Chapter One Hundred and Twenty - Grawp
Fred and George's flight from Hogwarts had already become a school legend. It helped that their fireworks continued to flit around the grounds for several days after the twins' departure. Even those that had been directed outdoors by Professor McGonagall and Snape seemed to somehow worm their way back within the walls of the castle. They had a habit of mysteriously working their way into Umbridge's office, where they would at last expire with a sudden pop! showering her office in soot and debris. Rumors spread that it would have been entirely possible for Professor Flitwick or one of the other house heads to remove the fireworks entirely, but no one seemed to be volunteering for this role, preferring to let Umbridge handle the mess herself.
Inspired by Fred and George's example, the students who remained were intent on making Umbridge's life at Hogwarts a living hell. Eager to inherit the twins' coveted position as school troublemakers, intrepid students took to performing silly pranks, such as dropping dungbombs or stink pellets in the halls between classes.
Surprisingly, it was Cedric Diggory who took the lead in causing the most mayhem around the school. He had emerged from the hospital wing without a single blemish, bent on revenge toward Umbridge for forcing him to rat on the Marauders. Rather than discourage the use of dungbombs, as any good Head Boy would have done, he merely taught the underclassmen the bubble-head charm he had used during the Triwizard Tournament. It quickly became the fashion for all students to take the precaution of performing this charm before entering the hallways, so that they could pass through clouds of foul-smelling miasma without harm.
With Cedric's blessing, the miscreants that plagued Umbridge were almost never caught. The Inquisitorial Squad was now making their rounds with greater frequency than the prefects, but Harry's spies had a tendency to be on the other side of the school wherever the latest booby-trap had been set. In fact, Harry was certain that Warrington and Montague were responsible for a few of the nastier pranks themselves. Someone had slipped a niffler into Umbridge's office, and in his opinion, it could have been either one of them.
Those members of the Inquisitorial Squad who were not allied with Harry kept meeting unfortunate accidents. Pansy Parkinson had sprouted antlers and missed all of her classes that day. Crabbe and Goyle both reported to the hospital wing with odd skin complaints - Crabbe's skin had taken on the exact texture and appearance of tree bark, while Goyle began shedding thick scales like a snake. Harry suspected that both issues could be traced back to the strange powder he'd seen Draco sprinkling over their bedclothes, but he kept this observation to himself.
While the students kept their pranks focused on Umbridge, Peeves recognized no such restrictions. The school poltergeist seemed to resent the fact that Fred and George had outdone him, and so he entertained himself by causing as much chaos as possible wherever he went. Since Umbridge had tied herself up with countless Educational Decrees in her attempt to consolidate all the power for herself, she was effectively the only one called on to settle matters when Peeves caused mischief in the other teachers' classrooms. She barely had time to monitor her own classes, and was often seen rushing from one summons to the next, red-faced and panting from exertion.
Indeed, it seemed as if the whole school were now fighting back against Umbridge. Blaise had even sought assistance from outside. With Draco's help, he was able to send an uncensored letter to his mother, detailing in scathing language the atrocities being committed at Hogwarts under Umbridge's leadership. Mrs. Zabini was spotted the following day, marching toward the school with eight of the Hogwarts governors and looking extremely angry.
While Umbridge had to contend with the fury of one mother, Ron Weasley was preoccupied with his own.
"I knew they were planning something for a long time, but this? I'm surprised mum hasn't sent me a howler already…"
"Why would you get a howler?" Harry asked. Umbridge's snitches were still tacitly enforcing the segregation of the four houses, so Harry and his friends had chosen to work with Ron's group during their Care of Magical Creatures lesson, one of the few times they could talk without being bothered. "It's hardly your fault that Fred and George dropped out. What were you supposed to do, grab the end of their brooms and drag them back?"
Ron lowered his head, but not before Harry saw the color rise to his freckled cheeks.
"It's my fault…" he whispered.
"What?" Hermione gasped. The magical fire they were tending in an attempt to breed ashwinders flared as her wand-hand slipped. "Ronald! What do you mean?"
