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e other side of the paddock seemed to be holding its breath。 Malfoy's eyes were narrowed maliciously。
〃Easy） now； Harry；〃 said Hagrid quietly。 〃Yeh've got eye contact； now try not ter blink。。。。 Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much。。。。〃
Harry's eyes immediately began to water； but he didn't shut thern。 Buckbeak had turned his great； sharp head and was staring at Harry with one fierce orange eye。 〃Tha's it；〃 said Hagrid。 〃Tha's it； Harry。。。 now； bow。〃
Harry didn't feel much like exposing the back of his neck to Buckbeak； but he did as he was told。 He gave a short bow and then looked up。
The hippogriff was still staring haughtily at him。 It didn't move。
〃Ah；〃 said Hagrid； sounding worried。 〃Right back away； now； Harry； easy does it
But then； to Harry's enormous surprise； the hippogriff suddenly bent its scaly front knees and sank into what was an unmistakable bow。
〃Well done； Harry！〃 said Hagrid； ecstatic。 〃Right yeh can touch him！ Pat his beak； go on！〃
Feeling that a better reward would have been to back away； Harry moved slowly toward the hippogriff and reached out toward it。 He patted the beak several times and the hippogriff closed its eyes lazily； as though enjoying it。
The class broke into applause； all except for Malfoy； Crabbe； and Goyle； who were looking deeply disappointed。
〃Righ' then； Harry；〃 said Hagrid。 〃I reckon he might' let yeh ride him！〃
This was more than Harry had bargained for。 He was used to a broomstick； but he wasn't sure a hippogriff would be quite the same。
〃Yeh climb up there； jus' behind the wing joint；〃 said Hagrid； 〃an' mind yeh don' pull any of his feathers out； he won' like that。。。。〃
Harry put his foot on the top of Buckbeaks wing and hoisted himself onto its back。 Buckbeak stood up。 Harry wasn't sure where to hold on； everything in front of him was covered with feathers。
〃Go on； then'〃 roared Hagrid； slapping the hippogriffs hindquarters。
Without warning； twelve…foot wings flapped open on either side of Harry； he just had time to seize the hippogriff around the neck before he was soaring upward。 It was nothing like a broomstick； and Harry knew which one he preferred； the hippogriff's wings beat unfortably on either side of him； catching him under his legs and making him feel he was about to be thrown off； the glossy feathers slipped under his fingers and he didn't dare get a stronger grip； instead of the smooth action of his Nimbus Two Thousand； he now felt himself rocking backward and forward as the hindquarters of the hippogriff rose and fell with its wings。
Buckbeak flew him once around the paddock and then headed back to the ground； this was the bit Harry had been dreading； he leaned back as the smooth neck lowered； feeling he was going to slip off over the beak； then felt a heavy thud as the four ill…assorted feet hit the ground。 He just managed to hold on and push himself straight again。
〃Good work； Harry！〃 roared Hagrid as everyone except Malfoy； Crabbe； and Goyle cheered。 〃Okay； who else wants a go？〃
Emboldened by Harry's success； the rest of the class climbed cautiously into the paddock。 Hagrid untied the hippogriffs one by one； and soon people were bowing nervously； all over the paddock。 Neville ran repeatedly backward from his； which didn't seem to want to bend its knees。 Ron and Hermione practiced on the chestnut； while Harry watched。
Malfoy； Crabbe； and Goyle had taken over Buckbeak。 He had bowed to Malfoy； who was now patting his beak； looking disdainful。
〃This is very easy；〃 Malfoy drawled； loud enough for Harry to； hear him。 〃I knew it must have been； if Potter could do it。。。。 I bet you're not dangerous at all； are you？〃 he said to the hippogriff。 〃Are you； you great ugly brute？〃
It happened in a flash of steely talons； Malfoy let out a highpitched scream and next moment； Hagrid was wrestling Buckbeak back into his collar as he strained to get at Malfoy； who lay curled in the grass； blood blossoming over his robes。
〃I'm dying！〃 Malfoy yelled as the class panicked。 〃I'm dying； look at me！ It's killed me！〃
〃Yer not dyin'！〃 said Hagrid； who had gone very white。 〃Someone help me gotta get him outta here 〃
Hermione ran to hold open the gate as Hagrid lifted Malfoy easily。 As they passed； Harry saw that there was a long； deep gash on Malfoy's arm； blood splattered the grass and Hagrid ran with him； up the slope toward the castle。
