His lips were soft and they fit against mine perfectly. We both smiled through the kiss, it was sweet and soft. Not like me and Isaac had. This one felt like something. 

We broke apart. 

"Now would be the ideal time to ask you to be my girlfriend." said Draco smirking at me. 

My face fell. I did want to be his girlfriend. . .but with everything going on, it's probably not the best thing. At least, until I found a way to ease it in. 

"Dray, I would love to be your girlfriend" I said, smiling "but, there's so much going on. I mean, someone could die, and we've just made up and--" I paused "it just seems so fast."

To my surprise he smiled. "I get it" he said "so here's a suggestion; I'll ask you to be my girlfriend next year. When things would have calmed down. Or the year after. You set the pace, and I'll follow."

"Next year sounds perfect" I said.

"Perfect" agreed Draco "shall we go in?"

When the Weird Sisters finished playing at midnight, everyonegave them a last, loud round of applause and started to wend theirway into the entrance hall. Many people were expressing the wish that the ball could have gone on longer, but I was perfectlyhappy to be going to bed; it was a tiring evening, fun, but tiring. 

I bid Hermione good night, and was going to meet Ron and Harry. I had just caught up to them when--

"Hey — Harry!"

 It was Cedric Diggory.I could see Cho waiting for him inthe entrance hall below. 

"Yeah?" said Harry coldly as Cedric ran up the stairs toward him. 

Cedric looked as though he didn't want to say whatever it was infront of Ron, who shrugged, looking bad-tempered, and continuedto climb the stairs.He looked at me, I raised my eyebrows back. I wasn't going anywhere. 

 "Listen . . ." Cedric lowered his voice as Ron disappeared. "Iowe you one for telling me about the dragons. You know thatgolden egg? Does yours wail when you open it?" 

"Yeah," said Harry.

 "Well . . . take a bath, okay?"

 "What?" 

"Take a bath, and — er — take the egg with you, and — er —just mull things over in the hot water. It'll help you think. . . . Trustme. 

Harry and I stared at him. Was he quiet alright?

"Tell you what," Cedric said, "use the prefects' bathroom.Fourth door to the left of that statue of Boris the Bewildered on thefifth floor. Password's 'pine fresh.' Gotta go . . . want to say goodnight —" 

He grinned at Harry again and hurried back down the stairs toCho. 

Everybody got up late on Boxing Day. The Slytherin common room was much quieter than it had been lately, manyyawns punctuating the lazy conversations. Hermione's hair wasbushy again at lunch; she confessed to Harry and me that she had used liberalamounts of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion on it for the ball, "but it's waytoo much bother to do every day," she said matter-of-factly. 

Ron and Hermione seemed to have reached an unspoken agreement not to discuss their argument. They were being quite friendlyto each other, though oddly formal. Ron and Harry wasted no timein telling Hermione and me about the conversation they had overheard between Madame Maxime and Hagrid, but we didn't seem tofind the news that Hagrid was a half-giant nearly as shocking asRon did. 

"Well, I thought he must be," I said, shrugging. "I knew hecouldn't be pure giant because they're about twenty feet tall. But honestly, all this hysteria about giants. They can't all be horrible. . . . It's the same sort of prejudice that people have towardwerewolves. . . . It's just bigotry, isn't it?"

It was time now to think of the homework they had neglectedduring the first week of the holidays. Everybody seemed to be feelingrather flat now that Christmas was over — everybody except Me, that is, who had done her homework and spent the afternoon reading the Complete Novels of Sherlock Holmes. 

The trouble was that February the twenty-fourth looked a lotcloser from this side of Christmas, and Harry still hadn't done anything about working out the clue inside the golden egg. He therefore started taking the egg out of his trunk every time he went upto the dormitory, opening it, and listening intently, hoping thatthis time it would make some sense. He strained to think what thesound reminded him of, apart from thirty musical saws, but he hadnever heard anything else like it. He closed the egg, shook it vigorously, and opened it again to see if the sound had changed, but ithadn't. He  tried asking the egg questions, shouting over all thewailing, but nothing happened. He even threw the egg across theroom — though he hadn't really expected that to help. 

Honestly, how stupid can one be?

Harry had not forgotten the hint that Cedric had given him, buthis less-than-friendly feelings toward Cedric just now meant thathe was keen not to take his help if he could avoid it. In any case, itseemed to him that if Cedric had really wanted to give Harry ahand, he would have been a lot more explicit. According to him; He, Harry, had toldCedric exactly what was coming in the first task — and Cedric's idea of a fair exchange had been to tell Harry to take a bath.

