Auror's Son | Book 4 Harry Potter x OC

Chapter 16: Mermaid's Lament

3rd Person POV

Raven had barely begun to scratch the surface on getting the Bubble-Head Charm down, before he went down to the Great Hall for dinner.

Raven and Daphne joined Harry, Ron, and Hermione at dinner. Hermione began to tell them that she was furious at Rita Skeeter for making Hagrid feel bad, and that they were going to go down to Hagrid's cabin and let him know that they didn't care that his mother was a giantess.

Raven and Daphne agreed to accompany them down there. Though Daphne had never been in Hagrid's cabin before or as close to him as the others, she still wanted to help.

And so after dinner, the five of them made their way down the school grounds. "Hagrid!" Hermione shouted, pounding on his front door. "Hagrid, that's enough! We know you're in there! Nobody cares if your mum was a giantess, Hagrid! You can't let that foul Skeeter woman do this to you! Hagrid, get out here, you're just being-"

The door opened. "About t-!" Hermione said, but stopped herself when she saw that Dumbledore was face-to-face with her.

"Good afternoon." He said pleasantly, smiling down at them.

"We-er-we wanted to see Hagrid." Hermione said.

"Yes, I surmised as much." Dumbledore said. "Why don't you come in?"

"Oh...um...okay." Hermione said.

All five of the students followed Dumbledore inside, and Fang launched himself upon Raven. "Hi, Fang." Raven said, kneeling down and giving him pets. "I missed you too, buddy."

"Hi, Hagrid." Harry said.

"'Lo." Hagrid said in a very hoarse voice.

"More tea, I think." Dumbledore said, using his wand to make it for them. Everyone sat down and a tea tray appeared on the table along with a plate of cakes. "Did you by any chance hear what Ms. Granger was shouting, Hagrid?" Hermione went slightly pink, but Dumbledore smiled at her and continued. "It seems all five of these students still seem to want to know you, judging by the way they were attempting break down the door."

"Of course we still want to know you." Harry said. "You don't think anything that Skeeter cow-sorry, Professor." He added quickly, looking at Dumbledore.

"I have gone temporarily deaf and haven't any idea what you said, Harry." Dumbledore said, twiddling his thumbs and staring at the ceiling. Raven let out a small laugh.

"Er-right." Harry said sheepishly. "I just meant-Hagrid, how could you think we'd care that-woman-wrote about you?"

"You even told me you were a half-giant from your mum's side the day I met you, and I thought it was cool." Raven stated.

"And I may not know you as well as the others-" Daphne said, gesturing to Raven, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "-but knowing that you're a half-giant doesn't make me think any less of you."

Tears began to leak out of Hagrid's eyes. "Living proof of what I've been telling you, Hagrid. " Dumbledore said. "I have shown you the letters from countless parents who remember you from their own days here, telling me in no uncertain terms that if I sacked you, they would have something to say about it, your mother among them, Raven."

"Not all of 'em" Hagrid said hoarsely. "Not all of 'em wan' me ter stay."

"Really, Hagrid, if you are holding out for universal popularity, I'm afraid you will be in this cabin for a very long time." Dumbledore said, peering sternly at Hagrid. "Not a week has passed since I became headmaster of this school when I haven't had at least one owl complaining about the way I run it. But what should I do? Barricade myself in my study and refuse to talk to anybody?"