Yu-Gi-Oh!
Dawn of Fate
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I felt guilty about taking so long on the last update, so I hurried up and wrote a new chapter right away. ^^;;
Um... yeah, kinda obvious, but the article that starts this chapter off was excerpted from the book, with the obvious changes. Also, according to my Japanese translator, "akuhu" means "wicked woman". ^_^
Oh, and to the person who so RUDELY pointed out that I put the wrong French word in the last chapter...
::twapsmackTHUD::
Grr... I said I didn't know French! I had to use a crappy translator at the last moment. Shaddup! :P
^_^;;;
Anyway, as always; read, enjoy, and then review.
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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - GIANT CIRCUMSTANCES
DUMBLEDORE'S GIANT MISTAKE
Albus Dumbledore, eccentric headmaster of
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,
has never been afraid to make controversial
staff appointments, writes Rita Skeeter,
Special Correspondent. In September of this
year, he hired Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, the
notoriously jinx-happy ex-Auror, to teach Defense
Against the Dark Arts, a decision that caused
many raised eyebrows at the Ministry of Magic,
given Moody's well-known habit of attacking
anybody who makes a sudden movement in his presence.
Mad-Eye Moody, however, looks responsible and
kindly when set beside the part-human Dumbledore
employs to teach Care of Magical Creatures.
Rubeus Hagrid, who admits to being expelled
from Hogwarts in his third year, has enjoyed the
position of gamekeeper at the school ever since,
a job secured for him by Dumbledore. Last year,
however, Hagrid used his mysterious influence over
the headmaster to secure the additional post of
Care of Magical Creatures teacher, over the heads
of many better-qualified candidates.
An alarmingly large and ferocious-looking
man, Hagrid has been using his newfound authority
to terrify the students in his care with a succession
of horrific creatures. While Dumbledore turns a
blind eye, Hagrid has maimed several pupils during a
series of lessons that many admit to being "very
frightening."
"I was attacked by a hippogriff, and my
friend Vincent Crabbe got a bad bite off a
flobberworm," says Ecillia Lestrange, a fourth-year
student. "We all hate Hagrid, but we're just too
scared to say anything."
Hagrid has no intention of ceasing his
campaign of intimidation, however. In conversation
with a Daily Prophet reporter last month, he admitted
breeding creatures he has dubbed "Blast-Ended Skrewts,"
highly dangerous crosses between manticores and fire-
crabs. The creation of new breeds of magical creature
is, of course, an activity usually closely observed by
the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical
Creatures. Hagrid, however, considers himself to be
above such petty restrictions.
"I was just having some fun," he says, before
hastily changing the subject.
As if this were not enough, the Daily Prophet
has now unearthed evidence that Hagrid is not - as he
has always pretended - a pure-blood wizard. He is not,
in fact, even pure human. His mother, we can
exclusively reveal, is none other than the giantess
Fridwulfa, whose whereabouts are currently unknown.
Bloodthirsty and brutal, the giants brought
themselves to the point of extinction by warring
amongst themselves during the last century. The
handful that remained joined the ranks of He-Who-Must-
Not-Be-Named, and were responsible for some of the worst
mass Muggle killings of his reign of terror.
While many of the giants who served He-Who-Must
-Not-Be-Named were killed by Aurors working against
the Dark Side, Fridwulfa was not among them. It is
possible she escaped to one of the giant communities
still existing in foreign mountain ranges. If his
antics during Care of Magical Creatures lessons are any
guide, however, Fridwulfa's son appears to have
inherited her brutal nature.
In a bizarre twist, Hagrid is reputed to have
developed a close friendship with the boy who brought
around You-Know-Who's fall from power - thereby driving
Hagrid's own mother, like the rest of You-Know-Who's
supporters, into hiding. Perhaps Harry Potter is unaware
of the unpleasant truth about his large friend - but
Albus Dumbledore surely has a duty to ensure that Harry
Potter, along with his fellow students, is warned about
the dangers of associating with part-giants.
As calmly as he could, Seto folded up his copy of that day's Daily Prophet, his teeth visibly clenched tight and his hands shaking in his anger. That week after the Christmas holidays, when the others had told him that Hagrid was not teaching Care of Magical Creatures anymore, he instantly went to find out why. That was why when a student near him at the Ravenclaw table received a copy of the newspaper in the mail that morning; he asked to see it (scaring the student in the process). After reading the article the first time, he snapped the paper closed and dragged his yami and Fleur over to the Gryffindor table. Curious about his actions, Yami Bakura and Bakura had joined him.