"Oh good god" I groaned "just take the damn advice Harry. No one will die."

Snow was still thick upon the grounds, and the greenhouse windows were covered in condensation so thick that we couldn't seeout of them in Herbology. Nobody was looking forward to Care ofMagical Creatures much in this weather, though as Zoe said, theskrewts would probably warm us up nicely, either by chasing us, or blasting off so forcefully that Hagrid's cabin would catchfire. 

When we arrived at Hagrid's cabin, however, we found an elderly witch with closely cropped gray hair and a very prominentchin standing before his front door. 

"Hurry up, now, the bell rang five minutes ago," she barked atthem as we struggled toward her through the snow. 

"Who're you?" said Zoe, staring at her. "Where's Hagrid?" 

"My name is Professor Grubbly-Plank," she said briskly. "I amyour temporary Care of Magical Creatures teacher."

 "Where's Hagrid?" I repeated loudly. 

"He is indisposed," said Professor Grubbly-Plank shortly. 

The Gryffindors came, most of them looked surprise. But one or two didn't. Neither did a few Slytherins for that matter.

 "This way, please," said Professor Grubbly-Plank, and she strode off around the paddock where the Beauxbatons horses were shivering. we followed her, looking back overtheir shoulders at Hagrid's cabin. All the curtains were closed. WasHagrid in there, alone and ill?

 "What's wrong with Hagrid?" Nicholas said, hurrying to catch upwith Professor Grubbly-Plank. 

"Never you mind," she said as though she thought he was beingnosy. 

"I do mind, though,"I said hotly. "What's up with him?"

 Professor Grubbly-Plank acted as though she couldn't hear me.She led us past the paddock where the huge Beauxbatons horseswere standing, huddled against the cold, and toward a tree on theedge of the forest, where a large and beautiful unicorn was tethered.Many of the girls "ooooohed!" at the sight of the unicorn.

 "Oh it's so beautiful!" whispered Lavender Brown. "How did sheget it? They're supposed to be really hard to catch!" 

The unicorn was so brightly white it made the snow all aroundlook gray. It was pawing the ground nervously with its goldenhooves and throwing back its horned head.

 "Boys keep back!" barked Professor Grubbly-Plank, throwingout an arm and catching Harry hard in the chest. "They prefer thewoman's touch, unicorns. Girls to the front, and approach withcare, come on, easy does it. . . ."

We did as she told; I didn't pay attention though. I was thinking about hagrid. 

"Um. . Ems" said Dray as we came back "Goyle just showed me--" he handed me the paper, Hermione, Zoe, Harry and Ron read over my shoulder. 

DUMBLEDORE'S GIANT MISTAKE

Albus Dumbledore, eccentric Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, has neverbeen afraid to make controversial staff appointments, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. InSeptember of this year, he hired Alastor "Mad-Eye"Moody, the notoriously jinx-happy ex-Auror, toteach Defense Against the Dark Arts, a decisionthat caused many raised eyebrows at the Ministryof Magic, given Moody's well-known habit of attacking anybody who makes a sudden movementin his presence. Mad-Eye Moody, however, looksresponsible and kindly when set beside the parthuman Dumbledore employs to teach Care ofMagical Creatures. 

Rubeus Hagrid, who admits to being expelledfrom Hogwarts in his third year, has enjoyed the position of gamekeeper at the school ever since, ajob secured for him by Dumbledore. Last year,however, Hagrid used his mysterious influence overthe headmaster to secure the additional post ofCare of Magical Creatures teacher, over the headsof many better-qualified candidates. 

An alarmingly large and ferocious-looking man,Hagrid has been using his newfound authority toterrify the students in his care with a succession ofhorrific creatures. While Dumbledore turns a blindeye, Hagrid has maimed several pupils during aseries of lessons that many admit to being "veryfrightening."

 "My friend, Draco Malfoy, was attacked by a hippogriff," says Blaise Zabini, a Slytherin fourth-year student. "And my friend Parvati Patil  got a bad bite off a flobberworm,"says Lavender Brown , a Gryffindor  fourth-year student. "We allhate Hagrid, but we're just too scared to sayanything." 

