Chapter 30: The Forgotten Grawp
Page awoke the next morning very early. She felt too tired to go back to sleep, and so dressed and went down to breakfast. Only Hagrid was there. Page jumped at the sight of him. He had deep cuts on his face and arms and two very black puffy eyes. "Merlin's beard! What happened to you?" Page asked him. She pulled up a chair next to him, and stared in awe. He looked around him, to make sure he wasn't over heard. "It's Grawp. I went ta see 'im last night. He aint happy, I'll tell ya. I found a mate for 'im Cyma and they are getting along fine, but he won't let me near him ta talk to 'im." He looked absolutely dreadful. He looked like he was thrown into some bushes, as his hair was full of leaves and twigs. "Hagrid, you have to be more careful. Look, why don't you go and see Poppy, you don't have to explain anything to her, that why people won't ask questions." She told him, but he shook his scruffy matted head. "Nah, it's alright. I've got some dragons meat, I'll be fine." Hagrid got up, and without another word, left the great hall leaving Page overwhelmed and frightful for Hagrid. She got up and went back to her usual chair. He shouldn't be messing around with giants, and he should know that, Page thought. She managed to eat three slices of toast with two poached eggs, baked beans and time to spare to walk around the grounds. It was very chilly, as crispy white frost had covered the morning grounds, although it was very refreshing. Page walked down towards the lake, every couple of minutes or so, Page saw the giant squid skim across the water in the middle of the lake. The early sun was creeping over the mountains to melt the frost. Page wondered back up to her classroom. She got a surprise as Harry, Ron and Hermione was waiting for her. "I know your good in Defence Against the Dark Arts, but your next class isn't until tomorrow." Page said with a smile. "What do you want?" Both Ron and Hermione looked at Harry. Harry was leaning against the doorpost looking thoroughly bored. "Have you had breakfast?" "No, but we really need to talk to you." Hermione said, she looked very anxious as she was giving side looks at Harry. "Well you can talk to me after you lot have eaten your breakfast. It's not that important, and I'll be here all day." They walked off towards the entrance hall to have breakfast while Page finished off marking first and third year's tests. By ten thirty Page had finished her work and was planning next week's lessons as Harry and Ron came to talk to her. "Where's Hermione?" Page asked them, as they headed towards the front of her desk. "Library, I swear she lives in there." Ron said as he sat down on a chair in front of Page. "What's she working on?" "History, we have a big test tomorrow and she wants to get some books out to revise. I don't know why she bothers." Ron said huffily. "She bothers Ron because she's smarter then you, and she knows how big of a test it is." Harry said. He still looked tired, but he was quite alert. "And are you two going to revise? I hate to be a teacher who is responsible for you failing tests, and I'm not sure Professor Binn's will like it if you fail." Page said, scowled at them, but smiled. She remembers Professor Binn's very well, who wouldn't? His lessons were so boring, just remembering them would put you to sleep. "What are you studying?" She asked as she put some books on her desk. "Goblin's rebellion and their treaties with Vampires between 1765 and 1872." Harry said dully. He crossed his arms and slouched onto the table. "Oh, them, yeah it was pretty tedious work. But there is a lot of information there which you'll have to know for your N.E.W.T.S. but as a teacher I'm saying you need to study, as a friend I'm saying I understand and don't bother." They both grinned at her. "So, what did you guys want to ask me?" "Whether Dumbledore has said anything to you?" Ron said. He yawned and rocked back on his chair trying to look cool. "Nope, not a word. And I don't think he'll want to say anything just yet. I'm sure he has a reason not to, but like you I'm left in the dark." There was a knock on the door and Snape came in looking thoroughly annoyed. "I'm not your messenger, but Dumbledore wants me to give you this. And why are you in here." He spat at Ron and Harry as he threw a letter onto Page's desk. "We are hear to talk to Professor Quinn, it's not a crime." Harry said indignantly. Page knew he had gone too far. "Get out. You will not speak to me like that." He said pointing towards the door. "Severus! This is my classroom and the students are allowed to come in here if they want, and if this letter has anything to do with what I think it does, these boys have a right to read it." Page had stood up, she had never been so angry with him. "Now if you don't mind, I need to