Disclaimer: Do you know how difficult it is to come up with a new disclaimer each chapter? I'm really running out of ideas soon. But still. I don't own anything. It's all our wonderful J.K.Rowling's. Oh, I just wished I could write like this!
A/N: As always, I'd like to thank my exellent betas Luinthoron *waves* and Puzzler *Hi!*. So, what else is new? Well, it seems like I'm not killed by any of Atrhur Weasley fans. It's obvious, isn't it? I mean, I have to be alive, I couldn't post this chapter otherwise. Oh, I've never been that glad I'm Estonian in my entire life. I mean, no-one from you can come and kill me via Avada Kedavra because *sings* no-one knows where I live :) *stops singing*. Well, you got the idea. Oops! I forgot completely about Luinthoron! He may be my beta, but he still is really angry with me for making Arthur Weasley a bad guy. So if he's not going to kill me any time soon, there will be a next chapter (and then another one and another one etc.). In the meantime - enjoy! And if you're still having too much spare time after reading this one, try out my other stories, OK?
--Altair
Chapter five: An Unexpected Visitor
"I see," Professor Dumbledore sat back in his chair, sighing hard. Hagrid had just returned from the giants and he hadn't brought good news. "So Lord Voldemort was there first. And he has already managed to talk the giants into joining him again."
Hagrid just nodded, unable to speak in his worry. There had been only one giant who had accepted to join Dumbledore's forces, a woman who had come back with Hagrid, a giantess named Fridwulfa, the giantess who just happened to be Hagrid's long-lost mother. The three of them were sitting in Dumbledore's office, Fridwulfa telling Hogwarts' Headmaster about what happened at the giants a few weeks ago. Her son, appearantly in shock, was stiller as usual.
"I am afraid it is so," Fridwulfa said with deep sadness in her voice. She felt like she was betraying her people. But she couldn't fight her own son! "He Who Must Not Be Named sent…"
She chocked and looked to the door behind her. She wasn't the only one though. Her son and the old Professor looked towards the door, too. There was the knocking sound again.
"Yes, please?" Professor Dumbledore called. The door opened and a tall man with flaming red hair entered the room. Fridwulfa eyed him curiously. She didn't know that man. He seemed to be nice, though. He stepped inside, looking a little uneasy. Fridwulfa winced. Was it because of her? She knew what most of the wizards thought about the giants. But this didn't seem to be fear in the eyes of the redhaired man. It wasn't hate either. Maybe he was just confused to find a giantess in Dumbledore's office.
"Oh, Arthur, please come in!" Professor Dumbledore called, his voice as cheerful as ever. Only his eyes mirrored his concern. The redheaded man stepped closer. Fridwulfa took a closer look on him. The man had warm brown eyes and his face was covered in millions of frecles. The man looked very pleasant. But… who was he?
"Professor Dumbledore, I…" The redheaded man seemed to be surprised by the Professor having company. He stopped dead. Dumbledore smiled.
"Oh, you haven't met before, of course. This is Arthur Weasley, a pureblood wizard and a dear friend of mine, Arthur, this is Fridwulfa Hagrid."
"Hagrid? Professor, Hagrid? Like Rubeus Hagrid?" Arthur glanced over to the giantess. Why was she here? The giants were supposed to fight with his Lord! Had they betrayed Him? Arthur couldn't quite believe that since the giants were known as very proud people. But why then? She wouldn't come the whole way to Scotland just to tell Dumbledore personally that they're rejecting his offer. So he just magiced up his best puzzled look.
"Oh, yes," exclaimed Dumbledore merrily. "She's Rubeus' mother. She'll be staying at Hogwarts for some time. But that's not..." but he was cut off by Arthur Weasley, who now wore a delighted grin as if all his dreams had come true at once. Hagrid found himself thinking that Mr. Weasley couldn't look happier when he got hold of some of those - what had Harry called them - komputres?
"The giant's joined us? Oh, that must be You-Know-Who's darkest day ever. I mean, the day he finds out! I mean... Oh, I'm just too exited to even think straight. And Minister Fudge is going to just drop dead when he hears about the giants working for us, the idiot! You told him, they would, but did he listen to you…?" Suddenly he stopped talking. Dumbledore's face had changed into looking very worried. So they are working for my Lord after all, Arthur thought. But why on Earth is she here then?
Professor Dumbledore just shook his head.
