Chapter 2

Harry was starting to look faintly ill; his face appeared to be turning paler by the minute.

"Hey, Harry!" said Ginny, waving a hand in front of his face, "Are you okay? You don't look so good…"

"He's cracking under the anticipation, Ginny!" chuckled and amused Ron.

The last group was returning through the barrier and a disappointed looking Second Year announced, "Boring! I've seen my parents doing worse!" The rest either looked in a state of shock or were having hysterics.

"Yay! We're next!" squeaked Ron, almost bouncing in excitement, "About time too…"

"Urgh, I think I'm gonna be sick already." Mumbled an almost-green Harry and he tried to back out of the queue. Unfortunately for him, Ginny noticed and elbowed him back in line. As they passed the barrier, there was a sign which said (in glowing green ink):

"BEWARE! THE EVENT YOU ARE ABOUT TO WITNESS IS OF A HIGHLY DISTURBING NATURE. NOT SUITABLE FOR PUPILS WITH NERVOUS DISORDERS OR HEART CONDITIONS. BE VERY CERTAIN YOU ARE ABLE TO HANDLE THE OBSCENE CONTENTS OF THIS 'MIRACLE OF NATURE' BEFORE YOU ENTER. WE CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY OFFENCE, ANGUISH ETC., THAT THIS MAY CAUSE AND WE DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES OFFER REFUNDS. HOWEVER, IF THIS EVENT LEAVES YOU WITH UNPLEASANT MENTAL SCARRING, WE OFFER MEMORY MODIFICATION CHARMS AT THE ADDITIONAL COST OF 4 SICKLES. REMEMBER: YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!"

Before Harry had chance to fully read the sign though, Goyle had ushered him, Ron, Ginny, Luna and a random Third Year through the barrier and around the back of Hagrid's Hut. He stopped them when they were facing the back wall of the house. He took out his wand, grunted an inaudible incantation and conjured a mysterious window in front of them.

"You can see them, but they can't see you," he said, "Enjoy!"

And with that, he left them and returned to the front of the hut.

Everyone's attention slowly and cautiously returned to the magical window facing them.

"So," murmured Luna, eagerly, "Where's that Manticore egg?"

No one answered the question and her voice echoed into the gathering darkness. Nobody moved or made a sound. They were all staring fixatedly at what was unfurling before them in the magical window. Harry's insides squirmed uncomfortably and threatened to expel his dinner. Ron was wearing an expression of utmost disbelief, while Ginny was in near hysterics. Luna, meanwhile, was shifting around behind Harry, trying to get a better view. The Third Year, however was evidently not enjoying what he was seeing, as he abruptly got to his feet, ran behind a bush and was violently sick.

After a minute's silence, Ron said, in a voice of mingled disgust and excitement, "Hermione has no idea what she's missing!"

Through the magical window, inside Hagrid's bedroom, if you could call it that, was a very disturbing sight: two huge bodies, tangled and intertwined underneath Hagrid's enormous bedsheets.

It was then that Harry realised, with disgust, why Hagrid hadn't noticed crowds of students hanging round outside his house.

There was a dullthud behind them which made Ginny and Luna gasp. Turning round, Harry noticed that the Third Year had collapsed in a heap on the grass.

"I'm guessing he had a nervous disorder then," laughed Harry.

"Or a heart condition," added Ginny with a chuckle.

"Well, whatever his problem," proclaimed Luna, "without a doubt he'll need his memory modified." And she strode over to the slumped figure purposefully, bent over him and whispered, "Obliviate."

"Looks like you just saved him 4 sickles," said Ginny, her eyes still on Hagrid's bed, "but I'd wake him up as well."

"Do you want to do that?" asked Harry, "or should I? Seeing as you're too engrossed in Hagrid's bedroom activities…" He moved to kneel down next to Luna by the Third Year. "Enervate," he muttered and the boy's eyes fluttered openand looked around wildly. Harry quickly checked to make sure that the magical window was blocked from view.

"Er, where am I?" asked the Third Year, warily.

"You were erm…" Harry looked around at his friends for help.

"Sleepwalking," prompted Luna.

"Yeah, you were sleepwalking, lucky we found you eh? Why don't you run off back to the castle?" Harry gave him a gentle nudge in the right direction. The boy didn't need telling twice. With a last, very confused look behind him, he headed back up to the school, full sprint.

"Er, guys?" chuckled Ginny, "if anyone's going to need a free memory

charm, I think it's Ron."

Harry and Luna glanced away from Ginny to look at Ron. Both of them grinned. Ron was wearing an expression similar to that of a goldfish; his eyes were bulging and he was opening and closing his mouth, while making unusual gulping sounds, almost as if he were trying to say something.

The hairs on the back of Harry's neck suddenly prickled and he suddenly felt as though something was not quite as it should be.

"You know what?" he said in an urgent whisper, "I think we've stayed long enough. We really should go back to the castle."

"But we haven't had our full fifteen minutes yet!" exclaimed Luna.

"I think Potter is right, you have stayed long enough," said an unmistakeably familiar voice.

They all spun round rapidly to come face-to-face with Professor Snape with Professor McGonagall not far behind him. Upon seeing their teachers they all grouped together in a tight huddle in order to block out the window from the teachers' sight.