Chapter 73
"Aragog was my friend," Hagrid said sadly. "I wasn't myself after he died."
"Hagrid, the dead are gone, but the living must go on," Albert said, patting his broad back. "I'm sure Aragog would be happy in the afterlife if he knew he'd helped you. Besides, like Dumbledore said, you tend to take things to heart."
"You're right," Hagrid said solemnly after a pause. "I shouldn't wallow like this. Dumbledore's done so much for me… I can't keep burdenin' him."
After finishing their tea, Albert and the others said their goodbyes. When they left, their pockets were bulging with Hagrid's homemade toffees.
"A man-eating spider… I still don't get why he keeps creatures like that. Thank Merlin it's dead," Ron muttered on the way back.
"That's not a nice thing to say! Hagrid's our friend," Harry frowned.
Albert interjected, "It's not about friendship. Remember, Ron, your brothers snuck into the Forbidden Forest in second year. Students do go exploring. If anyone stumbled on a colony of man-eating Acromantulas…" He shook his head. "Frankly, it's a good thing they're gone."
Harry fell silent for a moment. "Still… who could kill so many spiders at once?"
The three of them debated the matter on the walk back. In the end, after Albert subtly guided the discussion, Harry and Ron agreed that perhaps a stray fire-breathing dragon had wandered through the forest. After all, Hagrid had mentioned the heavy fire damage—and a Dark wizard would have harvested the valuable venom rather than simply torching the spider.
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The following days passed in rare peace. But a week before Christmas, an investigative team from the Ministry's Department of Magical Law Enforcement arrived at Hogwarts.
They went first to Hagrid's hut, then to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, and finally to the Headmaster's office.
Students whispered frantically, speculating about the Ministry's presence, but no one guessed the truth until the team left.
Two days later, a notice was posted in the corridors:
> Rubeus Hagrid, formerly restricted from the use of magic as the primary suspect in a historical case of student death, has been officially cleared. The Ministry of Magic acknowledges an error in judgment at the time.
The announcement stunned the school.
Albert noted wryly how efficient the Ministry was this time—so different from the chaos he knew would occur in Harry's original fourth year. He suspected several reasons: Dumbledore's influence was at its peak, Hagrid now had physical evidence (Aragog's remains) and a witness (Myrtle), and the original accusers were long dead. Clearing Hagrid's name only bolstered the Ministry's image rather than harming it.
Albert and Hermione personally congratulated Hagrid, who was glowing with happiness. Seeing him beam like a man ten years younger, Albert couldn't help but think that Aragog's death was, in its own way, a blessing. The creature had caused Hagrid decades of grief while alive, and in dying, it had finally freed him.
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In the second week of December, Professor McGonagall began collecting the names of students staying at Hogwarts for Christmas.
Albert signed up immediately. He still had a trove of family grimoires and magical texts to study, and he hoped the quieter castle would give him time to prepare.
The treasure hunt Nick had hinted at would have to wait until summer, which Albert regretted. Still, Dave had promised that everything he needed for his next move—preparations to confront the creature in the Chamber of Secrets—would be ready by Christmas. A mostly-empty castle would make that task far simpler.
In the days that followed, Albert spent hours helping Hagrid with basic spellwork and occasionally took over his cooking duties, which produced meals far superior to Hagrid's usual attempts.
He even used the opportunity as an excuse to prepare some nostalgic dishes from home. Hagrid happily supplied four or five roosters for the project, humming with delight.
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Finally, term ended, and snow blanketed the silent castle. Gryffindor Tower was nearly deserted; most of Albert's dormmates had gone home. Only a few remained—Harry, of course, and the Weasley twins, who had decided to skip the family trip to Egypt this year to spare the family extra expense.
On Christmas morning, Albert woke early. The dormitory was still and cold, and a neat stack of gifts lay at the foot of his bed.
Harry had sent him a copy of The Standard Book of Spells. The twins had gifted him a massive box of sweets—which Albert resolved to inspect thoroughly before tasting, knowing their sense of humor. Ron's gift was a "101 Household Curses" pamphlet, no doubt a reflection of his and Harry's perception of Albert as the resident bookworm.
Hagrid's gift was, predictably, a giant slab of sticky toffee. Learning that Harry and Ron had received the same, Albert realized Hagrid must have cooked a single cauldron and divided it among his friends.
The most precious gift came from Hermione: a transfiguration notebook painstakingly copied from Professor McGonagall's personal notes. Albert smiled. He had reciprocated with a handwritten herbology compendium from Professor Sprout, including his own notes on the Disarming Charm—a spell he knew Hermione had been eager to master.
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That evening, the Great Hall glimmered in festive splendor. With only a handful of students present, the cavernous space felt more magical than ever: frost-laden Christmas trees, garlands of mistletoe, and enchanted, warm snow drifting gently from the ceiling.
Dumbledore led the professors in singing carols, his voice merry. Hagrid's booming baritone grew louder with each cup of eggnog.
Fred and George had discreetly enchanted Percy's "Prefect" badge to read "Dunce," prompting roars of laughter around the table.
Draco Malfoy, denied the pleasure of tormenting Harry during the holiday, had already retreated to sulk in his room.
Laughter and warmth filled the hall. Albert ate heartily, knowing that night would demand his annual test of endurance: the legendary Hogwarts Christmas Feast.
To be continued…