Dudley and Hermione walked through the castle. They walked in silence. Dudley liked Hermione and considered her to be a friend, but he wasn't close to her. The only time they were ever together without Ron, Dean or Neville present was during Muggle Studies class, and Dudley had only been taking that for a couple of weeks. He couldn't think of much to say to her as they didn't have much in common.
As they headed towards the entrance hall, a short, blonde girl came into view.
"Luna, why are you walking around alone?" Dudley asked.
Luna looked up as they approached. "Oh, hello, Dudley, Hermione. I am just looking for my things. Some people in my house like to hide them you know. Anthony Goldstein told me he saw Travers hide my scarf in the entrance hall."
"Why do they do that?" Dudley asked.
"A lot of people there think I'm odd, they find it funny," Luna said, rummaging behind a bust of Wendolyn Willow, the inventor of the hair-growing potion. She pulled out a black and silver scarf.
Dudley felt unsure of what to say, he felt sorry for Luna who he quite liked, despite her peculiarities.
"Do you need any help, me and Hermione are going to see Hagrid, but we can help you look after," he said, awkwardly. He suddenly felt a little guilty for the bullying he had done in the past—not really to Luna, but he had picked on Neville in his first year, Seamus a bit during both years and he had made Colin Creevey's first year at Hogwarts a misery. He didn't count Nott or Malfoy because they deserved it.
"Oh no, I expect they will turn up," Luna said. "I just wanted this because it's cold."
She wrapped the scarf and around her neck. "I will come with you," she announced. "It is a nice, starry night and the Moon is out—if we're lucky, we might see a Bristlewig."
"A what?" Dudley asked, leading the way outside.
"It's a Moth that comes down from the Moon sometimes,' Luna said. "They're rare."
Hermione sighed but didn't comment.
There was a light on in Hagrid's cabin, so Dudley knocked on the door.
Immediately Fang started barking.
"Hang on a minute. I'm coming," Hagrid opened the door. He had evidently gotten ready to settle down for the night for he was wearing checked pajames and a pair of pink, fluffy rabbit slippers on his massive feet.
"Dudley, Hermione, Luna," he said, looking at them in turn. "Why are yeh here? 's late, yeh shouldn' be walking the grounds at this time."
He gestured for them to step inside. The fire was roaring and Dudley slipped off his woolly hat and gloves as they sat down.
"I lost my Monster Book of Monsters," Dudley said. "I think I left it with you."
"And I had a question about the exam," Hermione said.
"And I just came for no reason," Luna said, looking curiously around. "Is that a Hoppingpie feather?" she pointed.
"Hippogriff," Hagrid grunted.
"Well, while yeh're here, how abou' a spot o' tea? hermione, get some mugs. I'll get us some cakes."
Hermione opened the cupboard and squealed as a rat came tumbling out. "Dud, I don't believe it! It's scabbers!" she squealed.
Dudley looked at the rat. Sure enough, it was Scabbers, looking very skinny and with great tufts of fur missing.
"I thought he was dead," Dudley said, lifting his feet up in case Scabbers decided to run up his robes.
"Get him!" Hermione shouted, as Scabbers made a break for it.
Luna acted the quickest. She darted forward and plopped her fur-lined hat over Scabbers, capturing him.
"I'll keep him safe," she said, bunching the end of the hat shut so that he couldn't get out.
"Tha''s ron's rat yeh say?" Hagrid asked, handing around cakes.
Dudley took a bite of one and winced. It was rock hard.
Luna nibbled hers politely before slipping it into her pocket while Hermione asked about the exam.
While Hagrid reassured her, he rummaged on a shelf and pulled out Dudley's copy of The Monster Book of Monsters, which he had bound with rope.
After 10 minutes or so, they said goodbye to Hagrid. It wasn't long until curfew and they had to be back to the castle.
"Fancy Scabbers still being alive," Hermione said. "Have you still got him, Luna."
"Still here," Luna said. She had her face close to the brim of the hat and was talking in a low whisper to poor Scabbers. "He looks rather battered, doesn't he? Like he's been eat up."
"He's been like it all year," Dudley said.
"He keeps squeaking and wriggling around," Luna said. "Maybe I should sing to him to calm him down."
Suddenly, Hermione screamed.
Out of the darkness, barely illuminated by the light from the windows of the castle, a gigantic, pale-eyed, jet-black dog came bounding towards them. Behind him, ran a fluffy ginger cat.
"Look out!" Dudley shouted, darting forward and fumbling for his wand.
It was too late, the dog made an enormous leap, its paws hitting Dudley in the chest and knocking him over. The dog's momentum carried it past him.
"Look out!" Hermione screamed, the dog was darting forward again.
Dudley struggled to get to his feet. He was too slow. Luna screamed as the dog clamped its teeth onyo Luna's arm and started dragging her away.
"No … get off her!" He raised his wand to cast a spell and cried out as Crookshanks leapt at his leg, sinking his claws into him.
"Crookshanks! No!" Hermione cried.
With a hiss, the cat ran off, after the dog. The dog had dragged Luna to near a large tree—its branches were swinging wildly.
Dudley raised his wand, but he couldn't hit the dog—Luna was in the way. She was struggling against its grip.
"No!" Dudley shouted as the dog dragged Luna through a hole at is base.
Luna was fighting furiously, but she was slipping out of sight.
Hermione darted forward, trying to get a clear shot.
Smash! A branch of the tree hit her in the chest, knocking her backwards.
Dudley ducked out of the way of another, only for a second branch to hit him on the back of the legs, knocking him to a heap on the floor.
All they could see now was one of Luna's legs, which she had hooked around a root in an effort to stop the dog from pulling her farther underground — but a horrible crack cut the air like a gunshot; Luna's leg had broken, and a moment later, her foot vanished from sight