A/N: It's me . . . again. I know! I know! It took a month but
the only excuse I have can be summed up in one word: "school." Anyway, on
with the show!
What if Sirius Black was given a second chance that fateful Halloween night? What if he never went after Pettigrew and stayed with Harry, but not quite what you're thinking. This 'Sirius stayed with Harry' fic has one huge twist, but you have to read to find out.
Thank you: HoundofDeath (HERE IT IS OH ANNOYINGLY LOYAL ONE!!! All your hard work paid off. It _only_ took me a month. Not too bad, right? *grins*), Lady Foxfire (Oh, he'll think of something I'm sure *winks*), Purple Honey Kitten, Keara Jordan (Thank you! You're a bloody wicked reviewer!), Ariana Deralte (You shall see), Evie, FireDragon, Lindsay, tima, Lotesse (I know exactly what you' mean, but I will explain everything in later chapters) Kranberries, sweets (Aw, sweets you know me _too_ well! Here are the continuing adventures of the caped crusader Harry Potter and his faithful sidekick the dog wonder Padfoot!), audiaa2 (*hugs* Aw audiaa I missed you! Light's Apprentice is great! I'll review soon I promise!), Sandrine Black (Padfoot is a great pooch, huh?), Fire Spirit (I know, but they're the Dursleys. _when I do this_ it means that the word is being emphasized ), prongsjr, Kaylin, Lavander Ice, Quidditch Captain, Eva Phoenix Potter, Urania, WhiteIckyThing (Trust me, this one is coming along quite nicely. Essays can be quite a pain can't they?), Princess Kattera (Sure, ask anytime) vmr, Wolfie (How's one of my favorite authors doing? SEE! I have been writing, and by the way you're a better writer than me any day!), T. Cairpre, Shayla (Sure! *hands birthday cake*)
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious thanks to my betas, Immia, (she gave me the title for this story) Essence of Magic and sweets! Without them I would have scrapped this whole thing immediately. So if you really like this story line thank them for encouraging me to write it.
Disclaimer - This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Many lines are taken directly from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer/Philosopher's Stone, I stake no claim to them; they are Rowling's. I own the some of the plot and a few original things. Yes I know most of this chapter is taken from the book but it has to be that way, I'm sorry. I just couldn't leave some things out, there was _a lot_ of information in that chapter you know.
Chapter 2: Their World
BOOM!
Harry jumped as the cabin door came crashing down. Padfoot leapt in front of him, shielding him from whatever it may be, but even the giant dog could have protected Harry from this. Simply because the thing that had knocked down the door _was_ a giant.
As the giant squeezed through the doorframe Harry was able to make out the loads of bushy black hair that covered his head and face. Once inside he bent down, picked up the door and fit it nicely back into its frame, blocking out the howling wind and rain.
"Couldn't make a cup o' tea there, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey," said the giant with a thick accent.
Harry turned to see whom the giant was talking to, the Dursleys had come in and Uncle Vernon had a rifle in his hands. Instinctively, he grabbed Padfoot's collar.
Dudley scurried off the couch as the giant made to sit on, hiding as much as he could behind his parents.
"And here's Harry," the giant said, turning his attention to the bewildered boy. "Last time I saw yeh you were only a baby. Got yeh mum's eyes, but look a lot like yeh dad."
Padfoot barked sharply as if not wanting to be left out.
"And if it isn't ole' Padfoot, you been keepin' an eye on Harry haven't yeh?" said the giant fondly.
Padfoot nodded, before placing his head in Harry's lap, eyes solemn. Something rather unpleasant was going to happen and the dog wanted no part of it. Harry went about stroking his head, knowing what his dog's action meant. The pair was not disappointed when Uncle Vernon spoke up.
"I demand you leave at once sir," he rasped.
"Aw, shut up Dursley," the giant said, jerking the rifle out of Uncle Vernon's hands and twisting it into a pretzel as if it had been made of rubber.
