Chapter 19

The Argument

Harry pushed the door and was immediately knocked over by Fang. Fang bounded off into the darkness.

"Now I'm worried," said Roxanne, gazing into Hagrid's empty cabin.

"No sign of a struggle," said Hermione observably.

"And who in their right mind would try to steal Hagrid?" derided Ron. Roxanne couldn't help giggle as she thought of a Flitwick sized person carrying a bag with a roaring Hagrid inside it on his back.

"Hey! Isn't that Snape?" said Marl, pointing toa dark figure striding towards the forest. They all stared at Professor Snape who neither acknoweldged that they were there or even seemed to know where he was going. They couldn't make out his expression but his movement was jerky, as if unwilling to venture into the dark forest.

"Yeah b – is that –?"

"What, Harry?"

"Fawks," he said bluntly, pointing at the sky. There was a flash of red wings and they spotted the gorgeous bird dive-bomb into the forest. This was indeed odd, as they all knew the bird's reluctance to leave Dumbledore's office.

"All Hagrid's animals have gone!" cried Hermione, pointing to the fences which had all been knocked down as if flattened by a ramage.

"Oh man…weren't fifth years doing Hippogriffs?" said Ron, the colour draining from his face.

"Yeah we were. And…oh…"

"What?" snapped Ron.

"Seventh years who were doing Study of Magical Creatures honours are studying Manticores. Hagrid kept them in that barn over there," said Mark flatly.

"You mean the one with no wall?" said Ron, wide-eyed.

"Yep, that's the one."

"We'd bettertell Dumbledore," said Roxanne, absentmindedly chewing her fingernail.

"He's not here remember? At breakfast he saidhe and McGonagall were going to the Ministry of Magic," said Harry. "So that means –"

"-We tell another teacher," interrupted Hermione.

"But some of us should go in there and –"

"Are you mad, Harry?" exclaimed Ginny.

"Apparently," he said, shrugging.

"So all the animals and scary creatures have gone into the Forbidden Forest, big deal!" said Ron, slightly hysterically. "Lets go in there - and have a party!"

"But what if Voldemort's behind this," said Harry seriously.

Hermione couldn't help but roll her eyes dramatically. "Yeah, he's looking for a pet and can't be bothered to go to the shops."

"He might be making an army or something," said Harry, frowning at her.

"This is so typical," she said, looking away from Harry.

"Why?"

"You would love it if…no, it doesn't matter. I'm going to tell a teacher then go to bed."

"What do you mean?" asked Harry, rounding in her angrily.

"It doesn't matter!" she said sternly.

"Yes it does! Tell me!" said Harry.

"I just think you would love it if this was Voldemort's doing so then you…never mind," she muttered, turning around.

"What if it is? Lots of people could get hurt, Hermione!" he yelled.

"Well I hope it is Voldemort, because then you could be the hero again, couldn't you?" she shouted at him.

"What?"

"That's right! You're such an attention seeker, Harry! Malfoy's right, it's all gone to your head!"

"Hermione!" gasped Ron.

"That's what you think, is it? That I like being the source of all the gossip and stared at all the time? And I thought you were my friend," he said angrily.

"Yes I think you like it," she stated.

He let out a laugh of disbelief. "You think that I like knowing that I have a fifty percent chance of being killed by a man who killed my parents?"

"Here we go again, it's all about you! 'My parents' and 'I have a fifty percent chance'. Every time we have an argument you always bring this up!"

"What's wrong with you, Hermione?" asked Ginny, putting a hand on her shoulder which consequently got shrugged off..

"Him!" she yelled, pointingan accusingfinger at Harry. "Wasting six years of my life hangingaround with him!"

"You didn't have to," said Roxanne quietly.

"Shut up," snapped Hermione fiercely.

"You're just being out of order, Hermione! Harry has saved your life many times –" started Roxanne.

"If I had never made friends with him I wouldn't have gotten into that danger IN THE FIRST PLACE!" she screamed. She ran off back to the castle.

"Wow…" said Mark, watching her bushy hair disappear around the corner.