Rita Skeeter's Scoop

Everyone woke up late on Boxing Day. The Gryffindor common room was also much quieter than it ever has been, with many yawns punctuating the lazy conversations.

Chrys revealed to Arthur that she had used a lot of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion in her hair for the Yule Ball, but didn't bother using it every day as she scratched a purring Crookshanks behind the ears.

It seemed that David and Chrys came to an unspoken agreement to not discuss what happened last night. They were still friendly with each other and both Arthur and David told Chrys about the conversation between Hagrid and Maxime and she wasn't all that shocked that Hagrid's a half-giant.

"I always assumed he was one." She said. "He couldn't be a pure giant because they reach twenty feet tall. But all this bigotry towards giants is like that towards werewolves… it's pointless, in my opinion."

Now was the time for everyone to start thinking of homework, which was neglected by everyone during the first week of the holiday, except for Arthur, whose homework was all ready to be handed in.

Of course, everyone felt flat with Christmas being over, but Arthur still felt nervous as the second task was still to come and he's yet to do what Cedric said, which he'll do in January.

The first day of term finally came and weighed down with the usual school equipment now being carried by everyone.

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

No one looked forward to Care of Magical Creatures in this weather, as the Skrewts would warm them up by either chasing them down or by blasting off so forcefully that Hagrid's cabin caught fire.

But when they arrived at Hagrid's cabin, they instead found an elderly witch with closely cropped grey hair and a very prominent chin standing before his front door.

"Hurry up, now, the bell rang five minutes ago." She barked at them all as they struggled towards her through the snow.

"Who are you and where's Hagrid?" David questioned.

"My name is Professor Grubbly-Plank." She replied briskly. "I am your temporary Care of Magical Creatures teacher."

"Where is Hagrid?" Arthur repeated loudly.

"He is indisposed." Grubbly-Plank said shortly.

Soft and rather unpleasant laughter was heard and Arthur looked to see Draco and the Slytherins all joining the class. They all looked gleeful and weren't surprised to see Grubbly-Plank.

"This way, please." She said, striding off around the paddock where the Abraxans were shivering. The trio all followed her, looking over their shoulders at Hagrid's cabin. All the curtains were closed. This left them worried that something happened to him.

Grubbly-Plank then led everyone past the paddock and towards a tree on the edge of the Forest, where a large and beautiful unicorn was tethered.

This led to many of the girls all 'ooooooohing' upon seeing it.

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

The unicorn was so white that it made the snow all around look grey. It pawed the ground nervously with its golden hooves, throwing back its horned head.

"Boys keep back!" Grubbly-Plank barked, throwing an arm out and catching Arthur hard on his chest. "They prefer the woman's touch, unicorns. Girls to the front, and approach with care. Come on, easy does it…."

She and all the girls all walked towards the unicorn slowly, leaving the boys standing near the paddock fence, watching.

Upon being out of earshot, Arthur asked "What happened to Hagrid? You don't think a Skrewt -?"

"Oh, he hasn't been attacked, Pendergast, if that's what you're thinking." Draco said softly. "No, he's just too ashamed to show his big ugly face."

"What are you talking about?" Arthur asked sharply.

Draco put his hand into a pocket in his robes and pulled out a folded page of parchment.

"There you go. Hate to break it to you, Pendergast…."

Draco smirked as Arthur snatched the parchment and unfolded it to read it. David, Mike, Seamus, Dean and Neville looked over his shoulder to read as well.

It was an article topped with a picture of Hagrid looking extremely shifty.

DUMBLEDORE'S GIANT MISTAKE

Albus Dumbledore, eccentric Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, has never been afraid to make controversial staff appointments, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. In September of this year, he hired Alastor 'Mad Eye' Moody, the notoriously jinx happy ex-Auror, to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts, a decision that caused many raised eyebrows at the Ministry of Magic, given Moody's well known habit of attacking anybody who makes a sudden movement in his presence. Moody, however, looks responsible and kindly, when set beside the part human Dumbledore employs to teach Care of Magical Creatures.