After reading the article to their entire group of friends, there was a long, drawn out silence, before Marik slammed a fist against the table, startling everyone in range. He stood up, his eyes flashing with more emotion than he had shown since the Yule Ball.
"This is absolutely ridiculous!" he shouted. "She had no right to publish something like that!"
Fleur looked up at him, alarmed. "I take it zis 'Agrid iz not as ze article zays?"
"Far from it, Ms. Delacour," Draco answered. "Hagrid's a great man. The thing about the hippogriff was Ecillia's own damn fault; you're not supposed to insult a hippogriff, and she did. It was Hagrid that ran her all the way up to the castle when she got hurt. I don't know what they're talking about when they say a 'bite from a flobberworm'. They don't even have teeth!"
"What I'd like to know is how she GOT this information," Yami Bakura said, tapping his fingers on the table angrily.
Ron and Harry exchanged guilty looks. "Well... we overheard Hagrid talking to Madame Maxime during the Yule Ball," Harry admitted. "He told her that he was half giant, and asked her what side of her family she got her 'giant-ness' from."
Fleur tisked disapprovingly. "It iz improper to ask a lady such a t'ing," she scoffed. "We all know zat Madame Maxime iz 'alf-giantezz herzelf. We do not inquire az to where she getz it from."
Yami Yugi frowned, crossing his arms. "Hagrid was probably so happy to encounter someone like him, that he did not think it would be insulting to Madame Maxime."
Fleur was quiet at that, having nothing to really say. Seto put a hand on her shoulder.
"It still doesn't give her any right to print an article like this," Yugi said with a pout, leaning against his other self.
"Not only that, but - assuming she learned most of her information from that conversation - how could she have gotten close enough to hear it?" Bakura asked. "Dumbledore banned her from the grounds."
Yami Seto drummed his fingers on the table, looking at his hikari out of the corner of his eye. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking, aibou?"
Seto snorted, smirking. "First person to play a Yami-no-Game against Rita Skeeter gets a free week at Kaiba Land."
Bakura and Yami Bakura looked at each other in surprise, before a twin set of sinister smiles appeared on their faces. They got up at the same time and ran off, more than likely to go plot against the annoying reporter. Those remaining exchanged alarmed looks.
"Are zay alwayz like zat?" Fleur asked.
"Yami Bakura, yes," Yugi answered. "Bakura..."
"His yami's a bad influence on him," Yami Yugi provided, frowning.
~.oOOo.~
Before they were going to go to Hogsmeade the second Saturday of January, Yugi and Marik went off to Hagrid's hut to see if he was okay after a whole two weeks of not seeing him. On the way, they passed by the Durmstrang ship just in time to see Viktor Krum appear on deck, clad only in a pair of swimming trunks. Marik growled as the Bulgarian dived head first into the freezing water of the lake.
"I hope he gets hypothermia, or swallowed by the squid," he snarled, stalking the rest of the way to the hut. Yugi sweatdropped as he followed him, not really able to comment on that.
Marik walked right up to the door of the hut, pounding on it as loud as he could. "Hagrid! It's Marik and Yugi! Open up!"
The only response they got was the sound of Fang barking. Marik banged on the door louder, but once again did not get a response.
"What's he avoiding us for?" Yugi asked. "Afraid we'd send him to the Shadow Realm for lying to us?"
Marik frowned. "What lie? He just didn't tell us."
"You know what I mean."
The Egyptian sighed, giving up. They made their way back to the carriages that would take them to Hogsmeade. The ride to the wizard village seemed to take longer than normal, mostly because Marik knew that he would not be hanging out with Hermione when he got there. He did not know what he was going to do; maybe it would just be better for him to cut his losses and give up. All things considered, he probably would save himself a few gray hairs if he courted another girl. There was this really cute seventh year he had bumped into in the halls once…
Once they got to the village, they split off almost right away. Ron, Harry, Draco and Yami Bakura went to the Three Broomsticks to see if Hagrid had arrived ahead of them. Seto had dragged his yami off, muttering something about "flowers", "birthday present", and "Fleur" in the same sentence. Yugi, Yami Yugi, Bakura, and Marik went wandering around town, trying to see if the groundskeeper was meandering around in any of the stores.
