Harry had sent Hedwig to Hagrid asking if they would meet in the forbidden forest for he was sure the wards prevented him from entering Hogwarts grounds. Hagrid had replied hat the wards wouldn't let Harry through and that he'd meet him about a quarter of the way in the forbidden forest from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts. He didn't want to make Harry wander through the entire forest alone and it had been a while since he last had reason to walk all the way to the Hogsmeade side of the forbidden forest so he wanted to do it again. Although Harry would've appreciated the opportunity to explore the forest and learn all there was to about it, he didn't want to begrudge Hagrid from his enjoyment of the stroll.
Harry had bought a turkey hamper with the money Hedwig was giving him to give to Hagrid. He thought it might be nice to bring a gift, and the two met at midnight on a Saturday evening, far enough in the woods that no one would see them from outside.
It was like a midnight picnic and highly enjoyable. The trees, dirt floor, and rocks were all lit up with the most beautiful silver of the moonlight spilling in. The world looked like a silvery-blue mirror and they found a rather large rock they used as a table. Hagrid had bought along a picnic but was happy about the turkey hamper.
"I'm very happy you asked for my knowledge and wisdom," said Hagrid, "even though I know books can be tempting. Blimely I found magic amazing when I first got my letter and went to Hogwarts. I was up all night reading about the interesting things magic does. But it's good to talk to a person about these things from time to time. I'm very happy to help you, take down...you-know-who," he said after the slight characteristic pause many gave when they had to talk about Lord Voldemort.
"I ordered some books on myself from Diagon Alley but most of them say they don't really know what happened to the Boy Who Lived. Just that Lord Voldemort meant to kill my parents and myself that night but he was vanished, my parents were dead, I was alive and that some sources reported I was living with my relatives, but other than that, most books could only give theories on what happened," said Harry, "I'd need to know a lot more to piece together what actually happened on that night."
"Right yer do," said Hagrid, "like a detective."
"Yeah," said Harry as he sipped some pumpkin juice Hagrid had bought over in some mugs, "by the way, I wanted you to order some books for me."
Harry told him of all the books from the 7 years of Hogwarts he wanted with him.
Hagrid said he would order it in dribs and drabs, and once he'd had the whole 7 year's worth, he'd send them over in an expendable trunk, which he said was the best way to keep them if Harry wanted them to be easily taken around with him, which Harry did. Harry said he'd buy the expendable trunk and keep it with him at Hogsmeade and when Hagrid had written to say he had all 7 books, Harry would write to plan a date (probably at night) where he would send Hedwig over with the expendable trunk, and receive it back with all the books in it the next morning.
Hagrid promised to cast a featherweight charm on it so that Hedwig would have an easier time with it even though he thought the bird could just about handle the weight anyway.
"Weren't you expelled in your third year? Do you still use magic?" Harry found himself asking. He found Hagrid interesting. Everything to do with Hogwarts, magic, people, were interesting to him.
"I didn't learn any more for about two years after I was expelled," said Hagrid, "felt awful about it. Like I wasn't supposed to even be doing magic. Like I wasn't supposed to be a wizard. Being expelled from Hogwarts does that to you...but then I came around and saw that just because I wasn't attending the school didn't mean I couldn't learn more magic. And well, I started to require more and more magic in my duties and daily life. So I taught myself here and there, and even purchased some of the books, just the subjects I was interested in, and went through the curriculum. I only learnt the magic I was interested in and needed, but I do know more magic than since I was expelled yes."
"It's what I would do too if I was expelled from Hogwarts," said Harry, "what happened on the night my parents were murdered?"
"Dumbledore knew first," said Hagrid, "at that time I was at Hogwarts. He told me of what happened almost immediately after it did. I don't think the ministry of magic or any aurors - magical police officers - knew first then told Dumbledore, Dumbledore was the first person to know what happened. He told me simply that your parents had been killed but the child was still alive, and that you would need to be bought over to your Aunt and Uncle's house in order for further protections upon you to work. I didn't question him, he knows ancient magic around wards and things well. I bought you over and that was it."
"Did Dumbledore know by magical means? Unless he was standing watch outside the house the whole time it must've been through magic he knew right? How do ward protections work?" asked Harry.
"Most likely Dumbledore did. But Dumbledore is a very skilled wizard that I don't even know or think I would understand if he explained it to me. I'm afraid there's a lot of ancient magic concerning your parents' deaths and Lord Voldemort I don't understand. I didn't even try asking for that reason. I'm not too sure on ward protections, but it's a deep bit of magic that's been developing for many years. Properly casted wards are very powerful. You don't want to misunderstand them. I know a bit about wards, but I don't want ter accidentally teach yer the wrong thing," said Hagrid.
"That makes sense," said Harry, "I'll have to order a specialist book on wards separately."
They then talked a bit about Harry's parents, who Harry was delighted to find Hagrid knew. He'd remembered them as students during their time at Hogwarts, and Harry found himself filled with memories and details of his parents during that night that he appreciated very much.
