Tver was in his office researching Herpo the Foul when he finished a phase of his work and found four indignant young witches and wizards outside his door.
"Go on," he said with a sigh. "What is it this time?"
He looked at the familiar trio of Harry and his friends, along with a slightly bewildered Fleur.
"Professor, have you seen today's paper?" Harry dragged a chair forward and spread a newspaper out in front of Tver.
"Look at this. Hagrid's identity has been exposed."
"Hagrid's identity? What identity?" Tver asked in surprise.
Was it his role as one of Dumbledore's trusted confidants? That hardly counted as a secret. Everyone already knew that.
"Giant. His identity as a half-giant," Harry said urgently.
"We went to his hut just now, but he wouldn't answer the door. We wanted to ask if you know where he is."
Only then did Tver glance down at the headline.
"How to Be a Good Professor?"
"Hogwarts professors have always been respected. However, in recent years, newly appointed teachers have been far from satisfactory."
"Over the past four years, Hogwarts has hired six new professors: five for Defence Against the Dark Arts, and one for Care of Magical Creatures."
"Their performances have been nothing short of disastrous!"
"Aside from Professor Fawley, I can scarcely find a single redeeming quality among them. It is as though all their virtues are concentrated in Mr. Tver Fawley."
"'Four years ago, Professor Quirrell couldn't compare to Professor Fawley at all. Thankfully I was only in first year and had Professor Fawley, or I might have failed the subject!' a fourth-year student told this reporter."
"As for Gilderoy Lockhart three years ago, the less said the better. He is currently residing in Azkaban."
"Two years ago, Professor Lupin's classroom, according to Slytherin's Vincent Crabbe, was perpetually filled with an atmosphere of fear."
"And Moody, who joined six months ago and is known as Mad-Eye, has allowed his former Auror vigilance to turn into impulsiveness and irritability."
"But today, what I wish to discuss is not these professors' shortcomings, but—"
"Compared to Rubeus Hagrid, this half-giant, their flaws may even be considered virtues!"
"It is common knowledge that giants are violent by nature and were driven by bloodlust to serve You-Know-Who during the last war."
"Yet now, as my investigation reveals, Fridwulfa's son, Rubeus Hagrid, is openly serving as a professor at Hogwarts, interacting with students day and night."
Tver stopped reading aloud when he noticed Harry and the others looking increasingly upset. He skimmed the rest silently.
There was little new. The article used the Hippogriff incident and the Blast-Ended Skrewts as examples to criticize Hagrid's understanding of dangerous creatures. It then contrasted Tver's popularity with Hagrid's teaching, painting Hagrid as completely unfit for his role.
"I don't know where Hagrid is," Tver said at last. "But I suspect he's in his hut. He simply didn't open the door for you."
He folded the newspaper and set it aside, not wanting them to grow angrier from rereading it.
The thought that Hagrid was deliberately avoiding them made the group even more dejected. They lowered their heads and stared at the floor in silence.
"I'll write to Rita Skeeter and have her apologize for slandering Hagrid."
Tver pulled out a sheet of parchment. A quill lifted itself and began writing automatically across the page as he dictated his words.
"As far as I know, Hagrid is a respected professor at Hogwarts. Not just by me. The other professors are more than willing to work with someone like Hagrid."
"Actually…" Hermione suddenly lifted her head, gathering her courage. "I'm not just angry about the article. It's not only this report."
"Yes, the prejudice in it is severe. But what really upsets me is this. Why do people think they can judge Hagrid's character and personality simply because he's a half-giant?"
Encouraged by the look in the professor's eyes, her voice grew steadier.
"I know giants' nature is difficult to change. Even Hagrid has been influenced by it to some extent."
She caught Harry about to object and fixed him with a calm, rational look.
"Harry, that's an objective fact. Only by acknowledging it can we truly help Hagrid, and help other mixed-bloods and magical creatures."
"Because a group's general nature does not automatically apply to every individual. And Hagrid is half human. He has human blood."
Fleur nodded at once.
Wizards always claimed that Veela had terrible tempers, but in truth it was usually humans breaking their promises that angered them.
"Still," Ron muttered with a strange expression, "Hagrid's dad must've been something else. I mean, with a giant…"
The heavy atmosphere in the office lightened instantly.
"Ahem." Tver coughed, his expression turning slightly odd as if he had thought of something himself.
"Hermione is absolutely right. This principle doesn't apply only to Hagrid. It applies to all intelligent beings, including humans."
"Take the four Houses at Hogwarts. We say bravery is a Gryffindor trait, but that doesn't mean every Gryffindor is brave, nor does it mean students from other Houses lack courage."
"But Slytherin is definitely bad," Ron muttered under his breath.
"You see? That's a textbook example of a stereotype."
Tver pointed at Ron, instantly drawing everyone's attention to him and making him flush bright red.
"Ron, even if you dislike Slytherin, even if the Slytherins you've met haven't been friendly, you shouldn't reduce every wizard from Slytherin to a single label."
Ron nodded vaguely. Letting go of his grudge against Slytherin was not something he could manage overnight.
Harry, however, looked at the professor thoughtfully.
Over the past few years, the professor had been instilling similar ideas in him. Now the scope had simply expanded to all intelligent beings.
Hagrid's situation only strengthened his belief in it.
"I think this would make a good article," Tver continued. "It could serve as a response to Rita's report and show people a more inclusive way of thinking."
He glanced meaningfully at Hermione and Fleur. The writing itself would clearly be left to them.
"We can help too," Harry said quickly, tugging at a still slightly confused Ron.
"We can barely manage our homework essays," Ron muttered.
"You two should sit this one out," Tver said bluntly. "Don't make things worse. And Harry, aren't you supposed to be preparing for the second task? Fleur and the others already have ideas. What about you?"
"Er…"
Harry scratched his head awkwardly.
"So this article will be Hermione and Fleur's responsibility. There's no need to rush. An important guest will be arriving soon to guide you."
Tver smiled warmly at Hermione and Fleur, his tone entirely different from the one he used with Harry and Ron.
The sadness over Hagrid vanished from the girls' faces at once. They exchanged a bright, knowing look.
They already knew who the guest would be.