Severus Snape walked with heavy steps the path between Hogsmeade and Hogwarts. On his right side the Carrow siblings were squabbling over how to interpret Voldemort’s speech at the Death Eater’s meeting earlier the same night. Snape wanted no part in the discussion and kept to himself.
As they approached the ornate gate leading into Hogwarts grounds, Snape thought he detected the presence of an external, although somehow familiar, magic nearby. He jerked his head up, turned to his left and scrutinised the bushes along the path, but saw nothing. The magic quickly disappeared. Probably a Red Cap who did not want to bother with two strong wizards and a witch and decided to bugger off, thought Snape.
They continued along the path towards the castle. When Snape saw that the light was still on in Hagrid’s cabin, he bid farewell to his teachers and mounted to the cottage to knock on the door. In a few seconds, Hagrid suspiciously peeked out.
”Why are you still up, Hagrid?” Snape asked impatiently without preamble. ”It’s one in the morning.”
”I figure it is none of your business actually, Headmaster,” Hagrid said gruffly. ”Especially since you’re up and about yourself!”
”If you’re drinking again, it is my business, believe me. There will not be much done if you’re saddled with a hangover,” Snape said sternly. ”And I need you fit to do more detentions tomorrow.”
”I’m not drinkin'!” Hagrid said indignantly. ”Poured ’em all out, ’em bottles, just like you told me to. Like I had a choice…” he continued bitterly. ”Begrudge a man his only consolation, now that things are so bad.”
”Why are you up then?” asked Snape again.
”Because things are bad, aren’t they?” Hagrid repeated aggressively. ”And old ’Agrid can’t sleep.”
”Why don’t you use the sleeping draught I gave you?” insisted Snape.
”Oh, ’em potions don’t work on us ’alf-giants,” complained Hagrid.
”I told you, Hagrid, that I had made it strong and how to dose it. It will work. Fetch the bottle at once,” commanded Snape.
Hagrid stumbled inside, muttering to himself and came back with a glass phial that he held at arm’s length between his thumb and index. Snape conjured up a cup of water, took the phial and added a few drops of the purple potion to the drink.
”There, a slightly reduced dosage so that you will not wake up too late tomorrow. Drink it right away,” said Snape sternly.
”I can’t, ’eadmaster, please. I keep wonderin’ what might happen if I go to sleep, what I’ll wake up to this time. They put a fire to my house, you know, last spring when I was sleepin’. And then Dumbledore was dead and… I can’t seem to be able to forget…” wailed Hagrid. Snape forced the cup into the keeper’s gigantic hand and hissed up the huge chest:
”Nothing will happen tonight, Hagrid, I give you my word. Now, drink up and go to bed straight away!”