Padfoot thumped his tail loudly at this.
"Yeh like that, huh Padfoot? Been wantin' to do that for a long time I suspect, followed Dumbledore's orders though," the giant seemed to be speaking to the dog like it understood his every word. He spoke to Padfoot like Harry spoke to him. Like he was a human trapped in a dog's body. "Now Harry, a very happy birthday to yeh, I got yeh a cake, it's here somewhere. Mighta squashed it at one point, but it'll taste good, don't let that mutt steal it all either, he has a sweet tooth it there ever was one."
Harry giggled; Padfoot was terrible when it came to sweets, especially chocolate—the one sweet that he was forbidden to have.
Padfoot rolled his eyes, nosing the pink cake box as Harry opened it. He watched as Harry's eyes widened at the sight of the slightly squashed chocolate frosted cake with "Happy Birthday Harry!" written in green icing.
Harry meant to say thank you, but it came out as, "Who are you?"
The giant's eyes sparkled. "True I haven't introduced me self, Rubeus Hagrid—call me Hagrid, everybody does—Keeper of the Grounds and Keys at Hogwarts. Yeh know about Hogwarts, o' course."
"Er, no I don't," Harry blurted out.
Hagrid looked shocked.
"Sorry," said Harry quickly.
"Sorry?!" barked Hagrid, his voice booming like a thundercloud. He rounded on Padfoot, "Yeh didn't tell 'im, Padfoot? Or has ten years clouded yeh mind!"
Padfoot growled and snorted in disgust in the direction of the Dursleys.
"Them?" Hagrid said sharply. "You let those sorry excuses for humans push yeh around like a common house pet? I thought yeh'd tell him even if he didn't get his letters."
Padfoot growled several time, swishing his tail in a haughty manner before the giant nodded and turned his fury toward the Dursleys.
During Hagrid's discussion with the dog, Harry had felt very confused and now it appeared that either Padfoot could speak giant or that Hagrid could speak dog.
"He doesn't know ANYTHING!" roared Hagrid at the Dursleys.
Harry was beginning to feel insulted by that, he did know some things. He wasn't completely stupid. He tried to speak up, but Padfoot beat him to it.
"You know what I mean ya rotten mutt," Hagrid snarled, seeming as furious with Padfoot as he was with the Dursleys. "He doesn't know about his world. My world. Your world, Si—Padfoot."
"What world?"
"DURSLEY! PADFOOT! I dunno whose neck I'm gonna wring first!"
"You're not touching Padfoot," snapped Harry, grabbing Padfoot by the collar and pulling him into, what he thought, was a protective hug. (Padfoot, on the other hand, found it rather uncomfortable.)
Hagrid turned to Harry, his eyes softening at the sight. He waved at Harry, telling him not to worry, before running a hand through his tangled hair. "But yeh know about yeh mum and dad, don't yeh? They're famous. You're famous."
"My parents weren't famous, were they?" Harry asked, looking at Padfoot who nodded.
"Yeh . . . don't . . . know? Yeh don't know who—what yeh . . . are?"
Harry opened his mouth to say something but Uncle Dursley cut him off.
"Stop, I forbid you from telling him a thing," he commanded.
Hagrid rounded on him, livid. "Why you sorry excuse for a human being, you kept it from him all these years! I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it there! And you kept it from him!"
"STOP! I FORBID YOU!"
"Aw, go boil yer head will you?" Hagrid spat before turning to Harry. "Harry yer a . . . wizard."
Silence overtook the cabin, only the beating rain and whistling wind could be heard.
"I'm a what?" gasped Harry finally.
"A wizard," repeated Hagrid. "A good one I reckon one yeh've been train up a bit with a mum and dad like yours, what else would you be? I think it's about time yeh read your letter."
Harry took the letter that the giant offered him, (addressed to Mr. H. Potter, The Floor, Hut-On-The-Rock, The Sea) opened it, and took the letter out.
