Chapter 315: Giant!
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On a whim, Harry approached Half-Giant. "Hagrid, everything alright?"
Hagrid jumped, nearly knocking over a nearby suit of armor. "Blimey, Harry! Didn' see yeh there."
"You seem…off. Something going on?" Harry asked, keeping his tone casual.
"Well, er, nothin' for you ter worry 'bout. Just, uh, somethin' I gotta handle, y'know?"
Harry raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. Hagrid was a friendly, well-meaning giant who adored magical creatures—and usually, that adoration led him into trouble. He suspected this was one of those times.
Later that day, as he made his way through the castle with Daphne and Neville, he spotted Hagrid again, lurking near the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Daphne caught his eye, nodding in Hagrid's direction.
"Think he's planning something?" she asked.
"Wouldn't be the first time," Harry replied. "Knowing Hagrid, it's probably something…big."
"Or something that bites," Neville added, looking nervous. "Last time he got us involved, we ended up chasing after those crazy creatures he was rearing."
Harry thought it might be something troublesome and wanted to help Hagrid, but he didn't want to meddle into Hagrid's business so long as he was safe. They left Hagrid to his mysterious project and went about their day. But as the week dragged on, rumors began circulating about a "giant beast" roaming near the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Most students dismissed it as gossip, but Harry had his suspicions. Hagrid had a reputation for "adopting" creatures no one else would even consider going near. It wouldn't be surprising if he'd brought in something a bit too large—or too dangerous—for Hogwarts grounds.
One evening, Harry found himself heading toward the forest's edge, just out of curiosity. As he neared the area, he spotted a massive shape moving through the trees, the outline of a giant…something. The creature shifted, letting out a low, rumbling growl, and Hagrid's voice drifted through the darkness.
"Now, calm down, yeh big softy. No one's gonna lay a finger on yeh," Hagrid reassured, giving Grawp a solid pat on his enormous hand.
Harry couldn't help but grin. Hagrid's "friend" was, indeed, something large—more than large, actually; it was a giant. He peered into the dimly lit forest, catching sight of the towering figure moving carefully among the trees, nearly as tall as the treetops themselves. At first, Harry thought Hagrid had managed to tame some immense creature from his usual batch of dangerous pets. But when the figure turned, he realized it was a genuine giant.
The giant glanced around, looking lost and somewhat frustrated, grumbling. His enormous arms waved as he struggled to stay steady in the shifting landscape of roots and rocks, trying to keep up with Hagrid, who walked beside him, as calm and collected as if this were any other day in the forest.
"Calm down, Grawp," Hagrid said gently, as if he were consoling an oversized toddler. "Yeh're safe here, Grawpy."
Grawp scowled, glancing down at Hagrid, clearly disgruntled. "Spider bit," he grumbled, his voice low and gravelly.
"Aw, come now, Grawpy," Hagrid coaxed. "That was just a pesky little Acromantula, yeah? Nothin' to get worked up about now."
Harry, watching from the shadows, raised an eyebrow. Leave it to Hagrid to "adopt" a full-sized giant. Hagrid didn't seem the least bit phased by the massive creature towering over him, who kept muttering to himself, clearly not fond of whatever Hagrid had dragged him into this time.
Grawp muttered something unintelligible and scratched the side of his head, his heavy brows furrowed. His expression looked somewhere between annoyed and utterly confused, like he couldn't understand why he was here in the first place. He didn't seem eager to stick around, and Harry could guess that being in the forest wasn't his idea of a good time.
"Grawp need go back," the giant finally said, his tone more insistent.
Hagrid sighed, shaking his head. "We talked 'bout this, remember? Yeh can't just be wanderin' off on yer own. Too risky out there! Yeh need somewhere safe."
"Safe?" Grawp repeated, sounding skeptical, his thick brows pulled low over his eyes.
"Aye, safe," Hagrid insisted. "These woods'll be yer new home. Plenty o' room for ye, and no Dark folk snoopin' about either." He gestured around, like that would somehow convince the giant that this dense, dark forest was the pinnacle of security.
Grawp snorted. "Grawp no like trees. Grawp like mountains," he replied, crossing his massive arms over his chest. His gaze swept around the dense thicket of trees with clear distaste, as though the idea of making this his home was an insult.
Hagrid looked up at Grawp with a sympathetic smile, patting his arm again. "I know, Grawpy, but we're makin' the best o' what we've got, yeah? If yeh stay here, I can look after yeh—make sure no one bothers yeh."
Grawp tilted his head, considering this, then gave a reluctant nod, though his expression remained one of barely concealed reluctance. "Grawp stay," he grumbled, the words sounding like they'd been forced out of him.
"That's the spirit!" Hagrid said, beaming up at him like Grawp had just agreed to move in and help out with the family business. "I'll be right back with somethin' for yer supper. Yeh'll like it, trust me."
Grawp sighed, watching Hagrid lumber off, then sat down with a heavy thud that shook the nearby trees. He started picking up sticks and rocks from the ground, inspecting each one with boredom and curiosity before tossing them aside with heavy thunks that echoed through the forest.
Harry appeared beside Hagrid, who jumped and clutched his chest, eyes widening.
"Blimey, Harry! Tryin' to give an old man a heart attack, are yeh?"
Harry raised an eyebrow, glancing at the massive shape lumbering in the darkness just beyond. "A giant, Hagrid? Even for you, that's a bit over the top, don't you think?"
Hagrid cleared his throat, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. "Er, yeah... well, he's, uh... my half-brother, actually. Name's Grawp."
Harry's eyebrow lifted a fraction higher. "That explains a lot."
Hagrid nodded and motioned for Harry to follow him back toward his hut. They trudged through the darkened grounds, Hagrid glancing over his shoulder every few steps to make sure Grawp was staying put.
"Got my hands full with him, y'see," Hagrid continued as they reached his hut. "Headmaster asked me to bring him in, thought it'd be best, just in case. Heard rumors that some Death Eaters might be back, an' they're gettin' ideas about huntin' non-humans."
Inside, Hagrid busied himself, setting a large pot over the fire. The hut's familiar warmth and earthy smell wrapped around them as he worked, filling the pot with what looked like half the contents of his pantry. He chopped a stack of vegetables, dropped them in, and stirred thoughtfully.
"Look, Harry, there's somethin' yeh should know about giants—they're misunderstood, that's all. Grawp's harmless if yeh get to know him." Hagrid spoke with a quiet determination, as if trying to convince himself as much as Harry. "But he's had it rough, y'see? Not exactly welcomed in the giant clans, nor here."
Harry watched him, curious. "How did you even find him?"
Hagrid paused, rubbing his massive hand across his face. "Went lookin' for family a while back. Found Grawp by accident, chained up in some mountain, bein' used like a guard dog." His face darkened. "Didn't sit right with me, leavin' him there. So I did what I could, brought 'im back here. Figured he'd be safer close by."
Harry nodded, keeping his gaze steady on Hagrid. "You did good," he said simply. "But why are they hunting non-humans now?"
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