.Righ.,..said.Hagrid,.nodding..
.You.ought.to.know,.too,.that.as.High.Inquisitor.it.is.my.unfortunate.but.necessary.duty.to.inspect.my.fellow.teachers..So.I.daresay.we.shall.meet.again.soon.enough...
She.turned.sharply.and.marched.back.to.the.door..
.You.re.inspectin..us?..Hagrid.repeated.blankly,.looking.after.her..
.Oh,.yes,..said.Umbridge.softly,.looking.back.at.him.with.her.hand.on.the.door.handle..The.Ministry.is.determined.to.weed.out.unsatisfactory.teachers,.Hagrid.
.Goodnight...
She.left,.closing.the.door.behind.her.with.a.snap..Harry.made.to.pull.off.the.Invisibility.Cloak.but.Hermione.seized.his.wrist..
.Not.yet,..she.breathed.in.his.ear...She.might.not.be.gone.yet...
Hagrid.seemed.to.be.thinking.the.same.way;.he.stumped.across.the.room.and.pulled.back.the.curtain.an.inch.or.so..
.She.s.goin..back.ter.the.castle,..he.said.in.a.low.voice...Blimey….inspectin..people,
.is.she?..
.Yeah,..said.Harry,.pulling.off.the.Cloak..Trelawney.s.on.probation.already…..
.Um….what.sort.of.thing.are.you.planning.to.do.with.us.in.class,.Hagrid?..asked.Hermione..
.Oh,.don..you.worry.abou..that,.I.ve.got.a.great.load.o..lessons.planned,..said.Hagrid.enthusiastically,.scooping.up.his.dragon.steak.from.the.table.and.slapping.it.over.his.eye.again...I.ve.bin.keepin..a.couple.o..creatures.saved.fer.yer.OWL.year;.you.wait,.they.re.somethin..really.special...
.Erm….special.in.what.way?..asked.Hermione.tentatively..
.I.m.not.sayin.,..said.Hagrid.happily...I.don..want.ter.spoil.the.surprise...
.Look,.Hagrid,..said.Hermione.urgently,.dropping.all.pretence,..Professor.Umbridge.won.t.be.at.all.happy.if.you.bring.anything.to.class.that.s.too.dangerous...
.Dangerous?..said.Hagrid,.looking.genially.bemused...Don..be.silly,.I.wouldn.
.give.yeh.anythin..dangerous!.I.mean,.all.righ.,.they.can.look.after.themselves.‐..
.Hagrid,.you.ve.got.to.pass.Umbridge.s.inspection,.and.to.do.that.it.would.really.be.better.if.she.saw.you.teaching.us.how.to.look.after.Porlocks,.how.to.tell.the.difference.between.Knarls.and.hedgehogs,.stuff.like.that!..said.Hermione.earnestly..
.But.tha.s.not.very.interestin.,.Hermione,..said.Hagrid..The.stuff.I.ve.got.s.much.more.impressive..I.ve.bin.bringin..
.em.on.fer.years,.I.reckon.I.ve.got.the.on.y.domestic.herd.in.Britain...
.Hagrid….please…..said.Hermione,.a.note.of.real.desperation.in.her.voice.
.
.Umbridge.is.looking.for.any.excuse.to.get.rid.of.
HA.GRID.S.TALE.
teachers.she.thinks.are.too.close.to.Dumbledore..Please,.Hagrid,.teach.us.something.dull.that.s.bound.to.come.up.in.our.OWL...
But.Hagrid.merely.yawned.widely.and.cast.a.one‐eyed.look.of.longing.towards.the.vast.bed.in.the.corner..
.Lis.en,.it.s.bin.a.long.day.an..it.s.late,..he.said,.patting.Hermione.gently.on.the.shoulder,.so.that.her.knees.gave.way.and.hit.the.floor.with.a.thud...Oh.‐.sorry.‐.
.He.pulled.her.back.up.by.the.neck.of.her.robes...Look,.don..you.go.worryin.
.abou..me,.I.promise.yeh.I.ve.got.really.good.stuff.planned.fer.yer.lessons.now.I.m.back….now.you.lot.had.better.get.back.up.to.the.castle,.an..don..forget.ter.wipe.yer.footprints.out.behind.yeh!..