Harry sprinted up to the boysโ dormitories to fetch the Invisibility Cloak and the Marauderโs Map from his trunk; he was so quick that he and Ron were ready to leave at least five minutes before Hermione hurried back down from the girlsโ dormitories, wearing scarf, gloves and one of her own knobbly elf hats.
โWell, itโs cold out there!โ she said defensively, as Ron clicked his tongue impatiently.
They crept through the portrait hole and covered themselves hastily in the Cloak โ Ron had grown so much he now needed to crouch to prevent his feet showing โ then, moving slowly and cautiously, they proceeded down the many staircases, pausing at intervals to check on the map for signs of Filch or Mrs Norris. They were lucky; they saw nobody but Nearly Headless Nick, who was gliding along absent-mindedly humming something that sounded horribly like โWeasley is our Kingโ. They crept across the Entrance Hall and out into the silent, snowy grounds. With a great leap of his heart, Harry saw little golden squares of light ahead and smoke coiling up from Hagridโs chimney. He set off at a quick march, the other two jostling and bumping along behind him. They crunched excitedly through the thickening snow until at last they reached the wooden front door. When Harry raised his fist and knocked three times, a dog started barking frantically inside.
โHagrid, itโs us!โ Harry called through the keyhole. โShoulda known!โ said a gruff voice.
They beamed at each other under the Cloak; they could tell by Hagridโs voice that he was pleased. โBin home three seconds โฆ out the way, Fang โฆย out the way, yeh dozy dog โฆโ
The bolt was drawn back, the door creaked open and Hagridโs head appeared in the gap.
Hermione screamed.
โMerlinโs beard, keep it down!โ said Hagrid hastily, staring wildly over their heads. โUnder that Cloak, are yeh? Well, get in, get in!โ
โIโm sorry!โ Hermione gasped, as the three of them squeezed past Hagrid into the house and pulled the Cloak off themselves so he could see them. โI just โ oh,ย Hagrid!โ
โItโs nuthinโ, itโs nuthinโ!โ said Hagrid hastily, shutting the door behind them and hurrying to close all the curtains, but Hermione continued to gaze up at him in horror.
Hagridโs hair was matted with congealed blood and his left eye had been reduced to a puffy slit amid a mass of purple and black bruising. There were many cuts on his face and hands, some of them still bleeding, and he was moving gingerly, which made Harry suspect broken ribs. It was obvious that he had only just got home; a thick black travelling cloak lay over the back of a chair and a haversack large enough to carry several small children leaned against the wall inside the door. Hagrid himself, twice the size of a normal man, was now limping over to the fire and placing a copper kettle over it.
โWhat happened to you?โ Harry demanded, while Fang danced around them all, trying to lick their faces.
โTold yeh,ย nuthinโ,โ said Hagrid firmly. โWant a cuppa?โ โCome off it,โ said Ron, โyouโre in a right state!โ
โIโm tellinโ yeh, Iโm fine,โ said Hagrid, straightening up and turning to beam at them all, but wincing. โBlimey, itโs good ter see yeh three again โ had good summers, did yeh?โ
โHagrid, youโve been attacked!โ said Ron.
โFer the lasโ time, itโs nuthinโ!โ said Hagrid firmly.
โWould you say it was nothing if one of us turned up with a pound of mince instead of a face?โ Ron demanded.
โYou ought to go and see Madam Pomfrey, Hagrid,โ said Hermione anxiously, โsome of those cuts look nasty.โ
โIโm dealinโ with it, all righโ?โ said Hagrid repressively.
He walked across to the enormous wooden table that stood in the middle of his cabin and twitched aside a tea towel that had been lying on it. Underneath was a raw, bloody, green-tinged steak slightly larger than the average car tyre.
โYouโre not going to eat that, are you, Hagrid?โ said Ron, leaning in for a closer look. โIt looks poisonous.โ
โItโs sโposed ter look like that, itโs dragon meat,โ Hagrid said. โAnโ I didnโ get it ter eat.โ
He picked up the steak and slapped it over the left side of his face. Greenish blood trickled down into his beard as he gave a soft moan of
satisfaction.
โThaโs better. It helps with the stinginโ, yeh know.โ
โSo, are you going to tell us whatโs happened to you?โ Harry asked. โCanโt, Harry. Top secret. Moreโn me jobโs worth ter tell yeh that.โ โDid the giants beat you up, Hagrid?โ asked Hermione quietly.
Hagridโs fingers slipped on the dragon steak and it slid squelchily on to his chest.