"Dear Mr. Potter," he read aloud. "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts' School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
"Term begins September first. We await your owl no later than July 31st.
"Sincerely,
"Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress."
Harry looked up as questions exploded in his head. He looked from the fuming Uncle Vernon to the pleased looking Hagrid to the fantastically proud—if dogs could look fantastically proud—Padfoot. "What does it mean "await my owl," Harry asked curiously.
Hagrid clapped a hand to his head causing the cabin to shake. "I almost forgot," he cried, pulling out a roll of parchment, a quill, and an owl from within his many pockets. He scrawled a quick note and sent it off with the owl. The he turned to Harry, beaming.
"He's not going," said Uncle Vernon firmly.
"I'd like ter see a Muggle like you stop him."
"A Muggle?"
"What we call non-magic folk Harry. And this lot is the kind that gives Muggles a bad name."
"Don't you dare tell his anymore!" Uncle Vernon warned. "When we took him in . . ."
Harry listened as both his uncle and more particularly his aunt ranted about how abnormal his parents were. "And then!" Aunt Petunia huffed. "She went and got herself blown up and we get landed with you and their mangy mutt!"
"BLOWN UP!" yelled Harry. "You told me they died in a car crash!"
"CAR CRASH!" boomed Hagrid. In one swift motion he grabbed Padfoot, held him so he was eye-to-eye with the dog and started shaking him, yelling, "A CAR CRASH KILL LILY AND JAMES POTTER?! PADFOOT YOU WORTHLESS MUTT, WHY DIDN'T YOU RIP OFF THAT MUGGLE'S LEG FOR WHEN HE SAID THAT?"
Padfoot wiggled out of Hagrid's hold, landed on the floor, and slammed his paw on Harry's letter.
Hagrid bent over to see what the dog was pointing at before going an alarming shade of red. "Oh, oh, er, sorry for that Padfoot. Lost me head for a moment." Hagrid said apologetically, smoothing Padfoot's quite ruffled fur.
Harry, by now, was confused, furious, and downright exasperated with everybody in the room, including his dog.
"If it's not too much trouble," he said loudly. "Would somebody please tell me what is going on?"
Hagrid turned to Harry and swallowed hard. After some time he said, "It's just I dunno where to begin Harry, I never though that yeh wouldn't know. I mean everybody knows your story but yeh."
Padfoot whined softly, laying his head in Harry's lap.
"I suppose it all started with a person—called—'mazing yeh don't know his name when everyone in our world does."
"Who?"
"Well—nobody likes sayin' his name if they can help."
"Why not?"
"Gulpin' Gorgons, people are still scared Harry. Yeh see, there once was a wizard who went as bad as once can possible go. Worse than that even. His name was . . ."
Harry waited for Hagrid to speak but nothing came out. "Perhaps you could write it down?"
"Nah—can't spell it. All right—Voldemort." Hagrid shuddered. "And don't make me say it again. Anyway, this—this wizard, about twenty years ago . . ."
Harry listened silently, staring into the fire, and occasionally stroking Padfoot's head, as Hagrid told the story of how he defeated one of the most powerful wizards ever.
"Load of old tosh," said Uncle Vernon when Hagrid finished his tale.
Harry jumped, he had nearly forgotten that the Dursleys were there. It seemed his uncle had gotten his courage back.
Both Hagrid and Padfoot shot him dirty looks.
"Er, Hagrid," Harry said quietly. "I think you must have made a mistake. I can't be a wizard."
Padfoot straightened up a bit and licked Harry's cheek gently, encouragingly.
Hagrid looked at Padfoot with solemn eyes before saying, "Harry have you ever done something—something unusual—when yeh was scared or mad?"
Harry looked into the fire once again. Actually what Hagrid was saying was very true, when he had been chased by Dudley's gang he found himself out of their, reach, and the last time Dudley hit him he had gotten his revenge without even realizing it. Once again he looked from his dog to Hagrid who were both smiling.
