Hermione seemed to reach an unspoken agreement with Ron not to mention the argument last night. She was being perfectly friendly with him, and he and Harry wasted no time at all in telling her about a conversation they had overheard between Hagrid and Madame Maxime, in which Hagrid had revealed that he was half giant. They seemed to think that this was shocking news, which Hermione found rather amusing
"Well, I thought he must be" she said, shrugging "I knew he couldn't be pure giant because they're about twenty feet tall. But honestly, all this hysteria about giants. They can't all be horrible... It's the same sort of prejudice that people have toward werewolves... It's just bigotry, isn't it?"
Everyone was paying more attention to homework now that Christmas was over, which was a shame, as Hermione had already done all hers. Though, she still went to the library, even if she didn't have any work to do. Viktor and her spent most mornings there together, talking about whatever, before one of them would have to leave in the afternoon. Hermione wasn't going to let her and Ron's argument tarnish her memories of the actual Ball. Even if she had wanted to, Ginny wouldn't have let her, badgering her again and again to tell her everything about what had happened. She was glad to see that when she brought up Michael Corner's name, Ginny went worse red than she did
Lessons started about a week later, and no one was looking forward to an hour or Care of Magical Creatures on the Monday. They reached Hagrid's hut and found, to their surprise, that Hagrid wasn't there. Instead, there was a elderly, grey haired witch standing where Hagrid should be
"Hurry up, now, the bell rang five minutes ago" she said briskly
"Who're you?" said Ron "Where's Hagrid?"
"My name is Professor Grubbly-Plank" she said "I am your temporary Care of Magical Creatures teacher"
"Where's Hagrid?" said Harry loudly
"He is indisposed" said Professor Grubbly-Plank in a very final sort of way
There was laughter behind them. The Slytherins were walking towards them, not looking at all surprised at the absence of Hagrid
"This way, please" said Professor Grubbly-Plank, striding off towards the paddock with the giant Beauxbatons horses were
"What's wrong with Hagrid?" said Harry again
"Never you mind" Professor Grubbly-Plank snapped
"I do mind, though" said Harry "What's up with him?"
Professor Grubbly-Plank ignored him
They reached the paddock, where all the Beauxbatons horses were huddled together. At the end of the paddock, leaning against a tree at the edge of the forest, was a glowing, pure white unicorn. Several people "ooooohed!" at the sight of it
"Oh it's so beautiful!" Lavender breathed "How did she get it?"
"Boys keep back!" said Professor Grubbly-Plank as the unicorn pawned the ground nervously "They prefer the woman's touch, unicorns. Girls to the front, and approach with care, come on, easy does it..."
Most of the girls crowded around the unicorn and began stroking it, but Hermione was more interested in what Professor Grubbly-Plank was saying. There wasn't anything in The Monster Book of Monsters, so almost everything she was saying was new information. She was a bit worried about Hagrid - all the curtains in his hut were closed - but she assumed that he was sick and would be fine in a couple of days
"I hope she stays, that woman!" said Parvati when they headed back towards the castle "That's more what I thought Care of Magical Creatures would be like... proper creatures like unicorns, not monsters..."
"What about Hagrid?" Harry snapped
"What about him?" said Parvati coolly "He can still be gamekeeper, can't he?"
"That was a really good lesson" said Hermione "I didn't know half the things Professor Grubbly- Plank told us about uni-"
"Look at this!" Harry snapped, giving her a copy of the Daily Prophet. Hermione looked at the article and stared. There was a large picture of Hagrid, looking furtive. She read the article as fast as possible:
DUMBLEDORE'S GIANT MISTAKE
Albus Dumbledore, eccentric Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, has never been afraid to make controversial staff appointments, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. In September of this year, he hired Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, the notoriously jinx-happy ex-Auror, to teach Defence 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.
Hermione slowly closed the newspaper
"How did that horrible Skeeter woman find out?" Hermione gasped "You don't think Hagrid told her?"
"No," said Harry "He never even told us, did he? I reckon she was so mad he wouldn't give her loads of horrible stuff about me, she went ferreting around to get him back"
"Maybe she heard him telling Madame Maxime at the ball" Hermione whispered
"We'd have seen her in the garden!" said Ron "Anyway, she's not supposed to come into school anymore, Hagrid said Dumbledore banned her..."
"Maybe she's got an Invisibility Cloak," said Harry "Sort of thing she'd do, isn't it, hide in bushes listening to people"
"Like you and Ron did, you mean" said Hermione
"We weren't trying to hear him!" said Ron "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," said Harry "This evening, after Divination. Tell him we want him back... you do want him back?" he snapped 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 said
Harry and Ron went off to Divination, and Ginny sat down next to Hermione, seething
"Have you seen this rubbish?"