โGiants?โ said Hagrid, catching the steak before it reached his belt and slapping it back over his face, โwho said anythinโ abouโ giants? Who yeh bin talkinโ to? Whoโs told yeh what Iโve โ whoโs said Iโve bin โ eh?โ
โWe guessed,โ said Hermione apologetically.
โOh, yeh did, did yeh?โ said Hagrid, fixing her sternly with the eye that was not hidden by the steak.
โIt was kind of โฆ obvious,โ said Ron. Harry nodded.
Hagrid glared at them, then snorted, threw the steak back on to the table and strode over to the kettle, which was now whistling.
โNever known kids like you three fer knowinโ moreโn yeh oughta,โ he muttered, splashing boiling water into three of his bucket-shaped mugs. โAnโ Iโm not complimentinโ yeh, neither. Nosy, someโd call it. Interferinโ.โ
But his beard twitched.
โSo you have been to look for giants?โ said Harry, grinning as he sat down at the table.
Hagrid set tea in front of each of them, sat down, picked up his steak again and slapped it back over his face.
โYeah, all righโ,โ he grunted, โI have.โ
โAnd you found them?โ said Hermione in a hushed voice.
โWell, theyโre not that difficult ter find, ter be honest,โ said Hagrid. โPretty big, see.โ
โWhere are they?โ said Ron. โMountains,โ said Hagrid unhelpfully. โSo why donโt Muggles โ?โ
โThey do,โ said Hagrid darkly. โOnโy their deaths are always put down ter mountaineerinโ accidents, arenโ they?โ
He adjusted the steak a little so that it covered the worst of the bruising. โCome on, Hagrid, tell us what youโve been up to!โ said Ron. โTell us about
being attacked by the giants and Harry can tell you about being attacked by
the Dementors โโ
Hagrid choked in his mug and dropped his steak at the same time; a large quantity of spit, tea and dragon blood was sprayed over the table as Hagrid coughed and spluttered and the steak slid, with a softย splat, on to the floor.
โWhadda yeh mean, attacked by Dementors?โ growled Hagrid. โDidnโt you know?โ Hermione asked him, wide-eyed.
โI donโ know anythinโ thatโs bin happeninโ since I left. I was on a secret mission, wasnโ I, didnโ wanโ owls followinโ me all over the place โ ruddy Dementors! Yehโre not serious?โ
โYeah, I am, they turned up in Little Whinging and attacked my cousin and me, and then the Ministry of Magic expelled me โโ
โWHAT?โ
โโ and I had to go to a hearing and everything, but tell us about the giants first.โ
โYou wereย expelled?โ
โTell us about your summer and Iโll tell you about mine.โ
Hagrid glared at him through his one open eye. Harry looked right back, an expression of innocent determination on his face.
โOh, all righโ,โ Hagrid said in a resigned voice.
He bent down and tugged the dragon steak out of Fangโs mouth.
โOh, Hagrid, donโt, itโs not hygienโโ Hermione began, but Hagrid had already slapped the meat back over his swollen eye.
He took another fortifying gulp of tea, then said, โWell, we set off righโ after term ended โโ
โMadame Maxime went with you, then?โ Hermione interjected.
โYeah, thaโs righโ,โ said Hagrid, and a softened expression appeared on the few inches of face that were not obscured by beard or green steak. โYeah, it was jusโ the pair of us. Anโ Iโll tell yeh this, sheโs not afraid of roughinโ it, Olympe. Yeh know, sheโs a fine, well-dressed woman, anโ knowinโ where we was goinโ I wondered โow sheโd feel abouโ clamberinโ over boulders anโ sleepinโ in caves anโ thaโ, buโ she never complained once.โ
โYou knew where you were going?โ Harry asked. โYou knew where the giants were?โ
โWell, Dumbledore knew, anโ he told us,โ said Hagrid.
โAre they hidden?โ asked Ron. โIs it a secret, where they are?โ
โNot really,โ said Hagrid, shaking his shaggy head. โItโs jusโ that mosโ wizards arenโ bothered where they are, โsโlong as itโs a good long way away.
But where they areโs very difficult ter get ter, fer humans anyway, so we needed Dumbledoreโs instructions. Took us abouโ a month ter get there โโ
โAย month?โ said Ron, as though he had never heard of a journey lasting such a ridiculously long time. โBut โ why couldnโt you just grab a Portkey or something?โ
There was an odd expression in Hagridโs unobscured eye as he squinted at Ron; it was almost pitying.
