𝐓𝐖𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐒 | HPau

─ ¹⁸. I SHOT ONE WITH A CROSSBOW

When they arrived at Hagrid's cabin, however, they found an elderly witch with closely cropped gray hair and a very prominent chin standing before his front door. Professor Grubbly-Plank.

That class, Hermione noted, was a Soap Opera from start to end. She would be amused if it weren't for the sensitive subject (ahem). Hagrid had missed the class and was taking a break due to the foul and condescending article written by the foul loathsome bitch Rita Skeeter. Named DUMBLEDORE'S GIANT MISTAKE; which pretty much summarizes it. That plus the conspiracy theory regarding Moldy shorts. Hermione was left seething in rage and paranoia, looking for a beetle everywhere, a jar in her bag.

So that evening after dinner, the three of them left the castle once more and went down through the frozen grounds to Hagrid's cabin. They knocked, and Fang's booming barks answered.

"Hagrid, it's us!" Harry shouted, pounding on the door. "Open up!"

Hagrid didn't answer. They could hear Fang scratching at the door, whining, but it didn't open. They hammered on it for ten more minutes; Ron even went and banged on one of the windows, but there was no response.

"What's he avoiding us for?" Ron said when they had finally given up and were walking back to the school. "He doesn't think we'd care about him being half-giant does he?"

But it seemed that Hagrid did care. They didn't see a sign of him all week. He didn't appear at the staff table at mealtimes, they didn't see him going about his gamekeeper duties on the grounds, and Professor Grubbly-Plank continued to take the Care of Magical Creatures classes. Malfoy was gloating at every possible opportunity.

There was a Hogsmeade visit halfway through January. The three of them decided to go. After a shower and getting ready Hermione met up with her friends in the common room.

Sending a fleeting smile towards the twins (specifically Fred) and Ginn; she, Ron, and Harry left the castle together on Saturday and set off through the cold, wet grounds toward the gates. As they passed the Durmstrang ship moored in the lake, they 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!"

"I'd do it if I wasn't throwing myself to my impending death, " Hermione shrugged and they snorted.

Hermione noticed how Harry kept his eyes skinned for a sign of Hagrid all the way down the slushy High Street and suggested a visit to the Three Broomsticks once he had ascertained that Hagrid was not in any of the shops. Hermione knew this would happen but that everything would be alright, so why would she stress her head over it?

The pub was as crowded as ever, but one quick look around at all the tables told them that Hagrid wasn't there. Heart sinking (well, Harry's most likely), they went up to the bar and ordered three butterbeers from Madam Rosmerta.

They had been chit-chatting for a while, mainly Harry and Hermione discussing which Back to the Future movie was better and Ron being lost in translation; when Ludo Bagman approaches them, or better yet, approached Harry.

"Harry!" he said. "How are you? Been hoping to run into you! Everything going all right?"

"Fine, thanks," said Harry.

"Wonder if I could have a quick, private word, Harry?" said Bagman eagerly. "You couldn't give us a moment, you two, could you?"

"Er — okay," said Ron, and he and Hermione went off to find a table. Hermione had to be dragged by Ron as she glared at Bagman all the way.