The final quidditch match was between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Montague hadn't recovered, so Slytherin lost against Hufflepuff. Gryffindor wasn't daring to hope for a victory because they knew their team sucked.
"I mean, I can't get any worse, can I?" Ron asked grimly. There were all at breakfast the morning of the match. "Nothing to lose now, is there?"
"You know," Hermione said as they walked down to the pitch. Ron had already gone to get ready, so it was just Harry and Rose with her. "Ron might do better since Fred and George aren't here. They never really encouraged him, did they?"
"Maybe..." Rose said as Luna Lovegood walked past them, a giant fake eagle on her head.
"Cho will be playing, won't she?" Hermione asked. Harry and Rose both grunted. The three friends sat down close to the top of the stands. The sky was clear and it was comfortable out. Lee Jordan was commentating the match and he had just started when a whisper distracted the three friends.
"Harry...Hermione...Rose."
Rose looked and saw Hagrid's face sticking through the seats. He was bent over as if he was hiding, even though he was still much taller that everyone else.
"Listen," Hagrid whispered. "Can you come with me? While everyone is watching the match?"
"Can it wait until the match is over?" Harry asked.
"No...no, it's got to be now...while everyone is watching the match...please," Hagrid whispered. Both of his eyes were black and his nose was bleeding.
"Of course we'll come," Harry said quickly. The three friends made their way past the other students as Hagrid did the same.
"I appreciate this," Hagrid said once they reached the steps. He looked around anxiously. "I just hope she doesn't notice us going."
"You mean Umbridge?" Harry asked. "She won't. She has her whole Inquisitorial Squad around her like she's expecting trouble."
"A bit of trouble wouldn't hurt," Hagrid mumbled, pausing to make sure the area between the stands and his hut were empty. "Might give us more time."
"What exactly are we doing Hagrid?" Rose asked.
"You'll see..." Hagrid said as a giant roar erupted from the stands. "Did someone just score?"
"It'll be Ravenclaw," Harry said sadly.
"Good...that's good..." Hagrid muttered, obviously not paying attention. Hagrid walked straight past his hut and to the forest.
"We're going in here," Hagrid said when he saw that Hermione had turned to his hut.
"Into the forest?" Hermione asked, looking perplexed.
"Yeah," Hagrid said. "Come on, now, before anyone sees us!"
Rose, Harry and Hermione all shared a look before ducking into the trees after Hagird. Rose was able to see his crossbow over his arm.
"Hagrid, why do you have a crossbow?" Rose asked.
"Just a precaution," Hagrid said with a shrug.
"You didn't bring your crossbow when we were seeing the Thesterals," Hermione reminded him.
"Well, we didn't go that far in then," Hagrid grunted. "And Firenze was still in the forest then."
"What does Firenze leaving the forest have to do with it?" Rose asked. She tripped over a root and scrapped her hand on a tree. Rose hissed in pain for a few seconds, but then her hand healed, causing her to let out a small, happy smile.
"Cause the other centaurs are good and angry with me," Hagrid explained. "We used to be friendly-well, but friendly-but we used to be civil. Kept to themselves but showed up if I wanted a word...not anymore..."
"Firenze said they're angry cause he's working for Dumbledore?" Harry said as he tripped over a root and scrapped his hand. He held his hand out for Rose to heal, but she high fived it instead, causing him to hiss in pain.
"Yeah, well, angry doesn't cover it," Hagrid muttered. Harry held his hand out again and Rose sighed but quickly healed it. "Ruddy livid. If I hadn't stepped in, I reckon they'd have kicked Firenze to death-"
"They attacked him?" Hermione gasped.
"Yep," Hagrid said gruffly. "He had half the herd on him-"
"And you stopped it? By yourself?" Harry asked, amazement clear in his voice.
"Course I did! Couldn't just stand by and watch them kill him, could I?" Hagrid said. "Lucky I was passing by...and I'd have thought that Firenze would remember that and not send me stupid warnings!"
The three teens jumped as Hagrid yelled. The half-giant took a deep breath before continuing.
"Anyways, the rest of the herd is still angry with me, and the problem is they have a lot of influence over the other creatures."
"Is that why we're here? The centaurs?" Hermione asked.
"Nah, but they could complicate it a bit...you'll see why we're here in a second," Hagrid said. The four people all walked in silence after that. The path continued to get thicker with trees and bushes and Rose's curly hair had gotten caught on multiple branches.
"Hagrid?" Harry asked as Hagrid walked off of the path. "Where are we going?"
"Bit further..." Hagrid muttered. "Come on, stay together..."