โWeโre beinโ watched, Ron,โ he said gruffly. โWhat dโyou mean?โ
โYeh donโ understand,โ said Hagrid. โThe Ministryโs keepinโ an eye on Dumbledore anโ anyone they reckonโs in league with โim, anโ โโ
โWe know about that,โ said Harry quickly, keen to hear the rest of Hagridโs story, โwe know about the Ministry watching Dumbledore โโ
โSo you couldnโt use magic to get there?โ asked Ron, looking thunderstruck, โyou had to act like Mugglesย all the way?โ
โWell, not exactly all the way,โ said Hagrid cagily. โWe jusโ had ter be careful, โcause Olympe anโ me, we stick out a bit โโ
Ron made a stifled noise somewhere between a snort and a sniff and hastily took a gulp of tea.
โโ so weโre not hard ter follow. We was pretendinโ we was goinโ on holiday together, so we got inter France anโ we made like we was headinโ fer where Olympeโs school is, โcause we knew we was beinโ tailed by someone from the Ministry. We had to go slow, โcause Iโm not really sโposed ter use magic anโ we knew the Ministryโd be lookinโ fer a reason ter run us in. But we managed ter give the berk tailinโ us the slip round abouโ Dee-John โโ
โOoooh, Dijon?โ said Hermione excitedly. โIโve been there on holiday, did you see โ?โ
She fell silent at the look on Ronโs face.
โWe chanced a bit oโ magic after that anโ it wasnโ a bad journey. Ran inter a couple oโ mad trolls on the Polish border anโ I had a slighโ disagreement with a vampire in a pub in Minsk, buโ apart from thaโ couldnโtโa bin smoother.
โAnโ then we reached the place, anโ we started trekkinโ up through the mountains, lookinโ fer signs of โem โฆ
โWe had ter lay off the magic once we got near โem. Partly โcause they donโ like wizards anโ we didnโ want ter put their backs up too soon, anโ partly โcause Dumbledore had warned us You-Know-Who was bound ter be after the giants anโ all. Said it was odds on heโd sent a messenger off ter them
already. Told us ter be very careful of drawinโ attention ter ourselves as we got nearer in case there was Death Eaters around.โ
Hagrid paused for a long draught of tea. โGo on!โ said Harry urgently.
โFound โem,โ said Hagrid baldly. โWent over a ridge one nighโ anโ there they was, spread ouโ underneath us. Little fires burninโ below anโ huge shadows โฆ it was like watchinโ bits oโ the mountain movinโ.โ
โHow big are they?โ asked Ron in a hushed voice.
โโBout twenty feet,โ said Hagrid casually. โSome oโ the bigger ones mighta bin twenty-five.โ
โAnd how many were there?โ asked Harry.
โI reckon abouโ seventy or eighty,โ said Hagrid. โIs that all?โ said Hermione.
โYep,โ said Hagrid sadly, โeighty left, anโ there was loads once, musta bin a hundred diffโrent tribes from all over the world. Buโ theyโve bin dyinโ out fer ages. Wizards killed a few, oโ course, buโ mostly they killed each other, anโ now theyโre dyinโ out faster than ever. Theyโre not made ter live bunched up together like thaโ. Dumbledore says itโs our fault, it was the wizards who forced โem to go anโ made โem live a good long way from us anโ they had no choice buโ ter stick together fer their own protection.โ
โSo,โ said Harry, โyou saw them and then what?โ
โWell, we waited till morning, didnโ want ter go sneakinโ up on โem in the dark, fer our own safety,โ said Hagrid. โโBout three in the morninโ they fell asleep jusโ where they was sittinโ. We didnโ dare sleep. Fer one thing, we wanted ter make sure none of โem woke up anโ came up where we were, anโ fer another, the snorinโ was unbelievable. Caused an avalanche near morninโ.
โAnyway, once it was light we wenโ down ter see โem.โ
โJust like that?โ said Ron, looking awestruck. โYou just walked right into a giant camp?โ
โWell, Dumbledoreโd told us how ter do it,โ said Hagrid. โGive the Gurg gifts, show some respect, yeh know.โ
โGive theย whatย gifts?โ asked Harry. โOh, the Gurg โ means the chief.โ
โHow could you tell which one was the Gurg?โ asked Ron. Hagrid grunted in amusement.
โNo problem,โ he said. โHe was the biggest, the ugliest anโ the laziest. Sittinโ there waitinโ ter be brought food by the others. Dead goats anโ such
like. Name oโ Karkus. Iโd put him at twenty-two, twenty-three feet anโ the weight oโ a couple oโ bull elephants. Skin like rhino hide anโ all.โ
โAnd you just walked up to him?โ said Hermione breathlessly.
