"Hagrid, may I have a moment?"
The half-giant stopped and turned to Professor Dumbledore. He was halfway between the castle and his cabin, when the Headmaster caught him.
"Course, Sir," Hagrid said, wrapping his hands around his belt. "Wan' ter come inside fer a cuppa?'
Dumbledore gave a half nod, and Hagrid started toward his hut. He hadn't had any guests in a while. Hadn't really encouraged anybody coming over. As he lumbered across the grounds he wondered if he even had any tea left in his cupboards. Lately he'd been leaning toward the harder stuff.
As the two of them settled across Hagrid's scrubbed wood table, Professor Dumbledore spoke his mind.
"I am a bit worried, Hagrid. About several things. First and foremost being the need for a teacher for our Muggle Studies class. Ms. Ollivander won't hear of taking the position. Says she wouldn't want to make any of our other instructors 'uncomfortable.' I thought perhaps she meant that she was worried about what happened in Hogsmeade during the winter, but now I have begun to wonder. Would you be uncomfortable having Ivy Ollivander on this campus?"
"Ivy can do as she pleases, reckon," Hagrid muttered, carefully avoiding Dumbledore's eyes.
"Noted," Dumbledore mused, moustache twitching.
"One other thing. Your class this year.... Augureys, garden imps, gnomes. Hagrid, something seems to be missing. Your lack of enthusiasm for the job has left me puzzled. What happened to the teacher who was bold enough to bring hippogriffs in for his very first class?"
"Nuthin' happ'ned, Professor. Thought the garden imps might turn a profit fer the firs' years. The Augureys were -"
Dumbledore cut him off. "Boring and unimaginative, weren't they?"
"They tell the weather. Mos' a the kids foun' 'em interestin'."
"May I ask what you have decided on for next year?"
"Well, I...." Hagrid faltered. "I was thinkin' a takin' a leave a absence fer nex' year, teh tell yeh the truth. Yeh could have yer Professor a' Muggle Studies.... If I weren't aroun'."
Dumbledore's eyebrows arched in surprise. "A leave of absence? Hagrid, why?"
"Got some thinkin' ter do mostly."
"Ah," Dumbledore sighed. "That's very important. Thinking. May I ask what you will be thinking about?"
Hagrid sighed, sitting back in his chair. He eyed Dumbledore for a very long time without answering.
"If I may be so bold," the headmaster began. "I understand that your trip north to recruit the giants has somehow changed you. This change has effected your work. You've pushed those who love you away. I'm not here to reprimand you, Hagrid. I'm here as a friend. We've always been honest with each other."
"We have, that," Hagrid agreed.
"What would you say to one more trip north? When do those wild hippogriffs lay their eggs, do you think?"
"Prob'ly layin' now," Hagrid murmured, a whisper of inspiration fluttering through him like a warm spring breeze.
"You could announce early examinations, finish them up this week."
"Don' think the Gov'ners'd take kindly ter me bringin' in a new batch a hippogriffs."
"Hatchlings, Hagrid. I don't see how they could object to hatchlings. And one more thing. I found this brochure. Thought it might interest you. These creatures could definitely bring a breath of fresh air to Care of Magical Creatures Class. Don't you agree?"
Hagrid looked down at the brochure. The picture on the front cover brought a grunt from deep in his throat, and a tear to his eye. "Yeh think gettin' summat like this would...?"
"I believe it's worth some serious thought on your part, my friend." Dumbledore patted Hagrid's hand in a fatherly fashion. "They would definitely cause a stir."
"But what about the giants, Sir? An' You-Know-Who comin' back ter power?"
Dumbledore understood, and tried to reassure him. "Hagrid, ancestry has nothing at all to do with who and what we become. It's our job to make sure we bring the best of our generation into the next. Hopefully we leave the worst behind. And in that way we leave the world a better place. We strive to be the best that we can be, and believe those who love us will continue to do so, even during those moments when we are at our worst.
"As for Voldemort coming back to power," he continued. "Love is a powerful magic, Hagrid, And most fearsome when provoked. Such a force can only make us stronger when dangers arise."
"Ivy," Hagrid breathed.
"We could certainly use her here at Hogwarts next year," Dumbledore pressed. "But I leave that to be decided by the two of you."
Hagrid nodded, picking up the brochure once again to examine it more closely. Professor Dumbledore rose to his feet.
"Well, then," he said resting a hand on Hagrid's arm. "Shall we schedule early exams? And an expedition north?"
"Never thought I'd wanna head in that direction again," Hagrid grinned ruefully.
Dumbledore's eyes glittered. "Perhaps you will get your thinking done along the way."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I thought I'd find you here," Augustus Ollivander's voice cut through the still morning air. It was barely dawn, and Ivy stood in the fourth floor observatory, star gazing. She'd been tracking the paths of Mars and Saturn for weeks, with the help of her father's powerful telescopes.
