I'm not sure why I told Demelza and Amy that we should see Hagrid after class 2 chapters ago! It was the middle of the Christmas holidays!

My suspicions about the next Rita Skeeter article were proven somewhat correct a few days after the reply from Amelia Bones.

BAGMAN ON THE RUN

Ludo Bagman, the ex Wimbourne Wasps beater, is currently on the run from the law, insider sources at the Ministry of Magic have confirmed today, writes Rita Skeeter, special correspondent.

Insider sources, no, I bet Bones let all the media know herself.

"Bagman is believed to be evading justice due to being in dept to numerous people, with the total amount ranging between 5 and 20 million galleons! We can also exclusively confirm that goblins and giants are among the scammed! The latest sighting of Bagman is of him using a portkey to disappear from the outskirts of Stockton on Tees! Anyone with any further sightings or information, please contact me directly!"

Well, that was a rather short article. But then again, she didn't have a huge amount to go off. Bones obviously wasn't going to reveal that the dispute involved a close family member, so Skeeter had to make up some bullshit about the people and the amount of money. Also, anyone with further sightings or information would contact the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

Hagrid was absent throughout the first 2 weeks of January, with Grubbly Plank continuing to take COMC classes. Lillian Avery was delighted with this, and every time a teacher was around, she would taunt us with insults about him.

"Missing the half giant oaf?" she said "Don't worry, I know where he is, he's having a tea party with a troll and a werewolf in the mountains!"

There was a Hogsmeade visit halfway through January. Hermione was very surprised that Harry was going to go. "I just thought you'd want to take advantage of the common room being quiet," she said. "Really get to work on that egg."

"Oh I — I reckon I've got a pretty good idea what it's about now," Harry said.

"Have you really?" said Hermione, looking impressed. "Well done!"

I was surprised that Hermione couldn't tell that Harry was obviously lying!

"I've still got 5 more weeks to work the egg out" he told me. "Plus, maybe we'll run into Hagrid in Hogsmeade"

"Are you going to give some more thought to what Cedric said?" I asked

"If all else fails"

We left the castle together on Saturday, finally able to have the proper date we'd been wanting, and set off through the cold, wet grounds toward the gates.

As we passed the Durmstrang ship moored in the lake, we saw Viktor Krum emerge onto the deck, dressed in nothing but swimming trunks. He was very skinny indeed, but apparently a lot tougher than he looked, because he climbed up onto the side of the ship, stretched out his arms, and dived, right into the lake. "He's mad!" said Harry, staring at Krum's dark head as it bobbed out into the middle of the lake. "It must be freezing, it's January!"

"It's a lot colder where he comes from," I said "I suppose it feels quite warm to him"

We kept our eyes skinned for a sign of Hagrid all the way down the slushy High Street, and Harry suggested a visit to Madam Puddifoots once we had ascertained that Hagrid was not in any of the shops.

We ordered hot chocolate and sat down together at a table near the window.

"HoneyJukes finest" I said, raising my mug to Harry. We touched them together and drank. Harry closed his eyes as he did so.

"Bloody hell that is so good!" he exclaimed, setting his mug down. "I'm not sure I've ever tasted better- apart from your Mum's of course" he added quickly.

"Nothing beats my mum's"

"So, what do you reckon happened to Hagrid?" I said seriously "you don't reckon he's done a runner do you?"

"No, well I mean I hope not. I can't say for sure though, Ron, Hermione and I have been going down to his cabin every night since he disappeared, but have always failed"

"Demelza, Amy and I have done the same several times too. Surely he'll be back at some point though, he can't hide forever"

"Where'd you get that jumper from?" Harry asked.

"Oh this?" I laughed, I'd forgotten to tell Harry about the event on Christmas morning. "Well, like your socks, Dobby made this for me!"

I told him what had happened.

"Classic Dobby" he said.

We then talked about Quidditch and life in general for a while, before this happened:

"Oh god!" Harry suddenly stood up, pointing out of the window. I looked in that direction and saw Rita Skeeter and her cameraman take a picture of us, before they disapparated!

"What the fuck is she gonna do with that picture?!" I said

"Think we're gonna be in the paper tomorrow now. For fuck's sake I've been in there twice already, what's her agenda against me?" Harry replied

"It's probably because you're famous. She'll milk that for as long as she can"

We then saw Ron and Hermione walking together. Hermione looked very angry about something, so we thought it would be best to join them.

"What's going on?" I asked her.

"Rita Skeeter is what's going on!" Hermione snapped "she came into the Three Broomsticks, so I asked her why she did that to Hagrid, and we had an argument. Calling me a silly little girl and shit, then left just before we did, ohh she's so foul!"

"She'll be after you next, Hermione," said Ron

"Let her try!" said Hermione defiantly; she was shaking with rage. "I'll show her. First Harry, then Hagrid . . ."

"You don't want to go upsetting Rita Skeeter," said Ron nervously. "I'm serious, Hermione, she'll dig up something on you —"

"My parents don't read the Daily Prophet. She can't scare me into hiding!" said Hermione, now striding along so fast that it was all we could do to keep up with her.

"Think she'll be after Harry and I too, cause she got a picture taken of us in Madame Puddifoots! I bet she'll say Harry's been cheating on you with me or something!" I said

"Makes it even better" Hermione replied in sarcastic bitterness. "Hagrid isn't hiding anymore! He should never have let that excuse for a human being upset him! Come on!"

Breaking into a run, she led us all the way back up the road, through the gates flanked by winged boars, and up through the grounds to Hagrid's cabin. The curtains were still drawn, and we could hear Fang barking as we approached.

"Hagrid!" Hermione shouted, pounding on his front door. "Hagrid, that's enough! We know you're in there! Nobody cares if your mum was a giantess, Hagrid! You can't let that foul Skeeter woman do this to you! Hagrid, get out here, you're just being —"

The door opened.

Hermione said, "About t — !" and then stopped, very suddenly, because she had found herself face-to-face, not with Hagrid, but with Albus Dumbledore.