It was the first day of third-year education. Cortney sat next to Daphne nibbling on a piece of toast and reading the Daily Prophet.

" Love your hair today Daph ! " an older Slytherin girl said as she passed.

" Thank you! " Daphne said smiling.

" Time tables, Lestrange, Greengrass," Snape said before plopping them in front of the two. Cortney picked it up and looked at it.

" Divinations? " Cortney questioned.

" I heard that class is about like fortune-telling, and crystal balls," Daphne said looking at her schedule.

" I think it's a load of rubbish," Kierra said sitting down in front of them.

" I think it will be fascinating," Tracey said sitting next to Kierra.

" You think everything is fascinating Tracey," Pansy said sitting down on the other side of Cortney.

**********

It was now time for Divinations, there was a bit of difficulty while trying to find the classroom. The class was filled with different fumes, a bunch of small, short circular tables and chairs. The room looked like an antique teacup shop. Red scarves were on all the lamps. Cortney sat at a table with Theodore. Pansy sat on the table next to Cortney's. She sat with Millicent. The room was like a practice choir room. The professor was a woman. Draping close, she had glasses that made her eyes look three times larger than normal, and very tangling looks like it hasn't been brushed in years, dirty blonde hair.

" Welcome my children. In this room you shall explore the art of Divination !," the professor said standing up.  " In this room, you shall discover if you possess the sight! " She then ran into the table in front of her.

" She for sure doesn't have the sight," Cortney whispered to Pansy, causing her to giggle.

" Hello, I am Professor Trelawny. Together we shall cast ourselves into the future! This time we shall be focusing on the art of reading tree leaves so please take the cup of the person sitting opposite of you". Everyone exchanged cups. Cortney looked into Teddy's cup and began to find out what it meant. " You see the truth lies beneath. Like a sentence within a book. Waiting to be read. But first, you must broaden your minds! " She grabbed hold of Seamus's head. Cortney giggled. " First, you must look beyond! "

" What a load of rubbish," said Hermione causing Ron to jump.

" Where did you come from? " Ron asked.

" Me ? I've been here all this time," Hermione said fixing her robes. Trelawny walked over to Neville.

" You boy. Is your grandmother quite well? " Trewlany questioned.

" I-I-I think so," Neville stuttered.

" I wouldn't be so sure. Give me that cup," She instructed, sticking out her hand. Dean gave her the cup. " Oh, hmmm, pity," she said taking one look into the cup, before putting it on the table. Neville worryingly looked into the cup. She turned her attention back to the class. " Broaden your minds! " She turned to Ron. " You aurar is pulsing dear! Are you in the beyond! I think so ! "

" Sure," Ron said nervously.

"Look at the cup, tell me what you see," Professor Trewlany demanded. Ron took the cup and began to flip through the pages of his book.

" Um, well. Harry's got sort of a wonky cross, that is suffering. And, uh that there could be the sun, and that's happiness. So you are going to suffer, but you're gonna be happy about it," Ron reported. Hermione stifled a laugh.

" Give me the cup " Trewlany demanded holding out her hand. Ron handed her the cup. She took one cup and threw it back in horror, letting out a scream.

" What is it, Professor? " Pavarti squeaked.

" My dear boy....you have the Grim! " Trewlany informed.

" The Grin? What's the Grin? " Seamus asked.

" The Grim! Not the Grin, you idiot! " Dean responded.

" The Grim..." Lavender Brown began. Everyone turns to look at her. " Taking the form of a giant spectral dog, it's among the darkest omen in the world. It is a omen of...death".

**************

Students were heading down towards Hagrid's hut for Care for Magical Creatures. Hagrid stood outside his hut class looking very excited. Cortney was currently walking down to the hut with Draco.

" No Draco, I will not participate in your teasing to Potter," Cortney said.

" Why not? " Draco asked.

" Cause I have better things to do with my life! " Cortney shot.

" Come on, Pansy is even doing it," Draco pleaded.

" What a lovely way to get closer with your crush," Cortney teased as they stopped in front of Hagrid's hut.

" Come on! Gather around! Come closer, less talkin if you don't mind," Hagrid said trying to contain his excitement. " I got a real treat for ya today! A great lesson! Follow me! " Hagrid led them through the forest. Neville opened his book. It attacked him, tearing at his clothes making him fall to the ground.

" Don't be a wimp Longbottom! " Draco shot, he had his Malfoy smirk.

" I'm alright," Neville said exhausted before being attacked again. They all stopped in a small clearing. Cortney saw a rock sticking out of the ground. She walked over and sat in the middle of it, the rock was on sort of a slant.

" Right you lot,  stop the chattering and form a group over there," Hagrid instructed. Luckily the rock was by the group so Cortney didn't have to get up. " Now open your books to page 49".

" Exactly how are we supposed to do that? " Malfoy questioned. Like him, most students had, belts strapped over the monstrous books Cortney then faced the group, with her book.

" Just stroke the spine of course," Hagrid said as it was obvious. Everyone did as he said. Hagrid soon walked away for a minute or two. Neville placed his books on the rock, Cortney was sitting on.

" You're supposed to stroke it," Ron told Neville.

" Yeah," Neville muttered.

" Really witty. God this place has gone to the dogs! " Malfoy spat. " Wait until my father hears about Dumbledore has this oaf teaching classes! "

" Shut up Malfoy! " Harry snapped, he began to walk forward.  Malfoy smiled at his friends. He gave Crabbe his bag. ( Malfoy is all like honey hold my purse, things are about to get real). and met Harry in the middle. Cortney stood up on the rock to see what was happening as a circle formed. Malfoy made a face looking terrified. 