After spending a good hour in Honeydukes (their last stop) to restock their candy supplies, the four of them went to the Three Broomsticks themselves, having no luck in seeking out Hagrid elsewhere. The pub was crowded, as usual, and it was a bit difficult to move. Yugi, Bakura, and Marik managed to worm their way to a booth, while Yami Yugi went to get all of them drinks.
"Still no sign of Hagrid," the pharaoh announced when he was able to rejoin them, setting down a plate of four mugs full of butterbeer. "You don't really think Dumbledore sacked him, do you?"
"I don't think he would do that," Bakura said as they each took a mug. "I mean, I imagine Dumbledore already knew about it, otherwise, I doubt he would even let him in the school."
Marik was about to reply, when none other than Rita Skeeter walked into the pub, her photographer in tow as always. They bought their drinks at the bar, Rita's banana yellow robes clashing drastically amongst the more sober-colored robes of the other people there, before the two of them made their way to a table near the four boys' booth. Rita was talking fast, as always, and had a satisfied smirk on her face.
"...didn't seem very keen to talk to us, did he, Bozo?" she was saying. "And what's he doing with a pack of goblins in tow anyway? Reckon something's up? Think we should do a bit of digging? 'Disgraced Ex-Head of Magical Games and Sports, Ludo Bagman...' Snappy start to a sentence. We just need to find a story to -"
"Trying to ruin someone else's life?" Marik said loudly, standing up. A few people nearby looked around in surprise. Rita's eyes widened when she saw who had spoken to her.
"Champion Ishitar!" she exclaimed. "How wonderful! Why don't you and your friends come and join -"
"We wouldn't go near you with a ten foot broomstick," Bakura snarled, the look on his face a good impersonation of his yami's evil sneer. "What'd you have to go and print that horrid article on Hagrid for, ne?"
Rita raised an eyebrow, visibly a little unnerved by the look on his face.
"Our readers have the right to know the truth, Mr.... Bakura, is it? I am merely -"
"Who cares if he's half giant?" Yami Yugi cut her off, shouting. "There's nothing wrong with him!"
A hush had fallen over the pub. Madame Rosmerta was staring at the confrontation; oblivious to the fact the flagon she had been filling with mead was now overflowing. Rita's smile faltered for just a moment, obviously not used to being talked back to in such a manner, before she hitched it back up again. She snapped open her crocodile-skin handbag, pulling out her Quick-Quotes Quill.
"Well, then, how about giving me an interview about the Hagrid YOU know, gentlemen," she proposed. "The man behind the muscles? You and your friends' unlikely friendship and the reasons behind it? Would you call him a replacement father to Harry Potter?"
Yugi stood up abruptly, clutching his butterbeer. "You horrid akuhu," he accused angrily. "You don't care about anything, do you? Just as long as you get a story, hunh? Even Bagman-san -"
"Sit down, you silly little boy, and don't talk about things you don't understand," Rita cut him off sharply. "I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair stand on end... NOT that it needs it."
Yugi's mouth twisted into a scowl that was hardly ever seen on his face. He pushed his way around his yami, and the pharaoh gave him a concerned look, afraid of what he was going to do.
"Keep acting like that, and you'll be all washed up," he returned, "not that YOU need it."
Rita narrowed her eyes. "And what is that supposed to mean?"
Yugi could not ask for a better opening; he tossed his drink right into Rita's face. She backpedaled, caught off guard by such an action from such a "little boy". He marched right out of the Three Broomsticks, not bothering to wait for her response, his three companions hot on his heels as he made his way to one of the carriages that had taken them to the village.
"Now you've done it, Yugi-kun," Marik said. "She'll be after you next."
"Let her try," Yugi replied hotly, making to climb into the carriage. "First Harry, now Hagrid. Someone's gotta put a stop to her. If I get the chance, I'm gonna be the one to do it, and I don't care if I have to stoop down to Yami Bakura-kun's level to do it. I've HAD IT!"
Yami Yugi blinked in surprise. He had never seen his aibou act in such a manner before, and it was strange, yet oddly cute at the same time. No wonder he liked him so much.
"She'll probably try and drag up something on you," Bakura pointed out, following Yugi into the carriage. "All things considered, that could be bad, you know..."
"I don't care," Yugi said as Marik and Yami Yugi climbed in as well. "My ojii-chan and okaa-san don't read the Daily Prophet, and neither does Jonouchi-kun or any of the others."
