Half Blood Royalty

Mudbloods and Failed Curses

Harry and Hermione were supporting Ron out of the stadium and across the grounds towards the edge of the Forest. I trailed behind, as Harry already made it clear to me that he didn't need my help.

"Nearly there, Ron," said Hermione as Hagrid's cabin came into view. "You'll be alright in a minute... almost there..."

We were within twenty feet of Hagrid's when the front door opened, but it wasn't Hagrid who emerged. It was Lockhart, wearing robes of palest mauve today, who came striding out.

"Quick, behind here." Harry hissed, dragged Ron behind a nearby bush. Hermione and I both followed. Hermione was reluctant, but I completely understood.

"It's a simple matter if you know what you're doing!" Lockhart told Hagrid quite loudly, "If you need help, you know where I am! I'll let you have a copy of my book - I'm surprised you haven't got one. I'll sign one tonight and send it over. Well, goodbye!" And he strode away towards the castle. I couldn't help but find his words a bit funny. You'll send over a signed copy? Did Hagrid even want a signed copy, sir? Good on you for not letting fame get to your head. Once Lockhart had been out of sight, Harry pulled Ron out of the bush and up to Hagrid's front door, knocking urgently.

Hagrid appeared at once, looking very grumpy, but his expression brightened as he saw who it was standing at his door, "Bin wonderin' when you'd come ter see me - come in, come in - thought you mighta bin Professor Lockhart back again." Harry and Hermione supported Ron over the threshold, into the one-roomed cabin, which had an enormous bed in one corner, a fire crackling merrily in another. I quickly followed behind, as Harry still seemed reluctant to let me help. I couldn't really blame him. Draco IS my friend, and even if I despised the words he chose to use just moments ago, that doesn't change the fact that he is my friend. I'm shocked he allowed for me to follow them this far, if I'm being honest. Besides, although the term Mudblood has been said a lot around the lot that the Malfoy's all hung around and my father always made sure to that I understood that I must never use the terminology, Harry wouldn't have known that. For all I know, he thinks I agreed with Draco... Draco's choice of words... his attitude towards him and his friends. I never really understood the reason to why my father hated the word so much, but I understood completely the negative connotation that stood behind the word. Hagrid didn't seem perturbed by Ron's slug problem, which Harry had hastily explained as he lowered Ron down into a chair.

"Better out than in," Hagrid said cheerfully, plonking a large copper basin in front of him, "Get 'em all up, Ron."

"I don't think there's anything to do except wait for it to stop," said Hermione anxiously, watching as Ron bent over the basin.

"That's a difficult curse to work at the best of times, but with a broken wand..." Hagrid was bustling around the cabin, making them tea. Fang, Hagrid's boarhound, was slobbering all over Harry.

"What did Lockhart want with you, Hagrid?" Harry asked him, scratching Fang's ears.

"Givin' me advice on gettin' kelpies out of a well," growled Hagrid, moving a half-plucked rooster off his table and setting down the teapot, "Like I don' know. An' bangin' on about some Banshee he banished. If one word of it was true, I'll eat my kettle." It was most unlike Hagrid to criticize a Hogwarts professor, and Harry looked at him in surprise. I was, not gonna lie, kind of impressed to see him criticize a Hogwarts professor. It felt beautiful in the strangest way. Strange, but mesmerizing.

Hermione said in a voice somewhat higher than usual, "I think you're being a bit unfair. Professor Dumbledore obviously thought he was the best man for the job-"

"He was the on'y man for the job," spoke Hagrid, offering them a plate of treacle toffee, while Ron coughed squelchy into the basin. "An' I mean the on'y one. Gettin' very difficult ter find anyone for the Dark Arts job. People aren't too keen ter take it on, see. They're startin' ter think it's jinxed. No one's lasted long fer a while now. So tell me," said Hagrid, jerking his head at Ron, "who was he tryin' ter curse?"