Chapter 17 – Confrontation with Rita

Days seemed to fly by and Hermione soon found herself feeling very stressed with trying to get Harry to work on his egg, helping Ron and Neville with work, keeping up with her work, S.P.E.W., and her new task, Viktor. She was very grateful when a Hogsmeade weekend came, she could not only get away from work, but from him as well. He was starting to bug her just a bit with his constant appearing in the library while she was trying to study.

She, Harry, and Ron were on their way into the village, when something occurred to her. Harry should be working on his egg.

"I'm surprised that you are going, Harry."

"Why?"

"I just thought you'd want to take advantage of the common room being quiet. Really get to work on that egg," she answered.

"Oh, I- I reckon I've got a pretty good idea what it's about now," Harry said stiffly. Hermione knew he was fibbing, but she wasn't about to argue, she wanted a peaceful day. Besides, she guessed that he deserved today off as much as she did.

"Have you really? Well done," she congratulated in a lie. Things were silent from there on out until they reached the lake and saw Viktor jumping off the boat into the lake in nothing but swimming trunks.

"He's mad! It must be freezing, it's January!"

"It's a lot colder where he comes from," Hermione told Harry. "I suppose it feels quite warm to him."

"Yeah, but there's still the giant squid," Ron pointed out as he and Harry continued to stare on in amazement. Hermione looked anywhere but in Viktor's direction, she had seen enough of him for now.

"He's really nice, you know," Hermione sighed as she tried to convince Ron and even herself he wasn't a bother. "He's not at all like you'd think, coming from Durmstrang. He likes it much better here, he told me." Hermione recalled the Yule Ball and how Viktor was rattling on and on about how much he liked it better at Hogwarts than his own home school.

This seemed to end the conversation and things remained reserved except for the occasional 'hello' to students who would pass by them. They were busy window shopping when they decided to go for some butterbeers at the Three Broomsticks. Hermione was enjoying her drink when she noticed Ludo Bagman and felt slightly disgusted by his presence.

"Doesn't he ever go into the office? Look!" She pointed to the mirror behind the bar where his reflection appeared. Hermione continued to watch along with Harry and Ron as Bagman rattled on in low tones to some angry looking goblins. Hermione had a feeling that this conversation Bagman was in, was anything but good.

Hermione quickly diverted her attention, though as Bagman came over and stole Harry away from the table where the Golden Trio was seated. Hermione turned her attention away from this as she drank her butterbeer and watched out the window. She soon saw Cedric walking past with Cho, hand-in-hand.

Hermione frowned, she was wishing desperately that she could be in Cho's place, but something soon turned her from these thoughts.

"What did he want?"

"He offered to help me with the golden egg," Harry replied to Ron.

"He shouldn't be doing that! He's one of the judges! And anyway, you've already worked it out – haven't you?" Hermione was in shock.

"Er... nearly," Harry lied.

"Well, I don't think Dumbledore would like it if he knew Bagman was trying to persuade you to cheat! I hope he's trying to help as much," Hermione added as she realized how unfair it was to Cedric.

"He's not, I asked," Harry informed.

"Who cares if Diggory's getting help?" Hermione frowned at Ron's words as she thought 'I do.'

"Those goblins didn't look very friendly," Hermione continued as she tried to change the subject before she said something she didn't want to. "What were they doing here?"

"Looking for Crouch, according to Bagman," Harry replied. "He's still ill. Hasn't been into work."

"Maybe Percy's poisoning him," Ron laughed. "Probably thinks if Crouch snuffs it he'll be made head of Department of International Magical Cooperation." Hermione looked at Ron in a disapproving way, but he seemed to ignore her as he snorted with laughter and raised his bottle to his mouth.

"Funny, goblins looking for Mr. Crouch... They'd normally deal with the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures," Hermione stated matter-of-factly.

"Crouch can speak loads of different languages, though," Harry reminded. "Maybe they need an interpreter."

"Worrying about poor 'ickle goblins, now, are you? Thinking of starting up S.P.U.G. or something? Society for the Protection of Ugly Goblins?" Ron's teasing wasn't amusing to Hermione she was about to yell at him, but she remained under composure.

"Ha, ha, ha. Goblins don't need protection. Haven't you been listening to what Professor Binns has been telling us about goblin rebellions?"

