Chapter 20: Cracking Cases & Sleazy Faces
Claire knew she was dreaming—or seeing into some part of time as her father described it. She was back in the dimly lit room with the identical drumming pattern repeating quietly in the background. The unchanged tattered chair was in the same spot. It's inhabited was Voldemort in his baby-like grayish form. Wormtail stood by the left side of the chair looking as nervous as she last saw him. Claire's eyes travelled to the fireplace where she recognized the hooded figure from the Yule Ball—or at least suspected it was the same stranger.
"You fool! You could've exposed yourself!" Voldemort shouted, his red eyes turning crimson.
"I'm sorry." The hooded figure replied.
As the figure spoke, his voice sounded distorted. However, she could tell it was a male voice.
"I gave you one simple task and yet again you've ruined it. Wormtail!" Voldemort snapped his head towards the rat-like man.
Wormtail tensed. "Yes, my Lord?"
"Perhaps a bit of pain will teach him to obey orders." Voldemort sneered.
Wormtail raised his wand (his hand was shaking) aiming it at the figure. "C-Crucio!"
The figure let out a cry of pain, falling to the floor. Claire averted her eyes feeling like she was going to throw up; she'd experienced that curse first-hand back in second year. A slight pang of sympathy ran through her for the person. What felt like hours of the man's tortured screams, were, in reality, merely a few seconds before Wormtail lifted the curse. The man laid on the ground for a few minutes trying to gain control of his breath.
"You involved yourself in a task that was not yours." Voldemort said to the man. "It was Anwir's job to get close to that girl and bring her to me at the end of the ball. You were there as a reinforcement to make sure Anwir completed the task and returned with the girl. Not to kill him before!"
Claire froze. Was she hearing him right? Jeremy was the insider? No. He couldn't be one of Voldemort's followers, right? Claire continued to listen to their conversation.
"Perhaps, my Lord, you should give the task to him..." Claire turned around startled by the new voice. Her breath hitched in her throat as she saw the man who looked like her father.
Voldemort's gaze left the tortured man on the floor to the one who resembled her father.
Voldemort's piercing red eyes locked with his for a few moments, as though communicating a secret message. "So be it, Doctor."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Claire awoke with a start. She glanced at her bedside table looking at the empty bottle of the Dreamless Sleeping Potion.
"A lot of good that did..." She muttered, sitting up.
Claire glanced around her empty dorm. The memories from the previous night and the dream flashed through her mind at warp speed. She ran a hand through her hair frustratedly trying to understand it all. A sickening feeling settled in her stomach. She thought she could trust these two people and now she's finding they're somehow connected to Voldemort. Beware the pretender. Trelawney's warning from her first Divination class of the year echoed through her mind. She was starting to think maybe Trelawney wasn't as crazy as she seemed.
Despite Voldemort calling the man who looked her father the Doctor, she felt there was something off about her father working for Voldemort. It just didn't make sense to her. Claire suspected her father was at Grimmauld Place when she had her first dream about Voldemort during the summer. Though she couldn't be too sure considering she'd been staying at the Weasleys' those nights. However, Claire knew for a fact her father had been with her mother at the Ministry to get Sirius off house arrest the night of the World Cup. Surely the Doctor couldn't have been in two places at once. Then again he did have a time machine. Her father wouldn't give her, his only daughter, to Voldemort. And the Doctor just didn't seem to fit the criteria as one of Voldemort's followers.
Though neither did Jeremy. Claire thought bitterly.
She then thought about the stranger Voldemort made Wormtail tortured. Why would he kill Jeremy if they were working for the same person? And who the heck was the girl Voldemort kept talking about? Claire tried to search through her memories of the previous dreams she had, but nothing came up. Then Claire remembered something, but it wasn't from her dreams; it was from the Quidditch World Cup when one of the Death Eaters tied her up and tried to torture her.
She struggled against her binds as the cloaked figure stood over her. The figure raised his wand. "The Dark Lord has been waiting for you, Claire Smith. He will reward me greatly if I turn you in. But first, let's see how well you can handle pain. Cruc—"
Claire shook the memory from her head. Why would Voldemort want her? There wasn't anything special about her. It was just another thing that made no sense. I'm overthinking this. Claire thought. There's no reason why I would be the girl Voldemort's after.
"Claire?" Hermione had entered their dorm. Her hair was back in its frizzy bushy curls.
"Good morning, 'Mione." Claire forced a smile, but then noticed there was something off about Hermione. "What's going on?"
Hermione gave her a sympathetic look; one which Claire loathe.
"Professor Dumbledore wants to see you in his office. There are Ministry officials here. They want to talk about last night." Hermione said, sitting on the edge of Claire's bed.
Claire's smile disappeared. "I'm not going."
"Claire, someone died last night." Hermione said.
"You think I don't know that!" Claire snapped. "I saw the body! I'm not stupid!"
Claire felt her eyes burn. She looked away and stared at the opposite side of the room. She was not in the mood to talk about it. Heck, she didn't even know what she was suppose to feel about the whole incident considering she was probably the girl Jeremy, her supposed friend, was going to give to Voldemort.
"I can't imagine how you feel, Claire. I'm sorry he's dead—" Hermione began.
"You wouldn't feel sorry if you knew what I knew." Claire muttered acidly to herself. Hermione didn't hear her though and continued to talk.
"—but if you want any sort of justice for Jeremy, you need to talk to Dumbledore." Hermione said, putting a hand on Claire's shoulder. "I'll even go with you."
Claire ran her hand through her hair sighing in defeat. She was going to have to talk to Dumbledore no matter what. If her father was really involved with Voldemort and Jeremy was a Death Eater—well, she wasn't sure what was going to happen. "Fine. I'll meet you in the common room."
Claire grabbed some clothes and a pair of shoes and went to change in the bathroom. She didn't bother putting her hair up. When she was finished, she made her way down to the common room. Hermione saw her and then they made their way to Dumbledore's office. When they reached the statue to the entrance of Dumbledore's office, they discovered they weren't the only ones Dumbledore wanted to talk to. Fred, George, Ginny, Ron, Harry, and a no-longer-confused-Evy were there as well.
"Hey, what are all of you doing here?" Claire asked them.
"Dumbledore wanted to speak to us—" Fred motioned to himself and the others, "—about last night."
Claire furrowed her eyebrows. "Why?"
"Eyewitness reports, probably," George said.
"I'm sorry about Jeremy, Claire," Evy said.
Claire's stomach turned slightly. Why did they keep bringing it up? She pretended she didn't hear her and said, "How are you feeling?"
"Better now. It was like the entire world went black and hazy and then the next moment it was as clear as glass. I was hit by a nasty mix of Confundus, Imperius, and Oblivate curses." Evy explained. "Madam Pomfrey said I should make a full recovery. Though they'll be times when I have memory loss episodes. She released me this morning."
Suddenly, the statue began to move and they were face-to-face with Professor Snape. He wore his usual expressionless face.
"Follow me." Snape said in his monotone voice.
They followed him up the spiral staircase to the door of Dumbledore's office. When they reached the door, Snape turned to them.
"I assume you all know why you're here. And if your small minds do not see the obvious, you have been asked to relay information regarding the incident at the Yule Ball. There are Ministry officials in there as we speak. So, I expect you all have enough brains to behave appropriately and take this very seriously. And if you plan on lying, don't. You will be called in shortly. I will get you when it is time." Then, without another word, Snape opened the door to Dumbledore's office and disappeared inside.
