Thursday started off simple enough, the Gryffindors had D.A.D.A. with the Slytherins and soon after had breakfast. What made this breakfast interesting though was that Harry got a letter.

Dear Harry,

You may not know me, but I knew your folks, and would like to speak with you. I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three? I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back as soon as you can.

P.S. I'm the Hogwarts Groundskeeper, you might remember me as the guy who lead you to the boats before you were sorted.

Hagrid

Harry was curious who the man was and decided he would send a reply as soon as possible, which considering his schedule would have to take place after his last class of the day, flying. Harry finished his breakfast and headed for his next class, Potions with the Slytherins, and partnered with Parvati. Today they would be learning how to properly brew the Cure-Boil Potion.

Everything was going fine until one of the Slytherins sabotaged Neville by throwing in porcupine quills in his cauldron causing it to melt and give a horrible odor. Harry took out his wand and pointed it and the mess created by the incident, "Scourgify" he said, and the mess was mostly cleaned up except for the half-melted cauldron. Snape came over to see the commotion.

Harry knew who it had done, he saw a student with blond hair throw in the quills and recognized him as Draco Malfoy. Harry defended Neville against Snape, but Snape did not believe him. He took away 20 points for screwing up the potion and causing the cauldron to melt, gave 10 points for cleaning up the mess before it could spread to the rest of the room, and took away 15 points for lying to a professor. With a total of 25 points lost, Harry was not happy with the way Snape was obviously playing favorites.

Snape was unnerved by Harry. He had used his legilimency to read Harry's thoughts to see if his story was indeed true but found an impenetrable wall. Something usually only found in children who had suffered abuse. He had to talk to Dumbledore about this if he didn't already know. Class was dismissed as soon as the last potion was finished and soon after checking everyone's work Snape prepared his classroom for his N.E.W.T. Potions class, and Harry headed for his next class History of Magic.

History of Magic was boring as usual, but lunch was enjoyable. Neville had gotten a present from his grandma. She had sent him a Remembrall, which turned red as soon as Neville touched it, but he couldn't remember what he had forgotten that caused it to turn red. After trying to figure it out for several minutes he simply pocketed the ball and went back to eating. Soon after lunch was over the Gryffindors had their last class for the day, Flying with the Slytherins.

The Gryffindors and Slytherins went for one of the outside courtyards where they found 2 lines of brooms and stood behind them. Madam Hooch joined shortly after they showed up.

"Good afternoon class."

"Good afternoon Madam Hooch." the class replied in sync.

"Welcome to your first flying lesson. Well what are you waiting for? Everyone step up to the left side of their broomstick. Come on now, hurry up! Stick your right hand over the broom and say 'up'."

The students complied with her instruction; Harry's broom jumped immediately to his hands, Draco's did as well after a few tries, but most of the students were having problems, like Neville, whose broom hadn't even moved.

"With feeling!" Hooch said to the rest.

After a couple tries Ron's broom whacked him in the face causing Harry to laugh. After several minutes, some of the students had managed to get their brooms up and Hooch said for the rest to just pick it up from the ground, so they could continue with class.

"Now, once you've got hold of your broomstick, I want you to mount it. And grip it tight! You don't want to be sliding off the end. When I blow my whistle, I want each of you to kick up from the ground hard, keep your broom steady, hover for a moment, then lean forward slightly and touch back down. On my whistle; three, two." And then she blew her whistle, but before anyone could kick up Neville levitated several feet up, and then took off flying.

Obviously not in control of his broomstick, the broom whirled him around and bashed itself into the castle. Eventually Neville got snagged on a statue the broom had flown over, and then he fell back into the courtyard with the rest of the class. Madam Hooch looked at his wounds and realized he had broken his wrist. During this time a certain blond Slytherin name Draco Malfoy had pocketed Neville's Remembrall which had fallen out of his pocket.

"Everyone is to keep their feet firmly on the ground while I take Mr. Longbottom to the Hospital Wing. Understand? If I see a single broom in the air, the one riding it will find themselves out of Hogwarts before they can say 'quidditch'," she said as she lead Neville to the castle.

When she was no longer in sight Draco began talking, "Did you see his face? Maybe if the fat lump had given this a squeeze, he'd have remembered to fall on his fat arse."

"Give it here Malfoy!" Harry demanded.

"No, I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find." Draco said flying off on his broom, "How bout on the roof? What's the matter Potter? Bit beyond your reach?"

Harry was angry at the boy, and Hermione saw this and said, "Harry, no way, you heard what Madam Hooch said, besides you don't even know how to fly."

"Who said anything about flying?" Harry replied before fishing his wand out and pointing it at Draco, "Accio Remembrall." Despite Draco's best efforts the small sphere flew out of his hands and into Harry's. Harry felt quite pleased with himself, and Draco was infuriated. Though it didn't really matter how he felt because Hooch had come back to find him still in the air.

