CHAPTER THREE: Hagrid
Rubeus Hagrid, known to almost everyone simply as "Hagrid," whistled to himself as he walked back up the slope toward Hogwart's castle. Everything was ready for the arrival of the students early this evening. The boats used to ferry the first year students across the lake for their traditional journey were all moored on the shore below the Hogsmeade station. They were all in excellent shape and ready to go. The animal Hagrid had obtained for his "Care of Magical Creatures" Class was, as it happened, happily ensconced below the surface of the same lake.
An extra spring found its way into Hagrid's step as he thought of the creature. He regarded it as a particular accomplishment that he had found the creature and managed to have it moved to the lake. Frankly, he was surprised the Ministry of Magic had been so high on the idea and helpful in the execution of it... especially after the difficulties Hagrid had with a Hippogriff two years earlier. Hagrid was not one to look a gift horse (particularly this gift horse) in the mouth, however, and was not inclined to ponder the surprising attitude of the Ministry too deeply.
Frankly, this creature was a much needed lift after a difficult summer. Hagrid still didn't know if the outcome of his efforts on Dumbledore's behalf would be positive or no. Still, he noted philosophically, he had done what he could and the rest was no longer up to him. As he climbed the stone steps to the castle, Hagrid told himself that now it was time to focus on the school term ahead. Hagrid was looking forward to seeing the students crowding the corridors again. When he had returned a fortnight before, the Hogwarts campus had seemed particularly empty.
Perhaps this was because most of the faculty were preoccupied with very grave matters, as they had not been for nearly a decade and a half. The students would be a welcome distraction from worries about which Hagrid could do nothing more. As Hagrid put his hand on one of the Castle's large oak doors and began to open it, a sharp voice caught his attention.
"You can't be serious! Why now of all times?"
"Severus, you know that I am quite serious. You also know that the Headmaster has good reason for what he does."
"Of course, Minerva," came the impatient reply, "But you must admit that the timing couldn't be worse to have a muggle here."
Hagrid had been about to clear his throat to let Professors McGonagall and Snape know he was within earshot, but Snape's last comment rooted him to the spot and he found himself listening harder. Dumbledore had brought a muggle here? Well, that would explain his absence earlier in the day, Hagrid thought. But, like Snape he had to wonder at the timing.
McGonagall sighed then spoke, "I know that the timing is far less than ideal, but these things rarely schedule themselves conveniently. Given what happened this morning, I expect this is wise."
Snape said nothing for a moment, then sighed himself noting grudgingly "Indeed. All this is true." With that, Hagrid heard the sound of footsteps echoing away on the stone floor. Hagrid shook himself and frowned. He was not in the habit of eavesdropping or of minding others' business. He was a bit ashamed of himself. Of course he was curious, but if he needed to know more he would be told. With that, Hagrid put the conversation out of his mind and set off toward the staff room.
Hagrid had a particular talent for keeping the arrangements of his mind simple so that, by the time he reached the staffroom, he was once again whistling and thinking of his new creature. Hagrid stopped to let a yawning Professor Sinistra enter before him. With midnight astronomy lessons five days a week, Sinistra kept a slightly different schedule than most of her peers on the faculty. For her, the day was only just beginning and Hagrid suspected she was not a morning person. He followed her in and took a sturdy chair along the wall as Professor Flitwick hurried in followed by Professor Vector.
Professor Snape was conversing quietly with McGonagall toward the front of the room and glancing impatiently at the door every few moments. Finally, Professor Dumbledore walked in, clearing his throat.
"Our annual pre-term staff meeting." he said smiling around the room, "Soon the students will join us and fill the castle so that we might attempt to fill their heads. As you know, there are grave matters occupying the attention of several of your colleagues and myself at this time. While I do not feel it wise to try and shield the students from the present realities facing us all; it is my desire to keep Hogwarts functioning as normally as possible."
Dumbledore looked around the room for a moment before continuing. "I look to you to maintain your usual high standards as the student body will look to you to set the tone for the year ahead." Many professors were nodding slightly.
"There is, however, an unusual and somewhat unprecedented circumstance of which I need to make you aware." Most of the staff either showed signs of perking up or looked at Dumbledore with confusion or curiosity. Snape and McGonagall did not change expression which led Hagrid to suspect what was coming.
"This morning a muggle with no apparent magical ability or connection walked through the barrier to platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross Station." There was a murmur of surprise that Dumbledore let die down before continuing, "The muggle in question avoided the clumsy attempts of a non-ministry wizard to modify her memory and, in fact, informed the representatives of the Ministry who arrived shortly thereafter that, as she did not wish her memory to be modified, they had no right to do so."
