Chapter 15
Hagrids Return
(Opening song. Danger Danger by FZMZ feat. icy.)
(The Restricted Section of The Library)
"The hell were you thinking!? You put the whole mission at risk!" Yuno yelled at Arianna, as The Dark Triad assembled in their usual meeting place in the restricted section of the library.
"I had the situation under control and managed to slip one of your sigils into Potters's pocket. If anything, we know where they're meeting now" Arianna said looking down at Yuno.
"You could've done that without the need of starting a fight with Potter! All for what!? To save Malfoy!?" Yuno said his voice raising.
"I had my reasons," Arianna retorted, her eyes hardened. "Besides, what does it matter? What's done is done."
Galin sat silently observing the argument. He knew better than to get between the two when they were in disagreement.
"I'm guessing those reasons are based on emotions rather than actual strategy. You actually like Malfoy, don't you?" Yuno scoffed adding a mocking smile.
"Like him?" Arianna retorted, with an irritated look. "Don't be ridiculous."
Yuno chuckled under his breath, clearly finding amusement in Arianna's denial."That's it, isn't it?" Yuno laughed dryly. "You've actually fallen for a wizard. Well isn't that just fantastic? This is why the boss should have made me the leader."
"Watch your mouth, pipsqueak," she warned, her voice low and eyes flashing dangerously. "You're not the leader because you lack the qualities necessary. I make the decisions, and I don't appreciate you questioning my actions or my emotions."
"I'm the smartest out of the three of us, and you even admit it" He retorted back at her.
"True, you may be the smartest, " Arianna conceded. "But smarts alone don't make a good leader. A leader needs more than just intellect, they need to be adaptable, and command respect…. You," she said with a small smirk. "You can't do either of those things."
Red tribal like markings appeared on Yuno's cheeks, his ears became pointed, and his eyes became cat-like with purple irises with two slits in the middle of them. "Care to back that up?" Yuno threatened as a portal opened behind him. In the void of the portal, two sets of purple cat eyes appeared, followed by a Cheshire-like smile with needle-like teeth.
Arianna's appearance changed matching Yuno's cheeks and ears, but the whites of her eyes turned black around her emerald irises and the lightning bolt scar on her cheek grew down to her neck. "You forget who you're speaking to, brat," Arianna threatened back as her dagger transformed into a sword with a black blade and embroiled with emerald-like gems. Green lighting began to crackle off her like whips.
Galin sat up ready to spring into action, his ears also becoming pointed and red markings appearing on his cheeks while his irises turned a brilliant orange. "You both are going to blow our cover if you keep this up!" he said sternly
"STAY OUT OF THIS!" They both yelled at him. Galin didn't back down, the maroon-violet glow of Anti-Magic radiating off his fist like fire.
"All of you, that's enough!" a female voice commanded from the middle of the room, but with a warm tone to it. The Dark Triad tensed up and saw a raven perched on one of the overhanging ceiling lamps. "Boss!?" all the three of them exclaimed.
The raven, who had appeared out of nowhere, spread its wings and fluttered down to land on a nearby table. Its shimmering eyes scanned over the three siblings with a mix of reprimand and amusement.
"I thought I made it clear that you three were to keep a low profile," the raven scolded. "Yet here I find you about to engage in a fight that would destroy most of the castle."
Arianna, Yuno, and Galin's transformed appearance faded, returning to how they normally looked. The triad looked down with guilt. "Sorry boss," they all said in unison.
The raven cocked its head to the side, looking at Arianna and Yuno intently. "I expected better from both of you," it scolded them in a firm but soothing voice. The bird shifted its gaze to Galin. "And Galin, I thought you were the sensible one" it quipped.
"I was about to intervene!" Galin said defensively
"Yet you didn't," the raven pointed out, its eyes glinting with a hint of amusement. "Just like you didn't intervene when Arianna decided to defend Draco Malfoy."
"So you were watching," Arianna said looking away from the bird.
"Of course, I was watching," the raven replied, its voice dripping with both reproach and affection. "Someone has to keep an eye on you three troublemakers."
