Changing Fate For The Better | h.p au

Chapter 04

In an overly dramatic voice james started reading,

"Chapter 4, Keeper of the Keys, 

BOOM. They knocked again. Dudley jerked awake.

"Where's the cannon?" he said stupidly."

'This boy is very one minded' Minerva thought to herself. 

"There was a crash behind them and Uncle Vernon came skidding into the room. He was holding a rifle in his hands - now they knew what had been in the long, thin package he had brought with them."

"He had a gun with children in the room!" muggleborn student in Hufflepuff exclaimed

"What is a gun, and what happens to be this monstrous deal about them?" Walburga was particularly demanding for someone to tell her. She didn't see why most muggleborns and muggle-raised halfbloods were so frightened at the idea of a most likely lousy muggle object. 

"It's a weapon muggles use. They shoot out bullets with lots of force and could possibly kill someone if used incorrectly." Hermione said with a slight gulp at the end. The idea of Vernon and a rifle in the same sentence didn't sound right to the girl, or anyone really. 

Some people, who grew up in more magical homes went eyed at this, others remained calm without any reaction to this. 

"Who's there?" he shouted. "I warn you -- I'm armed!"

There was a pause. Then --

SMASH!"

People flinched at how loud James had yelled, which made the boy chuckle to himself. Then roll his eyes as Sirius and Remus were complaining to James saying he couldn't do that anymore because of their 'special hearing abilities'. 

"The door was hit with such force that it swung clean off its hinges and with a deafening crash landed flat on the floor.

A giant of a man was standing in the doorway. His face was almost completely hidden by along, 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 fitted it easily back into its frame. The noise of the storm outside dropped a little. He turned to look at them all.

"Couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey..."

"Hagrid!" Many students yelled out, including those from the future. 

The half giant blushed under all the attention he was getting. 

Though many Slytherins were sneering in disgust at the man, those Slytherins who weren't either had a liking for the half giant or simply didn't care for him, or what he was. 

"He strode over to the sofa where Dudley sat frozen with fear. "Budge up, yeh great lump," said the stranger. Dudley squeaked and ran to hide behind his mother, who was crouching, terrified, behind Uncle Vernon.

"An' here's Harry!" said the giant

Harry looked up into the fierce, wild, shadowy face and saw that the beetle eyes were crinkled in a smile. "Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby," said the giant. "Yeh look a lot like yer dad, but yeh've got yer mom's eyes." Uncle Vernon made a funny rasping noise." 

"Stop doing that." muttered Rodolphus to his brother as the boy was trying to recreate the rasping noise that was just stated. 

Rabastan rolled his eyes at his older brother as Regulus and Barty sat looking at the two with amusement.