Unofficial Portkey Archive

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it belongs to JK Rowling, etc, etc. Anyone who thinks I do own Harry Potter is an idiot.

A/N: Here is the next part. One more to go.

BANG!

The door of the cabin shook thunderously. Harry stared with wide eyes as his aunt and uncle rushed into the room. Uncle Vernon clutched a large gun tightly.

'Go away!' he shouted, his hands holding the gun and trembling. 'I'm armed!'

The door shook one last time, and then the banging stopped.

Harry surveyed the room. Dudley had pulled his blanket up almost over his head, as if to hide, his eyes bulging over the top. Aunt Petunia hid her tiny form behind Uncle Vernon's considerable girth. They all looked fearfully at the door.

For a moment Harry thought it was over. He was left feeling strangely disappointed. Whatever evil lurked outside, he had been hoping would do the job he was too cowardly to do himself. No matter how terrifying it might be, at least it would be over.

But when the banging stopped, Harry thought Uncle Vernon's threat had worked, and scared it away. His uncle shot him a baleful glance, and Harry lowered his eyes in shame. He knew he was responsible for all of this. He had brought this trouble to his uncle's family.

Then there came another bang, this one even louder, and the door came crashing to the ground. Aunt Petunia screamed. Dudley let out a little whimper. Uncle Vernon pointed his gun.

A large shape stood in the doorway.

Harry got slowly to his feet, his green eyes transfixed as the shape moved. It ducked to enter the room and then stooped to easily pick up the door and fit it back into place. When the shape turned back to face the room, Harry gaped.

A giant stood before him. Harry had to crane his neck to see its face, lost amidst a tangle of hair. All he could see were the giant's bottomless black eyes. Harry couldn't move as the giant took in the room, his frightening eyes moving from person to person until he found Harry. Those terrible eyes met his with only a brief flick as they took in his scar, the only souvenir of his parent's car crash.

Suddenly the giant smiled. Harry couldn't see it, the giants beard was so immense, but he could feel it. The giant's eyes lit up and sparkled with warmth.

''Arry Potter!' The giant spoke his name with a booming voice.

Harry didn't reply, though his mind raced with questions. How did this giant know him? What did he want? Instead he only stared questioningly.

'O' course, yeh don't remember me. My name is Rubeus Hagrid. Yeh can call me Hagrid. I ain't seen yeh since yeh was a baby.'

'That's enough!' Uncle Vernon made his presence known, thrusting his gun at the giant man - Rubeus Hagrid. 'I warned you! We don't want anything to do with this funny business, so I suggest you leave and never bother us again, or something bad might happen.'

The giant called Hagrid laughed, before grabbing the gun, yanking it out of Uncle Vernon's hands, and turning it into a pretzel within moments. He handed the twisted weapon back to Harry's uncle.

'Listen to me yeh great prune,' Hagrid boomed ominously, 'yeh have ten seconds to clear out of this room, or something bad really will happen.' The giant almost seemed to grow in size as he spoke these threat filled words. Harry watched in amazement as his uncle cowered away. Aunt Petunia motioned for Dudley to follow and the Dursleys retreated.

Harry was left alone with Hagrid.

'Ah,' Hagrid let out a contented sound as he sat on the sofa Dudley had vacated. He pointed a pink umbrella Harry hadn't noticed before at the fireplace and suddenly a fire roared to life. Harry blinked, as if his eyes must have deceived him, but somehow knowing they hadn't. Hagrid began to empty his pockets, pulling out a packet of sausages and poker. He began to cook the sausages in the open fire.

'Oh,' Hagrid began rummaging in another pocket, 'I've got something for yeh here. Hang on. Here it is.' Hagrid offered him a slightly squashed box. 'Happy birthday Harry. Sorry if it's a bit squished.'

Harry stared at the proffered package in distrust. Was this a trick?

'Go on,' Hagrid urged with a laugh. 'It's yours.'

