Chapter seventeen
Odd Offerings
Harry opened his first and faced an old, tattered book. He looked at the front and back covers and observed that it seemed to have been through a lot, perhaps a fire or something. He opened to the first page and began to read:
Thursday, December 25th
I just received this journal from Sirius for Christmas. It was obvious he gave it to me as a joke but I figured why not? So here I am, writing my first journal entry. Hmm, what to write about? Well, today we found another secret passageway to add onto the map. Remus accidentally bumped into the wall of a fourth floor hallway, but we didn't get to discover where it leads to, just because we only got halfway down the passage before it was time for Potions. But we plan to head back down there tonight. I hope it leads to somewhere useful, like the dungeons or something, cause we really could use some more gillyweed. We're still trying to find a way to sneak out to the lake and visit the squid-
Harry stopped reading and looked up at Hagrid. For the first time he could remember, he actually had tears in his eyes. This was his father's journal. He was actually reading his father's journal. He flipped through the rest of the pages with awe. He looked back at Hagrid with a huge grin on his face. Hagrid simply smiled back. The other three looked over his shoulder to read what was so amazing. Simultaneously, they all gasped and looked at Hagrid as well.
"How did you get this?" Harry asked, astonished.
"Well, I've got me ways..."
Harry smiled, and resumed reading while Hermione was next to open hers. She carefully ripped open the paper and found a mirror. She looked into it and at first was met with her own reflection. But after a few moments, she noticed the surface of the mirror swirl, and she pressed her face even closer to it. It came into focus and revealed Ron and herself, walking up a flight of stairs, hand in hand…Ron looked back at her and smiled…Hermione laughed inside at the thought of her and Ron holding hands.The mirror began to swirl again, and then Hermione once again saw her own reflection. She looked at Hagrid, obviously holding back a few conflicting thoughts, but smiled just the same. It was a really interesting gift, she thought.
Next was Ginny.
She was hoping that her gift would be just as cool as the last two...
She took off her wrapping paper with a bit less patience than Harry and Hermione, but she kept it well intact just the same. In her hand sat a phial of dragon's blood. Ginny gasped and almost dropped the bottle on the floor, but luckily she caught it just in time. She stared at the phial with shock. They had, of course, all learned about all the uses of dragon's blood, but these days it had become so rare, since dragons had become an endangered species, that none of them had ever expected to see any. How did Hagrid do this? Where was he getting all of this from? However he was doing it, none of them really wanted to ask. They were far too engrossed in their presents, and now it was Ron's turn.
Ron was wondering what could be as unbelievable as the last three presents, but he opened his with as much anticipation as ever. When he finally got the paper off, his disappointment was almost as high as his anticipation had just been. He was looking at a key. A particularly old looking key, with an intricate design in the handle. Ron thought it was very pretty, but he couldn't help but feel at least a little let down. I mean, Harry got a journal, Hermione a possibly-fortune-telling mirror, Ginny got dragon's blood, and he gets a key? He still showed his gratitude, although Hagrid could see the confusion and slight upset in his face.
"Ron, I know you can't appreciate it now, but don't worry, you will find some use for it..."
Hagrid smiled at them all and noticed the time.
"Oh dear, you'd better be heading off, it's getting a bit late."
And with that, they thanked Hagrid for the pudding and gifts, and headed across the lawn. As they headed up the stairs, they noticed Malfoy sitting with Crabbe and Goyle. But instead of them finding some way to taunt them as usual, they just sat there looking morose and quiet. Harry could overhear a little bit of their conversation...
"Well, I'd better go upstairs and pack…?" said a sullen voice. Harry looked and saw Crabbe walk out into the hallway and pass the crusaders without so much as a glance. He headed towards the dungeons.
They headed up the stairs, wondering where Crabbe was going...
THANKS SO VERY MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS!!!!! PLEASE KEEP READING AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!!! I REALLY APPRECIATE IT, YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!!!!