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y still brought a lump to his throat。 〃But we also know we've got the best…ruddy…team…in…the…school；〃 he said； punching a fist into his other hand； the old manic glint back in his eye。 〃We've got three superb Chasers。〃
Wood pointed at Alicia Spinner； Angelina Johnson； and Katie Bell。
〃We've got two unbeatable Beaters。〃
〃Stop it； Oliver； you're embarrassing us；〃 said Fred and George Weasley together； pretending to blush。
〃And we've got a Seeker who has never failed to win us a match！〃 Wood rumbled； glaring at Harry with a kind of furious pride。 〃And me；〃 he added as an afterthought。
〃We think you're very good too； Oliver；〃 said George。
〃Spanking good Keeper；〃 said Fred。
〃The point is；〃 Wood went on； resuming his pacing； 〃the Quidditch Cup should have had our name on it these last two years。 Ever since Harry joined the team； I've thought the thing was in the bag。 But we haven't got it； and this year's the last chance we'll get to finally see our name on the thing。。。。〃
Wood spoke so dejectedly that even Fred and George looked sympathetic。
〃Oliver； this year's our year；〃 said Fred。
〃We'll do it； Oliver！〃 said Angelina。
〃Definitely；〃 said Harry。
Full of determination； the team started training sessions； three evenings a week。 The weather was getting colder and wetter； the nights darker； but no amount of mud； wind； or rain could tarnish Harry's wonderful vision of finally winning the huge； silver Quidditch Cup。
Harry returned to the Gryffindor mon room one evening after training； cold and stiff but pleased with the way practice had gone； to find the room buzzing excitedly。
〃What's happened？〃； he asked Ron and Hermione； who were sitting in two of the best chairs by the fireside and pleting some star charts for Astronomy。
〃First Hogsmeade weekend；〃 said Ron； pointing at a notice that had appeared on the battered old bulletin board。 〃End of October。 Halloween。〃
〃Excellent；〃 said Fred； who had followed Harry through the portrait hole。 〃I need to visit Zonko's。 I'm nearly out of Stink Pellets。〃
Harry threw himself into a chair beside Ron； his high spirits ebbing away。 Hermione seemed to read his mind。
〃Harry； I'm sure you'll be able to go next time；〃 she said。 〃They're bound to catch Black soon。 He's been sighted once already。〃
〃Black's not fool enough to try anything in Hogsmeade；〃 said Ron。 〃Ask McGonagall if you can go this time； Harry。 The next one might not be for ages 〃
〃Ron！〃 said Hermione。 〃Harry's supposed to stay in school…〃
〃He can't be the only third year left behind；〃 said Ron。 〃Ask McGonagall； go on； Harry 〃
〃Yeah； I think I will；〃 said Harry； making up his mind。
Hermione opened her mouth to argue； but at that moment Crookshanks leapt lightly onto her lap。 A large； dead spider was dangling from his mouth。
〃Does he have to eat that in front of us？〃 said Ron； scowling。
〃Clever Crookshanks； did you catch that all by yourself？〃 said Hermione。
Crookshanks； slowly chewed up the spider； his yellow eyes fixed insolently on Ron。
〃Just keep him over there； that's all；〃 said Ron irritably； turning back to his star chart。 〃1've got Scabbers asleep in my bag。〃
Harry yawned。 He really wanted to go to bed； but he still had his own star chart to plete。 He pulled his bag toward him； took out parchment； ink； and quill； and started work。
〃You can copy mine； if you like；〃 said Ron； labeling his last star with a flourish and shoving the chart toward Harry。
Hermione； who disapproved of copying； pursed her lips but didn't say anything。 Crookshanks was still staring unblinkingly at Ron； flicking the end of his bushy tail。 Then； without warning； he pounced。
〃OY！〃 Ron roared； seizing his bag as Crookshanks sank four sets of claws deep inside it and began tearing ferociously。 〃GET OFF； YOU STUPID ANIMAL！〃
Ron tried to pull the bag away from Crookshanks； but Crookshanks clung on； spitting and slashing。
〃Ron； don't hurt him！〃 squealed Hermione； the whole mon room was watching； Ron whirled the bag around； Crookshanks still clinging to it； and Scabbers came flying out of the top …
〃CATCH THAT CAR' Ron yelled as Crookshanks freed himself from the remnants of the bag； sprang over the table； and chased after the terrified Scabbers。
