Chapter seventeen

Grawp

A few days before everyone was due to return to the school, Spyro and Cynder were awoken by booming thuds that shook the earth around Hagrid's Hut. As they went outside to investigate, they were just able to catch sight of something giant entering the Forbidden Forest. They didn't need to say a word to each other to know what the other was thinking. They immediately flew after the disappearing creature, they were dodging through the trees like they knew what was coming, which they didn't. Spyro and Cynder had never ventured this far into the forest before. As they entered a clearing, they got a good look at what they were following. It was a giant! It had grey skin, brown-green eyes and hair. It was short for a giant, only about 16 feet tall. But what surprised them was who was currently tying a rope that was connected to the Giant's waist to a large tree.

"Hagrid?!" Spyro exclaimed attracting the attention of the Hogwarts groundkeeper as well as the giant who smiled goofily at them and made a grab for them, catching Cynder in its grasp!

Memories came flooding back of a similar time when that Earth Golem caught her in that exact same way, she could see Spyro trying to pull her back with the chain until suddenly,

"Grawpy!" Hagrid shouted, "Put her down! You don't just grab people, do you?!" with one final tug and with Hagrid distracting the giant, Spyro was able to pull Cynder free.

"Are you ok Cynder?" Hagrid asked as Cynder got shakily to her feet,

"Just a bit shaken, to be honest," she responded, "but why have you brought a giant into the castle grounds, Hagrid!?"

"it's good to have you back, but isn't this dangerous?" Spyro added whilst glancing at the giant, who was playing about with a pile of bits-and-bobs that Hagrid had clearly put there for him.

"Well, Dumbledore asked me to go and parley with the giants, try to get em to join the cause, but the deatheaters were also tryin to win em over," Hagrid explained, "but I couldn't just leave him there, he is my brother after all" this took both dragons by surprise,

"Your brother?" Spyro repeated in disbelief,

"Half-brother to be honest," Hagrid confessed, "but I'm the only family he's got" on further observation, "Grawp" definitely seemed to be friendly, and just a bit energetic, he probably didn't get many visitors who would talk to him. Spyro and Cynder promised Hagrid not to tell anyone about this, and as the Forbidden Forest was, as its name suggests, forbidden, no student should be able to run into him.

It was nice having Hagrid back, as well as his huge dog, Fang. They both dragons filled Hagrid on everything that had happened since he left, from Umbridge to… well, Umbridge. They both kept their word to their friends by keeping the DA and Elora's identity a secret, even though Spyro and Cynder both knew that Hagrid was trustworthy of any secret.

Three days after Hagrid's return, the dragons weren't surprised when who would come knocking other than the pink toad herself.

"What do you want, Umbridge?" Spyro asked as the defence against the dark arts teacher entered Hagrid's Hut,

"Just to know where Hagrid has been off to all this time" she responded in that annoying tone, Cynder gave Hagrid a look whilst slightly shaking her head behind Umbridge's back, if there was anyone who mustn't know about Hagrid's trip to the giants, it was this woman.

"Oh, I just needed a break from me work" he explained, "went on a little trip across country for me health, also popped in on the family for a bit, we had a lovely reunion, I even made a cake for 'em" Cynder smiled, that was partly true, so he wasn't lying to Umbridge. But clearly, she wasn't buying it,

"I will say this one last time," she said calmly, "I'm ordering you to tell me where you've been"

"And he told you the answer," Spyro announced, "he's been away for his health! Just because you don't like his answer doesn't mean he's lying!"

"Really, for his health?" she retaliated, and Cynder winced as she remembered Grawp's incident yesterday when he threw a large tree branch at Hagrid, he still had the wounds on his face from it! She then noticed Harry, Ron, Hermione and Sparx peeping in through the window. Quick as a flash, she jumped in front of the window and stretched he wings wide, so as to cover up her friends so they wouldn't get into trouble with Umbridge, she was still using that Black Quill,

"Yeah, bit of fresh air, you know." Hagrid agreed,

"Oh yes," Umbridge remarked sarcastically, as gamekeeper, fresh air must be difficult to come by" she tutted before saying, "if I were you, I shouldn't get too used to being back. In fact, I mightn't bother unpacking at all" both Cynder and Spyro growled at this,

"You can't kick Hagrid out," Cynder declared, "but we can kick you out!" she let some shadow mist seep out of her mouth as she spoke and advanced on Umbridge, "get out!"

"I know where I'm not wanted," Umbridge stated coldly as she opened the door and stepped out, before walking back to the castle.

Once they were sure that Umbridge was gone, Hagrid let their friends inside and explained everything to them,

"so, did they join Voldemort?" Harry asked, rather worried about the answer.

"I gave them Dumbledore's message." Hagrid responded, "suppose some of em remember he was friendly to em, I suppose"

"And they did that to you?" Harry asked whilst pointing at Hagrid's face, causing Spyro and Cynder to shift around uncomfortably,

"Not exactly no" Hagrid answered without looking any of them in the eye, he clearly didn't even want Harry, Ron, Hermione or Sparx knowing about Grawp. Suddenly the wind picked up outside and whistled through a hole in the back window. Hagrid stood up and looked out of the window, "its changing out there" he said, "just like last time. There's a storm coming, Harry. We'd all best be ready when she does"