"Good morning," she greeted him. "Looks like another fine day."
Augustus nodded his agreement, wrapping his arms around her from behind. She knew he didn't understand her need to watch the heavens, but she was grateful that did his best to ease her sadness whenever she did so.
"You've had some packages arrive," he told her. "Thought you'd like to know. We don't get a lot of Muggle post around here. I had no idea they delivered so early."
"Muggle post?" Ivy gave him a puzzled look, then it brightened into understanding. "My things from Melbourne!" she announced. "They're downstairs?"
"Yes," Augustus assured her. "You paid quite a price to get it all back. Must be important."
"My books," Ivy explained, pulling out of his embrace to take his hand and lead him to the stairs. "Things I thought I'd need for the Muggle Studies position. Before...." Her voice trailed away.
"Before I showed up and ruined things in Hogsmeade?"
Ivy laughed, skipping the last two steps on the second floor landing. "I did a bang up job ruining things in Hogsmeade long before you got there, Father." She dropped his hand as they continued downstairs, heading toward a group of boxes and trunks in the entranceway.
Memories of her years teaching mythology flooded her senses as she tore into the first box. It wasn't until she attacked the second that something stamped on the post marks caught her eye.
"What day is it, Father?" she asked, running a hand along the seal of Australia.
"It's the second of June. Just barely."
Ivy sat down heavily on the nearest trunk, smacking her forehead with her hand.
"I've got to go and fetch Harry."
"Harry who?" Augustus asked, beckoning the house elves forward. The Muggle appearance of Ivy's delivery had frightened them away from it.
"Harry Potter," Ivy said. "It's a long story, but I'll tell you the whole thing on the way to Surrey. That is, if you can get away and come with me."
Augustus sighed. It wasn't fair how much like Elana Ivy had become. When she gave him that look of invitation, how the memories filled him. He'd never been able to resist Elana, and found it just as impossible now to say no to his daughter.
"I was scheduled to come in to work today, but...."
"Won't Arthur cover for you, just this one time?" Ivy whined. If there was anything she dreaded it was seeing the Dursleys again. Having her father in the car with her would be a great excuse for them to leave quickly.
"And just how long will we be entertaining Harry Potter?" Augustus asked her. He did have a few pressing matters at the office, but if a trip to Surrey would get Ivy out of the observatory for a while.... He flashed her a smile.
"Don't worry," Ivy said, watching the house elves approach her packages warily. "I doubt it'll be the whole summer. He'll want to visit the Weasleys. And of course there'll be a trip to Diagon Alley when he gets his letter from Hogwarts. But we need to hurry on. He'll be waiting."
Augustus nodded. "All right then, I'll run and get the car."
Ivy grinned and threw her arms around his neck. Since the visit with Elana's ghost, she'd had no problem forgiving and loving her father again. And no problem letting him know he was loved. When he'd left the room, she knelt before the house elves.
"Don't worry about these things right now," she said, to their obvious relief. "Run and get a picnic basket ready for Father and me, will you?"
The eldest, a venerable elf named Ferdie, bowed low before her. "We is at your service as always, Mistress Ollivander." The two elves behind him, his daughters, nodded vigorously, and Ivy grinned. They reminded her of Willa.
"Thanks," she told them. "And I'll be sure to leave something extra special out for the three of you before I go to bed tonight. We're having a guest at the mansion for the summer. My friend, Harry Potter."
The two younger elves covered their mouths to stifle shy giggles, then the three of them turned and disappeared. Ivy followed then into the kitchen.
"Don't forget to pack something extra for Harry on the trip back."
Ferdie nodded and shooed her out of the kitchen, muttering something about being able to do his job without anybody's help.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ivy needn't have worried about facing the Dursleys. When she and her father got to Privet Drive, they found Harry waiting on the doorstep. Number 4 was empty, with only a tiny little note tacked on the door that said 'Gone to the seaside.'
Augustus helped Harry with his trunks and Hedwig.
"All right there, Harry?" Ivy asked, grinning from ear to ear. Harry nodded and handed her a long white envelope.
"It's from Uncle Vernon. Probably a bunch of legal junk saying he's not responsible for me anymore."
"You wish," Ivy said, opening the envelope. "Oh.... Where are my manners. Harry, this is my father, Augustus Ollivander. Dad, Harry Potter."
Augustus shook Harry's hand, amazed at the transformation he saw in his daughter. "Nice to meet you, Harry."
"And you as well," Harry returned.
They all stood around for an awkward moment, then Ivy threw open the car door. "All right then, get in. Let's go home."
Augustus slid behind the wheel, and Harry climbed in the back with Hedwig.
