Trespass.

Darren ambled into the waking forest, full of excitement and wonder. He had not felt this alive in years. He was alone in a strange land with his whole future unclear and his past unrecoverable. He began whistling Nick Drake's "Saturday Sun" and felt somehow whole. Never a spiritual man, Darren did however concede that there were more things to be had in this world that could not be explained away by sense and science.

This reverie was broken when a large burly figure stepped out of the bracken across his path. "And what do we have here then, eh?" beamed a shaggy black-beareded giant.

Darren instinctively gripped his walking stick firmly and beamed back. "Howdy stranger. Nice forest you have here."

There seemed to be an awkward moment which swung between malice through mistrust then into manners.

"My name's Darren." He concluded, and extended his hand while keeping his other tightly on his weapon.

"O right. Hagrid. Please to meet you." Stumbled the giant as he approached Darren. They shook hands.

"An' what are you doing out here then Darren? Haven't seen you about before…"

"Just walking. I want to see what's up ahead."

"Oh do you now? And why's that then?"

"Just curious is all. That and I don't know how to get back."

Hagrid stopped to appraise his new companion. "Ooo, I see. Lost are ye?

"Stranded I think. I followed some owls and they took me here."

"Oh right, a twitcher are ye? Well, I expect someone back at the school can get you home again. Come on! Follow me!"

And that seemed to be that. Hagrid threw a foul-smelling sack over his shoulder and ambled off.

Darren had not realised the forest had been deceptively large and the walk back with Hagrid took another half an hour. During which Hagrid talked about a school and a headmaster.

"What kind of school would be right out here Hagrid?" asked Darren, trying to keep up.

"Ooh, well. I'm not sure I should be the one telling you about what goes on in there. Let's just say it's a special school for children with great gifts."

Darren hated his school days but had enjoyed being with children. He had spent sometime as an assistant caretaker at a secondary school shortly after leaving school himself. Although not great at his job, he found time to help lost children and upset teenagers. His mother had always hoped her son had gone into something worthwhile like th epolice force or even the church. Darren was unaware of such ambitions and had haplessly drifted into one job after another until his father had gotten him a place working with him, surveying land sites fo rhte council. Darren had to sit a few exams and study a few night courses, but it had paid off. Darren, if pushed, had always rather hoped to be a musician or something.

He snapped out of his daydreaming when the forest eventually gave way to the school grounds.

"Welcome," boomed Hagrid, "to Hogwarts Darren!"

It was still quite early and Darren was famished. There were no pupils about that he could see and Hagrid invited him into his ramshackle hut. Fang sat in the corner in his basket, wrapped in a blanket.

"Your dog?" asked Darren.

"Aye. That's fang. He's not much more go in him when he aint got a cold. Still he's loyal enough, aren't you boy!" and with that Hagrid went over to fuss over him and he put the half-full kettle back on the hearth.

There was a polite yet firm knock on the door.

To be continued…

Disclaimer:

The characters and setting are all thanks to J. K. Rowling. I claim no ownership of these characters, just the scenario. Big hugs.

Oh dear, this really should be moving a lot faster! Sorry!