Hagrid's Hut (fiction)

"You don’t need to literally hang on to me at every second," said Sparrow, as she stood with Jill’s arm draped over her shoulders, before the open door of Hagrid’s hut.

There was a TWANG from inside, and something shot out, impacting Sparrow’s instantly-raised shield spell. A crossbow bolt clattered onto the stone of the steps.

"See?" said Sparrow. "I could handle that."

"At this point," said Jill, "I’m tempted to ask Miranda to brew us a bottle of Felix Felicis."

"Hm?" said Iphis. He had one hand clasped in Wren’s, and the other was fishing through his pocket. He brought out a tiny bottle full of a golden liquid that glinted in the light. "Completed last week."

Jill and Sparrow both gaped at the bottle. "How," spluttered Jill, "how in Potter’s name –"

"Are you asking for the recipe?" said Iphis. "Bear in mind, it involves extremely rare ingredients, ritual magic, specific phases of the moon, and an unbroken sequence of lucky breaks. If it is something Miranda saw as a challenge, one wonders how much effort it would take us mortals."

"We might get it ourselves," said Wren, "if we had a hundred years."

"It could well take that much," grumbled Iphis.

"Hey," said Sparrow, "Can I, uh –"

Iphis shoved the bottle back in his pocket. "It’s for the mission, and even then it’s emergencies only. If you try to order it out of my hands, captain, I will flatly refuse you."

"At least we’re getting our insubordination out of the way ahead of time," grumbled Sparrow.

Out of the hut stepped Hagrid, looking embarrassed. "Terribly sorry," he said, "Didn’t even notice that crossbow was there, my place is a right mess at the mo’. Glad ye haven’t been around in a bit, it’s rather embarrassing actually."

"I’m sorry I haven’t been," said Sparrow. "We’ve all been terribly busy."

Hagrid looked at Wren, and chuckled. "Well, one of ye has. Young McKinnon, ye’ve made quite a spectacle of yourself."

Wren stepped past Sparrow, and shook Hagrid’s hand. "I’m working on the spectacles. Good to see you again, Hagrid, it has indeed been too long. Sparrow here has been doing her best to make sure we’re ready for the most punishing test of our lives."

"Most punishing thus far," said Iphis, moving up to stand beside Wren once more.

"We’re certainly going to be setting greater tests for ourselves," said Jill. "Greetings, Hagrid. Are you available for tea?"

"Come in," he said, turning back through the door and beckoning them enter. "C’mon, I don’t get enough company these days."

And so the four of them made their way into the spacious hut, that Sparrow could see was indeed cluttered with all manner of things – gardening equipment, hunting tools, woodworking tools, pots and pans, this and that and everything – the only place Sparrow could see was perfectly clear was the hearth, where a merry fire burned, and the table, already set with places.

There was a small thump of air, and Jocasta appeared, sitting in one of the chairs.

"How long have you been in here?" said Sparrow.

Jocasta smirked. "There is no way for you to know, is there?"

"You can’t just barge into someone’s house uninvited –"

"But you can barge in invited," said Jocasta. "I’ll make a note of that."

Hagrid chuckled. "Oh, I was gonna invite ye all in, no doubt of that. I saw that glowing disc heading my way and I knew ye were coming for me. Unless ye were planning to head into the Forbidden Forest, where students are not permitted to enter, hm?"

"I was permitted when you dragged me in there," grumbled Sparrow.

"Water under the bridge," said Jocasta, as she led Sparrow to her seat, and the others followed. "Or I should hope so. Have we got through all our hard feelings?"

Hagrid sat himself down in his much larger chair. "I wonder about that. Your Sparrow here, I know she listened to what I taught her, and all, and even took it to heart – yet still, somehow, not exactly obeying me."

"We’re difficult people to contain," said Wren.

"Miranda’s containing herself," grumbled Iphis, sitting slumped in his seat with his arms crossed. "She’s staying in her greenhouse today."