Rubeus Hagrid, who admits to being expelled from Hogwarts in his third year, has enjoyed the position of gamekeeper at the school ever since, a job secured for him by Dumbledore. Last year, however, Hagrid used his mysterious influence over the Headmaster to secure the additional post of Care of Magical Creatures teacher, over the heads of many better qualified candidates.

An alarmingly large and ferocious looking man, Hagrid has been using his new found authority to terrify the students in his care with a succession of horrific creatures. While Dumbledore turns a blind eye, Hagrid has maimed several pupils during a series of lessons which many admit to be 'very terrifying'.

"I was attacked by a Hippogriff, and my friend Vincent Crabbe got a bad bite off a Flobberworm." says Draco Malfoy, a fourth year student. "We all hate Hagrid, but we're just too scared to say anything."

Hagrid has no intention of ceasing his campaign of intimidation, however. In conversation with a Daily Prophet reporter last month, he admitted breeding creatures he has dubbed 'Blast Ended Skrewts'. Highly dangerous crosses between manticores and fire crabs. The creation of new breeds of magical creatures is, of course, an activity closely observed by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Hagrid, it seems, considers himself to be above such petty restrictions.

"I was just having some fun." he says, before hastily changing the subject.

As if this were not enough, the Daily Prophet has now unearthed evidence that Hagrid is not - as he always pretended - a pure-blood wizard. He is not, in fact, even pure human. His mother, we can exclusively reveal, is none other than the giantess, Fridwulfa, whose whereabouts are currently unknown.

Bloodthirsty and brutal, the giants brought themselves to the point of extinction by warring among themselves during the last century. The handful that remained joined the ranks of He Who Must Not Be Named, and were responsible for some of the worst mass Muggle killings of his reign of terror.

While many giants who served He Who Must Not Be Named were killed by Aurors working against the dark side, Fridwulfa was not among them. It is possible she escaped to one of the giant communities still existing in foreign mountain ranges. If his antics during Care of Magical Creatures lessons are any guide, however, Fridwulfa's son appears to have inherited her brutal nature.

In a bizarre twist, Hagrif is reputed to have developed a close friendship with the boy who brought about You Know Who's fall from power - thereby driving Hagrid's own mother, like the rest of You Know Who's supporters, into hiding. Perhaps Arthur Pendergast is unaware of the unpleasant truth about his large friend - but Albus Dumbledore surely has a duty to ensure that Arthur Pendergast, along with his fellow students, is warned about the dangers of associating with part-giants.

Arthur finished the article and his whole body physically shook with rage.

Now he knew why that pattern around the beetle's eyes was familiar, they matched Skeeter's jewelled spectacles.

She has to be an unregistered Animagus. It would make sense why she was able to get certain information for her articles without anyone knowing. And she had to have been there when David and Mike mentioned Arthur's ancestry.

David and Mike had their mouths hanging open.

"We all don't 'hate Hagrid', you lying twat." Arthur spat as he pointed his finger accusingly at Draco. "And you -" He then pointed at Crabbe. " - Flobberworms don't even have teeth, you stupid troll!"

Crabbe sniggered, very pleased with himself.

"Well, I think this should put an end to that oaf's teaching career." Draco said with glinting eyes. "Half-giant… and there was me thinking he'd just swallowed a bottle of Skele-Gro when he was young… none of the mummies and daddies are going to like this at all… they'll be worried he'll eat their kids, ha, ha…."

"You little -"

"Are you paying attention over there?"

Grubbly-Plank's voice carried over to the boys; the girls were all clustered around the unicorn now, stroking it.

Arthur was so furious about Skeeter's article and his deduction of her being an unregistered Animagus that he was barely able to listen to Grubbly-Plank's loud voice talking about the unicorn's many magical properties.

"I hope she stays, that woman!" Parvati said when the lesson ended, with everyone heading up to the castle for lunch. "That's more what I thought Care of Magical Creatures would be like… proper creatures like unicorns, not monsters…."