Hagrid has no intention of ceasing his campaignof intimidation, however. In conversation with aDaily Prophet reporter last month, he admittedbreeding creatures he has dubbed "Blast-EndedSkrewts," highly dangerous crosses between manticores and fire-crabs. The creation of new breeds ofmagical creature is, of course, an activity usuallyclosely observed by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Hagrid,however, considers himself to be above such pettyrestrictions 

"I was just having some fun," he says, beforehastily changing the subject. 

As if this were not enough, the Daily Prophet hasnow unearthed evidence that Hagrid is not — ashe has always pretended — a pure-blood wizard.He is not, in fact, even pure human. His mother,we can exclusively reveal, is none other than thegiantess Fridwulfa, whose whereabouts are currently unknown. 

Bloodthirsty and brutal, the giants broughtthemselves to the point of extinction by warringamongst themselves during the last century. Thehandful that remained joined the ranks of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and were responsiblefor some of the worst mass Muggle killings of hisreign of terror. 

While many of the giants who served He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named were killed by Aurors working against the Dark Side, Fridwulfa was notamong them. It is possible she escaped to one ofthe giant communities still existing in foreignmountain ranges. If his antics during Care of Magical Creatures lessons are any guide, however, Fridwulfa's son appears to have inherited her brutalnature.

 In a bizarre twist, Hagrid is reputed to havedeveloped a close friendship with the boy and girl whobrought around You-Know-Who's fall frompower — thereby driving Hagrid's own mother,like the rest of You-Know-Who's supporters, intohiding. Perhaps Harry and Emma Potter are unaware of the unpleasant truth about their large friend — but AlbusDumbledore surely has a duty to ensure that HarryPotter, along with his fellow students, is warnedabout the dangers of associating with part-giants.

Harry finished reading and looked up at Ron, whose mouth washanging open. 

"How did she find out?" he whispered.But that wasn't what was bothering me. 

"What d'you mean, 'we all hate Hagrid'?" I spat at Lavender "What's this rubbish about her" — I pointed at Parvati — "getting a bad bite off a flobberworm? They haven't even got teeth!" Lavender giggled and Draco had to snatch my wand so that I didn't hex her. 

"Well, I think this should put an end to the oaf's teaching career," said Zabini, his eyes glinting. "Half-giant . . . and there wasme thinking he'd just swallowed a bottle of Skele-Gro when he wasyoung. . . . None of the mummies and daddies are going to likethis at all. . . . They'll be worried he'll eat their kids, ha, ha. . . ."

 "You —" 

"Are you paying attention over there?"Proffesor Grubby Plank said. "You girl--come here!"

"I hope she stays, that woman!" said Parvati Patil when the lesson had ended and they were all heading back to the castle for lunch."That's more what I thought Care of Magical Creatures would belike . . . proper creatures like unicorns, not monsters. . . ." 

"What about Hagrid?" Harry said angrily as they went up thesteps. 

"What about him?" said Parvati in a hard voice. "He can still begamekeeper, can't he?"

"Maybe she's got an Invisibility Cloak," said Harry, ladlingchicken casserole onto his plate and splashing it everywhere in hisanger. "Sort of thing she'd do, isn't it, hide in bushes listening topeople." I was standing beside, tapping my foot impatiently. 

"Like you and Ron did, you mean," said Hermione.

 "We weren't trying to hear him!" said Ron indignantly. "Wedidn't have any choice! The stupid prat, talking about his giantessmother where anyone could have heard him!" 

"We've got to go and see him," said Harry. "This evening, afterDivination. Tell him we want him back . . . you do want him back?"he shot at Hermione and me. 

"I — well, I'm not going to pretend it didn't make a nice change,having a proper Care of Magical Creatures lesson for once — but Ido want Hagrid back, of course I do!" Hermione added hastily,quailing under Harry's furious stare. 

"I'm going to my table" I said "and while Hagrid's lessons were horrible and that woman was better. I owe him a lot."

"You alright, Ems?" asked Nicholas as I laddled Chicken Casserole on my plate. 

"How did she get in?" I asked. 

So that evening after dinner, the four of us left the castleonce more and went down through the frozen grounds to Hagrid'scabin. We knocked, and Fang's booming barks answered. 

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

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

"What's he avoiding us for?" I said when we hadfinally given up and were walking back to the school. "He surelydoesn't think we'd care about him being half-giant?" 

But it seemed that Hagrid did care. We didn't see a sign of himall week. He didn't appear at the staff table at mealtimes, we didn'tsee him going about his gamekeeper duties on the grounds, and Professor Grubbly-Plank continued to take the Care of Magical Creatures classes.