"Really," said Jocasta, "she can’t even take time out to have tea? That’s not cricket."

"I guess the plants make excellent conversation," said Jill.

Wren laid a hand on Jocasta’s shoulder, staring into her eyes. Jocasta seemed startled by the attention – but then her eyes flashed green as Wren’s flashed orange. Whatever conversation was occurring was not for anyone else to hear.

Jocasta closed her eyes for a few moments – then her eyes flew wide, and she began to fall sideways off her chair, arrested only by Wren’s hand. There was a small thump of air, and Sparrow was just able to see a tiny little fly fleeing to Jill’s shoulder. • _{MIRANDA IS NOT TO BE DISTURBED TODAY IN ANY CAPACITY.} •

"I am sorry you had to learn about that the hard way," said Iphis.

Sparrow grimaced. She knew exactly what that was about, and knew she wasn’t to speak of it in polite company. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder if the girl would actually feel better with company, in the midst of grief.

"Nice hair," said Hagrid to Wren, as if to shift the conversation to a lighter topic. "Why’d ye want it that long though?"

"To braid it," said Wren, and nothing else, as if this were answer enough. Though at Hagrid’s puzzled expression, they sighed. "Alright, so maybe being cutely cryptic isn’t the best approach." They took a deep breath. "Call me not master nor mistress, sir, neither sir nor madam, and know that henceforth my name is Wren."

Hagrid raised his eyebrows. Then he chuckled, and glanced at Sparrow. "We’ve got a theme going then, eh?"

"The world could certainly use more birds," said Sparrow.

"And that was a pretty speech," said Hagrid. "Reminds me of how Miranda talks sometimes. And not just yer speech that’s fancy, eh? That’s quite an outfit. Bit outside the school uniform rules, but nicely done, whoever did it."

"One among many reasons I am proud of my dearest," murmured Iphis, his hand finding Wren’s. Wren’s face turned pink.

There was a whistling from the stove. Hagrid rose to his feet and bustled over to it. "What brings ye all my way anyway?" He said, as he filled the teapot. "I’d have expected ye to be shut up in that castle with whatever ye’ve all been busy with."

"Brother Ealdwine begged us to take a day of rest," said Jocasta. "I still don’t know who this ‘Lord’ is he was referring to."

Hagrid set the teapot on a tray and moved to the pantry cabinet, loose antlers and skulls clattering as he kicked them out of the way. "Brother Ealdwine!" said Hagrid. "Yer talkin’ about the Fat Friar then, are ye? Ye remembered his name. Not many bother."

"You know him that well?" said Sparrow. "How many castle ghosts do you know?"

"Oh, well," said Hagrid, "plenty, I suppose. They like to hear me talk about the Forbidden Forest and all, since they can’t get there themselves – stuck haunting the castle they are, aren’t they? Not that it’s easy for me to roam about the whole castle looking for them, mind, I can’t exactly fit everywhere in there, can I? Ye can see why Dumbledore had me at a job that mostly kept me outside. The castle’s for you lot, the grounds are for me!"

"But you know enough about Ealdwine," said Sparrow.

"I’ve had tea with him in the Great Hall, for many a Christmas. It’s our annual thing."

"He’s been around as long as the castle," said Sparrow. "Does he ever say anything about its history?"

"I don’t often ask," said Hagrid. "Mostly he likes to chat about the students he meets." He fixed Sparrow with a steady stare. "He told me enough about you, girl, in your early years."

"He was watching even then," murmured Sparrow.

Hagrid set the tray down on the table, and poured everyone a cup. "He’s got aught else to do, besides watch and talk. Why ye’d want to stick around as a ghost, well! That’s his business, I suppose."

"It’s all about the haunting," said Iphis. "Though I wonder, indeed, what manner of unfinished business could keep a jolly ghost like him around so long. You might ask him, next time he comes. Or I might."

