Everybody got up late on Boxing Day. The Gryffindor common room was much quieter than it had been lately, many yawns punctuating the lazy conversations. Hermione's hair was bushy again; she confessed to Harry that she had used liberal amounts of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion on it for the ball, "but it's way too much bother to do every day," she said matter-of-factly, scratching a purring Crookshanks behind the ears.
Ron and Hermione seemed to have reached an unspoken agreement not to discuss their argument. They were being quite friendly to each other, though oddly formal. Ron and Harry wasted no time in telling Skylar and Hermione about a conversation they had overheard between Madame Maxime and Hagrid. Apparently Hagrid confessed to being half a giant, while Madam Maxime denied it.
Skylar wasn't surprised, it made sense. Hermione was no different, and didn't seem to find the news that Hagrid was a half-giant nearly as shocking as Ron apparently had done.
"Well, I thought he must be," she said, shrugging. "I knew he couldn't be pure giant because they're about twenty feet tall. But honestly, all this hysteria about giants. They can't all be horrible… It's the same sort of prejudice that people have toward werewolves… It's just bigotry, isn't it?"
Ron looked as though he would have liked to reply scathingly, but perhaps he didn't want another row, because he contented himself with shaking his head disbelievingly while Hermione wasn't looking.
It was time now to think of the homework they had neglected during the first week of the holidays. Everybody seemed to be feeling rather flat now that Christmas was over — everybody except Harry, that is, who was starting (once again) to feel slightly nervous. The second task was in February and it seemed a lot closer this side of Christmas.
Skylar spent a lot of her time with Stephen in the library as they worked through their homework. He was in a rather good mood after the ball and Skylar found him smiling to himself while he worked. Honestly she found it rather amusing and it brought her mood up as well. Hermione didn't join them on their table, but Skylar had seen Draco walk in once or twice only to sneer when he saw them together and storm out again.
"What's with him?" Stephen questioned after Draco had stormed out, making more of a scene than was characteristic of him in such a circumstance.
"What do you mean?"
"Well…" Stephen paused, unsure how to put his thoughts. Skylar kept her head down as she wrote her History of Magic Essay. "Why does he study with you?" Stephen went with.
"Cause he can?"
"What even though he hates you?"
"He doesn't hate me. He hates Harry, and that I'm friends with Harry." Skylar shrugged.
"Why?"
"Cause he wants to be my friend."
"Really? He doesn't act it."
"He's Draco, he struggles with communicating and putting his ego aside."
Stephen was silent and Skylar looked up at him, confused by the silence. He was watching her.
"What?"
"You seem to understand Malfoy rather well." He said. There was a sour bite behind his tone.
Skylar raised an eyebrow. "I know lots of people well, it's what happens when you can hear people's thoughts. And considering I was forced to the Malfoy parties, I've known Draco longer than most people." Skylar gave Stephen an unsure and confused look and he turned away, looking off to where Draco had vanished. Skylar rolled her eyes, she shouldn't have to explain herself, nor should Stephen be acting as if Draco was at all worth his concern. She could feel it, Stephen didn't like Draco's actions towards them, or that he liked spending time with her.
Stephen turned back to Skylar as she returned to her work, her lack of care was both a blessing, and it worried him, after all, she never bothered to care about everyone who watched her as she walked through the corridors or the Great Hall.
"You know, you haven't done very much work today." Skylar spoke up, interrupting his thoughts. "It's strange for a Ravenclaw."
Stephen couldn't help but smile slightly. "Hey Sky," she hummed in response. "Will you go out with me?"
Skylar paused before turning to look at him. "As in…?"
"Yeah." He nodded.
She blinked and then smiled. "Yes."
He grinned at her and then shuffled closer, leaning in with the intention of kissing her before they both turned at a shuffling noise. Madam Pince rounded the shelf and both of them instantly ducked their heads back down, avoiding her pointed gaze at them. Skylar had a grin on her face as she tried not to laugh and Stephen's shoulders were shaking before she turned and walked away.
They turned after her before sharing a look and laughing.
Stephen and Skylar were always together, to the point where Ron was constantly complaining about him joining them at breakfast, lunch and sometimes even dinner. These were the only times Hermione, Ron and Harry seemed to see Skylar, as the two took advantage of the holidays and lack of classes to spend it together. Harry found it the most irritating, he hadn't been able to complain to Skylar about Cedric giving him a crappy clue about his golden egg, or about the champion walking hand in hand through the corridors with Cho. It wasn't until he wasn't able to catch her alone, that he realised how much he was used to her being around and being in his head.
