Hufflepuff boy - Cedric Diggory x male oc x Viktor Krum

19

Cayden, Harry, Ron and Hermione makes their way down the slope and past Buckbeak, chewing on a ferret with idle satisfaction.

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Hagrid stands by the window watching Buckbeak. Harry and Ron sit while Cayden and Hermione make tea.

"Look at 'em. Loves the smell o' the trees when the wind blows." Hagrid said.

"I say we set him free." Harry said.

"They'd know I did it." Hagrid said, shaking his head. "And tha' would only get Dumbledore in trouble. Gonna come down, yeh know. Says he wants ter be with me when it... when it happens. Great man, Dumbledore."

"We'll stay with you too, Hagrid." Hermione said, Cayden agreeing with her.

"Yeh will not! Think I wan' yeh seein' a thing like this! No. Yeh'll drink yer tea an' be off. But before yeh do-- I wan' ter see you an' Ron shake hands, Harry." Hagrid said.

Ron and Harry exchange a glance, then look to Hagrid.

"Thin' I haven't seen 'ow it's bin betw'n you two? Go on now..." Hagrid said.

Reluctantly, Harry and Ron extend their hands and shake.

"Good. Now then. Ron I wan' ter see you give Hermione a hug." Hagrid said.

"What!" Ron and Hermione said, eyes widening.

"Go on! You two've been at it all year. An' I'm sick o' it." Hagrid said.

"What about Cayden?" Ron asked, looking at the other Potter.

"He's been good friends to us, Ron." Harry answered for Cayden, coming to his defense. "He has never gotten mad at us before." He added, Hagrid nodded in agreement.

Acutely uncomfortable, Hermione and Ron step forward and perform perhaps the most awkward hug Hogwarts has ever seen.

"Crikey, that's jus' abou' the most pathetic hug I e'er seen. But yeh did it, an' that's wha' matters. There's jus' one other thing..." Hagrid said.

"I'm not kissing Fang if that's what you're thinking..." Ron said.

"I'll do it!" Cayden exclaimed excitedly, kneeling down to Fang's level. "Come here, Fang!" He said, opening his arms and showering Fang with kisses, who is thumping his tail happily on the floor.

Hagrid lets out a small chuckle and turns, takes the lid from a flour tin, a tiny head, ears flecked with powder, emerges.

"Scabbers! You're alive!" Ron said.

"Yeh should keep a closer eye on yer pets, Ron." Hagrid said.

"I think you owe someone an apology." Hermione said.

"Right. Next time I see Crookshanks, I'll let him know." Ron said.

"I meant me." Hermione said.

"Oh, here we go again." Cayden said, stopping the incoming bickering with just his words.

A glass jar on the shelf shatters. As Hermione scoops up a jagged star-shaped stone, a second stone bounces off the back of Harry's head.

"Ow!" Harry turns, looking out the window. "Hagrid..."

Everyone turns and looks. Professor Dumbledore and Fudge are approaching. Behind them, in a fluttering shroud of crows, the Executioner follows, axe at his side.

Hagrid begins to panic. "Yeh got to go! It's almost dark. Anyone sees yeh outside the castle it'll be trouble! Big trouble! 'Specially you, Harry--"

The door shakes as someone bangs on it. Hagrid stiffens in fear. Harry reaches up, puts his finger to Hagrid's trembling lips, and speaks softly to the others.