Arthur grumbled when he heard this.

"That turned out to be a good lesson." Chrys said as they entered the Great Hall. "I didn't know half the things she told us about -"

"Look at this!" Arthur shoved the article right in her face and her jaw dropped as she read it.

"How did that hag find out?" She hissed in shock.

"I'll tell you how. I believe that Skeeter is an unregistered Animagus in the form of a beetle." Arthur explained as they sat by themselves at the Gryffindor table.

This made everyone's eyes widen.

"Of course, that's how she can be on the school grounds without being seen, even though she's banned from being at the school by Dumbledore." Chrys said. "But how could you know?"

"Because I saw a beetle on the statue we hid at when we overheard Hagrid and Maxime. It had a pattern around its eyes that matched Skeeter's spectacles." Arthur explained.

"That's it!" David said as he and Mike looked at each other in shock.

"After we mentioned your ancestry, there was a beetle on my robes. I swatted it away. That had to be Skeeter as there wasn't anyone else there when we said it." Mike explained.

"Well in that case, we have some ammo to keep her away from us." Arthur said.

Later that evening after dinner, the trio decided to leave the castle and head right to Hagrid's cabin through the frozen grounds. They knocked, and all they got in response was Fang's booming barks.

"Hagrid, it's us!" Arthur shouted as he pounded on the door. "Open up!"

There was no answer as Fang now scratched the door, whining. The trio hammered on the door ten more times, David even banging on one of the windows, yet there was still no response.

"Does he actually think we care about him being half-giant?" Chrys questioned when they gave up and walked back to the castle.

It did seem that he did care because he wasn't seen all week. He didn't even appear at the staff table during meal times, and he didn't even do his gamekeeper duties.

Grubbly-Plank just carried on taking over Care of Magical Creatures classes and Draco gloated about it every chance he could.

"Missing your half-breed pal?" He'd whisper to Arthur when the teacher was around so that he wouldn't face Arthur's wrath. "Missing the elephant man?"

"Stop talking about your dad, it's not healthy." Arthur retorted, shutting him up.

Halfway through January, a Hogsmeade visit was announced and Chrys was surprised that Arthur was going.

"But aren't you going to take this opportunity to figure the egg out?" She asked.

"I actually know what to do, I'm just gonna wait until I feel ready to handle it." Arthur replied.

"Huh." She muttered.

The trio left the castle together on Saturday, setting off through the cold, wet grounds towards the gates.

They passed the Durmstrang ship that moored in the lake and saw Krum emerging onto the deck, wearing nothing but swimming trunks. He was very skinny and a lot tougher than he looked because he climbed up onto the side of the ship and stretched his arms out before diving into the lake.

"How is he not affected by the cold?" Arthur asked in pure shock.

"It's because it's a lot colder where he comes from." Chrys replied. "It's probably warm to him."

"Though the giant squid is still in there." David said, sounding hopeful, which Chrys noticed and frowned.

"I'll let you know that he's actually nice. He prefers Hogwarts in comparison to Durmstrang. He isn't into the Dark Arts." Chrys told him off.

Arthur kept his eyes open for Hagrid all the way down the currently slushy High Street, suggesting a visit to the Three Broomsticks seeing that Hagrid was not in any of the shops.

The pub was as crowded as ever, but with one quick look around and Arthur saw that Hagrid wasn't there. His heart sank as he went to the bar with David and Chrys, ordering three Butterbeers from Madam Rosmerta.

"Doesn't he ever go to the office?" Chrys whispered, pointing into the mirror behind the bar.

Arthur looked and saw Bagman reflected there, sitting in a shadowy corner with some goblins, talking very fast in a low voice to them. They had their arms crossed, and looked rather menacing.

What did that have to do with what Jack and Kevin are trying to do with Bagman?

Arthur continued watching as he looked strained again, just he was that night right before the Dark Mark showed up over the forest.

