Magical - Harry Potter Fanfiction

24| Follow the spiders

We went to bed at the usual time that night, Harry and Ron waited until Neville, Dean, and Seamus had stopped discussing the Chamber of Secrets and finally fallen asleep, then got up, dressed again, threw the cloak over themselves, and met me in the common room.

The Invisibility Cloak didn't stop us making noise and there was a particularly funny but scary moment when Ron stubbed his toe meters away from where Snape stood standing guard. Thankfully, Snape sneezed at almost exactly the same moment Ron swore in pain. We were relieved when we reached the front doors of the castle. We hurried toward Hagrid's house and pulled off the cloak when we were right outside his front door. Right after we knocked, Hagrid opened it. He was holding a crossbow, aiming it at us!

"What's that for?" Panicked Harry.

"Nothing. I was just... expecting someone else. Come in, I just made some tea. What're you three doin' here?" Hagrid asked.

"Did you hear about Hermione?" Asked Ron.

"I heard," said Hagrid.

Hagrid kept looking out the windows nervously. He poured us some tea and was just putting a slab of fruitcake on a plate when there was a loud knock on the door. Harry, Ron and I exchanged nervous looks.

"Hide!" Urged Hagrid.

We threw the Invisibility Cloak over ourselves and went to stand in a corner. Hagrid checked that we were hidden and opened his door.

"Good evening, Hagrid." 

It was Dumbledore. He came in looking solemn and was followed by the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge.

"What's the Minister of Magic doing here?" Asked Ron.

Harry elbowed Ron hard to make him shut up.

"Bad business, Hagrid," said Fudge. "Had to come. Four attacks on Muggle-borns. Things've gone too far. The ministry's got to act now."

"Hagrid has my full confidence," said Dumbledore, frowning at Fudge.

"Look at it from my point of view," said Fudge, "I'm under a lot of pressure. Got to make it seem like I'm doing something about all this. If it turns out it wasn't Hagrid, he'll be released with a full apology and compensation, but I've got to take him. It's not a punishment, Hagrid, more of a precaution.."

"No! Not Azkaban," Hagrid argued.

Before Fudge could answer, there was a loud knock at the door.

Dumbledore answered it.

Lucius Malfoy walked into Hagrid's house, with a cold, menacing smile. "Already here, Fudge," he said approvingly. "Good, good."

"What're you doin' here?" Hagrid questioned.

"I take no pleasure in being inside your, er, you'd call this a house?" said Lucius Malfoy, snickering as he looked around the small room. "I simply called the school and was told that the headmaster was here."

"What are you after, Lucius?" asked Dumbledore.

"The governors feel it's time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension. You'll find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid we feel you've... lost your touch. How many attacks have there been now? Two more this afternoon, wasn't it?" Said Malfoy.

"Oh now, see here Lucius," said Fudge, looking alarmed, "Dumbledore suspended, no, no, that's the last thing we want right now. If Dumbledore can't stop them, I mean to say, who can?"

"And how many did yeh have to threaten an' blackmail before they agreed, Malfoy?" Hagrid roared.

"Dear, dear, you know, that temper of yours will lead you into trouble one of these days, Hagrid," said Malfoy. "I would advise you not to shout at the Azkaban guards like that. They won't like it at all."