Puppy-dog eyes – the most unfair weapon a person has. This story is completely AU – a what-if scenario. Please, do not bother to flame or complain as it deviates from cannon.

This story is pretty fast paced – the chapters are short and the content is not very deep. It has been written purely to amuse, and is intended to be humorous – please don't take it or yourself too seriously.

Puppy-Dog Eyes

The motorcycle throbbed and growled under him as he navigated the streets below. With a baby cradled in his left arm, the bear of a man alternated between steely determination and blubbering like a child. For the thousandth time since the flight began, Hagrid gazed at the face of the boy with awe. Harry Potter slept unaware, sighing innocent baby sighs in his sleep. "Poor little orphan" crooned the giant, another tear trickling down his bearded face. "It'll be years before you understand what 'cha did fer us.".

The low rumbling of the flying motorcycle broke the silence of Privet Drive. Two people standing in the dark road looked up expectantly as the magical vehicle fell out of the air and landed in front of them.

"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"

"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir."

"No problems, were there?"

"No, sir – house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."

Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was the baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.

"Is that where - ?" whispered Professor McGonagall.

"Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever."

"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"

"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground. Well – give him here, Hagrid - we'd better get this over with."

Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursley's house – the home of the baby's aunt and uncle.

"Could I – could I say good-bye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog. He bawled and sobbed and choked out between his weeping "We CAN'T leave him with these here Muggles! Let me raise him, sir. Let me keep him safe in our world with his kind. I have plenty 'o room in my hut! Please, Professor, Sir!" He gazed at Dumbledore with shameless puppy-dog eyes. It was quite a feat for a man of Hagrid size and stature.

Professor McGonagall's eyebrows shot straight up, her eyes flashing a strange mixture of hope and disapproval at Hagrid's emotional display. Dumbledore looked at Hagrid, looked at Harry, glanced over to the house he had been heading toward and finally back to Hagrid again. "Hmmmm," he spoke at last. "Perhaps you are right, Hagrid. From what Minerva says, these might not be appropriate guardians for our young hero. He needs a normal life, yes, but not an unnecessarily hard one."

With a firmness of resolution, Dumbledore smiled again, and placed the sleeping child back in Hagrid's trembling arms. "Take him back home to Hogwarts, Hagrid. Raise him as your own – we will all help, naturally. Have Poppy look him over when you get there. I'll check in on you tomorrow."

Joyfully Hagrid mounted the bike, carefully tucking the blankets around Harry, cradling him with protectiveness. "I will sir! I will – you won't regret it, and neither will Harry!"

Professor McGonagall looked a little less ecstatic. "Hagrid!" she ran toward him "Do you have baby formula? Diapers? You need a bed for him! This isn't just another puppy or spider! Hagrid? HAGRID!" But Hagrid, oblivious to all but his new charge, started the motorcycle, gave an absentminded wave with his free hand, and sped up and off back into the night.

Dumbledore, clicking a small silver too that returned the street lamp lights back to their proper place, chuckled. "Don't worry Minerva. Remember – I trust Hagrid."