"Where are we going?" Harry asked.
"The Ollivander family place," Ivy told him. "I've been there since.... Well, since January." She reached over and patted her father's shoulder. "Dad and I have been getting reacquainted."
Harry nodded and settled back in his seat.
"You look tired," Ivy offered studying him from the front seat. "You weren't out there waiting all night...?"
Harry shrugged. "Smeltings must have gotten out earlier than Hogwarts. But don't worry, it was a warm night."
"Harry! They didn't."
Harry leaned forward. "I knew you were coming. Trust me, a night on the front step without Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia was worth every minute."
Ivy flopped against her seat, enraged.
"You should have sent me an owl."
"I didn't know where to find you. Besides, you would have crossed it in the mail anyway."
For a few moments, silence filled the automobile. Then Ivy turned around asked. "Heard from Blackie?"
Harry shook his head. "Not since Christmas."
"And how is Hagrid?"
"He started acting real funny after the blizzard. Wouldn't talk to anybody. Not even me. Hermione's the only one who got anything out of him. He scheduled early exams for his classes and... well...." Ivy could tell he was holding something back.
"Well?" she asked in a small voice.
"I don't know all the details. I'm sure he'll be back for next year."
"Be back?" Ivy asked, incredulous. "Where did he go?"
"Don't know," Harry admitted. "All I know is he left Hogwarts. About a month ago."
"He left?" Ivy asked, heart sinking. "But why? Did it have something to do with the giants up north?"
Harry shrugged.
"Perhaps you could ask Professor Dumbledore," Augustus spoke up. "He's coming over for tea next Friday. Said he had something important to tell you, Ivy. Maybe it's about Hagrid."
"Maybe," Ivy's view of the road blurred as she wondered what could have possibly driven Hagrid from Hogwarts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hippogriffs. They like to hide in the foothills, especially when the females are nestin'." Olaf Hedstrom yanked up his fur-lined boots and tightened down their straps. "There's still some late snow up there, though. We're gonna have to have provisions."
"Got ever'thin' I need righ' here," Hagrid told him, patting down the pockets of his coat.
"Right then. If you're ready, we'll off."
"Ready," Hagrid said. He wasn't sure what he was ready for, but like Dumbledore said, at least he could get some thinking done hiking the foothills. And maybe bring home some hippogriff eggs, to boot. Olaf, his guide, set the pace, and they covered quite a bit of ground. Hagrid decided that Olaf must be at least part giant. He was a big man, so Hagrid wasn't slowed down.
Spring came later to places this far north. Although it was nearing mid-June, crocus and daffodils were just raising their heads. Game was plentiful everywhere, as the native wildlife shook off the deep sleep of winter to play in spring's sun. Hagrid's pace doubled when he noticed an increase of fawns. Whether they were elk, moose, or deer, they made him worry that this year's hippogriffs would hatch before he could get to them. As far as he could figure, he was nearly a month earlier than he and Maxime had been last year.
Stepping over a trickling stream, Hagrid shook his great shaggy mane. Had it only been a year since he'd roamed this way, hoping to gather a few hippogriff eggs? He remembered Maxime's near-hysteria at the thought of the herd taking flight. She'd glossed it over later. Joked that she hadn't wanted them to mess up her hair, but Hagrid had seen straight through her. His thoughts led him back to the day he'd coaxed Ivy down to the train station to see those hippogriffs come in. She'd been nervous, sure, but she hadn't run, screaming. She'd faced the beast. Conquered it. And gave him the credit for it later.
Hagrid grunted from deep in the back of his throat. It was best not to let his thoughts dwell on Ivy Ollivander. Even if Professor Dumbledore was bent on seeing them together. That was the reason for the brochure the headmaster had left on Hagrid's kitchen table. Course, Dumbledore would profit if Ivy came back to Hogwarts. Then he wouldn't have to go search down another teacher for Muggle Studies.
"Flyin' pigs," he muttered. Then he pressed on, pushing Olaf even faster than before.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ivy looked down at the box in her hand, still not quite sure what she had been given.
"My wand?" she asked tentatively, glancing from her father to Professor Dumbledore and back again.
"Technically, it first belonged to your mother," Dumbledore confessed. "Your Great-Grandfather and I... " He stopped, shook his head, and patted her hand. "That is a story better left for another time."
Ivy fingered the slender wooden wand, but didn't dare pick it up. She'd buried the part of herself that longed to be magical, and believed it best kept that way. Then she looked back at Professor Dumbledore.
"I'm sorry. I don't -"
"Zachary Zonko switched wands with you the night of your magic test," Dumbledore continued. "He wanted to win his case against you. And he went to great lengths to do it."
"No greater lengths than I did," Ivy reminded, remembering the daily potions and Kwickspell lessons. "He cheated, I cheated. Looks like both of us lose."