Things of course changed when classes resumed in the new year. Skylar and Stephen only had one class together which was Ancient Runes, still they had breakfast together in the Great Hall as the mail arrived on the first day back. Skylar was delivered the Daily Prophet from her mother's owl Cicil, which was very unusual.
"Your mum sends you the paper?" Stephen questioned, confused.
"Not generally…" Skylar frowned as she took the rolled up paper and Cicil instantly took to the air again.
Skylar realised it wasn't actually a full newspaper, in fact, it was just one page from a Daily Prophet.
Skylar unfolded it and her eyes widened at the article.
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. Mad-Eye 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 newfound 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 that many admit to being "very frightening."
"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 creature is, of course, an activity usually closely observed by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Hagrid, however, 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 has 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 amongst 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 of the 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, Hagrid is reputed to have developed a close friendship with the boy who brought around 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 Harry Potter is unaware of the unpleasant truth about his large friend — but Albus Dumbledore surely has a duty to ensure that Harry Potter, along with his fellow students, is warned about the dangers of associating with part-giants.
Skylar was gapping at the page in her hands while Stephen was reading the paper over her shoulder. He looked rather worried and he glanced around them before turning back to Skylar.
"Half-giant? I cannot believe this… How could Dumbledore let a half-giant live in this school?"
Skylar turned to him and he flinched at the look on her face. She was angry.
"He's Hagrid!" She snapped. "Who cares what's in his blood, he's been here for fifty years and has been peaceful!"
How did Rita Skeeter learn about Hagrid's parentage? Ron and Harry had only just found out on Christmas Eve towards the end of the Yule ball. Skylar, Harry, Ron and Hermione were Hagrid's friends and even they he had never told, there was no way he'd have told Rita Skeeter of all people!
Stephen looked taken aback as Skylar turned to look at the Gryffindor table, having been sitting on the Ravenclaw one, to see Harry, Ron and Hermione. Many people were beginning to get up from their seats as the lessons were about to begin, and she struggled to see her friends. With Hermione they had probably headed off already. Did they know about this? Had Harry and Ron seen Rita in the garden that night when they'd overheard Hagrid talking to Madam Maxime?
Stephen decided not to react to Skylar's anger at him and said nothing as she hurried out of her seat, the paper clutched in her hand. They had Herbology first thing this morning and it seemed she was going to have to show them the article there. Stephen stared after her as she disappeared out the doorway and shook his head in surprise, he had not expected that kind of reaction from her.
Snow was still thick upon the grounds as Skylar hurried to the greenhouses where the other Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs were waiting for Professor Sprout. The greenhouse windows were covered in condensation so thick that they couldn't see inside them.
Skylar arrived and tapped Ron on the shoulder, as he was the closest to her.
"Oh, decided to join us, did you?" He said when he'd turned to her.
"It's class?" She said simply.
"You never know, you'd probably rather be with Stephen."
She rolled her eyes and turned to Harry, he'd likely be more reasonable. "Harry—"
Professor Sprout cut her off by opening the door and ushering them all into the greenhouse to begin the lesson. Skylar continued to try and talk to the three but Professor Sprout continued to tell her off before moving her away from them. The auburn-haired girl's frustration continued to grow as they headed off to Care of Magical Creatures, at least she could check on Hagrid, question what happened.
When they arrived at Hagrid's cabin, however, they 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 as they struggled toward her through the snow.
"Who're you?" said Ron, staring at her. "Where's Hagrid?"
"My name is Professor Grubbly-Plank," she said briskly. "I am your temporary Care of Magical Creatures teacher."
"Where's Hagrid?" Harry repeated loudly.
"He is indisposed," said Professor Grubbly-Plank shortly.
Skylar frowned before soft and unpleasant laughter reached her ears. Draco Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherins were joining the class. All of them looked gleeful, and none of them looked surprised to see Professor Grubbly-Plank. Of course they'd have seen the article, giving false information to build Rita's case, flubberworms didn't have teeth yet Draco said Goyle had been bitten by one.
"This way, please," said Professor Grubbly-Plank, and she strode off around the paddock where the Beauxbatons horses were shivering. Harry, Ron, Skylar and Hermione followed her, looking back over their shoulders at Hagrid's cabin. All the curtains were closed.
"Guys, you've got to see this already!" Skylar said to them, holding up the newspaper article.
"What is it?" Hermione asked as Harry moved to catch up with Professor Grubbly-Plank. Skylar handed her the newspaper and Hermione bent over it as they walked.
Professor Grubbly-Plank led them past the paddock where the huge Beauxbatons horses were standing, huddled against the cold, and toward a tree on the edge of the forest, where a large and beautiful unicorn was tethered.
Many of the girls "ooooohed!" at the sight of the unicorn.
