Hi team! :) Off we go, into our third year, but with a little coda for year two. This was easily one of my most favorite things I've written in recent memory. Big smiles all around.


8 July 1993

Minerva knocked on Albus's office door and waited for him to respond before opening it. She smiled at the sight of him, frowning thoughtfully at a letter as he sat behind his desk. He glanced up when she came in and smiled broadly.

"Happy birthday," she said, lifting the wrapped and beribboned box she held in her left hand. "I thought you wouldn't mind if I arrived early for our appointment if I brought a gift."

"It is a very good way to placate me," Albus agreed, as she set the present before him. He laid aside the letter he'd been reading and gestured at it. "That is a message from St. Mungo's, informing me that we are regrettably in the position of needing another new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. They believe that there is little they can do for Gilderoy Lockhart, apart from waiting for his memory to return on its own."

His tone was one of mild unconcern as he unwrapped his gift.

"How will we do it?" Minerva asked, and Albus chuckled—though she thought it had less to do with laughing at Gilderoy Lockhart's condition than the enormous tin of Muggle sweets he had just opened, which included a healthy supply of lemon drops.

When he had given her his thanks and they had each helped themselves to a few wrapped candies apiece, Albus replaced the lid of the star-patterned tin and stood up.

"Well, we should not keep Hagrid waiting any longer," he said. "And you must be eager to depart as well."

"I've already sent off all of the prefect letters and badges, and our new Head Boy and Girl, too," she said. "A little extra good news for the Weasleys, while I plan on having six uninterrupted weeks of peace in Caithness. The booklists can wait."

Albus smiled and patted her arm as they left his office. "Well deserved, my dear, very well deserved."

"Robert and Meg have a new house there, you know," she said, "it's a little bigger than the old place, a farmhouse. They want some place for the grandchildren to visit—even if the only one they've got hasn't even arrived yet."

Albus shook his head. "It's remarkable how much you've all grown up," he said.

Minerva flushed, slightly embarrassed, but when she looked at him, his blue eyes were twinkling with amusement. She harrumphed for good measure as they emerged from the great empty entrance hall into the brilliant summer day beyond the castle doors. The sun streamed over the grounds; they chose the nearest path to Hagrid's cabin and set off.

"Does he know why we're here?" Minerva asked, just as they reached Hagrid's door, and Albus knocked. He gave Minerva a mysterious smile and stood back just as Hagrid answered.

The nervous expression on the gamekeeper's face was enough to tell Minerva that no, Hagrid did not know why they were there.

"Good afternoon, Hagrid," said Albus, positively beaming. "May we come in?"

"O' course," said Hagrid, flinging an enormous hand behind himself, just as Fang the boarhound came bounding forward to lick Albus first, and then Minerva, barking joyously.

"Oh, hello," Minerva said, scratching the enormous dog behind his ears and only just managing to restrain him from completely covering her with slobber. "Yes, hello, Fang—"

"Thanks fer makin' sure he was okay while I was gone," Hagrid said to Minerva, grabbing Fang's collar and drawing him back. He gave her another nervous smile.

"Thank Pomona," she replied honestly, brushing some of Fang's hair and drool off of her robes. "I've always been a cat person. No pun intended," she added, after a beat.

Hagrid chuckled. "Er, would yeh like some tea?" he asked Albus, gesturing to the table, which, Minerva saw, had been laid with three mismatched flowered cups and a teapot with a hand-knitted cozy.

"Tea would be lovely, Hagrid, thank you," said Albus, settling himself in one of the large chairs. Hagrid, who looked slightly more at ease, poured the tea while Minerva and Albus made themselves comfortable.

They then sat together in a slightly pregnant silence; Minerva had the impression that Albus was enjoying it, but she took pity on Hagrid, who was starting to look anxious again. She put her hand out on the table and said, "It's wonderful to have you back, Hagrid," she told him, and he smiled. "They never should have taken you in the first place—but I hope you're glad to be home."

