?(), sorry didn't mean to offend anyone, I found the name on a web site for names from around the world, it was listed as Cheyanne. Athenakitty, Peak of Truimph, jekl (I thought it was you but I put it just in case, thanks!), harrycrazy432, Numba1, Ash Knight, Alexis_Lee, moodyboy66, kaosstar, chaser1, Rocky235, SheWolfe7, walkthruethefire, Nphipps, leggylover03(I know its driving me nuts too, I've had about 35 copies of the same review so far, and three author alerts for the same chapter of another story! The rest I've had to search for, which wasn't easy when the search was disabled!) BJH(),Rhinemjr, Alamarang Thank you for reading and reviewing!
Chapter 23 Eagles and Dogs
Harry ate a quick lunch but avoided telling his friends about the conversation with McGonagall, he didn't want Ron to think he was interfering. But he went through the rest of the lessons with his mind only half on his work. Hermione had to stop him adding shrivelfig to his potion to early, because he was not paying enough attention.
The Trio ate dinner in the Great Hall and Ron left, 'to be chased by a lion again.' Neville looked apologetic when he heard Ron's comment and Hermione and Harry laughed. They made their way up to the library to study and Harry sat for a while staring out of the window, oblivious to Hermione working across from him. Eventually he got bored and tried to concentrate on his homework. He had just finished his charms essay when Ron burst in, looking red faced and excited.
"Guess what?" Ron gasped as he threw himself down on an empty chair.
"Sh," Hermione answered. "What?"
"You are looking at Hogwarts newest Animagus!" Ron announced happily. This time it was Madam Pince who 'sh'd' him.
Harry leaned over and whispered, "Nice one mate!"
"Really, she let you do it?" Hermione asked.
"Yup, she said she thought I might be ready, so Flitwick came and she let me do it," Ron grinned. "I'm a Red Setter, how cool is that?"
"Very cool," Hermione smiled and leaned over to give him a quick kiss, "But I won't kiss you when you're a dog."
The trio laughed and Madam Pince glared at them over the top of a book.
"Let's get out of here and celebrate," Harry suggested quietly. Standing they went out into the corridor.
"Race you to the common room," Ron said grinning.
"You're on," Replied Harry.
And before Hermione could stop them they had transformed into their animal forms and taken off towards the common room. Harry got there first, because he didn't have to run down all the stairs, and immediately changed back into his normal form. He watched as a graceful Red, longhaired dog ran towards him. He smiled as he saw the grin on its face; it barked playfully at him and chased his ankles for a few minutes then turned into his friend again.
Harry laughed at the groan of discomfort that Ron made and said, "It takes a while, but it doesn't hurt eventually. You look better as a dog!"
Ron punched his shoulder gently and then turned as Hermione came running towards them. He grabbed her around the waist a whirled her around. He grabbed a quick kiss before the inevitable happened.
"Ron Weasley, what would professor McGonagall think if she knew you were already abusing your new power?" Hermione said.
"How is racing Harry abusing it?" Ron said in a hurt voice.
"Well for one thing, Harry's is supposed to be a secret. And another thing, did she really give you permission to charge about the school?"
"Oh come on, no one saw him," Ron answered, "and as a matter of fact, she didn't say I couldn't use it to run around the school, only that I shouldn't abuse it by going places where I couldn't normally."
"Relax Hermione, I'm tired of all the secrecy anyway," Harry replied.
"But what if someone found out?" Hermione asked.
"Well Voldemort knows already, so what's the big deal if anyone finds out?" Harry replied.
"I suppose so," Hermione grumbled. "You were a very nice dog Ron," She added with a small smile.
"See, I knew she wouldn't be able to resist my charms," Ron laughed as they made their way into the common room. Ron stopped short when the room burst out with applause. Shouts of congratulations to Ron could be heard over the racket. Ron's ears went red and he smiled as he muttered his thanks.
Neville walked over and pounded him on the back, "Well done Ron, the first animagus to transform in Hogwarts for over twenty years."
"What about you Neville?" Harry asked. "Did you do it?"
"No, told you it was a mistake," Neville replied glumly.
"Now you heard what McGonagall said, you just need to practice more and then not to be afraid of it," Ron replied.
Ron was swamped by people asking to see his new form and so they spent the evening watching him show off his new skills. Hermione was sitting next to Harry and she whispered, "Does it make you angry that you weren't allowed to tell everyone?"
Harry thought about it for a moment then replied honestly, "No, I get enough attention as it is. It's nice for Ron though, I'm glad he can show of a bit."
