A/N: Written by Chaser 1 for Montrose Magpies for the Daily Prophet's Issue 3 competition.

Task: Write a 500-600 word short story focusing on a scene that I would change, showing what happened instead.

Scene: Hagrid being framed for Myrtle's death.

Word count: 523 on Google Docs

Just as Rubeus Hagrid burst into loud, pitiful sobs, his wand clutched in his hands as if he thought that would keep the Headmaster from taking it from him, a tired voice spoke up. "That isn't what happened. You're making a mistake."

"What do you mean?" Armando Dippet asked, impatience seeping into his voice as he peered up at the likeness of Winifred Shirley, renowned healer and certified horse whisperer. Her portrait was located as far away from his office as possible, but she had, evidently, found her way into Dilys Derwent's frame. It had been a traumatic few weeks, and he just wanted the whole ordeal to be over. He definitely didn't want to have to deal with Winifred, who had a habit of trying to contradict and undermine his decisions. "He was found with the Acromantula in his room and couldn't even deny that it was his."

"What I mean," she said, "is that I saw the thing that killed that little girl, and it was no spider."

Armando felt a chill settle over him as he met her haunted brown eyes. He had never believed her stories before, but it was impossible to doubt her now. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I tried. You didn't believe me."

He glanced over at Hagrid, who had procured a large handkerchief from his pocket and was crying into it. "Go and wait with Professor Dumbledore," he instructed the half-giant. "Even if your 'pet' had nothing to do with the death, bringing it into the school was reckless and dangerous. I will be there shortly to discuss your new punishment."

The boy opened his mouth as if to argue but stopped when Armando raised his hand in warning. "Yes, sir."

When Hagrid was safely out of earshot, he turned back to Winifred. "You said I didn't listen before," he said. "Tell me now."

-x-

The next day, the castle was aflutter with shock. Its inhabitants had gone to bed to one explanation of events and woken up to one that was extremely different. Rubeus Hagrid was still on the school grounds, though the rumour was that he had detention every Saturday until the end of term. In a move that nobody had been expecting, Tom Riddle himself had been taken in for questioning in his stead.

At first, it was difficult to reconcile the charismatic Head Boy with the image of a killer. As time went on, however, and he was not only convicted but sentenced to twenty years in Azkaban, they were forced to accept his guilt.

"We should have known," they started to say.

"He always was a sly one."

"It's the charismatic ones you have to look out for. They'll smile to your face while sharpening the knife for your back."

"There was just something about him. Too perfect to be real, I say."

He was eventually released, of course, but none of his old followers wanted to associate with him for fear of having their reputations tarnished.

And so decades later, on 1 November 1981, Lily and James Potter awoke to sound of birds chirping and Harry laughing and smiled.