(Hagrid POV)
'Aragog is such a cutie. I don't get why he and centaurs always get into an argument.' I think, as I make my way back to the cabin after solving another one of their disputes. But I am happy it was resolved peacefully, even if I have to give up some sleep.
I reach my home and take out my key an-
"Achoo"
"What was that?" I turn around, shining my lamp and trying to catch a glimpse of whatever creature it was.
"Don't tell me it's those weasely brothers again." I ask fang, who just hides behind me.
"Come out now, you troublemakers, it's way past curfew." I holler into the night.
"Hi, Hagrid." A voice comes from beside my home. I make my way towards it.
I shine my lantern to see his face. "You're the kid who tried to rip the sorting hat." I remember seeing him once before after curfew.
"Yes, Ansh." He extends his hands which I shake, careful not to hurt him.
"What are you doing here kid? You should be inside your dorms at this time."
"Looking at the stars." He points upward.
"But you shouldn't be here. Come I'll take you back. This place is not safe at night."
"I know. That's why I set-up my stuff here beside your cabin. I figured this would be the safest place."
Knowing a student trusts me this much warms my heart, but I still have to take him back.
"That's smart of yer. I know all the creatures in the forest and they are good friends with me. But that doesn't mean you can stay here."
"Hagrid, just look at the stars. Look at how bright they look, how clear they seem, how numerous."
I look up and true, the stars are really clear tonight. Must be because there's no moon tonight.
"You know, I always loved the space. The stars, the planets and everything. But you can't see them in the city easily with all those city lights and pollution covering the sky." He continues to say, "Doesn't it just fill you with wonder, how those massive balls of gas, look so tiny from here. How their light reaches us from light years away?"
He invites me to sit, and after thinking about it for a moment, I do.
"What's this 'light year' yer talking about?"
"You see since the distance in space is….." and he goes on to talk about a bunch a things.
The kid really knew a lot, about all these different planets, these groups of stars called const- consti something, and other stuff. It sounded a bit like what the centaurs talked about, but I could understand him, unlike whatever the centaurs said. The kid talked with such passion that even I got interested in this stuff.
He came fully prepared with a bunch of snacks, I made some tea for us and he really liked it.
We even saw a shooting star. I tried to make a wish, but it got away.
Time passed as we talked, I also told him a lot about the magical creatures I have raised and met and he seemed really interested in them.
"And recently I got Fluffy, he's a cute little 3-headed dog. He's at school guarding the-" Opps, that was supposed to be a secret. I try to shift the topic, "Anyway, oh look at the time. The sky's stating to brighten."
"You know Hagrid," the kid continues, looking up at the last few stars visible, "I once heard that as long as people are under the same moon, they can meet again one day." As he speaks, it seemed like the world got quiet, even the wind seemed to have stopped, waiting to hear what he said next. "Now I don't have a lover, nor is there a moon tonight. But what do you do if even the stars you sit under are different? If you are so far apart that even light years fail to measure it?"
As he speaks, I see some kind of fog gathering around him…. No, it was coming out of him. It felt like sadness was enveloping him. I had no idea what was happening, but one thing was for sure- the boy was sad. So I did the only thing I could think of, something I wish someone did for me before.
I hugged him.
"I don't know what yer talking 'bout." The fog lashes out and strikes my hand, but I don't let go. "But I am always here if you need someone to talk to, kid. Don't ever think yer alone, never." I say as I pat his back.
The air shifts, the fog thins, and the world seems to breathe again, as the Sun starts to rise.
"Thanks, Hagrid." The kid says as he hugs me back, "You are a really kind person. Thanks for staying with me all night."
"No worries, I enjoyed this a lot as well." No need to tell him I forgot about taking him back, "But don't make this a habit. I won't let you stay next time."
"Not even if there is a meteor shower?" He asks me, and after everything he described about them, even I wanted to see one.
"Okay, when there is a one you can come, but tell me beforehand so I can talk to a professor and tell them. I'll make sure they agree."
"Thank you, you're the best."
If I sit with this kid any longer, I will cry. No one apart from Dumbledore has ever talked with me for so long. Staying up all night and talking about stuff we like was what I wanted to do as a student.
I hold back the tears threatening to fall, "Okay now, time to get back."
This time he gets up and packs his stuff, then I walk with him to the castle gates making sure he does not wander off.
"Take care, kid. And come back anytime for tea or if you have something to talk about or just to say hi."
"Okay, bye."
Today I made a new friend.
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A/N: And now the long awaited teacher's meeting, where it will be decided what to do with our poor transmigrator
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