The next morning on Boxing Day, it seemed like everyone got up late. Michael and Hailey had told Mandy what they had overheard between Madame Maxime and Hagrid. Mandy didn't seem to care about finding out that Hagrid was half-giant.

"Pure giants are about twenty feet tall," Mandy said, shrugging. "If he wasn't a half-giant, he must be one tall person. Like how Madame Maxime seems to think that she's very tall."

With no homework to do, Hailey went up to look over the egg, because on this side of Christmas, February the twenty-fourth didn't seem that far away. She hadn't done anything to figure out the clue and she was beginning to grow nervous.

Every time she went up to the dormitory, she opened her trunk, and took out the egg. She had opened the egg and tried to figure out what the wailing meant, but closed it when the wailing started to give her a headache. She had tried to figure out what the sound reminded her of, but she couldn't remember anything besides the musical saws at Nearly Headless Nick's Deathday Party, two years ago. She had closed the egg, shook it vigorously and opened it again to see if the sound had changed, but it hadn't.

Mandy once had the idea of asking the egg questions with it open, but it didn't answer anything. Michael once threw the egg across the common room in frustration, but that obviously didn't help.

Hailey didn't forget Cedric's advice, but she wasn't sure what he meant by taking a bath with the egg in the prefects' bathroom. She decided to save that advice for last, because she wanted to find out the clue on her own before using Cedric's advice as a last resort.

On the first day of the new term, Hailey set off to lessons with Michael and Mandy, who was accompanied with Terry Boot. Hailey was busy feeling worry over the egg to even bother asking about Terry's presence.

Snow was still thick upon the grounds and the greenhouse windows were covered in condensation that was so thick they couldn't see out of them in Herbology.

For Care of Magical Creatures, Ron said that the skrewts would warm them up nicely in the snowy weather, either by chasing them or blasting off so forcefully that Hagrid's cabin would catch fire.

When they got to Hagrid's cabin, there was an elderly witch with close cropper grey hair and a prominent chin standing in front of the cabin door.

"Hurry up, now, the bell rang five minutes ago," she ordered as they struggled through the snow.

"Who're you?" asked Ron, "Where's Hagrid?"

"My name is Professor Grubbly-Plank," the witch stated briskly, as if she didn't have time to answer questions. "I am your temporary Care of Magical Creatures teacher."

Hailey repeated loudly, "Where's Hagrid?" She was growing frustrated over the lack of answers, which was mostly directed at the golden egg, so she realized she was sort of taking it out on Professor Grubbly-Plank.

"He's in disposed," Professor Grubbly-Plank answered shortly.

Unpleasant laughter followed after that. Hailey rolled her eyes, because of course it had something to do with Malfoy and his minions. They looked gleeful and not surprised to see Professor Grubbly-Plank standing there. Don't the Slytherins have better things to do?

"This way, please," said Professor Grubbly-Plank and she strode off around the paddock where the Abraxans were shivering. Hailey, Ron, Michael, Hermione, and Mandy glanced back at Hagrid's cabin as they followed the temporary professor. All the curtains were closed and Hailey wondered if Hagrid was in there all by himself due to being ill.

"What's wrong with Hagrid?" Hailey asked, hurrying up to Professor Grubbly-Plank determined to get answer.

"Never you mind," the professor responded as if she thought that the fourth year was being nosy.

"I do mind, though," replied Hailey growing frustrated again. "What's up with him?"

The professor pretended that she was suddenly deaf so Hailey let the subject drop. She led them past the Abraxans' paddock and towards a tree on the edge of the forest where a large and beautiful unicorn was tethered.

"Oooh," most of the girls said at the sight.

"Oh, it's so beautiful!" gushed Lavender. "How did she get it? They're supposed to be really hard to catch!"

Hailey was oddly reminded of her first year when she saw Quirrell drinking unicorn blood from a dead unicorn. She cringed at the memory of the dead unicorn. She noticed how Michael was making a face, probably remembering being covered in unicorn blood during his first year when they had to serve detention together.