As they waited to go in, Claire sat down on one of the steps in deep thought. She bit her lip in concentration, wondering what she was going to say. She didn't want to reveal that Jeremy was a Death Eater yet or that her father might be one as well until she had more evidence. If she revealed this information the Ministry would want to know how and why she knew that, which would lead to her having to confess about her dreams or seeing moments of time or whatever the heck she was suppose to call it. As she was in the middle of thinking, she felt someone sit beside her. She turned her head to the side to be met with green eyes.
"You alright?" Harry asked.
Claire shrugged. "I'd be lying if I said I was."
"That's good." Harry said. "I mean I wasn't expecting you to be alright considering what happened last night. It's just that I want to say sorry about the way I treated you and Jeremy. I'm sorry he died."
"You already apologized last night, Harry." Claire said. "And it's fine that you didn't like Jeremy. That was your opinion."
An opinion I wish I followed. Claire thought to herself.
"But I didn't need to be harsh towards him. I just care about you Claire." Harry said, his cheeks turning a pinkish color. "I don't want you to get hurt."
Before she could say anything, Snape opened the door to Dumbledore's office.
"The headmaster will see you now." His voice droned.
They all looked at each other before walking into the office. Snape closed the door behind them. As they walked in, Claire was surprised by how many people there were. There were her parents, Sirius, Professor Dumbledore, Minister Fudge, and an unknown Auror.
"Claire," Carina rushed to her daughter hugging her almost as tight as Mrs. Weasley. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, mum." Claire muttered trying to shrug off her mother's hug.
Fudge cleared his throat.
"I'm sure you were informed we're here regarding the incident that occurred last night at the Yule Ball." Minister Fudge began. "Miss Smith, Professor McGonagall said she gave you and those two look-alike Weasley boys over there (he pointed to Fred and George who both frowned at what he called them) permission to set off fireworks. Am I correct?"
Claire nodded.
"I have also been informed from the other Professors that those two Weasley boys—"
"They have names you know." Claire interrupted, her distaste for the Minister was only growing. "Just because they look alike doesn't mean they're the same person. Their names are Fred and George. Not 'the look-alike boys' or 'the identical Weasleys' or whatever stupid names your idiotic brain thinks are clever."
"Claire." Carina sent her warning look, while her uncle and the twins fought the urge to smile. The Minister simply ignored her comment and continued speaking.
"—have a knack for pranks. I've also been told you've participated in a few of their pranks. The fireworks you three set off created the Dark Mark and what I want to know is why? Did the three of you think creating the Mark would be a funny prank?"
Claire couldn't believe her own ears. "Are you kidding me? Why on Earth would you think such a thing? We're not stupid enough to do that, especially with everything going on as it is. Fred and George wouldn't jeopardize their father's job over a stupid prank and neither would I."
"Minister Fudge, that is a serious accusation to make when there is little evidence to support it." Professor Dumbledoer reasoned.
"Then explain to me, Albus, how that Mark appeared in the sky." Fudge said.
"I think I know," Fred spoke up. "When Claire, George, and I were lighting up the last of the fireworks, a person sent a spell at us before Claire pulled us out of the way."
"What person?" Fudge questioned.
"We didn't see what they looked like. They were wearing a cloak and a hood that covered their face." George replied.
"A person wearing a cloak with a hood?" Evy repeated. "I think I remember seeing someone dressed like that before I was cursed."
"I think I did too." Ginny said. "I spotted them running away after the fireworks went haywire."
"So none of you can describe what this person looks like besides what they're wearing?" The Auror asked.
"No, we told you their face was hidden behind the hood." George said.
"How convenient. You all saw the person, but yet none of you can identify them." Fudge said skeptically. "How exactly does this person have any connection to the Mark?"
"Because their spell hit the fireworks and then the Dark Mark splattered across the sky for everyone to see." Claire said frustratedly.
Fudge eyed each of them skeptically before changing the subject.
"Besides the Mark appearing, there was another thing that happened. Mr. Jeremy Anwir from Durmstrang Institue was murdered. Miss Smith, is it true Mr. Anwir was your date to the Yule Ball?"
"Yes." Claire replied.
"But you were not with him the entire time, were you?" He questioned.
"Well, no, Professor Karkaroff interrupted us to give him a letter from his parents. Jeremy told me he had to go home because of a family emergency. He left with Karkaroff." Claire explained.
"So you say," Fudge said.
"I say so because it's the truth." Claire's blood was boiling. It seemed whatever she said, Fudge didn't believe her.
"Is it really? Are you sure you didn't follow him back to Hogwarts from his family's music shop?" Fudge questioned.
"What are you talking about—" Fudge then interrupted her.
"Professor McGonagall said when she arrived at the scene, she saw you and Miss Jackson. Madam Pomfrey later revealed Miss Jackson had been cursed with a nasty blend of the Confundus charm, Oblivate charm, and Imperius curse. Miss Jackson, do you recall what happened prior to that?" Fudge asked Evy.
"The last thing I remember was heading back to the Yule Ball when I heard a noise. It sounded like a someone dragging something down one of the corridors. I went to go check it out. When I got there I saw the dead body...and I screamed. Then I felt something hit my head and then... nothing. It went blank from there." Evy explained.
"Do you remember Miss Smith being there?" Fudge questioned.
Evy shook her head.
"Well, then I think we've found the murderer." Fudge turned to one of the Aurors. "Bennett arrest Miss Smith for the use of illegal curses on Evy Jackson and the murder of Jeremy Anwir."
A chorus of enraged "whats?" rang through the room.
"I just got my brother out of prison. I'm not letting my daughter take his place!" Carina said.
"You will hold your tongue if you wish to keep training to be an Auror!" Fudge snapped at her.
"What specific evidence do you have to accuse Miss Smith of those crimes?" Dumbledore asked calmly.
"We checked the Floo Network travel logs for last night and it detected Mr. Anwir traveling to his family's shop alone and then returning thirty minutes later with another individual." Fudge explained.
"Why are you so sure Miss Smith is the other person?" Dumbledore asked.
"You are aware the Floo's travel logs detect not only where people go, but also what blood they have, correct?" Fudge said. "Well, it turns out Mr. Anwir was traveling with a half-breed."
"That doesn't mean it was Claire!" Harry said furiously.
"Oh, but it was, Mr. Potter," Fudge said. "You see, we can detect exactly what type of blood the half-breed has and this particular blood type had half alien blood. Now how many of those are walking around? Not very many."
There was silence in the room. Claire stood there mouth agape. She was being accused of a crime she didn't commit.
"You're not arresting my daughter without other evidence!" The Doctor exclaimed.
"There's suffice evidence against your daughter, Doctor. Her family history alone is a prime example." Fudge said.
"That has nothing to do with any of this!" Sirius said enraged. "You can't blame that on her, Fudge! I won't let my own niece get thrown into Azkaban because you're—"
"If you choose to finish that sentence Black, you'll be joining your niece in Azkaban!" Fudge snapped.
Sirius almost pounced on Fudge had it not been for Carina holding him back.
"Bennett, arrest—" Fudge was interrupted by Dumbledore.
"Minister Fudge, perhaps you should let Miss Smith talk. We need to hear her side of the story before you declare she's guilty."
Fudge glared at Dumbledore.
"It couldn't hurt to hear the girl's story, Minister," Auror Bennett said.