"Harry Potter, not a wizard," Hagrid chuckled. "You'll see, yeh're famous at Hogwarts."
"I've told you already, he's going to Stonewall and he'll be—"
"Nothin' you say can stop him if he wants to go. His name's been down since he was born."
For some reason Padfoot puffed out his chest at this.
"Finest Wizarding School in the world, it is. Be with youngsters of his own sort fer a change, an' he'll under be under the greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had Albus Dumb—"
"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" yelled Uncle Vernon.
But the purple-faced man had finally gone too far. Hagrid whirled around, swinging his umbrella around, bellowing. "NEVER—INSLUT—ALBUS—DUMBLEDORE—IN—FRONT—OF—ME!"
There was a flash of violet and what sounded like a firecracker going off, and the next moment Dudley was dancing around the room, his hands over his fat bottom. When he turned his back to them Harry could see a curly pig's tail poking through his trousers.
Uncle Vernon, roared, herding his family into the next room, and slamming the door behind him. Padfoot leapt over to the door and barked sharply twice as if to say, "And don't come back!"
"Shouldn't have lost me temper," muttered Hagrid ruefully. "I'd appreciate it if yeh didn't mention that at Hogwarts. I'm not supposed to do magic strictly speaking."
"Okay," Harry agreed, "but why?"
Hagrid shrugged uncomfortably, "Well, I was at Hogwarts meself, but I was expelled. Snapped my and wand and everything, but Dumbledore let me stay on ask Dumbledore. Great man Dumbledore."
"Why were you expelled?" Harry asked quickly, his eyes bright with curiosity.
"My! It's getting' late, better get some sleep Harry. We have a lot to do tomorrow." Hagrid took off his coat and tossed it to Harry. "You can kip under that."
Hagrid watched as Harry arranged the coat around him, he held up a section so Padfoot could curl under. But instead the dog lied down at Harry's head letting to boy use him as a pillow. Harry did so, wondering briefly if Padfoot too was a magical being before giving into the heavy tug of sleep.
What if Sirius Black was given a second chance that fateful Halloween night? What if he never went after Pettigrew and stayed with Harry, but not quite what you're thinking. This 'Sirius stayed with Harry' fic has one huge twist, but you have to read to find out.
Thank you: HoundofDeath (HERE IT IS OH ANNOYINGLY LOYAL ONE!!! All your hard work paid off. It _only_ took me a month. Not too bad, right? *grins*), Lady Foxfire (Oh, he'll think of something I'm sure *winks*), Purple Honey Kitten, Keara Jordan (Thank you! You're a bloody wicked reviewer!), Ariana Deralte (You shall see), Evie, FireDragon, Lindsay, tima, Lotesse (I know exactly what you' mean, but I will explain everything in later chapters) Kranberries, sweets (Aw, sweets you know me _too_ well! Here are the continuing adventures of the caped crusader Harry Potter and his faithful sidekick the dog wonder Padfoot!), audiaa2 (*hugs* Aw audiaa I missed you! Light's Apprentice is great! I'll review soon I promise!), Sandrine Black (Padfoot is a great pooch, huh?), Fire Spirit (I know, but they're the Dursleys. _when I do this_ it means that the word is being emphasized ), prongsjr, Kaylin, Lavander Ice, Quidditch Captain, Eva Phoenix Potter, Urania, WhiteIckyThing (Trust me, this one is coming along quite nicely. Essays can be quite a pain can't they?), Princess Kattera (Sure, ask anytime) vmr, Wolfie (How's one of my favorite authors doing? SEE! I have been writing, and by the way you're a better writer than me any day!), T. Cairpre, Shayla (Sure! *hands birthday cake*)
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious thanks to my betas, Immia, (she gave me the title for this story) Essence of Magic and sweets! Without them I would have scrapped this whole thing immediately. So if you really like this story line thank them for encouraging me to write it.
