Musing on Buckbeak

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 166241

Pippin:

>> Then I remembered that Buckbeak did attack again. 
>> He went at Snape, chasing him out of Hogwarts in 
>> HBP. Now, since we all know Bucky is not a mad 
>> hippogriff and Snape hadn't been insulting him, 
>> what made Buckbeak attack? Any ideas?

Alla:

> You asked. :) Buckbeack has a sixth sense that 
> allows him to recognise bad people, sort of like 
> Crookcshanks does.

houyhnhnm:

It's interesting that in the Shrieking Shack,  
Crookshanks, who was ready to defend Sirius from Harry 
with his life, remains purring on the bed while Snape 
is threatening Sirius with summary justice.

I can think of two possible reasons for Buckbeak's 
attack on Snape.

1.  If Buckbeak is intelligent enough to recognize 
an insult even when delivered with friendly body 
language, then he is intelligent enough to know that 
Harry saved his life.  He has a life debt to Harry.  
He attacked when Snape switched from defensive 
spells to an agressive curse.

2.  He is responding to the attack on Hagrid and 
Hagrid's cottage.  But by the time Buckbeak got free 
from wherever he was tethered, Snape was the only 
one left.  Draco and the DEs had already passed through the gates.