Fudge let out a small growl of frustration. "Fine. Five minutes, Miss Smith. What happened after Mr. Anwir left?"
Five minutes? How generous of him. Claire thought sarcastically before speaking. "Well, first off, I just want to say I was nowhere near Jeremy after he left. At least until I found Evy and him. After Jeremy left, I was with Hermione."
"It's true." Hermione piped up. "She was with Viktor and I. Viktor had left to get drinks and Claire and I talked. We decided to go see Harry and Ron while Viktor was gone."
"The four of us had a disagreement and Hermione and I walked away," Claire said.
"Then she hung out with us," Fred said. "We were talking to Bagman until Professor McGonagall told Claire to get on stage."
"And after her performance she talked to Neville and I," Ginny said.
"And then her and Harry danced until the twins came to get her to start the fireworks." Hermione finished.
"How do I know you all just aren't covering for her?" Fudge questioned, his eyes staring at them critically.
"Give us the truth serum if you don't believe us." Hermione suggested.
"Minister Fudge," Auror Bennett began, "The possible time frame of the murder took place between 11:30pm and midnight. Miss Jackson, do you recall when you heard the noise coming from the corridor?"
Evy thought for a moment and then her face brighten. "Yes, I do actually. When I was investigating, the Weird Sisters announced Claire's performance. I remembered they gave out pamphlets before the Yule Ball started and they had a schedule. Claire was set to go on at 11:30. She couldn't have been the one to kill Jeremy or curse me!"
"Not to mention," Hermione piped up. "Claire had no motive to commit either crime. Jeremy was her date to the ball and Evy has been our roommate since first year and she's never had a problem with her. Logically, it wouldn't've made sense for her to commit those crimes."
"There's still a time gap where she could have committed the crime. Surely her performance wouldn't've lasted more than five minutes which would put her around 11:35. She could've committed the crime within those twenty-five minutes." Fudge said.
"That's impossible." Ginny replied. "I told you earlier Neville and I spoke to her after she performed. In fact, the twins, Hermione and Viktor all talked to her. We probably talked for at least five minutes. And after we finished talking she went to go sit with Harry."
"I was with Claire until she went with the twins to set up the fireworks." Harry said.
"We started setting off fireworks ten minutes before the dance ended. She was with us until after the Dark Mark appeared—" George began.
"—which means Claire couldn't have committed either of those crimes." Fred finished.
"Then who murdered Jeremy Anwir?" Fudge said. "The Floo Network log clearly shows he was traveling with a half-alien and there's no other person in our world who is half-alien."
"Maybe someone tampered with the log." Hermione suggested.
"And who would do that?" Fudge questioned.
"The cloaked stranger." Claire said.
Fudge held a skeptical look. "What makes you think this cloaked stranger has anything to do with Anwir's death?"
"It's too much of a coincidence. Why would this person show up out of the blue?" Claire reasoned.
"She has a point, Minister." Auror Bennett admitted.
Fudge turned red in the face; Claire could visualize the steam coming from his ears. What did this man have against her?
"Bennett, I want you to get Tonks, Burke, Reynolds, and anyone else here last night and bring them to my office back at the Ministry. We need to find out the identity of this stranger." Fudge commanded.
Bennett nodded and walked out of the office. Fudge turned to Claire.
"If I discover you and your friends have been lying, there will be harsh consequences." Then he walked out.
"Well, I believe that means you are all free to go for now." Dumbledore said to them.
"Claire, can I talk to you for a moment?" Carina asked her.
Claire nodded. Once her friends left, her mother spoke.
"Are you alright?" Carina asked.
"Yes, mum, you asked me that earlier." Claire said. "I'm fine."
Carina looked at her daughter as though she didn't fully believe her. "You know you can talk to me, your father, or even Sirius, right?"
Claire nodded. "Of course. Er—actually, there is something that I wanted to talk to you about."
"What is it?"
"What did Fudge mean when he said my family history was enough to convict me?" Claire asked.
Carina sighed. "Claire, the Blacks have a history of Death Eaters in the family."
"What?" Claire exclaimed.
"Our cousin Narcissa Black, now Malfoy, her husband Lucius was and probably still is one." Carina said.
"Malfoy? You mean as in Draco Malfoy? That foul git? I'm related to them?" Claire said in shock.
"Yes," Carina said. "Then there's your uncle—"
"Sirius isn't a Death Eater—"
"No, your other uncle. Sirius and I had a younger brother, Regulus. He followed our parents Pureblood philosophy and became a Death Eater." Carina said. "He served Voldemort until he died."
"Don't forget about Bellatrix Lestrange and her husband," Sirius added. "They're in Azkaban for torturing Alice and Frank Longbottom with the Cruciatus curse."
Claire gasped. "They didn't..."
"No, they're in St. Mungo's now. Their fate was worse than death." Carina said. "It's a shame that it happened to Alice and Frank. They were the sweetest people you could ever meet."
Claire felt a wave of guilt wash over her. Neville was parentless because of her cousin. If Neville knew, he'd probably hate her and she wouldn't blame him.
"Carina," The Doctor interrupted. "I think you and Sirius should go."
"You're right, we have to get back home." Carina said. She turned to her daughter. "If you need to talk, owl me at any time. I don't care if it's at two in the morning. I'm here for you. I love you, Claire."
"Love you too, mum." Claire hugged her mom and then Sirius.
"Don't get into too much trouble." Sirius told her.
Claire scoffed. "I will as long as you will."
"Keep us updated on the next task and tell Harry we'll be there." Carina said.
Claire nodded and as they left the office leaving Claire with Dumbledore and her father.
"Well, I've got to finish grading those essays you hate so much. Bye, Claire and what your mom said about talking know that you can talk to me too." The Doctor then left. Claire stayed in Dumbledore's office.
"Miss Smith," Dumbledore began. "Is there a reason why you're still here?"
Claire bit her lip. "Actually, Professor Dumbledore, there is."
Dumbledore gestured to the seat in front of him. "Have a seat."
Claire sat in the chair and Dumbledore offered her some lemon drops; she declined.
"Professor Dumbledore, I had another dream last night." Claire began. "Voldemort was in it again and Wormtail. And the stranger from the Yule Ball and...well...my father."
Dumbledore looked at her shocked. "You are sure your father was in this dream?"
Claire nodded. "Voldemort called him the Doctor and he definitely looked like my dad. I just don't understand why my father would help him. Something seems off."
"You're right, Miss Smith." Dumbledore agreed. "Your father was part of the resistance against Voldemort."
"Should I have told Fudge?" Claire asked.
"No." Dumbledore said. "At least not yet. As you said it seems off."
"There's something else that I wanted to discuss. It's about Jeremy." Claire said.
Dumbledore motioned for her to continue. She told him about Jeremy being a Death Eater and how he was sent by Voldemort to get close to the girl and bring her back to him. Claire didn't mention that she thought that she was the girl because she knew she could take care of herself.
"Well, this dream you had certainly has revealed some information." Dumbledore said.
"You're telling me." Claire replied.
"I will keep a closer eye on your father and investigate to see if the Ministry knows Mr. Anwir was a Death Eater." Dumbledore said.
"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore." Claire said.
"You're quite welcome, Miss Smith." Professor Dumbledore replied. "Look after yourself and be careful."
"Will do, Professor." Claire then left Dumbledore's office.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Pleasant man Fudge was," The twins said sarcastically as they ate in the Great Hall at dinnertime.