There was another Hogsmead visit. Zoe and I left the castle together on Saturday andset off through the cold, wet grounds toward the gates. As we passed the Durmstrang ship moored in the lake, we saw ViktorKrum emerge onto the deck, dressed in nothing but swimmingtrunks. 

He was very skinny indeed, but apparently a lot tougherthan 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 Zoe, staring at Krum's dark head as it bobbedout into the middle of the lake. "It must be freezing, it's January!"

"It's a lot colder where he comes from,"I said. "I suppose it feels quite warm to him." 

"Yeah, but there's still the giant squid," said Zoe. 

I kept my eyes skinned for a sign of Hagrid all the waydown the slushy High Street, and suggested a visit to the ThreeBroomsticks once I had ascertained that Hagrid was not in any ofthe shops. 

The pub was as crowded as ever, but one quick look around atall the tables told mw that Hagrid wasn't there. Heart sinking, hewent up to the bar with Zoe, ordered two butterbeers from Madam Rosmerta.

 "Doesn't he ever go into the office?"Zoe whispered suddenly. "Look!"She pointed into the mirror behind the bar, and I saw LudoBagman reflected there, sitting in a shadowy corner with a bunchof goblins. Bagman was talking very fast in a low voice to the goblins, all of whom had their arms crossed and were lookingrather menacing.

 It was indeed odd, I thought, that Bagman was here at theThree Broomsticks on a weekend when there was no Triwizardevent, and therefore no judging to be done. I watched Bagmanin the mirror. He was looking strained again, quite as strained as hehad that night in the forest before the Dark Mark had appeared. 

But just then Bagman glanced over at the bar, saw me, and stoodup."In a moment, in a moment!" I heard him say brusquely tothe goblins, and Bagman hurried through the pub toward me,his boyish grin back in place. 

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

"Fine, thanks,"I said.

"And your brother" asked Bagman "is he--"

"he's fine" I said "Thanks," but I knew this couldn't be all that Bagman wanted to say. I saw him glance into the mirror over the bar at the goblins, who were all watching him and me in silence through their dark, slanting eyes. 

"Absolute nightmare," said Bagman to me in an undertone,noticing me watching the goblins too. "Their English isn't toogood . . . it's like being back with all the Bulgarians at the Quidditch World Cup . . . but at least they used sign language anotherhuman could recognize. This lot keep gabbling in Gobbledegook . . . and I only know one word of Gobbledegook. Bladvak. Itmeans '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?" I said, noticing how the goblinswere 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?"I said. "He's at theMinistry 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 acouple of weeks now. Young Percy, his assistant, says he's ill. Apparently he's just been sending instructions in by owl. But wouldyou mind not mentioning that to anyone, Emma? Because RitaSkeeter's still poking around everywhere she can, and I'm willing tobet she'd work up Barty's illness into something sinister. Probablysay he's gone missing like Bertha Jorkins." 

"Have you heard anything about Bertha Jorkins?" Zoe asked. 

"No," said Bagman, looking strained again. "I've got peoplelooking, of course . . ." (About time, I thought) "and it's allvery 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 withouttrace en route. Blowed if I can see where she's got to . . . she doesn'tseem the type to elope, for instance . . . but still. . . . Well, I must go--"

with that he left. 

"Uh-oh," said Zoe, staring at the door. 

Rita Skeeter had just entered. She was wearing banana-yellowrobes today; her long nails were painted shocking pink, and she was accompanied by her paunchy photographer. She boughtdrinks, and she and the photographer made their way through thecrowds to a table nearby, me and Zoe glaring at heras she approached. She was talking fast and looking very satisfiedabout something.

 ". . . didn't seem very keen to talk to us, did he, Bozo? Now, whywould that be, do you think? And what's he doing with a pack ofgoblins in tow anyway? Showing them the sights . . . what nonsense . . . he was always a bad liar. Reckon something's up? Thinkwe should do a bit of digging? 'Disgraced Ex-Head of MagicalGames and Sports, Ludo Bagman . . .' Snappy start to a sentence,Bozo — we just need to find a story to fit it —" 

"Trying to ruin someone else's life?" I said loudly.A few people looked around. Rita Skeeter's eyes widened behindher jeweled spectacles as she saw who had spoken. 

"Emma!" she said, beaming. "How lovely! Why don't you comeand join — ?" 