"I'm jes' glad the kids are okay," he said, a little gruffly. "Didn' get much news, where I was, so I didn' know wha' was happenin' back here. I was worried abou' all o' yeh."

This statement made Minerva's mouth fall open in surprise; she could see in Hagrid's eyes that Azkaban had left a mark on him, but this response was so very like him that she could feel a surprising swell of emotion in her chest. She closed her mouth and looked at Albus, whose mustache twitched as he sat forward, clearing his throat.

"Hagrid, Minerva and I wanted to speak with you today regarding your future at Hogwarts," he said calmly.

Hagrid's enormous fingers fidgeted on the edge of the table as he nodded—Minerva saw the wood splintering.

"We hope you still want a future here? That you would like to stay?" she asked, and his beetle-black eyes lit up.

"O' course!" he said at once. "O' course, I do, Professor, yeh know I'd never leave yeh, not—not unless…yeh wanted me ter go, fer some reason…"

His voice trailed off and he glanced furtively at them both before taking a gulp of tea.

"We do not want you to go," said Albus firmly, and Minerva nodded in agreement. "Quite the opposite."

"How d'yeh mean?" Hagrid asked, frowning warily.

Albus looked over at Minerva, who smiled. She pushed her mug away from herself, and laid her hands flat on the table. "Hagrid…Silvanus Kettleburn has handed in his notice of retirement. He will not be returning to Hogwarts next year."

Hagrid's mouth fell open, into a perfect O of surprise.

"When I met with him," she went on, "he spoke endlessly of the help you've provided him through the years, without his even asking—that you've assisted him in acquiring creatures for study, and helped tend them when the students weren't in lessons."

Hagrid turned bright red behind his thick, tangled beard. "Well, tha's jes'—tha's jes' me job—"

"The headmaster and I have been discussing our options for next year. With the departures of Gilderoy Lockhart and Silvanus Kettleburn, as well as Professor Montague leaving Arithmancy, we will be attempting to fill three positions—but we believe we are already in possession of someone with the skills to suit one of them." Minerva watched Hagrid's face, waiting for him to put the pieces together.

Albus was smiling merrily, his hands folded in his lap.

"Yeh mean—me?" Hagrid croaked, and suddenly, there were tears in his eyes. "Yeh wan' me ter—ter teach?" He looked incredulous, as though Minerva had just released him from Azkaban herself. "But—I'm not qualified, yeh know, I never—an' with all tha'—tha' stuff the Ministry—"

He looked embarrassed, and Albus cut in. "There are many qualified wizards who do not have the skills or knowledge you possess in the field of magical creatures. And, as far as this school is concerned—and the Ministry, once I have made the appointment—your name has been more than cleared. You have over fifty years of loyal service to this school, nearly as long as myself—"

"Longer than my career here," Minerva interjected.

"So," said Albus, "we believe it is time that you share your considerable talents with our students. Will you accept the position?"

He held out his hand across the table, and Hagrid, looking as though he couldn't believe what was happening, accepted it. His chin was trembling under his beard. Minerva put a hand on his arm, and he nodded, unable to speak. He drew out a polka-dotted handkerchief and blew his nose deafeningly.

"Tha's all I ever wanted!" he howled suddenly, and blew his nose again. "Profess—"

"Ah, we're both professors now," said Minerva, holding up a hand. "Now you really must call me by my name."

Hagrid gave another emotional wail and buried his face in his hands, and Albus chuckled.

When he finally recovered himself, Minerva fixed Hagrid with a serious look. "It's going to be plenty of hard work," she told him, and he nodded avidly. "I am happy to help you construct lesson plans, show you how evaluations ought to be done, and assist you in any way you might need."

"Right. Thanks," Hagrid said, suddenly assuming a solemn expression he clearly believed she would prefer.

Minerva gave him a smile. "Congratulations, Hagrid," she said warmly, offering him her hand, as well. He accepted it, beaming broadly.