"What about your fan following?" Marik asked with a chuckle as the carriage started back toward the castle.
Yugi sweatdropped. "The fewer of those crazy people around, the better."
As soon as the carriages returned them to the castle grounds, Yugi flung himself out with the others not the far behind. He stomped up to Hagrid's hut, pounding on the door as hard as he could.
"Hagrid!" he shouted as loud as he could. "Hagrid, that's enough! We know you're in there! Nobody cares if your okaa-san was a giantess, Hagrid! You can't let that baka Skeeter woman do this to you! Hagrid, you get out here now, you're just being -!"
The door swung open, and Yugi managed to get out, "It's about t-!" before he quickly stopped himself, finding himself face to face with Dumbledore instead of Hagrid.
"Good afternoon," he said pleasantly as Yugi paled.
"We... uh... wanted to see Hagrid..." Yugi said in a small voice that almost made his other laugh out loud.
"I hadn't noticed," Dumbledore replied, his eyes twinkling in amusement. "Why don't you come in?"
Yugi turned an adorable shade of red as Yami Yugi "helped" him step into the hut, Marik and Bakura following behind with smirks on their faces. Fang all but glomped the latter boy as he entered, giving his ear a through cleaning courtesy of his tongue. Bakura managed to fend him off as they approached the table, where Hagrid was sitting clutching a giant mug of tea. To be blunt about it, the groundskeeper looked like a mess, as if he had been crying for the past two weeks straight.
"Yo, Hagrid," Marik said tentatively.
"'Lo," Hagrid replied in a weak voice.
The boys sat down at the table, and Dumbledore conjured up smaller teacups for them. There was a very pregnant pause, before the headmaster asked, "Did you hear what Mr. Mutou was shouting about, Hagrid?"
Yugi's face tinged pink, and he tried to occupy himself with his tea as Dumbledore smiled. "It seems Yugi, Panseru, Marik, and Ryou still want you around, Hagrid," he continued, "judging from the way they were trying to break down the door."
"Of course we still want you around!" Yami Yugi exclaimed, giving Hagrid a meaningful look. "You can't honestly think anything that camel shit, Skeeter... eh... sorry, Professor."
"I have gone temporarily deaf and haven't an idea what you said, pharaoh," Dumbledore replied innocently, staring up at the ceiling.
Yami Yugi grinned sheepishly. "At least I wasn't the one that threw my drink in her face."
Yugi whole body seemed to turn red as he slid lower in his seat, trying to disappear. Bakura chuckled, making him slide back up into his seat properly.
"Anyway, what I'm trying to say is," Yami Yugi continued, "how could you even think we'd care about what that... WOMAN writes about you? We know the real you, Hagrid. That's all that matters."
"Living proof of what I've been telling you, Hagrid," Dumbledore said softly.
Hagrid snorted loudly, tears falling out of his beetle-black eyes. "It don' matter. All's it takes is one paren' who dunna like th' thought 'o their child bein' taugh' by a 'alf-giant, and I'm done for. All because 'a a moth'r I've never seen."
Marik was about to reply, when someone else cut him off.
"We can't choose our parents, no matter how horrible they are... or what they do."
Everyone turned in surprise to see Yami Seto standing in the doorframe. He shrugged a bit sheepishly, before walking up to them, closing the door behind him.
"The door was open," he explained. "I heard what happened in the Three Broomsticks, and considering what it was about, I figured I'd find you guys here."
Yugi blushed again as Yami Seto went over to Hagrid's side. He rested an arm on the half-giant's shoulder comfortingly.
"Hagrid..." he began softly, "I know better than anyone what you're feeling right now. It's a horrible experience, to be betrayed by someone you barely even know. The fact that they're related to you makes it that much worse."
"Seto..." Yami Yugi murmured quietly. The high priest just shook his head, chasing away tears that had threatened, before punching Hagrid in the arm. It was a light punch, not meant to hurt, but just meant as a wake-up call.
"C'mon, Hagrid," he said. "You've been through worse than this: a dragon, being blamed for releasing the basilisk. The fact that your mom is a giantess just makes you that much more unique, and shouldn't be looked at as a mistake, don't you think?"
Hagrid let out a tired sounding laugh, more tear leaking from his eyes and trailing down into his tangled beard. He gave each of them a brave smile, though, before thumping Yami Seto on the back with enough force to almost send him sprawling onto the table.
"Thank yeh," he said. "Thank yeh, all of yeh."