"Ivy," Dumbledore spoke gently. "How can I explain this to you? There are varying degrees of magic in all of us. And there is no rule that says you cannot magnify what power you have. What Zonko did, however...."
"Was mean, low down and dirty."
Ivy looked up as Harry flashed her a grin.
"Exactly," Dumbledore agreed, eyes alight. "I have spoken to the authorities. And the Zonkos. In return for your silence on this disgraceful matter, they have agreed to return your house to you. Or at least the land where it once stood. They will not dispute your right to live in Hogsmeade."
"They can't erase what everybody saw," Ivy spoke bitterly.
"True.... True, Ivy. They can't. But, as a resident of Hogsmeade for nearly four years, surely you know how rumors fly. A word or two dropped into the right ear...."
Ivy sighed, and dropped the box containing her mother's wand on the table beside her. Going back to Hogsmeade was far too painful to think about, anyway. How could she ever go back to where her house once stood? It was too close to the forest path. Too close to Hagrid. And if he didn't want her in Hogsmeade....
She looked up. They were all staring at her, waiting. Dumbledore, Harry, her father. She couldn't pick up the wand again. Couldn't go back to Hogsmeade. That chapter in her life was over. Life was easier believing pigs couldn't fly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"They're fierce mothers, nestin' hippogriffs," Olaf whispered as he and Hagrid watched a stand off between a huge red griffin and male and female hippogriff. The griffin didn't stand a chance against the two of them. It took to the air as fast as its wings could carry it, after a few slashes from the female hippogriff's beak.
"The da's too," Olaf continued, as the female began to preen. "They take their turns guardin' the nest. You're gonna have your work cut out for ya."
Hagrid wasn't listening. He was too busy watching the raw power displayed as the beasts protected their family. This was the third nest they'd come upon, and each had been the same. It would take nothing short of a miracle to get past these creatures. As he'd seen with the griffin, the mother and father hippogriff were ready to lay down their lives for their unhatched eggs.
"Look there," Olaf muttered. The griffin was back, with reinforcements. Now two giant griffins faced the nesting hippogriff and her mate. The male rose into the air immediately, drawing attention away from the nest with earth-shattering cries. Hidden in a group of boulders just downwind, Hagrid's grip on his crossbow tightened.
The male hippogriff, a gray that reminded him of Buckbeak, slashed at the griffins from above. The female hunkered down on her eggs, flipping her head this way and that, amber eyes flashing. She sliced at the air with her beak whenever her attacker got too close.
As Hagrid watched, the male made a near-successful attempt to pick up one of the griffins and carry it off. But the beast was too heavy. The hippogriff managed to fly a few hundred feet, then both griffin and hippogriff fell to the ground.
The female rose to her feet then, letting out a screech that made Hagrid cover his ears. The male hippogriff and the griffin were now a blurred tangle of red and gray. The griffin roared in anger. The hippogriff screeched its taunting reply. When they separated, the male hippogriff stood splay-footed, panting, one wing arched toward the sky, one dangling uselessly downward. Hagrid watched in amazement as the female hippogriff, a glittering black, exploded into the air. She flew right at the wounded griffin, bowling him over. The other griffin, sensing his opportunity, headed for the nest.
"Not this time," Hagrid muttered. Standing to his feet, he advanced, watching the griffin with one eye, and the hippogriffs with the other. The griffin stood upright, challenging Hagrid, while the female hippogriff finished off its partner. Then the male hippogriff sank to its knees. The female raised her beak to the sky and bellowed, flying to where her mate had fallen.
"Stupify!" Hagrid bellowed, aiming his wand-embedded umbrella at the remaining griffin. The beast shuddered. Its eyes rolled back in its head, and it toppled over helplessly.
"There's your eggs," Olaf said, as the dust settled. He headed toward the nest with no sign of fear. "No need to worry. She won't leave his side. Just you watch. She'll sacrifice everything for her mate. Even her future."
It took a minute, but Olaf's words pierced Hagrid's heart like a knife. They reverberated in his head as their full meaning exploded inside him.
She'll sacrifice anything for her mate. Even her future.
Even her future.
Even her future.
He and Olaf collected the abandoned eggs in silence. Then they headed back to camp, but not before Hagrid turned for one last look at the hippogriffs. The female stood at attention, beak gently nudging her mate one minute, raised to the sky in anguish the next. She turned and looked at Hagrid, the fierce light in her amber eyes now clouded with fear and confusion. She screeched at him impotently, unwilling to leave the side of her dying mate, even to protect her eggs.
She'll sacrifice anything. Even her future.
Talons churning the ground underneath her, she turned away from Hagrid, doing her best to offer comfort to her mate.
