Hogwarts: I Am an Exemplary Wizard

Chapter 531: Chapter 529: Rolling in the Snow

When Kael and Sirius returned to Hogwarts via the fireplace in the Leaky Cauldron, Dumbledore and the others were no longer in the Headmaster’s Office.

Fawkes lazily lifted his head to glance at them, then buried it back under his wings.

Phineas pretended to greet them, but Sirius ignored him, causing an outburst of curses in the portrait.

But by then, Kael and Sirius had already left the office and didn’t hear a word of it.

In the entrance hall, a group of students in a tense standoff caught Sirius’s attention. As a professor, he had to stay and deal with the issue.

Kael nodded in understanding and then walked out of the castle doors alone.

Outside the castle, the snow had yet to melt, pristine and white, with several long footprints likely left by the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang.

Kael followed the path all the way to Hagrid’s Hut at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

At this time of year, Hagrid would normally have cleared the snow in front of the hut, but now, the snow was nearly covering the stone steps, with a string of messy footprints on it.

Clearly, someone had been here.

”Listen to me, Hagrid...” a voice inside spoke, it was Hermione’s.

”You shouldn’t be so sensitive about your Half-Giant identity. I always thought it’s a prejudice, like people’s attitude towards werewolves... just a bias, the reality isn’t like the reports, right?”

”Hermione’s right, Hagrid,” Ron’s voice followed.

”Don’t listen to those Slytherins. Everyone knows you’re not violent at all; many people really like you.”

”Stop comforting me,” Hagrid said with a sob, ”Last year Professor Lupin had to leave Hogwarts because of his werewolf identity. I think it’s my turn this year... Nobody would like me, I know.”

”Nonsense,” Harry said loudly, ”We like you. So does Angelina. She just had a fierce argument with the Slytherins because they badmouthed you, just now, in the entrance hall.”

Hearing this, Kael realized who was likely involved in the standoff earlier in the hall.

With Sirius there, Angelina probably wouldn’t suffer much.

He reached out and knocked on the door.

”It must be Dumbledore; he must be here to tell me to leave Hogwarts...”

The door opened.

Hagrid looked very disheveled; it seemed like he had just been crying. His eyes were red and swollen, and his hair was a mess, tangled like a ball of tumbleweed on his head.

”Sorry to disappoint you,” Kael said, ”The Headmaster is currently with Karkaroff and Maxime, probably too busy to be here.”

”Kael, you...”

”Can I come in first? It’s too cold outside.”

As he spoke, Kael had already squeezed past Hagrid into the cabin.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked this way nervously, but after seeing Kael, they all seemed to relax with a sigh of relief.

”Kael, did you come because of that article too?” Hermione asked.

”Yes,” Kael nodded, ”I guessed Hagrid might be in trouble, so I came to see if I could help.”

”It’s all because of Rita Skeeter,” Harry said angrily, ”That awful person just loves to stir things up.”

”You know her?” Kael asked.

”Met her once after the first task,”

Harry said with some annoyance, ”She asked me a few questions. I thought it was just a routine inquiry, but a few days later, she wrote in the paper that I was resentful for not becoming a Champion and even slandered me for calling Professor Dumbledore an old fool.

”But I never said that. I would never insult Professor Dumbledore, and I never wished to become a Champion either.

”Just look at the first task, Zouwu, Fire Dragon. I’d be crazy to want to be a Champ... oh, sorry Kael, I didn’t mean it that way.”

”I know.” Kael shook his head, not minding.

”Speaking of which.” Hermione asked: ”Hagrid, how did that woman find out you are a Half-Giant?”

”I don’t know,” Hagrid said, ”Apart from Ms.Maxime, I haven’t told anyone...”

”Ms.Maxime?” Ron said, ”Isn’t she a Half-Giant too?”

”At first, I thought the same, but she got angry and said she’s just big-boned.” Hagrid seemed to think of something, covering his face with his hand and letting out a sob.

”She certainly didn’t dare to admit it,” Harry said angrily. ”Big-boned... Who’s she trying to fool?”

”But it works, doesn’t it? Don’t forget Hagrid’s the only name in the paper.”

Kael chimed in at the right moment, ”A Half-Giant’s not like a werewolf; they don’t transform. As long as she doesn’t admit it, she can just say she’s big-boned... A few peculiar-sized wizards aren’t unusual in the Magic Realm.”

”Wait, the paper?” Hermione said, ”Kael, do you think that Rita Skeeter found out the news last night? But outsiders aren’t allowed into Hogwarts. Hagrid, did you see her?”

”I don’t remember,” Hagrid said, ”...but probably not.”

”Rita Skeeter’s not without magic.” Kael shrugged, reminding them, ”She can easily hide herself.”

Everyone suddenly understood.

This explained why Rita Skeeter was so certain Hagrid was a Half-Giant because he had said it himself.

”I got it, the Disillusionment Charm,” Hermione quickly said after thinking for a moment, ”She must have used it to hide and eavesdrop that day.”

”Or maybe it was the Invisibility Cloak,” Ron suggested.

”It could also be Animagus,” Harry added, ”Like Peter Pettigrew, turning into a small animal. Nobody pays attention to a rat or a squirrel, do they?”

”That’s unlikely,” Hermione frowned, ”I’ve read the registered Animagus list of this century, and Rita Skeeter’s name isn’t on it.”

”Not everyone registers,” Harry said, ”Remember Pe... Peter Pettigrew’s name wasn’t on the list either.”

He almost mentioned Sirius but quickly changed the subject, considering Hagrid’s plight.

The three debated eagerly about how Rita Skeeter discovered Hagrid’s identity, but Hagrid himself seemed uninterested.

He just sat there, staring blankly at the kettle on the stove, from which large clouds of white steam wafted, without any movement.

”Can I have a cup of hot tea?” Kael asked, ”Someone just bizarrely treated me to ice cream in this biting cold, so I need something warm.”

”Oh, alright...” Hagrid finally responded, picking up the kettle to pour Kael a hot cup of pine tea.

Harry glanced at the thick snow outside and shivered involuntarily, ”To be honest, even if someone treated me to ice cream, I wouldn’t eat it.”

Though he liked ice cream, he certainly wouldn’t choose such weather for it, it was too cold.

”Can’t help it, the guy’s frost-resistant, could roll around in snow and be fine.”

Kael took the teacup from Hagrid, ”Though I didn’t want it either, it was already bought, couldn’t let it go to waste...”