The Girl Who Dared

The Keeper of Keys

The person knocked again causing Dudley to wake up.

" Where's the cannon?" He said stupidly as I quirked my brow

There was a crash behind us and Uncle Vernon came rushing into the room. He was holding a rifle in his hands he was shaking turning redder by the second. I watched as the door caved in with such force that it snapped off the hinges. A giant man was standing in the doorway. I looked at his face, it was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair.

The giant squeezed his way into the hut, stooping so that his head just brushed the ceiling. He bent down, picked up the door, and placed it back into its frame. The noise from the storm had died down a little and he turned to look at all of us.

" Couldn't you make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey to get yer." He walked over to the sofa where Dudley sat frozen in fear.

" Budge up , yeh great lump," Said the man causing Dudley to squeak and run behind his mother who was crouching, terrified, behind Uncle Vernon. the man turned to Harry and I as we sat frozen in our place on the ground before smiling at us.

" Ah there you two are" Harry looked up at him as I tilted my head slightly.

" Las' time I saw you two, you were only babies" Said the giant man " An' Harry yeh look a lot like yer dad, but yeh've got your mum's eyes." He turned to me. " An' Jane yeh look a lot like yer mum, but yeh have your fathers eyes." The giant smiled at us as Uncle Vernon made a sound glaring at the giant man.

" I demand that you leave at once, sir!" He said turning redder and redder with every word." You are breaking and entering!"

" Ah, shut up Dursley, yeh great prune," The giant said back to him as reached over the sofa and jerked the gun out of Vernon's hands. He bent it into a knot as easily as if it had been made of rubber. I stared shocked and amused by this as the giant threw it into the corner of the room. Uncle Vernon made another noise as the giant went on.

" Anyway - Harry, Jane" He said to the both of us as we looked back up at him. " A very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here- I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all right" I watched as the giant man pulled out a slightly squashed box from his pocket handing it to Harry as he opened it. Inside sat a sticky chocolate cake with Happy Birthday Harry and Jane in green icing.

Harry looked up at the man at lost for words and I smiled up saying thank you and Harry asked who he was. I could have smacked the back of Harry's head for that.

" Ah, I haven't introduced meself. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts." He held out his hand for Harry to shake and shook his whole arm. I started to smile a little as Hagrid started a fire and asked for tea. I noted that Hagrid started to pull things out of his pocket. Sausages and a frying pan. I definitely needed a coat like this. Soon the entire shack was filled with the noise of sizzling sausages and the smell. It smelled pretty good. Hagrid passed Harry and I a few sausages mumbling about how small we were compared to the other kids our age. I began to eat them with out a second thought as Harry pushed his away before asking Hagrid what he does and Hagrid looked at him confused.

" Don't yeh know about Hogwarts don't yeh?" He stared at Harry and I before Harry shook his head and I munched away on Harrys sausages.

" Er... No we don't" Harry said worried. as Hagrid looked shocked.

" Sorry," Harry said quickly and I watched as Hagrid was starting to get angry.

" SORRY," Hagrid barked turning to stare at Vernon and Petunia. Who shrank back into the shadows. " Its them as should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't gettin' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts, Fer, cryin' Out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yer parents learned it all?"