"It's a good take," Olaf said later, as they lay the eggs gently on a bed of dying coals.
"What do ya got there, five?"
"Seven," Hagrid said, still pulling gold and black speckled eggs out of his pockets.
"Got three here," Olaf announced. "That makes 10. What.... Five for you, and five for me?"
"Five fer you," Hagrid nodded grimly, sorting out the eggs into groups. "Four fer me. An' one fer Ivy."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Happy Birthday!"
The Ollivander garden exploded with the cheer. It was Harry's 16th birthday, and Ivy, along with Hermione and Ginny Weasley, had planned a massive party, inviting everybody they could think of. The gift table overflowed with presents, the mansion overflowed with people.
One of the best moments of the day occurred when Remus and Rose Lupin showed up. Rose was definitely glowing, and when her whispered confidence in Ivy's ear confirmed all suspicions, Ivy crowed in delight.
"A baby! When's it due?" she whispered back, barely able to contain her excitement.
"January," Rose returned. "And I don't know why we're whispering. I think the proud papa is spreading the news all over the place, even as we speak."
"Rosie...." Ivy said, turning to watch as Remus received several enthusiastic pats on the back. "This is the most wonderful news. I couldn't be happier for you." She hugged her friend fiercely.
"You will be his godmother, won't you?" Rosie asked.
"What if it's a girl?" Ivy returned. Her heart swelled at the opportunity to banter with her big sister again.
"She'll still need a godmother."
"I would be honored," Ivy said seriously. "And who will the godfather be?"
Rosie winked. "That has yet to be decided." She threw her arm around Ivy and they strolled through the garden, stopping here and there to greet old friends.
Harry had barely blown out the candles on his three-tiered cake when a chubby pink creature flew over the garden. Several of the guests cried out in surprise. Many applauded, thinking the animal just another part of the day's festivities.
Ivy, who was busy serving cake, didn't notice it until its third pass over the flower beds. It flew low, squealing and grunting, obviously looking for a place to land. Molly Weasley shrieked at it, waving her hands to ward it off as it flew too close. It disappeared around the front of the house then. The next time it appeared, its flapping had slowed considerably, and its altitude had lowered, while its squeals increased in urgency and volume. Ivy heard several people remark on it.
"Look, it's a pig!" Ron said, grinning.
"A pig?" his sister Ginny scoffed. "Pigs don't fly."
Her comment turned Ivy's blood to ice. She turned to give the oblong pink torpedo a better look. She needn't have worried about getting closer. The thing flew straight at her, hitting her square in the chest and knocking her off her feet. Then it planted each of its four feet on her chest, gazing down at her apologetically.
"It is a flying pig!" Hermione said, rushing forward. She knelt at Ivy's side, and soon all the party guests surrounded them, chattering. Ivy let her head drop back to the grass. She closed her eyes, opening them only to wonder who would play such a horrible joke on her.
"What's a matter, here? Never see a flyin' pig b'fore?"
A shuddering thrill went through Ivy. She pushed the pig off her chest and sat up in the grass.
"Hagrid," she managed a whisper.
"Nobody tole me yeh were havin' a party. Min' yeh, I bin outa the country fer a spell. Happy birthday, Harry."
Harry, who'd been staring at Hagrid openly, managed a grin. "Thanks, Hagrid."
With that, the party went back to normal, and everyone relaxed. Everyone, that is, except Ivy. The pig had taken a liking to her. It rooted its rubbery nose up under her arm, grunting contentedly.
"Reckon that's mine," Hagrid said, approaching warily. He reached for the pig, who squealed loudly and ran behind Ivy's back. Ivy scrambled to her feet, dusting off and backing away from Hagrid.
"Somebody thought they'd make inter'sting critters fer nex' year's Magical Creatures class."
Ivy was speechless. She would not allow herself to believe what she was seeing. Hagrid, looking just as she remembered him, bending over to scoop up a winged pig and tuck it under one arm like a sack of sugar.
"Good ter see yeh, Ivy," he began, moustache twitching.
"Ha... Hagrid," Ivy returned. "What are you doing here? I mean... how?"
"Why I came ter show yeh the pig, a'course. Had ter tell yeh that I was wrong when I thought pigs didn't fly. Professor Dumbledore over there.... He helped me ter find one tha' did. Thought yeh mighta wanted ter see it."
"It's... erm. It's a flying pig all right." She gazed up into the beetle black eyes she'd missed for so long. They shined bright as he returned her gaze. "And what did you say about them?" she continued.
Hagrid's look turned puzzled.
"Remember," she said, slowly regaining her equilibrium. "You said you thought pigs didn't fly and you were... what was the word again? Wrong?"
Hagrid grunted. He put the squirming pig down on the ground, then turned his attention back to Ivy.