"I wouldn't come near you with a ten-foot broomstick,"I said furiously. "What did you do that to Hagrid for?" 

Rita Skeeter raised her heavily penciled eyebrows."Our readers have a right to the truth, Emma. I am merely doingmy —"

 "Who cares if he's half-giant?" Zoe shouted. "There's nothingwrong with him!" 

The whole pub had gone very quiet. Madam Rosmerta was staring over from behind the bar, apparently oblivious to the fact thatthe flagon she was filling with mead was overflowing.Rita Skeeter's smile flickered very slightly, but she hitched itback almost at once; she snapped open her crocodile-skin handbag, pulled out her Quick-Quotes Quill, and said, "How about givingme an interview about the Hagrid you know, Emma? The man behind the muscles? Your unlikely friendship and the reasons behindit. Would you call him a father substitute?" 

I stood up very abruptly,my butterbeer clutched in my hand as though it were a grenade."You horrible woman," I said, through gritted teeth, "youdon't care, do you, anything for a story, and anyone will do, won'tthey? Even Ludo Bagman —" 

"Sit down, you silly little girl, and don't talk about things youdon't understand," said Rita Skeeter coldly, her eyes hardening asthey fell on me. "I know things about Ludo Bagman thatwould make your hair curl . . ."

"Let's go," I said, "c'mon Zoe," 

We left; many people were staring at us as they went. I glanced back as they reached the door. Rita Skeeter's Quick-QuotesQuill was out; it was zooming backward and forward over a piece ofparchment on the table. 

"She'll be after you next, Ems," said Zoe in a low and worried voice as we walked quickly back up the street. 

"Let her try!"I said defiantly; I was shaking with rage. "I'll show her! Silly little girl, am I? Oh, I'll get her back for this. First Harry, then Hagrid . . ."

 "You don't want to go upsetting Rita Skeeter," said Zoe nervously. "I'm serious, Emma, she'll dig up something on you —" 

"My parents don't read the Daily Prophet, now do they? She can't scare me into hiding!"I said, now striding along so fast that it was all Zoe could do to keep up with me. 

Breaking into a run, I led us 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 we could hear Fang barking as we approached. 

"Hagrid!"I shouted, pounding on his front door. "Hagrid, that's enough! We know you're in there! Nobody cares if yourmum was a giantess, Hagrid! You can't let that foul Skeeter womando this to you! Hagrid, get out here, you're just being —" 

The door opened. I said, "About t — !" and thenstopped, very suddenly, because I had found herself face-to-face,not with Hagrid, but with Albus Dumbledore."Good afternoon," he said pleasantly, smiling down at us. 

"We — er — we wanted to see Hagrid," said Zoe in arather small voice."Yes, I surmised as much," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling."Why don't you come in?" 

"Oh . . . um . . . okay," said Zoe. We went into the cabin; Fang launched himself upon me the moment I entered, barking madly and tryingto lick my ears. I fended off Fang and looked around.Hagrid was sitting at his table, where there were two large mugsof 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 wigof tangled wire.

"Hi, Hagrid,"I said. 

Hagrid looked up." 'Lo," he said in a very hoarse voice. 

"More tea, I think," said Dumbledore, closing the door behind us, drawing out his wand, and twiddlingit; a revolving tea tray appeared in midair along with a plate of cakes.Dumbledore magicked the tray onto the table, and everybody satdown. There was a slight pause, and then Dumbledore said, "Didyou by any chance hear what Miss Potter was shouting, Hagrid?" 

 Dumbledore smiled at me and continued, "Zoe and Emma still seem to want toknow you, judging by the way they were attempting to break downthe door." 

"Of course we still want to know you!" I said, staring atHagrid. "You don't think anything that Skeeter cow — sorry, Professor," I added quickly, looking at Dumbledore. 

"I have gone temporarily deaf and haven't any idea what yousaid,Emma," said Dumbledore, twiddling his thumbs and staringat the ceiling. 

"Er — right,"I said sheepishly. "I just meant — Hagrid,how could you think we'd care what that — woman — wroteabout you? and this is coming from the "evil" house of the school" I made air-quotes with my fingers.

 Two fat tears leaked out of Hagrid's beetle-black eyes and fellslowly into his tangled beard."Living proof of what I've been telling you, Hagrid," said Dumbledore, still looking carefully up at the ceiling. "I have shown youthe letters from the countless parents who remember you fromtheir own days here, telling me in no uncertain terms that if Isacked you, they would have something to say about it —"  

"Not all of 'em," said Hagrid hoarsely. "Not all of 'em wan' meter stay."