There was a silence between the four of them. Yuno looked at Arianna. "I'm sorry Ari, I just didn't expect you to be so reckless on mission. You're always so level-headed"
Arianna's expression softened slightly at Yuno's apology. "No, I'm sorry for saying those things about you," she sighed, her voice relaxing a bit. "I understand where you're coming from, but I had the situation under control, I assure you. I made a decision in the moment, and I have to stand by it now. For better or for worse"
Yuno took a deep breath, knowing it was better not to argue with her. "It's not that I don't trust you Ari… I just…." Yuno trailed off, he then let out a sigh. "I just didn't expect it from you is all, but you're right. What's done is done and we'll adapt..like we always do" Yuno said giving a genuine smile. Arianna smiled back, accepting his way of apologizing to her.
"Now if you'll excuse me, I have a certain toad to torment, she needs to be knocked down off that high horse of hers again," he said trying to lighten the mood.
The raven chuckled. "Ah, Dolores Umbridge," it said, its voice filled with distaste. "Never thought I would ever see someone ever resemble a toad so much in all my years, and that is saying something."
Arianna couldn't help but chuckle in agreement. "That's putting it mildly, boss. For someone so bigoted against halfbreeds, she sure looks like one," she said garnering a laugh from all in the group.
Yuno opened a portal to the side of him. "I'll see you tomorrow Ari," he said
"Yeah, see you tomorrow, Yuno," Arianna replied, a hint of affection in her voice.
As Yuno stepped through the portal and disappeared, Arianna turned her attention back to the raven. "So, boss. You probably have some choice words for me, don't you?" she said with a hint of defeat in her tone.
"In private if we may," the raven said. "Galin"
Galin nodded and quickly gathered his things. He shot her a sympathetic look before exiting the area, leaving her and the raven alone in the room.
"He reminds you of yourself, doesn't he?" the raven asked as it flew down to a lamp opposite of Arianna. There was a long pause between the two, as Arianna gathered her thoughts.
"It's hard not to see the similarities between us boss. At first, I thought he was just a spoiled brat with connections to the Death Eaters. A useful pawn, but…" she trailed off
"Go on dear," the raven said warmly
"But a couple of days ago, he said something about "not getting say," or something along those lines. It sounded like he thinks he doesn't get to have a choice in what he does. It reminded me of myself back when I was still allied with my father." Arianna said as she sat on the ground and leaned back against the face of the bookshelf
The raven flew over and nested itself in her lap. It looked up at her
"So, his internal battle reminds you of your own during that time in your life," it said with an understanding tone.
"Am I wrong for thinking that?" she asked
The raven tilted its head thoughtfully. "No, you're not wrong," it responded, "but you are at risk of allowing your emotions to cloud your judgment. Draco Malfoy is a complex individual, one with his own demons and struggles….Let me ask you this: do you truly believe that he's deserving of your concern and sympathy?"
Arianna took a minute to think. "You took me under your wing, despite knowing I was… his daughter, and after everything I had done in the past."
The raven chuckled "Was that pun intended, dear?"
Arianna laughed a bit after the raven pointed out her words "No, I save the dreadful puns for Gal,"
Both she and Raven chuckled. The Raven then flew up and perched itself on Arianna's shoulder.
"I've always believed in you, Arianna," it said, its voice filled with pride. "You possess a unique blend of strength, intelligence, and empathy. That's why I chose you as the leader."
Arianna looked into the Raven's eyes, taking its words of wisdom in.
"Yuno may be the most intelligent and strongest out of the three of you, but he can't see the shades of grey, a normal thing for someone his age. You're able to see our mission within a larger frame understanding that not everyone upholds the values that Merlin established. That in itself is commendable after everything you went through with your father. You blame the wizarding world as a whole for upholding the ways and teachings of Merlin, yet you're still able to distinguish the actions of individuals from biases others would hold" The raven said. "I will not lie. I have my own reservations about the boy, but if you truly believe that he would join our side, then I trust your judgment."
Arianna couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude towards the raven. Its faith in her abilities and its understanding of both her and Yuno meant the world to her. "Thank you," she said softly. "Your trust means everything to me."
The raven fluttered its wings once, then settled back onto Arianna's lap. "However," it said with a hint of warning in its voice, "remember that while you may offer young Malofy a chance at a different life, you must also protect yourself, my champion. Do not lose sight of our cause."
Arianna's expression hardened. "I will bring our people back Aunt Morgana, and Merlin's legacy will burn. Everything that bastard and my father established will be destroyed."
Morgana showed her softened expression through the raven when Arianna spoke her actual name.
"I know dear," she replied, her voice tinged with a hint of affection. "Just remember my words, and always trust your instincts. They have seldom led you astray."
"Of course boss" Arianna smiled genuinely.
