Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny sat in their compartment on the Hogwarts Express in utter silence. This was a change as they had been doing nothing but talking about and considering the ramifications of the Order meeting that they had been allowed to attend. Tonks had stormed out of the meeting after denying Dumbledore’s announcement that Lupin was affianced to Gaia. They hadn’t seen her or Lupin for the rest of break.
Dumbledore had also informed them that, irregardless of Harry’s objections, Ginny would be continuing Volcen lessons so long as she attended Hogwarts. In the end, Hermione had calmed Harry down by pointing out that as Ginny’s powers increased, her dependency on her fellow Volcen’s would decrease. Besides, she still couldn’t conjure a proper Patronus, so learning how to fight off dementors through Solbrillo was a good idea.
That wasn’t what had them sitting quietly though. As Harry and Ron were purchasing cauldron cakes and licorice wands from the lady with the sweet cart in the hallway a gleeful Malfoy flanked by his cronies had shown up with news that had devastated them, Tonks had resigned her position as Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Harry looked at Ginny but she refused to meet his eye. He knew she blamed him for Tonks’ resignation. If he had not blown up on Lupin, they would not be in this mess.
Hermione was most concerned about who the new professor would be. She feared that whoever it was, he or she would not know the subject of Volcency as well as Tonks did. Ron was the only one that shared Harry’s fear, that Lupin and Tonks would withdraw from the Order and leave them to deal with the mess they had created.
“Better get in your school robes,” Hermione broke the silence as the train made the final bends before coming to a complete stop.
They dressed, grabbed their trunks, and joined the crowds milling in the hallway waiting for the doors to open. Once the doors flung open, the students spilled out of the train in all haste. Everyone seemed excited to be going back to Hogwarts.
“Firs’ years! Over here,” a gruff voice came from beside the lake.
Harry shot Ron an incredulous look, could it possibly be…?
“HAGRID!” Hermione screamed as she and Ginny took off in a run, throwing themselves into the outstretched arms of Rubeus Hagrid.
Hagrid chortled for a bit while Ron and Harry hastily joined the group hug. When at last they all broke apart, Hagrid stood up and gestured to a single boat in the lake.
“Thought I’d give you lot a real treat,” he told them.
They followed him and jumped into the boat. In the moonlight Harry noticed how much wilder Hagrid was looking. His beard and hair stood literally on end. What they could see of his face had cuts, scars, and bruises. He looked to have lost some weight as well.
“How have you been doing, Hagrid?” Hermione asked, observing the same things that Harry had taken note of.
“Been doin’ well, I ‘ave!” Hagrid boasted with a hearty laugh. “’Cept I been worryin’ about you all…heard you’ve been causin’ trouble for poor Dumbledore.”
Ron and Harry shifted uncomfortably on their seat.
“So your mission is going alright?” Harry asked, trying to get the attention off of the mistakes that he and his friends had made.
“I won’t lie, it’s hasn’t been easy. It’s been rewarding though. Never thought I’d live to see the day when giants would unite.”
Harry looked at Hagrid’s scars and bruises more carefully, “You sure they’ve united?”
“I’m not sayin’ there haven’t been a few scuffles here an’ there,” Hagrid said when he caught Harry’s gaze, “but they’ve formed into a pack and elected a leader…I think there’s real hope for them.”
“Do you think they’re prepared to take on Voldemort’s giants?” Harry asked.
Hagrid contemplated this for a minute. “I say give them a year and they’ll be in top fighten’ form.”
“A year!” Ron jumped in, startled by Hagrid’s response. “Who knows what Voldemort could have done in a year’s time?”
“It’s why I’m here,” Hagrid told them, “workin’ out some strategies with Dumbledore. Speaking of which,” he turned his smile on Ginny, “been hearin’ some mighty impressive stuff about you…”
Ginny gave a tentative smile that didn’t fool anyone. She then launched into an explanation, helped by Ron and Hermione, about everything that had taken place since term started.
“So you see,” Ron was saying to Hagrid, “it’s not our fault that Tonks quit and they’re bound to find Lupin soon.” The girls nodded adamantly at Ron’s words. As they began to walk towards the castle Hagrid slowed down until he and Harry were a fair distance behind the others.
“Yer awfully quiet,” he remarked.
“I suppose you think I should write Lupin an apology?” Harry stated rather than asking.
“I think yer conscious would be feelin’ a lot better if ya did.”
Harry put his hands in his pocket and let his head fall down a little. He knew that Hagrid was right.
“I thought Lupin would know that…” Harry trailed off.
“That ya didn’t mean it?” Hagrid finished his thought. “I’m sure he does, but sometimes it’s nice to hear it.”
“How long will you be staying Hagrid?” Harry felt a twinge of sadness at the thought of Hagrid leaving. He realized how much he had come to depend on him for support.
“’Spect I’ll be here a few days or so,” Hagrid said as he scratched his beard, “Professor Grubby-Plank will be unable to fill in fer Charlie so Dumbledore’s asked me to stay on.”
“What?” Harry looked in surprise at Hagrid. “Where’s Charlie gone to?”
“Dumbledore’s sent ‘em after Tonks,” Hagrid told him in a whisper. “To try an’ get her to come back to her job. She’s not talkin’ to Lupin from what I hear, an’ I finally understand why. I don’t expect she took it well when she found out he was engaged.”
