Universal Displacement

Just A Sluggin' Saturday

Sutton couldn't believe her luck. Couldn't believe that she'd ever feel the urge to plant a kiss on the cheek of Albus Dumbledore and then hug him into oblivion. (She'd always seen him as a tad bit irresponsible with children, as it were.) But he'd been a saint with the lack of information she'd given him and told her that she could stay with Hagrid if she helped around the grounds.

It was almost too good to be true. Actually, maybe it was. Maybe the old Headmaster was just keeping her nearby to keep tabs on her and find out her secret. Honestly, she wouldn't put it passed him. Still, she wasn't going to pass up such accommodations, as she had zero other options.

Her last main concern, before leaving Dumbledore's office, had been the issue of meals. The many mentions of Hagrid's rock cakes in the books had sifted to the forefront of her mind. And no matter how vague and casual she'd tried to phrase the question, she'd still noticed the curious gleam her concern had brought to Dumbledore's eyes. He'd assured her that she could join the rest of the staff in the Great Hall for daily meals.

Now she was trekking down a grassy knoll, following an orb of light that was supposed to lead her to Hagrid's hut. She'd been supplied with a small back- wait. No. This is England- knapsack, in which she'd been given a few necessary everyday items and a couple more robes appropriate for outdoor work. She really could almost cry in gratefulness.

Finally Hagrid's hut was within view and Sutton found herself rushing ahead of the now unnecessary orb, and grinning at the pumpkin patch beside the abode. It was a bit small of a structure, she thought, for someone who was part giant, but it seemed homey enough. There were all sorts of plant life around it; she recognized some nettle solely from her time spent on Pottermore.

The stone of the hut seemed only marginally younger than the stones of the castle, with bits of it chipping away and signs of weather wear were clear. And it smelled. There was the scent of vegetables and a new fire, along with what Sutton could only guess as creature. What kind, she couldn't say. It had the musk she'd come to associate with petting zoos and fairs, but there was a foreign tang with it that was new to her.

She knocked on the front door firmly three times and then took a step back and waited as she heard a rustling from inside. Her eyes gleamed a bit as the door opened and she craned her head back to try and make eye contact with the half-giant.

"Oh, er, 'ello."

Hagrid was precisely as Sutton had imagined him to be. Which, was to say, he almost exactly resembled his film adaptation. Even if his face was different from the actor's, she couldn't tell beneath his massive black beard and wild hair. Sutton smiled and threw out her hand.

"Hello! My name's Sutton; Dumbledore sent me!"

She passed the note that had been written on her behalf over unceremoniously and waited again as Hagrid blinked a few times in confusion before taking it and reading it over.

"An assistant," he finally said in awe. " 'fer me? Bu' I ne 'r asked fer one. Don' really need one either, no offense. Did'n think I did ter bad of 'a job 'round here."

"You do a great job," Sutton quickly reassured. "Dumbledore's actually helping me 's hard to get work as a squib, you know."

Yeah, she'd totally decided that was her official cover story now. It was brilliant, if she did say so herself. It explained all the information she had about this world (or at least the knowledge of magic), while also covering up her clear lack of magic itself.

Smooth, Sutton. You're getting better at this.

Hagrid suddenly looked sympathetic. She saw his eyebrows rise up and his mouth twitch down.