𝐎𝐑𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎𝐔𝐒 || Harry J. Potter [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 13 ✎

"I think I like Harry."
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Third Person POV

Harry, Ron, Jilly, and Hermione had always known that Hagrid had an unfortunate liking for large and monstrous creatures.

During their first year at Hogwarts, he had tried to raise a dragon in his little wooden house, and it would be a long time before they forgot the giant, three-headed dog he'd given the sweet name "Fluffy."

If, as a boy, Hagrid had heard that a monster was hidden somewhere in the castle, Harry was sure he'd have gone to any lengths for a glimpse of it.

He'd probably thought it was a shame that the monster had been cooped up so long, and thought it deserved the chance to stretch its many legs; Harry could just imagine the thirteen-year-old Hagrid trying to fit a leash and collar on it. But he was equally certain that Hagrid would never have meant to kill anybody.

Harry half wished he hadn't found out how to work Riddle's diary. Again and again, Ron and Hermione made him recount what he'd seen until he was positively sick of telling them and sick of the long, circular conversations that followed.

Jilly seemed a bit different. Ever since Valentine's Day, her eyes had been puffy. They also seemed to be shining a bit less, and she had been strangely silent, not giving her opinions in any conversations, or cracking the occasional jokes about Ron's orange hair.

"Riddle might have got the wrong person," said Hermione. "Maybe it was some other monster that was attacking people..."

"How many monsters d'you think this place can hold?" Ron asked dully.

"Hogwarts is huge." Jilly whispered.

"We always knew Hagrid had been expelled," said Harry miserably. "And the attacks must've stopped after Hagrid was kicked out. Otherwise, Riddle wouldn't have got his award."

Ron tried a different tack.

"Riddle does sound like Percy- who asked him to snitch on Hagrid anyway?"

"But the monster had killed someone, Ron," said Hermione.

"Riddle was going to go back to some Muggle orphanage if they closed Hogwarts," said Harry. "I don't blame him for wanting to stay here..."

"You met Hagrid down Knockturn Alley, didn't you, Harry?"

"He was buying a Flesh-Eating Slug Repellent," said Harry quickly.

The three of them fell silent. Jilly had already been silent, only watching the three talk. After a long pause, Hermione voiced the knottiest question of all in a hesitant voice.

"Do you think we should go and ask Hagrid about it all?"

"That'd be a cheerful visit," said Ron. "Hello, Hagrid. Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?'"

In the end, they decided that they would not say anything to Hagrid unless there was another attack, and as more and more days went by with no whisper from the disembodied voice, they became hopeful that they would never need to talk to him about why he had been expelled.

Hermione and Jilly were in the dorm room one afternoon. Hermione reviewing some notes and Jilly lost in thoughts.

"Jilly?? Are you alright??" Hermione asked.

"What- yes I'm fine." Jilly mumbled.

Hermione shut her book and sat down on the edge of Jilly's bed and sighed.