Magic? || Years 1-5

Champions: Year 4

They ended up spending lunch at Hagrid's house that afternoon, eating beef casserole until Hermione found a talon in hers and they very abruptly lost their appetites.

It was still entertaining, though, as they kept trying to get Hagrid to tell them what the trials would be, who was going to be selected for champions, and if Fred and George had lost their majestic beards.

By mid-afternoon there was a light drizzle outside, making the warm cabin seem ten times cozier with the merrily crackling fire a few feet in front of them and the gentle tapping of raindrops hitting the window.

Well, it was nice until Hagrid and Hermione started arguing about S.P.E.W.

"It'd be doin' 'em an unkindness, Hermione. It's in their nature ter look after humans, that's what they like, see? Yeh'd be makin' 'em unhappy ter take away their work, an' unsultin' 'em if yeh tried ter pay 'em," Hagrid retorted, threading a needle with yellow yarn.

"But Harry set Dobby free, and he was over the moon about it! And we heard he's asking for wages now!" Hermione protested.

"Yeah, well, yeh get weirdos in every breed," He held up his hands at her expression. "I'm not sayin' there isn't the odd elf who'd take freedom, but yeh'll never persuade most of 'em ter do it -- no, nothin' doin', Hermione."

Hermione, her jaw ticking, shoved her badges into her cloak pocket once more.

Amisty breathed a subtle sigh of relief. When five thirty rolled around, and the grounds started to grow dark, they decided to head back up to the castle for the Halloween feast and announcement of the school champions.

"I'll come with yeh. Jus' give us a sec," Hagrid got to his feet, digging through the cabinets and a few seconds later flooding the cabin with a horrible, horrible smell.

Amisty keeled over, coughing roughly and pinching her nose.

"Hagrid, what's that?" Ron asked around his own coughing fit.

"Eh? Don' yeh like it?" He asked, turning to face them with a very large bottle in his hands.

"Is that aftershave?" Hermione asked, her voice strained.

"Er -- eau de cologne. Maybe it's a bit much," His cheeks were stained pink. "I'll go take it off, hang on..."

He walked out of the cabin and when they glanced out the window they were greeted with the sight of him washing his face in the water barrel outside.

"Eau de cologne?" Hermione repeated, her eyes wide. "Hagrid?"

"And what's with the hair and the suit?" Harry asked quietly.

"Look!" Ron exclaimed, pointing out the window.

Hagrid had straightened, his face a shade of scarlet so bright it rivaled Ron's hair.

They rose to their feet slowly, not wanting to remind Hagrid that they were there, and leaned to peer out the window.

Madame Maxime and her students had left their carriage, and Hagrid was talking to Madame Maxime with a very dreamy look on his face.

"He's going up to the castle with her! I thought he was waiting for us!" Hermione exclaimed angrily.

She was right. Hagrid didn't even throw a glance over his shoulder as he walked up the grounds with Madame Maxime, the Beauxbatons students jogging to keep up with their long strides.

"He fancies her! Well, if they end up having children," Ron ignored Amisty's expression, "they'll be setting a world record -- bet any baby of theirs would weigh about a ton."