Chapter Twenty-One: A Giant Problem
After Christmas, everyone busied themselves with the homework that they had neglected the first week of vacation. Harish, who had already done his, was sitting on a couch with the Golden Egg in his lap. He was holding the book he had gotten from his father up to his nose, reading it. Then, he sighed and placed the book aside.
How was he supposed to know what plant to use, when he didn't even know what he was using it for? The boy decided that there was no way around it; he would have to solve the screeching of the Golden Egg before the Second Task.
Once Boxing Day passed, Harish was beginning to feel the press to prepare for the Second Task. Before, Harish had slacked off, knowing that it was ages away, but February 24th looked a lot closer on the other side of Christmas.
Then, the teen began to ponder different mediums the eggs could be put in that would change the wailing. At first he had thought that maybe it was fire, as he had gained the egg from a dragon, but when he had opened it and placed it in the fire, there was no difference.
So, that led Harish to wonder what else he could do to the egg. Another medium that he could put the egg in was water. So, with that, the teen decided his plan of action.
As a prefect, Harish had many special privileges. One of them was the prefects' bathroom. It had a large pool-like bathtub with many soap filled taps. Harish also suspected that the water was charmed to never cool. It would be the perfect place to test his theory, Harish decided. The only thing was, he would look like a fool, bathing with his egg. And he never really liked bathing in there when there were other people in the bathroom. So, Harish decided that he would make a nightly visit to the prefects' bathroom on the fourth floor.
The next morning, the first day of the new term, the sixth years were pleasantly surprised by a large notice that had been pinned to each of the common room notice boards.
Apparition Lessons
If you are seventeen years of age, or will turn seventeen on or before the 31st of August next, you are eligible for a twelve-week course of Apparition Lessons from a Ministry of Magic Apparition Instructor. Please sign below if you would like to participate. Cost: 12 Galleons.
Harish and the twins signed the notice and talked eagerly of Apparition Lessons all the way down to breakfast, where they sat down at the center of the Slytherin table. Again, Harish was feeling the soreness that came with the fact that his birthday was the latest of his year-mates. While he sulked about this, an owl flew in to their table, a copy of the Daily Prophet in its beak. Harish took the paper and paid the owl. Then, he opened the paper and dropped it in surprise. Then, he snatched it back up and scanned the article.
"What?" Hermione asked.
"What is it?" Daphne asked.
"Well," Harish said, setting the paper back down. "Now we know what had gotten Madame Maxime so riled up at the ball." He handed her the paper. Hermione and Draco leaned over her shoulders to read as well. While they read, Harish explained to the twins about what he and Daphne had overheard at the ball.
Sprawled across the top of the paper, the headline read:
Dumbledore's Giant Mistake
Albus Dumbledore, eccentric headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, has never been afraid to make controversial staff appointments, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. In September of this year, he hired Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, the notoriously jinx-happy ex-Auror, to teach Defense Against the Darks Arts, a decision that caused many raised eyebrows at the Ministry of Magic, given Moody's well-known habit of attacking anyone who makes a sudden movement in his presence. Mad-Eye Moody, however, looks responsible and kindly when set beside the part human Dumbledore employs to teach Care of Magical Creatures.
Rubeus Hagrid, who admits to being expelled from Hogwarts in his third year, has enjoyed the position of gamekeeper at the school ever since, a job secured for him by Dumbledore. Last year, however, Hagrid used his mysterious influence over the headmaster to secure the additional post of Care of Magical Creatures teacher, over the heads of many better-qualified candidates.
An alarmingly large and ferocious-looking man, Hagrid has been using his newfound authority to terrify students in his care with a succession of horrific creatures. While Dumbledore turns a blind eye, Hagrid has maimed several pupils during a series of lessons that many of the students admit to being "very frightening."
Hagrid has no intention of ceasing his campaign of intimidation, however. In conversation with a Daily Prophet reporter last month, he admitted breeding creatures he has dubbed "Blast Ended Skrewts," highly dangerous crossed between manticores and fire-crabs. The creation of new breeds of magical creature is, of course, an activity usually closely observed by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Hagrid, however, considers himself to be above such petty restrictions.
"I was just having some fun," he says, before hastily changing the subject.
As if this is not enough, the Daily Prophet has now unearthed evidence that Hagrid is not—as he has always pretended—a pureblood wizard. He is not, in fact, even pure human. His mother, we can exclusively reveal, is none other than the giantess Fridwulfa, whose whereabouts are currently unknown.
Bloodthirsty and brutal, the giants brought themselves to the point of extinction by warring amongst themselves during the last century. The handful that remained joined the ranks of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and were responsible for some of the worst mass muggle killings of his reign of terror.
While many of the giants who served He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named were killed by Aurors working against the Dark Side, Fridwulfa was not amongst them. It is possible she escaped to one of the giant communities still existing in foreign mountain ranges. If his antics during Care of Magical Creatures lessons are any guide, however, Fridwulfa's son appears to have inherited her brutal nature…
"So Hagrid is half-giant?" Daphne asked after she had finished.
"And it seems as though he thought Madame Maxime was one as well," George added, thoughtfully.
"Well," Harish said. "There is a very good chance that she is half-giant and doesn't want to admit it for the fear of the same thing happening to her. I mean, Hagrid will be eaten up alive when this gets out. Parents will be afraid he'll attack their children."
"But Hagrid isn't vicious," Hermione protested. "He is a very nice man."
"But the parents won't know that," Harish replied.
"Yeah," Draco agreed. "And do you really admit that Hagrid is the best teacher? With all of the wild things we've had to care for?"
"Not to mention that last class when Hagrid tried to get us to see if the Skrewts hibernated," Daphne added.
The three fourth years shuddered.
"And this is why I dropped the class and took up Arithmancy instead," Harish said, smoothing his toast with butter.
The twins nodded.
They all finished eating breakfast and split up. Harish and the twins went off to the dungeons for Potions and the trio of fourth years went out to the grounds for Care of Magical Creatures. But instead of Hagrid waiting on them with some new monster, they were greeted by an old woman with a box full of what looked like bowtruckles.
"Hurry up, hurry up," the woman barked.
"Who are you?" Daphne asked.
"Professor Grubbly-Plank. I will be teaching you while Professor Hagrid is unavailable."
And for the first time, the trio of fourth years grinned, actually looking forward to a Care of Magical Creatures lesson.