𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐝 {𝐇. 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫}

43

No one in the Slytherin dungeon slept that night. They knew that the castle was being searched again, and the whole House stayed awake in the common room, waiting to hear whether Jakob Grindelwald had been caught. Professor Snape came back at dawn, to tell them that he had again escaped.

Throughout the day, everywhere they went they saw signs of tighter security; Professor Flitwick could be seen teaching the front doors to recognise a large picture of Johnny's father; Filch was suddenly bustling up and down the corridors, boarding up everything from tiny cracks in the walls to mouse holes. A bunch of surly security trolls had been hired to guard the entrance to the Slytherin common room. They paced the corridor in a menacing group, talking in grunts and comparing the size of their clubs.

Johnny couldn't help noticing that the statue of the one-eyed witch on the third floor remained unguarded and unblocked. It seemed that Fred and George had been right in thinking that they -- and now Johnny, Harry, Ron, and Hermione -- were the only ones who knew about the hidden passageway within it.

"D'you reckon we should tell someone?" Johnny asked Ron and Harry.

"We know he's not coming in through Honeyduke's," said Ron dismissively, that being the most words he muttered to him in weeks. "We'd've heard if the shop had been broken into."

"... I was asleep, and I heard this ripping noise, and I thought it was in my dream, you know? But then there was this draft...I woke up and one side of the hangings on my bed had been pulled down...I rolled over...and I saw him standing over me...like a skeleton, with loads of filthy hair...holding this great long knife, must've been twelve inches...and he looked at me, and I looked at him, and then I yelled, and he scampered," Draco would explain to anyone who would listen.

"Why, though?" Harry asked. "Why did he run?"

Johnny had been wondering the same thing. Why had his father, having got the wrong bed, not silenced Draco and proceeded to him? Jakob had proved twelve years ago that he didn't mind murdering innocent people, and this time he had been facing five unarmed boys, four of whom were asleep.

"He must've known he'd have a job getting back out of the castle once Draco yelled and woken people up," said Johnny thoughtfully. "He'd've had to kill the whole house to get back through the hole...then he would've met the teachers..."

"Ouch! Oh -- thanks, Hedwig."

Harry tore open the envelope while Hedwig helped herself to some of Neville's cornflakes. The note inside said:

Dear Johnny, Harry and Ron,

How about having tea with me this afternoon 'round six? I'll come collect you from the castle. WAIT FOR ME IN THE ENTRANCE HALL; YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED OUT ON YOUR OWN.

Cheers,

Hagrid

"He probably wants to hear all about Grindelwald!" said Ron.

The first thing they saw on entering Hagrid's cabin was Buckbeak, who was stretched out on top of Hagrid's patchwork quilt, his enormous wings folded tight to his body, enjoying a large plate of dead ferrets. Averting his eyes from this unpleasant sight, Johnny saw a gigantic, hairy brown suit and a very horrible yellow-and-orange tie hanging from the top of Hagrid's wardrobe door.

"What are they for, Hagrid?" said Johnny.

"Buckbeak's case against the Committee fer the Disposal o' Dangerous Creatures," said Hagrid. "This Friday. Him an' me'll be goin' down ter London together. I've booked two beds on the Knight Bus...."

Johnny noticed how Harry and Ron looked incredibly guilty. They had forgotten about the trial, to busy with the bloody Firebolt.

"Johnny and I got somethin' ter discuss with you two," said Hagrid, sitting himself between Harry and Ron and looking uncharacteristically serious. Johnny say opposite them on the very large armchair.