"They are not joining our side. As far as dear Fridwulfa here can tell, he sent one of his Death Eaters (who looked a lot like a certain Mr. Lucius Malfoy) to the giants to remind them that the late Lord Marasmus had made a deal with Lord Voldemort (*at that moment everyone in the room with the small exeption of Professor Albus Dumbledore winced and a very scared-to-death half-giant cried out "Don't say the name!" while jumping out of his chair*) and Lady Violet hadn't much choice other than re-uniting with Voldemort (*as before, only that this time it wasn't a cry, it was more of a roar*) just to not disgrace her family name." Here Dumbledore paused and looked over to Mr. Weasley. Arthur now wore a look of horror. "Anyway, one giantess has decided to fight this war against her kind as she did not wish to fight her own son. So that is why she is here now, just in case you wondered. And don't you tell me that you didn't 'cause I know you did. There's no way ou could not have wondered. I mean, I would have wondered if I were you…" Here he smiled that I'm-So-Happy-And-Nothing's-Gonna-Change-That-Smile of his he had been wearing since his own schooldays.
"We're in big trouble, then," Arthur said quietly, almst whispering. "We need to make that old fool Fudge understand the situation. But he still won't listen to me. I just can't make him believe that You-Know-Who has returned. He had more than enough evidence for that. What is he waiting for? Is he going to wait until Harry's dead body is found before he does something?!" Fridwulfa looked at the man in surprise. The man was shaking. He was shaking with anger, well, he was, as far as she could say. She never had heard such a fierce speech. If only she would have known how he was really feeling that moment. He was shaking. Of course he was! It was getting harder to remaind calm as anyone, including himself, was talking bad about his Master. It was just so unfair.
"My Lord!"
The Dark Lord was sitting in the bloodred chair in front the fireplace, staring into the flames. He didn't even stand up to greet his servant. But the servant didn't mind that. It had always been like that. Ever since the first time he came here to make his report. Oh, he had been so nerveous then! He had just stood here, on this very spot, gazing into the room. He had stood in the darkest corner of this room, not really daring to move any closer to his Lord. Arthur couldn't help but smile. He had just stood there and stared around for minutes until his Lord had spoken to him and made him tell Him all the little secrets he knew about. And He had said he was pleased with him. The Dark Lord is pleased with me, he had thought! That had really been the happiest day of his life... His train of thought was disturbed by a cold voice.
"What have you for me today?" Lord Voldemort asked, making Arthur take a little step back. He was just a little surprised.
"Yes, my Lord?" he shook his head to clear it. After a few seconds he responded to the original question. "I have just come from Professor Dumbledore's office," he explained softly... well, as soft as a freezing cold voice can made to be.
"From Dumbledore's office? Go on." the Dark Lord asked lazily. Nothing in his voice even nearly hinted of him being curious. Anyone who would have been just listening into their conversation would have been getting the image that the Dark Lord was as uninterested as possible. But Arthur knew him too well.
"I must say I was... interesting, my Lord. He had company, if I may add. Someone I really wasn't expecting at all. I must tell I was pretty surprised, my Lord." He sneered. Lord Voldemort could tell that Arthur was sneering. He could tell that from his servant's voice. If any of the Death Eaters allowed him- or herself to talk to the Dark Lord like that, it would have been worth a Cruciatus Curse. But not if it was Arthur. He was the only person in the world the Dark Lord considered as a real friend. He was allowed to joke with him. To be honest, Lord Voldemort even enjoyed it. He enjoyed Arthur's sense of (black) humor. Besides- Arthur was next to him the cruelest man in the world.
"Oh? And who, if I may ask, was it?" Lord Voldemort drawled.
"A giantess, my Lord."
"A giantess?!" This was just too much. The Dark Lord rose from his chair as if he'd been struck by lightning. Arthur had never seen him being that outraged. "The giants are joining him, then?! I will make them regret their betrayal!"
"Oh no, my Lord." Arthur tried to calm him down. He knew about Harry's ability to 'see' into his Lord's conversations and he also knew that Harry could do that only when the Dark Lord was very murdereous. Just like now. "The giants are not joining Dumbledore. Not all, that is. Only this one giantess is fighting on his side. She's called Fridwulfa and she's old Rubeus Hagrid's long-lost mother. She says she just can't fight her own son, so she's staying at Hogwarts and fighting at the headmaster's side. So, please, try to not loose your temper, my Lord. Think about young Harry Potter and the fact that he could be listening into our conversation right now."
The Dark Lord seemed to calm down a little, but he still was pretty much angry
"Fridwulfa, you said? Hmm... She will pay for her disloyalty. She will pay for having betrayed me and the giants. But not yet. We have some more important matters to take care of first. I want Harry Potter's relatives eliminated!"
Somewhere, many miles away, a young boy named Harry Potter woke up, crying out in pain and cluching both of his hands to the lightning-shaped scar on his forehead. Harry Potter had heard the conversation. And he wasn't very pleased about what he had heard at all.
A/N: Sorry it was so short. I just hadn't much time for writing but I wanted to get this chapter up as soon as possible. Like always- thanks go to my wonderful betas Luinthoron and Puzzler. I wouldn't know what to do without them.