โWell โฆย downย ter him, where he was lyinโ in the valley. They was in this dip between four pretty high mountains, see, beside a mountain lake, anโ Karkus was lyinโ by the lake roarinโ at the others ter feed him anโ his wife. Olympe anโ I went down the mountainside โโ
โBut didnโt they try and kill you when they saw you?โ asked Ron incredulously.
โIt was defโnitely on some oโ their minds,โ said Hagrid, shrugging, โbut we did what Dumbledore told us ter do, which was ter hold our gift up high anโ keep our eyes on the Gurg anโ ignore the others. So thaโs what we did. Anโ the rest of โem went quiet anโ watched us pass anโ we got right up ter Karkusโs feet anโ we bowed anโ put our present down in front oโ him.โ
โWhat do you give a giant?โ asked Ron eagerly. โFood?โ
โNah, he can get food all righโ fer himself,โ said Hagrid. โWe took him magic. Giants like magic, jusโ donโ like us usinโ it against โem. Anyway, that firsโ day we gave โim a branch oโ Gubraithian fire.โ
Hermione said, โWow!โ softly, but Harry and Ron both frowned in puzzlement.
โA branch of โ?โ
โEverlasting fire,โ said Hermione irritably, โyou ought to know that by now.
Professor Flitwickโs mentioned it at least twice in class!โ
โWell, anyway,โ said Hagrid quickly, intervening before Ron could answer back, โDumbledoreโd bewitched this branch to burn fer evermore, which isnโ somethinโ any wizard could do, anโ so I lies it down in the snow by Karkusโs feet and says, โA gift to the Gurg of the giants from Albus Dumbledore, who sends his respectful greetings.โโ
โAnd what did Karkus say?โ asked Harry eagerly. โNothinโ,โ said Hagrid. โDidnโ speak English.โ โYouโre kidding!โ
โDidnโ matter,โ said Hagrid imperturbably, โDumbledore had warned us thaโ mighโ happen. Karkus knew enough to yell fer a couple oโ giants who knew our lingo anโ they translated fer us.โ
โAnd did he like the present?โ asked Ron.
โOh yeah, it went down a storm once they understood what it was,โ said Hagrid, turning his dragon steak over to press the cooler side to his swollen
eye. โVery pleased. So then I said, โAlbus Dumbledore asks the Gurg to speak with his messenger when he returns tomorrow with another gift.โโ
โWhy couldnโt you speak to them that day?โ asked Hermione.
โDumbledore wanted us ter take it very slow,โ said Hagrid. โLet โem see we kept our promises.ย Weโll come back tomorrow with another present, anโ then we do come back with another present โ gives a good impression, see? Anโ gives them time ter test out the firsโ present anโ find out itโs a good one, anโ get โem eager fer more. In any case, giants like Karkus โ overload โem with information anโ theyโll kill yeh jusโ to simplify things. So we bowed outta the way anโ went off anโ found ourselves a nice little cave ter spend that night in anโ the followinโ morninโ we went back anโ this time we found Karkus sittinโ up waitinโ fer us lookinโ all eager.โ
โAnd you talked to him?โ
โOh yeah. Firsโ we presented him with a nice battle helmet โ goblin-made anโ indestructible, yeh know โ anโ then we sat down anโ we talked.โ
โWhat did he say?โ
โNot much,โ said Hagrid. โListened mostly. Buโ there were good signs. Heโd heard oโ Dumbledore, heard heโd argued against the killinโ oโ the last giants in Britain. Karkus seemed ter be quite intโrested in what Dumbledore had ter say. Anโ a few oโ the others, โspecially the ones who had some English, they gathered round anโ listened too. We were hopeful when we left that day. Promised ter come back next morninโ with another present.
โBuโ that night it all wenโ wrong.โ โWhat dโyou mean?โ said Ron quickly.
โWell, like I say, theyโre not meant ter live together, giants,โ said Hagrid sadly. โNot in big groups like that. They canโ help themselves, they half kill each other every few weeks. The men fight each other anโ the women fight each other; the remnants of the old tribes fight each other, anโ thatโs even without squabbles over food anโ the best fires anโ sleepinโ spots. Yehโd think, seeinโ as how their whole race is abouโ finished, theyโd lay off each other, buโ
โฆโ
Hagrid sighed deeply.
โThat night a fight broke out, we saw it from the mouth of our cave, lookinโ down on the valley. Went on fer hours, yeh wouldnโ believe the noise. Anโ when the sun came up the snow was scarlet anโ his head was lyinโ at the bottom oโ the lake.โ
โWhose head?โ gasped Hermione.