 "Really, Hagrid, if you are holding out for universal popularity,I'm afraid you will be in this cabin for a very long time," said Dumbledore, now peering sternly over his half-moon spectacles. "Not aweek has passed since I became headmaster of this school when Ihaven't had at least one owl complaining about the way I run it.But what should I do? Barricade myself in my study and refuse totalk to anybody?"

 "Yeh — yeh're not half-giant!" said Hagrid croakily. 

"Hagrid, look what I've got for relatives!" I said furiously."Look at the Dursleys!"

 "An excellent point," said Professor Dumbledore. "My ownbrother, Aberforth, was prosecuted for practicing inappropriatecharms on a goat. It was all over the papers, but did Aberforthhide? No, he did not! He held his head high and went about hisbusiness as usual! Of course, I'm not entirely sure he can read, sothat may not have been bravery. . . ." 

"Come back and teach, Hagrid," said Zoe quietly, "pleasecome back, we really miss you." 

Hagrid gulped. More tears leaked out down his cheeks and intohis tangled beard.Dumbledore stood up. "I refuse to accept your resignation,Hagrid, and I expect you back at work on Monday," he said. "Youwill join me for breakfast at eight-thirty in the Great Hall. No excuses. Good afternoon to you all." 

Dumbledore left the cabin, pausing only to scratch Fang's ears.When the door had shut behind him, Hagrid began to sob into his dustbin-lid-sized hands. Zoe kept patting his arm, and atlast, Hagrid looked up, his eyes very red indeed, and said, "Greatman, Dumbledore . . . great man . . ." 

"Yeah, he is," said Zoe. "Can I have one of these cakes, Hagrid?" 

"Help yerself," said Hagrid, wiping his eyes on the back of hishand. "Ar, he's righ', o' course — yeh're all righ' . . . I bin stupid . . .my ol' dad woulda bin ashamed o' the way I've bin behavin'. . . ." 

More tears leaked out, but he wiped them away more forcefully,and said, "Never shown you a picture of my old dad, have I?Here . . ."Hagrid got up, went over to his dresser, opened a drawer, andpulled out a picture of a short wizard with Hagrid's crinkled blackeyes, beaming as he sat on top of Hagrid's shoulder. Hagrid was agood seven or eight feet tall, judging by the apple tree beside him,but his face was beardless, young, round, and smooth — he lookedhardly older than eleven. 

"Tha' was taken jus' after I got inter Hogwarts," Hagrid croaked."Dad was dead chuffed . . . thought I migh' not be a wizard, see,'cos me mum . . . well, anyway. 'Course, I never was great shakes atmagic, really . . . but at least he never saw me expelled. Died, see,in me second year. . . . 

"Dumbledore was the one who stuck up for me after Dad went.Got me the gamekeeper job . . . trusts people, he does. Gives 'emsecond chances . . . tha's what sets him apar' from other heads, see.He'll accept anyone at Hogwarts, s'long as they've got the talent.Knows people can turn out okay even if their families weren' . . .well . . . all tha' respectable. But some don' understand that. There'ssome who'd always hold it against yeh . . . there's some who'd even pretend they just had big bones rather than stand up an' say — Iam what I am, an' I'm not ashamed. 'Never be ashamed,' my ol'dad used ter say, 'there's some who'll hold it against you, but they'renot worth botherin' with.' An' he was right. I've bin an idiot. I'mnot botherin' with her no more, I promise yeh that. Big bones . . .I'll give her big bones." 

Zoe and I looked at each other nervously; I knew Harry would rather have taken fifty Blast-Ended Skrewts for a walkthan admit to Hagrid that he had overheard him talking toMadame Maxime, but Hagrid was still talking, apparently unawarethat he had said anything odd.

 "Yeh know wha', Emma?" he said, looking up from the photograph of his father, his eyes very bright, "when I firs' met you an' Harry, youreminded me o' me a bit. Mum an' Dad gone, an' you was feelin'like yeh wouldn' fit in at Hogwarts, remember? Not sure yeh werereally up to it . . . an' now look at yeh,! Harry School champion! And you top o' the year"He looked at us for a moment and then said, very seriously,"Yeh know what? Slytherin ain't the evil 'ouse. You two 'ave just proven it."

Zoe and I smiled