The unicorn was so brightly white it made the snow look grey. It was pawing the ground nervously with its golden hooves and throwing back its horned head.

"Boys keep back!" ordered Professor Grubbly-Plank, throwing an arm out to stop Michael and Terry from walking forward. "They prefer the woman's touch, unicorns. Girls to the front, and approach with care, come on, easy does it…"

Professor Grubbly-Plank, Hailey, Mandy, and the rest of the girls slowly walked forward toward the unicorn leaving the boys standing near the paddock fence, watching. Lavender was the first one to touch the unicorn followed by Parvati.

"So beautiful!" Lavender continued gushing.

Hailey started petting the side of the unicorn. She whispered to Mandy, "So much more beautiful alive than dead."

Mandy smiled, "Or Michael covered in unicorn blood his first year."

Hailey glanced back to see that Terry, Ron, and Michael were now reading the Daily Prophet while Malfoy looked smug. For a moment, Hailey wished that Dudley and Malfoy would meet, so Dudley could punch him. However, knowing her luck, Dudley would take Malfoy's side on bullying her.

"Where did you, Ron, and Michael go yesterday?" Mandy said, "Malachi and Ciara said that you went to get butterbeers, but you were gone a lot longer than that."

Hailey explained to Mandy and Hermione about how they went for a walk and ran into Karkaroff and Snape having a conversation then explained to Hermione about Hagrid being half-giant.

"Are you paying attention over there?" Professor Grubbly-Plank asked sharply.

Hailey turned to see that it looked like the Michael, Ron, and Terry had been arguing about something.

She looked back now that Professor Grubbly-Plank started talking loudly about magical properties that unicorns had so the boys could hear it too.

After the lesson, Parvati said, "I hope she stays, that woman! That's more what I thought Care of Magical Creatues would be like…proper creatures like unicorns, not monsters…"

"What about Hagrid?" Hailey asked angrily when they went up the steps.

"What about him? He can still be gamekeeper, can't he?"

When they entered the Great Hall, Hermione was saying, "That was a really good lesson. I didn't know half the things Professor Grubbly-Plank told us about uni—"

Hailey couldn't respond to that. Michael handed Hailey, Hermione, and Mandy the Daily Prophet.

Hailey gaped at the article because it was a smear campaign against Hagrid. It was detailing how Hagrid had admitted to being expelled in his third year and how Dumbledore secured Hagrid's job as gamekeeper. Apparently Hagrid has some 'mysterious influence' where Dumbledore gave him a job as a Care of Magical Creatures teacher.

Apparently Hagrid looked to be a large and ferocious-looking, which terrifies students. Hagrid uses his newfound authority to terrify students in his care by using horrific creatures. Since Dumbledore turns a blind eye, Hagrid apparently maims students during lessons which end up being frightening.

According to Malfoy, he got attacked by a hippogriff and Crabbe got bitten by a flobberworm. Hailey knew that flobberworms doesn't have any teeth and Hailey knew that the reason why Malfoy got attacked by Buckbeak, was because Malfoy was incompetent at listening to Hagrid's instructions and because he wanted Hagrid fired.

Mandy scoffed at the line of Malfoy saying that they all hate Hagrid but are to scared to admit it, because Malfoy sure as hell made his loathing of Hagrid quite clear.

According to the article, Hagrid has no intention of stopping his reign of intimidation. Hailey wasn't sure if Hagrid actually admitted to breeding the Blast-Ended Skrewts to Skeeter, but she rolled her eyes when Skeeter says that they were a cross between manticores and fire-crabs. According to the article, Hagrid thinks he's above such restrictions that were placed by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creature, because Hagrid was just having some fun.

According to the Daily Prophet that the article claims had unearthed a claim that Hagrid always considered himself to be a pure-blood wizard. The article was saying that Hagrid's mother was a giantess named Fridwulfa, whose whereabouts are currently unknown.

