Hogwarts: Please Graduate Soon

Hufflepuff holds a position in the British wizarding world that is somewhat akin to that of a chaste archway in ancient society.

When mentioning Hufflepuff, one might criticize them for being slow-witted, sluggish, or having average academic performance. However, to accuse them of being deceitful, duplicitous, or underhanded, one would likely find that nine out of ten people would spit in disdain. That is the golden reputation they hold.

Clearly, this reputation serves as a useful shield for someone like Hagrid, who is rather straightforward.

"Come in," he said, stepping aside. Wayne released the creature he had been holding, and walked into the room under the longing gaze of the dog.

The fire crackled pleasantly in the fireplace, filling the room with warmth. Inside the space, there was a small stool but no table, yet Wayne didn't mind and took a seat on the stool. Hagrid settled down on his bed.

"Um… Lawrence? Is there something you need from me?" Hagrid asked.

"Just call me Wayne," he replied, inventing a casual excuse. "I've heard Harry mention you; he said you were a really good and helpful person."

"So, when I ran into trouble, you were the first person I thought of."

Wayne wasn't worried about Hagrid and Harry corroborating their stories; Harry had indeed mentioned Hagrid, though not in such detail. With Harry's intellect, even if he hadn't brought up Hagrid, Wayne could easily mislead him into believing it was simply a matter of forgetting.

Upon hearing this, Hagrid beamed shyly. Whether it was Wayne's flattery or knowing that Harry considered him worth mentioning in front of his friend, it brought him much joy. His previously formal demeanor quickly transformed into one of warmth and eagerness.

Hagrid stood up and walked over to the fireplace, fetching a large iron plate that was about thirty inches wide. He also brought a cloth bag, from which a multitude of candies spilled out.

"Have some candy and my salt-filled pies. I just made them this morning."

Wayne smiled and took some candy but politely rejected the pies; they looked more like bricks than food.

"Is there something you need help with? Just so you know, I won't assist with anything that violates school rules," Hagrid said, rubbing his hands together.

"Of course not! In fact, I just need some materials for a little project," Wayne waved his hand dismissively, taking the chance to spit out the too-sweet candy.

"Is that so?" Hagrid relaxed significantly, the tension leaving his body as he slapped his chest with a grin.

"What do you need? As long as I can get it, I'll absolutely help you."

"That's wonderful!" Wayne exclaimed, laying out his requests: feathers from a Erumpent, scales from a snake-bodied chicken monster, unicorn feathers, bones from a Thestral, and eggs from a Ashwinder.

"Is that all?" Hagrid asked once he finished, "Are there any quantity requirements?"

"Uh, just a small amount, since it's just for practice." Wayne glanced at Hagrid and then casually added, "If you can get your hands on Acromantula venom, that would be perfect."

"Acromantula venom…" Hagrid frowned. "The rest of it is straightforward, but I don't have Acromantula venom at the moment. I'll try to find some when I go to Hogsmeade next time."

"Just eat up; I'll go to the cellar and get you the materials."

Watching the giant's retreating figure, Wayne felt a twinge of surprise. Hagrid was not as naïve as he had initially thought. His suggestion to go to Hogsmeade for the venom was likely a ruse to keep Wayne from knowing there were such dangerous creatures in the Forbidden Forest. This little bit of cleverness changed Wayne's perception of him. Indeed, one should never underestimate others; it requires a proper mindset.

About ten minutes later, Hagrid returned, carrying a large burlap sack.

"Take a look at these. If it's not enough, I can go gather more from the Forbidden Forest."

Wayne felt the weight of the sack in his hands and opened it. Silence enveloped him as he peered inside. It was stuffed full of various feathers, bones, and Ashwinder eggs, tightly packed together like rubbish.

Among the bundles of pure white feathers, Wayne easily identified several unicorn feathers. Just how precious these were was common knowledge among wizards. A single unicorn feather, which could be used to create wands, was worth five Galleons. A lesser quality one, which could be used in potions, was worth ten Galleons for a handful, with only about a dozen in each bag.

Hagrid's sack must contain dozens, if not more. The white bundles alone were numerous. Considering everything else included, this sack was easily worth hundreds of Galleons.

Wayne's eyes lit up as he regarded Hagrid. This was a real rich man!

"Is it not enough?" Hagrid asked, scratching his head in confusion when Wayne didn't respond. "Then you'll have to wait a little longer. I'll head back to the Forbidden Forest and gather more."

"It's fine, it's fine! This much is more than enough for my practice," Wayne quickly reassured him.

His haul had far exceeded his expectations; he could easily use these well past the Christmas holiday.

"I can't thank you enough, Hagrid."

The giant smiled. "No problem! Just come to me whenever you need something—these are things I won't use anyway."

He certainly wasn't wrong, as Wayne had just seen that Hagrid had a blanket entirely made out of unicorn feathers. What a waste!

Determined to maintain a good relationship with his supplier, Wayne pulled out a gift he had prepared earlier.

"The elves mentioned that you take care of the school garden, so I brought you these potions to repel garden gnomes and as insecticides. Please accept them."

"That's fantastic!" Hagrid's eyes lit up. "Those gnomes and pesky creatures have been driving me crazy! You've done me a huge favor, Wayne."

"We're friends, aren't we?"

With that, Hagrid became almost misty-eyed.

...

Under Hagrid's enthusiastic hospitality, Wayne left the little wooden hut, carrying the burlap sack and some rock cakes.

On his way back to the Hufflepuff common room, he found Cedric watering the plants. Noticing Wayne's overloaded state, he came over.

"Did you go rob someone?"

Wayne remained unfazed. "No, I just had a chat with a friend and came away with some local specialties."

"What kind of specialties?"

"Rock cakes; here, have some." Wayne handed Cedric the box containing the rock cakes and returned to his dormitory.

Opening the box, he found the rock cakes steaming hot. In a moment of Hufflepuff instinct, Cedric didn't hesitate before taking a bite.

"Ow! My tooth!"

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