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! chapter eleven !
─── ∙ ~ ✩ ~ ∙ ───
WINTER BREAK WAS OVER as quickly as it started, and before Haven knew it, she was back at Hogwarts. Honestly, she dreaded going back. Especially with Umbridge in charge, things just weren't the same anymore. Also, not to mention the fact that she literally kissed Draco Malfoy on the cheek. Every time she thought about it, she'd get secondhand embarrassment. What was she doing? Had she gone mental?
"Harry! Haven!" Hermione's voice called, making the two siblings turn around. She nearly bumped into fifteen people as she stood there waiting for the other girl to catch up to them. Hermione grinned. "Hagrid's back."
The four of them raced down the narrow pathway, quickly making their way to Hagrid's hut which sat behind the school. Haven hadn't been there that year, and it was almost bittersweet when they arrived. They suddenly paused at the high-pitched familiar voice talking from inside. Umbridge was there. A silence settled itself between the group, and they all crept over to the window to peer through it.
"I will say this one last time," Umbridge announced. "I'm ordering you to tell me where you've been."
"I told you," Hagrid replied. "I've been away for me health."
"Your health?" She repeated, casting her gaze towards the window, and the four of them ducked back down. Haven banged her head against the wall, and quietly grunted in pain. She didn't fail to notice the amused grin that appeared on her brother's face, and she nudged him in fake annoyance.
"Yeah," Hagrid said. "Bit of fresh air, you know."
"Oh yes. As gamekeeper, fresh air must be difficult to come by."
"Why is she always in everyone's business?" Haven questioned in a whisper. "It's so overbearing."
Umbridge tsked as Hermione elbowed her to be quiet. "If I were you, I wouldn't get too used to being back. In fact, I might not even bother unpacking at all."
Haven held back a gasp, and they quickly ran to hide behind the back of Hagrid's hut as Umbridge made her way outside. She looked around curiously, lifting her chin in disgust, before pulling out a bottle of perfume and spraying herself with it. She then turned around, and sprayed the front of the hut. Haven watched her with narrowed eyes, and once she was safely out of distance, they stepped up to the door.
They knocked, and it opened to reveal the large man. He hadn't physically change much, although his beard did seem to be a lot thicker than before. His face broke out into a small smile once he saw who had knocked, and he beckoned them inside.
"Now, this is top-secret, right?" Hagrid told them once they'd all settled down in some chairs. "Dumbledore sent me to parley with the giants."
"Giants?" Hermione echoed, her voice clouded in disbelief. Hagrid put a finger up to his lips, gesturing for her to lower her voice. "You found them?" she asked in a whisper.