Again, Dumbledore paused to allow the staff a moment to react. Hagrid couldn't be sure from the back of the room, but he thought the Headmaster's eyes were twinkling a bit in amusement. Well, he thought, Dumbledore would be more likely than most to appreciate the humor in the situation. Finally, the Headmaster continued, "After some deliberation and after certain conditions were met, the Minister of Magic decided not to force her to have her memory modified," Another murmur of reaction began, but this time Dumbledore held up his hand to quiet it and continued. "The muggle in question, a Ms. Isabel Clay, has agreed to be our guest here at Hogwarts so that we might endeavor to discover what allowed her to penetrate the barrier. It is my suspicion that what we find may be of some significance. In any case, Ms. Clay is to be treated as our guest and allowed free access. I suspect she will be most interested in observing some of your classes and it is my expectation that she be accommodated with courtesy." Here Dumbledore paused and again looked around the room. Most of the staff looked quite non-plussed at this news. "The fact that Ms. Clay is a muggle is not to be discussed with the student body at this time. She will be introduced as a guest and the students will be told to expect to see her observing lessons but that is all. I have my reasons for this and ask that you respect them."
"Now, I believe, Argus Filch has some notes to share with you all." With that Dumbledore took a seat. A moment passed and Filch rose, turning to address the staff. Unlike most of the other persons in the room Filch looked neither stunned nor confused. For a moment it seemed to Hagrid that he had a look of disbelieving wonder on his face. But whatever his expression had been, as he pulled out a piece of parchment he was all business.
"As you know there continues to be a problem during the school term with unnecessary mischief and mess in the corridors. To combat this I have made the following...." Hagrid's mind wandered as Filch continued with the latest modifications to the rules which would doubtless be no more effective than any had in years past. Hagrid had a more benevolent attitude toward the students than Argus Filch. Filch regarded the student body as a destructive force against which he was called to do battle. In fact, Filch kept the old chains and irons used on punish students in centuries past oiled and ready in the hopes that Dumbledore would finally see sense and allow him to put them to use again.
Filch would no doubt get a certain amount of satisfaction in doing so. For, besides the resentment the students caused in Filch over the mess they could not seem to help making, they also engendered resentment as a result of something they could not help. The students had magical ability. Filch, while born into a wizard family, did not. He was what magical persons called a "squib." He had spent most of his career as caretaker channeling his disappointment and humiliation into his crusade to keep the students in line.
As Filch launched into an enumeration of the additional items added to the list of over 400 hundred items forbidden to students in the castle, it occurred to Hagrid that the arrival of a muggle at Hogwarts would likely be a bright spot in Filch's world. Filch might appreciate having another non-magical person around. Although Hagrid was not a qualified wizard, himeself, he did have magical ability. This, and his more benevolent attitude toward the students had kept Filch from warming up to him. One might expect the caretaker and the groundskeeper to have a certain affinity toward one another, but Flich seemed to warm up to no one save his cat, Mrs. Norris.
Hagrid had been so lost in his musings he hadn't noticed Filch giving the floor to McGonagall who was saying something about the annual O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. exams given to the fifth and seventh year students respectively. She then gave the floor back to Dumbledore who rose, smiling, "A good term to you all. Thank you."
As the staff rose, they split into several small groups each talking excitedly to one another, doubtless about Dumbledore's unusual news. The kind of access he intended to give the muggle was unprecedented. The staff respected Dumbledore too much to question him, but they would have much to say to one another about it, nonetheless. For his part, Dumbledore seemed not to notice the excited murmurs of the staff but, instead, took Filch aside for a moment before leaving the room.
Hagrid, like most of the staff, had about a dozen or so questions he wouldn't mind asking Dumbledore. Unlike them, he was content to wait for the answers. He ambled out of the room without joining in any of the discussion. If he left now, he would have time for a drink at the Three Broomsticks before it was time to meet the arriving students at the train station.
In no time at all, it seemed, he was walking along the platform with a lantern raised high, calling out to the swarm of students leaving the train. "Firs' years this way! Firs' years over here!" He continued to call out as he lead a growing group of nervous eleven-year-olds to a spot at the end of the platform. As he moved amongst the crowd, first years in his considerable wake, Hagrid spotted a group of students with red hair that was vivid - even in the dim light of the lantern. He smiled and waved at the Weasleys: twins Fred and George, brother Ron, and little sister Ginny. His wave also encompassed Ron's friends Hermione Granger and Harry Potter. Hagrid was especially fond of Ron, Harry, and Hermione and it was good to see them... especially Harry, about whom Hagrid had been somewhat concerned.