"Ye’d have me be so rude?" said Hagrid.

"You can put it diplomatically," said Sparrow.

"Hmph." Hagrid poured a cup of tea for himself, and lifted it delicately, tiny as it was in his fingers. He proceeded to knock the entire cup back at once. "I have a penchant for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. You do it, ye’ve got three Hufflepuffs among you! The house of the kindly old duffers, eh?" He poured himself another cup and knocked that one back as well. "Ah, but I know what you’re after when ye ask about Hogwarts history. Ye want to know about the Statute of Secrecy then, don’t ye? Well I can’t help ye." He poured a third cup. "Keeping my hands clean of that."

"I wouldn’t blame you," said Iphis. "Although, everyone’s hands might be clean now. The Ministry appears to have removed all the books that might shed light on the matter."

Hagrid had been about to take another swig of tea, but his hands froze. "Did they? Well, now, I’ve only ever forbidden Sparrow to ask after the matter, I hadn’t forbidden anyone else! That’s going a bit too far, it is."

"It’s a very strange thing," said Iphis. "To be so delicate and furtive about getting in our way. If they’re that worried about us knowing about the Statute, they could just bring the hammer down on us, couldn’t they?"

"Could they?" said Hagrid, eyeing Sparrow. "And how well do ye think it would work, to try to bring a hammer down on old Miss Jones here?"

"A total failure," said Sparrow, drawing herself up proudly.

"Iffy is talking about legal sanctions," said Jill. "Arrests, and all that. Not that it would be easy to go after us directly." She cracked her knuckles for emphasis.

The little fly leapt off Jill’s shoulder. In a moment, Jocasta was sitting back in her seat. "Nor would it be remotely wise," she said. "Considering that Sparrow seems to have most of the school – which is to say, the majority of young Wizards in Britain – on her side already. And whoever tried to cut us off with that Howler attack only cemented her reputation."

"Talking of which," said Wren, "Hagrid, by any chance, have you been out to the train bridge? Is it holding up well enough?"

Hagrid grunted. "It isn’t holding up at all," he grumbled. "Keeps falling apart. The pieces won’t stick together. It’s been cursed. Professor Flutwick and Professor Wimble have been busy making a new one, but it will take some time."

A deafening silence fell over the room, as all the children exchanged nervous glances.

Wren was the first to break the silence. "We really are under silent siege, then."

"I’ve gotten us all in over our heads," said Sparrow. "Maybe Cleo was right. Maybe we’re too young for this."

Jocasta crossed her arms, looking sullen, eyes downcast. "We were far too young for what happened to us."

"We’re too young for what’s happening to us right now," muttered Jill.

Hagrid looked concerned. "What exactly happened to –"

Jill held up a hand. "Not here. Not now. Not you. I’m really sorry." She looked up at Hagrid with a guilty expression. "It’s...it’s not safe. Not for you or the structure around you."

Hagrid looked nonplussed. But he relaxed, and sipped his tea. "Harry was too young, I’ll tell you that much. Much too young, far too young, really, how much younger could he have been? Just a wee little baby when his parents were killed – and then just a tiny little thing when I first met him, half-starved."

"He did have rather a bad start," said Iphis.

"And then," continued Hagrid, "to be dragged into being the Chosen One, the moment he stepped into Hogwarts...and then to be pulled into one hair-raising peril after another because of Voldemort’s schemes...and then had the weight of the world set upon his shoulders, all before he was even full grown...and combined with how awful those Dursleys were to him, sometimes I wonder if he even had a childhood! Well, then. Maybe, someday, if you can find him, ye can ask him what it’s like."

"He’s alive?" said Sparrow.

"Why would he not be?" said Hagrid. "He’s always been a dab hand at defending himself, Wizards live a long time, he hasn’t even reached my age yet, so I wouldn’t expect him to be worrying about moving on...but I did say find him, he’s definitely not one for fame. Not after everything."

