The Protector

Hagrid's Secret

"The more that you care," I heard Harry's voice from down the bridge, "the more you have to lose."

"And what do you have to lose?" I ran up to my friends. "Your best friend?"

Harry almost smiled. Then he didn't, "Bridget."

"Harry."

"Bridge," Hermione was smiling, Ron seemed a little scared.

"Ron, 'Mione."

"I'm sorry, Bridge," Harry began to apologize. "We shouldn't have done it. We shouldn't have-"

"No," I shook my head. "I'm so glad we did it. But I don't think we should've named it Dumbledore's Army."

"We're sorry we didn't listen to you," Hermione nodded.

"Well, it's in the past now. We know not to do it again. We have to live with the consequences we made. That's how life works. Now, what are our plans for today? I heard the word Hagrid used?"

Harry smiled, "That's my Bridget."

"I heard meh name," Hagrid whispered. "Follow me. I've got a surprise to show ye."

We followed Hagrid into the woods. It took my back to second year. Wow, look how far we had come.

"Why not just say where we're going?" Harry asked him.

We stopped for a moment. The ground began to shake. In front of us kept a whole herd of centaurs. Hagrid seemed astonished, "Wow. I've never seen the centaurs so upset. They're deadly enough as it is. If the Ministry keeps taking away parts of their land, they're going to be in for a bitter treat."

"What's going on Hagrid?" I asked.

"I'm sorry for being so secretive about it," Hagrid started to fiddle with his fingers. "It's just with Dumbledore being gone, I'll probably be leaving soon too."

"We won't let them," I shook my head.

"Now, you won't do anything about it, young lady," Hagrid argued. "I cannot have ya getting in trouble for me. I'll be just fine.  As for him..."

"Who's him?" Hermione asked.

Loud crashing and crushing made him plain to see. A Giant was standing before us. Sure we had seen trolls and basalisks. But not once have I seen a Giant in real life.

"Alrighty Grawp," Hagrid spoke up to him. "I brought you a few friends to keep you company."

He looked down to us and smiled. I smiled back, trying to be nice. Then he ran towards us. We ran backwards as fast we we could. But the ground was shaking hard, so it was hard to keep our balance.

Something stopped him; yanked him back. I noticed that he was tied to a tree with rope around his waist.

"You see, I couldn't leave him," Hagrid told us, "because...well he's my brother."

"Your brother?" I asked, quite shocked.

"Technically half brother," Hagrid corrected. "And don't worry. He's completely harmless."

The Giant lent down and picked up Hermione. He lifted her to his height. We all kind of freaked out.

"Woah woah!"

"Hermione!"

"Hey!"

Ron thought it would be a great idea if he hit the Giant in the leg with a large stick. Obviously the stick broke.

"Ronald," I groaned. "You can't hit a Giant. They're sensitive."

Grawp nudged Ron over with his feet. Ron fell and came back over to us.

"You will put me down!" Hermione had her finger in his face. "Right now!"

The Giant's smiled turned into a frown. But he reluctantly set her down gently. He went over and sat down in a tree root.

I slowly made my way over to him. The others followed slowly.

Grawp pointed at me, "Puppy."

"Look at that!" Hagrid seemed so happy. "He said his first word!"

I was too shocked to say anything, until I could, "Hagrid, do giants notice things about someone before they know them?"

"Puppy!"

"Sometimes, why?" He asked.

I smiled at him. I transformed into my dog form. This Giant was even bigger for a dog. I sat next to the Giant. I felt a large, gentle finger pet me. I didn't stop him.

"Well blimey!" Hagrid seemed really excited. "You never told me you were an animagus." Of course I couldn't say anything. I barked instead.

"Puppy!"

"Alright," Hermione groaned, "Come here Bridget. Come here," she was talking to me like I was a baby.

I got up and went over to my friends. I transformed back. I look to Hermione and almost laughed, "Don't do that ever again."

The Giant went over to a pile of knick-knacks he had. He grabbed a pair bicycle handle bars. He ran the bell on top.

"So Bridget," Hagrid turned to me, "you're an animagus? Why didn't you say anything?"

"Cause I'm an illegal animagus," I told him. "Underage too."

"That's not good."

"But you won't tell, right?" I asked.

"Right," Hagrid nodded.

The Giant handed Hermione the pair he had in his hand. He waited as if Hermione was to do something. I thought for a moment, what does he want her to do? Oh...

Hermione rang the bell. He smiled at her, then he took it back from Hermione. He sat on the ground and played with it himself.

"He's able to get his own food," Hagrid told us. "He just needs a bit of company while I'm away. You'll look after him, right? You see...I'm the only family he has left."

My smile dropped. I understood that feeling, "Of course we will Hagrid."

•••

A letter dropped into my lap as I sat in the halls. I had nothing to do for an hour so I was waiting for Hermione to get out of her next class so we could do something.

I looked down; it was in the shape of a carnation flower (my favorite type other than roses). I looked down the hall. I saw a robe turning the corner, but they were too far to see who they were. I guess who it was.

I opened the note. I was right:
Room of Requirement, 9:45 PM. Tonight please.
~DM

The students came out of the door, and I slid the note into my pockets. Hermione came out, "Hey. You ready?"

"Yep, what are our plans?"