" Dementor! Dementor! " Malfoy shouted. Everyone gasped and turned to look to see nothing there. Malfoy when back to his group laughing. Malfoy, his goonies, and Pansy put up their hoods making oohing sounds, pretending to be dementors.

" So annoying," Cortney mumbled to Neville as she sat back down on the rock. They saw Hagrid come back with a creature. Part horse, part eagle. Face, the upper half of the body, and front two legs were a part eagle, covered in feathers. He behind and back two legs was a horse. It had gigantic wings. Malfoy and his goonies shoved people by the rock including Neville out of the way. Malfoy pulled out an apple and began eating it.

" Isn't he beautiful? " Hagrid asked as he tossed the creature a dead ferret.

" Gorgeous," Cortney admired.

" Say hello to Buckbeak," Hagrid introduced.

" Hagrid, what exactly is that? " Ron asked.

" That Ron is a Hippogriff. First thing you want to know about Hippogriffs is that they are very proud creatures. Very easily offended. You don't want to insult a Hippogriff, it may be just the very last thing you'd do," Hagrid warned. " Now who'd like to come say hello? " He turned away. The whole class stepped back, besides Cortney and Harry. Hagrid turned back towards the class. " Well done Harry and Cortney," Hagrid congratulated. Cortney and Harry turned to see the whole class a few steps back. Cortney slid off the rock, she walked up and stood a good distance away. " Come on now". Ron pushed Harry forward, he stood next to Cortney. " Now you have to let him make the first move, it's only polite, so step up, give him a nice low bow. Then you wait and see if he bows back, if he does you can touch him, if not....well we'll get to that later. Now bow....nice and low". Cortney and Harry bowed low not breaking eye contact with the creature. Buckbeak began to freak out. " Back off! Back off you two! " Cortney and Harry took a step back. Harry stepped on a twig in the process. Hermione grabbed Ron's sleeve as Theodore tensed up a bit as he cautiously watched his girlfriend. Buckbeak eyes the two curiously before bowing back. Hagrid let out a laugh. " Well done Harry and Cortney! You can pet him now! " Harry and Cortney gently out their arms in front of them. " Let him come to you". The two were a few feet away. Hermione grabbed Ron's hand, they quickly released and stepped away from each other awkwardly. All the Slytherins tensed up, as Seamus began biting his nails. Teddy crossed arms. Soon the two were petting the marvelous creature. " I think he may let you two ride him now".

" What? " Harry asked.

" Come on don't be afraid," Hagrid said picking up Cortney and placing her on Buckbeak.

" Hagrid, I don't think I can do this," Harry said as he was picked up and placed in front of Cortney. Hagrid smacked the creature's butt, and it took off flying. Harry wrapped his arms around Buckbeak as Cortney held on to Harry's shoulders. Everyone cheered and waved at the two in the air. Cortney looked down at the people below her. She waved back giving a bright kind smile. She felt the wind blow through he hair. She saw Theodore pack up and begin to leave class, causing her to frown. They flew over the lake. Buckbeak let a foot glide through the water. Cortney let go of Harry as he let go of Buckbeak. Harry stuck his arms out.

" Woo-hoo !! " Harry shouted happily. Cortney gave a big fake smile. 

" This feels amazing, wind in my hair, I feel free," Cortney said. Soon they landed back down in the ground, by the class. Hagrid helped the two off. Malfoy threw his bag to Goyle and swaggered over. 

" Oh no," Cortney muttered to Harry.

" Yeah, you're not that scary at all you great ugly brute! " Malfoy spat.

" Malfoy! " Hagrid warned. Buckbeak got up on his hind legs, the class screamed and hid. Cortney got in front of her cousin and got struck instead. The blow was pretty hard, causing her and her cousin to fall. Cortney rolled off her cousin, pain shot through her arm, she held it and just stared at the sky, as Hagrid calmed Buckbeak down.

" Oh, he's killed me!  He's killed me ! " shrieked Malfoy.

" Cortney! " Pansy shrieked horrified. 

" Cortney, are yeh alright? ' Hagrid asked.

" She needs to go to the hospital wing! " Hermione urged walking forward. 

" First take my cousin," Cortney ordered. 

" I'll do it since I am the teacher," Hagrid said picking up Malfoy and beginning to head towards the castle. All the Slytherins and a lot of the class followed.

" Are you okay Cort? " Ron asked.

" Yeah, my arm hurts though," Cortney breathed.

" Well your arm is bleeding, " Seamus pointed out as he picked her up. They began to head towards the hospital wing.

" Why did you do it? " Neville asked suspiciously.

" To protect my cousin and Buckbeak," Cortney answered.

" What do you mean? " Harry asked.

" Don't play dumb, you know my cousin can be," Cortney pointed out. They all nodded their heads in agreement. They entered the hospital wrong and Seamus placed Cortney on a bed across from her cousins. He was already bandaged up. Madame Pomfrey fixed Cortney's arm and put it in a bandage. " Do you know where Teddy went? "

" No, but he seemed pretty angry when he left," Hermione informed.

" Do you know why? " Cortney asked. They all shook their head. Madame Pomfrey shooed them away saying the patients need to rest. Cortney put her head down and closed her eyes, She did not want to talk to her cousin at the moment.