I also wanted to remark that I do not get any profit from writing this fic, so don't sue me, OK? Just review. Please?!
A/N: As always, I'd like to thank my exellent betas Luinthoron *waves* and Puzzler *Hi!*. So, what else is new? Well, it seems like I'm not killed by any of Atrhur Weasley fans. It's obvious, isn't it? I mean, I have to be alive, I couldn't post this chapter otherwise. Oh, I've never been that glad I'm Estonian in my entire life. I mean, no-one from you can come and kill me via Avada Kedavra because *sings* no-one knows where I live :) *stops singing*. Well, you got the idea. Oops! I forgot completely about Luinthoron! He may be my beta, but he still is really angry with me for making Arthur Weasley a bad guy. So if he's not going to kill me any time soon, there will be a next chapter (and then another one and another one etc.). In the meantime - enjoy! And if you're still having too much spare time after reading this one, try out my other stories, OK?
--Altair
Chapter five: An Unexpected Visitor
"I see," Professor Dumbledore sat back in his chair, sighing hard. Hagrid had just returned from the giants and he hadn't brought good news. "So Lord Voldemort was there first. And he has already managed to talk the giants into joining him again."
Hagrid just nodded, unable to speak in his worry. There had been only one giant who had accepted to join Dumbledore's forces, a woman who had come back with Hagrid, a giantess named Fridwulfa, the giantess who just happened to be Hagrid's long-lost mother. The three of them were sitting in Dumbledore's office, Fridwulfa telling Hogwarts' Headmaster about what happened at the giants a few weeks ago. Her son, appearantly in shock, was stiller as usual.
"I am afraid it is so," Fridwulfa said with deep sadness in her voice. She felt like she was betraying her people. But she couldn't fight her own son! "He Who Must Not Be Named sent…"
She chocked and looked to the door behind her. She wasn't the only one though. Her son and the old Professor looked towards the door, too. There was the knocking sound again.
"Yes, please?" Professor Dumbledore called. The door opened and a tall man with flaming red hair entered the room. Fridwulfa eyed him curiously. She didn't know that man. He seemed to be nice, though. He stepped inside, looking a little uneasy. Fridwulfa winced. Was it because of her? She knew what most of the wizards thought about the giants. But this didn't seem to be fear in the eyes of the redhaired man. It wasn't hate either. Maybe he was just confused to find a giantess in Dumbledore's office.
"Oh, Arthur, please come in!" Professor Dumbledore called, his voice as cheerful as ever. Only his eyes mirrored his concern. The redheaded man stepped closer. Fridwulfa took a closer look on him. The man had warm brown eyes and his face was covered in millions of frecles. The man looked very pleasant. But… who was he?
"Professor Dumbledore, I…" The redheaded man seemed to be surprised by the Professor having company. He stopped dead. Dumbledore smiled.
"Oh, you haven't met before, of course. This is Arthur Weasley, a pureblood wizard and a dear friend of mine, Arthur, this is Fridwulfa Hagrid."
"Hagrid? Professor, Hagrid? Like Rubeus Hagrid?" Arthur glanced over to the giantess. Why was she here? The giants were supposed to fight with his Lord! Had they betrayed Him? Arthur couldn't quite believe that since the giants were known as very proud people. But why then? She wouldn't come the whole way to Scotland just to tell Dumbledore personally that they're rejecting his offer. So he just magiced up his best puzzled look.
"Oh, yes," exclaimed Dumbledore merrily. "She's Rubeus' mother. She'll be staying at Hogwarts for some time. But that's not..." but he was cut off by Arthur Weasley, who now wore a delighted grin as if all his dreams had come true at once. Hagrid found himself thinking that Mr. Weasley couldn't look happier when he got hold of some of those - what had Harry called them - komputres?
"The giant's joined us? Oh, that must be You-Know-Who's darkest day ever. I mean, the day he finds out! I mean... Oh, I'm just too exited to even think straight. And Minister Fudge is going to just drop dead when he hears about the giants working for us, the idiot! You told him, they would, but did he listen to you…?" Suddenly he stopped talking. Dumbledore's face had changed into looking very worried. So they are working for my Lord after all, Arthur thought. But why on Earth is she here then?
Professor Dumbledore just shook his head.