โKarkusโs,โ said Hagrid heavily. โThere was a new Gurg, Golgomath.โ He
sighed deeply. โWell, we hadnโ bargained on a new Gurg two days after weโd made friendly contact with the firsโ one, anโ we had a funny feelinโ Golgomath wouldnโ be so keen ter listen to us, buโ we had ter try.โ
โYou went to speak to him?โ asked Ron incredulously. โAfter youโd watched him rip off another giantโs head?โ
โCourse we did,โ said Hagrid, โwe hadnโ gone all that way ter give up after two days! We wenโ down with the next present weโd meant ter give ter Karkus.
โI knew it was no go before Iโd opened me mouth. He was sitting there wearinโ Karkusโs helmet, leerinโ at us as we got nearer. Heโs massive, one oโ the biggest ones there. Black hair anโ matchinโ teeth anโ a necklace oโ bones. Human-lookinโ bones, some of โem. Well, I gave it a go โ held out a great roll oโ dragon skin โ anโ said, โA gift fer the Gurg of the giants โโ Nexโ thing I knew, I was hanginโ upsidedown in the air by me feet, two of his mates had grabbed me.โ
Hermione clapped her hands to her mouth. โHow did you get out ofย that?โ asked Harry.
โWouldnโta done if Olympe hadnโ bin there,โ said Hagrid. โShe pulled out her wand anโ did some oโ the fastesโ spellwork Iโve ever seen. Ruddy marvellous. Hit the two holdinโ me right in the eyes with Conjunctivitus Curses anโ they dropped me straightaway โ buโ we were in trouble then, โcause weโd used magic against โem, anโ thatโs what giants hate abouโ wizards. We had ter leg it anโ we knew there was no way we was going ter be able ter march inter the camp again.โ
โBlimey, Hagrid,โ said Ron quietly.
โSo, how come itโs taken you so long to get home if you were only there for three days?โ asked Hermione.
โWe didnโ leave after three days!โ said Hagrid, looking outraged. โDumbledore was relyinโ on us!โ
โBut youโve just said there was no way you could go back!โ
โNot by daylight we couldnโ, no. We just had ter rethink a bit. Spent a couple oโ days lyinโ low up in the cave anโ watchinโ. Anโ whaโ we saw wasnโ good.โ
โDid he rip off more heads?โ asked Hermione, sounding squeamish. โNo,โ said Hagrid, โI wish he had.โ
โWhat dโyou mean?โ
โI mean we soon found out he didnโ object ter all wizards โ just us.โ
โDeath Eaters?โ said Harry quickly.
โYep,โ said Hagrid darkly. โCouple of โem were visitinโ him evโry day, bringinโ gifts ter the Gurg, anโ he wasnโ dangling them upsidedown.โ
โHow dโyou know they were Death Eaters?โ said Ron.
โBecause I recognised one of โem,โ Hagrid growled. โMacnair, remember him? Bloke they sent ter kill Buckbeak? Maniac, he is. Likes killinโ as much as Golgomath; no wonder they were gettinโ on so well.โ
โSo Macnairโs persuaded the giants to join You-Know-Who?โ said Hermione desperately.
โHold yer Hippogriffs, I havenโ finished me story yet!โ said Hagrid indignantly, who, considering he had not wanted to tell them anything in the first place, now seemed to be rather enjoying himself. โMe anโ Olympe talked it over anโ we agreed, jusโ โcause the Gurg looked like favourinโ You-Know- Who didnโ mean all of โem would. We had ter try anโ persuade some oโ the others, the ones who hadnโ wanted Golgomath as Gurg.โ
โHow could you tell which ones they were?โ asked Ron.
โWell, they were the ones beinโ beaten to a pulp, werenโ they?โ said Hagrid patiently. โThe ones with any sense were keepinโ outta Golgomathโs way, hidinโ out in caves rounโ the gully jusโ like we were. So we decided weโd go pokinโ round the caves by night anโ see if we couldnโ persuade a few oโ them.โ
โYou went poking around dark caves looking for giants?โ said Ron, with awed respect in his voice.
โWell, it wasnโ the giants who worried us most,โ said Hagrid. โWe were more concerned abouโ the Death Eaters. Dumbledore had told us before we wenโ not ter tangle with โem if we could avoid it, anโ the trouble was they knew we was around โ โspect Golgomath told โem abouโ us. At night, when the giants were sleepinโ anโ we wanted ter be creepinโ inter the caves, Macnair anโ the other one were sneakinโ round the mountains lookinโ fer us. I was hard put to stop Olympe jumpinโ out at โem,โ said Hagrid, the corners of his mouth lifting his wild beard, โshe was rarinโ ter attack โem โฆ sheโs somethinโ when sheโs roused, Olympe โฆ fiery, yeh know โฆ โspect itโs the French in her โฆโ
Hagrid gazed misty-eyed into the fire. Harry allowed him thirty seconds of reminiscence before clearing his throat loudly.