Dawn of Fate
.
.
I felt guilty about taking so long on the last update, so I hurried up and wrote a new chapter right away. ^^;;
Um... yeah, kinda obvious, but the article that starts this chapter off was excerpted from the book, with the obvious changes. Also, according to my Japanese translator, "akuhu" means "wicked woman". ^_^
Oh, and to the person who so RUDELY pointed out that I put the wrong French word in the last chapter...
::twapsmackTHUD::
Grr... I said I didn't know French! I had to use a crappy translator at the last moment. Shaddup! :P
^_^;;;
Anyway, as always; read, enjoy, and then review.
.
.
.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - GIANT CIRCUMSTANCES
DUMBLEDORE'S GIANT MISTAKE
Albus Dumbledore, eccentric headmaster of
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,
has never been afraid to make controversial
staff appointments, writes Rita Skeeter,
Special Correspondent. In September of this
year, he hired Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, the
notoriously jinx-happy ex-Auror, to teach Defense
Against the Dark Arts, a decision that caused
many raised eyebrows at the Ministry of Magic,
given Moody's well-known habit of attacking
anybody who makes a sudden movement in his presence.
Mad-Eye Moody, however, looks responsible and
kindly when set beside the part-human Dumbledore
employs to teach Care of Magical Creatures.
Rubeus Hagrid, who admits to being expelled
from Hogwarts in his third year, has enjoyed the
position of gamekeeper at the school ever since,
a job secured for him by Dumbledore. Last year,
however, Hagrid used his mysterious influence over
the headmaster to secure the additional post of
Care of Magical Creatures teacher, over the heads
of many better-qualified candidates.
An alarmingly large and ferocious-looking
man, Hagrid has been using his newfound authority
to terrify the students in his care with a succession
of horrific creatures. While Dumbledore turns a
blind eye, Hagrid has maimed several pupils during a
series of lessons that many admit to being "very
frightening."
"I was attacked by a hippogriff, and my
friend Vincent Crabbe got a bad bite off a
flobberworm," says Ecillia Lestrange, a fourth-year
student. "We all hate Hagrid, but we're just too
scared to say anything."
Hagrid has no intention of ceasing his
campaign of intimidation, however. In conversation
with a Daily Prophet reporter last month, he admitted
breeding creatures he has dubbed "Blast-Ended Skrewts,"
highly dangerous crosses between manticores and fire-
crabs. The creation of new breeds of magical creature
is, of course, an activity usually closely observed by
the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical
Creatures. Hagrid, however, considers himself to be
above such petty restrictions.
"I was just having some fun," he says, before
hastily changing the subject.
As if this were not enough, the Daily Prophet
has now unearthed evidence that Hagrid is not - as he
has always pretended - a pure-blood wizard. He is not,
in fact, even pure human. His mother, we can
exclusively reveal, is none other than the giantess
Fridwulfa, whose whereabouts are currently unknown.
Bloodthirsty and brutal, the giants brought
themselves to the point of extinction by warring
amongst themselves during the last century. The
handful that remained joined the ranks of He-Who-Must-
Not-Be-Named, and were responsible for some of the worst
mass Muggle killings of his reign of terror.
While many of the giants who served He-Who-Must
-Not-Be-Named were killed by Aurors working against
the Dark Side, Fridwulfa was not among them. It is
possible she escaped to one of the giant communities
still existing in foreign mountain ranges. If his
antics during Care of Magical Creatures lessons are any
guide, however, Fridwulfa's son appears to have
inherited her brutal nature.
In a bizarre twist, Hagrid is reputed to have
developed a close friendship with the boy who brought
around You-Know-Who's fall from power - thereby driving
Hagrid's own mother, like the rest of You-Know-Who's
supporters, into hiding. Perhaps Harry Potter is unaware
of the unpleasant truth about his large friend - but
Albus Dumbledore surely has a duty to ensure that Harry
Potter, along with his fellow students, is warned about
the dangers of associating with part-giants.
As calmly as he could, Seto folded up his copy of that day's Daily Prophet, his teeth visibly clenched tight and his hands shaking in his anger. That week after the Christmas holidays, when the others had told him that Hagrid was not teaching Care of Magical Creatures anymore, he instantly went to find out why. That was why when a student near him at the Ravenclaw table received a copy of the newspaper in the mail that morning; he asked to see it (scaring the student in the process). After reading the article the first time, he snapped the paper closed and dragged his yami and Fleur over to the Gryffindor table. Curious about his actions, Yami Bakura and Bakura had joined him.
