Wow...how long has it been?
Heavy: I! Feel! ALIVE!
Engineer: Hoowheee...thank heaven for the Re-Spawn.
Spy: Indeed, for a moment zere, i was afraid we were in trouble.
Kyugan: Oh give it a rest you've survived worse. In any case, let's see what happens next.
Chapter 13: Cornelius Fudge.
Herwald didn't mention anything about what he'd discovered about the diary to Hermione and the others, knowing just how they'd react.
After all, it was no big surprise to any of them that Hagrid had an unfortunate appreciation for creatures that any sane person wouldn't approach without a weapon of some kind about their person, possibly not even then. Last year alone the Einzbern had witnessed the groundskeeper try to raise an infant dragon in his little wooden house, and even prior to that had the distinct 'pleasure' of running into a Cerberus that the groundskeeper had lent to Dumbledore in order to help guard the entrance to the chambers where the False Stone had been hidden.
Needless to say, the fact the half-giant had named the canine 'Fluffy' hadn't endeared it to Herwald any more than his naming the infant Norwegian Ridgeback 'Norbert' had.
Therefore, it really didn't surprise the boy-who-lived that, as a boy, the earnest, well-meaning, if clumsy groundskeeper had learned of a legendary monster hidden somewhere in the castle, and had gone to great lengths to catch so much of a glimpse of it.
'Knowing Hagrid, he probably thought it was a shame that the monster had been cooped up so long.' Herwald muttered, wincing as he could just see the teenage half-giant opening whatever doors the monster had been sealed behind in order to give it a chance to stretch its many legs 'Hell I can almost imagine him trying to put a leash and collar on it.'
However, despite his knowledge of Hagrid's apparent blind spot when it came to dangerous creatures and baking, he also felt he had a decent understanding of the Half-giant's character, and so he KNEW that, even if he HAD been sneaking the monster around the halls, Hagrid would have never permitted the beast to attack anyone, even in self-defense.
Not only that, there was the fact the 'Monster' Riddle had uncovered couldn't possibly be the one that was attacking the students NOW, or THEN for that matter.
It hadn't taken him all that long to look up 'magical spiders' in the library, hell he needn't have bothered, as there was only one notable species that Newton Scamander had listed in his 'Fantastic Beasts and here to Find Them': Acromantula, a species of giant spider, native to the rainforests of Southeast Asia, particularly Borneo.
There was some speculation regarding the creatures, as they were apparently the result of one particularly canny Magi's desire to create a new breed of creature, designed specifically to guard the dwellings or treasure hoards they'd accumulated in their search for Akasha, no doubt some time before the 1965 Ban on Experimental Breeding had come into effect, as the first sighting of one, or rather, the first KNOWN sighting of one, had been in 1794.
Now this alone didn't immediately exonerate the beast as the monster behind the attacks, as Acromantulas were not only highly intelligent, capable of human speech, but also possessed a taste for human flesh, which probably accounted for how they'd managed to spread so far, more than likely the original brood had killed their creator and spread out in search of new territories of their own, as spiders a wont to do.
No, what exonerated the beast was the fact that Acromantulas ate their prey LIVE, taking them down with their venom, which was so potent it could still kill for a short time after the beast's death. Since none of the victims showed any signs of being poisoned, or any outstanding injuries at ALL for that matter, that meant that Acromantulas weren't behind the attacks now or fifty years ago.
'Well...maybe not ALL of them…' he muttered, frowning in thought, for while the other victims fifty years prior had apparently recovered, there had been ONE fatality. The spider could very well be responsible for HER death, in which case Hagrid really had no-one but himself to blame for letting it roam around. It would certainly explain the break in the cycle, after all, why would the REAL killer suddenly switch his M.O from petrifying students to outright murder?
However, even if Hagrid WAS guilty of the sole fatality fifty years prior, Herwald HIGHLY doubted the half-giant would have had anything to do with the other attacks. It just didn't fit the half-giant's personality, even if he wasn't a Gryffindor Hagrid was a steadfast denouncer of the entire pureblood agenda, a friend to Muggle-born and half-blood alike. He'd sooner eat his own beard than ever use the word 'Mudblood', so the idea of him attacking Muggleborns simply for being so was ludicrous in and of itself.
