"Absolute nightmare," said Bagman to Kirra in an undertone, noticing Kirra watching the goblins too. "Their English isn't too good . . . it's like being back with all the Bulgarians at the Quidditch World Cup . . . but at least they used sign language another rhuman could recognize. This lot keep gabbling in Gobbledegook . . . and I only know one word of Gobbledegook. Bladvak. It means 'pickax.' I don't like to use it in case they think I'm threatening them."
He gave a short, booming laugh. "What do they want?" Kirra said, noticing how the goblins were still watching Bagman very closely. "Er — well . . ." said Bagman, looking suddenly nervous. "They . . . er . . . they're looking for Barry Crouch."
"Why are they looking for him here?" said Kirra, her voice full of confusion. "He's at the Ministry in London, isn't he?"
"Er . . . as a matter of fact, I've no idea where he is," said Bagman. "He's sort of . . . stopped coming to work. Been absent for a couple of weeks now. Young Percy, his assistant, says he's ill. Apparently he's just been sending instructions in by owl. But would you mind not mentioning that to anyone, Kirra? Because Rita Skeeter's still poking around every where she can, and I'm willing to bet she'd work up Barty's illness into something sinister. Probably say he's gone missing like Bertha Jorkins."
"Have you heard anything about Bertha Jorkins?" Kirra asked.
"No," said Bagman, looking strained again. "I've got people looking, of course . . ."
(About time, thought Kirra)
"and it's all very strange. She definitely arrived in Albania, because she met her second cousin there. And then she left the cousin's house to gosouth and see an aunt . . . and she seems to have vanished without trace en route. Blowed if I can see where she's got to . . . she doesn't seem the type to elope, for instance . . . but still. . . . What are we doing, talking about goblins and Bertha Jorkins? I really wanted t oask you" — he lowered his voice —
"how are you getting on with your golden egg?"
"Er . . . not bad," Kirra said untruthfully. Bagman seemed to know he wasn't being honest.
"Listen, Kirra," he said (still in a very low voice), "I feel very bad about all this . . . you were thrown into this tournament, you didn't volunteer for it. . . and if . . ." (his voice was so quiet now, Kirra had to lean closer to listen)
"if I can help at all . . . a prod in the right direction . . . I've taken a liking to you and your brother. . . the way you both got past those dragons! . . . well, just say the word." Kirra stared up into Bagman's round, rosy face and his wide, baby-blue eyes.
"We're supposed to work out the clues alone, aren't we?" she said, careful to keep her voice casual and not sound as though she was accusing the head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports of breaking the rules.
"Well . . . well, yes," said Bagman impatiently, "but — come on, Kirra — we all want a Hogwarts victory, don't we?"
"Have you offered Cedric or Harry help?" Kirra said, there was no way that she was going to take advice from the man, she didn't want to cheat, and to be honest she didn't care too much about winning the cup, the only reason she really wanted to was to, was to bring pride to Hufflepuff and show people that Hufflepuff's arent weak.
The smallest of frowns creased Bagman's smooth face. "No, I haven't," he said. "I — well, like I say, I've taken a liking to you. Just thought I'd offer . . ."
"Well, thanks," said Kirra, "but I think I'm nearly there with the egg . . . couple more days should crack it."
Bagman was almost a stranger to her, and accepting hisassistance would feel somehow much more like cheating than asking advice from Mattheo, Theodore, Jasper or Sirius. Bagman looked almost affronted, but couldn't say much more as Fred and George turned up at that point.
"Hello love," Fred and George both said to the Hufflepuff, George playfully rubbing the top of her head and messing up her hair. They grinned at the Hufflepuff before turning to the man
"Hello, Mr. Bagman," said Fred brightly. "Can we buy you drink?"
"Er . . . no," said Bagman, with a last disappointed glance at Kirra, "no, thank you, boys . . ." Fred and George looked quite as disappointed as Bagman, who was surveying Kirra as though she had let him down badly.
"Well, I must dash," he said. "Nice seeing you all. Good luck, Kirra." He hurried out of the pub. The goblins all slid off their chairs and exited after him.
"So lil Hufflepuff, what have you been up to these days?" George asked with a grin on his face as the two twins smiled, peering down at the short girl
"Not much, busy with all the school work and the tournament stuff," Kirra admitted with a small, tired sigh, "and I'm worried about Hagrid." The twins nodded softly in agreement, the three of them making small talk for a while before Kirra noticed her impatient Slytherin boys beckoning her over.
