The.path.was.becoming.increasingly.overgrown.and.the.trees.grew.so.closely.together.as.they.walked.further.and.further.into.theForest.that.it.was.as.dark.as.dusk..They.were.soon.a.long.way.past.the.clearing.where.Hagrid.had.shown.them.the.Thestrals,.but.Harry.felt.no.sense.of.unease.until.Hagrid.stepped.unexpectedly.off.the.path.and.began.wending.his.way.in.and.out.of.trees
towards.the.dark.heart.of.the.Forest..
.Hagrid!..said.Harry,.fighting.his.way.through.thickly.knotted.brambles,.over.which.Hagrid.had.stepped.with.ease,.and.remembering.very.vividly.what.had.happened.to.him.on.the.other.occasion.he.had.stepped.off.the.Forest.path.
.
.Where.are.we.going?..
.Bit.further,..said.Hagrid.over.his.shoulder...C.mon,.Harry….we.need.ter.keep.together.now...
It.was.a.great.struggle.to.keep.up.with.Hagrid,.what.with.branches.and.thickets.of.thorn.through.which.Hagrid.marched.as.easily.as.if.they.were.cobwebs,.but.which.snagged.Harry.and.Hermione.s.robes,.frequently.entangling.them.so.severely.that.they.had.to.stop.for.minutes.at.a.time.to.free.themselves..Harry.s.arms.and.legs.were.soon.covered.in.small.cuts.and.scratches..They.were.so.deep.in.the.Forest.now.that.sometimes.all.Harry.could.see.of.Hagrid.in.the.gloom.was.a.massive.dark.shape.ahead.o.him..Any.sound.seemed.threatening.in.the.muffled.silence..The.breaking.of.a.twig.echoed.loudly.and.the.tiniest.rustle.of.movement,.even.though.it.might.have.been.made.by.an.innocent.sparrow,
.caused.Harry.to.peer.through.the.gloom.for.a.culprit..It.occurred.to.him.that.he.had.never.managed.to.get.this.far.into.the.Forest.without.meeting.some.kind.of.creature;.their.absence.struck.him.as.rather.ominous..
.Hagrid,.would.it.be.all.right.if.we.lit.our.wands?..said.Hermione.quietly..
.Er….all.righ.,..Hagrid.whispered.back...In.fact.‐..
He.stopped.suddenly.and.turned.around;.Hermione.walked.right.into.him.and.was.knocked.over.backwards..Harry.caught.her.just.before.she.hit.the.Forest.floor..
.Maybe.we.bes..jus..stop.fer.a.momen.,.so.I.can….fill.yeh.in,..said.Hagrid...Before.we.ge..there,.like...
.Good!..said.Hermione,.as.Harry.set.her.back.on.her.feet..They.both.murmured.
.Lumos!..and.their.wand‐tips.ignited..Hagrid.s.face.swam.through.the.gloom.by.the.light.of.the.two.wavering.beams.and.Harry.saw.again.that.he.looked.nervous.and.sad..
.Righ.,..said.Hagrid...Well….see….the.thing.is…..
He.took.a.great.breath..
.Well,.there.s.a.good.chance.I.m.goin..ter.be.gettin..the.sack.any.day.now,..he.said..
Harry.and.Hermione.looked.at.each.other,.then.back.at.him..
.But.you.ve.lasted.this.long.‐..Hermione.said.tentatively...What.makes.you.think.‐
..
.Umbridge.reckons.it.was.me.that.put.tha..Niffler.in.her.office...
.And.was.it?..said.Harry,.before.he.could.stop.himself..
.No,.it.ruddy.well.wasn.!..said.Hagrid.indignantly...On.y.any‐thin..ter.do.with.magical.creatures.an..she.thinks.it.s.got.somethin..ter.do.with.me..Yeh.know.she.s.bin.lookin..fer.a.chance.ter.get.rid.of.me.ever.since.I.got.back..I.don..wan..ter.go,