Chapter 16. The Return to Hogwarts

Hagrid's hut was the next stop for Harry and Ron after McGonagall had returned to Hogwarts Castle; they couldn't leave Hagrid alone while he struggled with his grief. Although it had once been destroyed the night Dumbledore died, the small wooden hut that stood on the border between the Forbidden Forest and the school grounds still looked exactly as Harry remembered it.

The two helped Hagrid into the shack and led him to his seat, or rather, they were placed under his huge arms until he sat down. The small room had a massive bed in the corner and was warmly lit by the blazing wood of the fireplace, making it as inviting as ever.

"I bin depressed ever since Fang died . . ." Hagrid sat down on the table chair with a loud creak. With a sound like a foghorn, Hagrid blew his nose with a tablecloth-sized handkerchief. "Firs' Aragog and Dumbledore, then Professor Slughorn, and now Fang . . . I feel like I'm losin' a piece of my hear' every time one o' my friends dies. . . ."

"There's no way we'll leave you alone, Hagrid. Our children will be here for tea. Ron, isn't that right?"

"Absolutely! Hagrid — as long as we're around, you'll always have a family," Ron said, taking a bottle of firewhisky and three glasses from the cupboard. "You do know we're professionals when it comes to surviving, don't you?

"O' course, yeh bin through a lo' since yer small." Hagrid took milk and a few slices of cake from another cupboard, having finished his whiskey in one big gulp. "I gotta tell yeh — we can' look drunk at the feas'. . . .. Haff these instead."

"We're in our forties now, Hagrid. We can take care of ourselves," Ron grunted, picking up a slice of steak and kidney pie and taking a bite. "Wow, did you make it yourself? It's really good!"

"'Onestly, I asked the 'ouse-elves fer one," Hagrid said, scratching his hairy chin in embarrassment. "Why didn' yeh ever complain abou' my cookin'? Yer children were very hones' with me abou' it . . . "

"Didn't we ever tell you?" started Ron. When Harry poked him in the ribs, Ron added hastily, "I mean — you do make delicious food sometimes. Er — especially . . . yes, your stoat sandwiches are indeed tasty."

"Is tha' so?" said Hagrid, narrowing his beetle-black eyes. "Yer daughter Rose took a bite and spi' it ou' the las' semester . . . "

"Well, it has a good taste, but it might be hard to chew sometimes," Harry said with an awkward grin. Hagrid shrugged and took a bite of a particularly large piece of pie, leaving only the tip.

"I guess I gotta ge' a new dog. Ever since Fang died, I though' I'd live on my own, but there's a lo' of intruders in the woods these days. . . . It's hard ter stop them by meself."

Ron's eyes were wide as he said, "Intruders? In the Forbidden Forest? Being willing to go in there is just crazy."

"Sure — it could be dangerous, but you migh' fin' some rare things in there. 'Specially with old Ollivander gone, homemade wands are becomin' quite popular; now the prices fer unicorn hair haff gone through the roof," Hagrid said, wiping pie crumbs from his mouth with his thick wrist. "An' them Muggles are causin' trouble too these days. . . . A few weeks ago, I pulled a ruddy bulle' outta unicorn's butt."

"What's a bullet?"

"It's a kind of arrow that Muggles shoot with their wands," Harry explained to Ron, then looked back at Hagrid. "How did they get this deep, I wonder?"

"In the pas', the busybodies coulda bin sen' away with the simples' of enchantments . . . but now Muggles carry loads o' strange machines," Hagrid said with his arms crossed. "What's it called — a settleligh'? The floatin' ones in the sky Muggles use ter know where they are . . . A hunter musta broken in and sho' the poor unicorn, I suppose."

Harry pondered Hagrid's words for a moment. As in all other realms, Muggles were invading the Forbidden Forest, whose wildness seemed insurmountable.

"Luna and her father said something similar," said Harry thoughtfully. "They said someone was poaching spiders in the Forbidden Forest. . . . I haven't paid much attention to it, but it might be more serious than I thought."

"WHAT? SPIDERS? Aragog's family, yeh mean?"

Harry immediately regretted bringing up the subject when he saw Hagrid jump up and shake the whole house.

"Er — on second thought, it must be nothing, Hagrid." Seeing Ron's extremely displeased look, Harry quickly added. "Those spiders probably got hurt accidentally, just like that unicorn . . ."

"WE HAFF TER CHECK THAT OUT FER OURSELVES!" bellowed Hagrid as he picked up a large crossbow leaning against his bed. "Harry — Ron — get up! We gotta do this together!"

"Not now, Hagrid! We've got a feast to attend!" said Harry hurriedly. "And look at Ron — no way he can do this!"

Ron's face had gone pale and he was shaking from head to toe. His hands were gripping the armrests of the chair as if he was about to fly out of it. Hagrid reluctantly put down his crossbow after seeing the suffering of Ron, whose greatest fear was spiders.