His mother was popular, always found with friends, brilliant at potions and charms, always giggling, vibrant, energetic, bright, much loved among her grade. His father was a troublemaker, belonging to a group of guys called the Marauders, four very tight-knit friends, who did everything together. They were a bit of a bully, Hagrid admitted honestly, and he'd suspected them of such, he knew guys like that from his own years at Hogwarts, but he said that every boy was a bit mischievous, it was a part of life, and they were no worse than the rowdiest boys at Hogwarts now for the most part.
His parents had started dating near the later years of Hogwarts, which Hagrid did know about but he didn't know much more than that. He said they were a cheerful couple.
The conversation took a solemn tone again however as Hagrid mentioned his parents deaths again.
"Dumbledore knew You-Know-Who wanted to kill the child, you, before You-Know-Who did actually. Several months to a year before, though I don't remember exactly. He was away from Hogwarts quite a fair bit throughout the year as he tried to work with your parents and a few members of The Order, a group of witches and wizards who came together themselves to fight against You-Know-Who but weren't official, to find protection for you. I don't know the exact details because it's a lot ter complicated magic. But your parents and Dumbledore at least, tried some magical protections before he came," said Hagrid.
"But they didn't work as planned? Because if they did Voldemort would've never been able to find me!" said Harry.
"Yes, not as planned. But something happened on that night, otherwise you wouldn't be here," said Hagrid, "I think Dumbledore still theorises on what happened. It was unexpected yer see. And he still theorises on how you could be used to take down You-Know-Who now. He seems to think it was through some divine or magical means you didn't come to Hogwarts. Like a hero that wasn't supposed to appear yet, and so he's being careful about why you didn't come to Hogwarts. He doesn't think it's a small thing. But I don't think he's decided on what to do about that yet."
It wasn't. Thought Harry. If it weren't for the Sorting Hat and Wand, I would've never been here right now, instead of sleeping in a dorm at Hogwarts.
"What was the night like?" asked Harry, "did you have to get interviewed at all by anyone afterwards? About the crime scene?"
Hagrid explained how Dumbledore had told him to grab something warm to wrap the baby in, as an offhand remark near the end of the series of instructions, as it was a cold night that night.
Hagrid had said he didn't know what came over him, but he just felt a little sorry for the boy, having to grow up alone without his parents, away from the magical world until Hogwarts, and so he'd grabbed the first warm fabricy thing he could think of, which just happened to be the sorting hat. He was still in the castle near Dumbledore's office at the time of the exchange, and that by the time he'd went there, he was so wrought with grief, he simply swept up Harry and perhaps bits of debris from around as well, into the hat, and then bought him over and left him on the doorstep.
He didn't remember too much other than that. The night had disappeared in almost the blink of an eye. It was nearly dawn now. They hastily said their goodbyes but that they would see each other again. They both unianimously liked these meetings.
When Harry got back he slept then made a late lunch and thought over the new information from the night before. A warm feeling flooded over him for days at what he knew about his parents then. The mystery about the hat and wand deepend. So the Hat was definitely one from Hogwarts, and it appeared the wand was in his room at the time Hagrid came in. What was the wand however? It didn't look like a wand from Ollivander's or any real wand Harry knew of. If Voldemort had been using his usual wand or another man-made one, it wasn't this wand because this wand wasn't made by anyone.
Was Voldemort using a wand he'd made himself? Was this Voldemort's wand? Why did Harry think it was Voldemort's wand? What had even happened to Voldemort's wand after he was 'vanished' that day? How did Voldemort even die? How does one magically die? Or magically get vanished?
After he ate lunch Harry consolidated his knowledge with the hat.
Hagrid made it sound like an accident. He happened to slip you around me on a whim that night. But you mentioned you were more magically affiliated to me than not, and you wanted to protect me. It sounds like you have more of a reason to be connected to me than Hagrid's whimsical thought to put me in you on that night. Harry thought whilst he sat in the cellar by the light of lumos on his wand.
I am magically more receptive towards you, and I do have a bit of a magical enchantment to use what powers I do have to help you, which I can sense. I don't know who put that enchantment on me though, so I can't answer that.
However, seeing that as far as I know, I am more magically receptive towards you than any other magical being, I would agree that there's some intent behind my connection to you, that was not caused by Hagrid putting you in the Sorting Hat. Hagrid put you in the Sorting Hat, and something else had happened with the Sorting Hat as well, to bind it to you. But remember, you do not know for sure that I am the Sorting Hat. Neither do I. We know I am simply a rare talking hat that matches an idea of what the Sorting Hat would be like once it is outside of Hogwarts.
There isn't quite enough evidence to say I am. I don't have any memories or knowledge of it that would count as evidence. Hagrid doesn't remember the night well. Memories are not all that reliable anyway. There isn't any evidence I am not. The hat thought.
