Harry.had.once.before.had.the.experience.of.seeing.something.that.Ron.could.not,.but.that.had.been.a.reflection.in.a.mirror,.something.much.more.insubstantial.than.a.hundred.very.solid‐looking.beasts.strong.enough.to.pull.a.fleet.of.carriages..If.Luna.was.to.be.believed,.the.beasts.had.always.been.there.but.invisible..Why,.then,.could.Harry.suddenly.see.them,.and.why.could.Ron.not?.
.Are.you.coming.or.what?..said.Ron.beside.him..
.Oh….yeah,..said.Harry.quickly.and.they.joined.the.crowd.hurrying.up.the.stone.steps.into.the.castle..
The.Entrance.Hall.was.ablaze.with.torches.and.echoing.with.footsteps.as.the.students.crossed.the.flagged.stone.floor.for.the.doble.doors.to.the.right,.leading.to.the.Great.Hall.and.the.start‐of‐term.feast..
The.four.long.house.tables.in.the.Great.Hall.were.filling.up.under.the.starless.black.ceiling,.which.was.just.like.the.sky.they.could.glimpse.through.the.high.windows..Candles.floated.in.midair.all.along.the.tables,.illuminating.the.silvery.ghosts.who.were.dotted.about.the.Hall.and.the.faces.of.the.students.talking.eagerly,.exchanging.summer.news,.shouting.greetings.at.friends.from.other.houses,.eyeing.one.another.s.new.haircuts.and.robes..Again,.Harry.noticed.people.putting.their.heads.together.to.whisper.as.he.passed;.he.gritted.his.teeth.and.tried.to.act.as.though.he.neither.noticed.nor.cared..
Luna.drifted.away.from.them.at.the.Ravenclaw.table..The.moment.they.reached.Gryffindors,.Ginny.was.hailed.by.some.fellow.fourth‐years.and.left.to.sit.with.them;.Harry,.Ron,.Hermione.and.Neville.found.seats.together.about.halfway.down.the.table.between.Nearly.
Headless.Nick,.the.Gryffindor.house.ghost,.and.Parvati.Patil.and.Lavender.Brown,.the.last.two.of.whom.gave.Harry.airy,.overly‐friendly.greetings.that.made.him.quite.sure.they.had.stopped.talking.about.him.a.split.second.before.
.He.had.more.important.things.to.worry.about,.however:.he.was.looking.over.the.students..heads.to.the.staff.table.that.ran.along.the.top.wall.of.the.Hall..
.He.s.not.there...
Ron.and.Hermione.scanned.the.staff.table.too,.though.there.was.no.real.need;
.Hagrid.s.size.made.him.instantly.obvious.in.any.lineup..
.He.can.t.have.left,..said.Ron,.sounding.slightly.anxious..
.Of.course.he.hasn.t,..said.Harry.firmly..
.You.don.t.think.he.s….hurt,.or.anything,.do.you?..said.Hermione.uneasily..
.No,..said.Harry.at.once..
.But.where.is.he,.then?..
There.was.a.pause,.then.Harry.said.very.quietly,.so.that.Neville,.Parvati.and.Lavender.could.not.hear,..Maybe.he.s.not.back.yet..You.know.‐.from.his.mission.‐.the.thing.he.was.doing.over.the.summer.for.Dumbledore...
.Yeah….yeah,.that.ll.be.it,..said.Ron,.sounding.reassured,.but.Hermione.bit.her.lip,.looking.up.and.down.the.staff.table.as.though.hoping.for.some.conclusive.explanation.of.Hagrid.s.absence..
.Who.s.that?..she.said.sharply,.pointing.towards.the.middle.of.the.staff.table..
Harry.s.eyes.followed.hers..They.lit.first.upon.Professor.Dumbledore,.sitting.in.his.high‐backed.golden.chair.at.the.centre.of.the.long.staff.table,.wearing.deep‐