"I didn't know the Minister was so harsh," Evy commented.
"I know." Ginny agreed. "He was willing to arrest Claire on barely any evidence."
"Well," Hermione began, "in his defense the evidence he did have did seem to match up with Claire."
"Gee thanks, Hermione," Claire said sarcastically.
"I still stood up for you, though," Hermione defended herself.
"Wonder who did it, you know," Ron said as he ate meatloaf.
"I think Claire is right about that hooded guy," Fred said. "He comes up out of the blue and then we discover a dead body? It's too much of a coincidence."
"Yeah, but the Ministry said a half alien came back with Anwir." Harry said.
"Which means," Hermione said, "since we know Claire couldn't of committed those crimes, there's another half-alien at Hogwarts. The question is who?"
It was safe to say that it was going to be a question unanswered; at least for the time being.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The snow did not lighten up after Christmas break ended. In fact, the weather only got colder and wetter. Nobody was looking forward to Care of Magical Creatures in this weather, though as Ron said, the skrewts would probably warm them up nicely, either by chasing them, or blasting off so forcefully that Hagrid's cabin would catch fire.
When they arrived at Hagrid's cabin, however, they found an elderly witch with closely cropped gray hair and a very prominent chin standing before his front door.
"Hurry up, now, the bell rang five minutes ago," she barked at them as they struggled toward her through the snow.
"Who're you?" Ron said, staring at her.
"Where's Hagrid?" Claire asked.
"My name is Professor Grubbly-Plank," she said briskly. "I am your temporary Care of Magical Creatures teacher."
"Where's Hagrid?" Harry repeated loudly.
"He is indisposed," Professor Grubbly-Plank said shortly.
Claire heard the sound of soft and unpleasant laughter; it was coming from Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherins. They all looked gleeful, and none of them looked surprised to see Professor Grubbly-Plank. Claire had a bad feeling that Malfoy and his gang of serpents had something to do with Hagrid's absence. She only hoped Hagrid wasn't hurt.
"This way, please," Professor Grubbly-Plank said, and she strode off around the paddock where the Beauxbatons horses were shivering. Harry, Ron, Claire, and Hermione followed her, looking back over their shoulders at Hagrid's cabin. All of the curtains were closed. Was Hagrid in there, alone and ill?
"What's wrong with Hagrid?" Claire said, hurrying to catch up with Professor Grubbly-Plank.
"Never you mind," she said as though she thought she was being nosy.
"We do mind, though," Harry said hotly. "What's up with him?"
Professor Grubbly-Plank acted as though she couldn't hear them. She led them past the paddock where the huge Beauxbatons horses were standing, huddled against the cold, and toward a tree on the edge of the forest, where a large and beautiful unicorn was tethered.
Claire rolled her eyes as many of the girls "ooooohed!" at the sight of the unicorn.
"Oh it's so beautiful!" Lavender whispered. "How did she get it? They're supposed to be really hard to catch!"
The unicorn's white coat made the snow look gray. It was pawing at the ground nervously with its golden hooves and throwing back its horned head.
"Boys keep back!" Professor Grubbly-Plank barked, throwing out an arm and catching Harry hard in the chest. "They prefer the woman's touch, unicorns. Girls to the front, and approach with care, come on, easy does it..."
"C'mon, Claire," Hermione said walking over to the unicorn.
"I'll meet you there." Claire went over to Ron and Harry.
"Shouldn't you be with the other girls?" Ron asked.
Claire ignored him and said, "What do you reckon's wrong with Hagrid? Do you think maybe one of the skrewts—"
"Oh he hasn't been attacked, Smith, if that's what you're thinking," Malfoy said softly. "No, he's just too ashamed to show his big, ugly face."
"I think you should be the one worrying about their face," Claire retorted.
"What d'you mean, Malfoy?" Harry said sharply.
Malfoy put his hand inside the pocket of his robes and pulled out a folded page of newsprint.
"There you go," he said, "Hate to break it to you, Potter..."
He smirked as Harry snatched the page, unfolded it, and read it, with Claire, Ron, Seamus, Dean, and Neville looking over his shoulder. It was an article topped with a picture of Hagrid looking extremely shifty.
DUMBLEDORE'S GIANT MISTAKE
Albus Dumbledore, eccentric headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, has never been afraid to make controversial staff appointments, write Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. In September of this year, he hired Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, the notoriously jinx-happy ex-Auror, to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, a decision that caused many raised eyebrows at the Ministry of Magic, given Moody's well-known habit of attacking anybody who makes a sudden movement in his presence. Mad-Eye Moody, however, looks responsible and kindly when set beside the part-human Dumbledore employs to teach Care of Magical Creatures.
Rubeus Hagrid, who admits to being expelled from Hogwarts in his third year, has enjoyed the position of gamekeeper at the school ever since, a job secured for him by Dumbledore. Last year, however, Hagrid used his mysterious influence over the headmaster to secure the additional post of Care of Magical Creatures teacher, over the heads of many better-qualified candidates.
An alarmingly large and ferocious-looking man, Hagrid has been using his newfound authority to terrify the students in his care with a succession of horrific creatures. While Dumbledore turns a blind eye, Hagrid has maimed several pupils during a series of lessons that many admit to being "very frightening".
"I was attacked by a hippogriff, and my friend Vincent Crabbe got a bad bite off a flobberworm," says Draco Malfoy, a fourth-year student. "We all hate Hagrid, but we're just too scared to say anything."
Hagrid has no intention of ceasing his campaign of intimidation, however. In conversation with a Daily Prophet reporter last month, he admitted breeding creatures he has dubbed "Blast-Ended Skrewts," highly dangerous crosses between manticores and fire-crabs. The creation of new breeds of magical creature is, of course, an activity usually closely observed by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Hagrid, however, considers himself to be above such petty restrictions.
"I was just having some fun," he says, before hastily changing the subject.
As if this were not enough, the Daily Prophet has now unearthed evidence that Hagrid is not—as he has always pretended—a pure-blood wizard. He is not, in fact, even pure human. His mother, we can exclusively reveal, is none other than the giantess Fridwulfa, whose whereabouts are currently unknown.
Bloodthirsty and brutal, the giants brought themselves to the point of extinction by warring amongst themselves during the last century. The handful that remained joined the ranks of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and were responsible for some of the worst mass Muggle killings of his reign of terror.
While many of the giants who served He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named were killed by Aurors working against the Dark Side, Fridwulfa was not among them. It is possible she escaped to one of the giant communities still existing in foreign mountain ranges. If his antics during Care of Magical Creatures lessons are any guide, however, Fridwulfa's son appears to have inherited her brutal nature.
In a bizarre twist, Hagrid is reputed to have developed a close friendship with the boy who brought around You-Know-Who's fall from power—thereby driving Hagrid's own mother, like the rest of You-Know-Who's supporters, into hiding. Perhaps Harry Potter is unaware of the unpleasant truth about his large friend—but Albus Dumbledore surely has a duty to ensure that Harry Potter, along with his fellow students, is warned about the dangers of associating with part-giants.
Claire finished reading the article and looked up at Ron and Harry. Ron's mouth was hanging open.
"I thought you two were alone when you found out about Hagrid." Claire whispered to them.
"We were. Unless you count the beetle on the reindeer statue. How did Skeeter find out?" Ron whispered.