"Now then, I didn't come just to give you words of advice. I've come with some troubling news regarding the last mission I sent you on" Morgana said.
Arianna immediately sobered at the raven's words. "Troubling news?" she echoed, a sense of foreboding settling in her stomach.
"Gerralt revealed to me that Dumbledore has the Elder wand," Morgana said.
"Oh, you have to got to be kidding me!? It's literally right under our noses, and the one wizard that can take all three of us at once has it...shit!" Arianna cursed.
"My thoughts exactly," Morgana agreed. "Dumbledore possesses the Elder Wand is a significant setback. For now, the three of you should focus on the resurrection stone"
Arianna nodded, her mind already whirling with the implications of Dumbledore's possession of the Elder Wand. "Understood," she said determinedly. "It's the easier target for the moment, and I don't think he realizes the significance with him so focused on Riddle."
"Wizards always tend to prioritize power over utility," Morgana said. "Still be wary in your approach on how to recover it."
"No worries boss," Arianna said with a smirk. "With how things are now, it's only a matter of time til the stone is ours"
The raven then flew an open window near the edge of the library. "I have no doubts in your abilities. Farewell, and get some rest."
"Off to hang out with your fitness dance class friends from the gym I presume?" Arianna chucked.
"Excercise does keep the soul young, dear" Morgana said proudly.
"So that's the secret to immortality. Someone should tell Yuno before he gives Galin grief again about physical training" Arianna jestest
"Good luck convincing him of that" Morgana laughed. Then the raven flew out of the window. Arianna smiled as she looked at the raven as it flew towards the sky, casting a small shadow in the moonlight.
(Sunday Morning)
Harry opened his eyes slowly, his jaw still sore from the fight yesterday, and now finding new pains in his arms and ribs. It didn't feel like anything was broken, but he could see the blue bruises on his arms. He got up and slowly changed into his uniform and robes, wincing in pain every once in a while.
He made his way to the Gryffindor table, glaring at Arianna as he walked past her, sitting alone by herself at the end of the table. She returned with a glare of her own, then glanced down at her food. He took his seat by Hermoine.
"How are you feeling?" Hermoine asked.
"I've felt worse," He admitted, giving a small grunt of pain as he sat down, the sides of his torso still bruised and sore from yesterday.
"Well, good to see you're managing at least," Hermoine said giving him a small smile. "Have to spoken with Ron at all?"
"No, he must have gotten back just after I fell asleep. You?" Harry asked
"He seemed so disheveled when he got back to the common room. Everyone let him have his space for the night. Hopefully-" Heromine was about to say until Ron sat next to her. He looked like he had been up all night.
"How' you doin' mate?" Harry asked.
Ron just sat down and looked at his food, his face pale as a ghost, and his eyes bloodshot.
"I'm sorry," Ron mumbled, looking at his feet.
"What for?" said Harry.
"For thinking I can play Quidditch," said Ron. "I'm going to resign first thing tomorrow."
"If you resign," said Harry testily, "there'll only be three players left on the team."
Ron looked puzzled, "Three players?"
"Umbridge banned me, Fred, and Geroge from the team…for life."
"'What?" Ron yelped.
Hermione told him the full story; Harry could not bear to tell it again. When she had finished Ron looked more anguished than ever.
"This is all my fault, I'm the reason you got hurt!"
"You can't blame me for getting hurt. You didn't make me attack Malfoy, and no one expected…her to go rogue on Gryffindor." Harry said motioning his eyes towards Arianna.
"But, if I wasn't so terrible at Quidditch -"
"It's got nothing to do with that. Everyone in Slytherin was singing that song to get under your skin. It was a dirty move "
"It wasn't the song, I was cracking under pressure. I saw the Quaffle as one of those giant spiders from The Forbidden Forest," Ron said.
"Huh!?" Hermoine exclaimed taken aback. "Ron that's not normal, you wouldn't be seeing your worst fear, because of nerves."
"I…I…don't know, it's what was happening out there. They came so fast I couldn't react"
Hermoine looked at him alarmed. She suddenly looked down at Ron's untouched food. "You didn't sleep at all last night, did you?" Hermoine asked.
"…No" Ron admitted, slowly looking up from his feet. "I kept hearing that song and… kept seeing those spiders." He said quietly, his hands slightly shaking. "I would've lost the game for everyone if it hadn't been for Harry. I disappointed the whole house," he said gripping the table and trying to fight back tears.
