OLD MAGIC

Chapter 50: Spreading the Word

While Snape was working through the tasks he had been given within Hogwarts, Hagrid was doing his part outside the school. As he had promised, he had sought out Xenophilius Lovegood at his rather strange looking home that looked like the rook from a chess board. The home was located in Otter St Catchpole in Devon, England among some hills and surrounded by gardens.

Otter St Catchpole was a small, quiet town of rolling hills and fields and much liked by both muggles and wizards who lived side by side here peaceably. Besides the Lovegoods, three other full witch families lived nearby: the red-headed Weasley clan, Diggory and Fawcett.

Hagrid had no classes to teach today so had decided to take care of the task he had been given. He had fire called ahead and though surprised, Xenophilius was willing to meet with him. He apparated at the edge of the gardens and walked toward the odd little house. He sighed and breathed in the quiet and the scent of growing things surrounding him. It was soothing to his soul.

"Such a wonderful little town. Be right bad fer evil to touch this place," he thought reaching the door and knocking gently.

The door nearly whipped off its hinges as a slightly cross-eyed man with straw colored long hair stared at Hagrid.

"Good day, Xenophilius, it's me Rubeus Hagrid. I called ahead for a meeting with you." Hagrid said, a small smile on his lips.

"Ah yes, Hagrid. I remember. Come in," Lovegood stepped back into the room so that Hagrid could enter.

The half giant politely closed the door behind him then leaned against it. The room was heavily cluttered though that didn't deter it from being quaint and homey.

Hagrid glanced around the room casually until his eyes landed on something that sent a spiral of fear up his back. Moving cautiously, he got near but didn't touch the odd horn hanging from a nail on the wall.

"Ah, you like my Crumple-Horned Snorkack?" Xenophilius asked proudly.

"Ah begging yere pardon Xeno, but that dere is a very dangerous Erumpent Horn and it has the bad tendency to blow up when touched. Blimy...I'm amazed yeu haven't done that yet," Hagrid said, eyeing it worriedly.

Xenophilius blinked in dismay and disbelief. "Nay Hagrid! I have it on good authority that this is a rare Crumple-Horned Snorkack," he insisted.

Hagrid shook his head. "Nay … sorry Xeno, but it is not. Excuse me but a moment ..." so saying Hagrid raised his hand to cast a Wingardiem Leviosa spell to make the Erumpent Horn gently raise from it's perch until it was floating in the air. The door to the house opened on its own and the horn moved lightly outside all the while under the control of Hagrid's spell.

"Hagrid! What do you intend to do with it?" Xeno pleaded, beside himself with need to safeguard his precious artifact but Hagrid kept him from moving with an unseen and unheard immobulus spell. Xeno couldn't move a thing and continued to watch helplessly as Hagrid sent the horn a short distance from the house then let it go. He was so distraught, he never realized that Hagrid was performing magic without a wand and the fact the half giant wasn't supposed to be able to do magic at all.

A strong explosion caused the house to rock alarmingly before settling down again. Out in the small area that was only field not garden, the ground had been blasted until a large hole had been left.

Hagrid quickly released Xeno from the immobulus spell. In shock, Xenophilius walked to the door in stunned disbelief. His treasure was gone.

"Sorry about your yard, Xeno. I can fix it if you wish," Hagrid said gently.

"No ... that is quite alright. I can use it to make a pond," the man said, rather distractedly still too shaken to take in what had just happened. But seconds later, he shook himself all over, stepped back from the door and shut it. Hagrid had already retreated to the living area but hadn't sat as he was too heavy and big to sit in any of the chairs.

Carefully ignoring what just happened, Xeno noticed Hagrid still standing and realized why. "My apologizes, why don't we sit in the garden? It will be more comfortable for you and I don't mind sitting in the warm sun as it has been very cold for some time. One should enjoy the beauty of nature when she shows herself, eh?"

"Yeu be right about that," Hagrid said warmly and followed Xeno back outside. They avoided the new hole in the yard and went to the right where the gardens had gone to sleep for the winter. The snow was minimal here so Hagrid chose a spot that was apparently meant for a patio and was covered in flat red hued flagstones collected from he knew not where. He dropped to a cross legged position and waited for Xeno to join him.

The odd man had dragged an old iron chair from near the house, set a warming charm on it then sat facing Hagrid which put his face on the same level as the half giant. "Thank you for saving me from myself. I was certain that was a Crumple-Horned Snorkack. Have you seen one before?"