Bagman then glanced over at the bar and spotted Arthur, making him stand up.

"In a moment, in a moment!" He heard Bagman say brusquely to the goblins before hurrying through the pub towards Arthur, his boyish grin back in place.

"Arthur! How are you? Been hoping to run into you! Everything going alright?"

"Fine, thanks." Arthur replied.

"Wonder if I could have a quick, private word, Arthur?" Bagman asked eagerly. "You couldn't give us a moment, you two, could you?"

"Fine." David groaned as he and Chrys went to find a table.

Bagman then led Arthur along the bar to the end furthest from Madam Rosmerta.

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

"Thanks." Arthur replied, knowing that this wasn't what Bagman wanted to talk to him about, as he would've just congratulated him in front of David and Chrys. He then glanced over to the mirror over the bar at the goblins, who watched him and Arthur in silence with their dark, slanting eyes.

"Absolute nightmare." Bagman said to Arthur in an undertone when he noticed that he was watching the goblins as well. "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 recognise. This lot keep gabbling in Gobbledegook… and I only know one word of Gobbledegook. Bladvak. It means 'pickaxe'. I don't like to use it in case they think I'm threatening them." He then gave a short, booming laugh.

"What do they even want?" Arthur said.

"Er - well…." Bagman said, now looking nervous. "They… er… they're looking for Barty Crouch."

Arthur had that gut feeling that he wasn't telling the truth.

"Why would they look for him here when he should be at the Ministry in London?" Arthur asked, going along with what he said.

"Er… as a matter of fact, I've no idea where he is." Bagman said. "He's sort of… stopped coming to work. Been absent for a couple of weeks now. Young Sam, his assistant, says that he's apparently ill, sending instructions in by owl. He's been asking people to investigate but they wouldn't listen. But would you mind not mentioning that to anyone, Arthur? Because Rita Skeeter's still poking around everywhere she can, and I'm willing to bet she'd work Barty's illness up into something sinister. Probably say he's gone missing like Bertha Jorkins."

"So have you heard anything?" Arthur asked, despite knowing what really happened.

"No." Bagman said, looking strained again. "I've got people looking of course 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?"

"I've learned what to do with it." Arthur replied.

"Listen, Arthur, I feel very bad about all this… you were thrown into this Tournament, you didn't volunteer for it… and if…" Bagman's voice was so quiet now that Arthur had to lean in 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 that dragon! Well, just say the word."

Arthur frowned directly at Bagman.

"Listen, Bagman, I don't need or want any help. I'm perfectly capable of figuring things out on my own." He said, disgusted that the Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports was willing to break the rules. And even if he needed any help, David, Chrys, Mike and Sirius were much better suited.

Bagman looked very affronted but he didn't say more as Jack and Kevin turned up.

"Hello, Mr Bagman." Jack said brightly. "Can we buy you a drink?"

"Er… no…" He said with a disappointed glance at Arthur. "...no thank you, boys…."

The twins looked as disappointed as Bagman, who surveyed Arthur like he had let him down badly.

"Well, I must dash." He then said. "Nice seeing you all. Good luck, Arthur."

He then hurried out of the pub with the goblins all sliding off their chairs and exited after him. Arthur went to rejoin with Davd and Chrys.

"What did he want?" David asked when Arthur sait with them.

"He actually offered to help with the golden egg." Arthur replied.

"Seriously?" Chrys gasped. "He shouldn't even be doing that!"

"And what was up with those goblins?" David then asked.

"Bagman said they're looking for Crouch, but he's lying, I just know it." Arthur told him. "And it seems that Crouch is still 'ill' and hasn't been to work."

"Oh, crud." David suddenly said as he stared at the door.

Arthur looked and growled upon seeing that Skeeter had just entered. She now wore banana yellow robes today and her long nails were painted shocking pink. She was accompanied by her paunchy photographer and they bought their drinks before making their way through the crowds to a nearby table. The trio all growled and glared at her as she approached.

