Avacyn Lily Potter

Finally Free

Hagrid breathed heavily and sat back on the couch "That's better," Harry said "But what happened to Vol... sorry... I mean, You-Know-Who?" Hagrid said "Good question, Harry. Disappeared. Vanished. The same night he tried ter kill you. Makes yeh even more famous. That's the biggest mystery, see... he was gettin' more an' more powerful... why'd he go? Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die. Some say he's still out there, bidin' his time, like, but I don' believe it. People who was on his side came back ter ours. Some of 'em came outta kinda trances. Don' reckon they could've done if he was comin' back. Most of us reckon he's still out there somewhere but lost his powers. Too weak to carry on. 'Cause somethin' about you finished him, Harry. There was somethin' goin' on that night he hadn't counted on... I dunno what it was, no one does... but somethin' about you stumped him, all right." I said "Hagrid, I think you must have made a mistake. I don't think I can be a witch or Harry a wizard." Hagrid chuckled "Not a witch, eh? Never made things happen when you was scared or angry? See? Harry and Avacyn Potter, not a witch or wizard... you wait, you'll be right famous at Hogwarts." But Uncle Vernon wasn't going to give in without a fight. "Haven't I told you they're not going? They're going to Stonewall High and they'll be grateful for it. I've read those letters and they need all sorts of rubbish... spell books and wands and..."

Hagrid cut him off "If they want ter go, a great Muggle like you won't stop them, Stop Lily an' James Potter's son and daughter goin' ter Hogwarts! Yer mad. their names have been down ever since they was born. They're off ter the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. Seven years there and they won't know themselves. They'll be with youngsters of their own sort, fer a change, an' they'll be under the greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had, Albus Dumbled..." Uncle Vernon yelled, "I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH THEM MAGIC TRICKS!" But he had finally gone too far. Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled it over his head, Harry put his arms around me to protect me as Hagrid yelled "NEVER — INSULT — ALBUS — DUMBLEDORE — IN — FRONT — OF — ME!" He brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point at Dudley. There was a flash of violet light, a sound like a firecracker, a sharp squeal, and the next second, Dudley was dancing on the spot with his hands clasped over his fat bottom, howling in pain. When he turned his back on them, I saw a curly pig's tail poking through a hole in his trousers. Uncle Vernon roared. Pulling Aunt Petunia and Dudley into the other room, he cast one last terrified look at Hagrid and slammed the door behind them. Hagrid looked down at his umbrella and stroked his beard. "Shouldn'ta lost me temper, but it didn't work anyway. Meant ter turn him into a pig, but I suppose he was so much like a pig anyway there wasn't much left ter do."

He cast a sideways look at us under his bushy eyebrows. "Be grateful if yeh didn't mention that ter anyone at Hogwarts, I'm... er... not supposed ter do magic, strictly speakin'. I was allowed ter do a bit ter follow yeh an' get yer letters to yeh an' stuff... one o' the reasons I was so keen ter take on the job..." I said "Why aren't you supposed to do magic?" he said "Oh, well... I was at Hogwarts meself but I... er... got expelled, ter tell yeh the truth. In me the third year. They snapped me wand in half an' everything. But Dumbledore let me stay on as gamekeeper. Great man, Dumbledore." I said "Why were you expelled?" he changed the subject "It's gettin' late and we've got lots ter do tomorrow, Gotta get up ter town, get all yer books an' that." He took off his thick black coat and threw it to Harry. "You can kip under that, Don' mind if it wriggles a bit, I think I still got a couple o' dormice in one o' the pockets." Harry and I laid down and Harry draped the jacket over us, and I cuddled close to my brother.

We woke early the next morning. Although I could tell it was daylight, I kept my eyes shut tight. Harry mumbled "It was a dream, I dreamed a giant called Hagrid came to tell me my sister and I were going to a school for wizards. When I open my eyes we'll be at home in our cupboard." There was suddenly a loud tapping noise. I groaned and Harry mumbled again "All right, we're getting up." we sat up, me against my will, as he pulled me up. Hagrid's heavy coat fell off us. The hut was full of sunlight, the storm was over, Hagrid himself was asleep on the collapsed sofa, and there was an owl rapping its claw on the window, a newspaper held in its beak. Harry scrambled to his feet, he went straight to the window and jerked it open. The owl swooped in and dropped the newspaper on top of Hagrid, who didn't wake up. The owl then fluttered onto the floor and began to attack Hagrid's coat. Harry tried to wave it away "Don't do that." but it snapped its beak fiercely at him and carried on savaging the coat. Harry loudly said "Hagrid! There's an owl..." Hagrid grumbled "Pay him," I said "What?" he said "He wants payin' fer deliverin' the paper. Look in the pockets." Hagrid's coat seemed to be made of nothing but pockets... bunches of keys, slug pellets, balls of string, peppermint humbugs, and teabags... finally, Harry pulled out a handful of strange-looking coins.