"Well… I gave them a bit of money… To help get their business started, you know…"
"But where did you get the money?" Hermione pressed, "Those premises they rented in Diagon Alley... That couldn't have been cheap!"
Ron glanced at Harry, who felt his pulse quicken. He had a feeling he already knew what Ron's answer would be, even before he said, "Mum split it between all of us. Said it was from the Ministry… For dad's years of service, you know? But I knew that wasn't true…"
Hermione followed the direction of Ron's gaze to Harry, confusion stamped clearly on her face. Harry, on the other hand, couldn't pretend that he didn't know exactly what Ron was implying. His silence confirmed Ron's suspicions.
Rather than accuse him, Ron merely sighed. "It didn't feel right, taking your money like that. So I gave my share to Fred and George. I figured with the three of our shares combined, it could help them get the joke shop up and running… I just didn't expect them to open so soon!"
" Your money!" Hermione gasped, gaping at Harry, "But how…?"
"It was my winnings from the Triwizard Tournament," Harry admitted, though he still felt embarrassed. "I guess… It didn't feel right for me to accept the money, either."
He expected Hermione to lecture him, perhaps even to suggest a million better ways to have disposed of his winnings. What he didn't expect was for Hermione to kiss him in the middle of class.
"Can you not?" Neville asked. He was sitting on Hermine's other side. It was impossible to tell if his face was flushed from the heat of their magical fire or secondhand embarrassment. "It's not that I'm not happy for you both, but rubbing it in my face is a little…"
"I second Longbottom's motion to suppress the PDA," Millie commented, as a pale gray serpent slithered out of the flames, leaving a trail of ash behind it as it sough the shaded fireproof box they had provided for it.
Hermione, smirking sheepishly at her own audacity, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said, "Well, I think a little rebellion is just what the school needed! Especially since we've had to suspend Marauder's meetings…Besides, the prefects' job is about to get a lot easer. Those Skiving Snackboxes they kept testing on first years had been giving me a real headache..."
Meanwhile, Harry's occlumency lessons had continued uninterrupted. Snape had made no allusions to his worst memory since Harry's transgression. In fact, he had made no references to either of Harry's parents since that day. Although Harry missed teasing Snape for random facts about his mother, he was interested to see other, more subtle changes in the Potion Master's behavior. Snape seemed calmer than before. Not that he became kinder toward Harry. That would have been impossible. Nor was he more talkative. He still maintained his stoic silence during class and their private practices. But when he spoke to Harry his tone softer, almost polite.
Except when it became clear that Harry had been neglecting his occlumency practice.
"It's astonishing that after all this time, you have failed to show any sign of progress," Snape said with a sneer, "I'm actually rather impressed at your ineptitude. Was the spell you cast before just a fluke? Beginner's luck?"
"I've been busy!" Harry protested after Snape berated him in this fashion for several minutes without pause. "It's hasn't been an easy year, you know! I've been swamped with homework. I haven't had any time…"
This was not quite true. He had continued to dream about the dark passage leading to the Department of Mysteries. He had passed through the door time and time again, through the room with the twinkling light and ticking of clocks, into the chamber with the dusty glass orbs. He'd even gotten as far as row ninety-seven before he woke. In truth, Harry wondered what would be at the end of his search. What would happen if he finally found what he was looking for?
The final match of the Quidditch season had arrived - Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw. Harry would not be playing, but he was deeply interested in the outcome of this game. Although Slytherin had lost to Hufflepuff, Cedric's team was soundly defeated by Ravenclaw, just as Warrington had predicted. Therefore, Slytherin still had a chance to secure the Interhouse Cup. If Ravenclaw defeated Gryffindor today, Slytherin's ultimate victory was secure.
Harry was feeling conflicted. On the one hand, it had been nice being on speaking terms with Ron Weasley. He wanted to support him as the Gryffindor Keeper. On the other hand, Slytherin hadn't won the Quidditch Cup since Harry joined the team, and a victory for Slytherin might partially make amends for a truly abysmal school year.
Luna Lovegood had no such scruples about her favorite to win. Harry spied her walking next to Nell as they made their way toward the Quidditch pitch that Saturday. She would have been hard to miss. Perched atop her pointed hat was what appeared to be a live eagle, but in reality was only a very clever charm cast on a paper mache bird.