After reading the article to their entire group of friends, there was a long, drawn out silence, before Marik slammed a fist against the table, startling everyone in range. He stood up, his eyes flashing with more emotion than he had shown since the Yule Ball.
"This is absolutely ridiculous!" he shouted. "She had no right to publish something like that!"
Fleur looked up at him, alarmed. "I take it zis 'Agrid iz not as ze article zays?"
"Far from it, Ms. Delacour," Draco answered. "Hagrid's a great man. The thing about the hippogriff was Ecillia's own damn fault; you're not supposed to insult a hippogriff, and she did. It was Hagrid that ran her all the way up to the castle when she got hurt. I don't know what they're talking about when they say a 'bite from a flobberworm'. They don't even have teeth!"
"What I'd like to know is how she GOT this information," Yami Bakura said, tapping his fingers on the table angrily.
Ron and Harry exchanged guilty looks. "Well... we overheard Hagrid talking to Madame Maxime during the Yule Ball," Harry admitted. "He told her that he was half giant, and asked her what side of her family she got her 'giant-ness' from."
Fleur tisked disapprovingly. "It iz improper to ask a lady such a t'ing," she scoffed. "We all know zat Madame Maxime iz 'alf-giantezz herzelf. We do not inquire az to where she getz it from."
Yami Yugi frowned, crossing his arms. "Hagrid was probably so happy to encounter someone like him, that he did not think it would be insulting to Madame Maxime."
Fleur was quiet at that, having nothing to really say. Seto put a hand on her shoulder.
"It still doesn't give her any right to print an article like this," Yugi said with a pout, leaning against his other self.
"Not only that, but - assuming she learned most of her information from that conversation - how could she have gotten close enough to hear it?" Bakura asked. "Dumbledore banned her from the grounds."
Yami Seto drummed his fingers on the table, looking at his hikari out of the corner of his eye. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking, aibou?"
Seto snorted, smirking. "First person to play a Yami-no-Game against Rita Skeeter gets a free week at Kaiba Land."
Bakura and Yami Bakura looked at each other in surprise, before a twin set of sinister smiles appeared on their faces. They got up at the same time and ran off, more than likely to go plot against the annoying reporter. Those remaining exchanged alarmed looks.
"Are zay alwayz like zat?" Fleur asked.
"Yami Bakura, yes," Yugi answered. "Bakura..."
"His yami's a bad influence on him," Yami Yugi provided, frowning.
~.oOOo.~
Before they were going to go to Hogsmeade the second Saturday of January, Yugi and Marik went off to Hagrid's hut to see if he was okay after a whole two weeks of not seeing him. On the way, they passed by the Durmstrang ship just in time to see Viktor Krum appear on deck, clad only in a pair of swimming trunks. Marik growled as the Bulgarian dived head first into the freezing water of the lake.
"I hope he gets hypothermia, or swallowed by the squid," he snarled, stalking the rest of the way to the hut. Yugi sweatdropped as he followed him, not really able to comment on that.
Marik walked right up to the door of the hut, pounding on it as loud as he could. "Hagrid! It's Marik and Yugi! Open up!"
The only response they got was the sound of Fang barking. Marik banged on the door louder, but once again did not get a response.
"What's he avoiding us for?" Yugi asked. "Afraid we'd send him to the Shadow Realm for lying to us?"
Marik frowned. "What lie? He just didn't tell us."
"You know what I mean."
The Egyptian sighed, giving up. They made their way back to the carriages that would take them to Hogsmeade. The ride to the wizard village seemed to take longer than normal, mostly because Marik knew that he would not be hanging out with Hermione when he got there. He did not know what he was going to do; maybe it would just be better for him to cut his losses and give up. All things considered, he probably would save himself a few gray hairs if he courted another girl. There was this really cute seventh year he had bumped into in the halls once…
Once they got to the village, they split off almost right away. Ron, Harry, Draco and Yami Bakura went to the Three Broomsticks to see if Hagrid had arrived ahead of them. Seto had dragged his yami off, muttering something about "flowers", "birthday present", and "Fleur" in the same sentence. Yugi, Yami Yugi, Bakura, and Marik went wandering around town, trying to see if the groundskeeper was meandering around in any of the stores.
