Order Only: Tea with a Friend
Jan. 7th, 2011 01:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alt_siriusWell, two friends, really. One of which I never expected to see again.
I made it back to Hogsmeade last night and today I went for a bit of a ramble in the forest. Just wanted to get the lay of the land - where they've stashed the Dementors for the time being, whether Carrow is still stalking them or not, &c. (and no, Poppy, I'm not planning any more visitations).
But I caught another, familiar scent and thought I'd just follow where it led. Hagrid sends his regards to everyone. He was well chuffed to see me, I think. 'Knew yer weren't dead,' he kept saying. And he showed me my old bike.
He's kept her running all this time. Says it helps to keep some of the less friendly creatures out of his territory (and considering what Hagrid counts as friendly, that's saying something!). He also told me an interesting story over tea (er, birch bark tea, by the way, which was completely foul, bless him). Minerva, remember last year when we wondered if Harry's trip into the forest yielded any other secrets to the boy? It seems we were right to consider it. Hagrid told me all about how he found the kids surrounded by his Acromantulae clan and how he'd been the one to tell Harry what happened the night that James and Lily were killed. Sounds like Harry didn't take everything Hagrid had to say very well, but then Hagrid did admit that he'd no idea Harry and young Malfoy were such fast mates.
I suppose it's a very good sign that none of them - not even Malfoy - told any of you lot nor, it seems, anyone else, that Hagrid's living out there. Still. Thought you ought to know, for future reference. I brought him up to speed on all our news, of course, including Moony's impending fatherhood. I can't quite tell if he was laughing or busting out in tears behind that great bushy beard of his, Remus. Most importantly I warned him to keep an eye out for Macnair and Snape, and to let us know if ever he catches wind of them in the vicinity.
I asked him if he's heard anything from Albus, but then I wished I hadn't. I daresay he misses the man even more than the rest of us, and no wonder. As someone who's not lived near so rough for near so long, I can sympathise.
Anyway, he wanted to give me the bike, but I pointed out that I can't very well use it, and it's doing him some good, so he may as well keep it for the time being. I'm going to try to remember to check in on him from time to time - though I'm not sure we'll be able to use him for any covert operations right now. May want to give that some thought. I think I'll also give him one of the blankets, if that's all right with you, Poppy. Thanks to Alice's rather questionable sense of humour I've got a warm place to sleep, but Hagrid's little shelter (well, I say little - you know what I mean) could use a few comforts, I think. He's doing all right, particularly now that the Dementors are stationed on the far side of the lake, away from the village. Still. Everyone can use company now and then.
I made it back to Hogsmeade last night and today I went for a bit of a ramble in the forest. Just wanted to get the lay of the land - where they've stashed the Dementors for the time being, whether Carrow is still stalking them or not, &c. (and no, Poppy, I'm not planning any more visitations).
But I caught another, familiar scent and thought I'd just follow where it led. Hagrid sends his regards to everyone. He was well chuffed to see me, I think. 'Knew yer weren't dead,' he kept saying. And he showed me my old bike.
He's kept her running all this time. Says it helps to keep some of the less friendly creatures out of his territory (and considering what Hagrid counts as friendly, that's saying something!). He also told me an interesting story over tea (er, birch bark tea, by the way, which was completely foul, bless him). Minerva, remember last year when we wondered if Harry's trip into the forest yielded any other secrets to the boy? It seems we were right to consider it. Hagrid told me all about how he found the kids surrounded by his Acromantulae clan and how he'd been the one to tell Harry what happened the night that James and Lily were killed. Sounds like Harry didn't take everything Hagrid had to say very well, but then Hagrid did admit that he'd no idea Harry and young Malfoy were such fast mates.
I suppose it's a very good sign that none of them - not even Malfoy - told any of you lot nor, it seems, anyone else, that Hagrid's living out there. Still. Thought you ought to know, for future reference. I brought him up to speed on all our news, of course, including Moony's impending fatherhood. I can't quite tell if he was laughing or busting out in tears behind that great bushy beard of his, Remus. Most importantly I warned him to keep an eye out for Macnair and Snape, and to let us know if ever he catches wind of them in the vicinity.
I asked him if he's heard anything from Albus, but then I wished I hadn't. I daresay he misses the man even more than the rest of us, and no wonder. As someone who's not lived near so rough for near so long, I can sympathise.
Anyway, he wanted to give me the bike, but I pointed out that I can't very well use it, and it's doing him some good, so he may as well keep it for the time being. I'm going to try to remember to check in on him from time to time - though I'm not sure we'll be able to use him for any covert operations right now. May want to give that some thought. I think I'll also give him one of the blankets, if that's all right with you, Poppy. Thanks to Alice's rather questionable sense of humour I've got a warm place to sleep, but Hagrid's little shelter (well, I say little - you know what I mean) could use a few comforts, I think. He's doing all right, particularly now that the Dementors are stationed on the far side of the lake, away from the village. Still. Everyone can use company now and then.
no subject
Date: 2011-01-08 03:51 pm (UTC)But, honestly. I'm terribly uneasy about your having made contact with
thatHagrid. Pomona disagrees with me about this, as you may have gathered when we were all together last month, but it's different in her case. It's all very well and good for her to take sacks of flour or raisins or tins of tea and leave them out there on her way to Tilda's now and then, but it's quite another matter for you to go have a jolly chat with him.For one thing, so far as I know, the oaf has no idea Pomona is a member of the Order now. I suppose he thinks her the last kindly soul in this castle.
But you.
He can't hold his tongue, you know. Never could. And he's not bright enough to keep a confidence even if he means to.
It scarcely matters whether he's truly a fugitive or whether MLE know full well he's in there. All he needs do is tell a centaur he's seen you, and the next parlay the Ministry sends in to treat with them, they'll have word you've been sighted alive and on Protectorate soil.
no subject
Date: 2011-01-08 04:05 pm (UTC)You weren't in the Order in the early days. Hagrid can keep his gob shut about the important things. One advantage he's always had is that people underestimate his intelligence. And if the Ministry have already questioned him, so much the better: They've left him there all this time so they must not think he's got anything useful to add or that he's any threat without Dumbledore to give him orders.
no subject
Date: 2011-01-08 04:45 pm (UTC)Albus was always profligate with his confidence in the least likely of us, but sometimes that trust was badly, stupidly betrayed. Not least by Rubeus Hagrid.
Honestly, give him a bit of strong drink and he'll tell you everything he knows. I can't tell you how often I had information from him followed promptly by a flush of recognition on his part and some mumble of 'Ah, er, I shouldn't a told yer that!'
Well. It's water under the bridge now in any case. I don't suppose you thought to Obliviate him?
no subject
Date: 2011-01-08 05:27 pm (UTC)He's different with people he knows are out to get him. I've seen him keep his cool with the likes of Scrimgeour and even Bagnold in her time.
And no, I didn't Obliviate him. I suppose if I'm outnumbered on this I'd be willing to go and do so.
I thought the Order took care of our own, is all.
no subject
Date: 2011-01-08 06:23 pm (UTC)Of course we take care of our own.
And I've nothing against your leaving him with whatever you can take him, blankets and all. Now you've given yourself away to him, there's no reason not to do.
Except that, as you know, the Ministry have been sending occasional embassies into the Forest, so be on your guard and know that it's possible someone will have got something out Hagrid since you were there last.
For that matter, you should be wary as ever of the centaurs, I doubt they'd take at all kindly to your presence. Dawlish says they've taken shots at him more than once lately. Warnings, of course, since if they'd meant to stick him full of arrows, they'd have done so.