Together We Are Strong

The common room door opened and Fred, George and I stood up.

"So?" I asked Harry when he walked in.

"Dumbledore took the blame. He said that he instructed me to make the group. They were going to take him to Azkaban but he escaped with Fawkes." Harry said.

"But without Dumbledore, who will be our headmaster?" I asked.

"She will. Filch is hammering in the decree as we speak." Harry said. I ran downstairs and found that Harry was right.

'Dolores Jane Umbridge has replaced Albus Dumbledore as head of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.' The rest of the DA appeared behind me. Umbridge set up speakers everywhere that spurted out her stupid school rules every ten seconds.

"Boys and girls are not permitted be within eight inches of each other." Filch had taken down all the portraits on the staircase and emptied them of the people. The doors to Hogwarts were locked at all times.

The DA had detention in the Great Hall. Umbridge sat in Dumbledore's chair front of us with a long pink robe on. We had to write lines which scratched into our hands like Harry's did when he had detention.

We walked out of the Great Hall clutching our aching hands, Cho stood outside. I glared at her as I walked past. Rat. She narked on us.

"Harry." She said. He stared at her then walked away.

---

Hagrid told Harry, Hermione, Ron and I to go see him as soon as we could. I ran down the bridge and saw the other three standing at the end talking.

"To what?" Hermione asked Harry.

"To go it alone." He said.

"Hey guys." I said.

"Psst!" I looked over and Hagrid was there.

"Hagrid?" Harry asked.

We followed him into the Forbidden Forest. He took us quite far in.

"Hagrid, why can't you tell us where we're going?" I asked. He stopped. A crowd of centaurs ran past in a riot.

"I never seen the centaurs so riled!" Hagrid said. "They're dangerous at tha' best of times! If tha' Ministry restricts their territory much more, they're gonna 'ave a full uprising on their hands!"

"Hagrid, what's going on?" I asked.

"Sorry ter' be so mysterious, I wouldn' be botherin' ya at all but with... Dumbledore gone, I'd be getting tha' sack anyday now. I jus' couldn' leave without tellin' someone abou' him!" A load of twigs snapped as something got closer. We looked up and a giant stood in front of us. "Grawpy!" He turned around. "Down here ya' great baffoon!"

He walked dazily towards us went to grab us. We quickly ducked before his massive hands wrapped around Harry, Ron, Hermione and I.

"Grawpy! I've brought ya' some company."

He smiled then started running at us. We stumbled backwards and so did he. He was tied to a large tree.

"I couldn' jus' leave 'im here because, well he's my brother." Hagrid said.

"Blimey." Ron breathed.

"Well, half-brother really. He's completely harmless, jus' like I said. He's a lil' high-spirited, is all." Hagrid said. Grawpy reached out, picked me up and Hermione screamed. "Grawpy! That is not polite!"

"Hagrid, do something!" Ron said.

"We talked abou' this, you do not grab, do you? Thas' your new friend, Hayley." Hagrid scolded, but Grawpy didn't put me down.

"GRAWP!" I shouted. "Put. Me. Down." He stared at me blankly. "Now!" He carefully placed me back where I was standing. He walked back, a little embarrassed that he got in trouble.

"Are you alright?" Ron asked.

"I'm fine." I said. "He just needs a firm hand. That's all."

"I think you've got an admirer." Harry said. Grawpy was searching through his pile of junk for something.

"You just stay away from her, alright?" Ron yelled at him, then stepped back in fear.

Grawpy turned, holding a bike handle with a bell on it. He dinged the bell. He walked over slowly and held the handlebar out to me. I took it and he stared at me. I hesitated, then rang the bell. Grawpy smiled.

"He has his own food an' all, it's company he'll be needin' when I'm gone." Hagrid said. Grawpy sat down and rang the bell on another bike handlebar. "You will look after 'im, won't ya'? I'm the only family he's got." I nodded.

"Of course, we'll look after him." I said.

"Oh, thank ya'! Thank ya' all!" Hagrid said. I smiled at him and then Grawpy.