"They are not joining our side. As far as dear Fridwulfa here can tell, he sent one of his Death Eaters (who looked a lot like a certain Mr. Lucius Malfoy) to the giants to remind them that the late Lord Marasmus had made a deal with Lord Voldemort (*at that moment everyone in the room with the small exeption of Professor Albus Dumbledore winced and a very scared-to-death half-giant cried out "Don't say the name!" while jumping out of his chair*) and Lady Violet hadn't much choice other than re-uniting with Voldemort (*as before, only that this time it wasn't a cry, it was more of a roar*) just to not disgrace her family name." Here Dumbledore paused and looked over to Mr. Weasley. Arthur now wore a look of horror. "Anyway, one giantess has decided to fight this war against her kind as she did not wish to fight her own son. So that is why she is here now, just in case you wondered. And don't you tell me that you didn't 'cause I know you did. There's no way ou could not have wondered. I mean, I would have wondered if I were you…" Here he smiled that I'm-So-Happy-And-Nothing's-Gonna-Change-That-Smile of his he had been wearing since his own schooldays.
"We're in big trouble, then," Arthur said quietly, almst whispering. "We need to make that old fool Fudge understand the situation. But he still won't listen to me. I just can't make him believe that You-Know-Who has returned. He had more than enough evidence for that. What is he waiting for? Is he going to wait until Harry's dead body is found before he does something?!" Fridwulfa looked at the man in surprise. The man was shaking. He was shaking with anger, well, he was, as far as she could say. She never had heard such a fierce speech. If only she would have known how he was really feeling that moment. He was shaking. Of course he was! It was getting harder to remaind calm as anyone, including himself, was talking bad about his Master. It was just so unfair.
"My Lord!"
The Dark Lord was sitting in the bloodred chair in front the fireplace, staring into the flames. He didn't even stand up to greet his servant. But the servant didn't mind that. It had always been like that. Ever since the first time he came here to make his report. Oh, he had been so nerveous then! He had just stood here, on this very spot, gazing into the room. He had stood in the darkest corner of this room, not really daring to move any closer to his Lord. Arthur couldn't help but smile. He had just stood there and stared around for minutes until his Lord had spoken to him and made him tell Him all the little secrets he knew about. And He had said he was pleased with him. The Dark Lord is pleased with me, he had thought! That had really been the happiest day of his life... His train of thought was disturbed by a cold voice.
"What have you for me today?" Lord Voldemort asked, making Arthur take a little step back. He was just a little surprised.
"Yes, my Lord?" he shook his head to clear it. After a few seconds he responded to the original question. "I have just come from Professor Dumbledore's office," he explained softly... well, as soft as a freezing cold voice can made to be.
"From Dumbledore's office? Go on." the Dark Lord asked lazily. Nothing in his voice even nearly hinted of him being curious. Anyone who would have been just listening into their conversation would have been getting the image that the Dark Lord was as uninterested as possible. But Arthur knew him too well.
"I must say I was... interesting, my Lord. He had company, if I may add. Someone I really wasn't expecting at all. I must tell I was pretty surprised, my Lord." He sneered. Lord Voldemort could tell that Arthur was sneering. He could tell that from his servant's voice. If any of the Death Eaters allowed him- or herself to talk to the Dark Lord like that, it would have been worth a Cruciatus Curse. But not if it was Arthur. He was the only person in the world the Dark Lord considered as a real friend. He was allowed to joke with him. To be honest, Lord Voldemort even enjoyed it. He enjoyed Arthur's sense of (black) humor. Besides- Arthur was next to him the cruelest man in the world.
"Oh? And who, if I may ask, was it?" Lord Voldemort drawled.
"A giantess, my Lord."
"A giantess?!" This was just too much. The Dark Lord rose from his chair as if he'd been struck by lightning. Arthur had never seen him being that outraged. "The giants are joining him, then?! I will make them regret their betrayal!"
"Oh no, my Lord." Arthur tried to calm him down. He knew about Harry's ability to 'see' into his Lord's conversations and he also knew that Harry could do that only when the Dark Lord was very murdereous. Just like now. "The giants are not joining Dumbledore. Not all, that is. Only this one giantess is fighting on his side. She's called Fridwulfa and she's old Rubeus Hagrid's long-lost mother. She says she just can't fight her own son, so she's staying at Hogwarts and fighting at the headmaster's side. So, please, try to not loose your temper, my Lord. Think about young Harry Potter and the fact that he could be listening into our conversation right now."
The Dark Lord seemed to calm down a little, but he still was pretty much angry
"Fridwulfa, you said? Hmm... She will pay for her disloyalty. She will pay for having betrayed me and the giants. But not yet. We have some more important matters to take care of first. I want Harry Potter's relatives eliminated!"
Somewhere, many miles away, a young boy named Harry Potter woke up, crying out in pain and cluching both of his hands to the lightning-shaped scar on his forehead. Harry Potter had heard the conversation. And he wasn't very pleased about what he had heard at all.
A/N: Sorry it was so short. I just hadn't much time for writing but I wanted to get this chapter up as soon as possible. Like always- thanks go to my wonderful betas Luinthoron and Puzzler. I wouldn't know what to do without them.
I also wanted to remark that I do not get any profit from writing this fic, so don't sue me, OK? Just review. Please?!