โSo, what happened? Did you ever get near any of the other giants?โ โWhat? Oh โฆ oh, yeah, we did. Yeah, on the third night after Karkus was
killed we crept outta the cave weโd bin hidinโ in anโ headed back down inter
the gully, keepinโ our eyes skinned fer the Death Eaters. Got inside a few oโ the caves, no go โ then, in abouโ the sixth one, we found three giants hidinโ.โ
โCave mustโve been cramped,โ said Ron. โWasnโ room ter swing a Kneazle,โ said Hagrid.
โDidnโt they attack you when they saw you?โ asked Hermione.
โProbably woulda done if theyโd bin in any condition,โ said Hagrid, โbut they was badly hurt, all three oโ them; Golgomathโs lot had beaten โem unconscious; theyโd woken up anโ crawled inter the nearest shelter they could find. Anyway, one oโ them had a bit of English anโ โe translated fer the others, anโ what we had ter say didnโ seem ter go down too badly. So we kepโ goinโ back, visitinโ the wounded โฆ I reckon we had abouโ six or seven oโ them convinced at one poinโ.โ
โSix or seven?โ said Ron eagerly. โWell thatโs not bad โ are they going to come over here and start fighting You-Know-Who with us?โ
But Hermione said, โWhat do you mean โat one pointโ, Hagrid?โ Hagrid looked at her sadly.
โGolgomathโs lot raided the caves. The ones thaโ survived didnโ wanโ no more ter to do with us after that.โ
โSo โฆ so there arenโt any giants coming?โ said Ron, looking disappointed. โNope,โ said Hagrid, heaving a deep sigh as he turned over his steak and
applied the cooler side to his face, โbut we did whaโ we meant ter do, we gave
โem Dumbledoreโs message anโ some oโ them heard it anโ I โspect some oโ themโll remember it. Jusโ maybe, them that donโ want ter stay around Golgomathโll move outta the mountains, anโ thereโs gotta be a chance theyโll remember Dumbledoreโs friendly to โem โฆ could be theyโll come.โ
Snow was filling up the window now. Harry became aware that the knees of his robes were soaked through: Fang was drooling with his head in Harryโs lap.
โHagrid?โ said Hermione quietly after a while. โMmm?โ
โDid you โฆ was there any sign of โฆ did you hear anything about your โฆ your โฆ mother while you were there?โ
Hagridโs unobscured eye rested upon her and Hermione looked rather scared.
โIโm sorry โฆ I โฆ forget it โโ
โDead,โ Hagrid grunted. โDied years ago. They told me.โ
โOh โฆ Iโm โฆ Iโm really sorry,โ said Hermione in a very small voice.
Hagrid shrugged his massive shoulders.
โNo need,โ he said shortly. โCanโt remember her much. Wasnโ a great
mother.โ
They were silent again. Hermione glanced nervously at Harry and Ron, plainly wanting them to speak.
โBut you still havenโt explained how you got in this state, Hagrid,โ Ron said, gesturing towards Hagridโs bloodstained face.
โOr why youโre back so late,โ said Harry. โSirius says Madame Maxime got back ages ago โโ
โWho attacked you?โ said Ron.
โI havenโ bin attacked!โ said Hagrid emphatically. โI โโ
But the rest of his words were drowned in a sudden outbreak of rapping on the door. Hermione gasped; her mug slipped through her fingers and smashed on the floor; Fang yelped. All four of them stared at the window beside the doorway. The shadow of somebody small and squat rippled across the thin curtain.
โItโs her!โย Ron whispered.
โGet under here!โ Harry said quickly; seizing the Invisibility Cloak, he whirled it over himself and Hermione while Ron tore around the table and dived under the Cloak as well. Huddled together, they backed away into a corner. Fang was barking madly at the door. Hagrid looked thoroughly confused.
โHagrid, hide our mugs!โ
Hagrid seized Harry and Ronโs mugs and shoved them under the cushion in Fangโs basket. Fang was now leaping up at the door; Hagrid pushed him out of the way with his foot and pulled it open.
Professor Umbridge was standing in the doorway wearing her green tweed cloak and a matching hat with earflaps. Lips pursed, she leaned back so as to see Hagridโs face; she barely reached his navel.
