It Could Have Gone That Way; A Harmione Fanfiction

Chapter 5: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

"Back, Fang, back." Hagrid appeared in the crack of the door as it opened,"Hang on. Back, Fang."

He let them in, struggling to keep his hold on the collar of an enormous black boar-hound. There was only one room inside the house. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire and Hagrid's massive bed stood in the corner, covered by a patchwork quilt.

"Make yerselves at 'ome." Hagrid said cheerily, letting go of Fang who bounded straight over to Harry and began licking his ears.

"This is Hermione." Harry told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and setting rock cakes out on the table.

"Well, 'ello there 'ermione!" Hagrid smiled at her,"Have a rock cake, both o' yeh. I made 'em meself!"

The rock cakes almost broke their teeth, but Harry and Hermione pretended to be enjoying them as they told Hagrid about their first week of lessons. They were both delighted to hear Hagrid refer to Filch the school caretaker as,'that old git'.

"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang some time, if yeh know what I mean. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can' get rid o' her - Filch puts her up ter it."

Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Hagrid, like Ron, told Harry and Hermione not to worry about it and that Snape liked hardly any of the students.

"But he seemed to really hate me." Harry insisted.

"Rubbish!" Hagrid said,"Why should he?"

Yet Harry couldn't help but notice that Hagrid hadn't quite met his eyes when he said that.

"Yer got any homework this week yet?" Hagrid asked Hermione.

Harry wondered if Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose.

While Hermione explained all of the homework that they had already received (and that she had already completed), Harry picked up a piece of paper that was under the tea pot. It was a cutting from the Daily Prophet:

GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST
Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown.
Gringotts' goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched (713) had in fact been emptied earlier that day.
"But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokesgoblin this afternoon.

Harry couldn't believe it. Vault seven hundred and thirteen was the vault Hagrid had taken him to, where he had told Harry not to speak of whatever it was that was inside it.

"Hagrid! That Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've happened when we were there, or just after we'd left!"

This time, there was no doubt about it, Hagrid definitely didn't meet Harry's eyes. He grunted and offered them both another rock cake.

As Harry and Hermione walked back to the castle for dinner, their pockets weighed down with rock cakes they'd been too polite to refuse, Harry pulled the newspaper cutting out from his sleeve to read again.

"You stole it?" Hermione gave Harry an incredulous look.

"Sorry, I need to look at it properly. Look, when Hagrid took me to Gringotts on my birthday, after we'd gone to my vault to get some money out, we went to another one. Hagrid told me it was top secret Hogwarts business and that I should never speak of it to anyone."