"Nay, Xeno I'm afraid I haven't but would be happy to ask around for yeu if you would like?"

"Oh that would be wonderful. With your experience of magical beasts I'm sure you might have more luck than I. Now to business, what can I do for you Hagrid?"

"I have been tasked with asking yeu for help by the Elder Council of the Forbidden Forest."

Xenophilius blinked in confusion for a moment before what Hagrid had said made any sense and when it did his mouth gaped open for a moment before snapping shut. "Then there truly is a council of the beasts?" He asked leaning forward excitedly.

Hagrid winced at that description. "We be intelligent people that include those that don't look human and those that do. We are just as magical as wizards, some more so. We seek to be recognized as equals to the wizarding society. No longer do we wish to be thought of as merely intelligent beasts, barely tolerated by the ministry and labeled haphazardly as beasts with no magic or intelligent beasts with some magic and allowed wands. We are one people and wished to be accepted as such."

"Truly! This is extraordinary. Why have you come to me? Why are ... your people you said," he paused to stare at Hagrid for confirmation. Hagrid nodded his head. "...Your people want to be considered equals? What do they hope to gain insisting on this?"

"Acceptance! Freedom to move about as they do! Freedom to chose to work with wizards or not! No being forced to be servants, fodder for wars, or used in experiments! We want a say in the day to day running of the government. We want a say on any and all judgments being made be it wizard or beast. Put simply, Xeno, we insist on being part of the leadership that directs wizarding society."

"But why?"

"Because a danger is coming that will make Voldemort seem like a simple bully in a schoolyard," Hagrid said grimly. "Because it is time for change, Xenophilius, for everyone."

"What danger?"

"Muggles!"

"Muggles? But what danger are they to us?"

"The Muggles that live with wizarding society are not the ones we need to be concerned about. It be the ones who deny the existence of magic that we need to fear. I will not speak more on this subject for that is for much later and, yes, yeu will get an exclusive on that as well," Hagrid assured him before Xeno could ask.

"What we need done right now is for yeu to print our demands in the Quibbler so we might reach all of wizarding society, not just here but around the world. We need to gather as many people to our side as we can so when we force a meeting with the Wizengamot we are not ignored and our wishes are heard and accepted. The time for us to remain in the shadows while wizards tear our world apart is at an end. We killed Voldemort's spirit. He is no more. Now we hunt all his minions until our world is free of his influence."

"He who should not be named...uh Voldemort is gone? Truly? You're not just making this up?"

"Nay Xeno, the tattoos are gone and so is their master. But yeu cannot speak of that yet. Not one word, Xeno, that be very important!"

Xeno nodded his head numbly still trying to absorb this stupendous news. His world had just changed dramatically and in a good way, an exciting way. He shook off his shock and gave Hagrid a huge smile, his body thrumming with excitement. "Worry not, Hagrid, not one word of Voldemort's demise will slip my lips nor grace my paper but the rest, oh yes, tell me everything you want me to print and I will spread the word most swiftly. This be a great day for me and I am so glad to be alive to see and hear such marvelous events unfolding."

Hagrid smiled in relief. He had thought Xenophilius would believe him but there had been a smidgen of doubt which was gone now. From his immense, shaggy coat, he withdrew the scroll Jason and others had worked hard to put together into just the right message they wanted heard.

"Here ye be. Please print it exactly. Many have worked to produce this document that will hopefully gain us the support we so desperately need before the next step can be taken."

Xeno took the scroll reverently. "I will do as you ask. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this momentous event. I will ensure the widest disbursement of it as quickly as I may."

"That be excellent, Xeno. Yer a good man. I would warn yeu, though, to be most careful of yere safety once this gets out. I would be sore unhappy to hear if yeu took harm doing this fer us," Hagrid said.

"I understand. Perhaps it is best that I hie myself to a few of my favorite places once this has been circulated. I want to see what is happening not become a statistic of its fallout," he assured Hagrid. "But I do want one assurance and it be an important one."

Hagrid nodded. Xenophilius continued, "Since you work at Hogwarts, I want you to ensure the safety of my daughter Luna. She be my heart and soul. It would break me should harm befall her or she be captured by the enemy."

"On my magic, I swear to protect and keep safe one Luna Lovegood," Hagrid said solemnly, the magic setting in place immediately.