"I'll see you two later," She excused herself and then Kirra went to rejoin Mattheo, Jasper and Theo.
"What did he want?" Theo said, the moment Kirrahad sa tdown.
"He offered to help me with the golden egg," said Kirra.
"Well that's brilliant! What did he say?" Jasper said in excitement
"He shouldn't be doing that!" said Kirra, looking slightly disappointed. "He's one of the judges! And anyway, I've already worked it out —"
"havet you?" Mattheo asked her with a raised eyebrow, knowing all too well that she was a huge procrastinator and likely had not figured out the egg and what it had meant
"Er . . . nearly," said Kirra.
"C'mon lil badger, you should have just taken the advice," Theodore told her but she shook her head
"Bagman was trying to persuade me to cheat, that would be so unfair for the rest of the contestants and it isn't right" said Kirra, still looking deeply disapproving. "I hope he's trying to help Cedric and Harry as much!"
"Who cares if Diggory's getting help?" said Mattheo. The rest of the Slytherins not so privately agreed.
"Those goblins didn't look very friendly," said Kirra, sipping her butterbeer. Mattheo reached over and grabbed her hand, rubbing his thumb against her skin as if he were telling her that he wouldn't let them near her
"What were they doing here?" Jasper asked in confusion
"Looking for Crouch, according to Bagman," said Kirra. "He's still ill. Hasn't been into work."
"Funny, goblins looking for Mr. Crouch. . . . They'd normally deal with the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures." Mattheo said and Kirra nodded her head, for some reason she couldn't help but feel like there was something more to the problem, something just felt extremely off about the situation
"Crouch can speak loads of different languages, though," said Kirra. "Maybe they need an interpreter. I don't know why but something just feel wrong about this y'know, I mean I just have a really bad feeling and I'm kind of worried about the Goblins too"
" Goblins don't needprotection. Haven't you been listening to what Professor Binns hasbeen telling us about goblin rebellions?" Mattheo said
"No," said Kirra and Theodore together, the two of them sat next to each other in Professor Binns class and neither of them ever paid attention, Kirra would generally draw stuff on his arm or her book while he would not so subtly stare at the girl and colour in her drawings.
"Well, they're quite capable of dealing with wizards," said Mattheo rolling his eyes, taking another sip of butterbeer. "They're very clever. They're not like house-elves, who never stick up for themselves."
"Uh-oh," said Kirra, staring at the door.
Rita Skeeter had just entered. She was wearing banana-yellow robes today; her long nails were painted shocking pink, and she was accompanied by her paunchy photographer. She bought drinks, and she and the photographer made their way through the crowds to a table nearby, Kirra and the boys glaring at her as she approached.
She was talking fast and looking very satisfied about something. ". . . didn't seem very keen to talk to us, did he, Bozo? Now, why would that be, do you think? And what's he doing with a pack of goblins in tow anyway? Showing them the sights . . . what nonsense . . . he was always a bad liar. Reckon something's up? Think we should do a bit of digging? 'Disgraced Ex-Head of Magical Games and Sports, Ludo Bagman . . .'"
Kirra rolled her eyes and leaned into Mattheo's side, glaring over at the woman.
"Snappy start to a sentence, Bozo — we just need to find a story to fit it —"
"Trying to ruin someone else's life?" said Kirra loudly. A few people looked around. Rita Skeeter's eyes widened behind her jeweled spectacles as she saw who had spoken.
"Kirra!" she said, beaming. "How lovely! Why don't you come and join — ?"
"I wouldn't come near you with a ten-foot broomstick," said Kirra furiously. "What did you do that to Hagrid for, eh?"
Rita Skeeter raised her heavily penciled eyebrows. "Our readers have a right to the truth, Kirra. I am merely doing my —"
"Who cares if he's half-giant?" Kirra shouted, pissed off at the woman and not ready to just sit there and let the pathetic piece of trash get away with this. "There's nothing wrong with him!"