speak with them, privately." He shot a look at Harry, turned on his heel and marched out of the door, slamming it behind him. "He needs a chill pill." Harry said laughing. Ron gave him a quizzical look. Page knew that Ron didn't know much about muggle words, but Harry spared him the embarrassment of changing the subject. "So what does the letter say?" Harry asked her as he rested his chin on his hands and looked at her apprehensively. Page ripped open the letter and read it through before telling Harry and Ron. "It's another meeting for me and Harry has to come with me, by the looks of it." Page said, while she flicked from Harry to the letter. "A meeting? Where? When?" Ron asked her. "In a weeks time on Saturday at one o'clock, Ministry of Magic Divinations office, at least its not a school day but, why would they get involved, but after saying that someone must of told them, and also-" "Why send the letter to Dumbledore and not you or me." Harry said finishing her sentence. She nodded in agreement and reread the letter. "Maybe Dumbledore sent a letter to them last night." Ron suggested. "Yeah, you're probably right." Harry said to Ron. "Should we go up to see him, do you think?" Harry asked her. "I mean, we could get more information off of him." "No, not yet. If he wants to talk to us about it, I'm sure he'll say something, or get Snape to tell us." They laughed. Hermione barged in through the door, looking flustered. "OK I have book's we are going up to study. I have made out timetables for you, "She said handing out two pieces of neat coloured coded parchments. Ron and Harry looked at each other words failed them. The waved bye to Page as Hermione dragged them off without saying a word.
Page had absolutely nothing to do. So she went yet again for another walk around the grounds. The sun, which was shining down on Hogwarts grounds, had melted away all the morning frost, but the air was still a little nippy. Page looked towards the Quidditch pitch, green blurs were whipping and speeding across it. The Slytherins must be training for their next match against Ravenclaw, Page thought. Something caught Page's attention; she saw Hagrid sneak out of his hut and waved on something, which Page could not see. She ran towards him at a past pace to keep up with him. "Hi there Hagrid, what are you doing?" Page asked suspiciously, he jumped at the sound of her voice and moved around something as though to protect it from sight. "Er nothin' just walkin' that's all. Yup, doing nothin'." He started to sweat and looked behind Page as though expecting someone. "Hagrid, you can tell me. What are you up to?" And with that, Harry and Ron emerged from Harry's invisibility cloak behind Hagrid Harry hastily stuffed it under his arm. "You can't keep secrets from me Harry," Page said smiling at them. "Let me guess your going with Hagrid into the dark forest to find Grawp?" Ron gave her a surprised look. "Why would you think that?" He asked her. Hagrid sat down on his front door step looking wearily at her. "Because Hagrid is worried about him, plus the fact I cornered him this morning at breakfast. Can I come with you? I'd like to meet him". Harry and Ron exchanged looks and shot a nervous look at Hagrid. Page saw Hagrid nod his head. "Great lets go then." Page said enthusiastically. They all followed Hagrid deep into the forest. Brambles were tearing their robes and cuts had appeared on their hands, legs and faces and they prised the thorny bushes aside to get past. There was no visible path, and Page suspected that Hagrid had led them on instinct. As they walked further on into the forest it became steadily darker as the trees had grown closer together blocking out the bright February sun. As well as bloody and torn, their robes were covered in dark sludgy mud. After a while with no one saying anything, Page asked Ron and Harry why they didn't study with Hermione. "We told her we were going to the library to get more books and we saw Hagrid on the way their." Ron said, after Page pressured them into telling her. "I understand Hermione wanting us to pass, but Hagrid is more important." Harry said with a grin. "I see where you are coming from Harry." Page said out of earshot of Hagrid. "I know Hagrid means a lot to you, but still you do need to study, this year is quite hard, it's a run up to your N.E.W.T's for next year." Page said, as she stepped into a deep puddle, saturating her cloak. "I know, but we have the rest of the afternoon to do that. We can have the morning off at least. Give us something to do-". "Give us some fresh air." Ron said smiling at her as he finished off Harry's sentence. After about which seemed half an hour, they all came to a clearing. It wasn't natural. Page clearly saw a couple of acres of trees, which had been uprooted by something very big