“No, actually she stormed out of Grimmauld Place,” Harry told him in confidence, “but she didn’t quit because of that, did she?”
Hagrid smiled at the skeptical look Harry had on his face. “Women! Ya ruddy well can’t live with them!”
“…and you can’t live without them?” Harry finished the phrase off for Hagrid.
“Nah ya just can’t live with ‘em!” Hagrid said as they walked up the steps of the castle and into the entry way where Professor McGonagall met them anxiously.
“Really Hagrid, you should have asked me before taking my students…”
“I got it cleared through Dumbledore, Minerva. An’ here they are all in one piece, no harm done.”
The harsh look Professor McGonagall was wearing softened after she carefully inspected Hagrid’s appearance.
“No harm done,” she agreed affectionately, “but for now, you all go to bed before the other student’s find out how late you arrived!”
After wishing Hagrid a hasty good night they all made there way to the Gryffindor common room. Harry heard Hagrid offer McGonagall a nightcap as they were hurrying up the stairs and grinned. It was good to have Hagrid back, if only for a little while.
The following morning Harry and Ron met Hermione in the common room before heading off to breakfast. She told them that Ginny had gone to breakfast with Dean, much to Harry consternation. He realized that with all the excitement at Grimmauld Place, he and Hermione had no time to formulate a plan to get Ginny to break up with Dean. He didn’t let this worry him as entered the Great Hall. The first chance he got, he would schedule Ron for Keeper practice and sneak off to the library with his girlfriend so that they could put their heads together in peace.
As Harry took a seat next to Ron, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that Dean was darting out of the Great Hall wearing a furious expression. Harry gave Hermione a raised eyebrow but she pointed to Ginny who was trying to chase after Dean. She wore a guilty look on her face. Harry mouthed ‘you don’t think she told him’ to Hermione over Ron’s head. They really did not need to worry about Ron as he was busily wolfing his food down, but they kept up the charade all the same. ‘About the kiss?’ Hermione mouthed back just as wordlessly. Harry nodded. Hermione nodded in turn.
Harry took that to mean that she thought Ginny had told Dean about him kissing her. He gave a smirk as he loaded his plate full of food, maybe he wouldn’t have to schedule Ron for Keeper practice after all.
Harry and Ron trudged along after Hermione making their way to double potions. Harry massaged his stomach, feeling that he had, perhaps, overindulged on the eggs. They were among the first to arrive and settled into their seats.
“I wonder what sadistic thing Snape has planned for us,” Ron muttered to Harry as Hermione took her textbook out from her bag and placed it in the center of the desk.
“Ron, weren’t you listening before break began when he told us we would be working on…”
But what Snape had told them, Harry never found out. Something hard and very solid collided with his jaw sending him sprawling to the floor as Hermione screamed. With reflexes born of a natural quidditch player he hopped onto his feet to face his attacker.
“What the hell is the matter with you?” Ron yelled at Dean, looking as though he was gearing up to join the fight.
“It’s none of your business,” Dean told Ron in a scathing voice, “this is between us,” he signaled to himself and Harry.
“Fighting is not going to resolve the issue!” Hermione injected posthaste.
“Keep out of it Granger,” Dean warned.
Ron began to roll up his sleeves but Harry quickly said, “Keep out of it Ron.”
Looking as though he were missing all the fun, Ron shrugged his shoulders and took a seat on the desk, as the chairs were now turned over and in various spots within the room. Dean made to punch Harry once more but Harry ducked and pummeled into Dean, carrying him until his back hit the wall with a loud thud.
“Stop it!” Seamus shouted, jumping from foot to foot.
Lavender and Parvati, who had just entered the dungeon, were barely missed by the chair that Dean threw Harry’s way. As Harry looked to check that they were alright, Dean punched him in the gut, sending him back to the floor. Dean looked triumphantly at Harry, thinking he had won the fight, but Harry grabbed a hold of Dean’s right foot and pulled it hard sending Dean smashing hard on his derriere. Dean attacked Harry and they found themselves scuffling around as though they were in a wrestling match. Harry had Dean in a headlock when the sound of frosty ‘well, well, well’ brought him to.
He and Dean instantly sprung apart, each fully aware that Snape had just walked in. Harry surveyed the scene around him with some despair. Seats were scattered around and tables turned over. The students were lined along the outer edges of the dungeons. Only Malfoy looked happier than Snape, who Harry knew to be holding back his delight. Harry used his sleeve to wipe the blood from his nose as Snape inspected his classroom fully.
“It seems Mr. Potter and Mr. Thomas decided to use my classroom as an arena, which it is not. But than, Mr. Potter has always had a certain disregard for the rules that run this school.”
Harry saw Hermione flinch as though she herself was receiving the reprimand, but he kept his eyes firmly fixed on Snape.
“I would think you would have been expelled by now…that is, if you were not so indiscriminately favored above the rest. However, you can rest assured that I will be speaking to your Head of House about this and with the headmaster as well. I believe a month’s worth of detentions and fifty points a piece is in order.”
Dean spit some blood out of his mouth and Snape gave him a look of disgust.
“Get to Madame Pomfrey; I expect she’ll want to have a look at you.”
Dean left, shooting Harry a stare that could kill. With a flick of his wand Snape set the dungeon back in order and commanded everyone to take their seats.
“That means you as well, Potter.”