"What d'you mean, 'we all hate Hagrid?'" Harry spat at Malfoy. "What's this rubbish about him,"—he pointed at Crabbe—"getting a bad bite off a flobberworm? They haven't even got teeth!"
Crabbe was sniggering, apparently very pleased with himself.
"Well, I think this should put an end to the oaf's teaching career," Malfoy said, his eyes glinting. "Half-giant...and there was me thinking he'd just swallowed a bottle of Skele-Gro when he was young...None of the mummies and daddies are going to like this at all...They'll be worried he'll eat their kids, ha, ha...Soon they'll only be one less half-breed at this school. Well, that is if the Ministry decides to throw the other in Azkaban. Isn't that right, Smith?"
Claire's blood was boiling at that point. Ron and Harry both glared at Malfoy. Harry took out his wand and pointed it at Malfoy.
"You—!"
"Girl!" Professor Grubbly-Plank yelled at Claire. "You're supposed to be over here not with the boys! Get over here!"
Claire looked at Harry. "Don't do it, Harry. Malfoy's not worth it."
"Girl!" Professor Grubbly-Plank yelled again.
Claire sent him a look that said 'don't' and then glared at Malfoy before running over to where the other girls were.
"I hope she stays that, woman!" Parvati said when the lesson ended and they were all heading back to the castle for lunch. "That's more what I thought Care of Magical Creatures would be like...proper creatures like unicorns, not monsters..."
"We have to study both kinds of creatures." Claire said. "Otherwise if we come face to face with one of those "monsters" knowing anything about them we could end up dead."
"And what about Hagrid?" Harry said angrily as they went up the steps.
"What about him?" Parvati said in a hard voice. "He can still be gamekeeper, can't he?"
Parvati stalked off with Lavender into the Great Hall.
"I think Parvati is still a bit peeved about the Ball." Claire said. "Maybe if you hadn't of been such a grumpy goblin she wouldn't have been so cold."
Harry shrugged sheepishly. "I suppose I should've paid a bit more attention to her, but I heard she's been telling everyone she's going with a boy from Durmstrang to Hogsmeade the next weekend trip."
"That was a really good lesson," Hermione said as they entered the Great Hall. "I didn't know half the things Professor Grubbly-Plank told us about uni—"
"Look at this!" Harry snarled, and he shoved the Daily Prophet article under Hermione's nose.
Hermione's mouth fell open as she read. Her reaction was exactly the same as Ron's.
"How did that horrible Skeeter woman find out? You don't think Hagrid told her?"
"No," Harry said, leading the way over to the Gryffindor table and throwing himself into a chair, furious. "He never even told us, did he? I reckon she was so mad he wouldn't give her loads of horrible stuff about me or Claire, she went ferreting around to get him back."
"Maybe she heard him telling Madame Maxime at the ball," Hermione said quietly.
"That's possible." Claire agreed. "Skeeter'll snoop around for any sort of headline."
"We'd have seen her in the garden!" Ron said. "Anyway, she's not supposed to come into school anymore, Hagrid said Dumbledore banned her..."
"Maybe she's got an invisibility cloak," Harry said, ladling chicken casserole onto his plate and splashing it everywhere in his anger. "Sort of thing she'd do, isn't it, hide in bushes listening to people."
"Like you and Ron did, you mean," Hermione said.
"We weren't trying to hear him!" Ron said indignantly. "We didn't have any choice? The stupid prat, talking about his giantess mother where anyone could have heard him!"
"We've got to go and see him," Harry said. "This evening, after Divination. Tell him we want him back...you do want him back?" he shot at Hermione.
"I—well, I'm not going to pretend it didn't make a nice change, having a proper Care of Magical Creatures lesson for once—but I do want Hagrid back, of course I do!" Hermione added hastily, quailing under Harry's furious stare.
So that evening after dinner, the four of them left the castle once more and went down through the frozen grounds to Hagrid's cabin. They knocked, and Fang's booming barks answered.
"Hagrid, it's us!" Harry shouted, pounding on the door. "Open up!"
Hagrid didn't answer. They could hear Fang scratching at the door, whining, but it didn't open. They hammered on it for ten more minutes; Ron even went and banged on one of the windows, but there was no response.
"Maybe he just needs time alone." Claire suggested, when they had finally given up and were walking back to the school. "Or maybe he's avoiding us."
"What's he avoiding us for?" Hermione said. "He surely doesn't think we'd care about him being half-giant?"
But it seemed that Hagrid did care. They didn't see a sign of him all week. He didn't appear at the staff table at mealtimes, they didn't see him going about him gamekeeper duties on the grounds, and Professor Grubbly-Plank continued to take the Care of Magical Creatures classes. Malfoy was gloating at every possible opportunity.
"Missing your other half-breed pal?" he kept whispering to Harry whenever there was a teacher around, so that he was safe from Harry's retaliation. "Missing the elephant-man?"
There was a Hogsmeade visit halfway through January. Hermione was surprised that Harry was going to go.
"I just thought you'd want to take advantage of the common room being quiet," she said. "Really get to work on that egg."
"Oh, I—I reckon I've got a pretty good idea what it's about now," Harry lied.
Claire knew he was lying.
"Have you really?" Hermione said, looking impressed. "Well done!"
When Hermione left the room, Claire said to him, "You still haven't figured it out, have you?"
"No, but I wasn't going to tell Hermione that." Harry admitted.
Claire groaned. "Harry, the task is in five weeks. Cedric gave you the clue on Christmas. Why haven't you tried it yet?"
"I haven't had time." Harry said.
"You need to make time! This is a life or death situation!" Claire exclaimed. "If you don't figure out the egg, you could end up dead in the next task. You need to stay here instead of going to Hogsmeade so you can figure out the egg. I'll even stay to help out."
Harry shook his head. "No. I need to go to Hogsmeade. What if Hagrid's there and I get a chance to persuade to come back?"
"Harry, I think this task is a bit more important then Hagrid at the moment. I'm sure he'd understand too." Claire said. "Besides, what makes you think Hagrid's going to be at Hogsmeade when he doesn't even show his to face to his students?"
"It's a feeling." Harry replied.
Claire sighed exasperadately. "Well, then if you're so set on going to Hogsmeade at least try to work on the egg now."
"I have plenty of time, Claire." Harry said. "Just stop worrying."
"Excuse me, for caring about your well being. I repeat that the task is in five weeks and if you aren't prepared you could end up hurt or worse." Claire said.
"Hey, Harry, wanna play a round of Wizard's Chess?" Ron asked, holding the chess board in his hands.
"Sure." Harry then left with Ron.
"Boys are so irritating." Claire muttered to herself.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Harry ended up going with Hermione, Ron, and Claire to Hogsmeade on Saturday. They left the castle together and set off through the cold, wet grounds toward the gates. As they passed the Durmstrang ship moored in the lake, they saw Viktor Krum emerge onto the deck, dressed in nothing but swimming trunks. He was very skinny, but apparently looked a lot tougher than he looked, because he climbed up onto the side of the ship, stretched out his arms, and dived, right into the lake. Claire shuddered to think how cold the water must be.
"He's mad!" Harry said, staring at Krum's dark head as it bobbed out into the middle of the lake. "It must be freezing, it's January!"
"It's a lot colder where he comes from," Hermione said. "I suppose it feels quite warm to him."
"Yeah, but there's still the giant squid," Ron said. He didn't sound anxious—if anything, he sounded hopeful. Hermione noticed his tone of voice and frowned.