"I was," he said softly, as Ivy's eyes welled up with tears. "I was wrong, Ivy. Can yeh ever fergive me?"
She laughed through her tears. "Forgive you? For thinking pigs don't fly? Well I would, but I've thought the same thing myself, lately." She wiped at her eyes.
"There's som'thin' else I wanna show yeh," Hagrid said, his voice low and heavy with emotion. He walked out of the garden and around to the front of the mansion. Ivy held back for a long moment, until Rosmerta pushed her forward.
"Go!" she commanded.
"I don't know if I can."
Rose waved her forward with a wink. "Just go and listen, Ivy. You'll be alright."
But Ivy wasn't sure. While her heart wanted her to run after Hagrid, her head was full of caution. She hadn't forgotten that moment in Hagrid's cabin when she'd begged him to let her stay, and he'd stood aside while her father led her away. Forgiving was easy. Just one look at him and Hagrid was forgiven. But forgetting was another story.
"Go on..." Rose prodded.
Ivy sighed, then turned to follow Hagrid. He was waiting for her in the mansion's cobblestone drive, a big wooden crate at his feet. He beckoned her forward, putting a finger over his lips to warn her to be quiet in her approach.
She looked in the crate, perplexed for a moment, till one of the beasts inside raised its head and gave a little screech.
"Hippogriffs!" Ivy exclaimed, waking them all. The hatchlings set up an insistent screeching, stretching their bald necks toward Hagrid.
"Yeh went an' woke em up," he chided. "An' they won' shut up now till I feed em. Min' yeh, they're not tha' pretty yet. Haven't got all their feathers in."
Ivy knelt in front of the crate, stretching her hand out to pet one. The hippogriff screeched and slashed with its tiny little beak.
"They don' know yeh yet," Hagrid said, sinking to one knee beside her. "Give em a little time, they'll be beggin' yeh fer food, jus' like they do me."
Ivy studied him for a long moment. His cheeks were flushed. His eyes as sparklingly brilliant as she remembered. His hair hung even longer than when she'd last seen him, and his beard.... She clenched her fists so as not to reach out and touch him.
"Hagrid, what are you saying? Are you here just to show me the flying pig you and Professor Dumbledore found?"
Hagrid gave her a wink, and it was so easy, so familiar, it made her heart hurt. "Reckon I had a few more things in mind."
"What kind of things?" Ivy pressed, trying very hard to look unconcerned as she allowed her fingers to dangle over the edge of the crate. When one of the hatchlings stretched forward to investigate, she leaned over to scratch its wrinkly head.
"Firs' thing," Hagrid reached into his shirt pocket, retrieving something silver. "Thought I'd see if yeh might wan' this back." He opened his fist, and Ivy saw her old hippogriff pendant dangling between his huge fingers. She held out a hand, willing it not to tremble, as Hagrid dropped the necklace into her palm.
"An' I figured if yeh took that back, then yeh might take this...." When Ivy looked up from clasping the chain around her neck, she beheld Hagrid's mother's wedding band sparkling in his grasp.
Ivy shook her head in disbelief, reflexively backing away from Hagrid's outstretched hand. So many emotions overflowed her senses that she felt dizzy.
"Maybe I got no right ter ask again, Ivy," Hagrid breathed. "Maybe yeh forgot about me, an' I wouldn't blame yeh. Could be what I done even caused yeh ter hate me."
That pushed Ivy over the edge. She gazed up at him openly, done with trying to guard her heart. "How could I ever hate you, Rubeus Hagrid? I love you. Remember? I told you that last time I saw you."
"Never meant ter hurt yeh," he said raggedly, reaching for her hand. "I was tryin' ter protec' yeh."
"I've heard that before," Ivy gave him a watery grin.
"Will yeh marry me, Ivy Ollivander?" Hagrid asked, slipping his mother's ring over her fingertips.
"On one condition," Ivy said, watching as she tipped her hand upward and the ring slid home, becoming her engagement bracelet again.
"Anythin'," Hagrid agreed, bringing her hand to his lips.
"You said we'd get married in October, remember?"
Hagrid nodded.
"All right then," Ivy went on. "I want to get married the very first moment of October first. Promise?"
"I'd marry yeh August the firs' if yeh'd let me," Hagrid confirmed.
"That's tomorrow," Ivy countered.
"Professor Dumbledore's here. He'd marry us now, if we ask him."
"But I'm not ready," Ivy protested, heart skipping a beat. "I don't have a dress."
Hagrid grinned, and although Ivy didn't know it, it was the first time he'd smiled since last winter's blizzard. "All our friends are a'ready here. Harry, the Weasleys, the Lupins. Ever'body from Hogsmeade."
