Bound By Blood (Muggle Meets Magic #2)

FIFTEEN - Hagrid Alone

The next morning, I dragged myself down to the Great Hall to reluctantly tell Phoebe I needed more time to brew the invisibility potion, but came to a halt as I noticed a bunch of Prefects directing the students through the doors.

"Everyone line up please—this won't take long," they insisted.

We'll need to search the school, Harry's words echoed in my head, and I realized what was going on long before I saw the group of tall men dressed in black cloaks passing through the halls of the school.

"Aurors," Will's voice echoed out of nowhere, as he came to stand next to me. Veronica was a few paces behind, catching up to us. "Wonder what they're doing here?"

I plastered an innocent look on my face that I hoped seemed confused, as we followed the Prefects instructions and went to wait in the Ravenclaw line. It wasn't long before everyone had been gathered downstairs by the teachers—anybody trying to sleep in or skip breakfast had been rounded up so that the Ministry could do their job. And once a head count had been done and everyone was confirmed to be present, we were allowed to sit and eat.

By the time breakfast was finished, I spotted Harry Potter walking past the rows of students towards the teacher's table at the front. He stopped to have a brief word with Professor Plumble, who nodded, and then briskly left. He didn't even make eye contact with me, but I guessed he couldn't risk anyone catching on to the fact that we were working together.

"If I can have your attention, please," Professor Plumble spoke, interrupting our breakfast. We all paused and turned to him.

"The safety inspection has been successful, and no threats were identified within the school. You may return to your common rooms and duties after breakfast."

"Safety inspection?" someone murmured down the table, as chatter began once more. "Is that normal procedure?"

"Maybe, due to recent years, with all the incidents that used to happen," another student replied. "Basilisk attacks, murderers running loose... I'm surprised they don't do an inspection more often."

Veronica took a final bite of her toast, then said,

"I need to head to the owlery after this to tell my parents I'm coming home for Christmas," she said. She then looked up at me and added, "What about you, Alyssa? Will you be going to see your family?"

I hadn't even thought about it. It had been months since I'd seen my parents... but at the same time, I felt like I'd only just gotten back to Hogwarts, and I was in no hurry to leave. A part of me was afraid that if I set foot off the property, I'd somehow never be able to get back in.

"I'm not sure yet..." I trailed off. I turned to Will and asked, "Are you staying?"

He shook his head.

"My parents haven't been doing too well since Lucas... well, you know," he replied. "So I should go home to them."

Right. Of course...

I glanced over to the Hufflepuff table, to Callie. Surely she was going home too for Christmas. Her parents would be missing her terribly. Perhaps I should go with her...

"Well, you still have a week to decide. Professor McGonagall won't be taking names until then," Veronica reassured me. She got to her feet and told us she'd see us later, then headed off. Will then excused himself to go to the library, leaving me at the table alone.

In the chaos of the morning, I'd almost forgotten to talk to Phoebe, and instant dread settled in my gut all over again.

Deciding to get it over and done with, I stood and made my way over to the Slytherin table, where Phoebe was laughing with some other girls who I assumed were her friends. They all sobered up as I approached, eyeing me with disdain, and Phoebe turned to see what the problem was. Her eyes narrowed on me.

"Oh, it's you," she replied thinly. "Well then? Where's the potion?"

"I messed it up, so I need to brew another one," I confessed. No point in lying and saying I needed more time, that would just make me look foolish. A mistake was more plausible.

The Slytherins around us burst out laughing, and Phoebe smirked.

"I don't think so. If you couldn't brew it right the first time, then I'm not sorry to say, but you can't join our club."

I figured as much. I turned to leave, but then a voice cut in.

"Hold on—if she's smart enough to recognize when she messed up, then she's clearly skilled enough to join."

I looked back, and I saw Eleanor standing over the table, her arms folded. I didn't know Eleanor was in the potions club...

"Why are you defending her, Ambleforth?" one of the Slytherin's shot back.

"Because we're not supposed to deny people entry," she hissed menacingly. Her eyes flickered to me, and I couldn't tell if she was genuinely annoyed about letting me in, or trying to put up a tough front. Phoebe gritted her teeth, then let out a sigh.

"Oh fine, you can join then," she rolled her eyes. "We meet every Thursday evening. But if you skip meetings, then don't bother showing your face—you'll be out before you know it."

Thursday evenings... that was one of my study days with Callie. I would have to let her know I couldn't make it anymore...

Still, the realization couldn't damper my mood at having been accepted into the club. Not bothering to hide my smug smile, I turned and practically skipped away from the table. I couldn't believe my luck!

Making a mental note to thank Eleanor later, I headed through the Great Hall doors—but nearly ran straight into a towering body.

"Whoa ther' " Hagrid cried, nearly dropping the ginormous Christmas tree he was lugging through the halls of the castle. He realized who I was and began to beam. "Oh, 'lo there Alyssa! Good teh see yer!"

"Hi Hagrid," I said breathlessly, trying to get around him.

"Hol' on a minute—if yer don' mind," he said, forgetting now that his tree was blocking the entrance to the Great Hall. People were starting to queue up around us with frowns, and some were tapping their feet. I went red with embarrassment.

"Have yeh heard from Callie lately?" he asked, dropping his voice slightly. I noticed the way he scanned the hall in search of her, but as I followed his gaze to the Hufflepuff table, she was nowhere to be seen.

"Of course. We've been studying every week," I replied, turning back to him. I didn't quite understand what he was asking. "Why is that?"

"Oh... that frequently, have yeh?" he replied, his face falling slightly. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Surely she comes to see you frequently too?" I asked. He sighed and shook his head.

"I haven't heard from her once all year, I haven't. Even been send'n letters n' everything. Not a single visit."

My stomach dropped, and all of the sudden I felt very, very guilty. I'd just told Hagrid that I'd been seeing Callie weekly and he'd been sitting around in his hut, waiting on a visit all year!

But the guilt was quickly replaced by rage. A part of me couldn't believe she'd do this... and the other part could. Because she'd tried to do the same thing to me.

"You didn't get into any fights, did you?" I pressed, and he shook his head sadly. I grimaced.

"I'll go talk to her," I insisted, and Hagrid dropped the Christmas tree with a rumbling thud, earning a yelp from the students around us as they leapt back to avoid collision.

"Oh no—that's alright," he babbled, looking flustered now. "She's probably just busy is all. No need to worry her—"

"No, I'll talk to her," I said again firmly. "If she can make time for me, she can make time for you too."

But in truth, it didn't have anything to do with that. Because I'd had a weird gut feeling right from the very start, and now it was confirmed. Callie wouldn't just stop visiting Hagrid all the sudden. It was so unlike her.

No... something else was going on, and I was going to find out what.