Adrian had to choke back the jealousy rising up the back of his throat. Of course it was Skylar that was doing this- why was that moron able to meet a Hippogriff up close? He was the one to specialize in magical creatures, he was the one that loved them, blood and bone, heart and soul!
He was the one who deserved it, not that selfish brat who had everything-'
Adrian's fist clenched as he forcefully shut down on the scathing jealousy fueled train of thought.
Adrian's jaw clenched and his teeth bit sharply into his tongue. He tasted the disgusting tang of blood and exhaled sharply through his nose.
He had to remain calm, he had to remain in the background and not draw attention to himself.
It almost physically pained him to do so. Hagrid untied one of the chains, pulling a grey hippogriff away from its fellows and slipping off its leather collar. The class inhaled collectively at the sight.
"Easy now, Skylar," said Hagrid quietly, "Yeh've got eye contact, now try not ter blink...Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much…"
Buckbeak the hippogriff had turned his great sharp head, and was glaring at Skylar with ferocious eyes.
Skylar bowed.
A heartbeat of breath-held silence, and the hippogriff bowed back.
"Stupid birds," Lutain sniffed, hiding under Adrian's clothing like he always did. "Smart as pigeon."
Didn't change the fact that it was Skylar who was getting bowed to.
Then, it managed to get worse.
Skylar was prompted onto the back of the mighty creature, then it had the audacity to actually start to fly away. Skylar Potter, was riding a hippogriff.
That was a once in a lifetime opportunity. One that Adrian could have had, if it wasn't for Suzie.
Adrian felt frustrated needles prick behind his eyes. His teeth gnashed and once again the tang rose. He felt nauseous.
"It's a stupid bird," Lutain whispered. "Adalonda would give you a ride."
Adrian would have smiled at the mental image if he hadn't wanted to start screaming so badly.
Skylar returned looking breathless and overjoyed. From there, everyone carefully climbed over the paddock, cautiously approaching the other creatures and bowing respectively. Adrian stuck close to Draco as the blond haired boy selected Buckbeak.
Draco grew more arrogant the moment the large creature bowed to him. It really wasn't as difficult as they had been led to believe, even though the danger still existed.
"This is very easy," Draco drawled, loud enough for Skylar to hear him. "I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it...I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?"
And of course, saying that was exactly what he shouldn't have done.
Draco sauntered forward, Buckbeak's feathers around his neck rose alarmingly as if hackles on a wolf. It's pupils constricted sharply as its neck jerked, face staring intently and beak clicking sharply.
"Don't!" Adrian jolted, pushing Draco out of the way the moment the large creature let out an ungodly wail of half bird-call half horse-knicker. The Hippogriff spread its wings partly, primaries sliding over secondary feathers with a sound like silk. In contrast, It lifted one razor sharp talon, preparing to slash across Adrian's body.
The series of events smoothly transitioned from one to the next, yet together took enough time for Adrian to find himself puzzled over his own actions. Why had he moved, jerking forward to shove another student out of the way? It wasn't as if Adrian would get anything out of taking Draco's place...In fact, he should have let the boy get struck.
There was a primal instinct, something deep in Adrian's core which simply whispered to him that he should move. That he should help. Call it humanity, call it his fear for someone who tentatively was his friend- his first friend.
If all of Adrian's friends jumped off the covered bridge, Merlin be damned he sure wouldn't. Yet apparently that expression didn't apply to bloody Hippogriffs.
This was going to hurt.
"Master!" Lutain gasped, scenting the threat just before it came to fruition.
Buckbeak's eyes locked with Adrian's, and Adrian felt something unfurl, in his raging fear. Borderline hysteria, the unrelenting tide of oh god, oh god, that seemed to pulse over his skin.
He couldn't think, but he could feel; almost like he was peeling off a tight layer of clothing.
Buckbeak froze, one claw high in the air poised to strike yet it didn't come. Its eyes shook, alarmed and in shock, widening in panic as the creature seemed to be covered in small treamors.
Adrian couldn't move, his body was straining and his eyes burning and his blood was on fire.
A second, two seconds...long enough for Adrian to know it was unnatural. Impossible.
"Adrian! I got yeh!"
Hagrids shout ruined it and seemed to snap Buckbeak out of his trance. Adrian felt his body burn, tingling through his skin from the backlash. The creature whirled, flaring his wings and lowering its leg with a mighty swipe. Adrian stumbled backwards trying to avoid, only managing a gash on his left forearm.
Adrian curled inwards instinctively, twitching ever so slightly and gasping audibly as the wound finally registered.
Buckbeak skittered away, snapping angrily and glaring at Draco who looked much too horrified at what had occurred.
"You..." Draco gasped, growing more pale as he noticed blood welling up and trailing down the ruined sleeve of Adrian's robe. Adrian blinked, seeming to snap out of the exhausting haze that was his accidental magic. His absolutely useless accidental magic.
"I'm fine!" Adrian snapped, his arm complaining loudly as well as the rest of his limbs from his terrible and exhausting day.
....
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