Hidden Wings - Part I

Practicing

Jessamine was sitting outside after her last class, and watched Sisi and Esma flying above the lake together.
Sisi found enough fish in the lake for now, but would probably leave soon to fly south when it would get colder.

Hagrid didn't miss a chance to spoil Esma and Sisi with treats.

Playing with the wet grass beside her, Jessamine thought of her conversation with Professor McGonagall.
After that, Professor Dumbledore had offered that while Jessamine was still to attend her Transfiguration, Charms and DADA classes with the others, she would demonstrate the spells in private with each Professor.

Professor Flitwick had excitedly awarded Slytherin 20 points when Jessamine had demonstrated all requested charms flawlessly.

Professor McGonagall was more reserved, but Jessamine felt that the older witch was warming up to her slowly, despite her being a Slytherin.

However, Jessamine very much disliked Professor Lockhart now. He never taught her anything useful, and just kept winking at her in the corridors as if they shared some secret.

Jessamine shuddered.

As her Head of House, Professor Snape had been informed as well, and he had looked very interested upon hearing that a second-year could perform wandless magic.

He had offered her lessons to help her control her magic, which Jessamine found very nice. Professor Snape was still snarky and cold, but she was sure he wasn't evil.

Her head spinning from all that thinking, Jessamine got up and slung her cloak around her.

It was time again to go to Hagrid's for her detention.
"Bye guys!"

She waved at the two birds above her before making her way to Hagrid's hut.

"Hey Hagrid", she greeted the tall man when he came outside his hut.
"What are we doing today?"

"Jess", he gave her a hearty smile.
"Ye lookin' a bit too chipper for detention, hm?"

Jessamine blushed.

Hagrid had adapted the nickname Fred and George had given her, and now called her Jess as well.
"We're gonna check on a unicorn herd", he told her and lifted a heavy-looking sack over his shoulder, something rustling inside.
"This is unicorn feed, 'cause the grass in their territory 'as only grown sparsely."

Jessamine switched her shoes for her work boots Hagrid always had ready for her by the hut, and followed him into the Forbidden Forest.

It was getting dark quickly as they wandered deeper into the forest, however, Jessamine was not afraid.

The forest was her home, after all.

Passing magnificent-looking trees, they finally entered a glade after thirty minutes of walking.

The glade was occupied by a dozen unicorns, one was still young foal and had shimmering golden fur.

Hagrid carefully set down the sack.

"Now", he told Jessamine seriously, "they'll let ye closer than me, so I need ya t' spread the feed between the unicorns, while I do the same aroun' the herd."

He patted her back trustingly, which almost threw Jessamine down to the ground from the force.

"I'll be here, in case somethin' happens."

Jessamine carefully did as he told, always keeping a safe distance from the unicorn foal. She didn't need an angry mother charging at her.

The sack held several types of grain, which Jessamine scooped up with her hands and let it fall to the ground behind her, while walking around the beautiful creatures.

Some started eating immediately, while others stared at her curiously, ears and nostrils twitching.

They could smell what she was.

Jessamine looked over her shoulder to see if Hagrid had noticed anything amiss, but he was busy with the food.

She whipped her head around in surprise when something soft and wet touched her hand.

A white unicorn was sniffing her curiously and pressed its soft snout into the palm of her hand. Another started nibbling at her hair behind her, and two more were on their way to the young Slytherin.

The golden foal approached her excitedly and rubbed its head against her hip, recognizing her as a close relative of the unicorns.

Jessamine felt her fear wash away, as she touched the silky fur of the pure creatures, and it was replaced by pure joy. Soon she was surrounded by the whole herd, her original task forgotten. But she didn't care anymore if Hagrid found the unicorns' behavior odd, which was probably due to their soothing magic.

At some point, Jessamine heard Hagrid call out to her, and she saw him pointing at the empty sack.

It was time to go.

Jessamine hadn't realized how quickly the time had passed, it was very dark in the glade, only the unicorns seemed to glow slightly.
She made her way through the four-legged creatures, which was a difficult task because the foal kept trying to pull her back to the other unicorns by biting on her cloak.
"I'll come back and visit", Jessamine whispered softly and placed her hand on the foal's golden head.

It nickered sadly, but at least let go of her cloak.

When she reached Hagrid, she looked at him sheepishly.

"I'm sorry", she apologized since he had done most of the work, but Hagrid smiled into his beard.

"That was one o' the most beautiful thing I 'ave ever seen."

He sighed happily.

"You got a way with animals, me girl."

Jessamine insisted on carrying the empty sack back through the woods to make up for not doing her job, and soon they reached Hagrid's hut.

"Goodnight", she called to him, replaced her boots with her shoes, and left after saying bye to Fang as well.

It was eerily quiet in the castle, as Jessamine made her way into the dungeons.

She shrieked when she turned around a corner and stumbled into something white and fluffy.

It was Professor Dumbledore's beard.
"Ms. Lince", he greeted her and lightened his wand.
"Coming from Hagrid, I presume?"

Jessamine nodded, starting to feel a bit tired.

"Then I shall not keep you from a goodnight's sleep", Professor Dumbledore
said cheerfully and passed her, chuckling, as he saw the bottom of her cloak.

The little foal had done quite a job on it.