"30 points from Slytherin for disobeying a teacher's direct order, now come with me, and we'll have a little chat with your house head. Class dismissed; we will pick up our lesson next Thursday." Hooch said.

With that Harry left for the Owlery to send a message back to Hagrid that he would join him for tea tomorrow. He sent the message off with Hedwig and headed toward the Great Hall for Dinner.

Harry was the topic of much of the gossip having shown up Draco during their first flying lesson. Harry felt quite pleased with himself. Despite what had happened Draco was in no way punished, and Harry now had a new enemy at Hogwarts. Despite this, Harry enjoyed Dinner with his friends and girlfriend. He discussed his letter with the twins who told him about the large man who brought them on the boats. They described him as one of the nicest people in the world. He loved creatures, especially dangerous ones, and wished to teach Care of Magical Creatures, but couldn't because the job was already taken by Professor Kettleburn. Hagrid was a half-giant who was once a student until he got expelled for some reason. Luckily the transfiguration teacher at the time, Dumbledore, took pity on him and got him a job as Hogwarts's Gatekeeper despite his young age. He lived in a hut near the forest, which Harry had noticed a couple times during his nightly runs and so Harry decided he would check it out that night.

When everyone went to bed, Harry snuck out as usual and headed for the Hut. He got up close to the home and looked through a window to see Hagrid sitting on a rather large bed while a copper kettle sat over a fire. He saw pheasants and hams hanging from the ceiling and despite how small he thought it was for the half-giant it looked very cozy, but his thoughts were interrupted by a loud bark. Hagrid's dog had noticed him, by smell or sound he didn't know but he did know he had to leave quickly, in a blind panic he rushed straight for Gryffindor Tower. Harry decided to just go to sleep as soon as he made it to the tower, the adrenaline he felt from almost being caught finally leaving him, he collapsed on the bed in exhaustion.

Harry spent the majority of Friday morning researching memory charms in the Hogwarts's Library, as well as some other charms he had found whilst searching for it until the time came around to head towards Hagrid's Hut for tea. He approached the door and knocked. Hagrid opened the door and told him to come in.

Harry took a seat at the small table and looked at the dog wondering if the dog would know it was him who had been there last night. 'Do I smell the same in my Xenomorph form?' he questioned himself in his mind, but the dog didn't seem to mind Harry's presence. He felt relieved at this.

"So, Harry how's your firs' year goin' so far?" Hagrid asked as he went over to the fire and took the copper kettle off and begun preparing the tea.

"Fine, I guess, but why did you invite me here?" Harry asked.

"I knew yer parents when they came here, and I was the one who took you from yer home after You-Know-Who attacked. I figured yeh'd wan' ta talk to someone 'bout 'em."

"You took me to the Dursley's? Why?"

"Dumbledore tol' me ter go an' get ya. Almos' didn' make it up the stairs when I saw James." Hagrid said as his eyes started filling with tears, "an' then when I made it upstairs, and I saw Lily I…" Hagrid began to sob. Hagrid fished out a handkerchief from his pocket at tried to compose himself. "After I got you, I met up with Dumbledore and McGonagall at Private Drive."

The two of them spent a couple hours talking. Harry told Hagrid about the Dursley's and Hagrid immediately felt responsible. It took a while to convince Hagrid that it wasn't his fault. 'It was Dumbledore's' Harry thought to himself. Harry then told him about living with the Weasley's for a bit before school, and his new girlfriend.

"A girlfriend this early in the school year? Your James' son alrigh'," Hagrid commented with a laugh, as he then began to speak about Harry's parents during their school days. Hagrid told Harry there were 3 people always around the two, well at least around James. His best mates: Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew. Harry became curious at the mention of Sirius.

"What happened to Sirius Black?" Harry asked already knowing the answer.

"He's in prison."

"What for?"

"For betraying yer parents, and you," Hagrid said with a look of a disappointment obviously directed at the man they were now speaking of.

"How would you describe the relationship between my dad and Sirius?"

"They were the best o' friends. If you looked at James and Sirius, you might mistake 'em for brothers."

"How did he betray my parents?"

"Well You-Know-Who was after you and yer parents, so your parents took you and went into hiding under the Fidelis Charm."

"What's that?"

"A very powerful spell that keeps a secret of where something or someone is. There are 3 parties involved in the spell: the protected, in this case you and yer parents, the caster, Dumbledore, and the keeper of the secret, Black."

"Can't the information be tortured out of the keeper?"

"No, the keeper must tell them of their own free will. If it is said because they were being tortured, they couldn' even make the words out."

"How do you know Sirius was the keeper?"

"Dumbledore tol' me."

Harry knew he would have to go searching a little more into this later. Why would Sirius Black, his own godfather, betray him and his parents? What does it even mean to be a godfather in the wizarding world? He also wondered about one thing.

"What about Remus Lupin?"

"As far as I know, he's still alive. He became depressed by the loss of his friends and became a recluse las' I heard."

After chatting with the half-giant for several more minute Harry decided to head back to the castle.