Ivy stood to her feet, staring down at Hagrid. Not only had she seen pigs fly, now he wanted her to ride off on the back of one again.
"All my mum's old clothes are up in the attic..." she said, barely believing the words as they slid out of her mouth. "I could wear her dress. And I always promised Rose she could stand up for me." Her mind went back to the moment she'd faced Gingerfoot, back in Hogsmeade. She'd been scared then, but her trust in Hagrid had propelled her forward. The same as it pushed her now.
"You'll have to ask my father," she reminded.
Hagrid grunted and heaved himself to his feet, then leaned over to pick up the hippogriff crate.
"Not a problem, Ivy," he assured her. "Not a problem at all."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Is everything ready?" Ivy asked as she surveyed her reflection in the mirror. Her mother's wedding dress, aged to a warm ivory, now fit Ivy perfectly. It had been a bit short at first, but Rose had fixed that with a quick lengthening spell.
Rosmerta nodded, taking a moment to tug gently on one side of Ivy's veil.
"And everyone?"
Rose laughed. "If you're wondering about Hagrid, don't worry. Remus won't let him escape again. He and Harry are helping him with his clothes."
Ivy imagined Harry and Remus taking turns pointing their wands and trying out different looks on the giant. "Poor Hagrid," she murmured.
"Wait till you see him, Ivy. He looks...." She cast about for appropriate words to describe him. She'd just come from downstairs, where she had brushed out his hair till it lay soft and shiny across his shoulders, and even curled the ends of his moustache.
"Awesome?" Ivy asked, smiling dreamily. "Beautiful? Breathtaking?"
Rose laughed out loud. "He's supposed to say that about you. And you are all of that, Ivy. Just look at you. Elana would be proud."
"I'm marrying Rubeus Hagrid, Rosmerta," Ivy whispered.
"I know!" Rose replied, grinning. "The giant of your dreams. And this isn't even the best part."
"The best part?" Ivy wondered out loud.
"You know... later. When you and the giant of your dreams are... alone. For the rest of your lives."
Ivy flushed scarlet.
Rose laughed and drew her into an embrace.
"It's time to go downstairs...."
Ivy nodded, taking one last quick look in the mirror. She pulled a few strands of hair forward, then let Rose lead her toward the garden. It was nearly midnight, July 31st. True to his word, Hagrid had arranged for the ceremony to proceed on the first moment of August 1st.
The garden was illuminated by a myriad of torches. Professor Dumbledore had even managed to recruit a few thousand fairies, and they drifted around lazily, lighting up the summer night with their glow. As Ivy waited to walk down the aisle, several of them took up residence in her hair, whispering and gesturing excitedly. Augustus came to his daughter's side, and they waited for their cue.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"It's too much," Hagrid muttered, savagely pulling at the red-and-gold striped tie around his throat. "I'll take the coat an' vest, but the tie.... An' look at my hair."
Remus laughed. "Not to worry, Hagrid. I felt the same way when Rose and I got married. But this part will be over soon enough. Then you can get on to the best part."
"Bes' part?" Hagrid prompted.
"Spending the rest of your life with the one you love most," Remus reminded. "Cooking dinner. Washing dishes. Making babies.... You know, the best part."
Hagrid coughed loudly, then began to tug on his tie again.
"Don't mean to embarrass you, old man. Just an observation from somebody who's been married a little while. You made a good decision here. Ivy's a great girl. And I think...." he sighed, remembering the wonder of his first few months married to Rosmerta. "I think it's time to go...."
Hagrid nodded, turning toward the garden, and leaving Remus Lupin far behind. He saw Ivy on the first floor balcony as Dumbledore beckoned him toward the garden's gazebo. It was nearly midnight. He took his place absently, eyes never leaving her face, as the assembled guests stood, and Rosmerta took the lead.
Ivy felt a tear slide down her cheek as she let go of Augustus' hand and bounded up the gazebo steps. She knew she wouldn't make the most demure bride this way, but appearances didn't matter any more. She took Hagrid's outstretched hand, squeezing it as hard as she could, as they turned to face Professor Dumbledore.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"By the power vested in me by the Ministry of Magic, Article twelve, section 372, I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Rubeus Hagrid." Professor Dumbledore looked from one of them to the other, blue eyes sparkling.
"Hagrid.... You may kiss your bride."
Hagrid leaned over obediently, lifting Ivy off her feet and planting his lips enthusiastically on hers. A cheer rose from the assembly as Ivy returned his kiss with relish. Someone, probably Rosmerta, chose that moment to heave the fat flying pig into the air. It squealed indignantly, then circled the half-giant and his wife. As their lips parted, Ivy's eyes went wide. Staring skyward, she tugged on his sleeve.
"Look," she whispered.
Hagrid turned to look up at the sky, and saw a huge light shining on them.
