Red Guilt

Hagrid slowly closed the old door of the cabin. He expected to hear the loud, harsh barking of his dog, Fang, but when he looked over to his favorite armchair, Fang was fast asleep and snoring. He put the kettle on and sat down by the fire to warm up. His guilt loomed over him once more as it had done every day that past week. He knew he shouldn't have been spending time with Madame Maxime, for she was pretty much an enemy during the Triwizard Tournament. Also, deep down, he didn't want the Slytherins to tease him and his eight foot then chuckled, Hermione would have probably scolded him for thinking that. She was always telling him to forget and ignore the slime balls. Ever since he had become a teacher, or even when he had first come to Hogwarts, he had been very afraid of what people thought about him and his size. He frowned suddenly, only trying to think of his love for Olympe, she made everything better with her soft purring voice and her fingers sparkling with diamonds… He became lost in his thoughts and dreams for some time, when he was awoken with a knock on the door. He checked his grandfather clock, it read eleven o'clock! "Who would want me this late?" he wondered. "'Agrid, 'Agrid!" "Oh no," thought Hagrid, "Its Olympe!" he quickly picked up a cracked mirror and examined himself in it. His hair was tangled and the clothes that he had just changed into were shabby. "One minute!" he called out. He then picked up a comb that had broken teeth and he attempted to comb his hair. It still looked pitiful, knowing that he had kept Olympe waiting long enough, he opened the cabin door. "'Ello, 'Agrid," she said. "Well, er, 'ello Olympe", he said quietly, acting somewhat surprised." I forgot to ask you", she then dropped her voice to a hypnotizing whisper, "do you know anything about ze first task?" He knew that she really had found out that he was one of the main people involved in it. "Now, Olympe...Ye' know tha' would be cheatin' don' ye', he said hesitantly. She smiled and reached out a long finger covered in pearl rings and diamond studs. "Yes, 'Agrid, but do you not want to please moi?", she rested her finger on his nose and stroked it. "Well, I suppose I could tell you a couple of things, it wouldn't be tha' bad", he shivered as he felt Maxime's touch. "Good, then let us walk among ze garden". He nodded and reached for his coat. They started the walk among the pumpkin patch, and Hagrid began to tell her everything he knew.

***

Hagrid said goodbye to Madame Maxime beside the Beauxbaton carriages, and then headed back, once more, to his cabin. Fang, who was awake this time, slobbered all over his owner as he sat in the armchair. "Oh Fangy," he thought, "should I tell her more or am I out of me mind?" His face then lit up as an idea dawned on him.

He was desperate to get her attention and love that he was willing to cheat completely. Pushing away the thought of Dumbledore's disappointed face; he planned to go and see Maxime the next day and tell her what they would do. He extinguished the fire and climbed into bed, exited about the upcoming events.

***

The next day, Hagrid was to teach a third year group, even though it was windy and cold. He thought he heard Dean Thomas say that it was beginning to snow. He decided to go down to the Three Broomsticks after teaching, to get a butter beer to warm him up. He met up Mad-eye Moody, who only needed to go to the cozy pub to meet Rosmerta, the bartender, (he then hadn't said anything else). So they set off together in the fierce blizzard outside.

***

"I'll be seeing you then Hagrid", growled Mad-eye. "Yeah, bye", Hagrid sat down at the nearest chair and looked around to see if there was anybody he knew. His eyes finally rested on Harry Potter. "Harry!" he said, waving his large arms. When he saw that Harry could not hear him, he tried to move out of his chair. "Hagrid", said a familiar voice. It was Professor McGonagall. "You and Professor Moody are needed in a teachers meeting back up at the school", she said. "I have been looking everywhere for you both!" She was wearing a tartan muffler and her nose was bright red with cold." Oh, right then, jus' a minute." He hurried over to Harry and tapped him on the shoulder. "Harry, listen, meet me tonight at 1:00 and bring that cloak of yours." Harry, looking flustered, was about to retort, but was interrupted by Moody barking at Hagrid to leave.

As they walked through the snow, Hagrid began to wonder if he had done the right thing. The first task was dragons and he was worried about Harry's safety. "Anyway 'e's younger than the others so he deserves a little heads up," he thought reassuringly. "After the teachers meeting, I must go and find Olympe, tell her about the devils too."

The meeting was long and Hagrid was itching to find Olympe. "Hagrid are you listening?" asked McGonagall, "Oh yes, Professor", he said absentmindedly. "Well, as I was saying, please, we do not need any distractions or difficulties, this is all very exiting for the students, I understand, but the Tournament is quite serious, and…" she gazed over to Snape, "Mr. Potter has enough to be dealing with for now," she sighed. Hagrid heard a disgruntle somewhere in the room. Snape, he thought immediately. He knew that Snape would do anything to get Harry in detention. He swallowed an angry retort, he had to be respectful to other teachers and he didn't want to call attention to himself. "Well, I think that takes care of everything," said McGonagall, ignoring Snape. "You may go". There was then a scraping of chairs and the noise of load voices. Hagrid slowly got up, and felt the guilt and embarrassment run to his face. "Hagrid, are you well?" asked a quiet voice down below his shoulder. It was Dumbledore. "Well, um, yes, sir, I'm fine", he stuttered. He couldn't quite believe what he was doing, being so disloyal to his savior, his idol, Dumbledore...

"Well, if there is anything you need to tell me, please do so Hagrid, I know you trust me." Hagrid could not bring himself to look down at the headmaster, otherwise everything would fall apart. He looked over at Professor Sprout's interesting hat instead. Dumbledore, looking surprised, turned and then headed out the door. "Sir, wait," Hagrid's guilt had overwhelmed him. "I do have a request, its well, about them…the~" he dropped his voice to a whisper, "dragons". "Well, she don't know anythin' about the firs' task, and I don' think it would seem fair," Dumbledore face told him that he understood what he meant. "Hagrid, why do you ask this of me? You of all people know about what would happen if someone found out", Dumbledore said quietly, his eyes sparkling. Hagrid remembered Aragog, and the trouble he had. "But, sir, we could go at night, when no-one would see us, or …or…"he trailed off. Dumbledore studied him and then said wisely, "Only you must do what you think is right, and", he added smiling, "only what you are able to do," "Yes sir, thank you sir" They left the staff room and Hagrid headed down to his hut.

He felt pure joy as he lit the small fire in his snug home. He had permission to actually take Olympe to see the wonderful dragons! "Oh, I almost forgot," he thought happily, "Harry's comin' to too, he deserves some help, after all e's bin through," he then quickly hurried over to the Beauxbaton carriage, rapped sharply on the door, and told Maxime in a hushed voice where to meet him in the forest that night.

Back in his hut, he looked in the mirror once more. "I think its time for a little clean up before our dates tonight, do you agree Fang?" Hagrid looked over at his slobbering dog and laughed. "Sometimes, I think I look a little too much like you Fangy!!" He took his broken hair comb and some flobber~worm mucus gel and set to work on himself. "At least Olympe thinks I'm more than an oafy giant". He thought contently.

The End