Spotting Nell, Harry couldn't help but grin. He nudged Blaise in the side and directed his gaze toward the pair of Ravenclaws.
"Suppose we sit together?" he suggested, "Since we're all pulling for a Ravenclaw victory today."
Blaise took one look at Luna's unusual hat and opened his mouth to refuse, but since Harry was determined, he reluctantly got dragged along. Harry awkwardly managed to arrange things so that Blaise and Nell were sitting next to each other along the bench, though Nell shot him many dirty looks and Blaise continued to look indifferent.
"What are you up to?" Millie whispered into Harry's ear.
"Have you talked to Nell?" Harry muttered from the side of his mouth. Desperate as he was to disclose his gossip to another living person, he did not want to betray Nell's trust.
Millie was about to reply, when a great cheer rose from the crowd. The teams had just walked onto the pitch. Harry glanced first at the two teams. Ron was looking slightly green with nerves. There was still a chance for Gryffindor to win the cup, but it wasn't enough to win the match. They needed to win by a wide enough margin to make up for their prior loss to Slytherin. It was all a numbers game, and Harry was sure the figures were whirling through Ron's head as he mounted his broom and took to the air.
His gaze next scanned the faces of the cheering crowd. It seemed that most of Slytherin had turned out for a Ravenclaw victory. Even several Hufflepuffs, led by Cedric Diggory, had painted their faces in blue and bronze, presumably in support of Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw Seeker. The Gryffindors, by comparison, had far fewer supporters in the audience. Among the scarlet and gold spectators, Harry caught the eye of Hermione and Neville, who were seated next to Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. Hermione smiled at him cheekily, and he waved back. He hadn't known she was coming to the game. With their exams soon approaching, she had taken to spending every free moment in the library. He had assumed that today would be no different. He was on the point of abandoning his seat to join her and Neville, when a voice whispered nearby, "Harry… Can yeh come with me?"
He started. Hagrid was awkwardly crouched in the row behind him, as if he was trying not to be seen. His efforts were in vain, however, as he was still four feet taller than the people sitting around him, looking a little rumpled from where Hagrid had sidled past to get to Harry. He wondered how he missed the commotion.
"Can it wait…?" Harry started to ask, then he looked up into Hagrid's face. Both of his eyes were black again, and his nose was slightly bleeding. Hoping Hagrid was finally going to explain these mysterious injuries to him, he turned instead to Blaise and Millie, who were both observing Hagrid curiously. "You guys can stay and watch the match. I'm going to talk to Hagrid for a minute."
"I'll come with you," Millie said, rising from her seat without hesitation. It wasn't a surprising reaction. She had never taken much interest in Quidditch.
Nell, who had been watching Harry's whispered conversation with Hagrid, muttered some excuse to Luna, and also stood. That only left Blaise. Reluctant to be seen in company with only Luna Lovegood and her bizarre hat, he gave one last look at the Quidditch pitch, just in time to see Ron fumble the quaffle. With a heavy sigh, he said, "Alright…" and prepared to follow them.
Hagrid hardly seemed aware of the small party that had followed him. He appeared anxious as they left the stands, constantly glancing over his shoulder, as if worried they were being watched.
"Don' suppose you think she's noticed us?" he asked after a few minutes of this suspicious behavior.
"If you mean Umbridge," said Nell, "She's surrounded by her Snitch Squad at the moment. I think they expect some trouble at the match."
Hagrid looked down in surprise, as if he had just noticed that Nell was there. For one so anxious not to be followed or observed, his thoughts were also in complete disarray.
"Oh! Miss Willoughby… I didn' realize you were… I was only expectin' Harry... maybe Blaise or Millie..."
"Willoughby's alright," Blaise said with a shrug. Nell smiled faintly, caught Harry's knowing glance, and immediately frowned.
They approached Hagrid's cabin, but rather than turn toward the door, Hagrid walked straight past, arming himself with a crossbow before heading toward the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Harry and his friends exchanged excited glances. This was getting very interesting. Harry didn't even regret missing the Quidditch match.
