"Unless I'm what, Hagrid?"
"Unless you're a w... cough—"
Before Hagrid could blurt it out, he noticed Ares's expression turning dark. He choked back a huge gasp of air.
"Cough cough—a kind-hearted wizard—"
Although Ares Delfino was very young, both his status as a professor and the fact that he had saved so many students earlier were enough to earn Hagrid's respect.
Hagrid shrank his shaggy head and said guiltily, "Lots o' magical creatures only let kind-hearted folks near 'em... tha's all."
"Naturally." Ares's expression softened, and he nodded. "Plenty of girls have said the same thing—that I'm a good man... So, need a hand, Hagrid? I'll hold her, you wrap the bandage?"
"Tha' would be much appreciated, Professor Delfino," Hagrid said sincerely.
Tonight, Harry discovered yet another side to Hagrid.
Hagrid, who was twice the size of a normal man, was impossibly gentle when facing these rare creatures.
As he bandaged the unicorn's wound, the expression on his rugged face was like a mother tending to her injured cub. Moreover, his thick, clumsy-looking fingers were much more dexterous than they appeared. He cleaned the unicorn's wound, wrapped the bandage neatly, and even tied a little bow at the end.
"Phew, tha' shud do it—"
Watching the unicorn hobble around him, Hagrid beamed with joy.
"Go on, lil' one. Remember ter stay away from them crazy Centaurs and Acromantulas... they ain't listenin' to reason right now!"
The little unicorn blinked its soulful eyes, signaling it understood.
Then, it affectionately nuzzled its cheek against Hagrid's dustbin-lid-sized hand, turned its head, bowed its front leg to Ares, and trotted away.
"Honestly, bein' a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is a waste o' yer talent, Professor Delfino—"
On the walk back, Hagrid continued to express his regret.
"Have yeh ever considered steppin' down from yer current post... Er, yeh know, barely anyone lasts more 'n a year as a Defense professor anyway—after tha', maybe try bein' the Gamekeeper... It's a great job, really. Yeh get ter deal with all sorts o' cute lil' creatures, put yer talents to good use... Unless, yeh don't really like 'em?"
"Not at all, I love small animals."
"Really?!"
"Absolutely. Can't skip a meal without them!"
Hagrid: "....."
"Hagrid!"
Watching Hagrid walk toward his hut with Professor Delfino, seemingly lost in their own world, Harry, who had been standing in the cold wind for ages, couldn't help but shout.
"Who... Oh, blimey, I almost fergot about you two!"
Hagrid snapped out of it and said with a grin, "We just saw each other yesterday, didn't we, Harry? Miss me already... If yeh ask me, yeh definitely took after yer dad, James. First day o' school and runnin' about at night already?"
Harry glanced at Professor Delfino, who had become rather inconspicuous compared to Hagrid's bulk, and saw him smiling encouragingly at the two of them.
"I'm not just runnin' about, Hagrid—" Harry cleared his throat. "We're here for a reason."
"Is tha' so—why don't we go inside, Harry? Filch, that ol' git, likes to prowl around the grounds after dark. If he catches yeh..."
"Let's just talk here, Harry. We don't have much time," Ares added.
And so, the conversation began.
"I dunno if you've heard about... er, the 'Protect the Captain' game, Hagrid?"
"Oh, whaddaya think? Even Fang knows about it!" Hagrid looked at Harry, still smiling. "Students in the castle been talkin' about it all day, haven't they... Some say it's more fun than Quidditch. I wanna see it fer myself... If it's alright with yeh, Professor Delfino, could I come watch sometime?"
"That certainly won't be a problem," Ares said with a smile.
"Yeah, it's really fun!" Harry took a breath, his tone turning mournful. "But I haven't even had a chance to try it... Do you know that Professor Dumbledore has—"
"Ah, right, heard about tha' too." Hagrid clicked his tongue, looking regretful. "Just like Quidditch, first-years ain't allowed, right... Sigh, I know yeh must be upset... but Professor Dumbledore has his reasons. He's gotta be responsible fer all the students' safety... After tha' train business a few days back, honestly, I haven't seen Professor Dumbledore tha' angry in years!"
"We plan to change Professor Dumbledore's decision."
Hagrid's rambling made Harry realize he probably wouldn't be able to convince him easily, but he braced himself and said it anyway.
"Change... Professor Dumbledore's decision?"
"Exactly." Harry held his breath. "We have a plan... er, lots of people are involved—older students, professors, and some ghosts... um, we're trying to gather as many people as possible to negotiate with Professor Dumbledore... to get him to agree—"
Just like when Ron first confronted Malfoy, by the end of his sentence, under Hagrid's increasingly stern gaze, Harry's voice trailed off into gibberish.
Silence fell. Even Fang stopped whining and tucked his head in.
"This is pure nonsense, Harry!"
Hagrid suddenly exploded, glaring angrily at Harry. "Negotiatin' with Professor Dumbledore... a bunch o' students! The nerve o' yeh!"
"We just want to fight for our rights." Hagrid's anger actually sparked the boy's rebellious nature. Harry looked determined. "It's not nonsense."
"Not nonsense? Eh? Really?" Hagrid snorted hot air from his nose, looking scary. "Have yeh heard why Professor Dumbledore banned first-years from playin' that? —It's fer yer safety... After such a terrible disaster, do yeh have any idea how much pressure Professor Dumbledore is under to keep this school open?
"And how do you lot repay him, eh? Ganging up against him just to play a game of 'Protect the Captain'?
"Harry, Ron... Oh, and Professor Delfino, yeh're here fer this too, aren't yeh? I gotta say, you lot are simply—"
"I know where to get a Norwegian Ridgeback egg," Ares said.
"I gotta say—cough cough, o' course, fer kids yer age, wantin' to play somethin' excitin' ain't no crime."
Hagrid's sentence got tied in a knot, and his attitude did a complete 180!
He stared at Delfino eagerly, eyes shining. "Cough—well, to be honest, Professor Dumbledore sometimes... well, he worries a bit too much. Yeh came to me to ask me to talk some sense into Dumbledore, right... No problem, once the heat from the train incident dies down..."
"The goods are genuine, delivery upon payment, but you have to pay for it yourself, Hagrid... and you have to keep my secret. Also, when I have time, I can try to help you 'talk some sense' into the Acromantulas and Centaurs in the forest."
"Where's Dumbledore? I'll go have a word with him right now—honestly, what's wrong with kids wanting to play a game?!"
Read advance chapter in my Pat****
ilham20
Hogwarts start with werewolf
Hogwarts Grind is My Wizard Path
Hogwarts, Pilgrimage to Voldemort
Hogwart Magical Loan System
Hogwarts Dark Wizard
Hogwarts but System Stuck in Middle-earth!
Hogwarts My No-Limits Agency!
Hogwarts Might Makes Juctice!!!!