"Yes" Hermione answered shortly before Ginny could pass her the article on Hagrid "don't you think it's true?"
"Well no, obviously it's true" Ginny started
"Ron and Harry didn't seem to think that" said Hermione
That evening, the three of them trooped down to Hagrid's hut and banged on the door but, apart from Fang's barking, there was no answer
"Hagrid, it's us!" Harry roared "Open up! Hagrid didn't answer. Nothing. For ten whole minutes, nothing
"What's he avoiding us for?" said Hermione when they had finally shut up "He surely doesn't think we'd care about him being half-giant?"
But it seemed he did think that. Hermione didn't see him all week, avoiding the Great Hall for meals and neglecting his game keeping duties
The next Hogsmeade visit arrived midway through January. Harry wanted to go, which Hermione found very surprising
"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" said Harry
"Have you really?" said Hermione, trying not to look too surprised "Well done!"
They set of down the grounds towards the gates. As they passed the Durmstrang ship, Viktor appeared on deck wearing swimming shorts and dived into the lake
"He's mad!" said Harry, 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" said Hermione "I suppose it feels quite warm to him"
Viktor had been meeting up with Hermione in the library almost every day. They hadn't done anything besides talking, and Hermione didn't know whether or not that was unusual. It was at times like this that she wished she had Ginny's knowledge of boys
"Yeah, but there's still the giant squid" said Ron, sounding almost hopeful. Hermione frowned. What had Ron got against Viktor?
"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 didn't reply
Harry seemed to be looking for Hagrid as they walked along the busy streets but, obviously, his search was futile. If he refused to leave his hut all week, he wouldn't just be waltzing around Hogsmeade, would he?
They went into the Three Broomsticks after the weather took a cold turn. They say up at the bar for once and ordered Butterbeers from Madam Rosmerta. Hermione looked up at the mirror behind the bar and found herself looking at Ludo Bagman
"Doesn't he ever go into the office?" she hissed, pointing at him "Look!"
Bagman was talking rapidly to a group of goblins. He looked pale and strained again, as he had at the Quidditch World Cup. He spotted the three of them and got up
"In a moment, in a moment!" he said to the goblins and walked towards Harry, with a brave attempt at his usual grin
"Harry!" he said jovially "How are you? Been hoping to run into you! Everything going all right?"
"Fine, thanks," said Harry
"Wonder if I could have a quick, private word, Harry?" said Bagman brightly "You couldn't give us a moment, you two, could you?"
"Er - okay" said Ron. He and Hermione found a table some way away and Bagman led Harry as far away from the bar and the goblins as possible
"Wonder what Bagman wants" Hermione wondered
"It wouldn't be anything that unusual" said Ron, unconcerned "or he wouldn't pick here to talk about it"
"Hmm" said Hermione "The goblins don't look very pleased. What do you reckon is up with them?"
"Dunno" said Ron
"Thank you, Ron. You're contributions are always very informative" said Hermione sarcastically. Ron grinned
Badman left the bar, and the goblins followed. Harry sat back down next to Ron
"What did he want?" Ron asked
"He offered to help me with the golden egg" said Harry
"He shouldn't be doing that!" said Hermione, aghast "He's one of the judges! And anyway, you've already worked it out - haven't you?"
"Er... nearly" said Harry
"Well, I don't think Dumbledore would like it if he knew Bagman was trying to persuade you to cheat!" said Hermione "I hope he's trying to help Cedric as much!"
"He's not, I asked" said Harry
"Who cares if Diggory's getting help?" said Ron
"Those goblins didn't look very friendly" said Hermione "What were they doing here?"
"Looking for Crouch, according to Bagman" said Harry "He's still ill. Hasn't been into work"
"Maybe Percy's poisoning him" said Ron "Probably thinks if Crouch snuffs it he'll be made head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation"
Hermione shot Ron a look, and he shut up
"Funny, goblins looking for Mr. Crouch..." she said "They'd normally deal with the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures"
"Crouch can speak loads of different languages, though" said Harry "Maybe they need an interpreter"
"Worrying about poor 'ickle goblins, now, are you?" said Ron "Thinking of starting up S.P.U.G. or something? Society for the Protection of Ugly Goblins?"
"Ha, ha, ha" said Hermione "Goblins don't need protection. Haven't you been listening to what Professor Binns has been telling us about goblin rebellions?"
"No," said Harry and Ron together
"Well, they're quite capable of dealing with wizards" said Hermione brightly "They're very clever. They're not like house-elves, who never stick up for themselves"
"Uh-oh" said Ron, looking at the opening door. Rita Skeeter had just entered the pub, wearing bright yellow robes. Hermione, Ron and Harry glared at her, but she didn't notice. She was too busy talking very fast to the photographer who was following her like a puppy
"...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 pack 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?" called Harry
"Harry!" she said, smiling as she saw who had spoken "How lovely! Why don't you come and join-?"