Very shaken； the Care of Magical Creatures class followed at a walk。 The Slytherins were all shouting about Hagrid。
〃They should fire him straight away！〃 said Pansy Parkinson； who was in tears。
〃It was Malfoy's fault！〃 snapped Dean Thomas。 Crabbe and Goyle flexed their muscles threateningly。
They all climbed the stone steps into the deserted entrance hall。
〃I'm going to see if he's okay！〃 said Pansy； and they all watched her run up the marble staircase。 The Slytherins； still muttering about Hagrid； headed away in the direction of their dungeon mon room； Harry； Ron； and Hermione proceeded upstairs to Gryffindor Tower。
〃You think he'll be all right？〃 said Hermione nervously。
〃Course he will。 Madam Pomfrey can mend cuts in about a second；〃 said Harry； who had had far worse injuries mended magically by the nurse。
〃That was a really bad thing to happen in Hagrid's first class； though； wasn't it？〃 said Ron； looking worried。 〃Trust Malfoy to mess things up for him。。。。〃
They were among the first to reach the Great Hall at dinnertime； hoping to see Hagrid； but he wasn't there。
〃They wouldn't fire him； would they？〃 said Hermione anxiously； not touching her steak…and… kidney pudding。
〃They'd better not；〃 said Ron； who wasn't eating either。
Harry was watching the Slytherin table。 A large group including Crabbe and Goyle was huddled together； deep in conversation。 Harry was sure they were cooking up their own version of how Malfoy had been injured。
〃Well； you can't say it wasn't an interesting first day back；〃 said Ron gloomily。
They went up to the crowded Gryffindor mon room after dinner and tried to do the homework Professor McGonagall had given them； but all three of them kept breaking off and glancing Out of the tower window。
〃There's a light on in Hagrid's window；〃 Harry said suddenly。
Ron looked at his watch。
〃If we hurried； we could go down and see him。 It's still quite early。。。〃
I don't know；〃 Hermione said slowly； and Harry saw her glance at him。
〃I'm allowed to walk across the grounds； 〃 he said Pointedly。 〃Sirius Black hasn't got past the dementors yet； has he？〃
So they put their things away and headed out of the portrait hole； glad to meet nobody on their way to the front doors； as they weren't entirely sure they were supposed to be out。
The grass was still wet and looked almost black in the twilight。 When they reached Hagrid's hut； they knocked； and a voice growled； 〃C'min。〃
Hagrid was sitting in his shirtsleeves at his scrubbed wooden table； his boarhound； Fang； had his head in Hagrid's lap。 One look told them that Hagrid had been drinking a lot； there was a pewter tankard almost as big as a bucket in front of him； and he seemed to be having difficulty getting them into focus。
〃'Spect it's a record；〃 he said thickly； when he recognized them。 〃Don' reckon they've ever had a teacher who lasted on'y a day before。〃
〃You haven't been fired； Hagrid！〃 gasped Hermione。
〃Not yet；〃 said Hagrid miserably； taking a huge gulp of whatever was in the tankard。 〃But's only a matter o' time； i' n't it； after Malfoy。。。〃
〃How is he？〃 said Ron as they all sat down。 〃It wasn't serious； was it？〃
〃Madam Pomfrey fixed him best she could；〃 said Hagrid dully； 〃but he's sayin' it's still agony。。。 covered in bandages。。。 moanin'。。
〃He's faking it； 〃 said Harry at once。 〃Madam Pomfrey can mend anything。 She regrew half my bones last year。 Trust Malfoy to milk it for all it's worth。〃
〃School gov'nors have bin told； o' course；〃 said Hagrid miseribly。 〃They reckon I started too big。 Shoulda left hippogriffs fer later。。。 done flobberworms or summat。。。。 Jus' thought itdmake a good firs' lessons all my fault。。。。〃
〃It's all Malfoy's fault； Hagrid！〃 said Hermione earnestly。
〃We're witnesses；〃 said Harry。 〃You said hippogriffs attack if you insult them。 It's Malfoy's problem that he wasn't listening。 We'll tell Dumbledore what really happened。〃
〃Yeah； don't worry； Hagrid； we'll back you up；〃 said Ron。
Tears leaked out of the crinkled corners of Hagrid's beetle…black eyes。 He grabbed both Harry and Ron and pulled them into a bone…breaking hug。
〃I think you've had enough to drink； Hagrid；〃 said Hermione firmly。 She took the tankard from the table and went outside to empty it。
