Author's Note: Thanks to those who've stuck with me so far and reveiwed - I promise more will be up soon!
Chapter 6:
The next morning at breakfast, Clara couldn't ignore the constant glances and smiles she was receiving from Hermione. Clearly subtlety was not one of her strong points. Ron, on the other hand, seemed to be paying no attention. In fact, he looked positively sulky. He'd barely spoken a word all morning, and was now stabbing at his scrambled eggs as though they'd done him a great personal wrong. Clara and Hermione looked to Harry for an explanation. He only shrugged and continued to watch Ron massacre his breakfast.
Some of the mysterious rage seemed to work itself out of Ron's system by the time they reached Greenhouse Three. He joined in as Harry and Hermione told Clara about the dangerous plants they've worked with in the past. She was familiar with most of them, but there were some she'd never even heard of.
Clara found the she liked Professor Sprout immediately. She also remembered just how much she enjoyed Herbology. Their first lesson of the year was to be a refresher course in retrieving Snargaluff pods. Clara shared a Snargaluff with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
About fifteen minutes in, she went to empty one of her pods at the same time as Hermione. She took the opportunity to have a quick word.
"Hermione, what's the matter with Ron?" Hermione looked curiously over at Ron, who was being beaten back from the Snargaluff by one of its vines. She shook her head and emptied her pod.
"I don't know...I mean he seems a bit better, doesn't he? But he was in a right state this morning. Ron's always a bit moody like that, though. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about, Clara," she finished, smiling kindly. "But you know," she added in an undertone as the girls made their way back, "I'm sure he'd cheer up a bit more if you talk to him." She gave Clara another smile and set back to work.
At the end of class, the seventh years stumbled out of Greenhouse Three covered in dirt. Some nursed small injuries from their Snargaluffs. Clara looked around the grounds properly for the first time. Off in the distance she saw smoke curling out of the chimney of a small cabin.
"Does someone live there?" she asked the group at large. Harry followed the direction of her extended arm.
"Oh yeah, that's where Hagrid lives," he said, then, turning to Ron and Hermione, "we haven't seen him yet, have we?"
"Was he even at the feast?" Ron asked, now looking at Hagrid's, too.
"Come to think of it, I'm not sure he was," Hermione replied thoughtfully.
"Not sure?" snorted Ron. "He'd be hard to miss wouldn't he? I mean, let's face it, Hagrid's not exactly someone you can overlook." Harry and Hermione laughed.
"Who is Hagrid?" Clara asked. There appeared to be a rather large animal...maybe a dog...running around in front of the cabin.
"He's the gamekeeper. Big bloke...you won't believe he's real when you see him," Ron said, grinning to himself.
"We should head down there for a visit tonight after dinner," Harry suggested. Hermione and Ron nodded their agreement.
That evening, after a hurried supper, the four set off for Hagrid's. It was unusually cool outside for September, and Clara shivered slightly as they tramped across the grounds. She pulled her cloak a little tighter. They came up to the front door of the cabin and Harry knocked. Great booming barks greeted the sound, then footsteps. The door creaked slowly open.
"Oh my word..."
Clara's hand flew to her mouth as she laid eyes on the largest man she'd ever seen. His face was obscured by wild tangles of black hair and a great, big, bushy beard. Clara estimated that he must stand at least twice as tall as her father, maybe more. Hagrid smiled down at the four of them, and then spoke.
"Been wonderin' when I migh' see the likes o' you." His kind gaze paused on each face in turn, and then rested on Clara's. He considered her carefully for a moment.
"Don't think I've seen you before. Yer face looks a bit familiar, though." Hermione spoke up.
"Hagrid, this is Clara, she's new here, came over from America. I don't want to sound rude, but it is a bit cold out..."
"Oh righ', righ'! Get in here!" Hagrid stepped back to allow them entry into his cabin.
Clara followed Hermione inside and was instantly knocked backward into Ron by a boarhound who seemed very eager to meet her.
"FANG YEH RUDDY GREAT BRUTE, GET DOWN!" Hagrid yelled, seizing the dog by the collar. The dog struggled to reach Clara, clearly intending to lick her to death. Ron helped to steady her, and she grinned at him in thanks. Hagrid ushered them over to a scrubbed wooden table and they sat down. He set about making tea.
