Rosier agreed almost instantly, scheduling the pickup for two weeks later.
That afternoon, the girls were idle and restless, so Tom simply gathered the Greengrass sisters and Hermione and led them to Hagrid's hut.
From the small dormer window, Hagrid spotted them approaching. His reaction was immediate, like an excited dog waiting for its owners, he practically burst out the door.
But today's Hagrid looked… different. His beard was trimmed, his hair was no longer a wild nest, and most importantly,
His umbrella was gone.
In its place was a wand.
A long wand.
In fact, calling it a wand was generous. Tom felt "magic club" was far more accurate. It wasn't just over sixteen inches, more like the size of a garden rake.
Naturally, it drew everyone's attention.
"Hagrid, that's a wand?" Daphne asked suspiciously. "It looks like stone."
"It's a bit… special."
Hagrid scratched his head bashfully. "Because of my giant blood, Ollivander made me a wand using giant nerves and oak. It wasn't this color at first, but giant nerves tend to petrify things over time. It… hardened. Good news is, it still works."
Hermione immediately perked up. "I know about that! Giants slowly petrify their surroundings over long periods. Their weapons start as wooden clubs, but after decades of exposure, the wood hardens into enchanted stone."
Tom nodded.
So basically… the wand had "aged into a collector's antique."
"That's about right," Hagrid laughed. "But don't stand out here chatting, come in! Come have something to eat."
...
The table was already full, its contents clearly prepared with great effort, at least by Hagrid's standards.
There were rock-hard meat pies, kidney pâté, honey-roasted chicken, vine-wrapped rice rolls, and a heavy seafood stew with clams, cod, and crab. Two enormous jugs of hot cocoa and lemon tea sat proudly at the center, steaming like cauldrons.
"Eat up, eat up! Harry and Ron will be here soon," Hagrid boomed.
Daphne surveyed the feast as though facing a troll. The only thing that seemed remotely edible was the seafood stew. She ladled a symbolic amount. Astoria and Hermione followed suit. Only Tom bravely sampled everything.
To his surprise, the kidney pie didn't taste nearly as horrifying as it looked. It even had a hint of fragrance.
"Hagrid, where'd you get ingredients this good?"
"Oh, uh… a Warthog wandered out of the forest a while ago. Couldn't be tamed, so I, "
Hagrid abruptly shut his mouth and threw Tom a desperate series of winks.
The Warthog was a 4X-rated magical creature. Protected in several countries. Hagrid clearly didn't want to admit to butchering it for dinner.
"Got any hide left? Give me some."
"Sure! I made myself a quiver out of it. Plenty left, you can have all of it."
Tom grinned. The guy truly had no idea how extravagant he was being. Warthog hide was incredibly durable, light, and magically receptive, a superior material for inner armor. And Hagrid used it… as a quiver.
Then again… considering Hagrid's size, one hide probably wasn't enough to clothe him anyway.
Soon Harry and Ron arrived, making the hut feel like it was bursting at the seams. Hagrid proudly enlarged the table and conjured extra chairs.
"Finally, I can use magic openly again!"
In celebration, he whipped out two bottles of vodka. Tom and the others stuck to tea and cocoa, but Hagrid downed half a bottle alone, face flushing beet red, emotions erupting like a geyser.
To the Greengrass sisters' horror, Hagrid suddenly started sobbing into his mug, blubbering through years of pent-up injustice, choking out thanks to Tom for clearing his name, and swearing that if Tom ever needed anything from the Forbidden Forest, he would fetch it personally.
Tom didn't even pretend to be modest. "As a matter of fact, I do need you to come with me into the forest. Even if you hadn't sought me out today, I would've gone looking for you soon."
"No problem! Tomorrow! Come tomorrow and find me!"
Technically, students were forbidden from entering the forest. But rules didn't apply to Tom. Professors didn't stop him for safety, they worried for the creatures. The concern was reversed.
Two bottles in, Hagrid collapsed face-down on the table. With a flick of Tom's wand, he floated to his bed, and Tom covered him with a deeply questionable blanket that looked like it had never been washed.
The group left the hut.
Just as Tom turned to go inspect the Whomping Willow, Harry hesitated and called after him:
"Tom… do you remember the promise you made to me in the Chamber of Secrets?"