After spending a good hour in Honeydukes (their last stop) to restock their candy supplies, the four of them went to the Three Broomsticks themselves, having no luck in seeking out Hagrid elsewhere. The pub was crowded, as usual, and it was a bit difficult to move. Yugi, Bakura, and Marik managed to worm their way to a booth, while Yami Yugi went to get all of them drinks.
"Still no sign of Hagrid," the pharaoh announced when he was able to rejoin them, setting down a plate of four mugs full of butterbeer. "You don't really think Dumbledore sacked him, do you?"
"I don't think he would do that," Bakura said as they each took a mug. "I mean, I imagine Dumbledore already knew about it, otherwise, I doubt he would even let him in the school."
Marik was about to reply, when none other than Rita Skeeter walked into the pub, her photographer in tow as always. They bought their drinks at the bar, Rita's banana yellow robes clashing drastically amongst the more sober-colored robes of the other people there, before the two of them made their way to a table near the four boys' booth. Rita was talking fast, as always, and had a satisfied smirk on her face.
"...didn't seem very keen to talk to us, did he, Bozo?" she was saying. "And what's he doing with a pack of goblins in tow anyway? Reckon something's up? Think we should do a bit of digging? 'Disgraced Ex-Head of Magical Games and Sports, Ludo Bagman...' Snappy start to a sentence. We just need to find a story to -"
"Trying to ruin someone else's life?" Marik said loudly, standing up. A few people nearby looked around in surprise. Rita's eyes widened when she saw who had spoken to her.
"Champion Ishitar!" she exclaimed. "How wonderful! Why don't you and your friends come and join -"
"We wouldn't go near you with a ten foot broomstick," Bakura snarled, the look on his face a good impersonation of his yami's evil sneer. "What'd you have to go and print that horrid article on Hagrid for, ne?"
Rita raised an eyebrow, visibly a little unnerved by the look on his face.
"Our readers have the right to know the truth, Mr.... Bakura, is it? I am merely -"
"Who cares if he's half giant?" Yami Yugi cut her off, shouting. "There's nothing wrong with him!"
A hush had fallen over the pub. Madame Rosmerta was staring at the confrontation; oblivious to the fact the flagon she had been filling with mead was now overflowing. Rita's smile faltered for just a moment, obviously not used to being talked back to in such a manner, before she hitched it back up again. She snapped open her crocodile-skin handbag, pulling out her Quick-Quotes Quill.
"Well, then, how about giving me an interview about the Hagrid YOU know, gentlemen," she proposed. "The man behind the muscles? You and your friends' unlikely friendship and the reasons behind it? Would you call him a replacement father to Harry Potter?"
Yugi stood up abruptly, clutching his butterbeer. "You horrid akuhu," he accused angrily. "You don't care about anything, do you? Just as long as you get a story, hunh? Even Bagman-san -"
"Sit down, you silly little boy, and don't talk about things you don't understand," Rita cut him off sharply. "I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair stand on end... NOT that it needs it."
Yugi's mouth twisted into a scowl that was hardly ever seen on his face. He pushed his way around his yami, and the pharaoh gave him a concerned look, afraid of what he was going to do.
"Keep acting like that, and you'll be all washed up," he returned, "not that YOU need it."
Rita narrowed her eyes. "And what is that supposed to mean?"
Yugi could not ask for a better opening; he tossed his drink right into Rita's face. She backpedaled, caught off guard by such an action from such a "little boy". He marched right out of the Three Broomsticks, not bothering to wait for her response, his three companions hot on his heels as he made his way to one of the carriages that had taken them to the village.
"Now you've done it, Yugi-kun," Marik said. "She'll be after you next."
"Let her try," Yugi replied hotly, making to climb into the carriage. "First Harry, now Hagrid. Someone's gotta put a stop to her. If I get the chance, I'm gonna be the one to do it, and I don't care if I have to stoop down to Yami Bakura-kun's level to do it. I've HAD IT!"
Yami Yugi blinked in surprise. He had never seen his aibou act in such a manner before, and it was strange, yet oddly cute at the same time. No wonder he liked him so much.
"She'll probably try and drag up something on you," Bakura pointed out, following Yugi into the carriage. "All things considered, that could be bad, you know..."
"I don't care," Yugi said as Marik and Yami Yugi climbed in as well. "My ojii-chan and okaa-san don't read the Daily Prophet, and neither does Jonouchi-kun or any of the others."
