They.spread.their.books.out.in.the.shade.of.the.beech.tree.and.sat.down.while.Ron.talked.them.through.his.first.save.of.the.math.for.what.felt.like.the.dozenth.time..
.Well,.I.mean,.I.d.already.let.in.that.one.of.Davies.s,.so.I.wasn.t.feeling.all.that.confident,.but.I.dunno,.when.Bradley.came.towards.me,.just.out.of.nowhere,.I.thought.‐.you.can.do.this!.And.I.had.about.a.second.to.decide.which.way.to.fly,
.you.know,.because.he.looked.like.he.was.aiming.for.the.right.goalhoop.‐.my.right,.obviously,.his.left.‐.but.I.had.a.funny.feeling.that.he.was.feinting,.and.so.I.took.the.chance.and.flew.left.‐.his.right,.I.mean.‐.and.‐.well.‐.you.saw.what.happened,..he.concluded.modestly,.sweeping.his.hair.back.quite.unnecessarily.so.that.it.looked.interestingly.windswept.and.glancing.around.to.see.whether.the.peple.nearest.to.them.—.a.bunch.of.gossiping.third‐year.Hufflepuffs.—.had.heard.him...And.then,.when.Chambers.came.at.me.about.five.minutes.later.‐
.What?..Ron.asked,.having.stopped.mid‐sentence.at.the.look.on.Harry.s.face.
.
.Why.are.you.grinning?..
.I.m.not,..said.Harry.quickly,.and.looked.down.at.his.Transfiguration.notes,
.attempting.to.straighten.his.face..The.truth.was.that.Ron.had.just.reminded.Harry.forcibly.of.another.Gryffindor.Quidditch.player.who.had.once.sat.rumpling.his.hir.under.this.very.tree...I.m.just.glad.we.won,.that.s.all...
.Yeah,..said.Ron.slowly,.savouring.the.words,..we.won..Did.you.see.the.look.on.Changs.face.when.Ginny.got.the.Snitch.right.out.from.under.her.nose?..
.I.suppose.she.cried,.did.she?..said.Harry.bitterly..
.Well,.yeah.‐.more.out.of.temper.than.anything,.though…..Ron.frowned.slightly.
.
.But.you.saw.her.chuck.her.broom.away.when.she.got.back.to.the.ground,.didn.t.you?..
.Er.‐..said.Harry..
.Well,.actually….no,.Ron,..said.Hermione.with.a.heavy.sigh,.putting.down.her.book.and.looking.at.him.apologetically...As.a.matter.of.fact,.the.only.bit.of.the.match.Harry.and.I.saw.was.Davies.s.first.goal...
Ron.s.carefully.ruffled.hair.seemed.to.wilt.with.disappointment...You.didn.t.watch?..he.said.faintly,.looking.from.one.to.the.other...You.didn.t.see.me.make.any.of.those.saves?..
.Well.‐.no,..said.Hermione,.stretching.out.a.placatory.hand.towards.him...But.Ron,.we.didn.t.want.to.leave.—.we.had.to!..
.Yeah?..said.Ron,.whose.face.was.growing.rather.red...How.come?..
.It.was.Hagrid,..said.Harry...He.decided.to.tell.us.why.he.s.been.covered.in.injuries.ever.since.he.got.back.from.the.giants..He.wanted.us.to.go.into.the.Forest.with.him,.we.had.no.choice,.you.know.how.he.gets..Anyway…..
The.story.was.told.in.five.minutes,.by.the.end.of.which.Ron.s.indignation.had.been.replaced.by.a.look.of.total.incredulity..
.He.brought.one.back.and.hid.it.in.the.Forest?..
.Yep,..said.Harry.grimly..
.No,..said.Ron,.as.though.by.saying.this.he.could.make.it.untrue...No,.he.can.t.have...
.Well,.he.has,..said.Hermione.firmly...Grawp.s.about.sixteen.feet.tall,.enjoys.ripping.up.twenty‐foot.pine.trees,.and.knows.me,..she.snorted,..as.Hermy...