"Righ', Harry. . . . I'll pay them a visi' later, then," Hagrid said, but he still opened the back door of the hut that led into the forest. "I still haff ter go inter the fores'. I gotta remind Neville abou' our dinner — I'm sure he's gatherin' some herbs in there."

"Don't worry," Ron grunted, "he'll come when he's hungry."

"Well — abou' tha', Ron . . . Our friend Professor Longbottom can' just come out when he gets into somethin'," said Hagrid reassuringly. "He woulda spen' the nigh' in the fores' if I hadn' brough' him ou' a few days ago; he coulda bin bitten by a werewolf."

"It wouldn't be the first time Hogwarts saw a werewolf professor," Harry said, thinking of Remus Lupin.

"Yeah, tha' could happen twice, but won' it be easier ter find Neville now?"

Harry and Ron reluctantly got up and followed Hagrid outside. There was little light through the dense foliage, and it seemed that early night had come to the forest. Holding his crossbow and carrying a quiver of arrows over his shoulder, Hagrid strode deeper into the forest, and Harry and Ron almost had to run to keep up with him.

"There's nothing dangerous here, is there? Apart from spiders, that is," Ron said, glancing quickly to both sides.

"Nope, 'cause yer with me," snorted Hagrid. "Centaurs haff bin friendly since the Battle o' Hogwarts; Grawp's ferocious when he's angry, but he lives with centaurs these days . . ."

Despite hearing these words, Ron took out his wand and carefully examined the greenish darkness everywhere. It was understandable that he was cautious, since he had almost been eaten by the terrible creatures here when he first entered the Forbidden Forest. A bush caught Ron as they passed a mossy tree stump, ripping a good chunk out of his robes. He grunted and said to Hagrid's broad back, "Do you really know where Neville is? Or should we search the entire forest?"

"Take yer time, Ron. He said he'd be by the pond, so we're almos' there . . . Ah, there he is!"

Through the thicket that Hagrid pointed to, a glimpse of mossy water came into view. As they made their way through overgrown bushes and vines that wrapped around their arms, the sound of running water grew louder. Finally, they could see Neville Longbottom crouching by the pond. With a grave expression on his round face, he was stirring the water and muttering to himself.

"Hullo, Neville," Harry walked up to him and said. It brought a smile to his face to see his old friend. "Or should I call you Professor Longbottom?"

"Harry — Ron! I forgot you were coming today!" Neville stood up and walked over to them. The scarlet marble-like device he had pulled from his pocket turned white. "I was just wondering why my Remembrall had turned red . . ."

"Still forgetful, aren't you?" said Ron as he and Neville hugged each other. "I never thought you'd become a professor, to be honest. . . ."

"Neither did I," Neville beamed. "I still can't believe it myself sometimes."

Following Neville's hug, Harry surveyed the pond. "What were you looking for here?"

"Something that shouldn't be here." Neville picked up a ball of slimy, grayish-green weeds on the mossy ground and showed it to them. "Look at this!"

"Er — I still don't get it," Harry said after a moment of silence. It seemed that Ron and Hagrid felt the same way — they exchanged puzzled looks.

"It's called gillyweed," Neville said, pulling a book out of his bag: Magical Water Plants of the Mediterranean. "There's a description of the plant in this book."

This reminded Harry of the second task in the Triwizard Tournament, where he had had to dive deep into the bottom of the lake.

"Yeah — I know that thing! I used it for breathing underwater . . . but why is it relevant now?"

"The problem is that gillyweed grows here when this isn't the Mediterranean." Neville brushed the sticky weeds from his hands. "Due to the warming of the water, seeds that arrived by accident seem to have taken up residence in England. Not just here — the whole planet is getting warmer."

"So that's why I've been feeling warmer lately," said Ron. "What's there to worry about? Britain could afford a nicer climate."

"It's good for us, but not so for other creatures that live here," Hagrid sighed heavily, leaning against a nearby tree. "Every summer I see more and more withered trees and sick animals."

"I share your concern, Hagrid. At this rate, you may not have any magical creatures left to teach!" said Neville, looking upset. "Not even the greatest wizard can change the climate of the entire regions. Muggles, on the other hand, seem to be able to do it."

"Muggles give me a headache too. Our shop has seen a drop in sales because of their fancy toys."

Ron nodded in agreement and they remained silent for a moment, lost in their own thoughts.

"The world as we knew it is no more. It's true — Muggles are becoming more influential every day," said Harry finally. "But if we don't accept that and stay in the past, we'll follow the path of the Death Eaters. We must keep the peace, no matter what."

"We share your beliefs, Harry," said Neville earnestly. "We'll eventually find a way to coexist with Muggles or come up with a magical solution."

"Hermione may well be able to reverse the weather with her Freezing Spell. There's nothing she can't do," Ron said, and they all laughed together.

Neville and Harry walked together in the back, led by Hagrid and Ron during their trip out of the forest.

"It's good to see you again, Harry. It brings back good memories," said Neville happily. "Luna was here recently, too, and she complained that you wouldn't meet her."