"I wouldn't come near you with a ten-foot broomstick" Harry snarled "What did you do that to Hagrid for, eh?"
Rita Skeeter raised an eyebrow
"Our readers have a right to the truth, Harry. I am merely doing my-"
"Who cares if he's half-giant?" Harry roared "There's nothing wrong with him!"
The whole pun went quiet. Skeeter's smile flickered, but then she opened her handbag and took out an acid green quill
"How about giving me an interview about the Hagrid you know, Harry?" she said "The man behind the muscles? Your unlikely friendship and the reasons behind it. Would you call him a father substitute?"
Hermione leapt to her feet. If she gripped her Butterbeer cup any tighter, it might smash. Though that would be fine, she thought to herself, than I'd have something to throw at her
"You horrible woman" Hermione hissed "you don't care, do you, anything for a story, and anyone will do, won't they? Even Ludo Bagman-"
"Sit down, you silly little girl, and don't talk about things you don't understand" Skeeter snapped "I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair curl... not that it needs it-" she added under her breath
"Let's go" said Hermione. She was shaking with rage, and wanted nothing more than to punch her, but that would cause a scene "c'mon, Harry - Ron..."
"She'll be after you next, Hermione" said Ron quietly
"Let her try!" said Hermione loudly, setting off down the lane "I'll show her! Silly little girl, am I? Oh, I'll get her back for this. First Harry, then Hagrid..."
"You don't want to go upsetting Rita Skeeter" said Ron "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!" said Hermione, walking faster than she had done in her life. She'd show her "And Hagrid isn't hiding anymore! He should never have let that excuse for a human being upset him! Come on!"
She started running, and didn't stop until she reached Hagrid's front door
"Hagrid!" Hermione roared, pounding on the 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 started, but her voice died when she found herself in front of Albus Dumbledore
"Good afternoon" he said calmly
"We - er - we wanted to see Hagrid" said Hermione quietly
"Yes, I surmised as much" said Dumbledore "Why don't you come in?"
"Oh... um... okay" said Hermione, and the three of them went inside
Hagrid looked a wreck. His eyes were red and blotchy, and his hair looked like it had received an electric shock
"Hi, Hagrid" said Harry
Hagrid glanced up
"'Lo" he said quietly. He sounded as if he was out of the habit of using his voice
"More tea, I think" said Dumbledore, waving his wand and causing a tea tray to appear in midair. Everyone sat down
"Did you by any chance hear what Miss Granger was shouting, Hagrid?" said Dumbledore. Hermione went red, but Dumbledore smiled and went on "Hermione, Harry, 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!" said Harry "You don't think anything that Skeeter cow - sorry, Professor" he added
"I have gone temporarily deaf and haven't any idea what you said, Harry" said Dumbledore, staring at the ceiling
"Er - right" said Harry, going red as well "I just meant - Hagrid, how could you think we'd care what that - woman - wrote about you?"
"Living proof of what I've been telling you, Hagrid" said Dumbledore "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," said Hagrid glumly "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" said Dumbledore "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!" said Hagrid
"Hagrid, look what I've got for relatives!" said Harry "Look at the Dursleys!"
"An excellent point" said Dumbledore "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" said Hermione "please come back, we really miss you"
Tears spilled out of Hagrid's eyes. Dumbledore got 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"
He left, and Hagrid began to cry
"Great man, Dumbledore... great man..."
"Yeah, he is" said Ron "Can I have one of these cakes, Hagrid?"
"Help yerself" said Hagrid, wiping his eyes "Ar, he's righ', o' course - yeh're all righ'... I bin stupid... my ol' dad woulda bin ashamed o' the way I've bin behavin'... Never shown you a picture of my old dad, have I? Here..."
Hagrid went to a chest of drawers, picked up a photograph and showed it to them. Hagrid couldn't have been more than eleven years old, but he was already as tall as the apple tree behind him. A tiny wizard was standing in front of him, a wide grin on his face
"Tha' was taken jus' after I got inter Hogwarts" said Hagrid "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. I'm not botherin' with her no more, I promise yeh that. Big bones... I'll give her big bones"
Hermione, Ron and Harry glanced at each other. Ron and Harry hadn't told Hermione the specifics of Hagrid's and Madame Maxime's conversation at the Yule Ball, but it didn't take a genius to work out what it meant
"Yeh know wha', Harry?" he said "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 while, his eyes bright
"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" said Harry "Really great"
Hagrid's smiled wetly
"Tha's my boy..." he said quietly "you show 'em, Harry, you show 'em. Beat 'em all"
Harry looked very thoughtful as they walked back up to the castle and, as he sneaked out of the common room that evening, Hermione decided not to question it