AN: If anyone reading this is also reading my fable fic, there's been a change in the update schedule I was loosely following. I'll update roughly once a week or so but the update will be to either this new fic here or the fable one. Not both. Just one and maybe one twice in a row or more or maybe alternating. It depends on which one I've got a chapter done.

Some ideas and such inspired by blind author's fic "The Republic of Heaven" which is over in the Sherlock tv section but is actually a crossover with HDM. You should all go read it if you haven't because it's really very good.

Standard disclaimers as to the correct ownership of all materials apply. Please do review. Thanks!

Hagrid

The first time Hagrid sees Harry Potter after leaving him at the Dursleys, all he can think is oh dear.

Because Harry Potter is blinking up at him with wide green eyes and an albino coral snake wound around his throat – its tongue flicking out towards Hagrid and his boarhound dæmon, Fang, with a warning hiss. "Hullo there, 'Arry," Hagrid greets with most of his anxiety masked. Colour variations in dæmons are rare. He isn't unfamiliar with snake dæmons but he sincerely hopes that the one around the Boy-Who-Lived's neck isn't the poisonous version – the poor boy clearly doesn't need to be differentiated any more than he is already. "

"Hello," Harry Potter replies warily but in a friendly tone. The dæmon round his neck whispers something in his ear and the boy looks at Fang and adds a very polite, "hello to you as well."

Fang sneezes in bewilderment. It's unusual for people to directly speak to another person's dæmon – some would even call it rude. Still, Fang is more used to than most dæmons the concept of being treated differently (only a fraction of the population have dæmons the same sex as themselves, after all) and so he wags his tail and lowers his head more to the boy's height. "Wotcher, Harry Potter."

"Who are you?" Harry asks curiously. The Dursleys are huddled together with their dæmons in the back – terrified of the giant man and his massive dæmon. Vernon has a black vulture and she's staring at Harry in a way that sets Hagrid on edge. Fang growls at them and they shrink back fearfully. The woman (was her name Petunia?) has a spotted looking cat and it's curled around her shoulders with a lashing tail – all his fur raised and teeth bared at Fang's growl. The boy Hagrid had delighted in giving a pig's tail has his dæmon in the form of a mouse – cowering under his fat chins and shrieking in a high pitched voice to get them away.

Harry follows his eyesight and smiles just faintly. His dæmon stretches and becomes a polecat – still albino – and arches in what looks like a delighted sort of movement. "They're so scared," it whispers and Hagrid's eyebrows shoot upwards dangerously high. Harry's dæmon is a male.

Fang stops growling to peer at the boy's dæmon curiously. He extends his nose to sniff and greet the other but the polecat spits suddenly and hides behind Harry's head, peeking out from behind scruffy black hair and refusing to move. Harry looks apologetic. "We don't like to be touched," he explains to Fang and again Hagrid is unnerved by the attention paid to his dæmon.

"Alright," Fang says. "What's his name?"

"Tahmryis," Harry says – pronouncing it tahm-ree-us. He looks up at Hagrid again. "Who are you?" he repeats.

"I'm Hagrid and this is Fang," he says. Then he explains about Hogwarts and about being Keeper of Keys and Grounds, Dumbledore, magic and wizards.

Harry looks doubtful and says his parents were in a car crash so he must have the wrong boy. Tahmryis is still a polecat on his shoulder and is apparently completely uninterested in both Hagrid and Fang now that introductions are out of the way. Hagrid worries about that and Fang looks particularly upset but mostly they're angry at the Dursleys for their deceit.

They explain again and Harry's face becomes smooth rather than doubtful. Tahmryis whispers into his ear and becomes a snowy owl, turning his head almost all the way around and then back again, whispering once more and then returning to ignoring the world around his boy. "Alright," Harry says cheerfully, "let's go."

end