Hermoine hugged Ron comforting him. "Ron you know that's not true" she pleaded. "You didn't fail anyone! You just got overwhelmed. Even the best players break down every once in a while"
"You did great in our game against Ravenclaw at the start of the year! You just had an off day is all" Harry said reaching over the table and putting his hand on Ron's shoulder.
"Yeah and we won that game because of you," said Hermoine "Just because you had a bad game doesn't make you a terrible player," she said in a comforting tone.
Ron looked as if he was about to argue against them, but couldn't find the words to speak. He didn't say a word, continuing to look at his feet.
"You should eat something," Hermoine said gently.
"I'm not hungry" Ron mumbled.
"You should at least have a bit of breakfast, mate." Harry persisted. "You won't keep your strength up if not."
Ron nodded and picked up a piece of toast, forcing down small pieces. There was a long silence between the three of them. After a while, he said in a dull voice, "This is the worst I've ever felt in my life."
"Join the club," said Harry with a bitter chuckle
"Well," said Hermione, her voice trembling slightly. "I can think of one thing that might cheer you both up."
"Oh yeah?" said Harry skeptically.
"Yeah," said Hermione with a broad smile spreading across her face. "Hagrids back."
(Later that Evening)
Harry sprinted up to the boys' dormitories to fetch the Invisibility Cloak and the Marauder's Map from his trunk; he was so quick that he and Ron were ready to leave at least five minutes before Hermione hurried back down from the girls' dormitories, wearing scarf, gloves and one of her knobbly elf hats.
"Well, it's cold out there!" she said defensively
"Never mind cold, you look like an old woman," said Ron crinkling his nose and trying to fight back from laughing.
"Glad someone's feeling better" Hermoine smiled, happy to see Ron was in a better mood.
Ron smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. It was the first smile Harry had seen from him all day, and he was thankful for it.
"Alright let head out" Harry said as the portal door from the common room opened. They crept through the portrait hole and covered themselves hastily in the Cloak - Ron had grown so much he now needed to crouch to prevent his feet showing - then, moving slowly and cautiously, they proceeded down the many staircases, pausing at intervals to check on the map for signs of Filch or Mrs Norris. They were lucky; they saw nobody but Nearly Headless Nick, who was gliding along absent-mindedly humming something that sounded horribly like 'Weasley is our King'.
"Seriously?" Ron mumbled angrily as he looked at Nearly Headless Nick float by.
"Ronald, you're in a bad mood again," Hermione said, rolling her eyes.
"Am not, just annoyed." Ron huffed
"Well keep quiet then," Hermione said, giving him a stern look. "We don't need you to give us away."
They crept across the Entrance Hall and out into the silent school grounds. With a great leap of his heart, Harry saw little golden squares of light ahead and smoke coiling up from Hagrid's chimney. He set off at a quick march, the other two jostling and bumping along behind him.
They jogged down the hill as fast as they could down the hill until they, at last, reached the wooden front door. When Harry raised his fist and knocked three times, a dog started barking frantically inside.
"Hagrid, it's us!" Harry called through the keyhole.
"Shoulda known!" said a gruff voice.
They beamed at each other under the Cloak; they could tell by Hagrid's voice that he was pleased. "Bin home three seconds… out the way, Fang… out the way, yeh dozy dog…"
The bolt was drawn back, the door creaked open and Hagrid's head appeared in the gap. Hermione screamed.
"Merlin's beard, keep it down!" said Hagrid hastily, staring wildly over their heads. "Under that Cloak, are yeh? Well, get in, get in!"
"I'm sorry!" Hermione gasped, as the three of them squeezed past Hagrid into the house and pulled the Cloak off themselves so he could see them. "I just…oh, Hagrid!"
"It's nuthin', it's nuthin'!" said Hagrid hastily, shutting the door behind them and hurrying to close all the curtains.
"Just nuthin!? you look like you fought off a blood dragon!" Ron yelled.
"Ron!" Hermoine snapped at him.
"Well look at him!" Ron said defensively.
Hagrid's hair was matted with congealed blood and his left eye had been reduced to a puffy slit amid a mass of purple and black bruising. There were many cuts on his face and hands, some of them still bleeding, and he was moving gingerly, which made Harry suspect broken ribs. It was obvious that he had only just got home; a thick black traveling cloak lay over the back of a chair and a haversack large enough to carry several small children leaned against the wall inside the door.