Disclaimer - This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Many lines are taken directly from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer/Philosopher's Stone, I stake no claim to them; they are Rowling's. I own the some of the plot and a few original things. Yes I know most of this chapter is taken from the book but it has to be that way, I'm sorry. I just couldn't leave some things out, there was _a lot_ of information in that chapter you know.
Chapter 2: Their World
BOOM!
Harry jumped as the cabin door came crashing down. Padfoot leapt in front of him, shielding him from whatever it may be, but even the giant dog could have protected Harry from this. Simply because the thing that had knocked down the door _was_ a giant.
As the giant squeezed through the doorframe Harry was able to make out the loads of bushy black hair that covered his head and face. Once inside he bent down, picked up the door and fit it nicely back into its frame, blocking out the howling wind and rain.
"Couldn't make a cup o' tea there, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey," said the giant with a thick accent.
Harry turned to see whom the giant was talking to, the Dursleys had come in and Uncle Vernon had a rifle in his hands. Instinctively, he grabbed Padfoot's collar.
Dudley scurried off the couch as the giant made to sit on, hiding as much as he could behind his parents.
"And here's Harry," the giant said, turning his attention to the bewildered boy. "Last time I saw yeh you were only a baby. Got yeh mum's eyes, but look a lot like yeh dad."
Padfoot barked sharply as if not wanting to be left out.
"And if it isn't ole' Padfoot, you been keepin' an eye on Harry haven't yeh?" said the giant fondly.
Padfoot nodded, before placing his head in Harry's lap, eyes solemn. Something rather unpleasant was going to happen and the dog wanted no part of it. Harry went about stroking his head, knowing what his dog's action meant. The pair was not disappointed when Uncle Vernon spoke up.
"I demand you leave at once sir," he rasped.
"Aw, shut up Dursley," the giant said, jerking the rifle out of Uncle Vernon's hands and twisting it into a pretzel as if it had been made of rubber.
Padfoot thumped his tail loudly at this.
"Yeh like that, huh Padfoot? Been wantin' to do that for a long time I suspect, followed Dumbledore's orders though," the giant seemed to be speaking to the dog like it understood his every word. He spoke to Padfoot like Harry spoke to him. Like he was a human trapped in a dog's body. "Now Harry, a very happy birthday to yeh, I got yeh a cake, it's here somewhere. Mighta squashed it at one point, but it'll taste good, don't let that mutt steal it all either, he has a sweet tooth it there ever was one."
Harry giggled; Padfoot was terrible when it came to sweets, especially chocolate—the one sweet that he was forbidden to have.
Padfoot rolled his eyes, nosing the pink cake box as Harry opened it. He watched as Harry's eyes widened at the sight of the slightly squashed chocolate frosted cake with "Happy Birthday Harry!" written in green icing.
Harry meant to say thank you, but it came out as, "Who are you?"
The giant's eyes sparkled. "True I haven't introduced me self, Rubeus Hagrid—call me Hagrid, everybody does—Keeper of the Grounds and Keys at Hogwarts. Yeh know about Hogwarts, o' course."
"Er, no I don't," Harry blurted out.
Hagrid looked shocked.
"Sorry," said Harry quickly.
"Sorry?!" barked Hagrid, his voice booming like a thundercloud. He rounded on Padfoot, "Yeh didn't tell 'im, Padfoot? Or has ten years clouded yeh mind!"
Padfoot growled and snorted in disgust in the direction of the Dursleys.
"Them?" Hagrid said sharply. "You let those sorry excuses for humans push yeh around like a common house pet? I thought yeh'd tell him even if he didn't get his letters."
Padfoot growled several time, swishing his tail in a haughty manner before the giant nodded and turned his fury toward the Dursleys.
During Hagrid's discussion with the dog, Harry had felt very confused and now it appeared that either Padfoot could speak giant or that Hagrid could speak dog.
"He doesn't know ANYTHING!" roared Hagrid at the Dursleys.
