.keepin..our.eyes.skinned.fer.the.Death.Eaters..Got.inside.a.few.o..the.caves,.no.go.‐.then,.in.abou..the.sixth.one,.we.found.three.giants.hidin....
.Cave.must.ve.been.cramped,..said.Ron..
.Wasn..room.ter.swing.a.Kneazle,..said.Hagrid..
.Didn.t.they.attack.you.when.they.saw.you?..asked.Hermione..
.Probably.woulda.done.if.they.d.bin.in.any.condition,..said.Hagrid,..but.they.was.badly.hurt,.all.three.o..them;.Golgomath.s.lot.had.beaten..em.unconscious;.they.d.woken.up.an..crawled.inter.the.nearest.shelter.they.could.find..Anyway,.one.o.
.them.had.a.bit.of.English.an..
.e.translated.fer.the.others,.an..what.we.had.ter.say.didn..seem.ter.go.down.too.badly..So.we.kep..goin..back,.visitin..the.wounded….I.reckon.we.had.abou..six.or.seven.o..them.convinced.at.one.poin....
.Six.or.seven?..said.Ron.eagerly...Well.that.s.not.bad.‐.are.they.going.to.come.over.here.and.start.fighting.You‐Know‐Who.with.us?..
But.Hermione.said,..What.do.you.mean..at.one.point.,.Hagrid?..
Hagrid.looked.at.her.sadly..
.Golgomath.s.lot.raided.the.caves..The.ones.tha..survived.didn..wan..no.more.ter.to.do.with.us.after.that...
.So….so.there.aren.t.any.giants.coming?..said.Ron,.looking.disappointed..
.Nope,..said.Hagrid,.heaving.a.deep.sigh.as.he.turned.over.his.steak.and.applied.the.cooler.side.to.his.face,..but.we.did.wha..we.meant.ter.do,.we.gave..em.Dumbledore.s.message.an..some.o..them.heard.it.an..I.spect.some.o..them.ll.remember.it..Jus..maybe,.them.that.don..want.ter.stay.around.Golgomath.ll.move.outta.the.mountains,.an..there.s.gotta.be.a.chance.they.ll.remember.Dumbledore.s.friendly.to..em….could.be.they.ll.come...
Snow.was.filling.up.the.window.now..Harry.became.aware.that.the.knees.of.his.robes.were.soaked.through:.Fang.was.drooling.with.his.head.in.Harry.s.lap..
.Hagrid?..said.Hermione.quietly.after.a.while..
.Mmm?..
.Did.you….was.there.any.sign.of….did.you.hear.anything.about.your….your…
.mother.while.you.were.there?..
Hagrid.s.unobscured.eye.rested.upon.her.and.Hermione.looked.rather.scared..
.I.m.sorry….I….forget.it.‐..
.Dead,..Hagrid.grunted...Died.years.ago..They.told.me...
.Oh….I.m….I.m.really.sorry..said.Hermione.in.a.very.small.voice..Hagrid.shrugged.his.massive.shoulders..
.No.need,..he.said.shortly...Can.t.remember.her.much..Wasn..a.great.mother...
They.were.silent.again..Hermione.glanced.nervously.at.Harry.and.Ron,.plainly.wanting.them.to.speak..
.But.you.still.haven.t.explained.how.you.got.in.this.state,.Hagrid,..Ron.said,
.gesturing.towards.Hagrid.s.bloodstained.face..
.Or.why.you.re.back.so.late,..said.Harry...Sirius.says.Madame.Maxime.got.back.ages.ago.‐..
.Who.attacked.you?..said.Ron..
.I.haven..bin.attacked!..said.Hagrid.emphatically...I.‐..
But.the.rest.of.his.words.were.drowned.in.a.sudden.outbreak.of.rapping.on.the.door..Hermione.gasped;.her.mug.slipped.through.her.fingers.and.smashed.on.the.floor;.Fang.yelped..All.four.of.them.stared.at.the.window.beside.the.doorway..The.shadow.of.somebody.small.and.squat.rippled.across.the.thin.curtain..