The events of the Care of Magical Creatures class quickly spread to everyone, causing more and more Slytherins to harden their resolve to simply fail the subject.
They certainly wanted to understand and study magical creatures, but that did not mean they, as wizards, were going to give these beasts reciprocal respect. The half-giant's demands were simply too high; if they could not meet them, they simply wouldn't try. That was the Slytherin confidence.
Of course, compared to the arrogant Slytherins, the other three houses accepted it quite well. After all, getting to ride a creature as exceptionally rare as a Hippogriff was quite a thrilling experience. Especially for the Hufflepuffs, who usually only interacted with harmless, small domestic animals; seeing such a tall, mighty beast up close for the first time naturally filled them with excitement and awe.
Chapter 213