𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑢𝑝𝑜𝑛 𝑎 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚 \\ 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗷. 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿

𝐿𝑉.

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙞𝙛𝙩𝙮-𝙛𝙞𝙫𝙚

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

THE TRAIN RIDE back to school was uneventful, probably because Caroline spent the entire journey asleep on Harry's shoulder. Harry barely breathed, afraid he might wake her up, and he spoke quietly with Hermione and Ron. Their cats were in Harry's lap, and when Caroline woke up as the train arrived, she placed them in her bag.

Classes started the next day, and Caroline didn't even close her eyes once during the night. She couldn't sleep without Harry, and she had built up a tolerance to sleeping draughts, so it didn't work like it used to. She would have to ask Madam Pomfrey for stronger doses.

But she forced herself to get dressed, put on makeup, straighten her braids and walk downstairs. Harry was there, waiting for her, as he always promised he would. He kissed her temple and the terrifying voices in her head quieted, for just a minute, but it was enough to get her through. Barely.

They walked through the courtyard hand in hand, talking softly. Eyes were on them even more now, but they didn't care. At least, they tried to hide from the other that they didn't care. Caroline brushed off Harry's robes as Hermione and Ron came rushing over through the sea of students, calling the names of her best friends. "Hagrid's back." Hermione said once she reached them, Caroline's eyes lighting up.

Without hesitation, Caroline dropped Harry's hand and turned around, pushing through the crowd and making her way down to Hagrid's hut, Hermione, Harry and Ron following her quickly. Caroline slowed to a stop suddenly outside the house, Harry bumping into her. He was about to say something, and Caroline shoved her hand over her mouth.

"I will say this one last time," a voice belonging to Professor Umbridge spoke, and the friends crept up to Hagrid's windows. "I'm ordering you to tell me where you've been."

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

"Your health?" Umbridge looked beyond Hagrid to the window, and the four friends ducked to avoid being seen.

Hagrid nodded. "Yeah. A bit of fresh air, you know." he said, but Caroline knew he was lying.

"Oh, yes, as gamekeeper, fresh air must be difficult to come by," Umbridge said, her voice shrill in Caroline's ears. "If I were you, I shouldn't get too used to being back. In fact, I mightn't bother unpacking at all." the professor threatened.

When Umbridge moved towards the door, the four Gryffindors crept to the other side of the house to avoid being seen, waiting for the professor to leave. Once they were sure she was gone, they entered the house, sitting around the table with Hagrid. The giant tried to hug Caroline when he saw her, and she let him. Hagrid had always been there for Caroline.

"This is top secret, right?" Hagrid said to the group once they were settled with tea. "Dumbledore sent me to parley with the giants." Hagrid revealed.

"Giants?" Hermione shouted, Hagrid and Caroline shushing him. "You found them?" Hermione lowered her voice.

Hagrid shrugged. "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." the man held a cloth to his bleeding face.

"Death Eaters?" Ron asked, seated beside Hermione.

"Yes. Trying to persuade them to join You-Know-Who." Hagrid whispered.