There was a brief passage detailing that bloodthirsty and brutal giants had brought themselves to the point of extinction by in-warring. The ones that remained had joined He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and were responsible for some of the worst Muggle killings.

The article stated that the giants that served You-Know-You were killed by Aurors that worked against the Dark Side, Fridwulfa wasn't among the giants. The article speculated that she possible escaped to one of the giant communities in foreign magical mountain ranges. Then the article continued to smear Hagrid some more by saying that he must have inherited his mother's brutal nature because of his antics during the Care of Magical Creatures lessons.

The article brought Hailey in, by saying that as a twist, Hagrid had developed a close friendship with the girl who made You-Know-Who fall from power—which drove Hagrid's mother and You-Know-Who's followers back. The article stated that she doesn't know Hagrid's true nature, and that Dumbledore should warn her and her fellow students about the dangers of associating with part-giants.

Hailey and Hermione gaped at the article, while Mandy looked furious.

"I want to take every single article she wrote and cram in down her thought," Mandy said in a creepy whisper.

"How did the horrible Skeeter woman find out? Hagrid didn't tell her, because he didn't tell us," Mandy asked.

"I reckon that she was so mad he wouldn't give her loads of horrible stuff about me, she went ferreting around to get him back," Hailey said.

"Maybe she heard him telling Madame Maxime at the ball," said Hermione in a quiet voice.

"We'd have seen her in the garden!" said Ron. "Anyway, she's not supposed to come into school anymore, Hagrid said Dumbledore banned her."

"We've got to go and see him," said Hailey. "This evening, after Divination. Tell him we want him back…you do want him back?" she looked at Hermione.

"I—well, I'm not going to pretend it didn't make a nice change, having a proper Care of Magical Creatures lesson for once—" Hailey gave Hermione a furious glare. Hermione added quickly, "but I don want Hagrid back, of course I do!"


That evening after dinner, they left the castle once more and went down through the frozen ground to Hagrid's cabin. They knocked, and Fan's booming barks answered.

"Hagrid, it's us!" Hailey shouted, pounding on the door. "Open up!"

Hagrid didn't answer and they heard Fang scratching at the door, whining, but it didn't open. They hammered on the it for a few more minutes, while Ron went to knock on one of the windows, but there wasn't any response.

"What's he avoiding us for?" Hermione said when they gave up and walked back to the school. "He surely doesn't think we'd care about him being half-giant?"

Malachi, Ciara, and Corey were walking down from the castle.

"You would think he wouldn't believe that horrid Skeeter's rubbish article," Corey said. He had a Scottish accent.

"Hi," Malachi said to Hailey as they walked by them. Michael glared at Malachi's back. Hailey was glad that Malachi wasn't cold towards her because of the poor way she treated him at the Yule Ball.

It seemed like Hagrid really did care because they didn't see a sign of him all week. He didn't show up at the staff table at mealtimes, they didn't see him going about his gamekeeper duties on the grounds, and Professor Grubbly-Plank continued to take the Care of Magical Creature classes. Malfoy kept gloating at every possible opportunity because he kept whispering stuff like, "Missing your half-breed pal? Missing the elephant man?" to Hailey whenever teachers were around so Malfoy was safe from retaliation.


Halfway through January, there was another Hogsmeade visit. Hailey insisted on going much to Hermione's surprise, who said, "I just thought you'd want to take advantage of your common room being quiet. Really get to work on that egg."

"Oh, I—I reckon I've got a pretty good idea what it's about now," Hailey lied. She was trying her best to figure it out, but she needed a break.

"Have you really?" asked Hermione, looking impressed. "Well done!"

Hailey still had five weeks to work out the egg clue, and that seemed like ages away. She hoped she could spot Hagrid, down in Hogsmeade, so she might be able to talk Hagrid into coming back to Hogwarts. She got a look from Mandy and Michael, who both knew the truth.

As they were leaving the castle together, Eva and Ivy had run up to give them a parchment that listed the sweets they wanted. Michael took the list and looked at it.

