"Come on, Goyle. Let's pick on some Mudbloods," Draco said with a smirk as he stood up. His oafish companion followed with a stupid grin on his face. They walked over to the girls as they were looking around this early Saturday morning. "Why hello. You two are looking very Muggle today. You probably don't even have any idea about how utterly pathetic you look to all of the Wizards and Witches here, do you?" His biting words caused confusion and consternation.
"What are you talking about?" Harriet asked, clearly confounded. She and Hermione had been exploring the grounds around the castle.
"You two have no idea about being proper witches do you? You are disgusting. I bet you don't have a bit of Wizarding blood in your families!" Draco had the family sneer down pat. "Nothing but a bunch of Mudbloods!"
"Stupid Mudbloods!" Goyle chortled.
"If being a Mudblood means not being like you, then yes I am!" Harriet snapped. "What a disgusting boy you are!"
"I come from a very Pure Blood family, I will have you know! I can trace my lineage back over a millennia!" Draco snapped. How dare this little girl dare to challenge him!
"And that's supposed to impress me how?" the black-haired girl snapped back.
"Harriet!" Hermione tried to calm her friend down. Even though she was starting to get angry too.
"You'd best watch your step, Mudbloods. Your kind is barely tolerated. You won't get far at all in Wizarding society! Bad things happen to those who try to get above their blood!" the pale boy snapped, his cheek pink because of his anger.
"And just for your information, Pure Blood, both my parents were Wizarding. I just happened to be raised by my Muggle auntie," Harriet snapped. "But you could only see our clothes, couldn't you?"
"Disgusting! Raised by a Squib? That's almost as bad as a Muggle!" the leader of the two Slytherin boys said scathingly.
"No, my Mum's parents were Muggle. So Auntie is just a Muggle." Harriet had clenched her fists. She so wanted to punch the git in front of her.
"And you? Also raised by Muggles?"
"I'm Muggle born! My parents are Dentists, as if you really cared," Hermione snapped back. "But at least they don't have the disposition of a rabid dog!"
"Why you!" Draco snarled. How dare they? Didn't they realize who he was?
"Wha's going on 'ere?" a booming voice suddenly asked. The same gigantic man that took them from the carriages and into Hogwarts that first day, just a week ago.
"Nothing! I think I'm done talking to a Mudblood and Mudblood-lover!" Draco Malfoy said as he turned and walked off. Goyle was behind him just a moment later.
"You just don' listen to 'im. People that are Muggle born are as good as anyone 'ere. Oh! I should introduce myself. I'm Hagrid. Keeper of the Grounds here at Hogwarts. Pleased to meetcha." His black eyes were full of life, like little beetles under his bushy eyebrows.
"Er, hello. I'm Hermione! And this is Harriet," the younger girl said.
Hagrid shook both of their hands, his huge ones enfolding their very small and delicate ones.
"Harriet, eh?" Hagrid looked at her for a long moment. "Those are some green eyes you have there."
"My Auntie says I get them from my mother!" Harriet replied automatically.
Hagrid's blood suddenly turned cold. "Say, what's your Auntie's name Harriet?"
The Girl Who Lived suddenly turned cautious. "Er, Petunia. Petunia Durlsey."
"I shouldna done that! I shouldna told Dumbledore to hide you that way! It's all my fault!" the huge man wailed. "I just wanted lil Harry to be safe!"
Harriet almost panicked. This man knew! "Please! Don't tell no one!" She looked over at Hermione in sudden terror. Her new friend was going to think she was a freak!
"I'm so sorry! It's all my fault!" the hairy man blubbered.
"No, really! I'm all right! I can't even remember any different!" Harriet was trying to quiet the huge man down.
"I'll go to Dumbledore! He'll know how to fix it, I'm sure! 'e's a great man, Dumbledore."
"Ah ha! That explains it!" Hermione said suddenly! "Dumbledore cast a spell on you as a baby!"
"Please don't! I don't want everyone thinking I'm a freak! I'm happy! Really!" Harriet was trying to head off Hagrid and Hermione now. This day just couldn't turn out any worse. "Dumbledore can't even undo it, so it doesn't matter."
"Dumbledore can't undo it? How do you know that?' Hagrid asked suddenly, almost mid bawl.
"Yes? How do you know that?" the other girl asked. "He's supposed to be the most powerful wizard of this age."
"Well, he tried. About five years ago. The magic blew up on him and he ended up in the rose bush. Can we please go somewhere else? I don't want to announce this to the whole school!" Harriet was nearly in tears now. Luckily, it appeared no one was really paying attention to them yet.
"Of course. How about a cup o tea to calm our nerves?" Hagrid tried to smile reassuringly.
Unfortunately, it was a bit scary to two young girls. Against their better judgement, they followed him to a large cabin near the forbidden forest. A huge boar hound looked up as they drew close.
"This is Fang. Don'tch worry about 'im, e's a coward at 'eart." Hagrid opened the door and let them in. He started to putter around making tea. He paused and looked at Harriet closely. "So you are little Harry. I knew your parents. Brave folks."
Harriet stole a quick glance over a Hermione. "Yes, I was born Harry Potter. But I'm quite happy being Harriet Dursley. I don't think I'd be happy as a boy, actually."
"Your last name is changed, too?" Hermione asked. Hagrid handed them some treacle, which they quickly discovered was as hard as a rock.
"Oh, Auntie got me adopted. She said she'd always wanted a daughter. My uncle and cousin are horrible. They hate anything magic." Harriet tried to nibble on the treacle, only to discover she couldn't even scratch it. She managed to sneak it to Fang.
"Really? I remember James telling me that Petunia didn't 'old much tuck with Wizards either." Hagrid handed them their cups of tea and sat down ponderously.
"You really knew my parents? Auntie won't talk much about them. She actually seems a little sad about it all." Harriet sipped from the tea cup.
"Maybe your aunt had a change of heart after you came to live with them?" Hermione said insightfully.
"Maybe. She did tell me once that she was a bit upset at never getting letter to Hogwarts like her older sister."
"Envy? I would'na thought that," Hagrid said thoughtfully. "I guess I can see some Muggle getting upset at not being able to do magic. One of the reasons we don't do magic in front of Muggles, you know."
Harriet took a deep breath. "I'd really appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone else. I don't think I could stand it if people like Malfoy knew."
"Of course! You don' 'ave to worry about me! Wild dragons won't get it from me!" Hagrid said boldy.
Hermione smiled and nodded. "That goes double for me. You're probably the best friend I have here. I don't want to lose that," she replied with sincere intent.
Harriet started crying, even as she smiled. "Thank you. I really appreciate it."
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(Posted Sat, 06 Nov 2004 00:33)
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