Oh Fudge
"What? I mean-- it's not really a secret that he likes dangerous creatures, but you're kidding. You've got to be kidding. Hagrid was the one who opened the Chamber fifty years ago?" Padma asked, while Lisa gaped. Hermione had a look of puzzlement on her face, while Ron was paler than ever. Draco was as pale as usual, but his fists were clenched so tight his knuckles were turning white. Luna had been staring at the ground with a weird look on her face, messing with her hair.
"Riddle must've got the wrong person..." said Hermione uncertainly.
"But the attacks stopped after he got expelled, didn't they?" Padma said. "Riddle wouldn't have gotten the award if they did. If the attacks continued, it'd have been Riddle who'd gotten expelled then and the school would've closed, right?"
"Harry, where's the diary? You can't keep that thing," Draco said.
"What? Why not?" asked Harry, confused.
"Because, Harry! Riddle took you into his memory-- into the book! What if that happens again and you never get to leave?"
"I tried, anyway. And I don't think it was Hagrid, but I can't pretend it's not possible he had a dangerous creature that killed someone at the wrong time." Harry denied, turning his attention to Hydrus, who had come across a particularly large frog.
"Hydrus, ew! No! Don't you dare!"
"That doesn't mean you can't be rid of it," said Draco, snapping his fingers to get Harry's attention. "However you tried, it--"
"I tried to burn it just about four times. It didn't smoke for more than two seconds. And you remember it was soaked in water, right? It wasn't even wet."
"...okay, fine. You can't be rid of it. You can turn it in."
"Oh, brilliant idea. I'll just tell Professor McGonagall that we were in the girl's bathroom- which is closed off, too- and found a fifty year-old diary with someone's memories stored inside it. Absolutely brilliant, you ought to be a Ravenclaw with us."
Luna began laughing so hard that nobody could get a word in until she stopped.
"Well," said Lisa quietly. "what do we even do with knowing this? It may have been him, but he wouldn't tell us, and I feel bad for how much information we forced out of him last year."
"We shouldn't ask him in general!" said Ron. "Just imagine how that would go! 'Hey, Hagrid, were you the one who's been petrifying people even though you got expelled for it fifty years ago? Oh, and did you have a monster that killed a girl, too?' Yeah, great conversation starter!"
In the end, they decided that they would not say anything to Hagrid unless there was another attack, but as more and more days went by with no whisper from the disembodied voice, they didn't think they'd have to. They became hopeful, even, that they would never need to talk to him about why he had been expelled. It was now nearly four months since Justin and Nearly Headless Nick had been Petrified, and just about everybody seemed to think that the attacker, whoever it was, had retired for good. Peeves had finally gotten bored of his "Oh, Parseltongue Potter, you rotter!" song, and Ernie Macmillan asked Harry quite politely to pass a bucket of leaping toadstools in Herbology one day. Not that Harry cared one bit, but he went along and acted nice.
Before any of the important Quidditch matches would commence for the term, the second years got the opportunity to pick their subjects for third year over easter holidays; Hermione had been taking it very seriously. Harry supposed he saw her point-- only, she was treating it as if it were the most important thing in the world.
"I wish I could drop potions to make space for all of these," He said tiredly.
"Right." groaned Padma, nodding. "Shame we can't drop any old subjects-- but I wish we could, because I'd drop Astronomy without a second thought. I hate going up there in the middle of the night. Who cares about stars? It should totally be a choice to take it."
"I'd drop Defence Against the Dark Arts, unless we get a competent teacher next year," Ron muttered.
Lisa had been snoring away on her side of the table, while Draco was silently contemplating his options. Luna, beside him, had signed up for Care for Magical Creatures, Divination, and Muggle Studies immediately before disappearing-- apparently, she was going to go meet with Ginny and Neville before time for her remedial classes. Hermione had signed up for everything, and Harry was considering doing the same. He supposed magic was some particularly fascinating thing, even still if you understood it very well... and, truthfully, he wanted to know everything about magic that he could learn. But maybe not Muggle Studies. He'd spent long enough around Muggles to understand them just fine. And it was less homework he'd have to do.
"It all depends on where you want to go in life," Draco said boredly. "but I've already got a future ahead of me that I need to be preparing for..."
"Yes, Draco, we get it, your father's got this huge business that no one knows about but you're going to have to run it one day." Padma said, scratching off Divination. "Par's told me she's going for Divination and Ancient Runes-- I think that Lavender Brown, or whoever- I think she's driven her crazy. Divination! But honestly-- the only one I'd do is Divination, and I want to do Arithmancy. It's very interesting, I hear, but Parvati hates anything to do with it. Ugh- I barely see her anymore--"
At some point, Harry had stopped listening.
Lisa, not quite caring what she chose, had picked Care for Magical Creatures and Divination, apparently the easiest two, and dozed off. Ron chose the same, not quite sure what else he'd have done. Draco chose the same two, maybe just to be nice, though Harry noticed he was a little hesitant on Divination, and then he knew Draco really didn't want to do Divination because right after, he'd scratched off Ancient Runes without faltering even a bit.
