Party Police.

Chapter Nine.

"(Y/n), wanna join us at Hagrid's?" asked Harry when he caught up to her.

"Sure. When?" (Y/n) agreed.

"Right now," Harry said.

"Oh," (Y/n) laughed, letting Harry take her hand and lead her away from the castle. She, Ron, and Harry made their way across the grounds. (Y/n) was the only one to know where Hagrid lived as she had stumbled across his wooden house at the edge of the forbidden forest by accident. A crossbow and a pair of goloshes were outside the front door.

When Harry knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, "Back, Fang— back." Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open. "Hang on," he said. "Back, Fang." He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.
There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.
"Make yerselves at him," insisted Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Ron and started licking his ears. Like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked.

"I think you know (Y/n), but this is Ron," Harry told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate. 

"Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles. "I spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest."
The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke their teeth. (Y/n) tried not to grimace as she subtly held her jaw. All three of the students pretended to be enjoying them as they told Hagrid all about their first lessons of the year. Fang rested his head on Harry's knee and drooled all over his robes.
Harry and Ron were delighted to hear Hagrid call Filch "that old git."
"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't rid of her— Filch puts her up to it." Harry went on to tell Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Like Ron, Hagrid told Harry not to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students. (Y/n), on the other hand, did not take this information lightly.

"But he seemed to really hate me!" Harry said.

"Rubbish!" Hagrid said. "Why should he?" Harry couldn't help thinking that Hagrid didn't quite meet his eyes when he said that.

"I can think of a list of reasons," (Y/n) muttered. Harry looked at (Y/n) in offence. "No, not in that way! I'll... explain later," she whispered to him, petting Fang's face when the dog cuddled up to her.

"How's yer brother Charlie?" Hagrid asked Ron. "I liked him a lot— great with animals."
Harry wondered if Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose. While Ron told Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons, Harry picked up a piece of paper that was lying on the table under the tea cosy. It was a cutting from the Daily Prophet:

GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST
Investigations continue into the break-in at Grin-
gotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards
or witches unknown.
Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing
had been taken. The vault that was searched had in
fact been emptied the same day.
"But we're not telling you what was in there,
so keep your nose out if you know what's good
for you," said Gringotts spokesgoblin this after-
noon.

Harry remembered Ron telling them on the train that someone had tried to rob Gringotts, but Ron hadn't mentioned the date.
"Hagrid!" said Harry, "that Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"