They were so deep in the forest that there was almost next to no light. Rose jumped and grabbed Harry's hand when someone stepped a twig and it broke loudly. Rose muttered a small sorry and stepped away from him when he looked at her in surprise. Harry had to hide the look of disappointment when Rose pulled away.
"Would it be alright if we used our wands, Hagrid?" Hermione asked.
"Er...alright," Hagrid muttered. "Actually..."
Hagrid stopped so suddenly that Hermione ran into him and Harry had to catch her before she fell.
"I should catch you all up," Hagrid said as the three teens lit up their wands. "Well...there's a chance I'm going to get sacked any day now."
"You've lasted this long. What makes you say that?" Rose asked.
"Umbridge reckons it was me who put a niffler in her office," Hagrid admitted. Rose remembered hearing about Umbridge's office being ransacked by a niffler, but she didn't know who had done it.
"Was it?" Harry asked. Rose slapped his arm in surprise.
"Of course not!" Hagrid exclaimed. "She just blames me for anything dealing with magical creatures. She'd do anything to get me to go and if it weren't for the...special thing I'm about to show you, I would be gone. I won't let her get the chance to sack me like she did Trelawney."
The three teens made sounds of protests but he just waved his hand at them.
"It's not the end of the world. I'd be able to help Dumbledore and I'll be able to help the Order more. And Professor Grubbly-Plank will get you through your exams..." Hagrid's voice grew tight and shook slightly. "Look, I wouldn't be telling you this if I didn't think I had to. Are you will to help me?"
"Of course we'll help you," Hermione said.
"I knew you'd say that...come with me," Hagrid said. They walked further into the forest for fifteen minutes when Hagrid threw out his arm and wanted them to be quiet. They silently approached a mound of earth and Rose felt her heart clench in terror. Nearby trees had been ripped up and seemed to form a sort of barricade. .
"Sleepin," Hagird muttered. Rose could faintly hear the inhale and exhale of a very large creature.
"Hagrid.. who is he?" Hermione asked, terror clear in her voice. She was staring at the mound of earth with horror filled eyes and Rose gasped as she realized that the mound of earth was a giant.
"What is it?" Harry asked, obviously not seeing the mound of earth for what it really was.
"You told us none of them wanted to come!" Rose whispered as she grabbed her hair in panic. Harry looked between her and Hermione and the mound of earth before his mouth gaped open and he realized what was in front of him.
"Well...he didn't want to come," Hagrid admitted. "But I had to bring him!"
"Why?" Hermione asked, sounding as if she wanted to cry.
"I knew if I brought him back and taught him some English everyone would see that he's harmless," Hagrid explained.
"Harmless!" Rose asked loudly. Hagrid made frantic hushing noises with his arms as the giant grunted in its sleep and moved slightly.
"Hagrid, he's been hurting you, hasn't he?" Hermione asked.
"He doesn't know his own strengths!" Hagrid told the panicked girl. "And he's getting better!"
"This is why it took you so long to get back!" Hermione deduced.
"Why couldn't you just leave him?" Rose asked.
"They were bullying him for being so small!" Hagrid tried to defend himself.
"Small?" The three teens said at the same time.
"I couldn't leave him," Hagrid said as tears started trickling down his face. "he's-he's my brother!"
"Brother?" Rose gasped.
"Well, half-brother," Hagrid corrected. "My mum had me and then went and had Grawp here-"
"Grawp?" Harry asked.
"Yeah...well, that's what it sounds like when he says his name," Hagrid said anxiously. "I've been teaching him English. Mum didn't seem to like him much cause he's on the small side...only about sixteen or seventeen foot-"
"That's not small!" Rose told him.
"He was being kicked around! I couldn't just leave him!" Hagrid told them.
"Did Madame Maxime agree to this?" Harry asked.
"Well...she could see it was important to me, but she got tired of him and left," Hagrid replied.
"How did you get back without anyone noticing?" Harry questioned.
"We only traveled by night. It was hard cause he wanted to go back-"
"Why didn't you let him?" Hermione cried.
"Hagrid, he's obviously violent-" Rose started.
"Not violent," Hagrid said as he twisted his hands. "He's taken a few swings at me, but he doesn't know any better."
"What are the ropes for?" Harry asked. Rose looked and saw ropes tied between some trees where Grawp was.
"You have to keep him tied up?" Hermione asked.
"Well...yeah..." Hagrid admitted.
"What do we have to do?" Rose asked, wanting to get away from the giant as soon as possible.
"Look after him after I leave," Hagrid said. The three teens shared an anxious look.
"What does that include?" Hermione asked hesitantly.
"He can get his own food but...but he needs some company...needs to learn English," Hagrid answered.
"You want us to teach a giant English?" Rose repeated as she observed the giant.
