Lost Memories

xxxi. hagrid

The light on Hagrid's hut was finally lit. He was back, I thought, letting out a breath of air. Creeping through the portrait hole and covering ourselves with the cloak, the four of us moved slowly and cautiously throughout the hallway, while Harry and Ron checked the map for Filch or Mrs Norris. Harry marched off, making Hermione, Ron, and I bump into each other as we tried to keep up with him. When Harry raised his fist and knocked three times, a dog started barking frantically inside.

"Hagrid, it's us!" Harry called through the keyhole.

"Shoulda known!" said a gruff voice.

We beamed at each other under the cloak; we could tell that Hagrid's voice was pleased. "Bin home three seconds... Out the way, Fang... Out the way, yeh dozy dog..."

"Oh thank Merlin," I sighed loudly as I saw the large smile on his face. Instead of the nasty black eye I had expected, he was perfectly fine— barely a few scratches.

"Merlin's beard, keep it down!" said Hagrid hastily, staring wildly over our heads. "Under that cloak, are yeh? Well, get in, get in!"

"I'm sorry!" I gasped, as the four of us squeezed past Hagrid into the house and pulled the cloak off ourselves so he could see us. "I'm just glad you're safe."

"Safe? He's all cut up!" Hermione exasperated as she took a seat.

"It's nuthin', it's nuthin'!" said Hagrid hastily, shutting the door behind us and hurrying to close all the curtains, but Hermione continued to gaze up at him in horror.

"What happened to you?" Harry demanded while Fang danced around us all, trying to lick our faces.

"Told yeh, nuthin'," said Hagrid firmly. "Want a cuppa?"

"Hagrid, was I right?" I asked softly.

"I'm tellin' yeh, I'm fine," said Hagrid, straightening up and turning to beam at us, but wincing. "Blimey, it's good ter see you four again — had good summers, did yeh?"

"So are you going to tell us what's happened to you?" Harry asked.

"Can', Harry. Top secret. More'n me job's worth ter tell yeh that."

"Did the giants beat you up, Hagrid?" asked Hermione quietly.

"Hermione!" I hissed at her.

Hagrid's fingers slipped on the dragon steak, and it slid squelchy onto his chest.

"Giants?" said Hagrid, catching the steak before it reached his belt and slapping it back over his face. "Who said anythin' abou' giants? Who yeh bin talkin' to? Who's told yeh what I've — who's said I've bin — eh?"

"We guessed," said Hermione apologetically.

"Oh, yeh did, did yeh?" said Hagrid, fixing her sternly with the eye that was not hidden by the steak. "Was yeh, innit?" he asked me.

"Hagrid. . . I can't keep anything from them, you know that. They know not to say anything," I reassured him.

"Never known kids like you four fer knowin' more'n yeh oughta," he muttered, splashing boiling water into four of his bucket-shaped mugs. "An' I'm not complimentin' yeh, neither. Nosy, some'd call it. Interferin'."

"So how did it go?" I asked. Hermione shot me a sharp look. "Let me rephrase: Did you find them?"

"Well, they're not that difficult ter find, ter be honest," said Hagrid. "Pretty big, see."

"Where are they?" said Ron.

"Mountains," said Hagrid unhelpful.

"So why don't Muggles — ?"