The students returned Hagrid's smile and waved enthusiastically as they were swept along with the tide of older students heading for the carriages that would take them up to Hogwarts. Good lot, them, Hagrid thought to himself, though Merlin only knows what mischief Fred and George have planned with this being their final year! The Weasley twins were among the most notorious pranksters and mischief makers known to Hogwarts in many decades. In fact, they so plagued Argus Filch that Hagrid suspected Filch might clap them in irons one day with or without Dumbledore's consent.
Hagrid did a head count and, assured he had collected all the first year students, lead them down a path to where the boats were magically moored. He shepherded the anxious students, three or four each, into the boats then got in one himself - magically launching them on their journey across the lake. The night was calm and beautiful, perfect for the traditional journey. The stars' reflection twinkled on the surface of the lake along with the mirror image of the mountains' dark bulk. In just a moment the students would get their first good look at Hogwarts Castle. Hagrid grinned as a collective gasp issued from the many small boats around him.
The reflection of the castle and its many lighted windows now spread across the surface of the lake as the boats grew closer. Just as the prows of the first few boats began to split the reflected image something else disturbed the water ahead of the boats. Hagrid rose to his feet as several of the students squealed in fright. Sure enough, a large dark shape was breaking the surface of the water in undulating waves just ahead of the boats. Blast that beast! Hagrid thought, more than a little annoyed. The last thing he needed was for yet another creature he had obtained for class to cause a problem with students.
With grim determination, Hagrid propelled his boat ahead of those of the squealing students. The creature had disappeared under the surface but, if Hagrid was right, he would reappear in a moment. Sure enough, the water broke again as the creature made its way toward the small flotilla of boats whose occupants were now beginning to escalate from squeals to screams. Hagrid waited, patiently. Then, as the creature's large head surfaced near his boat Hagrid reached out and slammed his fist into the top if its skull. The creature's eyes rolled back and it sank beneath the glassy water.
"Serves ye righ' yer big show off! 'S no wonder they wanted yer outta Inverness!" Hagrid growled at the part of the water under which the creature had disappeared. "All righ' then, calm down you lot. Nuthin' to worry about! Now, put yer heads down!" he called out as they approached the low entrance to a cave. Soon the boats' bottoms were scraping gravel as they moored themselves in a sort of underground harbor. McGonagall stood waiting with an expression on her face that seemed to Hagrid to be a bit more stern than usual.
"Everyone out." Hagrid called. The frightened first years didn't need to be told twice. As they piled, trembling, onto the rocky shore McGonagall stepped crisply over to Hagrid and asked in a low voice, "Hagrid, did I hear screaming coming from the lake just now?"
Hagrid colored and tried to laugh lightly, "Oh it wasn't nothing, Professor. My new creature just gave the students a start. I, er, took care of it."
There was a pause during which McGonagall regarded Hagrid quietly. Finally she said, "I see." in a tone that gave Hagrid the distinct impression that she did, indeed. She turned sharply and walked to the head of the cluster of pale first years and took them in hand, leading them through the wooden door that lead into Hogwarts Castle.
Hagrid allowed himself a small sigh of relief before following them. He saw McGonagall shepherding them into the chamber off the Great Hall as he, himself, moved toward the doors to go in to the Hall itself and take his place at the staff table. As he entered the noisy hall Ginny Weasley popped up and waved, poking her brother, Ron who also waved. Hagrid grinned widely and raised his hand before turning toward the staff table.
Most of the professors were still chattering in an animated fashion to one another - no doubt still discussing their "guest." As he made his way toward the table Hagrid's eyes traveled along it, looking for the person in question. He was beginning to think she was not there when he saw her seated at the end of the table between Filch and his own empty chair. She was young, but not as young as the students. She wore a fairly nice set of black robes bearing the Hogwarts crest and looked remarkably "normal" for a muggle. Filch was chattering to her as she gazed around in what looked like amused wonder. Hagrid was glad for Filch. He remembered how good it was to have someone like himself at Hogwarts last year when Madame Maxime, the half-giantess Headmistress of the French magical academy, had been a guest here.
Hagrid was just feeling a pang of longing for Madame Maxime when he noticed the young muggle woman notice him. She turned and her eyebrows raised, taking in his unusual size. Hagrid was just feeling his face begin to color when her face split into a grin. It was then Hagrid realized Isabel Clay was having the time of her life.
As he stepped to his chair he held out his hand and said, "Rubeus Hagrid, keeper of the Keys, groundskeeper, and Care of Magical creatures teacher." Isabel Clay continued to smile as she stood and took Hagrid's outstretched hand. When she took it, Hagrid noticed that her hand had a slight tremor. Or was that his hand? He didn't have time to think about it, however, as Professor McGonagall was ushering in the first year students for the sorting ceremony. Hastily he took his seat and tried to focus his attention on the new students.