โSo,โย she said slowly and loudly, as though speaking to somebody deaf. โYouโre Hagrid, are you?โ
Without waiting for an answer she strolled into the room, her bulging eyes rolling in every direction.
โGet away,โ she snapped, waving her handbag at Fang, who had bounded up to her and was attempting to lick her face.
โEr โ I donโ want ter be rude,โ said Hagrid, staring at her, โbut who the ruddy hell are you?โ
โMy name is Dolores Umbridge.โ
Her eyes were sweeping the cabin. Twice they stared directly into the
corner where Harry stood, sandwiched between Ron and Hermione.
โDolores Umbridge?โ Hagrid said, sounding thoroughly confused. โI thought you were one oโ them Ministry โ donโ you work with Fudge?โ
โI was Senior Undersecretary to the Minister, yes,โ said Umbridge, now pacing around the cabin, taking in every tiny detail within, from the haversack against the wall to the abandoned travelling cloak. โI am now the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher โโ
โThaโs brave of yeh,โ said Hagrid, โthereโs not manyโd take thaโ job any more.โ
โโ and Hogwarts High Inquisitor,โ said Umbridge, giving no sign that she had heard him.
โWhaโs that?โ said Hagrid, frowning.
โPrecisely what I was going to ask,โ said Umbridge, pointing at the broken shards of china on the floor that had been Hermioneโs mug.
โOh,โ said Hagrid, with a most unhelpful glance towards the corner where Harry, Ron and Hermione stood hidden, โoh, thaโ was โฆ was Fang. He broke a mug. So I had ter use this one instead.โ
Hagrid pointed to the mug from which he had been drinking, one hand still clamped over the dragon steak pressed to his eye. Umbridge stood facing him now, taking in every detail of his appearance instead of the cabinโs.
โI heard voices,โ she said quietly.
โI was talkinโ ter Fang,โ said Hagrid stoutly. โAnd was he talking back to you?โ
โWell โฆ in a manner oโ speakinโ,โ said Hagrid, looking uncomfortable. โI sometimes say Fangโs near enough human โโ
โThere are three sets of footprints in the snow leading from the castle doors to your cabin,โ said Umbridge sleekly.
Hermione gasped; Harry clapped a hand over her mouth. Luckily, Fang was sniffing loudly around the hem of Professor Umbridgeโs robes and she did not appear to have heard.
โWell, I onโy jusโ got back,โ said Hagrid, waving an enormous hand at the haversack. โMaybe someone came ter call earlier anโ I missed โem.โ
โThere are no footsteps leading away from your cabin door.โ
โWell, I โฆ I donโ know why thatโd be โฆโ said Hagrid, tugging nervously at his beard and again glancing towards the corner where Harry, Ron and Hermione stood, as though asking for help. โErm โฆโ
Umbridge wheeled round and strode the length of the cabin, looking
around carefully. She bent and peered under the bed. She opened Hagridโs cupboards. She passed within two inches of where Harry, Ron and Hermione stood pressed against the wall; Harry actually pulled in his stomach as she walked by. After looking carefully inside the enormous cauldron Hagrid used for cooking, she wheeled round again and said, โWhat has happened to you? How did you sustain those injuries?โ
Hagrid hastily removed the dragon steak from his face, which in Harryโs opinion was a mistake, because the black and purple bruising all around his eye was now clearly visible, not to mention the large amount of fresh and congealed blood on his face. โOh, I โฆ had a bit of an accident,โ he said lamely.
โWhat sort of accident?โ โI โ I tripped.โ
โYou tripped,โ she repeated coolly.
โYeah, thaโs right. Over โฆ over a friendโs broomstick. I donโ fly, meself. Well, look at the size oโ me, I donโ reckon thereโs a broomstick thatโd hold me. Friend oโ mine breeds Abraxan horses, I dunno if youโve ever seen โem, big beasts, winged, yeh know, Iโve had a bit of a ride on one oโ them anโ it was โโ
โWhere have you been?โ asked Umbridge, cutting coolly through Hagridโs babbling.
โWhereโve I โ?โ
โBeen, yes,โ she said. โTerm started two months ago. Another teacher has had to cover your classes. None of your colleagues has been able to give me any information as to your whereabouts. You left no address. Where have you been?โ
There was a pause in which Hagrid stared at her with his newly uncovered eye. Harry could almost hear his brain working furiously.
โI โ Iโve been away for me health,โ he said.
โFor your health,โ said Professor Umbridge. Her eyes travelled over Hagridโs discoloured and swollen face; dragon blood dripped gently and silently on to his waistcoat. โI see.โ
โYeah,โ said Hagrid, โbit oโ โ oโ fresh air, yeh know โโ
โYes, as gamekeeper fresh air must be so difficult to come by,โ said Umbridge sweetly. The small patch of Hagridโs face that was not black or purple, flushed.
