Hogwarts: I Am an Exemplary Wizard

Chapter 365: Chapter 363: Hippogriff

”Hagrid, your first class is starting soon, right?”

In a paddock next to the Forbidden Forest.

Kael, who had just finished lunch, looked at the busy Hagrid and asked, ”How’s the preparation going?”

”I’m so nervous.”

Hagrid, carrying a wooden frame, said excitedly, ”I got up at five in the morning and got everything ready. I hope the class goes well... I, finally became a professor...

When Professor Dumbledore told me the news... I couldn’t sleep well for days, dreaming about starting school as soon as possible.”

”You’d better not tell anyone else that.”

Kael chuckled, ”You know, students always hope the holidays last longer.”

”The length of holidays isn’t up to me to decide.” Hagrid laughed happily, ”It’s unbelievable... I became a professor...”

He seemed to feel the frame wasn’t placed correctly, so he picked it up and moved it in another direction, asking at the same time:

”Kael, when are you coming to my class, tomorrow, right?”

”Tomorrow afternoon, the first class.”

Kael looked at him and suddenly said, ”But Hagrid, I think you’d better choose a different magical creature.”

”What?” Hagrid seemed not to hear clearly and continued adjusting the frame’s position.

Kael continued, ”If it were me, I definitely wouldn’t let those third-year students interact with Hippogriffs in the first class.”

”Oh, don’t worry, I’ve got it all prepared.”

Hagrid turned back and said, ”I spent three weeks preparing this surprise, the first class is going to be fantastic... Why aren’t they here yet, I really want to start soon.”

While speaking, Hagrid couldn’t help but glance towards the castle.

But soon, he seemed to realize something.

”Wait...”

”Kael, how did you know I was going to introduce Buckbeak in class, you snuck into the Forbidden Forest, didn’t I tell you before, the Forbidden Forest is dangerous and you mustn’t go in alone.”

”Of course not, and there’s no need.”

Kael smiled, ”You didn’t forget, did you? The first Chapter in ’The Monster Book of Monsters’ is about Hippogriffs.”

”And those... are you preparing food for them?”

Kael pointed to the ferrets hanging on the frame, ”Anyone who knows a bit about magical creatures knows that’s a Hippogriff’s favorite food.”

”Was it that obvious?” Hagrid looked a bit dejected, ”I thought I hid it well.”

”Change it up, then.” Kael said once more, ”Hippogriffs are XXX level magical creatures, not suitable for those third-year students.”

”Oh, you mean that.” Hagrid said nonchalantly, ”Don’t worry, I’ll remind them. As long as they’re polite, Hippogriffs aren’t dangerous at all.”

”Can you guarantee they’ll all listen to you?” Kael countered, ”Harry and the others won’t have a problem, but what about those Slytherins?”

Hagrid’s lips moved, and he muttered softly, ”But I’m a professor... surely they have to behave, right...”

”Are you sure?”

This time, Hagrid’s voice was even smaller, and Kael couldn’t even hear what he said.

But Kael didn’t mind, continuing, ”In fact, last year in our first Care of Magical Creatures class, we studied Bowtruckles, and still, some students got their fingers poked.

Even with Bowtruckles, that’s how it was, let alone a fierce creature like a Hippogriff with a bad temper. If anyone makes a disrespectful move, it could provoke them, and that’s very dangerous.

You can’t guarantee everyone will behave, nor can you keep an eye on everyone, that’s unrealistic.”

The more Kael talked, the more silent Hagrid became.

He had thought of everything before, except how to handle things if students misbehaved.

”You have other choices.” Kael counted one by one, ”Bowtruckles, Fairies, Nifflers, Billywigs, Kneazles... all of these are much better than Hippogriffs.”

”But...” Hagrid mumbled, ”It’s my first class, I want to leave a strong impression, nothing is more suitable than a Hippogriff... they’re so beautiful, much better looking than Nifflers.”

”For most students, they might not think that way. As a professor, you have to learn to think from the students’ perspective.

”As for being impressive...”

Kael raised an eyebrow, ”If you could manage to bring a Unicorn foal, I guarantee, your first class would be a blast.

Just right, young Unicorns aren’t biased against boys, and if you could let them pet or hold that little golden creature, then before class ends, you’d be the most popular professor at Hogwarts, even Headmaster Dumbledore would have to stand in line behind you.”

”Dum, Dumbledore...”

Hagrid suddenly became much more nervous, fumbling, ”Th-that’s impossible, you’re joking again.”

After thinking for a moment, ”If it’s a Unicorn foal, there is one in the Forbidden Forest, and it just turned a month old today, but Katie wouldn’t agree to me bringing it.”

Katie is probably the name of a Unicorn... Hagrid always loves giving names to every magical creature in the Forbidden Forest, I really don’t know how he remembers them all.

”It’s the difficulty that makes it memorable.”

Kael checked the time, ”There are less than half an hour until class starts, if you have any ideas, better act fast.”

Hagrid hesitated for a moment before turning towards the Forbidden Forest.

Later, Kael also found a group of tethered Hippogriffs in the Forbidden Forest behind the paddock.

As Hagrid said, these creatures were indeed beautiful, their glossy feathers varied in stormy grey, crystal red-brown, and ink-black...

They shook their fierce heads and spread their powerful wings, seemingly very unwilling to be tied like this.

Kael went up and untied each of their chains and leather collars.

”Fly away...” he gently said.

The grey Hippogriff stepped forward, bent its front knees, and made an unmistakable bowing gesture.

Then, it unfurled its twelve-foot wings and flew into the depths of the Forbidden Forest together with the other Hippogriffs.

Soon, only chains and collars were left on the ground. As for whether Hagrid would return unsuccessful and not have time to find another magical creature, Kael wasn’t worried at all.

There were several rowan trees nearby, he could easily find a dozen Bowtruckles on them, more than enough for a class.

After that, Kael turned and headed back to the castle.