The whole pub had gone very quiet. Madam Rosmerta was staring over from behind the bar, apparently oblivious to the fact that the flagon she was filling with mead was overflowing. Rita Skeeter's smile flickered very slightly, but she hitched it back almost at once; she snapped open her crocodile-skin handbag, pulled out her Quick-Quotes Quill
She looked back up at the Hufflepuff and said, "How about giving me an interview about the Hagrid you know, Kirra? The man behind the muscles? Your unlikely friendship and the reasons behind it. Would you call him a father substitute?"
Theodore, Mattheo and Jasper stood up very abruptly, their butterbeers clutched in their hands as though they were grenades.
"You horrible, stupid toad," Theodore said, through gritted teeth
"I suggest you watch your bloody mouth," Mattheo growled angrily
"you don't care, do you, anything for a story, and anyone will do, won't they? Even Ludo Bagman —" Jasper started but was cut off
"Sit down, you silly little boys, and don't talk about things you don't understand," said Rita Skeeter coldly, her eyes hardening as they fell on the Slytherin boys. "I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hearts turn icy cold . . . not that they need it —" she added, eyeing the three slytherins with strong reputations.
"Let's go," said Kirra, "c'mon, boys . . ."
They left; many people were staring at them as they went. Kirra glanced back as they reached the door. Rita Skeeter's Quick-Quotes Quill was out; it was zooming backward and forward over a piece of parchment on the table.
"She'll be after you next, you three," said Kirra in a low and worried voice as they walked quickly back up the street.
"Let her try!" said Mattheo defiantly; he was shaking with rage. "I'll show her! how dare she say that to you, stupid fucking woman. Oh, I'll get her back forthis. I'm sick of people treating you like shit. . ."
"Me too, she has got to be the most self centered idiotic person I have ever fucking met," Theodore snapped angrily
"You don't want to go upsetting Rita Skeeter," said Kirra nervously. "I'm serious, Theo, she'll dig up something on you —"
"My parents don't read the Daily Prophet. And the stupid bitch would be too scared to put anything about us or our parents in the paper anyway. She can't scare me into hiding!" said Theodore, now striding along so fast that it was all Mattheo and Jasper were practically dragging the poor, short Hufflepuff who was struggling to get her small legs to keep up.
Jasper nodded his head, "And Hagrid isn't hiding anymore! He should never have let that excuse for a human being upset him! Come on!" Breaking into a run, he led them all the way back up the road, through the gates flanked by winged boars, and up through the grounds to Hagrid's cabin.
The curtains were still drawn, and they could hear Fang barking as they approached. "Hagrid!" Kirra shouted, pounding on his front door. "Hagrid, that's enough! We know you're in there! Nobody cares if your mum was a giantess, Hagrid! You can't let that foul Skeeter woman do this to you! Hagrid, get out here, you're just being —"
The door opened. Kirra said, "About t — !" and then stopped, very suddenly, because she had found herself face-to-face, not with Hagrid, but with Albus Dumbledore.
"Good afternoon," he said pleasantly, smiling down at them, though he didn't receive any smiles back, none of them liked the man, Kirra in particular.
"We — er — we wanted to see Hagrid," said Theodore, reaching out and grabbing Kirra gently by the wrist and pulling her back from the man, knowing that she hated the man, though not knowing the full reason.
"Yes, I surmised as much," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. "Why don't you come in?"
"Oh . . . um . . . okay," said Jasper.
"We can wait till later," Kirra snapped, not wanting to be in the same room as Dumbledore, much less Hagrids small cabin
"I insist," Dumbledore continued and Mattheo began to drag her in. She gave up on resisting and they went into the cabin; Fang launched himself upon Kirra the moment she entered, barking madly and trying to lick her ears.
Kirra fended off Fang and looked around. Hagrid was sitting at his table, where there were two large mugs of tea. He looked a real mess. His face was blotchy, his eyes swollen, and he had gone to the other extreme where his hair was concerned; far from trying to make it behave, it now looked like a wig of tangled wire.
"Hi, Hagrid," said Kirra, he voice gentle and comforting, just as Hagrid had remembered it to always be.
Hagrid looked up." 'Lo," he said in a very hoarse voice.
"More tea, I think," said Dumbledore, closing the door behind Kirra, Mattheo, Theodore and Jasper, drawing out his wand, and twiddling it; a revolving tea tray appeared in midair along with a plate of cakes.
Dumbledore magicked the tray onto the table, and everybody sat down.