Hagrid.

Inside Hagrid's small hut all of them looked at one another a bit awkwardly. Harry remembered the first time he got here when he had just spent a week in Slytherin thinking Hagrid wouldn't want to talk with him again but to his surprise, Hagrid's letter came where he invited him to his hut.

And other than the fact that he was worried about Harry, Hagrid didn't seem to mind he was in Slytherin at all. His concerns were for Harry about not making friends and staying alone but when he knew about Miles being one of his friends Hagrid had a mixed reaction.

He was happy for Harry that at least he had made some friends but he then started telling him about Mile's mother and how she was a bit dangerous when crossed and how her son's reputation only seemed to exceed her in every way. Hagrid told him stories about how Patricia Rakepick became one of the most important and famous curse-breaker of her generation, the answer, simple, she eliminated her opponents without hesitations and climbed her way on to the top.

From what it seemed like Hagrid was a bit afraid of Patricia and was afraid that Miles would be the same, so his first warning towards Harry was not about Slytherin but about not crossing Miles, who he believed would make things much more difficult than just being in Slytherin. Which Harry agreed with, though he had never seen Miles angry or him targetting someone, the way he carried himself around was enough to show that he was on a higher ground than all of them. Harry was sure, if Miles wanted to, he could make his life in Slytherin harder with just a single word, considering he had become friends with a lot of Slytherin students.

Hagrid prepared tea as he awkwardly sat in front of them, "Do ye wan' some cakes wit' it?"

The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins. Miles just shook his head as he watched Hermione eat one of them only to look back at Harry and Miles with a frowning face.

"I must say that it's really good to see you, Hagrid." Miles said, "I heard a lot about you from my mother."

"Good thin's, I hope." Hagrid said with a nervous chuckle.

"Well, most of it." Miles said in a teasing tone but Hagrid seemed to have taken it a bit seriously, "But it's been really fun you know, exploring even the simple places mom used to talk about and stuff."

"Of cours' it is!" Hagrid said enthusiastically but suddenly slumped back again, "I mean' it's Hogwarts, of course."

"You don't have to be so awkward around me Hagrid." Miles said, "I am here as a student and not a teacher, so you don't have to worry about all the things you're thinking about. Besides my mom wanted the best for the school at the time so she had to be a little strict."

Hagrid nodded, "I've got to be thankful for that. Though' I love me Hogwarts but there' all these' things that keeps' bothering me about it."

"That's what makes things interesting, isn't it?" Miles said, "Even the newer schools have some sort of these things going around let alone Hogwarts that's been around for centuries."

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked as she held her cheeks from the pain of eating the rock hard cookie.

"Some school secrets Hermione." Miles said, "Some which you wouldn't want me to go visit, so you don't have to be so curious about it unless you want to see those places for yourself."

Hermione snorted as she didn't ask any further questions but Harry who had just encountered the moment with the three-headed-dog was more curious about these places.

―==(oIo)==―

Getting out of Hagrid's, Hermione left for the library as Harry and Miles were walking towards the Quidditch stands.

"What is it?" Miles asked seeing the jittery Harry, as he knew that the other party had some questions brewing in his head.

"You and Hagrid? Were you talking about the same room we had just been to."

"No, there are many similar rooms in Hogwarts the one we discussed is only a part of it." Miles said, "Any other questions?"

"Do you know about the third-floor corridor?"

"A little but not something you'll consider a piece of significant information." Miles said, "But if you want to know that badly, all I can tell you is that the professors are protecting the place."

"What are they protecting and from what?"

"There are some things you want to stay away from Harry." Miles said, "You probably want a normal life in school, so the best thing you can do right now is to learn to be not so curious about these sorts of things. The more question you ask to deeper you'll fall into an unwanted mess."

Harry sighed as he nodded, he knew he was already in a place where he didn't want to be at so inviting more troubles would only be detrimental to him.

"But- if you're certain that you want to know all these things and you're ready for it." Miles added, "You can come to me anytime but just know that if you ever learn these things you can never go back. You can kiss your normal day to day wizarding life goodbye from then on."

Harry nodded as he looked at the empty quidditch field thinking about what Miles just said.

"You don't have to make your decision now." Miles said shaking his head, "Anyway, have you thought about joining Quidditch yet?"

"Quidditch?" Harry shook his head, "Not really, I don't know if I'll be good enough."

"You were great last week." Miles said, "Don't tell anyone I said this but you were much better than Draco, to say the least. Play Quidditch and learn to enjoy your wizarding life a little especially when you're in Hogwarts because you won't get to enjoy these things back in your aunt's house."

"You can't use magic outside?" Harry asked a bit confused.

"Nope." Miles said, "It's the most important rule of the wizarding world that you're not allowed to share the secret of magic with muggles and as an underage wizard you can't even use magic in your own house."

"How will they even find out about it?"

"The first thing is your address since you live in a muggle community and you're the only known wizard there. Any magic performed in your house would be connected with you. For example, if I were to use magic in your house you'll still be the one that will be blamed for it." Miles said, "Then the second thing is your wand which is enchanted with age-limit magic that will help track you down even if you were to use magic outside of your house. So there's really no way of getting around it."

"Well, that's another bad news for today." Harry said taking another deep sigh, "I think I'll apply for Quidditch next year, I might just get in."

"That's the spirit." Miles nodded.

"What about you?" Harry said, "You were probably the best one among the first years."

"Me? I haven't really thought about it but do you think with the way things are, my housemates would prefer me to be in their team?"

Harry just gave an apologetic smile as after talking for a while he walked back to do his homework as well. Apparently, Snape has been giving him extra homework to do since he thinks that Harry's lacking than everyone.

"Well now that the bait has been laid, all I have to do is wait," Miles said to himself as he looked towards the sky with a huge grin on his face.