"No," Harry and Ron snorted in unison. It amazed Hermione that they could be so lacks about their school work.

"Well, they're quite capable of dealing with wizards," Hermione lectured. "They're very clever. They're not like house-elves, who never stick up for themselves."

"Uh-oh," Ron interrupted. He was staring at the door and Hermione was angry enough about being interrupted, but what she saw sent her through the roof. Rita Skeeter, the writer of that awful article about her and Harry and then Hagrid, had just walked in the door of The Three Broomsticks with her photographer.

Much to Hermione's annoyance, Rita bought drinks and sat down at a table nearby as she conversed with her photographer, Bozo, about Mr. Bagman. Apparently, Hermione wasn't the only one who was fed up with her. Harry spoke up in a very irritated tone.

"Trying to ruin someone else's life?"

"Harry! How lovely! Why don't you come and join-," Rita began, but Harry stopped her short.

"I wouldn't come near you with a ten-foot broomstick," he snarled. "What did you do that to Hagrid for, eh?"

"Our readers have a right to the truth, Harry. I am merely doing my-," Rita began again, but once more, Harry cut in on her.

"Who cares if he's half-giant? There's nothing wrong with him!" Rita seemed to be taken aback for a moment, and Hermione smiled at this, but Hermione's smile faded as Rita's reappeared and she opened her ugly crocodile-skin purse. Rita took out her quill and continued to speak in her annoying voice.

"How about giving me an interview about the Hagrid you know, Harry? The man behind the muscles? You unlikely friendship and the reasons behind it. Would you call him a father substitute?" Hermione had had enough. Rita could pick on her and touching on Hagrid was aggravating enough, but she didn't need to go starting on Harry about his parents.

"You horrible woman! You don't care, do you, anything for a story, and anyone will do, won't they? Even Ludo Bagman-," Hermione shouted, but Rita stopped her, which only served to anger Hermione more.

"Sit down, you silly little girl, and don't talk about things you don't understand. I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair curl... not that it needs it-"

"Let's go," Hermione ordered quickly, "c'mon, Harry – Ron..." Ron and Harry followed Hermione out the door as she stormed past all the gawking people and out into the streets of Hogsmeade for fresh air that Hermione was more than grateful for. Hermione had been so angered in there, she could feel the heat in her face and on the back of her neck.

"She'll be after you next, Hermione," Ron informed.

"Let her try! I'll show her! Silly little girl, am I? Oh, I'll get her back for this. First Harry, then Hagrid...," Hermione hissed.

"You don't want to go upsetting Rita Skeeter," Ron warned, "I'm serious, Hermione, she'll dig up something on you-"

"My parents don't read the Daily Prophet. She can't scare me into hiding!" Hermione was showing her true Gryffindor spirit as she began to stock down the street, her destination unclear, but she knew she needed to find Hagrid. "And Hagrid isn't hiding anymore! He should never have let that excuse for a human being upset him! Come on!"

Hermione began her search as she ran through the streets of Hogsmeade, only peering into windows for Hagrid's large figure. She had ran clear back up to the castle and was on her way to Hagrid's hut. When she got to the door, she shocked herself with the force upon which she used to knock on the door.

"Hagrid! Hagrid, that's enough! We know you're in there! Nobody cares if your mum was a giantess, Hagrid! You can't let that foul Skeeter woman do this to you! Hagrid, get out here, you're just being-," Hermione stopped here though, as the door she had been pounding on, moved from out of her striking range. "About t-," she was about to say, but she caught sight of who had opened the door.

"Good afternoon," Dumbledore greeted with a smile and a twinkle in his blue eyes. Hermione suddenly felt her rage shrink and her voice hide as she tried to speak up.

"We- er- we wanted to see Hagrid," Hermione explained timidly.

"Yes, I surmised as much," Dumbledore laughed. "Why don't you come in?" Hermione, Ron, and Harry did as they were told and went in to find Hagrid sitting at the table. He looked awful and it was obvious that he had been crying.

"Hi, Hagrid," Harry greeted.

"'Lo," Hagrid croaked.

"More tea, I think," Dumbledore suggested as he closed the door and summoning some tea to the Golden Trio. "Did you by chance hear what Miss Granger was shouting, Hagrid?" Hermione caught Ron snorting into his tea at these words, and it wanted to make her smile, but she refrained as she turned to Hagrid to hear him answer.