Before they could leave, Mandy asked, "How did you know what was going to happen in the first task?"

Michael was now giving Eva a suspicious look.

Eva stopped in her tracks and looked back at them. She explained, "Sometimes I have weird dreams that just happen to come true. I had a few reoccurring dreams about the four dragons and the golden egg. When Professor Dumbledore explained what the tournament is, it wasn't hard to figure out what the dreams meant."

"Do you know what the second task is?" Mandy asked, sounding like she was joking.

Eva shook her head. "No. Right now I keep having dreams about the Great Lake and four blurry figures underwater, but I'm sure that dreams will change when the second task comes closer." With that, the two Hufflepuffs turned to leave, but Eva stopped and looked at Hailey. "Hey, wasn't that Mikey's hoodie?"

"N-no," Hailey stuttered out.

Eva narrowed her eyes at Hailey, but shrugged, "All right, then." She gave Michael a 'we're-going-talk-about-you-giving-away-your-clothes-later' look, before walking away with Ivy.

The five fourth years left the castle together on Saturday and set off through the cold, wet grounds towards the gates.

"She always did have strange dreams that we always brushed off when she told us about them," Michael said, sounding thoughtful.

"I guess it makes it easier for her to place bets because they just sound so far out there, they couldn't possibly be true," Mandy said. "But what does she mean by the Great Lake and four blurry figures that happen to be underwater?"

Michael shrugged, "Who knows."

They passed the Durmstrang ship that was moored in the lake. Viktor Krum emerged onto the deck, dressed in nothing but swimming trunks. Hailey saw that he looked very skinny, but apparently he was a lot tougher than he looked because he climbed up onto the side of the ship, stretched out his arms, and dived right into the lake, as if it was summer and not winter.

Mandy's jaw dropped open, "Is he mad?"

"He's mad!" Hailey agreed, staring at Krum's dark head as it bobbed out into the middle of the lake. "It must be freezing, it's January!"

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

"Yeah, but there's still the giant squid," Ron said, sounding hopeful.

Hermione noticed the tone, frowned at that. "He's really nice, you know. He's not at all like you'd think, coming from Durmstrang. He likes it much better here, he told me."

Ron said nothing, because he hadn't said anything about Viktor Krum since the ball.

Hailey kept her eyes open for a sign of Hagrid all the down the slushy High Street, and suggested going to the Three Broomsticks, once she was sure that Hagrid wasn't in any of the shops.

When they entered the pub, it was crowded as always, and one kick look around at the tables, Hailey felt saddened at the fact that Hagrid wasn't there. They went up to the bar and told Madam Rosmerta that they wanted five butterbeers, and Hailey was to busy thinking that she would've just stayed behind to hear the egg wailing. She couldn't even bother scowling at Madam Rosmerta for the way Michael openly stared at her.

"Doesn't he ever go into the office?" Hermione whispered, "Look!"

She pointed at the mirror behind the bar and Hailey saw Ludo Bagman's reflection. He was sitting in a shadowy corner with a bunch of goblins. Bagman was talking very fast in a low voice to the goblins. The goblins had their arms crossed and were looking rather menacing.

Hailey couldn't help but find it odd that Bagman was there at the Three Broomsticks on a weekend when there wasn't a Triwizard event, so there wasn't any judging to be done. She noticed how strained he looked, like the night in the wood before the Dark Mark appeared.

It looked like Bagman noticed Hailey and stood up. Hailey heard him say, "In a moment, in a moment!" Bagman hurried through the pub towards Hailey, his boyish grin in place. He greeted, "Hailey! How are you? Been hoping to run into you! Everything going all right?"

"Fine, thanks," replied Hailey. She wasn't fine. She didn't even know how to the clue from the egg, she was frustrated that she couldn't find Hagrid and talk him into coming back to Hogwarts, and she was frustrated because Michael kept staring at Madam Rosmerta. She wasn't fine.

