Chapter - 14 : The Unexpected Visitor

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"Lorena, don't!" Harry hissed.

"I've got it!" I snapped back, taking the top of the blanket and pulling it down slowly. Dudley grunted in his sleep and grabbed the blanket away from me, clutching it to his chest. "Greedy pig," I growled, thwarted. I glanced down at the hand holding the blankets, wondering if I could work them free of his sausage-like fingers.

"We're eleven in ten minutes," I commented.

"Great, now get back here," Harry said, lifting the sheet up. I hustled back to our corner and joined him under our ratty blanket, tucking the end under my side so that my back wasn't exposed. Harry wrapped his arms around me protectively and I cuddled into his skinny chest.

"Do think they'll even remember?" I mused aloud, absently twisting a bit of my red hair around a finger.

"Doubt it," Harry murmured back. "I didn't see anything else in the grocery bag."

I snorted. "I'm sure they're just holding out to surprise us!" I chirped sarcastically.

"Right," Harry scoffed. We were silent for a moment, and then he asked, "D'you think the letters ever stopped shooting out of the fireplace?"

I giggled. "Maybe when we open the door we'll get drowned in letters. We could definitely get a hold of one then." I fingered the envelope, which was tucked into the waistband of my pants for safekeeping.

Please don't stop, I silently begged.

I flinched, turning ,y head towards the door.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"I could have sworn…" There is was again, the crunch of gravel outside, and a slapping sound. "Listen!" I hissed, sitting up. Harry sat up as well, both of us staring at the door and trying to hear over the sound of the storm and our cousin.

BOOM!

The knock on the door rattled the whole cottage. Harry and I curled into balls in our corner, trying to make ourselves as small as possible.

BOOM!

It came again. Whatever was outside wanted in.

BOOM!

Dudley jerked awake, muttering stupidly, "Where's the cannon?"

Uncle Vernon burst out of the bedroom with a rifle held in his hand – the mysterious package explained – and Petunia huddled behind his bulk.

"I warn you, I'm armed!" he yelled towards the door. His voice had gone about two octaves higher than normal.

There was a pause, and then-

SMASH!

The door flew off its hinges and crashed against the floor, sending up a crowd of dust. In the empty frame loomed a giant of a man with wild, curly hair and beard, glittering beetle-black eyes, and hands like shovels. With surprising gentleness, he eased his bulk through the entrance. When he straightened up he was even taller than the door frame.

"Couldn' make a cuppa, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey?" he announced, like he'd been expected. His eyes settled on the couch. "Budge up," he requested.

Dudley gave a squeak of fear and tumbled off the couch, sprinting to take cover behind Uncle Vernon as fast as he was able.

"An' there's the twins!" The giant beamed at us, huddled in our corner. My eyes widened. This man knew us? I snatched Harry's hand for support as he continued, "Las' time I saw yeh you were both jus' babies. Spittin' image o' James an' Lily, you are, but with Lily's eyes."

"I demand that you leave at once!" Uncle Vernon ordered, swelling up with indignation and brandishing his gun threateningly. "You are breaking and entering!"

"Dry up Dursley, yeh great prune," the man scoffed, reaching over the back of the couch to snatch the rifle away from Uncle Vernon. With a screech of metal he bent the barrel into an L and tossed it into a corner.

Uncle Vernon squeaked. I gaped in awe.

"Got summat for you," the giant continued, nodding to Harry and I. "Migh' be a bi' squished, bu' it should taste alright." He dug into his black overcoat and tugged out a white box that was indeed slightly squished. He offered it to us.

Slowly, I got to my feet, the sheet falling around my ankles. I felt Harry stand up next to me and take a few steps out of the corner. I followed him as Harry stretched out a hand and took the box. He held it out for me to see. Curious despite years of being told not to except gifts from stranger, I peeked into the box as Harry opened it. Inside was a large, sticky chocolate cake with oddly chunky green icing that read Happy Birthday Harry and Lorena!

I choked on my breath in surprise. The Dursleys probably didn't even know it was our birthday, so how did this man that we'd never met before? Why did he care enough about us to go through the trouble of baking a cake? He even iced our names on it for god's sake!

"Who are you?" Harry breathed, sounding as startled as I was. I took the box from him and closed it, setting it on a nearby windowsill. We'd come back to it later.

The man chuckled good-naturedly. "True, I haven' introduced myself yet. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts." He reached out and clasped both of our hands between his ginormous mitts, pumping them up and down enthusiastically. "Now, how 'bout that tea?" he boomed. "I wouldn' say no to summat stronger if yeh've got it, mind."

He looked at the fireplace and snorted at the shriveled chip bags. He was tall enough that he only needed to lean forwards to reach the hearth. His bulk concealed whatever he was doing, but when he leaned back, there was a fire blazing in the grate. Warmth filled the room and I sighed in relief as my shivers finally abated.

The giant began to dig in his huge coat again. He pulled out a teapot and tea bags, a package of sausages, a kettle, a couple of mugs, and a poker. He set about making tea and put the sausages onto the pokers. Soon the sound of sizzling and the smell of cooked meats filled the shack, and it didn't seem quite so dreary.

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