"Hagrid, why are you armed?" Blaise asked eagerly as they made their first steps into the woods.
"You didn't need a crossbow when you showed us the Thestrals," added Millie.
She glanced at Harry, and he could read her thoughts in the wary expression on her face. They had to consider the possibility that Hagrid was breeding a dangerous creature in the Forbidden Forest, like when he tried to raise a dragon or the monstrous Blast-Ended Skrewts. That would certainly explain his injuries…
Instead, Hagrid replied, "Jus' a precaution… Didn' need ter worry 'fore Firenze left the fores', but now…"
Harry recalled that Firenze stated he had been banished from his herd, and correctly concluded, "The other centaurs weren't happy when he came to work for Dumbledore, were they?"
Hagrid nodded solemnly, "They had nearly kicked 'im ter death 'fore I got there. Now they're all riled up, and they don' tolerate my trips inter the fores' like they used to…"
"Is that why you brought us here?" Nell asked, "Does it have something to do with the centaurs?"
Hagrid gave a harsh laugh and said, "You think I'd ask you lot ter come an' talk some sense into a band of angry centaurs? What on earth do ya think you'd say to 'em? No, I had somethin' else in mind, but they may complicate things…"
He did not elaborate as they continued winding their way deeper into the forest. Harry felt no real anxiety, feeling safe with Hagrid and among his friends. But then Hagrid suddenly stepped off the smooth path and began trekking through brambles and over exposed tree roots.
Harry's mind shot to the horrid memories of the last time he strayed off the path in these woods. He and Neville had encountered a knot of giant spiders while following Hagrid's instructions, and it had nearly cost them their lives.
Feeling slightly less confident in Hagrid, Harry asked tentatively, "Where are we going?"
"Bit farther ahead," Hagrid grunted.
But as the trees thickened and their robes began to catch on thorny twigs, Blaise came to an abrupt stop and declared, "I'm not taking another step unless you tell us what we're doing!"
"Yeah…" said Hagrid, coming to a faltering stop, "Yeah… It might be better ter fill you all in on a few things… Before we get there…"
The four of them stared up into Hagrid's bruised face, bathed in a strange green hue from the light filtering through the leaves. The blood that had been trickling from his nose had dried in his mustache and beard. He looked tired and sad.
"Truth is…" he said heavily after gathering his thoughts, "It's likely I'll be gettin' the sack any day now. Umbridge thinks it was me who put tha' niffler in 'er office…"
"But it wasn't!" Harry interrupted in his haste to defend Hagrid, "It must've been Warrington or Montague! I wouldn't even put it past Diggory to…"
Hagrid shook his head, motioning for patience, and continued, "It doesn' matter who did it. She's lookin' fer any excuse ter fire me, an' after Trelawney an' Dumbledore leavin'... I know it's only a matter o' time… I want ter leave on my own terms. I can be helpful to Dumbledore, after all… But there are certain special circumstances… I need yer help, and I couldn' leave without tellin' yeh…"
He was trying to put on a brave face, but Harry could tell that the possibility of losing his job, of losing his very home at Hogwarts, terrified him. His voice became choked with emotion as he struggled to explain. Surprisingly, it was Blaise who finally relented, saying, "You could have said so from the beginning! Let's keep moving…"
Hagrid nodded his head, his eyes welling with tears, before he turned and continued deeper into the woods. At last, they had reached a clearing. In the center was a large, smooth mound of earth, as tall as Hagrid. It was surrounded by a semi-circle of uprooted trees, which formed a sort of natural barrier around the hill.
"Ah, he's sleepin'," said Hagrid, sounding like a fond parent.
Harry stared at him, confused, until he noticed the looks of horror on each of his friends' faces. What he had taken to be a mound of earth seemed to be moving slowly up and down in time with a great, deep breathing that whispered through the clearing.
"You said none of them wanted to come!" Blaise complained, his voice barely higher than a squeak.
Harry realized now that the creature must be a giant, and looked on in wonder as Hagrid tried to explain, "I had ter bring 'em! I thought if I could jus' teach 'em a few manners, he'd come out an' show everyone that he's harmless!"
