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Chapter 7 - Hagrid

"I don't understand why the Ministry was so willing to think the worst of you," Elijah muttered, staring at his recently emptied glass as if it might contain the answer.

"It is not that mysterious," Nicholas replied. "They did not like his stand on Rubeus Hagrid."

"Well the youngster did cause the death of another student," Elijah stated defensively.

"You will never convince me of that," Albus retorted, more harshly than intended. "I believe the Ministry has some question as well, though you'll never hear them admit it. Hagrid is just a boy, even if he is unusually large. He has some rare gifts, but his command of magic was always poor and I find it hard to believe that he could get around enchantments so powerful that no one at the Ministry or among the staff of Hogwarts has ever found the hidden chamber of secrets." Albus knew the root of Hagrid's "rare gifts" of course, but he had no intention of giving away the secret of Hagrid's origins. Too many wizards were prejudiced against giants and would not respond kindly to the notion that Hagrid's mother was one.

"If he had not had an unnatural attraction to monsters, I doubt the Ministry could have convinced anyone of the boy's guilt," Nicholas remarked with a shrug.

"Unfortunately, their investigation would probably have concluded the same way," Albus pointed out. "They needed to appear to have resolved the issue and Hagrid was an easy target. I believe it is evident that too many questions remain – otherwise he would have been sentenced to Azkaban. The weeks he spent in Saint Mungo's only served to convince the public he'd been rendered 'safe' to be around wizard children. No healer ever found any sign that he was dangerous. He spent his time there being poked and prodded until the healers declared him free to return. Then the Daily Prophet buried the matter in the back pages and life resumed." Life had indeed resumed, though for Hagrid it had been a far different world than he was used to.

"If your support of Hagrid was the reason the Ministry shunned you, why then did Lorelei's father break with her?" Elijah asked.

"It might have been pride, or Grindelwald may already have had control of him," Albus responded. "Tavin had told Lorelei that he had been humiliated by her behavior during the dinner party. She argued that if she had seen someone conversing with a Nazi and didn't report it, he should be much more concerned. It was his contention that she'd never talked back to him before and that was what precipitated the split. What maintained it though, was far more mysterious."

"Lorelei and I traveled to see her sister in Glasgow, hoping to repair some of the rift between them," Albus continued. "When we arrived at the estate, Tavin was in-house. Lorelei had barely glimpsed her sister when her father confronted her angrily, accusing her of trying to divide the family. Neither of us could imagine what he was talking about until Lorelei noticed a new ring on her sister's finger. The engagement cemented a bond between the Figgs and Grindelwald, and thus the Ministry by association. We only were able to see Arabella for five minutes, but she was clearly miserable. Ultimately, Lorelei's father demanded we leave and not drop by unannounced again."

"Lorelei was distraught. I spent two weeks doing my best to distract her. I introduced her to the merpeople, explored the hidden parts of Hogwarts with her, took her to meet my closest friends, looked up old friends of hers – but she really didn't come round until she had another soul to watch out for. There was a motherly aspect of Lorelei that will never find its natural outlet..." Dumbledore halted, feeling as though the air had been forced painfully out of his lungs. Tears rushed forward with much less warning this time than the last. He covered his face with his hands and wept, while Nicholas patted his back sympathetically, and slightly frantically, uncertain what to do. Though Nicholas knew more than most people, he was not apprised of everything, and it was the secrets that made Lorelei's death even more unbearable.

"Perhaps – perhaps the story can wait," Nicholas began.

"But I haven't learned of the trap!" Elijah protested.

"Look at him though!" Nicholas argued almost as if Albus was not present.

Albus produced his kerchief and wiped his eyes and nose. "I did tell you it was a long story," he reminded lamely. He knew he had to prepare them both for what was to come, even though Nicholas had done part of the work. The trap could be thwarted and it would be up to him to stop that from happening. If he failed, Nicholas and Elijah would have to find another way. It was the reason he forced himself to continue.

Taking a deep breath, Albus forged on. "It was then that Hagrid returned from his time at Saint Mungos. He was a broken boy, certain that he had let his father down with his expulsion. That is the reason we all call him Hagrid instead of Rubeus, you know," Albus commented. "He doesn't want his father forgotten."