"He's really nice, you know," she said. "He's not at all like you'd think, coming from Durmstrang. He likes it much better here, he told me."
Ron said nothing. He hadn't mentioned Viktor Krum since the ball, but Harry had told Claire about the miniature arm he'd found under his bed that no doubt belonged to the Viktor Krum doll ('action figure' as Ron would called it) Ron got from the Quidditch World Cup.
As they walked through Hogsmeade, Harry kept a look out for Hagrid. They hadn't spotted Hagrid in any of the shops so Harry suggested they go to the Three Broomstick to see if Hagrid was there.
The pub was as crowded as ever, but one quick look around the tables told them Hagrid wasn't there. Claire could see the disappointment on Harry's face as he realized this. She had no doubt Harry regretted wasting a chance to figure out the egg. The four of them walked to the bar and ordered four butterbeers from Madam Rosmerta.
"Doesn't he ever go into the office?" Hermione whispered suddenly. "Look!"
She pointed to the mirror behind the bar, and Claire saw Ludo Bagman reflected there, sitting in a shadowy corner with a bunch of goblins. Bagman was talking very fast in a low voice to two goblins, both of whom had their arms crossed and were looking rather menacing.
Claire furrowed her eyebrows. What was Bagman up to now? There was no Triwizard event, and therefore no judging to be done. She watched Bagman in the mirror. He was looking strained. But just then Bagman glanced over at the bar, saw Harry, and stood up.
"In a moment, in a moment!" Claire heard him say abruptly to the goblins, and Bagman hurried through the pub toward Harry, his boyish grin back in place.
"Harry!" he said. "How are you? Been hoping to run into you! Everything going all right?"
"Fine, thanks," Harry said.
"Wonder if I could have a quick, private word, Harry?" Bagman said eagerly. "You couldn't give us a moment, you three, could you?"
"Er—okay," Ron said, and he, Claire, and Hermione went off to find a table.
"Wonder what Bagman wants to talk to Harry about?" Hermione said as they found an empty table.
"Who knows?" Claire shrugged.
She glanced over at the goblins who were talking to each other. I need to figure out why Bagman was talking to those goblins. She thought. She drank the last bit of butterbeer she had and stood up.
"I'll be right back," Claire said.
"Where are you going?" Ron asked.
Claire ignored him and walked over to the goblins. She looked over to where Harry and Bagman were speaking. Bagman was whispering secretly to Harry. She'd have to ask Harry about that later. Once Claire reached the two goblins, she cleared her throat.
"Excuse me?" The goblins' whispers ceased and their attention turned to her. Claire almost flinched at the stern looks one of them sent her.
"What do you want?" A goblin with crooked yellow teeth and a long pointy nose said harshly.
"I'm Claire Smith—"
"You're that half-breed, aren't you? The one with the alien father and pureblooded mother." the same goblin said.
Claire stood straighter, angry that the goblin called her that. "Yes, and I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't use such harsh terminology."
"Don't mind, Ragnok," A different goblin with straighter yellow teeth and long thin ears said. "He doesn't much like your kind. I'm Gornuk."
"Nice to meet you, Gornuk," Claire said politely. "I couldn't help but notice that you were speaking to Ludo Bagman a few minutes ago."
Gornuk frowned. "Yes, that pathetic excuse for a wizard. Why so curious?"
"Well, it looked like you were upset with him—"
"What a smart witch you are," Ragnok said sarcastically.
Claire furrowed her eyebrows. "Look, I'm just wondering if the reason why you were angry with him was due to money."
"We don't need to tell this flithy half-breed our business, Gornuk!" Ragnok said angrily.
"Ragnok, there is no need to be so harsh to her." Gornuk said. "It was Bagman who wronged us, not the girl."
"Someday your trust in witches and wizards will get you killed!" Ragnok exclaimed before storming out of the pub.
"I'm sorry about, Ragnok." Gornuk apologized. "He has trust issues with witches and wizards. Very much like the rest of our kind."
"It's understandable. Our species haven't been on the best terms in history." Claire replied.
"To answer your question about Bagman, the reason behind our anger is due to money," Gornuk said. "He has made numerous excuses about not paying his debt."
"Seems it isn't his first time then," Claire replied. "He owes some of my friends money from a debt made at the Quidditch World Cup. He's been avoiding them ever since."
"I'm sorry to say you shouldn't be expecting that debt repaid for quite sometime. He's owed us thousands of galleons for years. We managed to corner him at the World Cup and scrape off a few hundred galleons he had, but it didn't even cover a third of his debt." Gornuk said.
"There's got to be something we can do to get our money back." Claire said. "Have you reported it to the Ministry?"
Gornuk scoffed. "Even if we did, who do you think they'd believe: their own employee or some goblins that they treat as inferiors?"
"You have a point there." Claire admitted. "The Ministry wouldn't dare besmirch the name of their own employee when they can place the blame on someone else."
"I like you, Miss Smith. You're not afraid to call out your kind." Gornuk smiled, his yellow teeth showing.
Claire shrugged. "It's only the truth."
Gornuk nodded. "That it is. I'm afraid there's nothing we can do at the moment. Bagman placed a huge bet on Potter's winning of the tournament. If Potter wins his debt is cleared, if not..."
"Wait, Bagman placed a bet on Harry?" Claire questioned.
Gornuk nodded again. "He did. I assume he's over there talking to Potter giving him hints so he can win."
"Wouldn't put it beneath him." Claire muttered, as she looked over to Bagman and Harry talking. Fred and George had appeared and Bagman was trying to hastily say goodbye to Harry. "Well, thank you, Gornuk. I hope you get your money back. It was a pleasure talking to you."
"You as well, Miss Smith. Good luck." Gornuk left right as Bagman exited the pub and Claire headed back over to Ron and Hermione.
"Why were you talking to those goblins?" Ron inquired.
"I had to ask them something for Fred and George." Claire said simply.
"Why?" Ron questioned.
"None of your business, that's why." Claire snapped.
Before Ron could pester her anymore, Harry walked over to their table.
"What did he want?" Ron said, the moment Harry had sat down.
"He offered to help me with the golden egg," Harry said.
Gornuk was right! Claire thought to herself.
"He shouldn't be doing that!" Hermione said, looking very shocked.
"There's a lot of things he shouldn't be doing." Claire muttered.
"He's one of the judges!" Hermione continued. "And anyway, you've already worked it out—haven't you?"
That's what he wants you to think. Claire thought.
"Er...nearly," Harry said glancing at Claire.
"Well, I don't think Dumbledore would like it if he knew Bagman was trying to persuade you to cheat!" Hermione said, still looking deeping disapproving. "I hope he's trying to help Cedric as much!"
"He's not, I asked," Harry said.
"Who cares if Diggory's getting help?" Ron said.
"I do. He happens to be my friend." Claire replied.
"Those goblins didn't look very friendly," Hermione said, sipping her butterbeer. "What were they doing here?"
"Looking for Crouch, according to Bagman," Harry said.
Claire scoffed in disbelief quietly.
"He's still ill." Harry continued. "Hasn't been into work."
Claire furrowed her eyebrows in thought. That's weird.
"Maybe Percy's poisoning him," Ron said. "Probably thinks if Crouch snuffs it he'll be made Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation."
Claire rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, "Yeah, that definitely sounds like Percy."
Hermione sent them both a don't-joke-about-things-like-that look, and said, "Funny, goblins looking for Mr. Crouch...They'd normally deal with the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures."
