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〃… and Malfoy'd love to see you blown into about a million pieces； like Pettigrew！ Get a grip。 Malfoy's just hoping you'll get Yourself killed before he has to play you at Quidditch。〃
〃Harry； please；〃 said Hermione； her eyes now shining with tears； 〃Please be sensible。 Black did a terrible； terrible thing； but d…don't Put Yourself in danger； it's what Black wants。。。 Oh； Harry； you'd be Playing right into Black's hands if you went looking for him。 Your mum and dad wouldn't want you to get hurt； would they？ They'd never want you to go looking for Black！〃
〃I'll never know what they'd have wanted； because thanks to Black； I've never spoken to them；〃 said Harry shortly。
There was a silence in which Crookshanks stretched luxuriously flexing his claws。 Ron's pocket quivered。
〃Look；〃 said Ron； obviously casting around for a change of subject； 〃it's the holidays！ It's nearly Christmas！ Let's…let's go down and see Hagrid。 We haven't visited him for ages！〃
〃No！〃 said Hermione quickly。 〃Harry isn't supposed to leave the castle； Ron …〃
〃Yeah； let's go；〃 said Harry； sitting up； 〃and I can ask him how e he never mentioned Black when he told me all about my parents！〃
Further discussion of Sirius Black plainly wasn't what Ron had had in mind。
〃Or we could have a game of chess； he said hastily； 〃or Gobstones。 Percy left a set …〃
〃No； let's visit Hagrid；〃 said Harry firmly。
So they got their cloaks from their dormitories and set off through the portrait hole （〃Stand and fight； you yellow…bellied mongrels！〃）； down through the empty castle and out through the oak front doors。
They made their way slowly down the lawn； making a shallow trench in the glittering； powdery snow； their socks and the hems of their cloaks soaked and freezing。 The Forbidden Forest looked as though it had been enchanted； each tree smattered with silver； and Hagrid's cabin looked like an iced cake。
Ron knocked； but there was no answer。
〃He's not out； is he？〃 said Hermione； who was shivering under her cloak。
Ron had his ear to the door。
〃There's a weird noise；〃 he said。 〃Listen…is that Fang？〃
Harry and Hermione put their ears to the door too。 From inside the cabin came a series of low； throbbing moans。
〃Think we'd better go and get someone？〃 said Ron nervously。
〃Hagrid！〃 called Harry； thumping the door。 〃Hagrid； are you in there。
There was a sound of heavy footsteps； then the door creaked open。 Hagrid stood there with his eyes red and swollen； tears splashing down the front of his leather vest。
〃YWve heard？〃 he bellowed； and he flung himself onto Harry's neck。
Hagrid being at least twice the size of a normal man； this was no laughing matter。 Harry； about to collapse under Hagrid's weight； was rescued by Ron and Hermione； who each seized Hagrid under an arm and heaved him back into the cabin。 Hagrid allowed himself to be steered into a chair and slumped over the table； sobbing uncontrollably； his face glazed with tears that dripped down into his tangled beard。
〃Hagrid； what is it？〃 said Hermione； aghast。
Harry spotted an official…looking letter lying open on the table。
〃What's this； Hagrid？〃
Hagrid's sobs redoubled； but he shoved the letter toward Harry； who Picked it up and read aloud：
Dear Mr。 Hagrid；
Further to our inquiry into the attack by a hippogriff on a student in your class； we have accepted the assurances of Professor Dumbledore that you bear no responsibility for the regrettable incident。
〃Well； that's okay then； Hagrid！〃 said Ron； clapping Hagrid oil the shoulder。 But Hagrid continued to sob； and waved one of his gigantic hands； inviting Harry to read on。
However； we must register our concern about the hippogriff in question。 We have decided to uphold the official plaint of Mr。 Lucius Malfoy； and this matter will therefore be taken to the mittee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures。 The hearing will take place on April 20th； and we ask you to present yourself and your hippogriff at the mittee's offices in London on that date。 In the meantime； the hippogriff should be kept tethered and isolated。 Yours in fellowship。。。
There followed a list of the school governors。
〃Oh；〃 said Ron。 〃But you said Buckbeak isn't a bad hippogriff； Hagrid。 I bet he'll get off
〃Yeh don' know them gargoyles at the mittee fer the Disposal o' Dangerous Creatures！〃 choked Hagrid； wiping his eyes on his sleeve。 〃They've got it in fer interestin' creatures！〃
A sudden sound from the corner of Hagrid's cabin made Harry； Ron； and Hermione whip around。 Buckbeak the hippogriff was lying in the corner； chomping on something that was oozing blood all over the floor。
