Harry Potter and the Hidden Treasure (Volume 3)

Chapter 554 Abnormal Hagrid

Ron seemed to want to turn back to Angelina for help, but no one else moved.

"If you're going to seek help from Angelina, Fred and George will know the way. There's no need to wait until noon, everyone at school will know," Hermione said, "Dumbledore will know that Evan told us about this method, and we will be in serious trouble."

"But..."

"I think Hermione is right, Ron," Harry sighed and said, "Although this may sound very frustrating, we must obey the rules and not put our names in the Goblet of Fire."

"But..."

"I mean, it's best not to dwell on this. The Triwizard Tournament tasks are more perilous than you can imagine," Evan said, "It's better for us to be calm as spectators or help the champions..."

He looked at Harry, considering how to assist him in overcoming the three challenges.

"If Angelina becomes a champion, I'll help her."

"Yes, count me in too!"

"Well, what are we up to today?" Ron said angrily, seemingly finally giving up on the idea of putting his name in the Goblet of Fire.

"I'm going to see Hagrid, we haven't visited him this week," Harry said.

"We should all go and stay there until dinner feast to ensure no one can put their names in the Goblet of Fire," Hermione said enthusiastically, "And, I just realized, I haven't asked Hagrid to join S.P.E.W. yet!"

Colin said he had no objections while Evan described how Hagrid looked this morning to them.

Upon hearing Evan's description, Harry was extremely surprised and wanted to go have a look.

"The Blast-Ended Skrewts are really quite nasty," Ron sighed and reluctantly followed. "Well, off to Hagrid's. Just hope he won't ask us to donate a few fingers to the skrewts."

They left the castle and arrived at Hagrid's hut.

The Beauxbatons students seemed to have finished their breakfast and were exiting their carriage.

Evan saw Gabrielle smiling at him, while Fleur and the other girls pretended not to notice them.

Considering Gabrielle's words in the morning, it was hard to imagine that they had talked about him for a long time the previous night.

From their current demeanor, Evan also thought they were indifferent to some of his concerns.

Ron stared at Fleur's back until she and Madame Maxime entered the castle.

A few minutes later, the five of them arrived at Hagrid's hut. Harry knocked on the door and the booming barks of Fang answered immediately.

"It's about time!" Hagrid exclaimed upon opening the door. "Thought you lot had forgotten where I live!"

"We've been really busy!" Hermione said.

She looked at Hagrid in amazement and, though prepared, was still taken aback by his attire.

Harry, Ron, and Colin continued to stare at Hagrid's peculiar hairstyle, as if a little scared. It was a shame, but no one dared to say anything to avoid hurting Hagrid's feelings.

They entered, and Hagrid's hut consisted of a single room, in one corner of which was a gigantic bed covered with a patchwork quilt.

Equally huge wooden table and chairs were placed in front of the fireplace under the array of cured hams and dead birds hanging from the ceiling.

They sat at the table as Hagrid began making tea, and soon they delved into more discussions about the Triwizard Tournament.

Hagrid seemed as thrilled about it as they were, more than they could have imagined.

"Wait," he said, smiling. "You're going to see things you've never seen before. The first task is... ah, but I'm not supposed to say."

"Come on, Hagrid!" Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Colin urged him, but he simply shook his head, smiling.

Evan was sipping his tea. He was unsure if Hagrid was as excited about the fire-breathing dragon or Madame Maxime, or both.

"I don't want to spoil it for you," Hagrid said. "But it's going to be spectacular, I tell you that. Those champions are going to have their work cut out. I really never thought I'd live to see the Triwizard Tournament played again!"

They ended up having lunch with Hagrid, although they didn't eat much. Hagrid had prepared what he claimed was a beef stew, but after Hermione found a large claw in hers, the five of them lost their appetites quite a bit.

However, they still enjoyed themselves. Harry, Ron, and Colin tried to get Hagrid to tell them what the tournament tasks would be and speculated on which contestants would be chosen as champions.

Looking at Ron, it seemed like he had forgotten putting his name in the Goblet of Fire.

By three or four in the afternoon, a light rain began to fall.

It was very cozy sitting by the fire, listening to the gentle tapping of the raindrops on the window, watching Hagrid darn his socks, and debating with Hermione about house-elves, as he staunchly refused to join S.P.E.W. when she showed him her badges.

"It would be cruelty, Hermione!" he said gravely, threading a massive bone needle with thick yellow thread. "It's in their nature to look after humans, that's what they like, you see? You'd make them unhappy by taking away their work, and you'd offend them by trying to pay them."

"But Harry and Evan freed Dobby, and he was ecstatic about it!" said Hermione, "Evan even paid him..."

"Yes, well, there are eccentrics in every race. I'm not saying there isn't some elf who desires freedom, but you'll never convince the majority of elves to fight for it. Really, this is impossible, Hermione."

Hermione was very angry to hear this and pocketed the box of badges back into her cloak.

By 5:30, it was getting dark.

Evan, Harry, Ron, Colin, and Hermione decided it was time to return to the castle for the Halloween party, and most importantly, the announcement of the school champions.

"I'll go with you," said Hagrid, setting aside his darning, "Just give me a second."

He got up, went to the dresser by his bed, and began searching inside.

They didn't pay much attention until a truly dreadful smell reached their nostrils.

Everyone couldn't help but cough and looked at Hagrid with curiosity.

"Hagrid, what is that?" Harry couldn't help but ask.

"Eh?" said Hagrid, turning around with a large bottle in his hand. "Don't you like it?"

"Is that aftershave?" Hermione said with a slightly strained voice.

"Um... eau de cologne!" mumbled Hagrid, suddenly realizing something, blushing. He said abruptly, "Perhaps it's a bit too much, I'll take it off, wait..."

He emerged heavily from the cabin, and they watched him vigorously washing in the barrel of water outside the window.

"Could it be cologne?" Hermione exclaimed, "Hagrid?"

"What's going on?"

"And that hair and that outfit!"

"They will soon find out!" Evan lowered his voice and mentioned he would send Hagrid a fine bottle of perfume this Christmas.