"Oh it's so beautiful!" whispered Lavender Brown. "How did she get it? They're supposed to be really hard to catch!"
The unicorn was so brightly white it made the snow all around look grey. It was pawing the ground nervously with its golden hooves and throwing back its horned head.
"Boys keep back!" barked Professor Grubbly-Plank, throwing out an arm and catching Harry hard in the chest. "They prefer the woman's touch, unicorns. Girls to the front, and approach with care, come on, easy does it…"
Hermione and Skylar went with the professor and the rest of the girls toward the unicorn, leaving the boys standing near the paddock fence, watching.
"What is this?" Hermione demanded.
"I don't know!" Skylar worried, frowning. "Mum sent it to me."
Hermione's mouth fell open as she read. "How did that horrible Skeeter woman find out? You don't think Hagrid told her?"
"As if." Skylar disagreed.
"Maybe she heard him telling Madame Maxime at the ball," said Hermione quietly.
"What? Crouched in the bushes like Harry and Ron? Someone must've seen her." Skylar believed.
"Are you paying attention over there?" The two girls looked up, having not been listening to the professor. It seemed most of the boys over by the gate had also not been paying attention. Most of the girls were now clustered around the unicorn, stroking it. Hermione tucked the article into her robes as she and Skylar joined them, as to not be scolded or have it confiscated. They needed to show Harry and Ron.
Professor Grubbly-Plank's voice carried over to the boys, which she'd raised to keep their attention as she enumerated the many magical properties of a unicorn.
"I hope she stays, that woman!" said Parvati Patil when the lesson had ended and they were all heading back to the castle for lunch. "That's more what I thought Care of Magical Creatures would be like… proper creatures like unicorns, not monsters…"
"What about Hagrid?" Harry said angrily as they went up the steps.
"What about him?" said Parvati in a hard voice. "He can still be gamekeeper, can't he?"
Hermione and Skylar hurried towards the two boys as Harry was irritated at Parvati not wanting to keep Hagrid as a teacher. Harry turned to them almost instantly.
"Look at this!" He snarled, he had the same article Skylar had given Hermione in his hand and he shoved it under Hermione's nose.
"I know, Skylar just showed me." Hermione confessed, pushing it down.
The two boys turned to her surprised. "You knew?" They chorused.
"I've been trying to tell you all morning!" She snapped back. "The better question is how'd she, of all people, find out?"
Harry led the way over to the Gryffindor table and threw himself into a chair, furious. "He never even told us. I reckon she was so mad he wouldn't give her loads of horrible stuff about me, she went ferreting around to get him back."
"She could have overheard him talking to Madam Maxime?" Hermione repeated.
"We'd have seen her in the garden!" said Ron. "Anyway, she's not supposed to come into school anymore, Hagrid said Dumbledore banned her…"
"Maybe she's got an Invisibility Cloak," said Harry, ladling chicken casserole onto his plate and splashing it everywhere in his anger. "Sort of thing she'd do, isn't it, hide in bushes listening to people."
"Like you and Ron did, you mean," said Hermione.
"We weren't trying to hear him!" said Ron indignantly. "We didn't have any choice! The stupid prat, talking about his giantess mother where anyone could have heard him!"
"We've got to go and see him," said Harry. "This evening, after Divination. Tell him we want him back… you do want him back?" he shot at Hermione.
"I — well, I'm not going to pretend it didn't make a nice change, having a proper Care of Magical Creatures lesson for once — but I do want Hagrid back, of course I do!" Hermione added hastily, quailing under Harry's furious stare.
"Then we'll go see him this afternoon." Skylar nodded.
"Sure Stephen can spare you?" Ron smirked.
"Hagrid was my friend before Stephen was." Skylar snapped angrily.
So that evening after dinner, the four of them left the castle once more and went down through the frozen grounds to Hagrid's cabin. They knocked, and Fang's booming barks answered.
"Hagrid, it's us!" Harry shouted, pounding on the door. "Open up!"
Hagrid didn't answer. They could hear Fang scratching at the door, whining, but it didn't open. They hammered on it for ten more minutes; Ron even went and banged on one of the windows, but there was no response.
"What's he avoiding us for?" Hermione said when they had finally given up and were walking back to the school. "He surely doesn't think we'd care about him being half-giant?"
But it seemed that Hagrid did care. They didn't see a sign of him all week. He didn't appear at the staff table at mealtimes, they didn't see him going about his gamekeeper duties on the grounds, and Professor Grubbly-Plank continued to take the Care of Magical Creatures classes. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Skylar were the only ones it seemed that actually wanted him back, everyone else enjoyed Professor Grubbly-Plank and her lessons.