However, one thing was absolutely certain: While Hagrid was innocent of opening the Chamber, he was nonetheless one of the few people who'd been enrolled at Hogwarts when it HAD been opened, which meant that he must have some idea as to what REALLY happened. After all, Herwald HIGHLY doubted the Half-giant would still be walking around free unless someone had delivered proof that he HADN'T, in fact, opened the chamber.
'The only problem is how am I supposed to ask him without worrying the others?' Herwald muttered, his brows furrowing in thought as he eyed the Groundskeeper whilst pretending to put away a light breakfast 'I can't exactly ask him when we're visiting…and Hagrid's surprisingly good at keeping his mouth shut when the time comes, I doubt he'd want to talk about something as painful as this.'
In the end he decided that the best thing to do would be to put off speaking with Hagrid on the matter unless there was another attack, instead focusing his attention on homework, research into Parseltongue, and trying to locate the damnable Knight spirit that he KNEW was lurking somewhere on Hogwarts grounds, even if the other Ghosts insisted they knew nothing on the matter.
Four months had passed since Justin and Sir Nicholas had been Petrified, and nearly everybody seemed to think that the attacker, whoever it was, had retired for good, much to the distress of Peeves, who'd been ordered to stop harassing them.
Ernie Macmillan seemed as cautious around Herwald as ever, but managed to keep a civil tongue in his head, apparently having taken Herwald's threat of a clan war to heart. Not that Herwald had meant it of course, he doubted the Einzberns would care if he came to any harm unless it brought shame to their name. If that happened, Herwald had no doubt they'd tear Hogwarts to the ground in retribution, but not one of it would be for his benefit.
One bit of good news was that the Mandrakes had thrown a party that March, which according to Professor Sprout meant they were almost fully mature, which meant it wouldn't be long before they could brew up the potion needed to help the victims of the attack…though how they intended to administer it to Sir Nicholas was beyond Herwald, though thankfully he didn't have time to fret about such things, as the time had come for the Second Years to choose their subjects for the third year, a matter that Hermione, at least, took very seriously.
Library...
"It could affect our whole future." the Gryffindor Girl informed the group, who'd once again convened in the library for a study session, pouring over the lists of new subjects and marking the ones that appealed to them with checks.
"Too bad we can't give up any of our old ones…" Ron muttered gloomily "Believe you me I'd JUMP at the chance to give up Potions…" he ignored the look Draco sent him "That and Defence Against the Dark Arts."
"But that's very important!" Hermione exclaimed, looking so scandalized by the very idea Ron might have well have committed a class a felony right in front of her.
"Not the way Lockhart teaches it." Ron countered darkly, earning a nod from his fellow males even as Hermione frowned "The only thing I've learned from that bloody twat is to never set pixies loose in a classroom."
"That and the amount of times he's won Witch Weekly's best smile award." Draco muttered with a look of disgust, though whether it was at Lockhart or because he was agreeing with Ron was uncertain "I mean honestly, even if the man HAD a brain I doubt he'd be any danger to anyone but himself."
Hermione sniffed, pointing her nose in the air before turning her attention to Neville, who'd been sent letters from all the witches and wizards in his family giving him different advice on what subjects to choose. In the end, he signed up for Ancient Runes along with Herwald and Hermione for the simple fact he'd have a familiar face to help him out, and the fact that Herwald had implied Runes were some of the oldest forms of magic, and that they played an important role in Alchemy.
Herwald had also selected Care of Magical Creatures, more out of lack of variety than anything else, as the only other courses, Arithmancy and Divination, where highly illogical to him, as they both, in some shape or form, involved predicting the future, a skill which, quite frankly, could NOT be taught. You either possessed the inherent ability to see the future, a rarity even in the oldest of Magical Bloodlines, or you didn't, that was simply the way things were.
Most of the others had elected to take Care of Magical Creatures as well, Ron even going so far to note that, with their luck, they'd probably end up facing off against the subject material at some point before graduation, before signing himself down for Muggle Studies, citing that he could use his dad as a reference to get by on the exams.
Draco, naturally, scoffed at the idea, but held back from commenting further in favour of selecting Ancient Runes as his second choice, as did Crabbe and Goyle, more out of a desire to stick with their friends than any particular interest in the subject. However Hermione certainly took the cake when she ignored everyone's advice and instead signed up for everything.