She was also talking fast and looked satisfied about something.

"...didn't seem very keen to talk to us, did he, Bozo? Now, why would that be, do you think? And what's he doing with a pack of goblins in tow anyway? Showing them the sights… what nonsense… he was always a bad liar. Reckon something's up? Think we should do a bit of digging? Disgraced Ex-Head of Magical Sports, Ludo Bagman… snappy start to a sentence, Bozo… we just need to find a story to fit it -"

"I see you're trying to ruin someone else's life!" Arthur shouted out loudly.

This made a few people look around and Skeeter's eyes widened behind her jewelled spectacles as she saw who just spoke.

"Arthur!" She said beaming. "How lovely! Why don't you come and join -?"

"Get it through your thick shell, I'll never get anywhere near you! Especially after what you did to Hagrid! Arthur spat as he pointed accusingly at her.

Skeeter raised her heavily pencilled eyebrows.

"Our readers have the right to know the truth, Arthur, I am merely doing my -"

"SHUT UP, YOU HAG!" Arthur roared furiously. "THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH HAGRID BEING A HALF-GIANT!"

The whole pub was silent and Madam Rosmerta stared over from behind the bar, oblivious of the flagon she was filling with mead overflowing.

Skeeter's smile flickered slightly, but hitched it back almost at once. She then snapped open her crocodile skin handbag and pulled out her Quick Quotes Quill saying "How about giving me an interview about the Hagrid you know, Arthur? The man behind the muscles? Your unlikely friendship and the reason behind it. Would you call him a father substitute?"

"I'M NEVER GOING TO BE INTERVIEWED BY YOU, YOU DISGUSTING BEETLE!" Arthur roared back at him, hinting his knowledge of her dirty little secret, which she got the hint as she looked scared.

Chrys then stood up and chugged all that remained of her Butterbeer at Skeeter, drenching her in the drink.

"You don't care about anything other than writing inaccurate, nonsense stories to make the wizarding community more stupid with every word you write!" She screeched right into Skeeter's face before storming out of the pub.

Both Arthur and David, who were utterly speechless, followed after her.

"Chrys, she'll be coming after you next." David warned her once they caught up to her, walking up the street.

"I don't care. I'm gonna get back at her." Chrys hissed back, shaking with rage.

"But you can't just upset Skeeter and get away with it." David replied. "She'll do whatever to make you look horrible."

Chrys didn't reply as she strode along so fast that Arthur and David had to keep up with her by striding as fast as her.

Last time she was anything like this was when she punched Draco in the face.

"Hagrid is not going to hide anymore! He should never let that pathetic sack of meat and bones upset him! Come on!" She said.

They now broke into a run as Chrys 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.

They saw the curtain's still being drawn and could hear Fang barking as they approached.

"Hagrid, open up!" Chrys said, pounding on his front door. "We know you're in there! We don't give a damn if your mother's a giantess! You can't just let that pathetic Skeeter do this to you! Get out, Hagrid, you're being -"

The door opened and the three were surprised to be face to face with Dumbledore.

"Good afternoon." He said pleasantly with a smile.

"We, er, we want to see Hagrid." Chrys said.

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

"Okay." Chrys replied.

The trio entered the cabin and Fang launched himself upon Arthur as he entered, barking madly and trying to lick his ears. Arthur was able to fend the boarhound off and look around.

Hagrid sat at his table, where there were two large mugs of tea. He looked like a real mess, his face was blotchy, eyes swollen and his hair now looked like a wig of tangled wire.

"Hi, Hagrid." Arthur said, making him look up.

"'Lo." Hagrid said in a very hoarse voice.

"More tea, I think." Dumbledore said, closing the door behind the trio, drawing his wand out, twiddling it. A revolving tea tray appeared in mid air, as well as a plate of cakes. Dumbledre magicked the tray onto the table, and everyone sat down.

There was a slight pause until Dumbeldore said "Did you by any chance hear what Miss Ranger was shouting, Hagrid?"