"Wonder if I could have a quick, private word, Hailey?" asked Bagman eagerily. "You couldn't give us a moment, you four, could you?"

Mandy gave Bagman a suspicious look.

"Er—okay," replied Ron, and Mandy had to grab Michael's shoulders to drag him away, with Ron and Hermione to find a table.

"Well, I just thought I'd congratulate you again on your splendid performance against that Horntail, Hailey," said Bagman, "really superb."

"Thanks," replied Hailey. That couldn't be what Bagman really wanted to say because he would've said in front of her four friends. Bagman didn't seem in any rush, because Hailey saw him look in the mirror at the goblins. The goblins were watching them through dark, slanting eyes.

"Absolute night," Bagman whispered to Hailey, seeing that she looked at the goblins at the mirror. "Their English isn't too good…it's like being back with all the Bulgarians at the Quidditch World Cup…but at least they used sign language another human could recognize. This lot keep gabbling in Gobbledegook….and I only know one of Gobbledegook. Bladvak. It means 'pickax.' I don't like to use it in case they think I'm threatening them." He gave short laugh.

Hailey noticed how the goblins were still watching them very closely. "What do they want?"

Bagman looked nervous. "Er—well…They…er…they're looking for Barty Crouch."

Hailey was confused. "Why are they looking for him here? He's at the Ministry in London, isn't he?"

"Er…as a matter of face, I've no idea where he is. He's sort of…stopped coming to work. Been absent for a couple of weeks now. Young Percy, his assistant, says he's ill. Apparently he's just been sending instructions in by owl. But would you mind not mentioning that you anyone, Hailey? Because Rita Skeeter's still poking around everywhere she can, and I'm willing to bet she's work up Barty's illness into something sinister. Probably say he's gone missing like Bertha Jorkins."

"Have you heard anything about Bertha Jorkins?" asked Hailey.

Bagman looked strained again, "No. I've got people looking, of course…"

About time, Hailey thought.

Bagman explained, "And it's all very strange. She definitely arrived in Albania, because she met her second cousin there. And then she left the cousin's house to go south and see an aunt…and she seems to have vanished without trace en route. Blowed if I can see where she's got to…she doesn't seem the type to elope, for instance…but still…What are we doing, talking about goblins and Bertha Jorkins? I really wanted to ask you," he lowered his voice, "how are you getting on with your golden egg?"

"Er…not bad," lied Hailey.

Bagman seemed to know that she wasn't being honest. In a low voice, Bagman said, "Listen, Hailey. I feel very bad about all this…you were thrown into this tournament, you didn't volunteer for it…and if…" his voice went so low that Hailey had to lean forward to listen, "if I can help at all…a prod in the right direction…I've taken a liking to you…the way you got past the dragon!...well, just say the word."

Hailey looked into Bagman's round, rosy face, and his wide, baby-blue eyes. She tried not to sound like she was accusing the Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports of breaking the rule. "We're supposed to work the clues alone, aren't we?"

"Well…well, yes," replied Bagman sounding impatient, "but—come on, Hailey—we all want a Hogwarts victory, don't we?"

Hailey briefly thought of Cedric. "Have you offered Cedric help?"

A small frown appeared of Bagman's face, "No, I haven't. I—well, like I say, I've taken a liking to you. Just thought I'd offer…"

"Well, thanks," replied Hailey, "but I think I'm nearly there with the egg…couple more days should crack it." She didn't want assistance from Bagman because it felt like cheating than asking advice from Ron, Hermione, Michael, Mandy, or Sirius. Besides, Bagman was almost a stranger to her.

Bagman looked insulted, but he couldn't say anything because Fred and George turned up.

"Hello, Mr Bagman," replied Fred, brightly. "Can we buy you a drink?"

"Er…no," replied Bagman, glancing disappointedly at Hailey, "no, thank you, boys…"

The Weasley twins looked as disappointed at Bagman, who was looking at Hailey as though she let him down badly.