Something about the way he spoke about the giant gave Harry the feeling that this was more than a pet project to him.
"Hagrid," he asked slowly, "Who is he?"
Hagrid, tears spilling from his two black eyes, replied, "His name is Grawp. He's my brother."
"Your brother!" Nell said with a gasp.
"Half-brother," Hagrid clarified, "Found out my mum took up with another giant after she left my dad. But she hadn' cared for 'im like a mother should! With giants, all tha' matters is havin' great, big kids. An' Grawp here is a little on the runty side. Only sixteen foot…"
Blaise let out a sort of maniacal giggle and said, "Oh yes! Tiny!"
"He was bein' bullied by the others!" Hagrid pleaded, "I couldn' jus' leave 'em!"
"Did Madame Maxime want to bring Grawp back?" asked Harry.
"Well… She could see that it was importan' ter me, but I think she got tired of travelin' with Grawp after a while," Hagrid admitted, "Tha's why it took me so long ter get back, yeh see. We had to avoid Muggle towns, go through the wilds… Maxime took her own way back, but she promised not to tell anyone…"
Millie covertly poked Harry in the side, nodding significantly at several large, thick ropes that seemed to be binding Grawp to the nearest pair of trees. These were old and tall, with roots stretching too far down to be overturned. At least Harry hoped that was the case.
"You keep him tied up?"
"He's jus' had a hard time settlin' in," Hagrid said quickly, "He kept tryin' ter leave at firs'... He doesn' know his own strength…"
Blaise cut in abruptly, saying, "Hang on… He's the one who's been doing that to your face! Hagrid, he's hurting you!"
Hagrid quickly defended his brother, but Harry was very worried now. With a mounting sense of apprehension, he asked, "Hagrid, what exactly do you want the four of us to do?"
"I want yeh to look after him when I'm gone!" Hagrid exclaimed, wringing his hands in anguish, "He can take care of himself fer the most part…. Can get his own food and water… It's company he'll need! And maybe yeh can teach 'em a few tings. See, he doesn' speak much English…"
Harry was uncomfortably aware that his friends were all watching him, waiting for him to speak. But to his shock, Nell was the first to reply. In a very quiet voice, she said, "I'll do it…"
Blaise's response was immediate. He rounded on Nell, demanding, "Are you crazy?"
Nell wasn't looking at him, but at Grawp's massive slumbering form.
"I don't really understand what's going on," she said, "But I've read a lot about giants... Maybe I can teach him?"
"If Nell's fine with it, then we have to help, too," said, "We'll use my invisibility cloak to sneak down in pairs."
He expected Blaise to put up a fight, but as he continued to glare at Nell, he assented with a solemn nod. Millie raised no objections, and a relieved smile spread over Hagrid's bruised face.
"I knew I could count on yeh, Harry!" he said, "An' I don' wan' yeh ter put yerself out too much. I know yeh've got exams… Once a week is jus' fine fer havin' a chat with Grawpy… I'll jus' wake 'em up now, introduce you to 'em…"
Before anyone could make a move to stop him, Hagrid had lifted a large bough from the forest floor. It seemed to have snapped off one of the uprooted trees. Lifting it high, he smiled reassuringly at Harry over his shoulder, and prodded Grawp sharply in the back.
The giant uttered a roar so loud Harry was sure he felt the earth shaking. Birds erupted from the trees circling the clearing, soaring away to find safer refuge elsewhere. Grawp, meanwhile, had pushed himself onto his knees, turning his head to see what had disturbed him.
"All righ', Grawpy?" said Hagrid in a cheery, sing-song voice, "Had a nice sleep, eh?"
While Hagrid continued to talk to his brother as if he was an infant and not a fully grown giant, Harry and his friends wordlessly retreated several paces under the shelter of the closest trees. Grawp had a large face with rough features. His nose was stubby and shapeless, his mouth a lopsided, thin-lipped line. When he yawned, he revealed a set of misshapen yellow teeth. His eyes, though large as trash can lids, were too small compared to the rest of his face. Harry watched in awe as Grawp raised his dirt-covered hands and rubbed the sleep away before pushing himself to his feet with surprising speed.