โWell โ change oโ scene, yeh know โโ
โMountain scenery?โ said Umbridge swiftly.
She knows, Harry thought desperately.
โMountains?โ Hagrid repeated, clearly thinking fast. โNope, South oโ France fer me. Bit oโ sun anโ โฆ anโ sea.โ
โReally?โ said Umbridge. โYou donโt have much of a tan.โ
โYeah โฆ well โฆ sensitive skin,โ said Hagrid, attempting an ingratiating smile. Harry noticed that two of his teeth had been knocked out. Umbridge looked at him coldly; his smile faltered. Then she hoisted her handbag a little higher into the crook of her arm and said, โI shall, of course, be informing the Minister of your late return.โ
โRighโ,โ said Hagrid, nodding.
โYou ought to know, too, that as High Inquisitor it is my unfortunate but necessary duty to inspect my fellow teachers. So I daresay we shall meet again soon enough.โ
She turned sharply and marched back to the door.
โYouโre inspectinโ us?โ Hagrid echoed blankly, looking after her.
โOh, yes,โ said Umbridge softly, looking back at him with her hand on the door handle. โThe Ministry is determined to weed out unsatisfactory teachers, Hagrid. Goodnight.โ
She left, closing the door behind her with a snap. Harry made to pull off the Invisibility Cloak but Hermione seized his wrist.
โNot yet,โ she breathed in his ear. โShe might not be gone yet.โ
Hagrid seemed to be thinking the same way; he stumped across the room and pulled back the curtain an inch or so.
โSheโs goinโ back ter the castle,โ he said in a low voice. โBlimey โฆ inspectinโ people, is she?โ
โYeah,โ said Harry, pulling off the Cloak. โTrelawneyโs on probation already
โฆโ
โUm โฆ what sort of thing are you planning to do with us in class, Hagrid?โ asked Hermione.
โOh, donโ you worry abouโ that, Iโve got a great load oโ lessons planned,โ said Hagrid enthusiastically, scooping up his dragon steak from the table and slapping it over his eye again. โIโve bin keepinโ a couple oโ creatures saved fer yer O.W.L. year; you wait, theyโre somethinโ really special.โ
โErm โฆ special in what way?โ asked Hermione tentatively.
โIโm not sayinโ,โ said Hagrid happily. โI donโ want ter spoil the surprise.โ โLook, Hagrid,โ said Hermione urgently, dropping all pretence, โProfessor
Umbridge wonโt be at all happy if you bring anything to class thatโs too dangerous.โ
โDangerous?โ said Hagrid, looking genially bemused. โDonโ be silly, I wouldnโ give yeh anythinโ dangerous! I mean, all righโ, they can look after themselves โโ
โHagrid, youโve got to pass Umbridgeโs inspection, and to do that it would really be better if she saw you teaching us how to look after Porlocks, how to tell the difference between Knarls and hedgehogs, stuff like that!โ said Hermione earnestly.
โBut thaโs not very interestinโ, Hermione,โ said Hagrid. โThe stuff Iโve gotโs much more impressive. Iโve bin bringinโ โem on fer years, I reckon Iโve got the onโy domestic herd in Britain.โ
โHagrid โฆ please โฆโ said Hermione, a note of real desperation in her voice. โUmbridge is looking for any excuse to get rid of teachers she thinks are too close to Dumbledore. Please, Hagrid, teach us something dull thatโs bound to come up in our O.W.L.โ
But Hagrid merely yawned widely and cast a one-eyed look of longing towards the vast bed in the corner.
โLisโen, itโs bin a long day anโ itโs late,โ he said, patting Hermione gently on the shoulder, so that her knees gave way and hit the floor with a thud. โOh โ sorry โโ He pulled her back up by the neck of her robes. โLook, donโ you go worryinโ abouโ me, I promise yeh Iโve got really good stuff planned fer yer lessons now Iโm back โฆ now you lot had better get back up to the castle, anโ donโ forget ter wipe yer footprints out behind yeh!โ
โI dunno if you got through to him,โ said Ron a short while later when, having checked that the coast was clear, they walked back up to the castle through the thickening snow, leaving no trace behind them due to the Obliteration Charm Hermione was performing as they went.
โThen Iโll go back again tomorrow,โ said Hermione determinedly. โIโll plan his lessons for him if I have to. I donโt care if she throws out Trelawney but sheโs not getting rid of Hagrid!โ