and very ugly. "Merlin's beard!" Page gasped as she saw the site of them. Both giants were peacefully asleep side by side, what both looked like two grey hills moving steadily up and down as they were breathing. Their feet were as the length of a two-story house, and they must have been at least twenty-five feet high. "Whoa, Grawp has grown since we lat saw him, hasn't he Harry?" Ron asked him. "Yeah, I sure wouldn't like to pick a fight with them." "Does Grawp speak much English Hagrid?" Page asked him, as he was checking the giant's ropes to make sure they weren't coming loose. They were so think that they looked more like bandages on their ankles. They looked quite strong but they were fraying, probably by the strength of the giants trying to pull away from them, Page thought. "Yeah, Grawpy knows a lot now. Cyma knows few, but Grawp translates for her, but she's learning. Bless, don't they look so peaceful? I'll wake them up so ya can meet 'um." Hagrid said as he puts his hands to his mouth to call them. "No, Hagrid, that's not a good idea. I'm not sure if er...we'll be safe, after all, didn't you say that they didn't want you near them? Maybe its best if we leave them to sleep, they might be angry if you wake them up." Page suggested to him. He looked a little down. Ron and Harry had stepped back, just in case. They knew Hagrid only too well. "Hagrid lets go back, we can see Grawp some other time." Harry told him. Hagrid checked the ropes one last time and turned around to face them. "Alright Harry." Hagrid took a deep sigh and led them out of the clearing back into the dense forest.
They all said goodbye to Hagrid and headed up to the castle. "Let's never go back in there again." Ron said as they got into the entrance hall, students were milling around and looking at Harry as they walked past. "I thought he'd gotten rid of Grawp. Why does he do it? I mean every time we go to see him, he wants to show us something mad, hairy and dangerously big." "He can't help it Ron. Giants have a fascination with dangerous creatures, you ought to of known that." Page said as they walked up towards her classroom. "Well we better get started on our homework." Harry said as they stopped just before her classroom. "No doubt Hermione will cut out throats if we don't". "Harry tomorrow night at eight, your busy and you need to finish your homework for next week. I'll see you guys tomorrow morning." Page said as she opened the classroom door. Both Harry and Ron said goodbye and left to go up to their dormitory to their unfinished piles of homework, while Page made plans for her lessons. It was very tedious work as Page had to give her classes new material everyday and make up tests to help them with their end of year exams. As the rest of the day trudged on, Page got more and more heavy eyed and decided it was best to stop. Outside became steadily darker, and by seven o'clock Page had packed up her parchment and books and was heading down to the great hall to get some food.
She took her seat alongside Professor Sinistra who was in deep conversation with Professor Sprout. They didn't notice her at all, which suited Page fine. She wasn't in the mood for talking.
She scanned around the hall looking for familiar faces and saw no one. Hagrid then came into the hall, dripping with mud and rain and hastily walked up to Page. She was in the middle of chewing some pork chops and runner beans. He went right up to Page and came close so that no one else would hear. "It's Grawp, he's escaped with Cyma." Page choked at what he said and stared at him in shock. "W-what? What happened?" Page said in a low voice, making sure no one would hear her. "We need ta tell Dumbledore. I'm not sure where they have run off ta." He said. Panic now flowing through Page's body, she dropped her knife and fork on her left over food of runner beans, pork and applesauce and ran out of the hall in a hurry with Hagrid. Page and Hagrid barged into Dumbledore's without knocking and hastily apologised. "Its Grawp and Cyma, they have run off Dumbledore, I don't where they have gone. What are we going to do?" Hagrid said, as his words fumbled out of his mouth. Page was looking from Hagrid to Dumbledore, amazed by his undisturbed state and relaxed face. "Calm yourself Hagrid. Have you any idea at all where they have gone?" he asked as Dumbledore strolled over to his pensive to add other memory to its slivery mist like surface. "None what so ever Professor." Page saw a tear trickle down his muddy wet face. "I don't know why they left, it's not like him to leave." "Well I'll take care of it. Page would you mind letting us talk alone." Dumbledore asked her, inclining his head at her; Page knew it wasn't her place to be there. So she nodded her head in agreement and left Dumbledore's office for them to talk alone.
