Hagrid had always been fond of beasts with fangs, claws, and ferocious appearances—and it showed right from his very first class. Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩·𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢·𝔫𝔢𝔱
Although Harold had never attended Professor Kettleburn's Care of Magical Creatures class, he'd heard all about it from Fred and George.
They said Kettleburn's first lesson had featured Nifflers.
Those platypus-like creatures were gentle-natured and posed no real threat to wizards… well, except to their wallets.
Nifflers were obsessed with anything shiny—lightbulbs, nails, gemstones, or the coins in a wizard's pocket. They'd sneakily swipe these treasures and tuck them away in the pouch on their bellies.
Some witches and wizards who kept Nifflers at home found their money disappearing at alarming speeds. That was the reason.
All in all, Nifflers were well-loved, with a solid reputation among the wizarding community. Choosing them as the first lesson topic was a smart move from Kettleburn.
Back then, Care of Magical Creatures had been one of the most popular electives.
Despite Harold giving him multiple subtle and not-so-subtle reminders that most students didn't share his "aesthetic," Hagrid still stuck to his own choice—he brought Fluffy the three-headed dog to class.
Yes. A three-headed dog, not a Hippogriff.
And, oddly enough, it had something to do with last year's Basilisk incident.
As one of the main "heroes" in killing the Basilisk, Fluffy had earned his own accolades.
No one knew how, but Dumbledore somehow obtained official certification from the Greek Ministry of Magic—granting Hagrid legal rights to keep a three-headed dog.
In other words, Fluffy was now fully authorized to roam the school grounds. Even Cornelius Fudge couldn't say a word against it.
To top it off, Dumbledore had given Fluffy a job: Forbidden Forest Patrol, part-time school guardian. No pay, but meals included.
Considering that Fluffy's meals equaled about half an entire house's worth, Harold suspected Dumbledore only offered it because the school governors covered the food budget.
Hagrid was overjoyed and couldn't wait to introduce Fluffy to everyone… so, of course, he brought the dog to class.
Staring at the massive creature lying like a small hill and then looking at the students, all standing well over fifty feet away, Harold didn't even know what to say anymore.
Even a Hippogriff would've been better—it was only rated XXX in danger level. Students might've been nervous, but at least they'd be willing to come closer.
Right now, no one dared take a single step forward. Even Harry, who had seen Fluffy before, stayed frozen in place.
"Why're you all standin' there? Come on!" Hagrid called out enthusiastically. "Harry! Ron! Don't be shy! I know you two've been waitin' to meet Fluffy!"
"How… how did he get that we're shy?" Ron muttered, clinging tightly to a nearby tree. His teeth chattered with every word.
"How long d'you reckon that big guy would take to eat us all? Probably less time than I take to eat a bag of chips…"
"Wasn't that three-headed dog supposed to be guarding the Philosopher's Stone?" Hermione whispered, her knees visibly shaking. "Why is it still at school?"
"Good question," Ron replied, for once not arguing with her. "We'd all like to know that."
"Oh, did none o' yeh hear the bell? Right, we're a bit far from the castle," Hagrid called again. "Class's already started—come on up, don't be shy!"
Harold finally couldn't take it anymore. He walked forward and gently suggested,
"Maybe everyone's just a bit nervous seeing a three-headed dog for the first time, Hagrid. How about something tamer—Bowtruckles, Nifflers, even fairies might work better?"
"Nervous?" Hagrid blinked, finally noticing something was off.
But instead of switching creatures, he simply shouted louder,
"Don't worry! Fluffy's been personally approved by Dumbledore to stay in the Forbidden Forest—he's perfectly safe!"
Maybe it was Dumbledore's name, or maybe it was the fact that Harold hadn't been eaten alive, but somehow, that worked.
Harry cautiously stepped forward a few paces, making it within ten feet of Fluffy.
Still far, but at least Hagrid didn't have to shout across a field anymore.
Hermione followed suit.
Halfway there, she glanced back at the others and called,
"Hurry up, Ron! Don't act like those scaredy-cat Slytherins."
She wrinkled her nose and cast a disdainful look at Draco Malfoy.
That remark lit a fire.
The proud Slytherins couldn't possibly stomach such an insult—especially coming from a Muggle-born.
Malfoy flushed with anger, shoved past Crabbe and Goyle, and marched straight up to Harry, standing beside him.
He turned to gloat, only to meet Crabbe and Goyle's terrified expressions.
Then he looked ahead and realized he was way too close to Fluffy—close enough to see every dagger-like tooth in those three mouths.
Malfoy's face went pale. His transformation was as rapid as a chameleon's.
He wanted to back off—but pride kept his feet rooted.
So, he stood there, stiff as a statue, doing his best not to tremble.
Pansey Parkinson, however, looked thrilled.
She was convinced Draco was so brave, standing tall in front of a three-headed dog without flinching.
The rest of the students slowly crept forward, inching from fifty feet away to fifteen—though only after repeated reassurances from Hagrid.
By then, half the class was already over.
Hagrid's original plan had been much more exciting:
First, introduce Fluffy.
Then let everyone pet him.
Finally, let a few brave students ride Fluffy around the clearing.
He had even picked the lucky riders—Harry and Harold, of course.
But now there was only time to quickly explain Fluffy's origin, diet, and favorite activities before the class ended.
What a shame, thought Hagrid, disappointed that Harold and Harry missed their chance to ride the dog.
As for Harry... well, it was debatable whether that was a shame or a blessing.
The moment the bell rang, everyone bolted for the castle, not even looking back.
Within seconds, the clearing was completely empty.
But at least there was a silver lining—no one caused trouble.
Malfoy and his gang had originally planned to make life miserable for Hagrid, their new professor. But the moment they saw Fluffy, they shut up and stood perfectly still.
Not a single whisper, not even a cough.
They barely dared breathe, afraid even a sigh might draw the dog's attention.
With no interruptions and everyone quietly listening, in some ways…
Hagrid's first class could actually be called a success.