〃At； maybe she's right；〃 said Hagrid； letting go of Harry and Ron； who both staggered away； rubbing their ribs。 Hagrid heaved himself out of his chair and followed Hermione unsteadily outside。 They heard a loud splash。
〃What's he done？〃 said Harry nervously as Hermione came back in with the empty tankard。
〃Stuck his head in the water barrel；〃 said Hermione； putting the tankard away。
Hagrid came back； his long hair and beard sopping wet； wiping the water out of his eyes。
〃That's better；〃 he said； shaking his head like a dog and drenching them all。 〃Listen； it was good of yeh ter e an' see me； I really
Hagrid stopped dead； staring at Harry as though he'd only just realized he was there。
〃WHAT D'YEH THINK YOU'RE DOIN'； EH？〃 he roared； so suddenly that they jumped a foot in the air。 〃YEH'RE NOT TO GO WANDERIN' AROUND AFTER DARK； HARRY！ AN； YOU TWO！ LETTIN' HIM！〃
Hagrid strode over to Harry； grabbed his arm； and pulled him to the door。
〃C'mon！〃 Hagrid said angrily。 〃I'm takin' yer all back up ter school； an' don' let me catch yeh walkin' down ter see me after dark again。 I'm not worth that！〃
CHAPTER SEVEN
THE BOGGART IN THE WARDROBE
Malfoy didn't reappear in classes until late on Thursday morning； when the Slytherins and Gryffindors were halfway through double Potions。 He swaggered into the dungeon； his right arm covered in bandages and bound up in a sling； acting； in Harry's opinion； as though he were the heroic survivor of some dreadful battle。
〃How is it； Draco？〃 simpered Pansy Parkinson。 〃Does it hurt much？〃
〃Yeah；〃 said Malfoy； putting on a brave sort of grimace。 But Harry saw him wink at Crabbe and Goyle when Pansy had looked away。
〃Settle down； settle down；〃 said Professor Snape idly。
Harry and Ron scowled at each other； Snape wouldn't have said 〃settle down〃 if they'd walked in late； he'd have given them detention。 But Malfoy had always been able to get away with anything in Snape's classes； Snape was head of Slytherin House； and generality favored his own students above all others。
They were making a new potion today； a Shrinking Solution。 Malfoy set up his cauldron right next to Harry and Ron； so that they were preparing their ingredients on the same table。
〃Sir；〃 Malfoy called； 〃sir； I'll need help cutting up these daisy roots； because of my arm 〃
〃Weasley； cut up Malfoy's roots for him；〃 said Snape without looking up。
Ron went brick red。
〃There's nothing wrong with your arm；〃 he hissed at Malfoy。
Malfoy smirked across the table。
〃Weasley； you heard Professor Snape； cut up these roots。〃
Ron seized his knife； pulled Malfoy's roots toward him； and began to chop them roughly； so that they were all different sizes。
〃Professor；〃 drawled Malfoy； 〃Weasley's mutilating my roots； sit。〃
Snape approached their table； stared down his hooked nose at the roots； then gave Ron an unpleasant smile from beneath his long； greasy black hair。
〃Change roots with Malfoy； Weasley。〃
〃But； sit ！〃
Ron had spent the last quarter of an hour carefully shredding his own roots into exactly equal pieces。
〃Now；〃 said Snape in his most dangerous voice。
Ron shoved his own beautifully cut roots across the table a； Malfoy； then took up the knife again。
〃And； sir； I'll need this shrivelfig skinned；〃 said Malfoy； his voice full of malicious laughter。
〃Potter； you can skin Malfoy's shrivelfig；〃 said Snape； giving Harry the look of loathing he always reserved just for him。
Harry took Malfoy's shrivelfig as Ron began trying to repair the damage to the roots he now had to use。 Harry skinned the shrivelfig as fast as he could and flung it back across the table at Malfoy without speaking。 Malfoy was smirking more broadly than ever。
〃Seen your pal Hagrid lately？〃 he asked them quietly。
〃None of your business；〃 said Ron jerkily； without looking up。
〃I'm afraid he won't be a teacher much longer；〃 said Malfoy in a tone of mock sorrow。 〃Father's not very happy about my injury 〃
〃Keep talking； Malfoy； and I'll give you a real injury；〃 snarled Ron。
〃… he's plained to the school governors。 And to the Ministry of Magic。 Father's got a lot of influence； you know。 And a lasting injury like this〃 he gave a huge； fake sigh 〃who knows if my arm'll ever be the same again？〃
〃So that's why you're putting it on；〃 said Harry； accidentally beheading a dead caterpillar because his hand was shaking in anger。 〃To try to g