Harry took it and opened it cautiously. It was a birthday cake with "Happy Birthday Harry" written on it with icing. A birthday cake for him? Who was this giant? And what the hell was going on? Harry put the cake aside and stared at the stranger who seemed to know him. Hagrid looked back with warm eyes.

'I bet yeh have a'lotta questions fer me.'

Harry shrugged, not taking his eyes off the giant. While no longer afraid, he still didn't understand what was going on, and until he did he would keep silent. This was just Harry's way of dealing with things. A life of neglect and abuse had created an extremely cautious, introverted child.

Hagrid frowned. 'Yeh can speak, can't yeh?'

'Yup,' was all Harry would say.

'Then why doncha?'

Harry shrugged again.

'Are yeh afraid of me, 'arry? Yeh have no reason to be, I'm a friend.'

'I'm not afraid.'

'Do yeh want to know why I'm here?'

'I know,' Harry said slowly. 'The letter,' he answered Hagrid's unasked question.

'Right,' Hagrid said, reaching into his coat. 'Yer letter.' He pulled a folded parchment envelope out of his coat and presented it to Harry, who stepped forward to take it.

Harry held the letter that had eluded him for weeks. Inside was the answer to why his uncle had dragged him out to this desolate place, but not just that. Harry felt like this letter would explain everything - all the strangeness of his life. Harry knew the letter contained the truth.

'Go ahead,' Hagrid urged gently, 'open it.'

Without another thought, Harry tore open the envelope. He unfolded the letter and as he read, his disbelief became more and more pronounced.

A school for witches and wizards?

Hogwarts?

What - the - hell?

He turned his disbelieving expression upon Hagrid. The giant took in Harry's face and his open eyes saddened.

'Then yeh really don't know?'

'Know what?'

'I was warned, but I didn't really believe it. How could yeh not know…'

'Know what?' Harry repeated.

'Yer a wizard Harry.'

And suddenly everything made sense. He knew it was true. The odd occurrences, the reason his family hated him, the evil inside him. It was this power. It was because he was a wizard.

'Yer the son of James and Lily Potter. Two of the greatest wizard kind had to offer.'

My parents as well? Harry thought.

'Maybe I shouldn't be the one to tell yeh, but yeh need to know. Harry, yer special, more special than most wizards. The last time I saw yeh, well, yeh was only a baby. I saved yeh, see. It was right after… how do I say this? See Harry, not all wizards are as good as yer parents. Some of them are evil, and probably the most evil wizard in recent history, he had it out for yer parents. I don't know why, but the day he killed them, he tried to kill you too.'

Harry could feel his heart beat rise as he listened to Hagrid with rapt attention.

My parents were murdered? They didn't die in a car crash? Of course they didn't. He raised his hand to finger his scar.

'Yeh, he gave you that. No one knows why, but when he tried to kill you, he failed. Something about you stumped him, and no one has seen him since. Most think he's gone, but I don't believe that. Not him.'

Harry's body shook. 'Who was he?' he whispered.

'Well, no one really knows for sure. His history is shrouded in shadow. All I know is that he went to Hogwarts too. He was a member of Slytherin House.'

'His name?'

'He called himself… I don't like to say it. People still fear him even now. They say if you say his name, he can find you. It's bad luck.'

'Please,' Harry begged. 'I have to know.'

'Alright.' Hagrid gave in. He took a deep breath. 'Lord Voldemort. That's what he called himself.'

'Voldemort.'

'Don't say it!'

Harry nodded that he understood.

'So now yeh know. I'm to take yeh to Diagon Alley in the mornin'. To get yer things.'

Harry nodded again, deep in thought. They sat silently for a while as Hagrid finished cooking the sausages. After eating a few, Hagrid spoke again.

'Anythin' else yeh'd like to know?'

Harry swallowed a bit of sausage and then shook his head, even though he was full of questions. Too many questions.

'Best get some sleep then.'

Harry led back down on the floor. He closed his eyes, but had no notion of sleeping.

'Oh, and 'Arry? Happy Birthday.'

Soon after, Harry heard Hagrid begin to snore.