Hermione smiled and kisses him on the cheek saying, "You're a good friend Harry Potter."
Just at that moment a large red dog pushed between them and licked Hermione's face; then plonked itself down, with its head on her lap, staring up at her with wide eyes.
She laughed and petted its head for a moment and then shoved its head away as it started to lick her again.
Ron transformed and sat down beside her, "just because I'm a dog, doesn't mean you can go around kissing other people," he growled mockingly.
"Great Hermione, your very own guard dog," Harry laughed as Ron glared over at him.
The rest of the students started heading off to bed and eventually Harry excused himself and followed. Once he was changed for bed he lay there for a while. Smiling in the darkness, as he recalled the look of pride on his friends face, Ron deserved to be in the spotlight, and he enjoyed it, so Harry turned on his side and tried to fall asleep- still smiling at his friend's achievement.
On Wednesday at breakfast Professor McGonagall told Harry to meet the Headmaster in his office, instead of in the classroom. Harry dutifully trudged up the stairs and gave the password, "wallabies," then waited at the door for an answer to his knock.
"Come in Harry, look who came to visit," Dumbledore smiled.
"Moony!" Harry exclaimed, "You're alright, thank God." He embraced the older man and then took the seat next to him. "How are you?"
"I'm alright," Moony replied, the tone of his voice denying his words.
"Are you still in the Restoration Party?" Harry asked.
"Yes, and it is just as we feared," Moony said quietly. "I've met several wizards among the muggle members, mostly in high positions, and many of them on the Ministry list of possible spies."
Harry looked to Dumbledore and asked, "Is the Ministry going to intervene?"
Dumbledore nodded, "They plan a raid on the offices tonight, Remus will be there and should be able to help find the wizards."
"Won't that be dangerous? What do you think the muggles will do? Do they know about the wizards?" Harry replied.
"Yes it will be dangerous, we don't know what they will do and no, they don't seem to know about the wizards yet," Moony answered. "But don't worry about me Harry; I'm used to taking care of myself."
"I know, but …" Harry broke off; He didn't want to sound like a whiny child, begging Moony to stay with him, though he was tempted.
"I'm sorry about Hagrid," Moony said, "Maybe if I had found out more information quickly enough…."
"No, it wasn't your fault," Harry said quietly and glanced at Dumbledore.
"Harry…" Dumbledore said.
"No, don't, just don't," Harry snapped in reply.
"Migizi, what's going on?" Moony asked, looking from one to the other.
"He had me drugged, so I couldn't go with them, so I couldn't help," Harry told Moony.
"I know, he told me," Moony replied, "But you know why, don't you? You understand the bigger picture don't you?"
"No I do not, why couldn't I have gone with them, I could have saved him," Harry answered.
"Do you think your powers are so strong that you could do what sixty experienced wizards could not?" Moony asked.
"Maybe, well no, I mean….he didn't he let me try," Harry answered.
"Don't let your powers blur your vision Harry," Moony said, "Remember what I told you about control, and don't let them make you think you are invincible."
"I know I'm not invincible," Harry replied, "But he was my first friend and they didn't even let me try to help."
"I'm sorry Harry, but I could not risk you, Hagrid knew that and he agreed with me," Dumbledore said, "Voldemort never intended to come here, he just wanted to test our strength."
"Snape has already told us how angry he was that you weren't there, they were supposed to find out about the new powers you have been practicing," Moony said.
"How does Voldemort new I have any new powers?"
"Harry, you know that nothing in the castle remains a secret for long," Dumbledore replied, "There are many people here who would pass on the information to parents or friends and eventually it reaches him." Dumbledore sat down behind his desk and unrolled a parchment. "We have to make some plans Harry, you may go and enjoy a free period," Dumbledore said, then glancing at Harry added, "Or you can stay and help."
Harry replied, "I'd like to help."
He watched as Moony explained to Dumbledore the layout of the main Restoration Party headquarters, they discussed the best way for the Ministry wizards to enter and take the wizards out, without harming the muggles who would be at the meeting. Harry was surprised that the two older wizards were actually prepared to listen to his suggestions and even agree to some of them. At the end of his lesson time Harry bid Moony goodbye and good luck, then went to his next class.
He spent the rest of the day worrying about Moony and thinking about their conversation. Was he being overconfident in assuming Hagrid would still be alive, if Dumbledore had let him join the wizards in protecting Hogsmead, or was he really just angry that Dumbledore hadn't trusted him not to get involved?