"Honestly Granger, even for YOU that's a bit much." Draco muttered, looking at the girl in exasperation as she hummed to herself "I mean, why even bother signing up for Muggle Studies? You're Muggleborn!"
"But it'll be interesting to see it from the Wizarding world's perspective." Hermione insisted, refusing to listen to anyone else's opinion of the matter, and in the end the subject was dropped in favour of everyone but Herwald's favourite topic: Quidditch.
The next match of the season was Gryffindor against Hufflepuff, and according to the Weasley Twins, who served as beaters, the Captain Oliver Wood was insisting on team practices every night after dinner, which meant Herwald only ran into the pair occasionally, though he could understand Wood's drive, for the improved weather meant better training sessions. Unfortunately for Wood, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint understood this all too well, and had scheduled training matches so much that Draco literally had no time for anything other than homework and training most evenings, the Malfoy Heir looking decidedly spent every time he staggered back into the common room.
Thankfully, with the match drawing ever closer, nobody seemed to be paying Herwald any more attention than usual, which was a tremendous help when it came to trying to figure out just what kind of beastie Slytherin had running around the place.
"I'll bet anything's its some kind of snake." Ron muttered, tapping the table before him for emphasis "I mean it makes sense right? Slytherin was a Parseltongue, it's the very reason the symbol of your house is a snake!"
"I have to agree with Weasley on this one." Draco muttered, wincing as he said it "I can't really see Slytherin commanding anything other than a Serpent of some sort, it would also explain the voices you've been hearing in the walls from time to time."
Herwald scowled, as he hadn't, in actuality, heard any of the voices for some time now, not since the last attack to be more precise. For some time afterwards he'd taken to stalking the halls, invisible and with his hearing reinforced, trying to locate the source, but so far the only thing he'd discovered was that Ron's brother Percy and Ravenclaw Prefect Penelope Clearwater were apparently an item, as he'd walked in on them snogging in a broom closet not too long ago. Both had initially threatened to take points off him if he told anyone, though they quickly changed their tune when he congratulated them and advised them to take care in the halls, shooting down Percy's confidence in his self-believed immunity to attack his position as Prefect afforded him by pointing out that the monster didn't care WHAT it attacked, Mrs. Norris and Sir Nicholas being prime examples.
After all, what could a simple badge do against something that could even hurt GHOSTS?
Take me out to the park-!
The match against Hufflepuff ended with a resounding victory for Gryffindor, much to the pleasure of Wood, who according to the Weasley Twins could be heard singing off-key in the showers after the match, a fact he neither denied or admitted to, instead turning his attention towards plotting his strategy for the next match, not wanting to use the same strategy in case Flint tried to pull a fast one.
Herwald could've cared less about that, though it DID provide them all a perfect opportunity to visit Hagrid at his hut, the Half-giant initially eyeing Draco, Crabbe and Goyle with suspicion, a sentiment the trio shared, only Herwald's presence keeping the tense atmosphere from growing worse, that is until Fang promptly decided that Draco needed a wash, and promptly began licking his face, much to the amusement of the others.
"Honestly…" Draco muttered, the red-faced Malfoy glaring at Fang as he wiped the slobber off his face with a handkerchief he intended to BURN later, Herwald chuckling as he scratched the massive Boar hound's tummy "Can't you control that…brute?"
"Ah Fang'd never hurt yeh." Hagrid chuckled, the groundskeeper taking no offence to the tone, as the sight of Malfoy flailing under Fang's ministrations had put him in a good mood "He mightn' look it, but he's a ruddy coward."
"Really?" Draco muttered, quirking a brow as he glanced at the massive canine, which was almost as big as Goyle, only with fangs, claws, and a slightly better odor in the heat "I really can't see it."
"Must be your animal magnetism, Draco." Herwald quipped, the others sniggering at the look of embarrassed outrage on the Malfoy's face "Told you the wild-man look was in."
"I also remember you saying it attracted FEMALES Einzbern." Draco quipped, pushing Fang back tentatively when the hound bounded up to him again, scratching him behind the ears "Huh…surprisingly docile brute aren't you?"
Things picked up from there, as Hagrid really couldn't stay suspicious of anyone that Fang liked, the Half-giant breaking out the tea and freshly baked scones, Herald, Draco, Ron, Neville and Hermione soaking them thoroughly in their tea before taking a bite.