There's no records of that anywhere. There wouldn't be records of Hagrid taking the hat out of Hogwarts or anything. It's hard to prove how I came to be in contact with you. I don't think this event is really one that can be proven...but all I know is that I practically grew up with the hat and the wand and well...I like it. I like it. Thought Harry. Hagrid was right when he thought I'd be lonely and want more to do with the wizarding world. I do and I liked seeing the hat and the wand all throughout my eleven years of growing up until one day you talked to me. It bought me comfort to even just see you there. I wouldn't chuck the two of you away for anything.
The situations haven't present a real good reason to do so yet. Thought the hat rationally.
The books arrived near the beginning of the Christmas holidays so it was like an early Christmas present. Hagrid also wasn't able to get time of until then and when he did he was sour.
Apparently he had bought a dragon egg of someone at a bar and had hoped to see it hatch because he loved animals. The dragon was growing far too large to keep anywhere and after Dumbledore caught sight of it once, he was told it would be a hazard but Dumbledore knew of some friends in Romania who would love to take it. Apparently Romania was a hotspot for dragons and if any student ever expressed any interest in them, it was the number one go to spot he typically recommended. Dumbledore was willing to turn the other cheek as long as Hagrid promised not to do it again. Even though Harry hadn't met Dumbledore he'd gotten the impression Dumbledore was fond of Hagrid's antics - pastoral lifestyle, interest in animals and plants, general demeanor.
Harry had bought some chocolate cards from Hogsmeade and he'd gotten an impression of who Dumbledore was. He was reminded of some of his muggle teachers so even though he hadn't met him in person, he had a small idea of what Dumbledore may have been like.
Hagrid was also sour because...
"I want to leave Hogwarts," he had said, "my mother belonged to a tribe of giants before I was around. My father was a wizard that died fairly early so I'm also an orphan to. I have no family here at Hogwarts. It was my home when I got kicked out of Hogwarts, but I don't want to die here. I won't have a wife, I won't have a family, I'll just be remembered - hopefully fondly - by the students but that's no compensation for a life of my own. I can't stay here...not forever..."
"I emancipated for the same reason. It was getting indecent and I couldn't stay there - at the Dursleys I mean. Possibly it's the same for you. Hogwarts was once the right place for you, but not anymore," Harry tried to help.
"Indeed that's true. I...I think I'm going to try and build a place near the village of my childhood home. Where my dad and I lived and I mostly grew up. Maybe I'll ask around. Dumbledore might be able ter point me in the right direction - about giant wonderings and where they've been. An...maybe I'll try to find more information about my mother. I'm sure she's dead now. It'll be a miracle if she's alive," Hagrid got tearful, "but I'll try. An' see how that goes. Maybe live among the giant's for a while..."
"Try it," said Harry, "you only have one life. You only get to live once. If you want to live among giants to see what it's like and experience that, try it. It would be like keeping a magical child away from Hogwarts. There's always a yearning to go and you should."
"So I might not actually be at Hogwarts longer. I don't know when I leave, but sometime throughout your years at Hogwarts. I won' be working there anymore," said Hagrid, "Dumbledore'll find another caretaker of the grounds. There's always people looking for jobs..."
After some more encouragement by Harry and some pointed questions about safety, magical protection and back-up plans, the night once again slipped away and soon they found themselves hastily having to pack up and leave once again lest they wanted things to be found out in the morning.
Harry felt a pang as he left Hagrid and made his way home through the dark of the forest. He understood the feeling of looking out for a new adventure, a new horizon, it was a feeling he'd felt ever since he'd left his home with the Dursleys and set about uncovering the secrets of magic on his own in order to defeat the Dark Lord and risk nobody else's lives. He understood the feeling of feeling like there was something more out there, something one wanted to experience, and also of being an orphan, of forlornly daydreaming about one's parents or wanting to live their lifestyle. Hagrid was technically a half-giant and did have some claim to experience the lifestyle should he want to. It was just a stroke of luck he did not but Harry could see the reasoning in that.
The good news about this was that with Hagrid being out of Hogwarts a new caretaker at some point, there was even less chance of Dumbledore knowing anything than before. Not that Hagrid mentioned anything about making these visits well known to the headmaster, but if there was a chance of Dumbledore knowing, finding out about anything, or questioning Hagrid as time went on, it was thrown of by the fact Hagrid planned to leave at some point. So there was that good news.
Harry had no reason to trust Professor Dumbledore. He had found himself thinking exceptionally rationally ever since the Sorting Hat first spoke to him, and there was no particularly good reason to trust Professor Dumbledore with the series of events that had happened. Especially if innocent lives may be lost fighting against the Dark Lord due to going to Hogwarts, bonding with the other kids, and having them feel so strongly to Harry they sacrifice their family's, or themselves for his cause. Not when he was to do it alone. Take down the Dark Lord through knowledge and secrets of magic, much like how the Dark Lord rose to power in the first place.
Harry spent most of Christmas skimming through his new books of the 7 years of Hogwarts. He could cast some spells meant for students above his year - but others he knew would require more knowledge. Nonetheless it was enjoyable to skim through and stop and read whatever caught his interest.