"If she hadn't asked me to fight for the spider rights, I would've met her already. I've got a lot more pressing work to do these days," said Harry glumly. "Does Luna often visit the Forbidden Forest?"

"Yes, you know — she's married to a Scamander. They're both very fascinated by magical creatures."

Luna's husband, Rolf Scamander, was a grandson of Newt Scamander, a famous zoologist who wrote the textbook used at Hogwarts, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Harry could easily imagine the Scamanders chasing all sorts of dangerous beasts through the forest.

Their arrival out of the forest was greeted by a dark gray sky, filled with a multitude of stars. Harry and his friends made their way to Hogwarts Castle, where he had been invited to attend the evening feast.

Sitting at the front of the Great Hall, facing the eager, curious eyes of hundreds of students, was too much for Harry. Instead of being the part of the High Table, which he found extremely awkward, he wished to sit at the familiar Gryffindor table. Ron, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy the limelight; he waved brightly whenever he saw his children and relatives who recognized him. Fortunately, the appetizing food that had just appeared on the table distracted everyone, allowing Harry to take a breath and concentrate on eating like everyone else.

"Remember when I said I'd give anything to be back at Hogwarts? This is exactly why," Ron said, a large chicken leg in his hand. "I'll never forget these feasts. Honestly, Hermione and I aren't that good at cooking. . . ."

"Right, we had that argument many times before . . . back on our camping trip, remember?" said Harry. He well remembered that Hermione had once served them charred fish for dinner and Ron had complained about its taste during their search for the Horcruxes. "But you married her anyway, knowing how bad her cooking was, didn't you?"

"Ron, why don't you get a house-elf?" asked Neville. "Since I inherited one from my grandmother, my quality of life has improved tremendously."

" Are you serious, Neville? Have you forgotten who I married?" Ron rolled his eyes and feigned anger.

"Ah, I see now," Neville said quickly, "Hermione would never allow it . . . "

"It's hard enough to keep one, let alone get a new one," said Harry. "She always urges me to free Kreacher whenever she visits . . . even when the elf himself insists on staying."

Their conversations revolved around their current lives and their past days at Hogwarts. There was no more food on the plate when their stomachs were full. Professor McGonagall stood up after dessert was served, and silence fell over the Great Hall.

"I think everyone has had enough, so let me introduce the guests who have come to Hogwarts today. To ensure the smooth running of our school, the two inspectors have come from the Ministry of Magic. Let me begin with Mr. Ronald Weasley, Special Advisor to the Minister of Magic."

Amidst a round of generally polite applause, the Weasley and the Potter children pounded their desks and shouted enthusiastically at the Gryffindor table. Professor McGonagall continued, "And next — Mr. Harry Potter, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

For a moment, Harry thought windows were shattering everywhere; the hall shook with cheers and applause. His smile could not be contained at the rousing welcome he received. Although the Slytherins kept their mouths shut, clapping dryly or not moving at all, Harry wasn't bothered; he was familiar with the coldness of their table. The children's enthusiasm seemed to restore the confidence he had lost during the trial of Markus Dolohov. Seeing that the new generations still considered him a hero, Harry was determined to protect the magical world that made him who he was today. It was not until the Gryffindor students had stopped shouting and pounding on the table that Harry could begin to speak the words he had prepared.

"Good evening, everyone — I am humbled to be greeted with such passion. Growing up an orphan, Hogwarts was my first and best home. It's hard for me to express how much I appreciate the hospitality I've received here," Harry said in a voice choked with emotion, and there was another brief round of applause. "The professors who sit with me have had a difficult and dark time — there have been many deaths among family and friends, including mine. But now we are gathered around this table again with our remaining loved ones. We never won because we were stronger than our enemies. It's because we trusted each other and were there when we needed to be."

During the applause that followed these words, Harry remembered all the adventures he had shared with his beloved friends, Ron and Hermione. Harry would not be here without them, and that was not an empty statement.

"There are a lot of things going on these days that you've probably read about in the papers. There's no denying it, our world is once again facing a grave threat. A new Dark Force is stirring up divisions within the Wizarding community, reigniting the old conflict between wizards and Muggles."

Murmurs and fearful voices replaced the applause this time. Only the Slytherins, who had seemed bored, brightened their eyes and exchanged meaningful glances. Seeing Albus and Scorpius huddled in the corner of the Slytherin table, Harry secretly nodded, and the two returned the gesture.

"If you are not convinced of our bright future," Harry continued, and the Great Hall quickly fell silent again, "remember my words. To prevail, we must be united!"

Immediately following Harry's words, the Great Hall erupted in cheers and applause similar to the first. Harry nodded at the students, their eyes shining at him, before sitting down, and McGonagall returned to her feet when everyone had calmed down.

"Thank you for your moving speech, Mr. Potter. He also wanted me to tell you all that there are many openings for new Aurors this year, so if you are of age, you should consider applying. Mr. Potter specifically said that any student who shows exceptional courage and character can become an Auror, even if they do not have the required grades."

"Especially in Potions," Ron muttered, and Harry and Neville tried not to laugh out loud.