Stay - Mattheo Riddle

Blackmail?

Karkaroff's confrontation with Dumbledore had left an indelible impression on Kirra. She couldn't help but find the absurdity of the situation amusing. As Karkaroff spat on the ground at Dumbledore's feet, Kirra had to stifle a chuckle, her lips quirking into a half-smile. In one swift and dramatic movement, Hagrid, a giant of a man with a heart of gold, seized the front of Karkaroff's furs, lifted him off the ground, and slammed him against a nearby tree.

The scene played out like something from a surreal wizarding comedy. Karkaroff gasped for breath, his feet dangling in midair, Hagrid's massive fist at his throat. Kirra couldn't help but be impressed by Hagrid's sheer strength and loyalty to Dumbledore.

"Apologize!" Hagrid's voice growled like thunder, the words vibrating through the tense atmosphere.

Dumbledore's voice cut through the tension like a blade. "Hagrid, no!" he shouted, his eyes flashing with authority.

Reluctantly, Hagrid removed his hand from Karkaroff's throat, and the Durmstrang headmaster slid down the tree trunk, twigs and leaves showering down upon him as he crumbled to the ground.

Dumbledore turned to Kirra with a stern gaze. "Kindly escort Kirra back up to the castle, Hagrid."

Breathing heavily, Hagrid gave Karkaroff a glowering look. "Maybe I'd better stay here, Headmaster. . . ."

"You will take Kirra back to school, Hagrid," Dumbledore repeated firmly. "Take her right down to the Hufflepuff basement. And Kirra — I want you to stay there. Anything you might want to do — any owls you might want to send — they can wait until morning, do you understand me?"

"Er — yes," said Kirra, staring at him. How had Dumbledore known that, at that very moment, she had been thinking about sending a letter straight to Sirius, to tell him what had happened?

"I'll leave Fang with yeh, Headmaster," Hagrid said, staring menacingly at Karkaroff, who was still sprawled at the foot of the tree, tangled in furs and tree roots. "Stay, Fang. C'mon, Kirra."

They marched in silence past the Beauxbatons carriage and up toward the castle.

"How dare he," Hagrid growled as they strode past the lake. "How dare he accuse Dumbledore. Like Dumbledore'd do anythin' like that. Like Dumbledore wanted you in the tournament in the firs' place. Worried! I dunno when I seen Dumbledore more worried than he's bin lately. An' you!" Hagrid suddenly said angrily to Kirra, who looked up at him, taken aback. 

"What were yeh doin', wanderin' off with ruddy Krum? He's from Durmstrang, Opehlia! Coulda jinxed yeh right there, couldn' he? Hasn' Moody taught yeh nothin'? Hasn' all these years of experience taught yeh nothin'? 'Magine lettin' him lure yeh off on yer own —"

"I can look after myself. Besides, Krum's all right!" said Kirra as they climbed the steps into the entrance hall. "He wasn't trying to jinx me, he just wanted to talk about Hermione —"

"I'll be havin' a few words with her, an' all," said Hagrid grimly, stomping up the stairs. "The less you lot 'ave ter do with these foreigners, the happier yeh'll be. Yeh can' trust any of 'em."

"Oh come on Hagrid! Hermione really likes him, and he likes her. I think this will be really good for her, and im happy that she's getting the attention she deserves," Kirra fumed, "You were getting on all right with Madame Maxime," Kirra said, annoyed.

"Don' you talk ter me abou' her!" said Hagrid, and he looked quite frightening for a moment. "I've got her number now! Tryin' ter get back in me good books, tryin' ter get me ter tell her what's comin' in the third task. Ha! You can' trust any of 'em!"

Hagrid was in such a bad mood, Kirra was quite glad to say good-bye to him in front of the barrels. She clambered through the entrance into the common room and hurried straight for her dorm where she grabbed her invisibility cloak, waited a few minutes so that Hagrid was really gone and then left once more, now on her way to the Slytherin common room.