"What happened to you?" Harry demanded while Fang danced around them all, trying to lick their faces.
"Told yeh, nuthin," said Hagrid firmly. "Don't se' me askin' about tat right tere?" he added pointing to Harry's bruised jaw.
"It's just a bruise from a fight," Harry said dismissively, "not nearly as bad as your injuries."
"It's nothin', really," Hagrid said casually. "Jus' a few cuts an' bruises… had a lot worse tan' this before."
'Come off it,' said Ron, 'you're in a right state!'
'I'm tellin' yeh, I'm fine,' said Hagrid, straightening up and turning to beam at them all, but wincing. 'Blimey, it's good ter see yeh three again - had good summers, did yeh?'
'Hagrid, you've been attacked!' said Ron.
'Per the las' time, it's nuthin'!' said Hagrid firmly.
'Would you say it was nothing if one of us turned up with a pound of mince instead of a face?' Ron demanded.
"You ought to go and see Madam Pomfrey, Hagrid," said Hermione anxiously, "some of those cuts look nasty."
'I'm dealin' with it, all righ'?' said Hagrid repressively.
"Giants beat ya up didn't they?" Harry asked him knowing the answer.
"Who said anythin' abou' giants? Who yeh bin talkm' to? Who's told yeh what I've -who's said I've bin - eh?"
"It was kind of obvious," said Ron taking a seat at the table in the middle of the room, giving a pet to Fang.
"You said he looked like he fought dragons at first," Harry said looking at Ron with a raised eyebrow.
"I didn't mean it literally! Besides it's all the same ain't it?" Ron said defensively
Hagrid glared at them, then snorted, threw the steak back onto the table, and strode over to the kettle, which was now whistling.
"Never known kids like you three fer knowin' more'n yeh oughta," he muttered, splashing boiling water into three of his bucket-shaped mugs. "An' I'm not complimentin' yeh, neither. Nosy, some'd call it. Interferin."
"So you have been to look for giants?" said Harry, grinning as he sat down at the table. Hagrid set tea in front of each of them, sat down, picked up his steak again, and slapped it back over his face.
"Yeah, all righ',' he grunted, "I have."
"And you found them?" said Hermione in a hushed voice.
"Well, they're not that difficult ter find, ter be honest," said Hagrid. "Pretty big, see."
"Where are they?" said Ron.
"Mountains," said Hagrid unhelpfully.
"So why don't Muggles -?"
"They do," said Hagrid darkly. "On'y their deaths are always put down ter mountaineerin' accidents, aren' they?"
He adjusted the steak a little so that it covered the worst of the bruising.
"Come on, Hagrid, tell us what you've been up to!" said Ron.
"Can' tell yeh' top secret" Hardrid said accidentally dropping the steak. Fang immediately pounced on it and held it in his mouth. Hagrid reached down and pulled the steak out of Fang's mouth.
'Oh, Hagrid, don't, it's not hygien-' Hermione began, but Hagrid had already slapped the meat back over his swollen eye. "Oh why do I bother" Hermoine grumbled under her breath
"Well, what can you tell us?" Harry asked, slightly annoyed.
Hagrid surveyed the three of them with a look of uncertainty and sighed.
"Don' go tellin', anyone what I've told yeh," he said firmly. "Not one word."
The trio nodded in agreement. Hagrid took a deep breath and looked at them with a serious expression "Dumbledore had me lookin' for giants 'cause it looked like one of 'em was involved in an attack tat happened at an abandoned building in Knock'urn Alley."
"Knockturn Alley?" Harry repeated, "Were people hurt?"
"Yes...24 Death Eaters...dead. One of 'em received a dementor's kiss"
The three of them gasped, the blood draining from their faces.
"24?" Ron said, his voice trembling slightly. "Who could've done that?"
"Who 'ndeed. Some of 'em were found riddl'd with bullets wounds. Ones tha' erase magic" Hagrid said his voice becoming grim. Harry's eyes almost bulged out of his head. "No, it can't be," he thought to himself
"Bullets!?" Hermione asked giving a perplexed look. "As in…. Muggle weapons!?"
"Modern ones from wha' Arthur told me" Hagrid answered.
Ron and Hermoine continued to ask Hargirds questions about the incidents. Harry, however, mind was racing as he thought back to the night he used the Marauders Map to find the Room of Requirements. He remembered that black spot on the map where the Hufflepuff common room was. After hearing what Hagrid told them, there was only one conclusion that Harry could come up with.
