second//bill weasley

sixteen

From what I have heard Hagrid is back at Hogwarts. I waste no time heading down to his hut. I knock on the door. Hagrid opens it with a big smile on his face.

"Annie," he greets. He moves to the side. "Come in. Come in."

"I heard you were back." I walk over and sit in a chair. "Wanted to come hear all about your adventures first hand."

Hagrid chuckles. "What an adventure it was."

I gesture to the cuts and bruises he's got. "I can see. Did they at least say they would think about helping us?"

Before Hagrid can say anything there is a knock on the door. Hagrid looks surprised as he stands up to open the door.

"Dolores, what a surprise," Hagrid says. Hagrid steps aside as she walks into the hut. She looks around in disgust. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I do think we should have this conversation without Mrs Donovan present," Umbridge states.

"I don't know." I shrug my shoulders. "This is Hagrid's home and I am rather comfortable right here."

Umbridge stares at me until she realises I won't give in. She turns back to Umbridge. "You will tell me where you've been."

"I've been on a little break," Hagrid tells her.

"A break from what?" Umbridge asks.

"A break for my health," Hagrid tells her.

"I will say this one last time. I'm ordering you to tell me where you've been," Umbridge states.

"I told you. I've been away for me health," Hagrid states.

"Your health?" Umbridge questions.

"Yeah. Bit of fresh air, you know," Hagrid says.

"Oh, yes. As gamekeeper, fresh air must be difficult to come by. If I were you, I wouldn't get too used to being back. In fact, I mightn't bother unpacking at all," Umbridge warns.

"Have a nice day, Dolores," I tell her as she leaves. After she leaves I turn to Hagrid. "Wait till you hear what problems her and I have been having."

Maddie, Ron, Hermione, and Harry show up at the door. Hagrid starts to explain how he got covered in cuts and scrapes and bruises and where he has been this whole time.

"This is top-secret, right? Dumbledore sent me to parley with the giants," Hagrid tells us.

"Giants?" Hermione asks loudly. Hagrid shushes her. "You found them?"

"Well, they're not that hard to find, to be perfectly honest. They're so big, see? I tried to convince them to join the cause. But I wasn't the only one that was trying to win them over," Hagrid tells us.

"Death Eaters," Ron states.

"Yes. Trying to persuade them to join You-Know-Who," Hagrid states.

"Did they?" Harry asks.

"I gave them Dumbledore's message. Suppose some of them remember he was friendly to them. I suppose," Hagrid says.

"And they did this to you?" Maddie asks.

"Not exactly, no." Fang barks and Hagrid roses the steak he's been using on his eye at the dog. "Oh, go on, you have it, then, you dozy dog." A breeze comes through the house. Hagrid gets up and looks out the front door. "It's changing out there. Just like last time. There's a storm coming, Harry. We'd all best be ready when she does."

I land in the middle of the address Bill gave me. I realise I'm in a small living room. I look around but I don't see Bill.

"Bill?"