Nicholas nodded as if to emphasize the point, just as the bar owner delivered another round of ale, though Albus couldn't stand the thought of more.

"The week before each session starts, the teachers usually trickle back from the break. Some have families who stay at the school, though we keep a separation of sorts. A few of the professors actually travel in by floo powder each day. I moved to new residential rooms to include a place for Hagrid to sleep as I had taken responsibility for him. Fond as I am of the boy, it was Lorelei who helped him adjust. He will be devastated when he learns she's gone. I imagine he will start to feel as if people around him are doomed." Albus sighed, working to quell the surge of misery. Nicholas again patted his back.

"Lorelei encouraged Hagrid to talk about everything, certain that it would be therapeutic for him. Perhaps that was true, but more to the point, it was enlightening. Hagrid had encountered two people at Saint Mungos who had survived the explosions at the German Ministry. They were not fans of Wilhelm Grindelwald – they actually had nothing good to say about the man. I never knew how Hagrid and Lorelei came round to the subject, but one evening when I joined them at the edge of the forest, I found them discussing him with much dislike."

He could picture the scene so clearly, Hagrid and Lorelei kneeling next to a hippogriff that had injured its wing. Ogg, the gamekeeper, would have put the creature down, but Hagrid had been unable to stand the idea. Since the new Care of Magical Creatures teacher, a man named Kettleburn, had not yet arrived, Ogg had gone rounds with Hagrid about the hippogriff until Lorelei had volunteered to oversee him while he cared for it. Lorelei was not very comfortable with magical creatures, and yet she'd done that for Hagrid, something that had further enamored Albus with her. They'd been there most of the day, trying to bandage the wing and then trying to feed the beast without getting bitten for their trouble.

"How is she doing?" Albus had called out to the pair of them as he approached.

Lorelei looked up at him and smiled. She looked lovely, the evening sun reflecting off her blond curls. The light had returned to her hazel eyes, giving her more of the sparkle she'd had when they first met. "Flamewings is doing just fine," she replied cheerfully.

"Flamewings?" Albus had responded, amused.

"She's gotta have a name don' she?" Hagrid answered. "Lorelei give it to her."

"Ogg will have kneazles," Albus had replied, using one of Lorelei's favorite expressions. "He's afraid you'll get attached."

"Too late," Lorelei had chirped before standing up and walking toward him. When she reached him, she put her arms around his neck and kissed him. They had not been openly affectionate where Hagrid could see before, but when next he observed Hagrid's face, the boy wore a huge grin – something that had not happened for weeks.

"Hagrid was sharing some information about my sister's fiancé," Lorelei informed him. "The more we learn about Grindelwald, the less I like him."

Immediately Albus had noticed that Lorelei had reverted to calling the wizard by his last name as if there had never been even the most limited form of friendship between them. He searched her face. "I'm not going to like this story, am I?" he had questioned.

"No," she shook her head for emphasis.

He sat down with them, listening to the tale and watching in amazement as Hagrid handled the injured hippogriff with a gentle touch few people possessed. Hagrid told of arguments witnessed by his Saint Mungo's friends, Lena Holcombe and Finn Barclay. They had seen Grindelwald threaten to kill the German Minister of Magic just days before the Ministry had been shelled. Holcombe had told Hagrid that what had her convinced it was more than coincidence was that fact that the Ministry had been magically reinforced against bombs just a few weeks before, due to the escalating muggle war. Barclay had then added that removing other people's spells was a specialty Grindelwald was known for. He was a talented cursebreaker, and in constant demand because he was so highly skilled.

Hours after they'd sent Hagrid to his room to sleep, Albus and Lorelei had stayed up discussing everything Holcombe and Barclay had told Hagrid. They knew they couldn't take it to the Ministry after so recently being reminded that Grindelwald had the Minister of Magic's confidence. They also knew that the Ministry would not consider Hagrid a reasonable witness, and they couldn't be sure what status the Ministry held for Holcombe and Barclay.

"But that's not the most disturbing part," Lorelei had remarked after they'd been over the statements more than thrice. "If what they've accused Grindelwald of is accurate, wouldn't that mean he's in league with the Nazis?"

"Precisely what I was thinking," he'd replied with his hands pressed together. "But if so, why? And how do we prove it?" Lorelei merely shrugged.

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