"Well, I must dash," Bagman said, "Nice seeing you all. Good lucky, Hailey." He hurried out of the pub and the goblins followed after him. Hailey went to join her four friends at their table.

"What did he want?" Ron asked once Hailey sat down.

"He offered to help with the golden egg," replied Hailey.

"He shouldn't be doing that!" replied Hermione looking very shocked. "He's one of the judges! And anyway, you've already worked it out—haven't you?"

"Er…nearly," replied Hailey.

"Well, I don't think Dumbledore would like it if he knew Bagman was trying to persuade you to cheat!" replied Hermione, looking deeply disapproving. "I hope he's trying to help Cedric as much!"

"He's not," Hailey stated, "I asked."

"Who cares if Diggory's getting help?" asked Ron.

"Those goblins didn't look very friendly," said Hermione, sipping on her butterbeer. "What were they doing here?"

Hailey explained, "Looking for Crouch, according to Bagman."

"Why are goblins looking for Crouch?" Mandy asked. "That's doesn't make sense. Goblins usually deal with the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures."

"Crouch is still ill, because he hasn't been into work," Hailey said.

"Maybe Percy's poisoning him," stated Ron. "Probably thinks if Crouch snuffs it, he'll be made Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation."

Hermione gave Ron a don't-joke-about-things-like-that look and said, "Mandy's right. Goblins looking for Mr Crouch?"

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

Ron asked Hermione, "Worrying about poor 'ickle gobins, now, are you? Thinking of starting up S.P.U.G. or something? Society for the Protection of Ugly Goblins?"

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

"No," replied Ron.

"Goblins can deal with wizards," Mandy explained. "They're very clever."

"They're not like house-elves, who never stick up for themselves," Hermione responded.

"Uh-oh," said Ron, looking at the door. Michael looked over and groaned.

Rita Skeeter had just entered. She was wearing banana-yellow robes. Her long nails were painted in a shocking pink. She was accompanied by her photographer. She bought drinks and they made their way through the crowds to a nearby table. The five fourth-years were glaring at her as she approached. Skeeter was talking fast and looking highly satisfied about something.

"…didn't seem very keen to talk to us, did he, Bozo?" Skeeter said to her photographer. "Now, why would that be, do you think? And what's he doing with a pack of goblins in tow, anyway? Showing them the signs…what nonsense…he was always a bad liar. Reckon something's up?"

Hailey was disgusted at how Skeeter was planning on ruining another person's life, just like how she destroyed Hagrid's life, to the point he wouldn't leave his cabin.

Skeeter continued, "Think we should do a bit of digging? 'Disgraced Ex-Head of Magical Games and Sports, Ludo Bagman…' Snappy start to a sentence, Bozo—we just need to find a story to fit it—"

"Trying to ruin someone else's life?" asked Hailey loudly.

A few people turned around to look. Skeeter's eyes widened behind her jeweled spectacles when she saw who had spoken and she was beaming, "Hailey! How lovely! Why don't you come and join—?"

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

Skeeter raised her heavily penciled eyebrow, "Our readers have a right to the truth, Hailey. I am merely doing my—"

"There was nothing wrong with Hagrid!" Mandy shouted before Hailey can interrupt. "He was the nicest person you will ever meet!"

"Yeah, who cares if he's half-giant?" snapped Hailey.

It seemed like the whole pub had gone very quiet. Madam Rosmerta was staring over from behind the bar. The flagons she was filling with mead were overflowing, which she was oblivious over.

Skeeter's smile wavered slightly, but she smiled once again. She opened her crocodile-skin handbag and pulled out her Quick-Quotes Quill. Skeeter said, "How about giving me an interview about the Hagrid you know, Hailey? The man behind the muscles? Your unlikely friendship and the reasons behind it. Would you call him a father substitute?"

Hermione stood up, holding her buttebeer as if it was a grenade. "You horrible woman," she spoke through gritted teeth. "You—"

"You don't care about people do you?" Michael suddenly asked, sounding very irritated. He stood up, "You would just do anything for a story and twist it horribly to fit what you want."