Hagrid said nothing and Hermione sighed as Dumbledore smiled and continued. While Hermione blushed as Ron looked at her and grinned from ear-to-ear.

"Hermione, Harry, and Ron still seem to want to know you, judging by the way they were attempting to break down the door," Dumbledore continued as he smiled wider as though about to laugh.

"Of course we still want to know you! You don't think anything that Skeeter cow- sorry, Professor," Harry added as he looked to Dumbledore.

"I have gone temporarily deaf and haven't any idea what you said, Harry," Dumbledore chuckled while staring at the ceiling and twiddling his thumbs.

"Er- right," Harry said as he tried not to laugh too. "I just mean- Hagrid, how could you think we'd care what that – woman – wrote about you?"

"Living proof of what I've been telling you, Hagrid," Dumbledore spoke up. "I have shown you the letters from the countless parents who remember you from their own days here, telling me in no uncertain terms that if I sacked you, they you have something to say about it-"

"Not all of 'em," Hagrid choked, "not all of 'em wan' me ter stay."

"Really, Hagrid, if you are holding out for universal popularity, I'm afraid you will be in this cabin a very long time," Dumbledore pointed out. "Now a week has passed since I became headmaster of this school when I haven't had a least one owl complaining about the way I run it. But what should I do? Barricade myself in my study and refuse to talk to anybody?" Hermione had a good idea of who that owl Dumbledore was talking about was from. Slytherins' parents.

"Yeh- yeh're not half-giant!"

"Hagrid, look what I've got for relatives! Look at the Dursleys!"

"An excellent point," Dumbledore exclaimed. Hermione wanted to burst out laughing, but she pressed her lips together and took to looking at the ceiling just as Dumbledore had done. "My own brother, Aberforth, was prosecuted for practicing inappropriate charms on a goat. It was all over the papers, but did Aberforth hide? No, he did not! He held his head high and went about his business as usual! Of course, I'm not entirely sure he can read, so that may not have been bravery..."

Hermione couldn't hold it in any longer, she pressed her hand to her face and began laughing, trying to make it look like she was coughing. Hermione noticed that Dumbledore, Ron, and Harry were staring at her now as Hagrid wiped his face, so she decided to speak up.

"Come back and teach, Hagrid. Please come back, we really miss you." This didn't seem to do anything, though. Hermione was afraid that nothing would persuade Hagrid, when suddenly Dumbledore rose from his chair.

"I refuse to accept your resignation, Hagrid, and I expect you back at work on Monday. You will join me for breakfast at eight-thirty in the Great Hall. No excuses. Good afternoon to you all." Hermione smiled as Dumbledore left the cabin. He truly was a wonderful headmaster, great problem solver, and even better friend.

It was then that Hagrid dissolved into tears and Hermione could do nothing but pat him on the arm and feel bad for him. She was glad though, when he suddenly spoke up in a hoarse voice.

"Great man, Dumbledore... great man..."

"Yeah, he is," Ron agreed. "Can I have on of these cakes, Hagrid?"

"Help yourself," Hagrid answered while Hermione shook her head. 'Just like Ron' she thought in disbelief. "Ar, he's righ', o' course – yeh're all righ'... I bin stupid... my 'ol dad woulda bin ashamed o' the way I've bin behavin'... Never shown you a picture of my old dad, have I? Here..."

Hermione watched Hagrid get up and go to his dresser. He took out a picture and show them. It was of him and his father who looked like he was a normal wizard, but a very small one next to his good seven foot tall son.

"Tha' was taken jus' after I got inter Hogwarts," Hagrid informed. "Dad was dead chuffed... thought I migh' not be a wizard, see, 'cos me mum... well, anyway. 'Course, I never was great shakes at magic, really... but at least he never saw me expelled. Died, see, in my second year..."

Hermione frowned as she felt tears prick her eyes. She felt so bad for Hagrid. He was just a gentle half-giant and everyone was so unfair to him. He had lost his father, been wrongly accused and expelled, and then there was people like Rita Skeeter.