Page awoke the next morning very early. She felt too tired to go back to sleep, and so dressed and went down to breakfast. Only Hagrid was there. Page jumped at the sight of him. He had deep cuts on his face and arms and two very black puffy eyes. "Merlin's beard! What happened to you?" Page asked him. She pulled up a chair next to him, and stared in awe. He looked around him, to make sure he wasn't over heard. "It's Grawp. I went ta see 'im last night. He aint happy, I'll tell ya. I found a mate for 'im Cyma and they are getting along fine, but he won't let me near him ta talk to 'im." He looked absolutely dreadful. He looked like he was thrown into some bushes, as his hair was full of leaves and twigs. "Hagrid, you have to be more careful. Look, why don't you go and see Poppy, you don't have to explain anything to her, that why people won't ask questions." She told him, but he shook his scruffy matted head. "Nah, it's alright. I've got some dragons meat, I'll be fine." Hagrid got up, and without another word, left the great hall leaving Page overwhelmed and frightful for Hagrid. She got up and went back to her usual chair. He shouldn't be messing around with giants, and he should know that, Page thought. She managed to eat three slices of toast with two poached eggs, baked beans and time to spare to walk around the grounds. It was very chilly, as crispy white frost had covered the morning grounds, although it was very refreshing. Page walked down towards the lake, every couple of minutes or so, Page saw the giant squid skim across the water in the middle of the lake. The early sun was creeping over the mountains to melt the frost. Page wondered back up to her classroom. She got a surprise as Harry, Ron and Hermione was waiting for her. "I know your good in Defence Against the Dark Arts, but your next class isn't until tomorrow." Page said with a smile. "What do you want?" Both Ron and Hermione looked at Harry. Harry was leaning against the doorpost looking thoroughly bored. "Have you had breakfast?" "No, but we really need to talk to you." Hermione said, she looked very anxious as she was giving side looks at Harry. "Well you can talk to me after you lot have eaten your breakfast. It's not that important, and I'll be here all day." They walked off towards the entrance hall to have breakfast while Page finished off marking first and third year's tests. By ten thirty Page had finished her work and was planning next week's lessons as Harry and Ron came to talk to her. "Where's Hermione?" Page asked them, as they headed towards the front of her desk. "Library, I swear she lives in there." Ron said as he sat down on a chair in front of Page. "What's she working on?" "History, we have a big test tomorrow and she wants to get some books out to revise. I don't know why she bothers." Ron said huffily. "She bothers Ron because she's smarter then you, and she knows how big of a test it is." Harry said. He still looked tired, but he was quite alert. "And are you two going to revise? I hate to be a teacher who is responsible for you failing tests, and I'm not sure Professor Binn's will like it if you fail." Page said, scowled at them, but smiled. She remembers Professor Binn's very well, who wouldn't? His lessons were so boring, just remembering them would put you to sleep. "What are you studying?" She asked as she put some books on her desk. "Goblin's rebellion and their treaties with Vampires between 1765 and 1872." Harry said dully. He crossed his arms and slouched onto the table. "Oh, them, yeah it was pretty tedious work. But there is a lot of information there which you'll have to know for your N.E.W.T.S. but as a teacher I'm saying you need to study, as a friend I'm saying I understand and don't bother." They both grinned at her. "So, what did you guys want to ask me?" "Whether Dumbledore has said anything to you?" Ron said. He yawned and rocked back on his chair trying to look cool. "Nope, not a word. And I don't think he'll want to say anything just yet. I'm sure he has a reason not to, but like you I'm left in the dark." There was a knock on the door and Snape came in looking thoroughly annoyed. "I'm not your messenger, but Dumbledore wants me to give you this. And why are you in here." He spat at Ron and Harry as he threw a letter onto Page's desk. "We are hear to talk to Professor Quinn, it's not a crime." Harry said indignantly. Page knew he had gone too far. "Get out. You will not speak to me like that." He said pointing towards the door. "Severus! This is my classroom and the students are allowed to come in here if they want, and if this letter has anything to do with what I think it does, these boys have a right to read it." Page had stood up, she had never been so angry with him. "Now if you don't mind, I need to speak with