𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦 ; 𝑜.𝑜.𝓅

thirty-seven

Weeks after Christmas holiday and everyone was back at Hogwarts, Hagrid returned from wherever he went to. Zoya and Hermione were the first to know, and they went to get Harry and Ron.

They ran down to his hut in the fields of Hogwarts excitedly, but stopped before knocking when they heard the voice of Professor Umbridge, "I will say this one last time. I'm ordering you to tell me where you've been."

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

"Your health?" Umbridge suspiciously questioned.

The four all snuck to a window to see the conversation, "Yeah. Bit of fresh air, you know."

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

Ron was standing near the doorway as Umbridge walked out. Zoya yanked him around the house to keep him hidden, cursing Umbridge under her breath as she sprayed herself with perfume before walking away from Hagrid's home. 

The four were let in after she was out of sight. They sat at his table while Hagrid sat in a separate chair a few feet away. He had a gash on his forehead, which he was dabbing with a wet cloth, "This is top secret, right?" Hagrid started, "Dumbledore sent me to parlay with the giants."

"Giants?!" Hermione asked rather loudly before being shushed by the other three, "You found them?" She asked a bit quieter. 

"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."

"Death Eaters?" Zoya asked quietly. 

"Yes." He replied, "Trying to persuade them to join You-Know-Who."

"And... did they?" Harry asked. 

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

"And they did this to you?" Zoya asked.

"Not exactly, no." Hagrid answered. Fang, Hagrid's dog, began to bark, "Oh, go on, you have it then, you dopey dog." He said, handing the dog a piece of meat. 

A low gust of wind suddenly went through his home, catching the attention of everyone in the hut. Fang continued to bark, and thunder began to rumble. The five stood up and slowly walked to the window, "It's changing out there. Just like last time. There's a storm coming, Harry. We'd all be best ready when she does."

It was only two days after that heavy storm that it broke to the papers about a mass breakout from Azkaban. Zoya was walking alongside, Harry, Hermione, and Ron into the Great Hall for breakfast, "Dumbledore warned Fudge this could happen." Hermione said. 

"He's gonna get us all killed, just because he can't face the truth." Zoya added blandly. 

"Harry?" Called out Seamus. The four turned to the boy, "I, uh, wanted to apologize. Now even me mum says The Prophet's version of things don't add up. So, what I'm really trying to say is that... I believe you."

"Thank you, Seamus." Harry replied. 

When the four went to sit down, Zoya quickly took note of Neville's worried state as he read the paper about the Azkaban breakout. 

"Neville? Are you all right?"

He put the paper down and nodded with sad eyes, "I'm all right."

"Are you sure? You don't look it."

"I'm just gonna go for a little." Neville rushed out, getting up from his spot and walking out of the Great Hall. 

Zoya and Harry found Neville in the Room of Requirement alone after school that day looking at photos taped to a mirror. 

"Neville?" Zoya called out. 

The two walked to him, looking up at the photo of the original members of the Order of the Pheonix. Zoya found herself forgetting that her own parents were part of the Order, taking quick note of them in the background of the photo with bright smile. 

She then looked at Neville, who was looking at the photo sadly, "14 years ago, a Death Eater named Bellatrix Lestrange used the Cruciatus Curse on my parents. She tortured them for information, but they never gave in. I'm quite proud to be their son." Neville said as he glanced down at the two, "But I'm not sure I'm ready for everyone to know just yet."

"We're gonna make them proud, Neville." Harry said as Zoya patted his shoulder supportively. 

"Your parents were apart of the Order, Zoya. A-are they still involved?" Neville asked. 

Zoya shook her head as she looked up at the photo, "No. They don't even use magic at home. I wish they would just pick up their wands and fight, but then I remember all they lost... I understand why they don't want to be part of the fight. You know, my parents were trying for another child after they had me. After a near-fatal night, my mother was hit with a dark curse. She could never have children again. Both of my parents don't like that I'm doing this, because it reminds them too much of what it was like for them."

Neville looked down at Zoya, "You've always been so kind to me, Zoya. I don't deserve it, none of us do."

She waved her hand in dismissal, "I reckon you deserve it the most considering how kind you've stayed through the relentless tormenting of Draco Malfoy and his gang. When we all look back on this, we'll all know that we are on the right side of things."