Don't Forget Where You Came From, Don't Fear Where You're Going

Dragon Fire

When Dabi and Keigo were led to Hagrid's hut by Harry and Ron, Keigo wasn't sure what to expect. Dabi was stiff, too. Their friends really liked Hagrid, but the only reasons he wanted to see them was because of what they were. Though there was no good other reason to see them, and it was fine for this to be why they met.

"Try not to bite his head off," Harry warned Dabi, who stuck his tongue out at him. Keigo knocked on the door, and there was a barking dog inside. Dabi groaned. They heard thudding and grunting and a moment later the large wooden door opened and showed the half giant.

Keigo felt even smaller next to the man. "Keigo, Dabi!" he said brightly, and opened the door. The dog whimpered and fled to the corner. Hagrid opened the back door to let him out and away from the source of fear, the snippy dragon human. "It's darn good ter meet yeh!" He shook their hands roughly.

"You, too. Harry talks about you a lot," Keigo commented, which was true.

"It's bloody good ter meet more kids like meself." There it was. How he spoke next would make Keigo's first impression. "Well, how are yeh both holdin' up?"

"Teachers are nice. Kids are shitty," Dabi stated.

"Ah, I got the same. Is' great yeh two have each other, though! An' Harry an' Ron. I had no friends back when I was a student."

"Do you have friends now?" Keigo asked. He felt very sad for Hagrid. He must have been so lonely. Feeling how Keigo did but even worse, he dealt with it alone. His respect for the half giant skyrocketed.

"I have Professor Dumbledore an' some o' the other teachers. An' I got Fang, though it seems Dabi scares him," Hagrid explained. "What are yer families like? Do they support yeh?"

Dabi and Keigo both stated, "We don't have families," at the same time in the same voice.

"I see," Hagrid said. "Well, yeh'll find family here. I'm sure McGonagall is takin' good care of yeh." Keigo smiled and nodded. "I hear yeh're an amazing wizard, Keigo. Even Snape can't find fault with yer potion making. That's qui' the accomplishment!" Keigo flushed, and looked to Dabi, who looked proud instead of upset he wasn't getting any praise. "An' I hear yeh have quite the mouth."

"Hah! That's all they could say about me?!" Dabi laughed. "Well, they're not wrong. I take pride in my sass."

"As yeh should. Don' let nobody walk all over yeh. An' it's right good yeh take care of yer friends." He smiled wide, a toothy grin, missing some, but still a nice and warm smile. "Do yeh mind me asking some questions?"

He was being friendly and nice so far, and made a good first impression, so they agreed to answer his curiosity about them. He'd personally never met any other half-breeds before. Only the creatures in the Forbidden Forest and giants. According to him, the only things he had from his giant were superhuman strength and resistance to magic.

When he heard about their enhanced senses, and how it had been a detriment to them with the mandrakes, he went from impressed to pitying. "It's helpful most of the time," Keigo stated. "I'm more resistant to magic, too, but I don't know if it's from being a harpy."

"Don't know if I'm resistant, haven't gotten blasted yet," Dabi stated. "Keigo has the better deal with being able to fly. I have the stupid chase instincts, which make things pretty annoyingly difficult."

"Chase instincts, huh?"

"Yeah. If an animal runs from me, I really want to chase it. But of course I can't do that. When the owls come in the morning it's horrible," he said, sounding ranting.

"So, what's your life been like? As a half giant, is it hard to do stuff? Fit through doors and all?"

"Oh, it was trouble, all righ'. Even now there are plenty of places in the castle I just can' fit through. But I can do harder work small wizard folk can' do. It helps me bein' keeper of keys and grounds."