𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒-ℍ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕪 ℙ𝕠𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣❥

𝐎𝐎𝐓𝐏 𝟏𝟖

Harry sprinted up to the boys' dormitory to fetch the Invisibility Cloak and the Marauder's Map from his trunk; he was so quick that he and Ron were ready to leave at least five minutes before Hermione hurried back down from the girls' dormitories, wearing scarf, gloves, and one of her own knobbly elf hats. She had her hands full with Emily's scarf, gloves and hats.

"Well, it's cold out there!" she said defensively, as Ron clicked his tongue impatiently.

Hermione walked over and looked down at Emily "Hagrid's back. Come on."

Emily's heart skipped a beat, Hagrid? She jumped up grabbed the clothes off Hermione and shoved them on.
She began to run towards the portrait "Whoa? Are you trying to get us caught!" Harry grabbed her hand pulling her back.

They crept through the portrait hole and covered themselves hastily in the cloak, Ron had grown so much he now needed to crouch to prevent his feet showing, then, moving slowly and cautiously, they proceeded down the many staircases, pausing at intervals to check the map for signs of Filch or Mrs. Norris.

They were lucky; they saw nobody but Nearly Headless Nick, who was gliding along absentmindedly humming something that sounded horribly like "Weasley Is Our King." They crept across the entrance hall and then out into the silent, snowy grounds.

With a great leap of her heart, Emily saw little golden squares of light ahead and smoke coiling up from Hagrid's chimney. She set off at a quick march, the other three jostling and bumping along behind her, and they crunched excitedly through the thickening snow until at last they reached the wooden front door; when Emily raised her fist and knocked three times, a dog started barking frantically inside.

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

"Shoulda known!" said a gruff voice.

They beamed at one another under the cloak; they could tell that Hagrid's voice was pleased. "Bin home three seconds . . . Out the way, Fang . . . Out the way, yeh dozy dog . . ."

The bolt was drawn back, the door creaked open, and Hagrid's head appeared in the gap.

Hermione screamed.

"Merlin's beard, keep it down!" said Hagrid hastily, staring wildly over their heads. "Under that cloak-" Hagrid began to say before Emily hurray out from under the cape and clinched to Hagrid's body, embracing him in a hug.
He chuckled loudly.

"I'm sorry!" Hermione gasped, as the other three of them squeezed past Hagrid and Emily into the house and pulled the cloak off themselves so he could see them. "I just, oh, Hagrid !"

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

Emily let go and faced Hagrid. He jaw almost fell to the floor.

Hagrid's hair was matted with congealed blood, and his left eye had been reduced to a puffy slit amid a mass of purple and black bruises. There were many cuts on his face and hands, some of them still bleeding, and he was moving gingerly, which made Emily suspect broken ribs.

It was obvious that he had only just got home; a thick black traveling cloak lay over the back of a chair and a haversack large enough to carry several small children leaned against the wall inside the door. Hagrid himself, twice the size of a normal man and three times as broad, was now limping over to the fire and placing a copper kettle over it.

"What happened to you?" Emily demanded, while Fang danced around them all, trying to lick their faces.

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