them, privately." He shot a look at Harry, turned on his heel and marched out of the door, slamming it behind him. "He needs a chill pill." Harry said laughing. Ron gave him a quizzical look. Page knew that Ron didn't know much about muggle words, but Harry spared him the embarrassment of changing the subject. "So what does the letter say?" Harry asked her as he rested his chin on his hands and looked at her apprehensively. Page ripped open the letter and read it through before telling Harry and Ron. "It's another meeting for me and Harry has to come with me, by the looks of it." Page said, while she flicked from Harry to the letter. "A meeting? Where? When?" Ron asked her. "In a weeks time on Saturday at one o'clock, Ministry of Magic Divinations office, at least its not a school day but, why would they get involved, but after saying that someone must of told them, and also-" "Why send the letter to Dumbledore and not you or me." Harry said finishing her sentence. She nodded in agreement and reread the letter. "Maybe Dumbledore sent a letter to them last night." Ron suggested. "Yeah, you're probably right." Harry said to Ron. "Should we go up to see him, do you think?" Harry asked her. "I mean, we could get more information off of him." "No, not yet. If he wants to talk to us about it, I'm sure he'll say something, or get Snape to tell us." They laughed. Hermione barged in through the door, looking flustered. "OK I have book's we are going up to study. I have made out timetables for you, "She said handing out two pieces of neat coloured coded parchments. Ron and Harry looked at each other words failed them. The waved bye to Page as Hermione dragged them off without saying a word.
Page had absolutely nothing to do. So she went yet again for another walk around the grounds. The sun, which was shining down on Hogwarts grounds, had melted away all the morning frost, but the air was still a little nippy. Page looked towards the Quidditch pitch, green blurs were whipping and speeding across it. The Slytherins must be training for their next match against Ravenclaw, Page thought. Something caught Page's attention; she saw Hagrid sneak out of his hut and waved on something, which Page could not see. She ran towards him at a past pace to keep up with him. "Hi there Hagrid, what are you doing?" Page asked suspiciously, he jumped at the sound of her voice and moved around something as though to protect it from sight. "Er nothin' just walkin' that's all. Yup, doing nothin'." He started to sweat and looked behind Page as though expecting someone. "Hagrid, you can tell me. What are you up to?" And with that, Harry and Ron emerged from Harry's invisibility cloak behind Hagrid Harry hastily stuffed it under his arm. "You can't keep secrets from me Harry," Page said smiling at them. "Let me guess your going with Hagrid into the dark forest to find Grawp?" Ron gave her a surprised look. "Why would you think that?" He asked her. Hagrid sat down on his front door step looking wearily at her. "Because Hagrid is worried about him, plus the fact I cornered him this morning at breakfast. Can I come with you? I'd like to meet him". Harry and Ron exchanged looks and shot a nervous look at Hagrid. Page saw Hagrid nod his head. "Great lets go then." Page said enthusiastically. They all followed Hagrid deep into the forest. Brambles were tearing their robes and cuts had appeared on their hands, legs and faces and they prised the thorny bushes aside to get past. There was no visible path, and Page suspected that Hagrid had led them on instinct. As they walked further on into the forest it became steadily darker as the trees had grown closer together blocking out the bright February sun. As well as bloody and torn, their robes were covered in dark sludgy mud. After a while with no one saying anything, Page asked Ron and Harry why they didn't study with Hermione. "We told her we were going to the library to get more books and we saw Hagrid on the way their." Ron said, after Page pressured them into telling her. "I understand Hermione wanting us to pass, but Hagrid is more important." Harry said with a grin. "I see where you are coming from Harry." Page said out of earshot of Hagrid. "I know Hagrid means a lot to you, but still you do need to study, this year is quite hard, it's a run up to your N.E.W.T's for next year." Page said, as she stepped into a deep puddle, saturating her cloak. "I know, but we have the rest of the afternoon to do that. We can have the morning off at least. Give us something to do-". "Give us some fresh air." Ron said smiling at her as he finished off Harry's sentence. After about which seemed half an hour, they all came to a clearing. It wasn't natural. Page clearly saw a couple of acres of trees, which had been uprooted by something very big and very