A/N: Thank you, Dream of Many Dreams, for your review and suggestion (I'll do it! =) ) ; Prompts for Chap4: bear, love, wind;

Words: 775

~xxx~

Part 4:

Rubeus Hagrid

Ever since I hired Rubeus Hagrid after his expel from Hogwarts he had been a dear and loyal friend to me. He defended me whenever someone said a harsh word about me. I personally never minded the rumours going on about my mental state or age, or anything else they tended to us against me. But Hagrid would stand tall and back up for me – whether I wanted it or not...

I always knew it couldn't have been him who opened the Chamber of Secrets. And I knew he would never lie to me, therefore I trusted him. Unfortunately he was a person who had trouble keeping anything to himself. He never did it on purpose, but a secret was not save with him. So though I trusted him with all my heart I had to keep many things from his ears. However, sometimes I wished I had told him more... If I had told him why I refused to be close to Harry during this horrible year he might have – no, certainly would have accidentally told the boy about it and maybe that would have saved his Godfather's life... I blame the outcome of those events entirely on me.

Hagrid went willingly through hell whenever I asked him to. I actually asked him just once, but he never complained though he would have had the right to do so.

His weakness and yet his greatest strength was his heart for his heart was big and soft and any other soul could easily reach it. He was a bear of a man, huge, strong – frightening at first sight. But as soon as people came to know him they felt his pure and good intentions. He had love for every creature on this planet, no matter how big, how tiny, how beautiful, how ugly, how friendly or how aggressive it was, Hagrid would care for it and treat it as an equal. I adored him for this wonderful characteristic and I know many others did as well – whilst some thought it to be a weakness I knew it was a massive strength.

I had faith in him. The passion with which he discussed the various magical creatures and the great respect with which he treated them made me trust him with the position of the teacher for Care of Magical Creatures.

Sometimes I stood at a small window, hidden from others' views and watched him teach the students. He was indeed a quite good teacher, he knew all the facts. Unfortunately he never found the right way to talk to them. Harry and his friends did their best to protect Hagrid's authority, but the clumsy half-giant was just too gentle... I remember one time when I stood again at the small window and watched amused how Hagrid desperately tried to catch a fleeing Billywig in the blowing wind and still keep telling the pupils about its habits.

I never regretted my choice however he often picked too dangerous animals for his class. I wasn't really worried about this, because I knew he would look out after the children, he would explain to them how to treat the creatures correctly so they were no real threat. This one time when a Slytherin boy got attacked by a Hippogriff while he was in Hagrid's charge I was sure it happened like Hagrid told me. The boy had refused to listen to him and approached the dignified animal without any hint of respect. I didn't punish Hagrid for this unlucky incident, but I ordered him to be more careful with what kind of creature he would show to his class. – After this I got flooded with complains about only seeing Flobberworms for I can't count how many days.

Also Rubeus Hagrid never gave a thing on what others may think of him. Well, there were certain exceptions, such as his closest friends, including myself, several members of the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and his friends. When they refused to take on his subject he was badly hurt and I highly supposed he cried a lot in these days, just he wouldn't let anyone see his tears...

I was impressed at how strong, loyal, brave and courageous he was. And how he still was such a caring, loving soul, full of deep, true emotions he never really feared to display. Other wizards kept underestimating him, but I knew he was a remarkable man, wise in his own ways and never had he been tempted to take the wrong side unlike many other esteemed men...

Rubeus Hagrid, a true and trustworthy King, badly mistaken for a silly vagabond...