Harry was beginning to feel insulted by that, he did know some things. He wasn't completely stupid. He tried to speak up, but Padfoot beat him to it.
"You know what I mean ya rotten mutt," Hagrid snarled, seeming as furious with Padfoot as he was with the Dursleys. "He doesn't know about his world. My world. Your world, Si—Padfoot."
"What world?"
"DURSLEY! PADFOOT! I dunno whose neck I'm gonna wring first!"
"You're not touching Padfoot," snapped Harry, grabbing Padfoot by the collar and pulling him into, what he thought, was a protective hug. (Padfoot, on the other hand, found it rather uncomfortable.)
Hagrid turned to Harry, his eyes softening at the sight. He waved at Harry, telling him not to worry, before running a hand through his tangled hair. "But yeh know about yeh mum and dad, don't yeh? They're famous. You're famous."
"My parents weren't famous, were they?" Harry asked, looking at Padfoot who nodded.
"Yeh . . . don't . . . know? Yeh don't know who—what yeh . . . are?"
Harry opened his mouth to say something but Uncle Dursley cut him off.
"Stop, I forbid you from telling him a thing," he commanded.
Hagrid rounded on him, livid. "Why you sorry excuse for a human being, you kept it from him all these years! I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it there! And you kept it from him!"
"STOP! I FORBID YOU!"
"Aw, go boil yer head will you?" Hagrid spat before turning to Harry. "Harry yer a . . . wizard."
Silence overtook the cabin, only the beating rain and whistling wind could be heard.
"I'm a what?" gasped Harry finally.
"A wizard," repeated Hagrid. "A good one I reckon one yeh've been train up a bit with a mum and dad like yours, what else would you be? I think it's about time yeh read your letter."
Harry took the letter that the giant offered him, (addressed to Mr. H. Potter, The Floor, Hut-On-The-Rock, The Sea) opened it, and took the letter out.
"Dear Mr. Potter," he read aloud. "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts' School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
"Term begins September first. We await your owl no later than July 31st.
"Sincerely,
"Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress."
Harry looked up as questions exploded in his head. He looked from the fuming Uncle Vernon to the pleased looking Hagrid to the fantastically proud—if dogs could look fantastically proud—Padfoot. "What does it mean "await my owl," Harry asked curiously.
Hagrid clapped a hand to his head causing the cabin to shake. "I almost forgot," he cried, pulling out a roll of parchment, a quill, and an owl from within his many pockets. He scrawled a quick note and sent it off with the owl. The he turned to Harry, beaming.
"He's not going," said Uncle Vernon firmly.
"I'd like ter see a Muggle like you stop him."
"A Muggle?"
"What we call non-magic folk Harry. And this lot is the kind that gives Muggles a bad name."
"Don't you dare tell his anymore!" Uncle Vernon warned. "When we took him in . . ."
Harry listened as both his uncle and more particularly his aunt ranted about how abnormal his parents were. "And then!" Aunt Petunia huffed. "She went and got herself blown up and we get landed with you and their mangy mutt!"
"BLOWN UP!" yelled Harry. "You told me they died in a car crash!"
"CAR CRASH!" boomed Hagrid. In one swift motion he grabbed Padfoot, held him so he was eye-to-eye with the dog and started shaking him, yelling, "A CAR CRASH KILL LILY AND JAMES POTTER?! PADFOOT YOU WORTHLESS MUTT, WHY DIDN'T YOU RIP OFF THAT MUGGLE'S LEG FOR WHEN HE SAID THAT?"
Padfoot wiggled out of Hagrid's hold, landed on the floor, and slammed his paw on Harry's letter.
Hagrid bent over to see what the dog was pointing at before going an alarming shade of red. "Oh, oh, er, sorry for that Padfoot. Lost me head for a moment." Hagrid said apologetically, smoothing Padfoot's quite ruffled fur.
Harry, by now, was confused, furious, and downright exasperated with everybody in the room, including his dog.