"How was yer firs' day back?" he asked, plunking down giant mugs in front of them. Clara stared at hers, wide-eyed, and then looked to Hermione, who grinned.
"Loads of homework, of course," Ron said, scratching Fang's ears.
"The lessons have all been really interesting, though," Hermione replied, blowing on her tea. "I must admit, with the kinds of things we're getting to this early on, I'm worried about N.E.W.T.s."
"Oh goodness, that's this year isn't it?" Clara said suddenly, smacking her forehead. The others nodded sullenly. "Bollocks, I'd forgotten about those." Everyone stared at her. "...My dad says it all the time."
Hagrid leaned forward on the table, which groaned under his weight. "American, are yeh?" he asked, now surveying Clara with interest.
"Yes. Well, I was born there, but I'm actually British by heritage - my parents were both born in England. They went to school here, actually." she explained.
"What's yer las' name?" Hagrid asked.
"Edwards."
Hagrid slammed a giant fist down on the table, making them all jump. "Can' be Harold Edwards? An' Helen Williams?" Clara nodded, alarmed.
"I knew yer face looked familiar! Yeh've got yer dad's eyes and yer mum's smile, you have," Hagrid grinned at her. "Yer mum and dad were some nice folks." He scratched his beard thoughtfully. "Now that yeh mention it, I did hear summat abou' his transfer ter America. But yeh can' be goin' ter Hogwarts livin' there, now can yeh?" Clara shook her head.
"Oh no, we moved over the summer. We're living in Ottery St. Catchpole," she said. Ron choked on his tea. Hagrid patted him hard on the back, potentially hurting rather than helping him.
"Blimey, Ron, didn' yer mother teach yeh ter swallow before yeh breathe?" he said sternly. Ron gasped for breath.
"Sorry...er...wrong pipe," he croaked. Hermione and Harry exchanged a glance, but said nothing.
The remainder of the evening passed with a great deal of amusing conversation at Hagrid's. When he offered around his rock cakes, Hermione kicked Clara under the table to let her know not to take one. Finally, as it neared curfew, the four prepared to leave.
"Well Clara," Hagrid said, clapping her on the shoulder, "it was nice ter meet yeh. If yer parents decide ter stop by and visit, tell 'em ter come see me. I'll be wantin' a word," he finished, and winked at her. She grinned and nodded, holding onto Hermione to keep from falling over under the weight of his hand.
It was dark when the left the cabin. Clara realized that the grounds looked much more eerie at night. Suddenly, she heard something howl in the forest. She responded by quickening her pace and keeping closer to the others. When they reached the castle, she was thankful to pass through the double doors into the warmth of the Entrance Hall.
The common room was fairly empty when Clara, Harry, Ron, and Hermione made it to the tower. Adrian sat in an armchair near the fire reading a letter. The four gathered around the fire to warm themselves.
"Hello, Adrian," Clara said. He looked up from his letter and smiled.
"Evening, Edwards." Clara smiled back at him.
"Who's that from?" she asked, trying to read over his shoulder. He pulled the letter toward him and shot her a bemused look.
"It's from my gran, and it's none of your business," he said. Clara grinned and playfully snatched at the letter.
"Oh come on Adrian, what could your grandma possibly have written that you can't let me see?" Adrian continued to hold the letter out of her reach, and she eventually gave up.A few minutes passed in silence. Finally, Ron stood up.
"I'm going to bed," he said. He looked troubled. Harry stood, too.
"Yeah, I think I'll go as well," he said, looking at Ron curiously. "Good night, all."
The girls and Adrian bade them good night and watched them walk toward the staircase. Hermione sighed, obviously frustrated.
"Honestly, what has gotten into him lately? He's so moody!" she exclaimed, standing up rather suddenly. "I'm off to bed, I'm exhausted. Are you coming Clara." Clara yawned widely and nodded. The girls said good night to Adrian and climbed the staircase. As Clara lie in bed, she couldn't help but wonder about the way Ron was acting. Judging by Hermione's reaction to it, he wasn't usually like this. Why, then, did he seem to get so upset? She tried to work it over until she drifted off to sleep.