"Crouch can speak loads of different languages, though," Harry said. "Maybe they need an interpreter."
"I don't know about that," Claire replied. "When I talked to them, they spoke perfect English."
Ron started teasing Hermione about the goblins asking if she was going to form a organization for Goblins like she did for House-elves.
Harry turned to Claire and whispered, "You talked to those goblins?"
Claire nodded. "It was something for Fred and George about Bagman."
"What'd they say?" Harry asked.
"Bagman owes them a lot of money and he hasn't paid them back. In fact, he placed a bet that if you win the tournament his debt will be cleared." Claire said.
"So that's why he was trying to help me." Harry said.
"Yep, it was to help him and not you." Claire replied. "Did Bagman talk about his theories as to why Crouch hasn't shown up to work?"
Harry shook his head. "Just that he's probably sick. He told me not to talk about it to anyone because Skeeter has been poking around for information about Crouch. He's afraid she'll turn it into a missing person article like with Bertha Jorkins. By the way, they've finally sent search parties out for her."
"About time. Any leads?" Claire asked.
Harry told her Bertha Jorkins had arrived in Albania to meet her second cousin. She then left the cousin's house to go south and see an aunt and that was where she was lost without a trace. Claire couldn't help but feel like something was off.
"She couldn't have disappeared. They just don't have all the puzzle pieces yet." Claire said.
"Uh—oh," Ron said, gaining Harry and Claire's attention.
They followed Ron's gaze at the pub's front door. Claire felt her blood boil at the sight of none other than Rita Skeeter. She was dressed in banana-yellow robes today; her long nails were painted shocking pink, and she was accompanied by her paunchy photographer. She bought drinks, and she and her photographer sat at a table nearby Claire, Harry, Ron, and Hermione who all glared at her as she approached. She was talking very fast and looking very satisfied about something.
"...didn't seem very keen to talk to us, did he, Bozo? Now, why would that be, do you think? And what's he doing with a pair of goblins in tow anyway? Showing them the sights...what nonsense...he was always a bad liar. Reckon something's up? Think we should do a bit of digging? 'Disgraced Ex-Head of Magical Games and Sports, Ludo Bagman...'Snappy start to a sentence, Bozo—we just need to find a story to fit it—"
"Trying to ruin someone else's life?" Harry said loudly.
A few people looked around. Rita Skeeter's eyes widened behind her jeweled spectacles as she saw who had spoken.
"Harry!" she said, beaming. "How lovely! Why don't you come and join—?"
"He wouldn't come near you with a ten-foot broomstick," Claire said furiously. "You had no right to do that to Hagrid!"
Skeeter glared at her. "Our readers have a right to the truth, Claire. I am merely doing my—"
"Who cares if he's half-giant?" Harry shouted. "There's nothing wrong with him!"
The whole pub had gone very quiet. Madam Rosmerta was staring over from the bar, apparently oblivious to the fact that the flagon she was filling with mead was overflowing.
Rita Skeeter's smile flickered very slightly, but she hitched it back almost at once; she snapped open her crocodile-skin handbag, pulled out her Quick-Quotes Will, and said, "How about giving me an interview about the Hagrid you know, Harry? The man behind the muscles? Your unlikely friendship and the reasons behind it. Would you call him a father substitute?"
Hermione stood up abruptly, her butterbeer clutched in her head like a grenade.
"You horrible woman," she said, through gritted teeth, "you don't care, do you, anything for a story, and anyone will do, won't they? Ludo Bagman—"
"Sit down, you silly little girl, and don't talk about things you don't understand," Rita Skeeter said coldly, her eyes hardening as they fell on Hermione.
"Funnily enough that's all you do," Claire retorted. "Maybe you should take your own advice for once, Skeeter."
Skeeter's eyes flashed to Claire before settling back on Hermione. "I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair curl...not that it needs it—"she added, eyeing Hermione's bushy hair.
"That's it!" Claire pulled out her wand and attempted to lunge at the horrid woman only to be held back by Harry and Ron.
"Let's go," Hermione said, "c'mon, Harry—Claire—Ron..."
Claire was dragged from the pub, still trying to go back and knock some sense into that woman. Once they reached a safe distance from the pub, Claire tried to go back, but Harry blocked her path.
"Move! I'm going to give that bleach-blonde bit—"
"Claire, calm down!" Harry said, placing a hand on each of her shoulders, holding her in place.
"No! I will not calm down! That vile woman has ruined too many lives and now I'm going to ruin her face! I'm going to stick her stupid quill and shove it up her—"
"Claire!" Hermione shouted. "You need to calm down!"
"You're one to talk, 'Mione. Skeeter'll be after you next." Ron said sounding worried.
"Let her try!" Hermione said defiantly. "I'll show her! Silly little girl, am I? Oh, I'll get her back for this. First Claire and Harry, then Hagrid..."
"You don't want to go upsetting Rita Skeeter," Ron said nervously. "I'm serious, Hermione, she'll dig up something on you—"
"My parents don't read the Daily Prophet. She can't scare me into hiding!" Hermione said, starting to walk faster. Harry, Claire (who was now no longer threatening the Prophet reporter's life), and Ron had to run to keep up with her. "And Hagrid isn't hiding anymore! He should never let that excuse for a human being upset him! Come on!"
Breaking into a run, she led them all the way back up the road, through the gates flanked by winged boars, and up through the grounds to Hagrid's cabin.
The curtains were still drawn, and they could hear Fang barking as they approached.
"Hagrid!" Hermione shouted, pounding on his front door. "Hagrid, that's enough! We know you're in there!"
"Nobody gives a flying snitch if your mum was a giantess! You can't let that pathetic excuse for a witch do this to you!" Claire shouted.
"Hagrid get out here, you're just being—"
The door opened, Hermione said, "About t—!" and then stopped, very suddenly, because she had found herself face-to-face, not with Hagrid, but with Albus Dumbledore.
"Good afternoon," he said pleasantly, smiling down at them.
"We—er—we wanted to see Hagrid," Hermione said in a small voice.
"Yes, I surmised as much," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling. "Why don't you come in?"
"Oh...um...okay," Hermione said.
The four of them went into the cabin; Fang launched himself upon Harry the moment he entered, barking madly and trying to lick his ears. While Harry fended off Fang, Claire looked around.
Hagrid was sitting at his table. He looked a real mess. His face was blotchy, his eyes swollen, and his hair looked like a wig of tangled wire.
"Hi, Hagrid," Harry said.
Hagrid looked up.
"'Lo," he said in a very hoarse voice.
"More tea, I think," Dumbledore said, closing the door behind Claire, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, drawing out his wand, and twiddling it; a revolving tea tray appeared in midair along with a plate of cakes. Dumbledore magicked the tray onto the table, and everybody sat down. There was a slight pause, and then Dumbledore said, "Did you by any chance hear what Miss Smith and Miss Granger were shouting, Hagrid?"
Hermione and Claire went slightly pink, but Dumbledore smiled at them and continued, "Hermione, Harry, Claire, and Ron still seem to want to know you, judging by the way they were attempting to break down the door."
"Of course we still want to know you!" Harry said, staring at Hagrid. "You don't think anything that Skeeter cow—sorry, Professor," he added quickly, looking at Dumbledore.
"I have gone temporarily deaf and haven't an idea what you said, Harry," Dumbledore said, twiddling his thumbs and staring at the ceiling.