Hermione stated, "even Ludo Bagman—"

"Sit down, you silly little children, and don't talk about things you don't understand." Skeeter stated sounding very frosty as she glared at Michael and Hermione. "I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair curl…" She stated to Hermione, eyeing Hermione's bushy hair, "not that it needs it…"

"Let's go, Michael," said Hermione, "c'mon, Hailey, Ron, Mandy…"

They started heading out and when they got to the door, Skeeter's Quick-Quotes Quill was out and flying over the pad of parchment on the table. Michael walked back, grabbed someone's butterbeer and poured it all over the pad of parchment.

The five quickly left Skeeter behind, who shrieked indignantly over that.

"She's going to be after you and Hermione, next," said Ron in a low voice.

"Let's her try!" said Hermione defiantly. She was shaking with rage, "I'll show! Silly little children, are we? Oh, I'll get her back for this. First Hailey, then Hagrid…"

"You don't want to go upsetting Rita Skeeter," replied Ron, sounding nervous. "I'm serious, Hermione and Michael; she'll dig up something on you both—"

"My parents don't read the Daily Prophet. She can't scare me into hiding!" Hermione exclaimed furiously.

"What is she going to dig up on me?" said Michael. "My mum's a Muggle-born and my dad's a Muggle. My cousin's a Muggle-born. What is she going to dig up?"

Hermione was walking so fast now that all they could do was hurry to keep up with her. The last time Hailey had seen Hermione raging like this was when she hit Malfoy in the face.

"And Hagrid isn't hiding anymore! He should never have let that excuse for a human being upset him! Come on!" Hermione continued. She started running and led them all the way back up the road through the gates flanked by winged boars, and up through the grounds to Hagrid's cabin.

The curtains were drawn and they could hear Fang barking as they approached.

"Hagrid!" Hermione shouted, pounding on the door. "Hagrid, that's enough!"

"Open the goddamn door!" Michael shouted, hitting the door too.

"We know you're in there! Nobody cares if your mum was a giantess, Hagrid!" Hermione shouted. "You can't let that foul Skeeter woman do this to you!"

"Hagrid, get your ass out here!" Michael shouted.

Hermione added, "You're just being—" the door opened, "about t—" They came face-to-face with Professor Dumbledore.

"Good afternoon," Professor Dumbledore greeted pleasantly, looking down at them.

"We just wanted to see Hagrid," Michael said, his face turning red.

"Yes, I surmised as much," replied Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. "Why don't you come in?"

"Oh…um…okay," replied Hermione.

The five fourth-years entered the cabin. Fang launched himself at Michael the moment he entered, barking madly and trying to lick his ears. Michael fended Fang off, who launched himself at Hailey too and trying to lick her ears.

Hagridwas sitting at the table, where two large mugs of tea, rested. Hagrid looked like a real mess because his face was blotchy, his eyes swollen, and his hair looked like a wig of tangled wire.

"Hi, Hagrid," Hailey greeted.

Hagrid looked up and in a very hoarse voice, replied, "'Lo."

"More tea, I think," said Dumbledore closing the door behind the fourth years. He drew out his wand and twiddled it. A revolving tea tray appeared in midair along with a plate of cakes. Dumbledore magicked the tray onto the table and everybody sat down. After a pause, Dumbledore said, "Did you by any chance hear what Miss Granger was shouting, Hagrid?" Hermione turned pink, but Dumbledore smiled at her, before continuing, "Hermione, Michael, Hailey, Mandy, and Ron still seem to want to know you, judging by the way they were attempting to break down the door."

Hailey looked at Hagrid, "of course we still want to know! You don't think anything that Skeeter cow—" she looked at Dumbledore, "sorry, Professor."

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

"Er—right," replied Hailey, feeling sheepish. "I just meant—Hagrid, how could you think we'd care what that—woman—wrote about you?"