Xeno gaped at him as he too felt the promise. He had never expected a promise made on ones magic by someone like Hagrid. He was stunned and humbled. Tears fell down his cheeks and he smiled, relieved his daughter would indeed be safe with such guardians around her. "Thank you."

"It were only right as we are asking much of yew. Now be that everything?"

"Oh, yes, nothing more."

"Excellent, then I must be off. Have many more errands to do," Hagrid said, rising ponderously to his feet. "Oh, and before I forget ..." He reached for something in one of his cavernous pockets and retrieved a small bag that jangled. "Here be yere payment. As we are asking for a wide disbursement it be fitting to insure yeu have the funds to accomplish it." Hagrid handed over the bag.

Xeno had jumped to his feet when Hagrid had and was taken by surprise as he accepted the bag with some uncertainty. He opened it and stared at all the gold coins glimmering at him. His mouth dropped open as he jerked his head up to stare at Hagrid in disbelief.

Hagrid simply smiled.

Shaking his head, Xeno quickly closed the bag and secreted it within his shirt. "I thank yeu for such a large bounty. I'm normally not paid until the work is done..."

"Nay, not this time, my friend. I know times have been hard for yew and this project be very important to many. We did not wish to strain yere income to do this task. Accept it as yere due," Hagrid reassured Xeno then began to walk off.

Xeno hurriedly joined the half giant as they walked to the road. Stopping at the end of Xeno's property they automatically looked both ways ... nothing moved on the road or in the fields nearby.

Turning to Hagrid one more time, Xeno asked hesitantly, "When it is safe, I want to get answers to all my questions. Do you think you can do that for me?" He knew without knowing why, that there was much more here than what Hagrid had said so far... much more. But he knew there was great danger in asking for answers right now. Though danger meant very little to him, he didn't want his daughter caught in it. So he would bide his time until it was safe enough to get those answers.

"Aye, Xeno. Yeu will have all the answers yere heart desires when it is time. I will personally see to it," Hagrid said warmly. "Good day to yeu. Keep safe."

"You too my half giant friend," Xeno said. Then gasped when Hagrid simply apparated. away "But they are not supposed to be able to do that not without a wand and he didn't use one!" Xeno gasped aloud. Then he remembered just how many magical spells Hagrid had done in the short time he had been there and he gasped again. "Oh this is much bigger than I could have imagined." Still muttering to himself, Xeno hurried back to his house to begin setting in motion the biggest change wizarding society had ever seen.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Now that the paper had been notified, time to work on getting the word out over the wireless. So thinking, Hagrid headed to his home in the forest. He had apparated outside the front door and upon opening it was greeted by the sweet smell of warm cider. Smiling, he hung his coat on the wall coat rack and headed for the kitchen. No one was about but a kettle was waiting on the stove and hand made mugs stood on the counter beside it.

Taking the invitation, Hagrid poured a steaming mug full before heading off to the drawing room. As expected he found his friend Darius fiddling with a huge old fashion wireless sitting on the dining room table. Beside it open and ready was Darius' laptop. He appeared to be working on hooking the two systems together.

Hagrid walked up and took a dining room chair out and placed it beside the hardworking muggle.

"How goes it, my friend?" Hagrid asked sitting down then taking a nice long drink of his hot cider. He saw a half empty mug like his own sitting not far from Darius' right hand, no steam flowed upward so he suspected it had long gone cold.

"Ah...it's going but slowly. Meshing tech and magic is tricky stuff," Darius said distractedly as he fiddled with wires then checked his screen, cursed, went back to fiddling some more.

"Where be yere help? I thought yeu had others that could aid yeu in this?" Hagrid asked, frowning as he looked around the room and saw no one else but did spy miscellaneous belongings on the floor and on the couch in the next room.

"Oh, they have but had to run for more parts, expecting them back any minute." Noise from the kitchen at that very moment seemed to corroborate that. Bouncing into the room, Darius' cousin, Jepard and his friend, Gleason carried in white plastic bags with some kind of muggle logo on them.

"Hi, Rubeus," Jepard said, cheerfully, setting his bag on the table and beginning to pull things out of it. Gleason just smiled and waved as he too unloaded his bag.

"What be all that?" Hagrid asked frowning at all the wires and other electronic dodads.

"Oh just more connectors and such to try and get this old beasty to work with the laptop. It's being stubborn," Jepard said off-handedly.