Hagrid was still speaking to Grawp, explaining how he brought a few visitors to see him. To Harry, it looked as though Grawp wasn't listening to Hagrid, nor even recognized the sounds he was making as speech. When his efforts seemed to be making no impact on Grawp, Hagrid lifted his branch one again and delivered another poke in Grawp's knee.
The giant abandoned the tree he had been searching for birds' nests and looked down, seeming surprised to notice Hagrid there.
"This," shouted Hagrid, gesturing to the space where Harry and his friends had been a moment before. He looked startled to find that they had moved so far away, and hastened closer as he continued, "is Harry, Grawp! Harry Potter!"
Grawp knelt closer, trying to get a better look at the four friends huddled in the shadows, while Hagrid continued to give his introductions, "An' this is Blaise, Millie, and Nell… They might be comin' ter visit yeh if I have ter go away… GRAWPY, NO!"
The giant made as sudden swipe for Nell, as if to snatch her right off the ground. Blaise, acting with faster reflexes than Harry, grabbed her arm and tugged her behind the nearest tree, where she clung to him, trembling with fright.
Harry and Millie drew their wands as a precaution, but Hagrid was already chastising Grawp for "grabbing." Harry watched, horrified, as Grawp absently swatted Hagrid to the side, causing him to fall onto his back, clutching his nose, which began bleeding afresh. Fortunately, Grawp appeared to lose interest in them after this, for he sat back and began playing with one of the larger pine trees he had not yet ripped from the ground.
"Righ," said Hagrid, speaking thickly through his bleeding nose, "Well, there yeh are… Yeh've met him an'... an' now he'll know yeh when he come back… Yeah, well… Let's get back, now…"
Harry and Millie followed close behind Hagrid in silence. Behind them, Blaise and Nell began arguing in fervent whispers.
"You still want to tutor that great, hulking beast after what just happened?" Blaise hissed.
Nell was surprisingly stubborn. "Hagrid doesn't understand… Giants communicate with both gestures and words… If he had a proper teacher…"
"If his own brother can't handle him, what do you think you're going to do?"
Harry kept his thoughts to himself, but a part of him agreed with Blaise. Trying to teach Grawp English felt like a hopeless endeavor. He tried to interpret Millie's silence, wondering if she was angry at him for pledging her cooperation without asking.
He had just recalled Firenze's cryptic warning, understanding now, when it was too late, what he had meant. Then a voice spoke to them from the shadows of the trees.
"I thought we told you that you are no longer welcome here, Hagrid?"
A chestnut-bodied centaur strolled toward them through the dappled green light filtering through the leaves overhead. His face seemed proud, and he wore his long, black hair loose and flowing over his naked shoulders.
"How are yeh, Magorian?" Hagrid asked warily.
Behind Magorian, five more centaurs emerged from the darkness. Harry marveled at how quietly they moved on their hooves. He hadn't been aware they were watched, though admittedly, his thoughts had been back in the clearing with a sixteen foot tall giant.
A centaur with a black beard and body strode forward. He stood respectfully a pace or two behind Magorian, though there was something in his bearing that suggested he had a place of authority in this small band.
"We agreed what we would do if this human showed his face in the forest again, didn't we?" he said to Magorian.
"This human, now, am I?" said Hagrid, clearly nettled, "Jus' fer stoppin' all of yeh from committin' murder?"
"Our ways are not your yours," replied Magorian in a calm, sonorous voice, "Nor are our laws. You out not to have interfered. Firenze betrayed and dishonored us."
"But tha's not true!" Hagrid argued, "He only agreed ter help Albus Dumbledore…"
"He entered into servitude to humans!" argued the black centaur. Unlike Magorian, his voice was harsh and angry. He pawed the ground with his forehoof, while his tail swished violently back and forth. "He is peddling our knowledge and secrets among humans! There can be no return from such disgrace!"