Surprisingly, Crabbe and Goyle seemed to hit off rather well with the Groundskeeper, putting away scone after rock-hard scone faster than any human had right to. Hagrid, overjoyed to find people that appreciated his culinary talents, even if they WERE Slytherins and the sons of suspected Death Eaters, kept them well stocked throughout the evening, regaling them with stories of their fathers' days as students, secrets which the Elder Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle would've paid a fortune to silence.
Needless to say, it was highly unlikely that Draco would be able to look his father in the eye without imagining a teenaged Lucius racing out of a bush, his robes in disarray after being caught in an 'intimate' moment with his future mother, Narcissa, by the Groundskeeper.
"Aye, those two were close even before the Black's made the offer ter marry Narcissa off." Hagrid noted, nodding his head in understanding "Mind you, she was a fair bit younger than ol' Lucius, he was a year older than James and Frank and she was a year younger."
"Most Pureblood marriages are arranged before birth." Draco noted, seeing the slightly disapproving expression on Hermione's face "My parents were engaged before either knew of their existence, though they didn't learn of the engagement until AFTER they'd met."
"Out-dated custom if yeh ask me." Hagrid muttered, shaking his head dismissively "Oh don't get me wrong, it works for them that use it, but most of the time they get on like a house on fire. Ever been in a burning house?"
"WE almost had the pleasure last year." Herwald quipped, smiling coyly up at the Groundskeeper as he spoke "Heard from Norbert recently?"
Hagrid blushed and averted his eyes, the Gryffindors chuckling to themselves while Draco blinked in confusion, Crabbe and Goyle too busy munching away at Hagrid's scones to care for conversation. The evening wore on, and it was only after Hermione noticed the sun was beginning to set that they made their excuses to leave, splitting up at the stairs before heading onto their respective dormitories, though Crabbe and Goyle kept munching away at the scones they'd brought with them.
Later...
It wasn't until Herwald was certain that Draco and the rest were asleep that the Einzbern made his move, activating the Potter Ring and slipping out of the common room, down the corridors, up the stairs and out into the main corridor like a phantom.
Unsurprisingly, Snape was guarding the door to the castle, and had Herwald not been prepared for this, it could have ended badly. Fortunately, all it took was a well tossed pebble to distract the Potions Master long enough for him to slip out of the castle, racing across the grounds towards Hagrid's hut, knocking on the door and deactivating the Potter Ring just as the startled Half-Giant answered it. "Harry?" he exclaimed, looking at the boy-who-lived in alarm, "What're yeh doin' out here this late? Don't yeh know there's a curfew?"
"I wanted to talk to you about something without the others around." Herwald replied, looking into the Half-giant's eyes calmly "Tell me, does the name Tom Marvollo Riddle ring any bells?"
It clearly did, and they weren't the kind of bells Hagrid liked either, judging by the flash of anger and fear that flitted across what few parts of his face that weren't concealed behind his dense, gorse-bush beard. "Where'd yeh hear that name?" the Half-giant choked, looking torn between fear, anger, concern, and unless Herwald was mistaken, betrayal.
"I found his diary." Herwald replied, pulling the aforementioned tome out of his robe and holding it up so that Hagrid could see the initials "He put his memories into it, rather like a Pensieve really, was quite eager to show me how he earned his award for 'special service to the school'."
Hagrid flinched, his features lined with betrayal even as his eyes flashed, no doubt reliving the night he was expelled from Hogwarts.
"An interesting tale, were it not a complete load of tripe." Herwald continued, tossing the diary onto Hagrid's table even as the half-giant blinked in shock "He clearly wanted to avoid being sent back to the Muggle orphanage he lived in, and saw YOU as the perfect scapegoat."
"Yeh…don't believe I did it?" Hagrid stammered, looking torn between shock, wonderment, and hope, his eyes twinkling with desperation.
"Hagrid, while I'll be the first to admit your taste in…pets, leaves much to be desired, you would never let something that would attack students run around free, nor would you set it on people." Herwald opined, looking the man calmly "Not only that, but while Acromantulas are a rare and ILLEGAL species, the fact the girl in question as killed without a mark on her exonerates your…eight-legged friend, as the killer."