"Not just stubborn but downright contrary it is," another voice said just appearing through the door that lead to the basement. "Good day, Uncle Rubeus," said Farley, his half giant nephew.

"What be the major problem?" Hagrid asked, giving his nephew a quick hug then letting the boy go.

"The magical factor of course. I'm still having difficulties getting the two to mesh well enough to overcome some of the poor reception issues as well as pushing the signal through the ministry blocks," Farley said, disgusted.

"Ah, I see … tell me what yeu've tried," Hagrid suggested. Farley mentioned a few odd spell combinations using transfiguration as his base spell that he had attempted and their results. Then told him of some new ones he wanted to try. Hagrid frowned. He wasn't a spell master but even he knew one of those choices might not be wise. "I suggest yeu forget attempting that one, nephew. It would blow through yere laptop and out yonder window."

Farley hissed out a frustrated breath. "Truth, I did not think this twould be so difficult, uncle. I have had much success in meshing tech and magic before but this old wireless be defeating me."

"Hmm, well if this be the snag then it be time to call in some expert help. Give me a bit to contact him and see if he has any time to aid us," Hagrid said rising and heading toward the kitchen.

The group in the drawing room heard the front door open and close.

"Where to you think he be going?" Jepard asked.

"Most likely to speak with Severus. He be the only one he could ask for help. Severus be very skilled at spells so it be a good choice. I hadn't wanted to ask as the man has been given enough tasks to do already," Farley said, unhappily.

"It is what it is boyo. We can't hang about too long trying to get this working, you know," Darius said still working out the other problems they had.

Sighing, Farley went about sorting through what the others had brought seeing what could be used and what not as they waited for us uncle to return.

Hagrid appeared outside Hogwarts gate again and trudged across the lawn to the main entrance. He hoped Severus had time for him. The poor man had a lot to do today and here be one more to be dealt with.

He checked the clock on his way in and noted Severus' class be over now and he should be in his office bout now. Working his way through the throngs of children, he made his way to the stairs leading down to the dungeons.

Fortune smiled on him as he found Severus sitting at his desk writing something. He knocked on the door frame to gain the instructor's attention. Severus looked up in surprise.

"Rubeus, what brings you here?" Severus asked, putting his pen down and beginning to stand.

Hagrid stepped in and closed the door. "I hated to be bothering yeu Severus but it seems me crew trying to set up our radio report over the wireless has run into some significant issues pertaining to the use of transfiguration spells. The wireless is proving resistant to accepting tech assist from the laptop. Until that issue can be resolved we are stopped."

"Ahh, I see, hmm..." Severus thought about the problem both the one Hagrid was asking about and his problem of making time. He had accomplished much this morning and had only one or two other things to deal with. "It seems you are in luck, Rubeus. I do have some time if we go now."

"Excellent, shall we go?" Hagrid said smiling with relief.

Severus nodded, turned to put the papers away in a desk drawer . Hagrid waited for him outside the door. Stepping out himself, Snape locked and warded his door then the two of them headed to the stairs.

They encountered no one outside as they strode purposefully toward Hogwarts gates. Unbeknownst to them familiar eyes watched their progress with curiosity and concern.

Dumbledore had been staring outside for some minutes now trying to decide between two possible candidates for Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor. With the kind of unfortunate bad karma the class had engendered of late, selecting someone wasn't as hard as trying to decide who was he willing to risk suffering the whammy of bad luck next. That was when his eyes caught sight of the unlikely pair heading off campus.

"Now where could they be off too?" He said aloud. Suddenly Fawkes flew to his shoulder and stared out as well. The familiar gave an excited chirp then vanished. Albus blinked in surprise at Fawkes' abrupt departure. Staring outward again, he witnessed Fawkes airborne above the pair still walking toward the gates before they disappeared from sight. "Well, now what brought that on? I do so hate being left in the dark," he grumbled sourly. Muttered agreements floated down from the portraits on that observation. Shaking his head, he came to a decision. At least there was one thing he had control over.

"Hmph...I think Remus Lupin would be the right person for the job considering all that is going on right now. Maybe he will even survive the position." Decision made, he went to his desk to write an Offer of Employment Letter to Lupin. As a hidden werewolf, jobs weren't very plentiful now a days so he didn't think it would be refused but one never knew. Once he had it sealed he summoned an owl to take it to wherever Lupin could be found.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

As soon as they were through the gates, the pair apparated to Hagrid's home. Only twenty minutes after he had left, he and Severus were walking into his cottage and hanging their coat and cloak then walking into the drawing room.