〃I couldn' leave him tied up out there in the snow！〃 choked Hagrid。 〃All on his own！ At Christmas。〃
Harry； Ron； and Hermione looked at one another。 They had never seen eye to eye with Hagrid about what he called 〃interesting creatures〃 and other people called 〃terrifying monsters。〃 Or' the other hand； there didn't seem to be any particular harm in Buckbeak。 In fact； by Hagrid's usual standards； he was positively cute。
〃You'll have to put up a good strong defense； Hagrid；〃 said Hermione； sitting down and laying a hand on Hagrid's massive forearm。 〃I'm sure you can prove Buckbeak is safe。〃
〃Won't make no diff'rence！〃 sobbed Hagrid。 〃Them Disposal devils； they're all in Lucius Malfoy's pocket！ Scared o' him！ Ad if I lose the case； Buckbeak …〃
Hagrid drew his finger swiftly across his throat； then gave a great wail and lurched forward； his face in his arms。
〃What about Dumbledore； Hagrid？〃 said Harry。
〃He's done more'n enough fer me already；〃 groaned Hagrid。 〃Got enough on his plate what with keepin' them dementors outta the castle； an' Sirius Black lurkin' around …〃
Ron and Hermione looked quickly at Harry； as though expecting him to start berating Hagrid for not telling him the truth about Black。 But Harry couldn't bring himself to do it； not now that he saw Hagrid so miserable and scared。
〃Listen； Hagrid；〃 he said； 〃you can't give up。 Hermione's right； You just need a good defense。 You can call us as witnesses …〃
〃I'm sure I've read about a case of hippogriff…baiting；〃 said Hermione thoughtfully； 〃where the hippogriff got off I'll look it up for you； Hagrid； and see exactly what happened。〃
Hagrid howled still more loudly。 Harry and Hermione looked at Ron to help them。
〃Er…shall I make a cup of tea？〃 said Ron。
Harry stared at him。
〃It's what my mum does whenever someone's upset；〃 Ron muttered； shrugging。
At last； after many more assurances of help； with a steaming mug of tea in front of him； Hagrid blew his nose on a handkerchief the size of a tablecloth and said； 〃Yer right。 I can' afford to go ter pieces。 Gotta pull meself together。。。
Fang the boarhound came timidly out from under the table and laid his head on Hagrid's knee。
〃I've not bin meself lately；〃 said Hagrid； stroking Fang with one hand and mopping his face with the other。 〃Worried abou' Buckbeak； an' no one likin' me classes …〃
〃We do like them！〃 lied Hermione at once。
〃Yeah； they're great！〃 said Ron； crossing his fingers under the table。 〃Er…how are the flobberworms？〃
〃Dead；〃 said Hagrid gloomily。 〃Too much lettuce。〃
〃Oh no！〃 said Ron； his lip twitching。
〃An' them dementors make me feel ruddy terrible an' all；〃 said Hagrid； with a sudden shudder。 〃Gotta walk past 'em ev'ry time I want a drink in the Three Broomsticks。 'S like bein' back in Azkaban …〃
He fell silent； gulping his tea。 Harry； Ron； and Hermione watched him breathlessly。 They had never heard Hagrid talk about his brief spell in Azkaban before。 After a pause； Hermione said timidly； 〃Is it awful in there； Hagrid？〃
〃Yeh've no idea；〃 said Hagrid quietly。 〃Never bin anywhere like it。 Thought I was goin' mad。 Kep' goin' over horrible stuff in me mind。。。 the day I got expelled from Hogwarts。。。 day me dad died。。。 day I had ter let Norbert go。。。〃
His eyes filled with tears。 Norbert was the baby dragon Hagrid had once won in a game of cards。
〃Yeh can' really remember who yeh are after a while。 An' yeh can' really see the point o' livin' at all。 I used ter hope I'd jus' die in me sleep。 When they let me out； it was like bein' born again； ev'rythin' I came floodin' back； it was the bes' feelin' in the world。 Mind； the dementors weren't keen on lettin' me go。〃
〃But you were innocent！〃 said Hermione。
Hagrid snorted。
〃Think that matters to them？ They don' care。 Long as they've got a couple o' hundred humans stuck there with 'em； so they can leech all the happiness out of 'em； they don' give a damn who's guilty an' who's not。〃
Hagrid went quiet for a moment； staring into his tea。 Then he said quietly； 〃Thought o' jus' letting Buckbeak go。。。 tryin' ter make him fly away。。。 but how d'yeh explain ter a hippogriff it's gotta go inter hidin'？ An' …an' I'm scared o' breakin' the law。。。〃 He looked up at them； tears leaking down his face again。 〃I don' ever want ter go back ter Azkaban。〃
The trip to Hagrid's； though far from fun； had nevertheless had the effect Ron and Hermione had hoped。 Though Harry had by no means forgotten about Black； he couldn't brood constantly on revenge if he wanted to h