.stepped.back.and.turned.to.face.his.class,.most.of.whom.were.creeping.from.tree.to.tree.towards.him,.peering.around.nervously.as.though.expecting.to.be.set.upon.at.any.moment..
.Gather.roun.,.gather.roun.,..Hagrid.encouraged...Now,.they.ll.be.attracted.by.the.smell.o..the.meat.but.I.m.goin..ter.give..em.a.call.anyway,..cause.they.ll.like.ter.know.it.s.me...
He.turned,.shook.his.shaggy.head.to.get.the.hair.out.of.his.face.and.gave.an.odd,
.shrieking.cry.that.echoed.through.the.dark.trees.like.the.call.of.some.monstrous.bird..Nobody.laughed:.most.of.them.looked.too.scared.to.make.a.sound..
Hagrid.gave.the.shrieking.cry.again..A.minute.passed.in.which.the.class.continued.to.peer.nervously.over.their.shoulders.and.around.trees.for.a.first.glimpse.of.whtever.it.was.that.was.coming..And.then,.as.Hagrid.shook.his.hair.back.for.a.third.time.and.expanded.his.enormous.chest,.Harry.nudged.Ron.and.pointed.into.the.black.space.between.two.gnarled.yew.trees..
A.pair.of.blank,.white,.shining.eyes.were.growing.larger.through.the.gloom.and.a.moment.later.the.dragonish.face,.neck.and.then.skeletal.body.of.a.great,.black,
.winged.horse.emerged.from.the.darkness..It.surveyed.the.class.for.a.few.seconds,.swishing.its.long.black.tail,.then.bowed.its.head.and.began.to.tear.flesh.from.the.dead.cow.with.its.pointed.fangs..
A.great.wave.of.relief.broke.over.Harry..Here.at.last.was.proof.that.he.had.not.imagined.these.creatures,.that.they.were.real:.Hagrid.knew.about.them.too..He.looked.eagerly.at.Ron,.but.Ron.was.still.staring.around.into.the.trees.and.after.a.few.seconds.he.whispered,..Why.doesn.t.Hagrid.call.again?..
Most.of.the.rest.of.the.class.were.wearing.expressions.as.confused.and.nervously.expectant.as.Ron.s.and.were.still.gazing.everywhere.but.at.the.horse.standing.feet.from.them..There.were.only.two.other.people.who.seemed.to.be.able.to.see.them:.a.stringy.Slytherin.boy.standing.just.behind.Goyle.was.watching.the.horse.eating.with.an.expression.of.great.distaste.on.his.fce;.and.Neville,.whose.eyes.were.following.the.swishing.progress.of.the.long.black.tail..
.Oh,.an..here.comes.another.one!..said.Hagrid.proudly,.as.a.second.black.horse.appeared.out.of.the.dark.trees,.folded.its.leathery.wings.closer.to.its.body.and.dipped.its.head.to.gorge.on.the.meat...Now….put.yer.hands.up,.who.can.see.
.em?..
Immensely.pleased.to.feel.that.he.was.at.last.going.to.understand.the.mystery.of.these.horses,.Harry.raised.his.hand..Hagrid.nodded.at.him..
.Yeah….yeah,.I.knew.you.d.be.able.ter,.Harry,..he.said.seriously...An..you.too,
.Neville,.eh?.An..‐..
.Excuse.me,..said.Malfoy.in.a.sneering.voice,..but.what.exactly.are.we.supposed.to.be.seeing?..
For.an.answer,.Hagrid.pointed.at.the.cow.carcass.on.the.ground..The.whole.class.stared.at.it.for.a.few.seconds,.then.several.people.gasped.and.Parvati.squealed.
.Harry.understood.why:.bits.of.flesh.stripping.themselves.away.from.the.bones.and.vanishing.into.thin.air.had.to.look.very.odd.indeed..
.What.s.doing.it?..Parvati.demanded.in.a.terrified.voice,.retreating.behind.the.nearest.tree...What.s.eating.it?..