Seconds later, Fawkes appeared hovering in the air behind them. He trilled a greeting.

Hagrid and Snape turned in surprise.

"Hello my friend," Hagrid said. "What brings yeu here?"

"Curiosity. I wanted to see what had drawn Severus away from Hogwarts," Fawkes said.

Both Severus and Rubeus laughed. "Well yeu are certainly welcome."

"Severus, Fawkes hello," Farley sang out, glad to see them both. Fawkes trilled a greeting and flew past them to perch on a chair nearby.

"Hello Farley. I hear you have run into a thorny problem?" Severus asked moving closer to where they were all working and staring at the mish-mash of machines and wires. Fawkes also leaned closer to study the project with avid attention.

"Yeu could say that," Farley sighed. "Here's what I have tried so far..." He repeated his experiments and what results he was trying for.

Severus grimaced. "You don't want much do you. Alright let me give it try. Are you ready for this stage to be done?" He asked first.

Farley looked over at Darius questioningly. "Almost," the man said his attention still on his wiring job between the two machines. "There, that, hopefully, will do it. Now let me set this darn program up..." Another ten minutes went by before Darius touched a last key on the laptop and reached out to a switch on the wireless. "Got it! Give it a try now Severus and let us see if we finally get the old girl to let us through."

Everyone moved back from the table and let Severus have the field to himself. Snape had spent the waiting time coming up with some spells he hoped would do what they wanted. With his wand because he wanted as fine a control as he could get, he let off first one then when there was no reaction, let the second fly.

The wireless spit, sparked, then hissing noise came from the speakers for a moment before words could be heard.

"Yes, that's the WWN station alright. So, let's see if we can break in and broadcast our own message before getting cut off. I have it set for wide dispersal. You ready, Gleason?" Darius asked, setting a speaker up so Gleason could transmit.

A little nervous, Gleason took Darius' place before the wireless and held the scroll with the same message Hagrid had given Xenophilius. He had a great speaking voice so had volunteered to do this but still he was nervous. It was the first time he was doing something with so much earth shattering potential for their two worlds.

Resolutely shaking off his nerves, he nodded at Darius who flipped a switch and pointed at Gleason to begin.

"Attention all you wizards, witches, and other magical people out there. The intelligent magical non-humans of the world have a message for you to hear..." Ten minutes later Gleason stopped speaking and sagged in his chair. "Well hopefully its out there and being heard."

"There be nothing more we can do now. You have that on loop?" Farley asked Darius.

"Yes until we are cut off but I'm hoping the security block I put in place will work to keep the ministry from being able to do that for many hours," Darius said.

"Still with a hope and a prayer to the mother goddess, our message will still be heard," Hagrid said quietly.

"Only way to know is to tune in," Farley said jumping up and leaving the room for several minutes then returning with an ordinary wizarding radio. It was strange looking thing. Shaped like a person's head though covered in a semi-frosty coating hiding the works. Farley set it carefully down on the table and turned it on. After fiddling with the dials set in a panel at the base of the thing for some minutes, he finally found what he had been searching for.

Gleason's voice speaking loud and clear through the hidden speaker.

"Yes!" Everyone did high fives except for Fawkes who sang a sweet song of triumph, his wings spread wide.

Smiling, Snape prepared to leave again. "Glad to be of service gentlemen but I must get back. Good day."

"Thank yeu so much Severus and Good Day to yeu too," Farley said enthusiastically.

"Aye, thank you for taking time from your very busy day, Severus," Hagrid said, smiling. "Oh, and I have good news, Xenophilius Lovegood is excited about printing the council's message and can't wait to get it disbursed far and wide."

"That is great news and now with the message flying through the airwaves we should see a response very quickly. Things are going to get very exciting by morning," Severus said, grinning.

"Oh aye," Hagrid smirked.

Still smiling, Snape saw himself out with Fawkes choosing to head out with him. The two apparated back to Hogwarts separately. Upon arrival, Snape began his walk to the main entrance as Fawkes sang a farewell and flew back to Dumbledore's tower. A smile still graced the potion master's mouth for a little ways as his mind went over the day's successes. "A very productive day indeed," he thought, pleased with their small successes so far. He knew that wouldn't last but he would celebrate the good days to keep his spirits positive.