Chrys went slightly pink, though Dumbledore smiled at her before continuing. "Chrys, Arthur and David still seem to want to know you, judging by the way they were attempting to break down the door."

"Exactly." Arthur said. "We still want to know you. We don't care what Skeeter, that hag, writes." He looked over at Dumbledore, slightly embarrassed.

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

"Hagrid, the fact that you thought we'd care about what Skeeter wrote is honestly stupid." Arthur continued.

Two fat tears leaked out from Hagrid's beetle black eyes and slowly fell into his tangled beard.

"Living proof of what I've been telling you, Hagrid." Dumbledore said, still looking up at the ceiling. "I have shown you the letters from countless parents who remember you fromtheir 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 said hoarsely. "Not all of 'em wan' me ter 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." Dumbledore said sternly, peering over his half moon spectacles. "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!" Hagrid replied croakily.

"Hagrid, many people have some kind of questionable part of themselves." Arthur pointed out.

"An excellent point." Dumbledore said. "My own brother, Aberforth, was prosecuted for practising inappropriate charms on a goat. It was all over the papers, but did Aberforth hide? No, he did not! He held his head high and went about his business as usual! Of course, I'm not entirely sure he can read, so that may not have been bravery…."

"Please come back and teach, Hagrid." Chrys whispered. "We miss you."

Hagrid gulped as more tears leaked down his cheeks and into his beard. Dumbledore then stood up.

"I refuse to accept your resignation, Hagrid, and I expect you back at work on Monday." He said. "You will join me for breakfast at eight thirty in the Great Hall. No excuses. Good afternoon to you all."

Dumbledore then left the cabin, only pausing to scratch Fang's ears.

Once the door shut behind him, Hagrid sobbed into his dustbin sized hands. Chrys patted his harm and then he looked up, his eyes very red and said "Great man, Dumbledore… great man…."

"That he is." David said in agreement before he took a bit of a cake he grabbed from the plate.

"Ar, he's righ', of course, yeh're all righ'... I bin stupid… my ol' dad woulda bin ashamed o' the way I've bin behavin'..." More tears leaked out, though he wiped them away forcefully. "Never shown you a picture of my old dad, have I? Here…."

Hagrid got up and went to his dresser, where he opened up a drawer and pulled out a picture of a short wizard with Hagrid's black eyes, beaming as he sat on top of Hagrid's shoulder. Hagrid was a good seven to eight feet tall, based on the apple tree beside him, though his face was beardless, young, round and smooth, looking barely older than eleven.

"Tha' was taken jus' after I got inter Hogwarts." Hagrid said. "Dad was dead chuffed… thought 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 tha' 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' me ol' dad used ter say, 'There's some who'll hold it against you, but they're not worth botherin' with.' An' he's 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 trio all looked at each other nervously. Arthur would rather face Fluffy then confess that he overheard Maxime and Hagrid talking. But Hagrid kept going, unaware of this.

"Yeh know wha', Arthur?" He said, looking up from the photograph, his eyes now very 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? Not sure yeh were really up to it… an' now look at yeh, Arthur! School champion!"

He looked at Arthur for a moment before saying seriously "Yeh know what I'd love, Arthur? I'd love yeh ter win, I really would. It'd show 'em all… yeh don' have ter be pure-blood ter do it. Yeh don' have ter be ashamed of what yeh are. It'd show 'em Dumbledore's the one who's got it righ', lettin' anyone in as long as they can do magic. How you doin' with that egg, Arthur?"

"I know what to do to solve it." Arthur replied, making Hagrid's miserable face break into a wide, watery smile. "Tha's my boy…. You show 'e,, Arthur, you show 'em. Beat 'em all."

The trio went back to the castle later that afternoon, all glad when they imagined Hagrid's expression when he imagined Arthur winning the Tournament.

And he now felt free to get around to do what Cedric suggested to him.

Honestly, this chapter should be considered important when it comes to tolerance for those that are different. And Skeeter truly is nothing but scum.