.I.dunno.if.you.got.through.to.him,..said.Ron.a.short.while.later.when,.having.checked.that.the.coast.was.clear,.they.walked.back.up.to.the.castle.through.the.thickening.snow,.leaving.no.trace.behind.them.due.to.the.Obliteration.Charm.Hermione.was.performing.as.they.went..
Then.I.ll.go.back.again.tomorrow,..said.Hermione.determinedly..Til.plan.his.lessons.for.him.if.I.have.to..I.don.t.care.if.she.throws.out.Trelawney.but.she.s.not.getting.rid.of.Hagrid!..
—.CHAPTER.TWENTY‐ONE.—.
The.Eye.of.the.Snake
Hermione.ploughed.her.way.back.to.Hagrid.s.cabin.through.two.feet.of.snow.on.Sunday.morning..Harry.and.Ron.wanted.to.go.with.her,.but.their.mountain.of.homework.had.reached.an.alarming.height.again,.so.they.remained.grudgingly.in.the.common.room,.trying.to.ignore.the.gleeful.shouts.drifting.up.from.the.grounds.outside,.where.students.were.enjoying.themselves.skating.on.the.frozen.lake,.tobogganing.and,.worst.of.all,.bewitching.snowballs.to.zoom.up.to.Gryffindor.Tower.and.rap.hard.on.the.windows..
.Oi!..bellowed.Ron,.finally.losing.patience.and.sticking.his.head.out.of.the.window,..I.am.a.prefect.and.if.one.more.snowball.hits.this.window.‐.OUCH!..
He.withdrew.his.head.sharply,.his.face.covered.in.snow..
.It.s.Fred.and.George,..he.said.bitterly,.slamming.the.window.behind.him.
.
.Gits…..
Hermione.returned.from.Hagrid.s.just.before.lunch,.shivering.slightly,.her.robes.damp.to.the.knees..
.So?..said.Ron,.looking.up.when.she.entered...Got.all.his.lessons.planned.for.him?..
.Well,.I.tried,..she.said.dully,.sinking.into.a.chair.beside.Harry..She.pulled.out.her.wand.and.gave.it.a.complicated.little.wave.so.that.hot.air.streamed.out.of.the.tip;
.she.then.pointed.this.at.her.robes,.which.began.to.steam.as.they.dried.out...He.wasn.t.even.there.when.1.arrived,.I.was.knocking.for.at.least.half.an.hour..And.then.he.came.stumping.out.of.the.Forest.‐..
Harry.groaned..The.Forbidden.Forest.was.teeming.with.the.kind.of.creatures.most.likely.to.get.Hagrid.the.sack...What.s.he.keeping.in.there?.Did.he.say?..he.asked..
.No,..said.Hermione.miserably...He.says.he.wants.them.to.be.a.surprise..1.tried.to.explain.about.Umbridge,.but.he.just.doesn.t.get.it..He.kept.saying.nobody.in.their.right.mind.would.rather.study.Knarls.than.Chimaeras.‐.oh,.I.don.t.think.he.s.got.a.Chimaera,..she.added.at.the.appalled.look.on.Harry.and.Ron.s.faces,
.
.but.that.s.not.for.lack.of.trying,.from.what.he.said.about.how.hard.it.is.to.get.eggs..1.don.t.know.how.many.times.I.told.him.he.d.be.better.off.following.Grubbly‐Plank.s.plan,.I.honestly.don.t.think.he.listened.to.half.of.what.1.said.
.He.s.in.a.bit.of.a.funny.mood,.you.know..He.still.won.t.say.how.he.got.all.those.injuries...
Hagrid.s.reappearance.at.the.staff.table.at.breakfast.next.day.was.not.greeted.by.enthusiasm.from.all.students..Some,.like.Fred,.George.and.Lee,.roared.with.delight.and.sprinted.up.the.aisle.between.the.Gryffindor.and.Hufflepuff.tables.to.wring.Hagrid.s.enormous.hand;.others,.like.Parvati.and.Lavender,.exchanged.gloomy.looks.and.shook.their.heads..Harry.knew.that.many.of.them.preferred.Professor.Grubbly‐Plank.s.lessons,.and.the.worst.of.it.was.that.a.very.small,