"That's what 'I' said!" Hagrid insisted, thumping his hand on the table "I told 'em Aragogg couldn't a' been the one ter harm poor Myrtle, I fed him myself and he never left the room I kept him in, but Professor Dippet wouldn't listen…"
"I doubt he would have even if you WEREN'T being accused of bringing a highly dangerous, ILLEGAL creature into the school." Herwald noted "The man was DESPERATE Hagrid, a student had been KILLED, on HIS watch. He had to do SOMETHING to protect his status, and Riddle, smarmy bastard that he was, found it for him."
"That was what hurt the most…" Hagrid muttered, looking down at his dustbin-lid sized hands sadly "Never had any trouble from Tom, fer a Slytherin he was a perfect gentleman, always willing to help out with directions, never picking on the other houses…I'm not ashamed to admit, when I saw him standing with his wand aimed at me I thought I was seein' things…"
'Riddle was GOOD.' Herwald muttered, his eyes narrowing as he took in Hagrid's posture and look of betrayal 'Even had the other houses fooled…bet you anything even FILCH liked him.'
Before he could say anything further however, a knock came from the door, the Einzbern sharing a look with Hagrid before activating the Potter Ring, scuttling into a corner while Hagrid made a show of calming a barking fang to cover his retreat, before making his way over to the entrance, and flinging it open to reveal Albus Dumbledore.
"Good evening, Hagrid." The Headmaster greeted, his tone cordial, though he appeared deadly serious for once, his eyes missing their trademark twinkle as he stepped into the hut, followed by a rather odd looking man with rumpled gray hair and an anxious expression, wearing, with the typical British Wizarding lack of co-ordination, a pinstriped suit and scarlet tie under a long black cloak. On his feet he wore pointed purple boots, and under his arm he carried a lime-green bowler.
'Cornelius Fudge?' Herwald wondered, quirking a brow at the sight of the man that was widely regarded as the WORST Minister of Magic in history 'Was zur Hölle is HE doing here?'
"Bad business, Hagrid." Fudge muttered, unaware of Herwald's mocking scrutiny as he fidgeted with his bowler "Very bad business. Had to come. Things have gone far enough. Ministry's got to act."
"I never!" Hagrid exclaimed, his eyes going wide with shock and terror, turning to look imploringly at Dumbledore, who was standing off to the side, like an angry stature "You know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir-!"
"I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence." Dumbledore stressed, the Supreme Mugwump frowning disapprovingly at Fudge, who like his namesake, wilted under the heat of the old man's stare.
"Look, Albus," he began, trying, and failing to appeal to the Headmaster, instead coming off as a whining child "Hagrid's record's against him, the Ministry's got to do something." He shook his head "The school governors have been in touch…"
"Yet again, Cornelius, I tell you that taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest." Dumbledore persisted, his blue eyes laced with such anger that Herwald couldn't help shivering. It was clear now why Grandfather Jubstacheit respected this man as much as he detested the ground he walked on, when incensed, their eyes were practically identical.
"Look at it from my point of view." Fudge, pleaded, averting his eyes as he fidgeted with his bowler nervously "I'm under a lot of pressure….Got to be seen to be doing something. If it turns out it wasn't Hagrid, he'll be back and no more said. But I've got to take him." He risked looking up bravely "Got to. Wouldn't be doing my duty…"
"Take me?" Hagrid repeated, and Herwald was stunned to see the Half-Giant was actually trembling with fear, like a new-born foal faced with the prospect of fighting off a pack of wolves "Take me where?"
"For a short stretch only." Fudge assured the half-giant, though he couldn't seem to bring himself to look him in the eyes "Not a punishment, Hagrid, more a precaution. If someone else is caught, you'll be let out with a full apology…"
"Not Azkaban?" croaked Hagrid, and Herwald felt his fist tighten at the word, wanting nothing more than to drop his invisibility and defend his friend, consequences be damned. After all, even if it meant a lifetime of detention, it was still better than having one of the few people he considered friends spending so much as a second on that rock.
He was just about to make his move when another loud rap on the door stilled him, Dumbledore moving to answer it, as Hagrid was in no state to do so, though his terror was soon replaced by anger when Draco's father, Lucius Malfoy strode into the haf-giant's hut as if he owned the place, smiling a cold and satisfied smile.
Scout: A Cliffhanger after so long? Come on man!
Kyugan: I've been busy, alright? In any case, little more plot development, not much action, but things should pick up soon, god willing.