Renewed Beginnings

""Hang on. I'm comin'. Get down, Fang, yeh big brute!" There was a loud crash from inside the hut just as Hagrid opened the door.

His face fell, however, when he saw who his visitor was. "Oh. Professor Dumbledore, sir. I wasn' expectin' you. I mean, would you like to come in, sir?"

Albus Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily. "Thank you, Hagrid. Yes, I can see that it was not I whom you were expecting." His eyes traveled about the small, one roomed hut, taking in Hagrid's attempts to make it appear more inviting. The floor shone in several spots where it was still wet from it's recent scrubbing. The dishes on the cupboard stood gleaming, silently proclaiming that they had met the same fate. In the center of the large wooden table stood a cracked earthen vase filled with a lovely bouquet of singing daisies, no doubt obtained from the Hogwarts greenhouses, which were softly humming a happy tune.

Looking back at Hagrid, Dumbledore continued. "Indeed, your anticipated visitor is the precise reason I am here. Am I right to believe that this visitor is the same lady with whom you met in The Three Broomsticks last weekend?"

Hagrid looked flustered for a moment, before replying. "Er...yessir. The one an' the same." He had learned, years ago, not to question how Dumbledore knew these things, nor to try to deny them. Resigned, he tried to prepare himself for whatever was about to come.

"Several of your colleagues have also heard of your meeting, and have expressed a certain...interest, shall we say, in this person's influence over your loyalty, not only to the school, but also to the Order." Dumbledore paused for a moment, and Hagrid had little doubt to whom he was referring: Professor Snape was always looking for anything that might be used against him.

Professor Dumbledore saw the worried look cross Hagrid's face, and spoke again. "Have no fear, Hagrid. I have no doubts as to where your loyalties lie. I must admit, however, to no small amount of curiosity about this lady myself. Is she someone you are recruiting for the Order, or was this meeting perhaps of a more personal nature?"

Hagrid was silent for a moment, his face flushed. He had known this moment would come, and yet he still wasn't fully prepared for the question when it came. He focused his gaze on his hands, idly picking bits of dirt from under the nails, which appeared much less grimy than usual. They had likely been given the same treatment as the dishes and floor. Slowly, he began to speak.

"It'll prob'ly go easier if I start by tellin' yeh that the lady's name is Cath'rine Flaherty. You migh' remember her, being as she was a student here back when you was still teachin'. Now, she migh' be able, an' even willin', ter help the Order, but that's not why she's here, no. See, Cath'rine an' I sorta grew up together back home in Devon. Even when she was small, she always treated me diff'rent from most folks. You know, kinder, somehow. It was hard on me an' my dad after my mum took off, folks knowin' what she was an' all, but Cath'rine never cared 'bout all that. She jes' made up her mind she wanted ter be my frien', an' that was that. Weren't no changin' her mind, though many people tried. Then, I got my Hogwarts letter, and, well, you know that part."

Hagrid paused, and chanced a brief glance up at Dumbledore. Dumbledore gave no indication that he noticed the glance, nor did he make any move to interrupt. Indeed, other than a faintly pleased look, indicated only by the twinkle in his eyes and a slight tilt upwards at the corners of his mouth, his face was nearly unreadable as he sat motionless, listening.

Hagrid took a breath, then continued, "When she got her own Hogwarts letter, Cath'rine couldn'wait to get here. We hadn' seen each other since my father died, you see, an', well, you know I'm not much on writin' letters. She didn' know anythin' at this point 'bout me getting' expelled, so natur'lly, the firs' thin' she did when she got her was ter start looking for me. Course, it didn' matter none to her when people told her 'bout it. She jes' come an' found me anyway, wantin' to hear my side o' things. An' d'you know, she b'lieved me, no questions asked? 'Well of course it wasn't you, Hagrid,' she says to me. 'How could anyone even think you could do such horrid things?' Well, she stuck by me the whole time she was here after that, an' we've stayed in contact all this time. I always visit with her whenever I travel back home. Over the years, I've come to realize that I care for her more than jes' a frien', so I invited her here fer a visit to see if she felt the same, an' to see if mebbe there's a chance we could have something more."

When he finished speaking, Hagrid finally looked up at Professor Dumbledore, who still remained silent. There was now a look of contemplation on Dumbledore's face as he considered all that Hagrid had said. Several minutes passed before he spoke.

"Catherine Flaherty? Yes, I remember her well. Lovely young lady, and kind. Passable marks in all her classes, as well as on her O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s, as I recall. But, I digress. Very well, Hagrid," he said as he rose to leave. "With your permission, of course, I shall tell the others with whom it was you were meeting, and why. That should lay to rest any fears of disloyalty."

"Of course, sir. I knew ever'body'd find out sooner or later. It's better coming from you."

At the door, Dumbledore turned back once more. "The heart is a most fragile thing, Hagrid. Be careful, and good luck." And with those words, he was gone.