"Just enough to talk a bit," Hagrid said.
"I-Hagrid, this is a lot," Rose admitted.
"I know...but will you do it?" Hagrid asked hopefully.
"Well...we'll try," Harry said. Rose sent him an exasperated look but he just shrugged.
"I knew I could count on you!" Hagrid said happily. "I'll wake him up and let him meet you!"
"Hagrid, no!" Hermione yelled, but Hagrid was already waking up the giant. Harry pushed Rose behind him as the giant woke up and yelled.
"All right, Grawpy?" Hagrid asked as he stepped back. "Had a nice sleep?"
The three teens all stepped back in fear as the giant sniffed, looking very angry. Grawp rubbed his hands with his fists before suddenly standing up.
"Oh, my..." Hermione squealed. Grawp reached out and grabbed a tree with bird eggs in it, yelling when there was no bird in it. The eggs fell to the ground and splattered.
"I've brought some friends for you to meet, Grawpy! Remember me telling you about them?" Hagrid yelled up at the giant. Grawp just yelled and pulled back a tree, ignoring the protests of Hagrid. Rose squealed a little as the tree broke and went flying. Hagrid continued to yell at Grawp until he looked down.
"This is Harry!" Hagrid yelled. "And this is Rose! And this is Hermione!"
Hagrid turned to Hermione, but she kept her eyes on Grawp, who was staring at them with interest.
"Do you mind if he calls you Hermy? It's much easier," Hagrid asked.
"Not at all," Hermione shrieked.
"Good. This is Hermy! And- GRAWP, NO!" Hagrid yelled. Harry pushed Rose further behind him and she grabbed his arm in fear as Grawp leaned down and tried to pick up Hermione. Harry grabbed her just in time so Grawp's hand just grabbed air.
"BAD BOY!" Hagrid yelled. Hermione clung to Harry, whimpering the whole time. "VERY BAD BOY! WE DO NOT GRAB! OUCH!"
Hagrid was laying on his back, seemingly having been knocked over by Grawp. Hagrid stood up and held his nose, which was gushing blood.
"Well, now you've met him and now he'll know you when you come back," Hagrid grunted. He looked up to Grawp, who was just ripping up trees.
"I reckon that's enough for one day. Let's go back," Hagrid said. They walked back in complete silence, all of them too shocked to say anything.
"Hold it," Hagrid said. Rose stumbled into Harry's back as they suddenly stopped walking. Hagrid pulled out his crossbow.
"I thought we told you, Hagrid, that you are no longer welcome here?" A deep voice asked. Rose watched as a centaur stepped forward, also armed.
"Hello, Magorian," Hagrid said, sounding almost sheepish. About five other centaurs made their way to the group of humans.
"We're gonna die," Rose whispered to Harry as Hagrid argued with the centaurs.
"It's gonna be fine," Harry whispered back, but it was obvious that he didn't know for sure.
"Ok, I'm leaving!" Rose announced. She started pushing Hagrid's back, Harry and Hermione helping her. Rose kept glancing over her shoulder until they exited the forest, not wanting a centaur to follow them.
"Was that another goal or is the game over?" Hagrid asked as they got closet to the quidditch pitch.
"I don't know," Rose mumbled, pulling twigs out of her hair as she walked. Hermione was doing the same thing.
"I reckon it's over, people are leaving. Hurry and blend in with the crowd!" Hagrid instructed them. The three teens waved goodbye and joined the group.
"I can't believe him," Rose breathed out.
"He's crazy," Hermione agreed.
"We haven't got to do anything yet," Harry tried to assure them. "It's only if Hagrid gets sacked."
"Oh, come off it!" Hermione exclaimed as she stopped walking. "He's going to get sacked and after what we just saw do we blame Umbridge?"
"You don't mean that," Harry said lowly.
"Fine, I didn't," Hermione sighed. "When did life get so difficult for us?"
"I dunno..." Harry sighed.
The students walked by, singing Weasley is our King.
"I wish they'd stop singing that!" Hermione groaned.
Weasley can save everything,
He never leaves a single ring,
That's why all the Gryffindors sing
Weasley is our king!
Harry and Rose shared a look as they listened to the new lyrics.
"Hermione..." Rose muttered. As more students started singing, Hermione's mouth fell open in shock.
"No!" Hermione gasped.
"YES!" Harry yelled.
"HARRY! ROSE! HERMIONE!" Yelled Ron, the Quidditch cup held tightly in his hand. "We did it! We won!"
Rose clapped happily at him as the Gryffindors held him on his shoulders and walked into the castle, singing the whole time.
"We tell him tomorrow?" Rose asked.
"Yep."