He.walked.across.to.the.enormous.wooden.table.that.stood.in.the.middle.of.his.cabin.and.twitched.aside.a.tea.towel.that.had.bee.lying.on.it..Underneath.was.a.raw,.bloody,.green‐tinged.steak.slightly.larger.than.the.average.car.tyre..
.You.re.not.going.to.eat.that,.are.you,.Hagrid?..said.Ron,.leaning.in.for.a.closer.look...It.looks.poisonous...
.It.s.s.posed.ter.look.like.that,.it.s.dragon.meat,..Hagrid.said...An..I.didn..get.it.ter.eat...
He.picked.up.the.steak.and.slapped.it.over.the.left.side.of.his.face..Greenish.blood.trickled.down.into.his.beard.as.he.gave.a.soft.moan.of.satisfaction..
Tha.s.better..It.helps.with.the.stingin.,.yeh.know...
.So,.are.you.going.to.tell.us.what.s.happened.to.you?..Harry.asked..
.Can.t,.Harry..Top.secret..More.n.me.job.s.worth.ter.tell.yeh.that...
.Did.the.giants.beat.you.up,.Hagrid?..asked.Hermione.quietly..
Hagrid.s.fingers.slipped.on.the.dragon.steak.and.it.slid.squelchily.on.to.his.chest..
.Giants?..said.Hagrid,.catching.the.steak.before.it.reached.his.belt.and.slapping.it.back.over.his.face,..who.said.anythin..abou..giants?.Who.yeh.bin.talkm..to?
.Who.s.told.yeh.what.I.ve.‐.who.s.said.I.ve.bin.‐.eh?..
.We.guessed,..said.Hermione.apologetically..
.Oh,.yeh.did,.did.yeh?..said.Hagrid,.surveying.her.sternly.with.the.eye.that.was.not.hidden.by.the.steak..
.It.was.kind.of….obvious,..said.Ron..Harry.nodded..
Hagrid.glared.at.them,.then.snorted,.threw.the.steak.back.on.to.the.table.and.strode.over.to.the.kettle,.which.was.now.whistling..
.Never.known.kids.like.you.three.fer.knowin..more.n.yeh.oughta,..he.muttered,
.splashing.boiling.water.into.three.of.his.bucket‐shaped.mugs...An..I.m.not.complimentin..yeh,.neither..Nosy,.some.d.call.it..Interferin....
But.his.beard.twitched..
.So.you.have.been.to.look.for.giants?..said.Harry,.grinning.as.he.sat.down.at.the.table..
Hagrid.set.tea.in.front.of.each.of.them,.sat.down,.picked.up.his.steak.again.and.slapped.it.back.over.his.face..
.Yeah,.all.righ.,..he.grunted,..I.have...
.And.you.found.them?..said.Hermione.in.a.hushed.voice..
.Well,.they.re.not.that.difficult.ter.find,.ter.be.honest,..said.Hagrid...Pretty.big,
.see...
.Where.are.they?..said.Ron..
.Mountains,..said.Hagrid.unhelpfully..
.So.why.don.t.Muggles.‐?..
They.do,..said.Hagrid.darkly...On.y.their.deaths.are.always.put.down.ter.mountaineerin..accidents,.aren..they?..
He.adjusted.the.steak.a.little.so.that.it.covered.the.worst.of.the.bruising..
.Come.on,.Hagrid,.tell.us.what.you.ve.been.up.to!..said.Ron..Tell.us.about.being.attacked.by.the.giants.and.Harry.can.tell.you.about.being.attacked.by.the.Dementors.‐..
Hagrid.choked.in.his.mug.and.dropped.his.steak.at.the.same.time;.a.large.quantity.of.spit,.tea.and.dragon.blood.was.sprayed.over.the.table.as.Hagrid.coughed.and.spluttered.and.the.steak.slid,.with.a.soft.splat,.on.to.the.floor..
.Whadda.yeh.mean,.attacked.by.Dementors?..growled.Hagrid..
.Didn.t.you.know?..Hermione.asked.him,.wide‐eyed..
.I.don..know.anythin..that.s.bin.happenin..since.I.left..I.was.on.a.secret.mission,