Close Or Far From The Law

Chapter 7 : 6. The Hagrid case

-Hello, Hagrid. How are you ?

-Harry, finally! You are alone ? You know you shouldn't walk around alone!

The man pulled him into the cabin and Harry tensed, hating the unexpected touch around his arm. A little too brutal for his taste too. He refrained from freeing himself and taking out his wand, surprised that this kind of reaction came to him. Grumbling, Hagrid was already preparing tea as he finished composing himself on the threshold of the house. Fang came to sniff him and Harry slowly reached out his hand for him to smell before petting him. He still wasn't comfortable with the dog because of his aunt Marge's… Who wasn't really his aunt, thank heavens for these little gifts.

-I needed to talk to you about something. Sorry to show up unexpectedly.

-Well, you're welcome whenever you want.

-THANKS. How's Buck doing?

Harry knew the question was difficult for the professor who looked really pained. Harry then remembered that they hadn't yet told the man what he could do to defend himself. It was a good opportunity to do so.

-It is tied behind the cabin. He hates it, he can't fly. And I can't let it fly.

-It's sad. But we thought about what you could do.

-How so ? Sit down. Do you want a cake?

-No thanks.

Harry sat up as asked and continued to pet Fang behind the ears as the dog rested his head on his thigh. The teenager saw the drool starting to cover his wizard robes, held back a grimace. Luckily, he wasn't the one cleaning. Hagrid placed a plate of rock-hard cake on the rough table he owned and served tea. Harry let him do it, he preferred that the half-giant was completely attentive to his business.

-Where are Ron and Hermione?

-They do their homework. Ron has been having trouble concentrating on Transfiguration so he has to finish today and Hermione is still working on her Arithmancy.

Hagrid nodded as he added sugar to his tea. As well as alcohol. Harry wanted to wrinkle his nose at this but instead tended to his own cup, especially since Hagrid made a rather bitter tea.

-So, for Buck, we all thought together and realized that you need testimony about what happened that day. I can't testify because my guardians will never want to but Ron can testify for example. And Neville too, I think.

-I don't really want to involve parents in this... They will say that I shouldn't be a teacher...

-We don't know anything about that. You can't guess what people think, you should give them the benefit of the doubt.

The half-giant remained grim as he shook his head. Harry continued, stirring his tea.

-Yeah, we know who I am.

Lie. Harry dared a spell to clean the drool stain from Hardfang who groaned to see it disappear. Normally Harry would have laughed about it but he felt like someone had just drained him of something. He looked at the gamekeeper who continued to move in all directions.

-I'm going back, I shouldn't walk alone in the evening, it seems.

-Oh, damn it! I'll take you home.

-No need, goodbye!

Harry fled before the man could say anything, his heart sinking, on the verge of tears. What were all these adults planning behind his back in the end? He hoped Voldemort would still give him the answers.

______

Dear Harry,

A new week begins, more and more plans to be made. You don't know how much I have to do to bring my business to fruition. How many obstacles stand before me. Of course, I expect you to no longer be one as I reveal the truth to you little by little. And I'm sure that if we could talk today, you would have a lot to teach me. Life at Hogwarts should be simple and easy, however I think fate has decided otherwise for you this point a long time ago.

My own education did not go smoothly. On the contrary while I was in my ancestor's house. You've noticed that Slytherins hold to a certain standard and I was just a poor orphan in my first year. It's fortunate that Slytherins value power (and their lives) like they value their money. Making my way among them was not easy and I fear that I still harbor resentments towards some of them today. Yet they are dead. So I wonder how you deal with these living beings who hurt you... How much longer will you be able to let them do their thing when you know how to scratch and bite...

Whatever you do to these people, I will support you, kitten. They have feasted on your pain for too long. Twelve years is a long time, even longer when things aren't getting better because of them. Is not it ? But let's not go too fast, you are so sweet, so kind. You have to think about revenge sometimes, but it remains abstract. I'll happily torture them for you, but you won't want it. So we're going to use the law. You will see, we will achieve our goals and you will finally be safe.

I will always keep you safe,

Yours,

L.V.

Why the idea of this murderer wanting to keep him safe warmed his heart instead of scaring him. Once again, Harry was well aware that his emotions towards Voldemort were not normal but he couldn't explain them to himself. He felt really close to the man, it wasn't even the first time he had thought about it, even in his second year he had talked about it with Dumbledore. Who had assured him that they were different because he knew how to love. Except Voldemort seemed to know how to love too. Of course, he could pretend to have affection for him, but at this point... If the dark wizard took him in his arms, it was on his own, not because Harry wanted to. He was just getting used to it... He had to admit that he liked it too...

-Okay, friends, I'm going to do something a little crazy, I think.

Ron looked up first from his book, grumpy as class had only just ended.

-About Hagrid?

-No, no, about me.

Hermione raised her head too, her eyebrows furrowed.

-What are you talking about, Harry?

-You see, Neville. On his left hand he has a ring.

-Oh, you're talking about the heir ring. Bill should have one but since Dad isn't a lord anyway... We lost everything a long time ago... Unless it's my great-aunt who has the ring.

-I don't have mine. And Neville implied that this isn't normal. Maybe someone stole it from me.

Hermione put down her quill, all her attention focused on him.

-What do you want to do ?

-Ask the goblins if she was in the chest and based on what they tell me, organize legal proceedings.

-For a simple ring?

-Except it's not a simple ring, Hermione. With this, we can sign things for Harry. So... Maybe someone is stealing his identity... An heir ring is used for a lot of official things, really.

The idea made Harry's blood run cold. Maybe we were playing with his identity? While he was struggling to have one of his own that would emerge from his fame? No wonder Voldemort told him to actually press charges. He quickly grabbed a parchment and began a letter to Gringotts. Hermione abandoned her work to help him, anxious in her turn while Ron tried to remember what could be done with the ring. Too many things for the well-being of his best friend...