Thestrals,..said.Hagrid.proudly.and.Hermione.gave.a.soft..Oh!..of.comprehension.at.Harry.s.shoulder...Hogwarts.has.got.a.whole.herd.of..em.in.here..Now,.who.knows.‐?..
.But.they.re.really,.really.unlucky!..interrupted.Parvati,.looking.alarmed..They.re.supposed.to.bring.all.sorts.of.horrible.misfortune.on.people.who.see.them.
.Professor.Trelawney.told.me.once.‐..
.No,.no,.no,..said.Hagrid,.chuckling,..tha.s.jus..superstition,.that.is,.they.aren.
.unlucky,.they.re.dead.clever.an..useful!.Course,.this.lot.don..get.a.lot.o..work,.it.s.mainly.jus..pullin..the.school.carriages.unless.Dumbledore.s.takin..a.long.journey.an..don..want.ter.Apparate.‐.an..here.s.another.couple,.look.‐..
Two.more.horses.came.quietly.out.of.the.trees,.one.of.them.passing.very.close..to.Parvati,.who.shivered.and.pressed.herself.closer.to.the.tree,.saying,..I.think.1.felt.something,.I.think.it.s.near.me!..
.Don..worry,.it.won..hurt.yen,..said.Hagrid.patiently...Righ.,.now,.who.can.tell.me.why.some.o..yeh.can.see..em.an..some.can.t?..
.Hem,.hem..
.Oh,.hello!..Hagrid.said,.smiling,.having.located.the.source.of.the.noise..
.You.received.the.note.I.sent.to.your.cabin.this.morning?..said.Umbridge,.in.the.same.loud,.slow.voice.she.had.used.with.him.earlier,.as.though.she.were.addressing.somebody.both.foreign.and.very.slow..Telling.you.that.I.would.be.inspecting.your.lesson?..
.Oh,.yeah,..said.Hagrid.brightly...Glad.yeh.found.the.place.all.righ.!.Well,.as.you.can.see.‐.or,.I.dunno.‐.can.you?.We.re.doin..Thestrals.today.‐..
.I.m.sorry?..said.Professor.Umbridge.loudly,.cupping.her.hand.around.her.ear.and.frowning...What.did.you.say?..
Hagrid.looked.a.little.confused..
.Er.‐.Thestrals!..he.said.loudly...Big.‐.er.‐.winged.horses,.yeh.know!..
He.flapped.his.gigantic.arms.hopefully..Professor.Umbridge.raised.her.eyebrows.at.him.and.muttered.as.she.made.a.note.on.her.clipboard:..Has….to….resort…
.to….crude….sign….language...
Hermione.raised.her.hand..
.Go.on.then,..said.Hagrid,.beaming.at.her..
The.only.people.who.can.see.Thestrals,..she.said,..are.people.who.have.seen.death...
Tha.s.exactly.right,..said.Hagrid.solemnly,..ten.points.ter.Gryffindor..Now,
.Thestrals.‐..
.Hem,.hem..
Professor.Umbridge.had.arrived..She.was.standing.a.few.feet.away.from.Harry,
.wearing.her.green.hat.and.cloak.again,.her.clipboard.at.the.ready..Hagrid,.who.had.never.heard.Umbridge.s.fake.cough.before,.was.gazing.in.some.concern.at.the.closest.Thestral,.evidently.under.the.impression.that.it.had.made.the.sound..
.Well….anyway…..said.Hagrid,.turning.back.to.the.class.and.looking.slightly.flustered,..erm….what.was.I.sayin.?..
.Appears….to….have….poor….short….term….memory,..muttered.Umbridge,.loudly.enough.for.everyone.to.hear.her..Draco.Malfoy.looked.as.though.Christmas.had.come.a.month.early;.Hermione,.on.the.other.hand,.had.turned.scarlet.with.suppressed.rage..
.Oh,.yeah,..said.Hagrid,.throwing.an.uneasy.glance.at.Umbridge.s.clipboard,.but.ploughing.on.valiantly...Yeah,.I.was.gonna.tell.yeh.how.come.we.got.a.herd.