"Er—right," Harry said sheepishly. "I just meant—Hagrid, how could you think we'd care what that—woman—wrote about you?"
Two fat tears leaked out of Hagrid's beetle-black eyes and fell slowly into his tangled beard.
"Living proof of what I've been telling you, Hagrid," Dumbledore said, still looking carefully up at the ceiling. "I have shown you the letters from the 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—"
"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, now peering sternly over his half-moon spectacles. "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?"
"Yeh—yeh're not half-giant!" Hagrid said croakily.
"What does it matter?!" Claire exclaimed. "I'm a half-breed too, Hagrid! You can't let that witch bring you down! You've got to show her that you're proud of who you are!"
"Claire's right, Hagrid. Look what I've got for relatives!" Harry said furiously. "Look at the Dursleys!"
"They both make an excellent point," Professor Dumbledore said. "My own brother, Aberforth, was prosecuted for practicing inappropriate charms on a goat. It was all over the papers, but did Aberforth hide? No, he did not! He held his head high and went about his business as usual! Of course, I'm not entirely sure he can read, so that may not have been bravery..."
"Come back and teach, Hagrid," Hermione said quietly, "please come back, we really miss you."
"Class isn't the same without you." Claire said.
Hagrid gulped. More tears leaked out down his cheeks and into his tangled beard.
Dumbledore stood up. "I refuse to accept your resignation, Hagrid, and I expect you back at work on Monday," he said. "You will join me for breakfast at eight-thirty in the Great Hall. No excuses. Good afternoon to you all."
Dumbledore left the cabin, pausing only to scratch Fang's ears. When the door shut behind him, Hagrid began to sob into his dustbin-lid-sized hands. Hermione kept patting his arm, and at last, Hagrid looked up, his eyes very red indeed, and said, "Great man, Dumbledore...great man..."
"Yeah, he is," Ron said. "Can I have one of these cakes, Hagrid?"
Claire rolled her eyes at Ron's insensitivity to the situation.
"Help yerself," Hagrid said, wiping his eyes on the back of his hand. "Ar, he's righ', o' course—yeh're all righ'...I bin stupid...my ol' dad woulda bin asamed o' the way I've bin behavin'..."
More tears leaked out, but wiped them away more forcefully, and said, "Never shown you a picture of my old dad, have I? Here..."
Hagrid got up, went over to his dresser, opened a drawer, and pulled out a picture of a short wizard with Hagrid's crinkled black eyes, beaming as he sat on top of Hagrid's shoulder. Hagrid was a good seven or eight feet tall, judging by the apple tree beside him, but his face was beardless, young, round, and smooth—he looked hardly older than eleven.
"Tha' was taken jus' after I got inter Hogwarts," Hagrid croaked. "Dad was dead chuffed...thought I migh' not be a wizard, see, 'cos me mum...well, anyway. 'Course, I never was great shakes at magic, really...but at least he never saw me expelled. Died, see, in me second year...Dumbledore was the one who stuck up for me after Dad went. Got me the gamekeeper job...trusts people, he does. Gives 'em second chances...tha's what sets him apar' from other Heads, see. He'll accept anyone at Hogwarts, s'long as they've got the talent. Knows people can turn out okay even if their families weren'...well...all tha' respectable. But some don' understand that. There's some who'd always hold it against yeh...there's some who'd even pretend they just had big bones rather than stand up an' say—I am what I am, an' I'm not ashamed. 'Never be ashamed,' my ol' dad used ter say, 'there's some who'll hold it against you, but they're not worth botherin' with.' An' he was right. I've bin an idiot. Yeh were right too, Claire. I won' let her bother me no more, I promise yeh that. Big bones...I'll give her big bones."
Harry, Ron, Claire, and Hermione looked at one another nervously; they knew Hagrid wasn't talking about Skeeter; he was talking about Madame Maxime, but Hagrid was still talking, apparently unaware that he had said anything odd.
"Yeh know wha', Harry?" he said, looking up from the photograph of his father, his eyes very bright, "when I firs' met you, you reminded me o' me a bit. Mum an' Dad gone, an' you was feelin' like yeh wouldn' fit in at Hogwarts, remember? Not sure yeh were really up to it...an' now look at yeh, Harry! School champion!"
He looked at Harry for a moment and then said, very seriously, "Yeh know what I'd love, Harry? I'd love yeh ter win, I really would. It'd show 'em all...yeh don' have ter be pureblood ter do it. Yeh don' have ter be ashamed of what yeh are. It'd show 'em Dumbledore's the one who's got it righ', lettin' anyone in as long as they can do magic. How you doin' with that egg, Harry?"
"Great," Harry said. "Really great."
Hagrid's miserable face broke into a wide, watery smile.
"Tha's my boy...you show 'em, Harry, you show 'em. Beat 'em all."
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They spent another hour with Hagrid before they headed back to the castle. Hermione and Ron were walking in front of Claire and Harry.
"I can't believe Skeeter did this to Hagrid." Claire said. "Actually, I can, but I just don't know why she has to do those types of things to people as nice as Hagrid. Why couldn't she of done it to Malfoy? You should've let me punch her back in Hogsmeade."
"And risk her writing more terrible things about you? No, thanks," Harry replied.
"I could care less what she writes about me so long as she doesn't do the same thing to my friends." Claire said. "Besides, she'll still write about me because of her vendetta against my mom. Also, I have a feeling she doesn't like the fact that I dated her son."
Harry didn't speak much the rest of the way.
"Harry?" Claire caught his attention. "You know, I think Hagrid was right about you winning the tournament."
"I don't care about winning the tournament so long as I make it out alive." Harry replied.
"I know you don't, but he has a point." Claire said. "If you win it'd be a kick in the face to all the Pureblood purists like the Malfoy's. You'd have the ultimate bragging rights and you'd show them it doesn't matter what blood type you have to win."
Harry nodded. "Yeah, if I win I want to do it for Hagrid."
"Well, then, better get started on cracking that egg." Claire said.
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First chapter of the year! I'm going to the Harry Potter Celebration again at Universal for my 18th Birthday which is today. This chapter is based off of Rita Skeeter's Scoop (Chapter 24 of the Goblet of Fire). It's one of my favorite chapters in the Goblet of Fire. It really encases the whole theme of the series of discrimination and how you can overcome it. Hagrid is such a sweet person, but because he's a half-giant he's treated with little respect. It really goes to show that people judge you not only on your physical appearance and personality but also your family history. What did you think about Claire's dream? Turns out there was more than one intruder at Hogwarts and Jeremy was one of them. Did you expect that? You'll find out later on who killed him and why. And as far as the Doctor goes, that'll also be another thing you'll find out later on. And if you're wondering why Claire didn't tell Fudge about her father, she doesn't want to get him in trouble until she knows for sure that he's working for Voldemort. The dream she had just wasn't enough proof for her. I really liked the idea of bringing Fudge into this chapter to talk about the crime committed at the Yule Ball. He's fun to write. It was sort of complicated though writing the whole interrogation scene in Dumbledore's office because I had to figure out what questions would be asked and how they would be answered. That took up a lot of time to write. Snape made an appearance in this chapter and I tried not to cry because when I added him I forgot Alan Rickman had died. In the middle of writing his scene, I remembered his death and I was like why? So, I want to dedicate this chapter to the late Alan Rickman. We will ALWAYS remember you!