Chapter Thirty Two

To give him his due, Harry worked hard on the egg. Every moment he got that the dorm was empty he would open it again and try and make out something, anything from the noise.

"Didn't Cedric tell you to take it to the bathroom with you?" Draco said, uncovering his ears as Harry closed the egg once more.

Harry nodded, he didn't want to admit that he didn't want to take Cedric's advise after seeing him and Cho together, it was pathetic but Harry couldn't deny that it was there.

"I don't see how a bathroom is going to help." Harry said, shoving the egg onto his bed and flopping down next to it.

"Maybe it likes marble." Draco grinned.

Harry smirked, "We should take it to your house then."

Draco laughed, "Look, tomorrow is the Hogsmead visit, forget about the egg maybe and come with us?"

Harry nodded, he had been intending to spend the day working on the egg as Hermione had suggested but Draco was right, Harry needed the break.

He was very glad to be sitting in the Three Broomsticks the next day, drinking a butter beer, watching a soft pattering of snow fall against the window. It would swap to rain soon, but Harry always loved the school covered in a snowy blanket, it was so pretty.

Hermione returned with a plate of chips and gravy for them to share, "I wonder why there are so many goblins here."

Harry helped himself to a chip and shrugged, "I don't know, they don't look happy though."

There was a large group of goblins huddled in a corner talking loudly to a wizard who was looking a little flustered.

"It's Mr Bagman." Daphne said, looking over.

Bagman heard his name and looked over, "Harry!"

Harry glared at Daphne. Bagman rushed over, darting through the crowd away from the goblins.

"Hi." Harry said, wishing he'd brought the invisibility cloak to hide under.

"How are you doing Harry?" Ludo asked, sliding into a seat next to Harry.

"I'm fine." Harry replied politely.

"Good, good." Bagman nodded.

"What did the goblins want?" Daphne asked, "It's strange for them to be away from Gringotts."

Bagman looked rather flustered for a moment and Harry saw a small blush appear on his cheeks, "Oh umm, nothing. They were looking for Crouch, I couldn't understood much of what they were saying, don't speak Gobbledegook you see, Crouch does though, he speaks loads."

"How is Mr Crouch doing?" Hermione asked.

Bagman shrugged, "Not really heard much from him, he's running his office through that young Percy, he's not very well we're told."

Harry wondered what could be keeping Mr Crouch from his work for so long. The conversation had rather died since Bagman had joined them. He kept looking at Harry, like he wanted to say something but not while they were surrounded by Harry's friends.

Bagman emptied his glass of Firewhisky and stood up, "Well, time for another drink I think. Harry could I have a word?"

Harry didn't want to leave his friends to talk to Mr Bagman but he figured that it would get rid of him once he'd said whatever he wanted to say that was so important.

Harry nodded and stood up, wondering towards the bar with Bagman.

"Now Harry, I wanted to ask how you were getting on with the egg." Bagman said.

Harry forced a smile, "Great, nearly there."

Bagman nodded, "It's just, well I've taken a bit of a liking to you Harry. I could give you a hand, if you wanted."

Harry shook his head, "I don't think that's allowed."

Bagman grinned at Harry, "Come on Harry, we all want a Hogwarts champion!"

Harry nodded, "Yeah. Have you been helping Cedric then?"

Bagman blushed again and gave a small cough, "Come on Harry, he hardly needs the help."

Harry smiled, "Thank you, for the offer. But as I said, I've already worked out most of it. I think the goblins want another word."

He pointed over to where the group of goblins was walking towards Mr Bagman looking less than pleased. The colour drained from Bagman's face.

"Oh umm..."

"I can see the headlines now!" a familiar, and annoying, voice sounded out, "Disgraced Ministry Official in Goblin Conflict!"

Harry rolled his eyes, this was meant to be a relaxing break for the day. He left Mr Bagman glaring at Rita Skeeter and walked back over to the table with his friends.

"Just need a story to go with it now." Rita smiled, flashing her golden tooth.

"Must be off." Bagman said, leaving quickly.

"Ooo he didn't want to talk, did he? Wonder what juice we can pull up on him." Rita chuckled to herself, her Quick-Quote Quill was scribbling away, despite there really being nothing for it to write.