Tears leaked out of Hagrid's beetle-black eyes and fell in Hagrid's tangled bear.

"Living proof of what I've been telling you, Hagrid," said Dumbledore, still looking at the ceiling. "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 would have something to say about it—"

"Not all of 'em," Hagrid interrupted, still sounding hoarse. "Not all of 'em wan' me to stay."

"Really, Hagrid, if you are holding out for universal popularity, I'm afraid you will be in this cabin for a very long time," said Dumbledore. "Not a week has passed since I became headmaster of this school when I haven't had at 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?"

"Yeh—yeh're not half-giant!" counted Hagrid.

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

"My aunt and uncle kicked Eva out of the house because she was a witch when she was ten," Michael added. "She still hopes that her parents will take her back."

"Excellent points," said Professor Dumbledore. "My own, Aberforth, was prosecuted for practicing inappropriate charms on a goat. It was all over the papers, but did Aberforth hide? No, he did not! Of course, I'm not entirely sure he can read, so that may not have been bravery…"

"Come back and teach, Hagrid," said Hermione in a quiet voice, "please come back, we really miss you."

Hagrid swallowed as more tears poured down his face.

Dumbledore stood up, "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." He started leaving the cabin, only stopping to scratch Fang's ears, before leaving. After the door closed, Hagrid started sobbing into his hands. Hermione and Mandy were patting his arms.

Finally, Hagrid looked up, his eyes very red. "Great man, Dumbledore…great man…"

"Yeah, he is," replied Ron. "Can I have one of these cakes, Hagrid?"

"Help yerself," replied Hagrid, wiping his eyes on the back of hand. "Ar, he's righ', o' course—yeh're all righ'…I bin stupid….my ol' dad woulda bin ashame o' the way I've bin behavin'…" Tears leaked out, but he wiped them away more forcefully. He continued, "Never shown you a picture of my old dad, have I? Here…" He got up and went to his dresser. He opened a drawer, and pulled out a picture of a short wizard with Hagrid's crinkled black eyes. He was beaming as he sat on top of Hagrid's shoulder. Hagrid was a good seven or eight feet tall, judging by the apple tree beside him, but he was beardless. His face was young, round, and smooth, because he looked hardly older than eleven.

"Tha' was taken jus' after I got inter Hogwarts," Hagrid said. "Dad was dead chuffed…though 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 me second year…

"Dumbledore was the one who stuck up for me after Dad went. Got me the gamekeeper job…trusts people, he does. 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 that' respectable. But some don' understand that. There's some who'd always hold it against yeh….there'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 botherin' 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."

The five fourth years looked at each other, nervously. Hailey would rather take fifty Blast-Ended Skrewts for a walk than to admit to Hagrid that she had overheard him talking to Madame Maxime. Hagrid continued talking, apparently unaware that he said anything odd.

"Yeh know wha', Hailey?" Hagrid said, looking up from his photograph. His eyes were bright, "When I firs' met you, you reminded me o' me a bit. Mum an' Dad gone, an' you was feelin' like yeh wouldn' fit in at Hogwarts, remember?" Hailey did remember. "Not sure yeh were really up to it…an' now look at yeh, Hailey! School champion!" He looked at Hagrid for a moment and in a serious tone, said, "Yeh know what I'd love, Hailey? 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 I righ', lettin' anyone in as long as they can do magic. How you don' with that egg, Hailey?"

"Great," Hailey lied once more, "really great."

Hagrid's face broke into a wide, watery smile. "Tha's my girl…you show 'em, Hailey, you show 'em. Beat 'em all."

Hailey felt like lying to Hagrid wasn't quite lying to anyone else. She went back to the castle later that afternoon with her four friends. She was unable to get rid of the happy expression that Hagrid had when he imagined Hailey winning the tournament, from her mind. The incomprehensible egg was weighing her down that evening. When she got into bed she knew what she had to do. She had to swallow her pride and see if Cedric's hint was worth anything.