Harry Meets His Match

Chapter 3- Hagrid and Hogwarts

“Woa, Dude! Don’t shoot!” she managed to blurt as she lost her balance and tumbled backward. The man lowered the crossbow and stared at her disbelievingly. “wit a minute… Yer not ‘im…” the man muttered. Surika blinked. “I should hope that I’m not a him…” she assured, trying to get back on her feet. “Hmm…No… Def’nitely not ‘im…” he thought aloud to himself, then pushed her back down with his foot and re-raised his crossbow.

“But ye could be working’ fer ‘im!” he bellowed. Surika backed away quickly. “I could be working for who?” she asked. “You-Know-Who, that’s who!” he bellowed again. “Umm…No, I don’t know who, actually…” she admitted. He lowered his crossbow again, and stared at her through beetle-black eyes. “You don’t know who… who..” he lowered his voice to a whisper. “…Voldemort… is?” She saw him shudder at the mention of the name. She shook her head. “No, I don’t.” “So…Yer nor here after Harry Potter?” he asked, lowering his crossbow completely. Again, she shook her head. “I don’t even know who that is.” she responded. “Oh… well I apologize, Miss…” he looked at her, expecting her name. “Parker. Surika Parker.” she answered. He held out her hand to help her up. “Well, I’m Rubeus Hagrid. Ev’ryone jus’ calls me Hagrid.” She nodded and allowed him to help her up.

“So, what are ye doin’ here, anyway?” he asked. Surika shrugged. “Nothing, really. I was just exploring, and I kind of… ended up here.” “Ain’t no one gonna be worryin’ ‘bout ye?” “No, not really. No one really cares about me.” she answered, looking downward. Hagrid looked surprised. “Really, now? Well, yer such a lovely young lady. Surely yer parents are proud?” Surika blushed a little and shook her head. “I’m sure they would be if I had parents. They died when I was eight. Murdered.” “Oh, so ye have something’ in common with Harry. Do ye have any brothers an’ sisters?” “Yeah. I had three. They’re all dead. I was the only survivor. I owe that to my buddy, Moses, here.” She pointed down to the tiger. She saw the man’s eyes light up at the sight of Moses.

“What a magnificent creature!” he roared cheerfully and bent to pet the tiger. Moses snarled a little and veered away. Hagrid stood there, looking a little downtrodden. “Oh, I’m sorry. Moses doesn’t take to people very well right away. Not after I saved him from poachers in India.” Surika explained. “He’ll come around in time.” Hagrid nodded to show he understood.

Meanwhile, while Surika and Hagrid conversed in the moonlight, another person was watching with interest from one of the castles’ windows. It was a tall, freckle-faced, red-headed fifth year student at Hogwarts. He left the window long enough to shake his friend awake.

“Harry! Harry! Wake up!” he hissed at his sleeping friend. The boy underneath the cover groaned. “What’s you problem, Ron? It’s nearly two o’ clock in the morning…” the boy complained. “Harry, look! Outside! There’s a girl talking to Hagrid!” Ron exclaimed. “That’s nice… Go back to sleep…” Harry groaned and pulled the covers over his head. “Harry!” Ron whined and threw a pillow hard on the lump underneath the blankets. Harry only curled up tighter and slept on.

“What’s going on, Weasley?” asked another voice. It was Seamus Finnigan, another fifth-year at Hogwarts. “Outside. There’s a girl talking to Hagrid. I’ve never seen her before… She just… appeared from the forest…” Ron replied. Seamus rubbed his eyes and stared out the window. “Woa, Dude! That is one ripe chick!” Seamus exclaimed aloud, waking the other two boys, Dean Thomas, and Neville Longbottom. Harry, however, barely even stirred. The two boy walked to the window, yawning.

“Who’s one ripe chick?” asked Dean. “The only girl standing out there, Dufus! Look!” Seamus pointed. Dean shrugged and peered out. Immediately, his mouth dropped open. “No kidding! If looks could kill, we’d all be dead! Hey, Potter, come look at this!” Dean blurted. Harry stirred and sat up, rubbed his eyes, and put his glasses on. “Fine, fine! I’ll look! Damn, you people are irritating tonight!” he muttered, grumpily. He drug himself over to the window and looked out. Suddenly, his breath caught in his chest. They were right. She WAS pretty.

“Wow…” he muttered under his breath. He stared in awe at the lovely dove. His eyes were captured by the waist-length, jet black hair, shining silver under the full moonlight. Her fair, pale skin, glowing with a pearly sheen. His gaze traveled down to her narrow stomach, and ever so gently swelling hips, and to her long, slender legs, ending in bare feet. He watched as she turned her elegant face toward the castle. His heart did a flip-flop as he stared at her bright, shining, vivid green eyes. He loved her eyes…

“You’re drooling, Harry.” Ron said, nudging him in the ribs. He left his trance and rubbed his chin, and sure enough, there was a thin coat of spit there. Seamus and Dean smirked at him. “Told you she was ripe.” Seamus teased. “Oh, shut up.” Harry retorted. “Let’s go back to bed. Whoever she is, she probably won’t appreciate us staring at her all night.” Harry pointed out. The other four sighed and left the window reluctantly. Harry returned to his bed and curled up underneath the covers. He couldn’t sleep, however. The image of a green-eyed goddess was still imprinted in his mind. As soon as he heard the snores of the other four, he crept out of bed and back to the window.

She was now mounting a pure white horse. Her cloak was hanging open and fluttering in the breeze. He stared at her, mouth hanging slightly open as she waved goodbye to Hagrid and galloped off into the forest. He felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth as he watched her retreat into the shadows of the trees, hoping that she’d return. He had to meet her. He just had to.