ugly. "Merlin's beard!" Page gasped as she saw the site of them. Both giants were peacefully asleep side by side, what both looked like two grey hills moving steadily up and down as they were breathing. Their feet were as the length of a two-story house, and they must have been at least twenty-five feet high. "Whoa, Grawp has grown since we lat saw him, hasn't he Harry?" Ron asked him. "Yeah, I sure wouldn't like to pick a fight with them." "Does Grawp speak much English Hagrid?" Page asked him, as he was checking the giant's ropes to make sure they weren't coming loose. They were so think that they looked more like bandages on their ankles. They looked quite strong but they were fraying, probably by the strength of the giants trying to pull away from them, Page thought. "Yeah, Grawpy knows a lot now. Cyma knows few, but Grawp translates for her, but she's learning. Bless, don't they look so peaceful? I'll wake them up so ya can meet 'um." Hagrid said as he puts his hands to his mouth to call them. "No, Hagrid, that's not a good idea. I'm not sure if er...we'll be safe, after all, didn't you say that they didn't want you near them? Maybe its best if we leave them to sleep, they might be angry if you wake them up." Page suggested to him. He looked a little down. Ron and Harry had stepped back, just in case. They knew Hagrid only too well. "Hagrid lets go back, we can see Grawp some other time." Harry told him. Hagrid checked the ropes one last time and turned around to face them. "Alright Harry." Hagrid took a deep sigh and led them out of the clearing back into the dense forest.
They all said goodbye to Hagrid and headed up to the castle. "Let's never go back in there again." Ron said as they got into the entrance hall, students were milling around and looking at Harry as they walked past. "I thought he'd gotten rid of Grawp. Why does he do it? I mean every time we go to see him, he wants to show us something mad, hairy and dangerously big." "He can't help it Ron. Giants have a fascination with dangerous creatures, you ought to of known that." Page said as they walked up towards her classroom. "Well we better get started on our homework." Harry said as they stopped just before her classroom. "No doubt Hermione will cut out throats if we don't". "Harry tomorrow night at eight, your busy and you need to finish your homework for next week. I'll see you guys tomorrow morning." Page said as she opened the classroom door. Both Harry and Ron said goodbye and left to go up to their dormitory to their unfinished piles of homework, while Page made plans for her lessons. It was very tedious work as Page had to give her classes new material everyday and make up tests to help them with their end of year exams. As the rest of the day trudged on, Page got more and more heavy eyed and decided it was best to stop. Outside became steadily darker, and by seven o'clock Page had packed up her parchment and books and was heading down to the great hall to get some food.
She took her seat alongside Professor Sinistra who was in deep conversation with Professor Sprout. They didn't notice her at all, which suited Page fine. She wasn't in the mood for talking.
She scanned around the hall looking for familiar faces and saw no one. Hagrid then came into the hall, dripping with mud and rain and hastily walked up to Page. She was in the middle of chewing some pork chops and runner beans. He went right up to Page and came close so that no one else would hear. "It's Grawp, he's escaped with Cyma." Page choked at what he said and stared at him in shock. "W-what? What happened?" Page said in a low voice, making sure no one would hear her. "We need ta tell Dumbledore. I'm not sure where they have run off ta." He said. Panic now flowing through Page's body, she dropped her knife and fork on her left over food of runner beans, pork and applesauce and ran out of the hall in a hurry with Hagrid. Page and Hagrid barged into Dumbledore's without knocking and hastily apologised. "Its Grawp and Cyma, they have run off Dumbledore, I don't where they have gone. What are we going to do?" Hagrid said, as his words fumbled out of his mouth. Page was looking from Hagrid to Dumbledore, amazed by his undisturbed state and relaxed face. "Calm yourself Hagrid. Have you any idea at all where they have gone?" he asked as Dumbledore strolled over to his pensive to add other memory to its slivery mist like surface. "None what so ever Professor." Page saw a tear trickle down his muddy wet face. "I don't know why they left, it's not like him to leave." "Well I'll take care of it. Page would you mind letting us talk alone." Dumbledore asked her, inclining his head at her; Page knew it wasn't her place to be there. So she nodded her head in agreement and left Dumbledore's office for them to talk alone.