George Weasley made a lunge for Crookshanks but missed； Scabbers streaked through twenty pairs of legs and shot beneath an old chest of drawers。 Crookshanks skidded to a halt； crouched low on his bandy legs； and started making furious swipes beneath it with his front paw。
Ron and Hermione hurried over； Hermione grabbed Crookshanks around the middle and heaved him away； Ron threw himself onto his stomach and； with great difficulty； pulled Scabbers out by the tail。
〃Look at him！〃 he said furiously to Hermione； dangling Scabbers in front of her。 〃He's skin and bone！ You keep that cat away from him！〃
〃Crookshanks doesn't understand it's wrong！〃 said Hermione； her voice shaking。 〃All cats chase rats； Ron！〃
〃There's something funny about that animal！〃 said Ron； who was trying to persuade a frantically wiggling Scabbers back into his pocket。 〃It heard me say that Scabbers was in my bag！〃
〃Oh； what rubbish；〃 said Hermione impatiently。 〃Crookshanks could smell him； Ron； how else d'you think 〃
〃That cat's got it in for Scabbers！〃 said Ron； 'ignoring the people around him； who were starting to giggle。 〃And Scabbers was here first； and he's ill！〃
Ron marched through the mon room and out of sight up the stairs to the boys' dormitories。
Ron was still in a bad mood with Hermione next day。 He barely talked to her all through Herbology； even though he； Harry； and Hermione were working together on the same puffapod。
〃How's Scabbers？〃 Hermione asked timidly as they stripped fat pink pods from the plants and emptied the shining beans into a wooden pail。
〃He's hiding at the bottom of my bed； shaking； 〃 said Ron angrily； missing the pail and scattering beans over the greenhouse floor。
〃Careful； Weasley； careful！〃 cried Professor Sprout as the beans burst into bloom before their very eyes。
They had Transfiguration next。 Harry； who had resolved to ask Professor McGonagall after the lesson whether he could go into Hogsmeade with the rest； joined the line outside the class trying to decide how he was going to argue his case。 He was distracted； however； by a disturbance at the front of the line。
Lavender Brown seemed to be crying。 Parvati had her arm around her and was explaining something to Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas； who were looking very serious。
〃What's the matter； Lavender？〃 said Hermione anxiously as she； Harry； and Ron went to join the group。
〃She got a letter from home this morning；〃 Parvati whispered。 〃It's her rabbit； Binky。 He's been killed by a fox。〃
〃Oh；〃 said Hermione； 〃I'm sorry； Lavender。〃
〃I should have known！〃 said Lavender tragically。 〃You know what day it is？〃
〃Er 〃
〃The sixteenth of October！ 'That thing you're dreading； it will happen on the sixteenth of October！' Remember？ She was right； she was right！〃
The whole class was gathered around Lavender now。 Seamus shook his head seriously。 Hermione hesitated； then she said； 〃You you were dreading Binky being killed by a fox？〃
〃Well； not necessarily by a fox；〃 said Lavender； looking up at Hermione with streaming eyes； 〃but I was obviously dreading him dying； wasn't l？〃
〃Oh；〃 said Hermione。 She paused again。 Then
〃Was Binky an old rabbit？〃
〃N no！〃 sobbed Lavender。 〃H he was only a baby！〃
Parvati tightened her arm around Lavender's shoulders。
〃But then； why would you dread him dying？〃 said Hermione。
Parvati glared at her。
〃Well； look at it logically；〃 said Hermione； turning to the rest of the group… 〃I mean； Binky didn't even die today； did he？ Lavender just got the news today…〃 Lavender wailed loudly。 〃… and she can't have been dreading it； because it's e as a real shock 〃
〃Don't mind Hermione； Lavender；〃 said Ron loudly； 〃she doesn't think other people's pets matter very much。〃
Professor McGonagall opened the classroom door at that moment； which was perhaps lucky； Hermione and Ron were looking daggers at each other； and when they got into class； they seated themselves on either side of Harry and didn't talk to each other for the whole class。
Harry still hadn't decided what he was going to say to Professor McGonagall when the bell rang at the end of the lesson； but it was she who brought up the subject of Hogsmeade first。
〃One moment； please ！〃 she called as the class made to leave。 〃As you're all in my House； you should hand Hogsmeade permission forms to me before Halloween。 No form； no visiting the village； so don't forget！〃
Neville put up his hand。
〃Please； Professor； I I think I've lost
