagrid!" Padma says, in absolute awe of the giant man.
"Oh don't be thinkin' anything of it. I just like em. People think they're scary when they're just gentle creatures. Guess I see myself in 'em." Hagrid says. "Now, you lot need to get back to the castle before it gets too late. Wouldn't want to have to give you detention and make ya clean out the Thestral stables!" Hagrid laughs and waves the trio off, Hedwig flying overhead.
The trip back to the Ravenclaw common room proves to be uneventful and after a quick riddle the group finds themselves in the common room. Hermione runs to her room and quickly writes her letter to her parents while Harry and Padma get started on their readings. Hermione comes down, having sent her letter with Hedwig and reforms their trio, sitting on Harry's side opposite Padma.
Harry, reading over his Defense textbook section on gnomes, briefly thinks back to his flute and wonders if he could learn how to play it. That would almost certainly make Hagrid very happy, and Harry decides it's a good idea, he'll just need some place to practice a bit. Maybe Professor Flitwick knows some kind of silencing spell so he doesn't bother his roommates?
Harry refocuses himself back on his Defense studies, telling himself that he'll ask Professor Flitwick on Monday. This weekend was focused on learning their next defense lesson well enough to teach it himself.
Harry is feeling incredibly nervous about class this week, or rather one class in particular, Flying. Harry, and indeed all of the Sphinx Club had been absolutely excelling in their classes for this week, managing to cast spells and answer questions far more often than even their typically more astute classmates, Lavender in particular was enjoying having higher marks than her old friend and rival: Mandy Brocklehurst, a Ravenclaw who roomed with Hermione and Padma. Flying however was something the group hadn't really been able to prepare for, and for Harry represented a great challenge. If Harry could learn to ride a broom, he could in theory then also learn how to play quidditch and join his roommates in their enjoyment of the sport. Harry however is questioning his capabilities. He'd never learned to ride a bike, as Vernon Dursely had surely never even considered teaching the freak how to do so, even as Dudley learned to. Harry's few attempts at teaching himself had proven unsuccessful, both due to lack of time away from chores, and lack of a bike that was properly sized to him, as Dudley had always been rather tall as well as large, while Harry was on the shorter side.