Harry couldn't sleep that night and lay in bed listening for any news about Moony's mission. Shortly after Midnight, he heard Dumbledore speaking to someone.
"Tell me, how did it go?" Dumbledore asked.
"We made it in and arrested the wizards without any injuries on either side; I'd say it was successful."
"What of our inside agent?"
"He remains undetected."
"Very good, I will get a full report later from the Ministry. Good night."
Harry sighed in relief, Moony was safe and the raid had been a success. Eventually Harry fell asleep but his dreams were full of images of faceless wizards all pointing accusing finger at him. He woke in a sweat the next morning and grabbed a quick shower before breakfast.
The next few days passed quietly and Harry began to relax a bit about eating in the Great Hall, he still checked the food carefully and kept a close eye on the people around him. When Dumbledore stood one night a dinner to introduce the new grounds keeper, Harry's stomach tightened as he clapped his hands politely. The new grounds keeper was called Rex Greymarsh, which suited the tiny, grey haired man. Then Dumbledore announced that he would be releasing Hagrid's ashes the next morning at dawn.
The horror of watching Hagrid die returned to haunt Harry that night as he slept and as a result he was showered and dressed by 4am the next morning. Pulling on his thicker outdoor robes Harry made his way down and out of the castle doors, to sit alone on the steps, waiting for the rest of the people who wanted to honour Hagrid arrive.
By six the majority of the students had arrived, tired and sad, the huge gathering was almost silent. Dumbledore, dressed in deep purple robes with none of the usual gold patterns on them, strode down the steps flanked by the rest of the teaching staff. Most of them also wore purple; Harry glanced around the collected students and was reassured to see them dressed in their normal black. He thought for a moment he had broken some traditional mourning rule.
Dumbledore turned to face the collected students and teachers and withdrew from his robe two golden orbs. He looked at them sadly and then clearing his throat began his speech.
"Goodbye is a painful word, especially when
we know that it will be the last time we can
say it to a dear friend. So I will tell you, that
we are not saying Goodbye to our friend but
we are saying, 'til we meet again."
Raising his hand he opened both orbs and the dust inside was blown out, freed to the winds that carried it up and spread it far over the Hogwarts grounds.
"You will always be with us, in our hearts,
find peace with your family, and friends
who have gone before you. And wait for us,
for in the end we must all return to ash and dust.
We will meet again."
Harry stood frozen as he watched the ashes blow around in the breeze and then some of them seemed to settle in the earth. Hagrid had loved Hogwarts and now his remains would mix with the earth and reside there forever. No one would ever be able to send him away again. The ground shook slightly as Harry stood there, just the slightest of tremors. Apparently enough to warn Dumbledore that Harry was no longer in control.
Quickly the old wizard walked to the spot were Harry stood and placed a hand on his shoulder. Harry blinked as he suddenly noticed the face close to his own. "Harry, are you alright?"
Harry shook his head mutely and continued to watch the ashes dance in the breeze. Dumbledore firmly led him away from the gathering, towards the empty place were Hagrid's hut had stood.
"What did you do to his house?" Harry gasped.
"The new grounds keeper prefers living inside the castle," Dumbledore replied. "So I had Hagrid's belongings packed and I took the hut down."
"Why, why would you do that, It's like your trying to remove his memory from Hogwarts," Harry said.
"No Harry, I wish to remember Hagrid as he lived," Dumbledore told him, "If I left the hut, it would have reminded me of his absence every time I saw it. It would hurt to see it decay and fall apart."
"You didn't have to let it decay; you could have charmed it to stay the same."
"For how long Harry?"
"I…don't know," Harry replied quietly. It just seemed too soon, they shouldn't have taken away all his things so soon. It was almost as though he had never been there.
"Harry, in my life I have lost many people, it is never easy, nor would I wish it to be. But one thing I have learned is that you must keep them alive in your heart but to build a shrine to them never allows you to accept that they are really gone," Dumbledore looked out over the castle and grounds. "I am sorry that he is gone, I miss him."
"I miss him too," whispered Harry. Dumbledore squeezed Harry's shoulder lightly, but didn't say anything else. Harry became aware of Professor McGonagall approaching but Dumbledore stopped her by raising his hand.
"We should go in and enjoy breakfast, they are waiting on me to come and start the stories," Dumbledore said quietly to Harry.
"Stories?"
"Yes today we celebrate his life and share stories of the good times we had with him," Dumbledore explained.