"The shooters at Hogwarts…The shooter's a member of The Dark Triad!" he mentally yelled in his head. This wasn't good, he assumed that the other two members of the triad had magic similar to Yuno, but now the situation had gotten worse. They weren't just dealing with three dark wizards, they were dealing with three dark wizards that each had their own unique abilities and were strong enough to take down a whole squadron of Death Eaters. Now all three of them were at Hogwarts, hiding in the shadows, save for Yuno, the one member they did know about. He overheard Hagrid explain the traces of other magical creatures to, him and could only assume that was the doing of the other member of the triad. He had to make sure though. Once he was on his way back to the castle, he needed to confirm his suspicions. Though he really hoped he was just being paranoid.
The conversation was interrupted by a sudden outbreak of rapping on the door. Hermione gasped; her mug slipped through her fingers and smashed on the floor; Fangyelped. All four of them stared at the window beside the doorway. The shadow of somebody small and squat rippled across the thin curtain.
"It's her!" Ron whispered.
"Get under here!" Harry said quickly; seizing the Invisibility Cloak, he whirled it over himself and Hermione while Ron tore around the table and dived under the Cloak as well. Huddled together, they backed away into a corner. Fang was barking madly at the door. Hagrid looked thoroughly confused.
"Hagrid, hide our mugs!"
Hagrid seized Harry and Ron's mugs and shoved them under the cushion in Fang's basket. Fang was now leaping up at the door; Hagrid pushed him out of the way with his foot and pulled it open.
Professor Umbridge was standing in the doorway wearing her green tweed cloak and a matching hat with earflaps. Lips pursed, she leaned back so as to see Hagrid's face; she barely reached his navel.
"So," she said slowly and loudly, as though speaking to somebody deaf. "You're Hagrid, are you?"
Without waiting for an answer she strolled into the room, her bulging eyes rolling in every direction.
"Get away," she snapped, waving her handbag at Fang, who had bounded up to her and was attempting to lick her face, which he succeeded at. Umbridge let out a horrified shrill as the trio tried not to laugh underneath the cloak.
"Er, I don' want ter be rude,? said Hagrid, staring at her, "but who the ruddy hell are you?"
"My name is Dolores Umbridge." she huffed as her eyes swept the cabin, taking out a hand wipe and starting dabbing her face. Twice they stared directly into the corner where Harry stood, sandwiched between Ron and Hermione.
"Dolores Umbridge?" Hagrid said, sounding thoroughly confused. "I thought you were one o' them Ministry - don' you work with Fudge?"
"I was Senior Undersecretary to the Minister, yes," said Umbridge, now pacing around the cabin, taking in every tiny detail within, from the haversack against the wall to the abandoned traveling cloak. "I am now the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher -"
"Tha's brave of yeh," said Hagrid, "there's not many'd take tha' job any more."
"-and Hogwarts High Inquisitor," said Umbridge, giving no sign that she had heard him.
"Wha's that?" said Hagrid, frowning.
"Precisely what I was going to ask," said Umbridge, pointing at the broken shards of china on the floor that had been Hermione's mug.
"Oh," said Hagrid, with a most unhelpful glance towards the corner where Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood hidden, "oh, tha' was… was Fang. He broke a mug. So I had ter use this one instead."
Hagrid pointed to the mug from which he had been drinking, one hand still clamped over the dragon steak pressed to his eye. Umbridge stood facing him now, taking in every detail of his appearance instead of the cabins.
"I heard voices," she said quietly.
"I was talkin' ter Fang," said Hagrid stoutly.
'And was he talking back to you?'
"Well… in a manner o' speakin'," said Hagrid, looking uncomfortable. "I sometimes say Fang's near enough human."
"I see, the care to explain the three sets of footprints in the snow leading from the castle doors to your cabin," said Umbridge sleekly.
Hermione gasped; Harry clapped a hand over her mouth. Luckily, Fang was sniffing loudly around the hem of Professor Umbridge's robes and she did not appear to have heard.
'Well, I on'y jus' got back,' said Hagrid, waving an enormous hand at the haversack. "Maybe someone came ter call earlier an' I missed 'em."
"No footsteps are leading away from your cabin door."
"Well, I… I don' know why that'd be…" said Hagrid, tugging nervously at his beard and again glancing towards the corner where Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood, as though asking for help. "Maybe terk the back way around?"
