"Unicorns really are beautiful!"
"Professor Grubbly-Plank teaches really well, too!"
"I want to ride a unicorn so badly!!!"
These were the things the students discussed most after Professor Grubbly-Plank finished her first lesson with the fourth years. Where Hagrid had gone was not something most of the students discussed.
As for that last remark, it had unquestionably come from the girls-and they had even screamed it.
This made Harry a little unhappy. He was very concerned about Hagrid. Everything had clearly been fine during the holidays, so why had a new professor replaced him as soon as term started?
What about Hagrid?
Still, credit where credit was due: Professor Grubbly-Plank had taught a very successful lesson. She also knew a great deal about fantastic beasts.
But most importantly, it came down to the fantastic beast she had chosen. Compared with the creatures Hagrid had previously found, unicorns were undoubtedly more popular with the young wizards, especially the girls.
Many girls who had not chosen this elective heard that an actual, living unicorn had appeared in class that day, and that the students had even been allowed to observe and stroke it up close-though, of course, only the girls could do that.
Unicorns liked being stroked by women and would allow pure virgins to ride them. At Hogwarts, the vast majority of girls met the requirements for riding one.
Well, by comparison, the girls at Beauxbatons seemed to fall a little short.
As for the atmosphere in France, those who knew, knew...
What disappointed the girls somewhat, however, was that, for safety reasons, Professor Grubbly-Plank had not actually let them ride the unicorn during that lesson.
Had it been Hagrid, he might really have let the girls have a ride.
That was one of the few topics in which Hagrid came