Harry allowed himself to be led back to the castle and into the Great Hall. He noticed for the first time Mr and Mrs Weasley had come, they were sitting at the Gryffindor table with Ron and Ginny. Glancing around the room he realised that many adults had arrived and were scattered throughout the students. Surprisingly there were even a few parents at the Slytherin table.
Most of the adult visitors probably remembered Hagrid from their own time at Hogwarts, and had come to wish him farewell. Dumbledore stood and made the first speech.
"I remember Hagrid at 11years old, the first time he stepped into the Great Hall, head and shoulders above all the other first years. From that first step, he felt it his duty to protect those first years, from all houses, from the older students who might tease them," Dumbledore smiled as he spoke. "Unfortunately he also felt he had to protect them from the Professors as well. The first time he was brought to my office by a terrified Professor Hecklethorn, the then Potions master. The Professor had shouted at one of his classmates for melting a cauldron and Hagrid had stood over the boy and roared at the professor for making him cry. I had to give him detention, but he became such good friends with the caretaker, Mr Pringle, that he proceeded to help him after the detentions were over. " Dumbledore waited for the gentle laughter to die down as he added, "We had a hard time finding anything to do with him for detentions after that, for he enjoyed them all immensely being the kind soul that he was."
A Woman stood up at the Ravenclaw table and said, "I was in first year with him, he set your hat on fire, headmaster, by mistake when we were transforming our matchsticks and then he tried to slap the flames out." Many of the students started to laugh at that image, "But he was so upset, he thought he would be expelled and he thought he deserved it. That night he snuck out into the grounds with a huge pile of matches and stayed there all night to get it perfect."
Molly Weasley stood up and related a tale about him plying her with hot chocolate and rock cakes one night when he found her crying over an argument she had with her boyfriend. "He kept talking until he had reassured me to forgive Arthur and not to let our friendship die over one little mistake. He was right of course so my husband and my seven children thank him for his sound advice." This brought a few gentle laughs and several sad smiles.
Slowly people stood one by one to tell stories of how kind or funny or helpful Hagrid had been. Harry's heart was tying in knots, he was listening as the stories wove together to portray a perfect picture of his huge friend. Several of the older students stood up and related tales about him. The Great Hall laughed at his Skrewts and Fluffy and Harry was surprised to see Ron stand up slowly and tell the tale of Norbet the Dragon, when he sat down, the rest of the Hall was laughing.
After another few people, Hermione stood and told the story of Hagrid introducing them to Grawp, and how although Grawp keep hurting Hagrid, Hagrid never gave up hope because, 'families should stick together,' when she sat down many of the people in the hall had tears in their eyes.
Finally Dumbledore stood and held up his goblet, saying simply, "Remember Hagrid and Grawp, brothers, together now, may they enjoy their new adventure."
There was a shuffling of feet as everyone stood up and raised their Goblets to the toast. From the corner of his eye Harry noticed that the new grounds keeper did not join the toast. He merely stood and watched those around him. Harry wondered who he was and where he had come from. Originally he had brushed of his unease as annoyance for the man taking Hagrid's job. Now he noticed a darker red to his aura and a shifty look to his eyes.
Trying to convince himself that Dumbledore wouldn't hire anyone without checking them out first, especially now, he looked at the man again. He was sitting talking to Professor Grubbly-Plank now, and his aura seemed to have faded to a paler pink colour. Harry glanced over at Neville to see if he had noticed anything but Neville was deep in conversation with Colin Creevy who was sitting beside him.
Dumbledore rose and left the Great Hall, thanking all the visitors who had come. Then gradually the others left, many of the parents that had come were sitting talking to their children, using up the last few moments before they had to leave, to catch up with the latest news. Mr Weasley leaned across, the patch still covering the eye he had lost during the attack on the Ministry, to speak to Harry.
"How are you Harry, we missed you this Christmas," Arthur said.
"I know, I'm sorry I couldn't come," Harry replied.
"Well, hopefully next year," Arthur smiled, and then he said to Ron, "Dumbledore wants you to go to his office, Mr Inchwood from the Ministry is here and he's agreed to register your animagus form. It will save you a trip to the Ministry."
Ron and his father went to see Dumbledore and Mr Inchwood and Harry stayed with Hermione, Ginny and Mrs Weasley. Mrs Weasley was still hugging them in turn when Ron and Arthur returned and told her it was time for the visitors to leave. Warning them all to behave and take care of one another, she let her husband steer her away, the tears shining in her eyes.