Chapter 647: Lucius Malfoy
That night, snowflakes began drifting down from a sky that had been heavy with clouds all week, and by Monday morning, the ground lay blanketed in snow.
Hagrid returned to the teacher's table during breakfast, but the applause that greeted him was lukewarm at best. The Slytherin table remained utterly silent, a stark contrast to the cheers coming from the Gryffindor table.
Even within Gryffindor, however, not everyone was a fan of Hagrid. Some of the girls much preferred Professor Grubbly-Plank's lessons.
After all, Professor Grubbly-Plank didn't spring surprises on her students—or more accurately, frights. A Knarl was far safer than a Fire Crab, and it was guaranteed to be on the OWL syllabus.
...
The sixth years had Care of Magical Creatures that morning, marking Hagrid's first lesson with them since his return.
After finishing their first Charms lesson, Kyle and Kanna trudged through the two-foot-deep snow to Hagrid's cabin near the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
A collective gasp rippled through the group as they caught sight of Hagrid.
He looked... intimidating.
His face was battered, his hair was wild and unkempt, and a few stray animal feathers clung to him. Most strikingly, he had half a cow slung over his shoulders, its blood dripping onto the pristine snow and staining it red. The scene was chilling and strange.
"I really do prefer Professor Grubbly-Plank," someone murmured nervously, the sentiment spreading quietly through the crowd.