Umbridge wheeled round and strode the length of the cabin, looking around carefully. She bent and peered under the bed. She opened Hagrid's cupboards. She passed within two inches of where Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood pressed against the wall; Harry actually pulled in his stomach as she walked by. After looking carefully inside the enormous cauldron Hagrid used for cooking, she wheeled round again and said, "What has happened to you? How did you sustain those injuries?"
Hagrid hastily removed the dragon steak from his face, which in Harry's opinion was a mistake, because the black and purple bruising all around his eye was now clearly visible, not to mention the large amount of fresh and congealed blood on his face. "Oh, I… had a bit of an accident," he said lamely.
"What sort of accident?"
"I tripped."
"You tripped," she repeated coolly.
"Yeah, tha's right. Over… over a friend's broomstick. I don' fly, meself. Well, look at the size o' me, I don' reckon there's a broomstick that'd hold me. 'Nyway, why yeh here?" Hagrid asked growing impatient with the stout toad-looking woman. Umbridge scowled at Hagrid's audacity but quickly regained her composure.
"You ought to know, too, that as High Inquisitor it is my unfortunate but necessary duty to inspect my fellow teachers. So I daresay we shall meet again soon enough."She turned sharply and marched back to the door.
"You're inspectin' us?" Hagrid repeated blankly, looking after her.
"Oh, yes," said Umbridge softly, looking back at him with her hand on the door handle. "The Ministry is determined to weed out any… unsatisfactory teachers, Hagrid. Goodnight."
She left, closing the door behind her with a snap. Hagrid held his hand up signaling the three to stay put. He stumped across the room and pulled back the curtain an inch or so.
"She's goin' back ter the castle," he said in a low voice. "Blimey… inspectin' people, is she?"
"Yeah," said Harry, pulling off the Cloak. "Trelawney's on probation already for just helping a student find a book…"
"She's been on the warpath and finding any excuse to get rid of teachers that are close to Dumbledore," Hermoine explained.
"Well, she won' have any luck with me," said Hagrid confidently, sitting back down at the table and pouring them all more tea. "Never done anything that's again' the rules yet."
"The bloody hell you haven't, remember Fluffy!?" Ron shouted looking bewildered.
"Be fair," said Hagrid, grinning. "They only gave me a warnin' abou' him - yeh aren' really supposed ter keep summat like that in a school."
"Hagrid" Hermoine complained pinching her brow. "Be serious just teach us something dull that's bound to come up in our OWL."
But Hagrid merely yawned widely and cast a one-eyed look of longing towards the vast bed in the corner. "Lis'en, it's bin a long day an' it's late," he said, patting Hermione gently on the shoulder, so that her knees gave way and hit the floor with a thud. "Oh, sorry '"He pulled her back up by the neck of her robes. "Look, don' you go worryin' abou' me, I promise yeh I've got really good stuff planned fer yer lessons now I'm back… now you lot had better get back up to the castle, an' don' forget ter wipe yer footprints out behind yeh!"
"I dunno if we got through to him," said Ron a short while later when having checked that the coast was clear, they walked back up to the castle. Harry was lost in thought as he pulled out the piece of parchment paper.
"Then I'll go back again tomorrow," said Hermione determinedly. "Til plan his lessons for him if I have to. I don't care if she throws out Trelawney but she's not getting rid of Hagrid!"
Harry pulled out his wand as they walked, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," Harry said aloud. The map of Hogwarts appeared showing the footsteps of multiple people. Harry looked and saw the Hufflepuff common room on the map, not blacked out like before. He then scanned his eyes over the page, to the library. "No," Harry said quietly, his eyes looking like they were about to bulge out of his head.
"What is it?" Hermione said looking at where Harry was staring horrified, "What's wrong?"
"That black spot that was blocking out the Hufflepuff common rooms the other night is blocking out the library."
"Ok, so we know that it's a member of-" Ron said until he suddenly realized what Harry was getting at. "Mate you're not saying that."
"The shooter from Knockturn Alley that Hagrid mentioned could cancel out magic, they're a member of The Dark Triad," Harry said with a grim tone.
"So we aren't just dealing with people like Yuno, we're dealing with three individuals with their own unique abilities!" Hermoine gasped, as the three entered the Entrance of Hogwarts.
"Right on the money Granger," a voice said. The trio froze in place, their hearts racing after recognizing the voice.
"You know, it's rude to eavesdrop on someone's house call," Yuno said.