"You busy trying to ruin someone else's life?" Harry snarled.

Rita Skeeter's head snapped round to him, "Harry! I didn't know you would be here." she wondered over and slid into the seat that Bagman had occupied, "I assume you're talking about that beast Hagrid?"

"Hagrid isn't a beast!" Neville snapped, "He's a brilliant teacher." Neville didn't mention that he wasn't actually in Hagrid's class.

"He's also my friend." Harry said firmly.

Rita's eyes lit up, "Really? Can you tell me how you ended up with such an unusual friendship? The boy who lived and the half giant teacher?"

"How did you find out?" Harry demanded, "I can't imagine Hagrid just told you?"

Rita waved her hand dismissively, "Oh, don't you worry about my sources Harry." She laughed.

"I assume you're trying to dig up something about Ludo Bagman as well?" Hermione snapped, "Like he doesn't have enough to do with the Tournament and all his Ministry work."

Rita Skeeter turned to Hermione and glared at her, "Believe me, little girl, I know things about Ludo Bagman that would curl your hair, not that you need that." she laughed nastily.

Hermione stood up and slammed her hands on the table, "You are a vile horrible women!"

"Hermione, she's not worth it." Pansy hissed, trying to pull her back into her seat.

Hermione shrugged her off, "You have no life apart from to make everyone else's life worse! You're pathetic and should be ashamed of yourself."

Hermione grabbed her bag and stormed away from the table and out of the pub. Harry and the others gathered their stuff and went after her, leaving Rita Skeeter, staring after Hermione at the table.

"Hermione! Wait up!" Draco called.

Hermione stopped and took several deep breaths, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you."

Daphne shrugged, "It's OK. We get it."

"She's going to have you in her sights though." Harry warned Hermione.

Hermione shook her head, "I don't care. She can do her worst, I'm glad I said what I said."

"She might come after you… well, publicly." Draco pointed out.

Hermione shrugged, "I don't care, my parents don't read the Daily Prophet so it really doesn't matter."

Harry decided, wisely, not to say anything else on the subject, instead trudged up to the castle with his friends.

"Lets go see if we can see Hagrid." Pansy said, after a long silence.

Harry brightened up, "Yeah, worth a try."

The curtains were still drawn when they reached Hagrid's hut. Hermione hammered on the door, getting rid of some of her anger at Rita Skeeter.

"Hagrid!" she shouted, "Listen to us! You can't let that horrible Rita Skeeter women get to you you hear me?!"

The door swung open.

"About time." Draco said, before seeing it wasn't Hagrid that opened the door.

Professor Dumbledore stood, smiling down benevolently at the six students, "Good afternoon."

"Sorry Professor." Draco mumbled, "We were looking for Hagrid. He hasn't been at lessons."

Dumbledore nodded, still smiling, "I assumed that, this being his house and all. Why don't you come in?"

Harry looked to his friends, he wanted to see Hagrid but it was strange being invited into someone else's house by someone who didn't live there. Neville was the one who nodded and took the first step forward, swinging off his heavy winter cloak and setting it down.

The others followed suit, grateful to be out of the cold and into the warm or Hagrid's hut. Fang jumped up at them, barking happily at the sight of visitors.

"Get off!" Harry laughed, pushing the large dog down.

On the table sat two large mugs, one of which a very upset Hagrid was holding in his hand. He had given up on trying to tame his hair, which hung around his shoulders like some sort of wild animal. His eyes were blotchy, red and swollen; he'd clearly been crying.

Harry felt his heart break a little bit for his friend, "Hi, Hagrid."

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

"More tea I think." Draco said, practically.

Dumbledore nodded, "I quite agree." he waved his wand, a large tray set with a tea pot, six fine, china cups and three tiers of small cakes and scones appeared.

"Here you are." Professor Dumbledore said, placing the tea down in front of them, "I thought you'd all like the cups."

Neville grinned, "We haven't had anything this nice out in a long time, both Hallie and Hannah are rather prone to breaking things."

Dumbledore smiled, "Ah yes I can imagine they are. Your mother sent me a picture of the girls just after they were born. Such sweet faces."

Neville nodded, "They've grown loads, seems like they'll be off to Hogwarts tomorrow the rate they're growing."