"That star's not blinking. It must be a planet. Or two," Ivy explained knowingly. "Mars and Saturn. They finally decided to align. Took them long enough, don't you think?"
Hagrid only grunted softly, picking her up in his arms so he could kiss her again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After the wedding feast Hagrid instructed Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny on how to feed the hippogriff hatchlings, and then he and Ivy disappeared. They decided that the mansion's gate house would be a perfect place to start their honeymoon.
"I love you," Ivy told Hagrid, as he carried her across the threshold. Hagrid gave a characteristic grunt and stood her in a nearby chair, so he could look her in the eye.
"Not near as much as I love you."
Ivy grinned and swatted him on the shoulder, reaching her hands into his hair and ruffling through it until it was properly untidy. Then her smile faltered a little.
"What was it that made you come back?"
"Flyin' pigs," Hagrid grinned, finally ridding himself of the dreaded tie. "An' hippogriffs. Did yeh know a female hippogriff'll sacrifice ever'thing fer her mate? Even her future."
Ivy raised an eyebrow. "Even her future?"
Hagrid nodded, and told her the whole story, all the while unlacing the back of her wedding dress.
"And what happened to the male?" Ivy inquired, turning around in his arms.
Hagrid smiled mysteriously. "Seemed he wasn't mortally wounded after all. A couple a Charms an' he were good as new. Even lef' 'em a couple a eggs ter hatch. Olaf decided he didn' need five when all was said an' done."
"You saved him?" Ivy asked, shivering as her husband pushed age-ivoried lace and satin off her shoulders with his big beloved hands.
"Had ter Stupify 'im firs'. An' the female. Didn't know what I were up to."
Ivy understood.
"When I saw the female standin' over her wounded mate, I remembered you. How yeh stood over me when things got real nasty. How yeh let me run yeh off instead a beggin' ter stay."
Ivy laughed. "I remember begging. At least in my head. But what good would it have done me to stay, if I weren't wanted?"
"Le's ferget all a that, Ivy," Hagrid said, in a voice choked with emotion. "Yer wanted now. By me. Yer one an only."
Ivy blushed, then nodded slowly. "You are. My one... and only...." She left the sentence dangle between them, as understanding dawned on Hagrid.
"Are yeh sayin' wha' I think yer sayin, Ivy?" he asked, heart swelling with a new sense of love for his bride. He pulled her to him, running his thumb along the line of her jaw.
She gave a nervous laugh. "Well... who would I have...? I mean.... I couldn't exactly have... married a Muggle, could I? I wanted to... you know... save myself.
"For you." She looked up into Hagrid's eyes, confused by the worry she saw there.
"I don' wanna hurt yeh, Ivy. Ever again." he whispered.
"You won't," she assured him, reaching up to unbutton his stiffly starched shirt. As each button surrendered to her manipulation, she planted a kiss in its place.
"Yer right about that," he spoke in a voice that was low and full of emotion. "Endorpho Chrysalis." He whispered the Charm in her ear, and immediately Ivy felt a cocooning warmth envelope her. A knowledge that as long as she was in Hagrid's arms nothing would hurt her. She reached up and lost her fingers in his moustache as he kissed her. He carried her into the bedroom, and carefully, sweetly, they mounted a hippogriff all their own, allowing it to take them ever higher into the sky.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A warm ray of morning sunlight woke Ivy the next morning. Or it could have been the sparrow twittering on the casement, she couldn't be sure. All she could see in front of her was Hagrid's big right hand. She stretched forward, smiling to herself as she pressed one of her palms against his. And then the other. She marveled once again that both her hands fit so neatly in one of his.
She pulled her hands back and rolled over in bed to face him, heart swelling with the knowledge that this time, nothing would drive her away.
Dust motes swirled in the sunbeam that settled itself across Hagrid's chest. Ivy pushed herself up on her pillows Here the difference in their statures didn't matter. She watched him sleep until she could hold back no longer, then, reaching out, she allowed her fingers to trace the line where his beard sprouted on his cheeks. The freedom of knowing that Hagrid was hers forever emboldened her, and she caressed his bottom lip with the ball of her thumb.
His eyes fluttered, then opened.
"Good morning," Ivy whispered.
"Ivy," he returned, pulling her into his embrace. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, privately thanking Mars and Saturn for finally getting in line. Then she kissed him again.
"Pigs fly, Hagrid," she murmured as she enjoyed her husband's caresses. "And hippogriffs.... They're real. I've ridden one or two, and I think they're my favorite magical creature."
Hagrid grunted and gave her a wink. "Not mine," he said, nibbling on the place where her neck met her shoulder. "My fav'rite magical creature would be... you."
Ivy threw her head back and laughed, and then nestled ever closer against him. Finally, irrevocably, home.