"If it's not too much trouble," he said loudly. "Would somebody please tell me what is going on?"
Hagrid turned to Harry and swallowed hard. After some time he said, "It's just I dunno where to begin Harry, I never though that yeh wouldn't know. I mean everybody knows your story but yeh."
Padfoot whined softly, laying his head in Harry's lap.
"I suppose it all started with a person—called—'mazing yeh don't know his name when everyone in our world does."
"Who?"
"Well—nobody likes sayin' his name if they can help."
"Why not?"
"Gulpin' Gorgons, people are still scared Harry. Yeh see, there once was a wizard who went as bad as once can possible go. Worse than that even. His name was . . ."
Harry waited for Hagrid to speak but nothing came out. "Perhaps you could write it down?"
"Nah—can't spell it. All right—Voldemort." Hagrid shuddered. "And don't make me say it again. Anyway, this—this wizard, about twenty years ago . . ."
Harry listened silently, staring into the fire, and occasionally stroking Padfoot's head, as Hagrid told the story of how he defeated one of the most powerful wizards ever.
"Load of old tosh," said Uncle Vernon when Hagrid finished his tale.
Harry jumped, he had nearly forgotten that the Dursleys were there. It seemed his uncle had gotten his courage back.
Both Hagrid and Padfoot shot him dirty looks.
"Er, Hagrid," Harry said quietly. "I think you must have made a mistake. I can't be a wizard."
Padfoot straightened up a bit and licked Harry's cheek gently, encouragingly.
Hagrid looked at Padfoot with solemn eyes before saying, "Harry have you ever done something—something unusual—when yeh was scared or mad?"
Harry looked into the fire once again. Actually what Hagrid was saying was very true, when he had been chased by Dudley's gang he found himself out of their, reach, and the last time Dudley hit him he had gotten his revenge without even realizing it. Once again he looked from his dog to Hagrid who were both smiling.
"Harry Potter, not a wizard," Hagrid chuckled. "You'll see, yeh're famous at Hogwarts."
"I've told you already, he's going to Stonewall and he'll be—"
"Nothin' you say can stop him if he wants to go. His name's been down since he was born."
For some reason Padfoot puffed out his chest at this.
"Finest Wizarding School in the world, it is. Be with youngsters of his own sort fer a change, an' he'll under be under the greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had Albus Dumb—"
"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" yelled Uncle Vernon.
But the purple-faced man had finally gone too far. Hagrid whirled around, swinging his umbrella around, bellowing. "NEVER—INSLUT—ALBUS—DUMBLEDORE—IN—FRONT—OF—ME!"
There was a flash of violet and what sounded like a firecracker going off, and the next moment Dudley was dancing around the room, his hands over his fat bottom. When he turned his back to them Harry could see a curly pig's tail poking through his trousers.
Uncle Vernon, roared, herding his family into the next room, and slamming the door behind him. Padfoot leapt over to the door and barked sharply twice as if to say, "And don't come back!"
"Shouldn't have lost me temper," muttered Hagrid ruefully. "I'd appreciate it if yeh didn't mention that at Hogwarts. I'm not supposed to do magic strictly speaking."
"Okay," Harry agreed, "but why?"
Hagrid shrugged uncomfortably, "Well, I was at Hogwarts meself, but I was expelled. Snapped my and wand and everything, but Dumbledore let me stay on ask Dumbledore. Great man Dumbledore."
"Why were you expelled?" Harry asked quickly, his eyes bright with curiosity.
"My! It's getting' late, better get some sleep Harry. We have a lot to do tomorrow." Hagrid took off his coat and tossed it to Harry. "You can kip under that."
Hagrid watched as Harry arranged the coat around him, he held up a section so Padfoot could curl under. But instead the dog lied down at Harry's head letting to boy use him as a pillow. Harry did so, wondering briefly if Padfoot too was a magical being before giving into the heavy tug of sleep.