"Calm yourself, Bane," Magorian said, never removing his eyes from Hagrid. Harry realized that he was gazing impassively at Hagrid's crossbow. Harry wondered if it had been a good idea to come to the forest armed, after all. "We did warn you, Hagrid, what would happen if you trespassed in our forest again…"
"I'll have less of this our fores' business, if it's all the same ter you," Hagrid said, his voice rumbling deep in his chest, "It's not up ter you who comes an' goes in here. The fores' belongs to everyone…"
The centaurs shifted restlessly at this short speech, but Magorian raised a hand, signaling for calm. With his proud, emotionless gaze still trained on Hagrid, he replied, "This forest belonged to the centaurs long before humans ever stepped foot in this land. However, as you are accompanied by your young, I shall let you pass in safety today…"
"They're not his!" Bane interrupted contemptuously, "They are students, Magorian. From the school! They may have already profited from the traitor's teachings…"
"Nevertheless," countered Magorian, "the slaughter of foals is a terrible crime, and one I will not condone. Today, Hagrid, you may pass. Henceforth, stay away from the forest. You forfeited our friendship when you helped the traitor Firenze escape us."
"You couldn' keep me outta the fores' with a hundred of you stubborn mules!" Hagrid angrily declared.
"Hagrid!" Harry said in a loud, pleading voice. Magorian's face remained unchanged, but his tail was now swishing back and forth in agitation. Behind him, Bane and the other centaurs pawed the ground with their hooves.
"We know what you are keeping in the forest, Hagrid," Magorian said in a low, warning tone. "We know you will try to return for it. Our tolerance is waning. This is your final warning."
Hagrid looked absolutely furious now, and was on the point of raising his crossbow when Millie stepped forward, arresting his arm at a touch from her hand.
"Hagrid! Let's just go. Please…"
Hagrid looked down, as if surprised to see the four of them still there, cowering in his shadow. He spared a last, hateful glance at the centaurs, then turned away, leading them back toward the castle.
"S'alright…" he muttered, "Everyone jus' stay calm…"
"Well, that settles it," Blaise said once they moved far enough away from the centaurs, "We won't be able to visit Grawp, after all. You heard what those centaurs said…"
"Nonsense!" Hagrid said gruffly, "They're all talk, centaurs. Besides, yeh heard 'em. They won't hurt foals… I mean, young people like yerselves."
Blaise looked crestfallen. He didn't even have the heart to resume his argument with Nell as they rejoined the path and emerged out of the forest a few minutes later. Their whole group was silent, and as the trees began to thin and they spotted patches of clear, blue sky, they could hear the sounds of cheering in the distance.
"Is the match over?" Harry asked, more to break the silence than from any real curiosity. It no longer mattered to him who won the quidditch cup.
"Yeh…" Hagrid replied, "I reckon it's over… Look, yeh can already see people comin' out! If the four of yeh hurry, yeh might be able ter blend in with the crowd. No one'll know yeh weren' there!"
Blaise and Millie's complaints began the second they were out of earshot from Hagrid's cabin. Harry and Nell did their best to soothe their worries, but in Harry's heart, he was also frustrated with Hagrid. He couldn't believe he would ask them, a bunch of students, to do something so clearly dangerous. Hagrid was his friend, and in some ways his love for all living creatures was commendable, but there were limits…
Their debate was interrupted as a crowd of celebrating Gryffindors approached, bearing Ron Weasley on their shoulders. It seemed that Gryffindor had not only won their match, but won by enough points to secure the cup, as well.
Harry couldn't feel disappointed. Warrington's approach to playing the numbers game was clever, but not how Harry preferred to achieve victory. If they were going to win, Harry wanted to be on the pitch himself, grabbing the snitch for his team in a close and well-played game. So it was easy to feel happy for Ron, and he was even more pleased when Hermione came bolting toward him, waving a pennant in Gryffindor's colors.
"Where were you?" she asked breathless with excitement. Before Harry could attempt to answer, however, she was already babbling on about the match, which was apparently quite exhilarating to behold. Harry had never seen her taken such an interest in Quidditch before, and was listening to her description of the game with fond amusement. He couldn't bear to ruin her mood with what he had to share. He could tell her about Hagrid's brother tomorrow.