"Dumbledore was the one who stuck up for me after Dad went. Got me the gamekeeper job... trusts people, he does," Hagrid continued. "Gives 'em second chances... tha's what sets him apar' from other heads, see. He'll accept anyone at Hogwarts, s'long as they've got the talent. Knows people can turn out okay even if their families weren'... well... all tha' respectable. But some don' understand that. There's some who'd always hold it against yeh... that's some who'd even pretend they just had big bones rather than stand up an' say – I am what I am, an' I'm not ashamed. 'Never be ashamed,' my 'ol dad used ter say, 'there's some who'll hold it against you, but they're not worth bothering' with.' An' he was right. I've bin an idiot. I'm not botherin' with her no more, I promise yeh that. Big bones... I'll give her big bones."

Hermione now got the feeling that this wasn't about Rita's article at all, and if it was, it was only just so. She had an inkling that this was about Madame Maxime and that night at the ball that Hagrid had told her about his giant-relations. Madame Maxime had denied being half-giant, which was totally absurd because it was obvious that she was in some way or another.

"Yeh know wha', Harry? When I firs' met you, you reminded me o' me a bit. Mum an' Dad gone, an' you was feelin' like yeh wouldn' fir in at Hogwarts, remember? Not sure yeh were really up to it... an' now look at yeh, Harry! School champion!"

Hermione smiled. She was glad that Harry and Hagrid had each other. It almost made her want to cry because it was so emotional and sentimental.

"Yeh know what I'd love, Harry? I'd love yeh ter win, I really would. It'd show 'em all... yeh don' have ter be pureblood ter do it. Yeh don' have ter be ashamed of what yeh are. It'd show 'em Dumbledore's the one who's got it righ', lettin' anyone in as long as they can do magic. How you doin' with that egg, Harry?"

"Great, really great," Harry replied. Hermione knew this was a lie, but she had felt bravery and pride spark up in her after what Hagrid had just said and she was glad that Harry said it like he did because he kept Hagrid happy and that feeling running happily through her.

"Tha's my boy... you show 'em. Harry, you show 'em. Beat 'em all." Hermione wanted now for Harry to win more than ever. She had forgotten all about Cedric and Viktor and hoped that Harry would win, just so that she could see Hagrid's pride restored and a smile like the one he had now, back on his whiskery face.

The next day, Hermione, Harry, and Ron sat in the back of the Charms class talking about how Harry had went to the prefect bathroom the night before like Cedric had directed him and worked out his clue. Hermione was very angry that Harry had waited this long to find out what it said, and being that that was the only thing he knew, it made her even more angry. But she soon had to push this thought aside as Harry began to inform them of a bit of a quarrel Snape and Moody had had when Harry got in trouble on his way back from the prefect bathroom.

Harry told them how Moody had talked about a mark and how Snape grabbed his arm, and he told them about Snape suspecting him. Then how Moody had said that he and Professor Dumbledore were very interested in who had it out for Harry. Everything seemed very suspicious to Hermione. She couldn't quite figure out why, but something worried her about Snape.

Her worried didn't last the day though as she, Ron, and Harry began to try and figure out what Harry could do to be able to go underwater for the second task and stay underwater.

"Of course, the ideal solution would be for you to Transfigure yourself into a submarine or something," Hermione pointed out. "If only we'd done human Transfiguration already! But I don't think we start that until sixth year, and it can go badly wrong if you don't know what you're doing..."

"Yeah, I don't fancy walking around with a periscope sticking out of my head," Harry sighed. "I s'pose I could always attack someone in front of Moody; he might do it for me..."

"I don't think he'd let you choose what you wanted to be turned into, though," Hermione thought aloud. "No, I think your best chance is some sort of charm."

"But what?"

"I'm not sure," Hermione sighed as she, Ron, and Harry sat in the common room thinking.

"We've already said no to the Summoning Charm for the Aqua-Lung. What could we use now?"

"I really don't know, Harry," Hermione breathed in frustration. She had just known that this would happen. Here it was, time dwindling faster than sand through an hour glass, and Harry was scrambling to figure something out. She was sure Cedric had figured his out already, and Harry wouldn't be this far if it wasn't for Cedric.

Hermione soon reminded herself that Cedric's telling Harry what do was wrong because it was seeking or getting help, which was still against the rules as far as she knew. 'I'll just have to have a word with him' Hermione thought as she watched the fire crackle away in the fireplace.