Professor Dumbledore chuckled, turning to Hagrid, "Anyway, did you happen to hear what Miss Granger was so eloquently shouting outside?"

Hermione blushed, "I… I was a little worked up."

"These six certainly seem to still want you," Professor Dumbledore said, "As does Mrs Snape considering all the letters I've had from her saying that you weren't responding to all the letters she's sent you."

"What?" Harry asked, "Of course we want to know you still! Why on earth would we not want to know you?"

"Is this about what that Skeeter cow, sorry Professor, wrote about you?" Daphne asked.

"Don't worry my dear, I seem to have gone slightly deaf." Dumbledore smiled.

Hagrid shrugged, two fat tears running down his cheeks and into his matted beard.

"See Hagrid, living proof of what I have been telling." Professor Dumbledore said, "Just like the countless letters I have shown you from parents who remember you from their own school days and tell me that I am not to sack you, in no uncertain terms."

"Not all of them." Hagrid mumbled, "Not all of 'em wan' me to stay."

"Hagrid you can't expect everyone to like you." Draco pointed out, "There is a fair amount of people who would happily see us lot gone."

"Well put Mr Malfoy." Professor Dumbledore said, "Universal popularity is rather hard to come by, even for the best of us. Not a week has past since I became headmaster that I have not had at least one owl saying that I need to quit my job."

"You ain't half-giant!" Hagrid sobbed.

"Hagrid you really can't let that hold you back." Harry said, "Look who I have as relatives! The Dursleys are the poster people for horrible and boring. We don't even talk to Severus's folks, his dad was so awful!"

"Ha!" Draco laughed, "I'll take your horrible muggles and raise you insane aunt Bellatrix and her husband, blonde grabber. And if that's not good enough I can throw in their two lovely twins, the devil was sad to see them go but knew it was for a good cause."

Hermione laughed so hard she snorted tea out of her nose, she took a napkin and mopped up the mess, "Sorry." she said, catching her breath.

Dumbledore smirked, "An excellent point, why my own brother had an unfortunate run in with the press, concerning a goat, but did Aberforth hide? No of course not."

Hagrid smiled, "Look I-"

"Come back and teach Hagrid." Hermione asked him, "Please, we miss you."

Hagrid wiped his eyes where fresh tears where appearing.

"I refuse to accept your resignation Hagrid. I expect you to be back teaching on Monday morning. I also expect you to join me for breakfast at eight thirty in the Great Hall, no excuses. Good afternoon to you all." Professor Dumbledore stood up and bowed to them all before leaving the cabin.

Hagrid snuffled a bit and wiped his eyes again, "Great man Dumbledore, great man..." he sniffled.

Harry nodded, "So you're going to come back?"

Hagrid nodded, "Ahh he's righ', o' course. Yeh're all righ'. I've bin kinda stupid… my ol' dad woulda bin ashamed o' the way I've bin behavin'."

"I don't think I've ever seen a photo of your Father." Pansy said, helping herself to a little cake, "Do you have one?"

Hagrid nodded, "Aye. Le' me go get it."

He stood up and went over to an old dresser and rummaged around in one of the draws. He returned with an old photograph, slightly torn on one corner and definitely crumpled. There was a short wizard, with Hagrid's crinkled eyes was beaming from a very young Hagrid's shoulder.

Hagrid was easily seven foot tall, towering over an apple tree behind him. He must have been very young though, his face was smooth, not even a shadow of a beard forming yet.

"How old were you?" Hermione's asked, "You look so young!"

Hagrid smiled, "Eleven. Took the photo jus' after I got me 'Ogwarts letter. 'E was so proud o' me. 'Course I was never much good at magic. It were Dumbledore who stood up for me after I go' kicked ou'. 'E gives people second chances, go' me the job as grounds keeper and everythin'."

Harry smiled, "And you really are a pretty good teacher, Blast-ended Skrewts aside." he smirked.

Hagrid grinned, "You know, I know I shouldn' say it but I'd really love you tae win this 'Arry. Triwizard Champion. You go' it in you. I know it!"

Harry smiled, he had that horrible pit in his stomach again, he needed to work out the clue in the egg, and that involved taking Cedric's hint about the bath; whatever he felt about Cho.