"Yet another quest to add to our list," said Iphis.

"For what it’s worth," said Hagrid, "I think you’re all doing a bit better than him, anyway."

Jill looked confused. "Even with –"

"You’ve been through some terrible things," said Hagrid. "But from what I hear, you all decided to actually deal with the source of the problem. You’re all tackling things...what’s the word...proactively. Instead of just defending your world from threats as they come, the way Harry did. And ye’ve got each other, aye, Captain?" He winked at Sparrow.

Sparrow sighed, settling back in her chair, teacup in hand. "What we’ve managed to spin out of Professor Longbottom’s casual metaphor."

"Wait," said Jocasta, "what was that about moving on?"

Hagrid chuckled. "Well, look at me. Getting on in years, aren’t I? Got too many years on me, don’t I? Time will come soon enough that it’s my time to go. I’ve just been thinking about that, is all. Thinking about having my grave laid down beside Grawp, and then I’ll be taking that west-bound train…"

Sparrow glanced at all the bric-a-brac cluttering the hut. "Does that have anything to do with the mess?"

"Just trying to figure out who ought to get what," said Hagrid. "I’d have cleaned up if I knew you were coming sooner."

The mood around the table was suddenly subdued. None of the children wanted to look up from their tea.

"I’m sorry to be leaving you all sooner rather than later," said Hagrid. "But, at the same time, I’m glad to be getting out now. I don’t envy you all having to keep dealing with the awful state of this world."

Sparrow gripped her teacup tightly. She looked up into Hagrid’s eyes. ⋄⋄_{IF I HAVE TO DIE TRYING, SIR, I WILL GIVE YOU CHANCE TO SEE THE GREEN AND GROWING WORLD AGAIN BEFORE YOU GO.} ⋄⋄

Hagrid frowned. "Heavens, Sparrow, haven’t we just been talking about you all being too young for things? Don’t fling yourself onto the fire for an old fuddy-duddy like me."

"Too late," said Wren. "She’s set on it now."

Hagrid shook his head slowly. "All this for our old griefs." He glanced at Jill, then Jocasta. "And you two really can’t tell me anything about what happened to you?"

Both girls nodded.

"And you make it sound like things will go magically bang if you do."

Both girls nodded again.

Hagrid chuckled. "Well, I know a path a certain someone made to a remote spot in the Forbidden Forest, you might have it all out there. Or if you’re not willing to go that far, maybe ask someone who can’t be harmed? If there’s anyone worth pouring out your troubles to, it’s Brother Ealdwine."

Both girls exchanged glances.

"He’s nice," said Hagrid. "Not like most of the rest of the ghosts that are lost in their own regrets. Give him a try, if ye like."

"I may do," murmured Jocasta, looking pensive.

The sun was now full noon, as Sparrow could see through the windows, and it was getting a little warm for tea. She set her cup down. "It’s been lovely talking with you, Hagrid. Thank you for the reassurance."

"Least I could do," said Hagrid. "You all alright, then? Got enough tea in ye?"

"Never enough," said Iphis. "But one cannot sit and take tea the whole day. You’ve got your own matters to attend to, do you not?"

"S’pose I do,’ said Hagrid, looking around at the clutter. "But, feel free to come by any time."

…

There hadn’t been a great deal of conversation as they had crossed the grounds. Being so close by each other each day, distanced from the other students as they were and focused on roughly the same tasks, there wasn’t much they might ask each other that they didn’t already know – and the things they might ask each other were the sort of confidential topics that couldn’t be discussed lightly.

Jill and Jocasta were sticking close to each other, moving slowly. Sparrow found herself sticking by Iphis, who was looking thoughtful. Sparrow cleared her throat. "Sickle for your thoughts?"

"I am only thinking about how exactly we might be in over our heads," said Iphis. "If it is any reassurance...genuinely the only opposition to our efforts we have seen has been non-official. There hasn’t been a single word from the Ministry –"

"Besides Ruby Potter confronting me back in London," said Sparrow.

