The Sorcery Trials

Chapter Two: The Transfiguration Teacher

—chapter two: the transfiguration teacher

     "Is yer frien' alrigh'?" Hagrid asked, looking fifty years younger.

     "Yes, he's fine," Hermione insisted, kicking Harry's side and hurrying him to get up.

     "Who are yeh?" Hagrid questioned, watching the pair carefully.

     "Harry and Hermione . . . McLaggen . . ." she improvised.

Harry choked on the absurdity. "McLaggen?!" he whispered, grumbling at her.

     "It was the first name that came to mind," said Hermione, glaring at him. "Just go with it."

Harry made more grumbling noises to himself before nodding his head. He chose not to argue with Hermione. Six years of friendship taught Harry that crossing Hermione was the most foolish thing anyone could do, and yet Ron continued to do so. But why must their last names be McLaggen? How disgraceful.

     "Harry an' Hermione McLaggen?" Hagrid repeated the names, making Harry cringe. "What business do yeh have here at Hogwarts?"

"We have come to see Dumbledore," Hermione answered with a kind smile, hoping he wouldn't see them as a threat.

     Hagrid arched his bushy brows. "I see. Well, I was jus' on me way to see him now! Come wit' me."

Harry and Hermione nodded and followed Hagrid into the castle. They had crash landed near the courtyard, and thank Merlin there were no other students around when they did. Hagrid glanced back at the pair every now and then. He was clearly curious about who they were. Who wouldn't be? These two just appeared out of nowhere and started asking for Dumbledore. Then again, didn't everyone?

     "So yeh two jus' visitin' for a bit?" Hagrid asked them to start conversation.

"I guess you could say that," responded Hermione.

"Great man, Dumbledore. He saved me a lot o' trouble when he gave me this job, yeh see?"

Harry and Hermione exchanged a look. They knew Hagrid had been expelled from Hogwarts in 1943, future Hagrid had told them that. And they knew that Dumbledore requested for him to be kept as Gatekeeper of Hogwarts. But so young? They naturally assumed Dumbledore gave him the job when he had grown more—mentally, not physically.

"What job?" Harry asked, pretending not to know already.

"I'm a Gatekeeper in trainin', yeh see. I ten' to the grounds and keep everythin' in order for the school," explained Hagrid, proudly. "And I do whatever Dumbledore asks o' me, 'course. This way," he insisted, pointing to the left.

     "You mentioned that you are currently in training?" Hermione commented, intrigued. "Who is your supervisor?"

     "Mostly Dumbledore, but I get loads o' help from the current Gatekeeper," he told her. "Yeh migh' see him around. Goes by Hector."

     They fell into silence after that, which was fine. Harry and Hermione had to restrain themselves from taking the lead on their way to see Dumbledore. Pretending they were both new to Hogwarts was going to be hard since they had seen almost everything for six years in their time.