"What about your fan following?" Marik asked with a chuckle as the carriage started back toward the castle.
Yugi sweatdropped. "The fewer of those crazy people around, the better."
As soon as the carriages returned them to the castle grounds, Yugi flung himself out with the others not the far behind. He stomped up to Hagrid's hut, pounding on the door as hard as he could.
"Hagrid!" he shouted as loud as he could. "Hagrid, that's enough! We know you're in there! Nobody cares if your okaa-san was a giantess, Hagrid! You can't let that baka Skeeter woman do this to you! Hagrid, you get out here now, you're just being -!"
The door swung open, and Yugi managed to get out, "It's about t-!" before he quickly stopped himself, finding himself face to face with Dumbledore instead of Hagrid.
"Good afternoon," he said pleasantly as Yugi paled.
"We... uh... wanted to see Hagrid..." Yugi said in a small voice that almost made his other laugh out loud.
"I hadn't noticed," Dumbledore replied, his eyes twinkling in amusement. "Why don't you come in?"
Yugi turned an adorable shade of red as Yami Yugi "helped" him step into the hut, Marik and Bakura following behind with smirks on their faces. Fang all but glomped the latter boy as he entered, giving his ear a through cleaning courtesy of his tongue. Bakura managed to fend him off as they approached the table, where Hagrid was sitting clutching a giant mug of tea. To be blunt about it, the groundskeeper looked like a mess, as if he had been crying for the past two weeks straight.
"Yo, Hagrid," Marik said tentatively.
"'Lo," Hagrid replied in a weak voice.
The boys sat down at the table, and Dumbledore conjured up smaller teacups for them. There was a very pregnant pause, before the headmaster asked, "Did you hear what Mr. Mutou was shouting about, Hagrid?"
Yugi's face tinged pink, and he tried to occupy himself with his tea as Dumbledore smiled. "It seems Yugi, Panseru, Marik, and Ryou still want you around, Hagrid," he continued, "judging from the way they were trying to break down the door."
"Of course we still want you around!" Yami Yugi exclaimed, giving Hagrid a meaningful look. "You can't honestly think anything that camel shit, Skeeter... eh... sorry, Professor."
"I have gone temporarily deaf and haven't an idea what you said, pharaoh," Dumbledore replied innocently, staring up at the ceiling.
Yami Yugi grinned sheepishly. "At least I wasn't the one that threw my drink in her face."
Yugi whole body seemed to turn red as he slid lower in his seat, trying to disappear. Bakura chuckled, making him slide back up into his seat properly.
"Anyway, what I'm trying to say is," Yami Yugi continued, "how could you even think we'd care about what that... WOMAN writes about you? We know the real you, Hagrid. That's all that matters."
"Living proof of what I've been telling you, Hagrid," Dumbledore said softly.
Hagrid snorted loudly, tears falling out of his beetle-black eyes. "It don' matter. All's it takes is one paren' who dunna like th' thought 'o their child bein' taugh' by a 'alf-giant, and I'm done for. All because 'a a moth'r I've never seen."
Marik was about to reply, when someone else cut him off.
"We can't choose our parents, no matter how horrible they are... or what they do."
Everyone turned in surprise to see Yami Seto standing in the doorframe. He shrugged a bit sheepishly, before walking up to them, closing the door behind him.
"The door was open," he explained. "I heard what happened in the Three Broomsticks, and considering what it was about, I figured I'd find you guys here."
Yugi blushed again as Yami Seto went over to Hagrid's side. He rested an arm on the half-giant's shoulder comfortingly.
"Hagrid..." he began softly, "I know better than anyone what you're feeling right now. It's a horrible experience, to be betrayed by someone you barely even know. The fact that they're related to you makes it that much worse."
"Seto..." Yami Yugi murmured quietly. The high priest just shook his head, chasing away tears that had threatened, before punching Hagrid in the arm. It was a light punch, not meant to hurt, but just meant as a wake-up call.
"C'mon, Hagrid," he said. "You've been through worse than this: a dragon, being blamed for releasing the basilisk. The fact that your mom is a giantess just makes you that much more unique, and shouldn't be looked at as a mistake, don't you think?"
Hagrid let out a tired sounding laugh, more tear leaking from his eyes and trailing down into his tangled beard. He gave each of them a brave smile, though, before thumping Yami Seto on the back with enough force to almost send him sprawling onto the table.
"Thank yeh," he said. "Thank yeh, all of yeh."