"The Ruby Potter?" said Jill.

"Pretty sure she doesn’t want to be famous in her line of work," said Sparrow, "but yes. She griped at me a lot, warned me about official disapproval, said the Ministry would come down hard on me as soon as they started taking me seriously...then, nothing. I don’t know what’s going on with those clowns."

"And in the meantime," said Iphis, "all we’ve got put in our way is illegal stuff. Bombing a dance floor, blowing a train bridge, and maybe also turning an entire town into shades? You’d think a whole government could just openly move against us. Whoever’s doing this is either not connected to them, or is connected to a department that’s trying to avoid getting noticed."

"So we don’t have the whole avalanche coming down on us yet," said Sparrow. "What’s the holdup?"

Jocasta held silent, but she found Sparrow’s hand, and gave it a squeeze. She didn’t meet Sparrow’s eyes. For all that Sparrow found comfort in the girl’s touch, her silence was unsettling.

And annoying. Sparrow took a deep breath. "Okay, girls, you two can at least give me a few breadcrumbs here. Please? Give me something to work with, I’m not going to be horrified, I’m not going to blab to anyone outside the crew, you probably won’t vaporize me. So give me something."

"You really want to know?" said Jill. She glanced at Jocasta, who nodded slightly. "Take a trip down into the caverns below the dungeons and you’ll see things you don’t want to see. Bring your girl down there and you’ll see things she doesn’t want you to see."

Sparrow frowned. "Is this about the locked door again?"

Jocasta nodded.

"All tangled together," said Wren. "What a mess! And on a day of rest? We need some cheer. Iphis?"

They had reached the great front door of the castle. Iphis turned back to Wren and raised an eyebrow. "And since when do I, of all people, ever do cheer?"

"When you have something exciting to show us," said Wren. "Go on, then, don’t keep hiding it any longer."

"Alright, alright." Iphis was rolling his eyes, but with a faint smile on his face, his mask of dignity finally slipping. "Little gift from Miranda." He dug in his pocket and drew out a handful of small vials filled with a glowing purple liquid. Handing one to each of the crew, he uncorked his own and downed the contents. Then he shook his wand out of his sleeve, cast the modified wall-crawling spell on himself, then crouched and leapt, springing upward to the rooftop.

Sparrow glanced at the rest of her friends – Jocasta, who was looking eager, Jill, who was looking nervous, and Wren, who was looking impatient. She uncorked her own vial and knocked back the potion, suddenly feeling a tense and terribly restless sensation in her limbs, like she wanted to jog all the way across the grounds. She crouched, and then leapt –

The wind buffeted her face as the stonework and windows flew past, until she was hanging at the top of her arc, above the roof.

Then she descended towards it, realizing too late that she was already coming in too fast for a gentle landing –

But when she impacted the slate, all she did was crouch again and spring upward, like she was a tireless frog. And there was Iphis ahead of her, bounding from the slope of one tower to another, every bit of his cool dignity forgotten as he whooped and hollered. So too did Sparrow find herself hollering as she followed his path, bounding off this roof, that flagpole, that walkway, the shape of Hogwarts no longer a puzzling labyrinth to plod through but a forest of spires and surfaces to speed her way along above it all. Behind her, she could hear the rest of her friends laughing for joy in their flight.

Only when she impacted the side of a tower and found herself forced to cling to the sill of an open window did she realize three terribly disturbing things. Firstly, that she had forgotten to cast the wall-crawling spell; secondly, and perhaps more importantly, there was a familiar cat sitting at the other edge of the sill. Thirdly, this room looked awfully familiar.

Sparrow had half a mind to just let herself drop. But before she could do so, the cat sprang off the sill and swiftly took the form of Headmistress McGonagall, who glowered at Sparrow. "Step into my office, Miss Jones."