〃Your grandmother sent yours to me directly； Longbottom；〃 said Professor McGonagall。 〃She seemed to think it was safer。 Well； that's all； you may leave。〃
〃Ask her now；〃 Ron hissed at Harry。
〃Oh。 but 〃 Hermione began。
〃Go for it； Harry；〃 said Ron stubbornly。
Harry waited for the rest of the class to disappear； then headed nervously for Professor McGonagall's desk。
〃Yes； Potter？〃 Harry took a deep breath。
〃Professor； my aunt and uncle er forgot to sign my form；〃 he said。
Professor McGonagall looked over her square spectacles at him but didn't say anything。
〃So er d'you think it would be all right mean； will It be okay if I if I go to Hogsmeade？〃
Professor McGonagall looked down and began shuffling papers on her desk。
〃I'm afraid not； Potter；〃 she said。 〃You heard what I said。 No form； no visiting the village。 That's the rule。〃
〃But Professor； my aunt and uncle you know； they're Muggles； they don't really understand about about Hogwarts forms and stuff；〃 Harry said； while Ron egged him on with vigorous nods。 〃If you said I could go 〃
〃But I don't say so；〃 said Professor McGonagall； standing up and piling her papers neatly into a drawer。 〃The form clearly states that the parent or guardian must give permission。〃 She turned to look at him； with an odd expression on her face。 Was it pity？ 〃I'm sorry； Potter； but that's my final word。 You had better hurry； or you'll be late for your next lesson。〃
There was nothing to be done。 Ron called Professor McGonagall a lot of names that greatly annoyed Hermione； Hermione assumed an 〃all…for…the…best〃 expression that made Ron even angrier； and Harry had to endure everyone in the class talking loudly and happily about what they were going to do first； once they got into Hogsmeade。
〃There's always the feast；〃 said Ron； in an effort to cheer Harry UP。 〃You know； the Halloween feast； in the evening。〃
〃Yeah；〃 said Harry gloomily； 〃great。〃
The Halloween feast was always good； but it would taste a lot better if he was ing to it after a day in Hogsmeade with everyone else。 Nothing anyone said made him feel any better about being left behind。 Dean Thomas； who was good with a quill； had offered to forge Uncle Vernon's signature on the form； but as Harry had already told Professor McGonagall he hadn't had it signed； that was no good。 Ron halfheartedly suggested the Invisibility Cloak； but Hermione stamped on that one； reminding Ron what Dumbledore had told them about the dementors being able to see through them。 Percy had what were possibly the least helpful words of fort。
〃They make a fuss about Hogsmeade； but I assure you； Harry； it's not all it's cracked up to be；〃 he said seriously。 〃All right； the sweetshop's rather good； and Zonko's Joke Shop's frankly dangerous； and yes； the Shrieking Shack's always worth a visit； but really； Harry； apart from that； you're not missing anything。〃
On Halloween morning； Harry awoke with the rest and went down to breakfast； feeling thoroughly depressed； though doing his best to act normally。
〃We'll bring you。 lots of sweets back from Honeydukes；〃 said Hermione； looking desperately sorry for him。
〃Yeah； loads；〃 said Ron。 He and Hermione had finally forgotten their squabble about Crookshanks in the face of Harry's difficulties。
〃Don't worry about me；〃 said Harry； in what he hoped was at； offhand voice； 〃I'll see you at the feast。 Have a good time。〃
He acpanied them to the entrance hall； where Filch； the caretaker； was standing inside the front doors； checking off names against a long list； peering suspiciously into every face； and making sure that no one was sneaking out who shouldn't be going。
〃Staying here； Potter？〃 shouted Malfoy； who was standing in line with Crabbe and Goyle。 〃Scared of passing the dementors？〃
Harry ignored him and made his solitary way up the marble staircase； through the deserted corridors； and back to Gryffindor Tower。
〃Password？〃 said the Fat Lady； jerking out of a doze。
〃Fortuna Major；〃 said Harry listlessly。
The portrait swung open and he climbed through the hole into the mon room。 It was full of chattering first and second years； and a few older students； who had obviously visited Hogsmeade so often the novelty had worn off
〃Harry！ Harry！ Hi； Harry！〃
It was Colin Creevey； a second year who was deeply in awe of Harry and never missed an opportunit