The fourth weekend of February would be the big Ravenclaw-Slytherin match, but it hardly felt like it. The practices were getting better, much less of Etta trying to outperform Oliver Wood and more of trying to get the team better up on their skills. Even the mock-games(still, probably not permitted) had become more entertaining.
The evening before Saturday, after practice, Harry went up to the dorm to drop off his broom-- and maybe take a quick nap-- before dinner, but Anthony refused to let him in.
"Okay, Harry, it wasn't me or anything, and I just found it like this, but--"
"Anthony, just let me in the dorm. I'm tired."
"Just," said Anthony lightly, baring his teeth, "don't go off on me. I just found it like this."
"I heard you."
"Right, right," hesitantly, Anthony stepped aside.
It was, actually, as bad as he was making it seem. Harry's trunk had been pulled out the closet and everything in it had been thrown around. His new cloak from Padma had been ripped, and the pockets had been turned inside out. His bedside table had been knocked over, and searched thoroughly by the looks of it, for everything in the drawers had been scattered across the floor. To Harry, it felt like someone had just punched him in the stomach. He walked over to his bed, where his favourite book sat-- the pages were everywhere, luckily smoothly pulled out instead of ripped out and shredded. Atleast he'd gotten lucky with that. But after a bit of sorting his ransacked bookcase- and a quick search of his bedside table- he knew what was missing.
"Anthony, can you go get Lisa and Padma? They should be in the Great Hall. Tell them that-- er, a certain something is gone. They'll know what I'm talking about." Harry said without a second thought. That must've been what was gone; he hadn't been carrying it with him since it'd taken him into the memory, and it was not in either of the places he would've put it. Anthony nodded, and went upstairs to leave the common room.
Harry started to put all his things back to the way they were meant to be, collecting the book pages and putting them in order on the side, and he was halfway done when Padma and Lisa burst into the room, Draco, Hermione, and Ron following.
Padma checked that Anthony had left before she quickly asked, "The diary's gone?! You're-- you're sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure. The only problem is that anyone could've taken it. The Tower isn't hard to get into since we don't have a password, and the riddles are easy enough... and the boys aren't locked behind guards." Harry explained, folding up the last of his clothes. "It's not impossible to get in if you've got sense."
Draco scoffed. "Sense," he repeated through gritted teeth, and he frowned, staring down at the remains of Harry's cloak. "No tact, however."
Padma gasped when she spotted it. "That was custom-made!"
"This is... horrible." said Hermione. "If anyone's gotten their hands on Riddle's diary and doesn't know that it's not Harry's, that's going to be hard to explain. Or maybe..."
"Maybe they knew what they were searching for." Draco said, understanding what she was getting at.
"You both think?" Ron looked at them in what must've been amazement. "Well, er, actually, that's got to be it. It does makes the most sense when you look at it."
"Looks like we've got a new thing to worry about," Lisa said. "again."
"We've always got something to worry about." Padma said tiredly.
The next morning, Hogwarts was met with a bright sun and a cool breeze.
"Lovely day for a Quidditch game, innit?" Etta said cheerfully at Ravenclaw table. "See, you really learn to appreciate these types of game days, Harry, they're not all that likely when we play. Only really happens for the Gryffindors, on the big games and all. Hey! Come on, now! You all need to eat up, we need the energy!" She said, piling more food on Steve's plate. It seemed none of them seemed very scared at the prospect of going against Slytherin now, even with their better brooms.
Harry, however, couldn't bring himself to eat more than he had gotten. What if the person who got Riddle's diary too learned that Hagrid opened the Chamber fifty years ago? What if they told? What if they told that Harry was the one who had it before them? He got up, lightheaded, to go get his Quidditch things together, his friends-- save for Draco-- following, when he suddenly heard it.
"Kill this time.... Let me rip... tear...."
Harry screamed as he heard it, and coincidentally, Hermione did so at the same time.
"That! I-- I heard it! It... y-you guys heard it too, right?" She asked, shocked.
"No! Well- I heard- well, what'd you hear?" Ron asked.
"I don't know!" She gasped, looking around frantically. "H-hissing, I don't-- it-- it was..."
"Hissing?" repeated Padma. "That was hissing? Wait, was that what that was the entire time? I thought it was the pipes!"
"You think it's hissing?" asked Ron, "I thought it was the air."
"Well, air can hiss," said Luna. "I- guess? It's-- got to do with pressure, doesn't it, Padma?"
"Oh, yes, if--"
"Hermione," Lisa spoke suddenly, ignoring Padma's glare, "you should stay near Harry. If you heard it louder than we did, that can't be anything good. For you or him. It was, er, everytime you heard it that something happened, right?" she looked pointedly at Harry, and he nodded. "I'm going to the library– there's got to be something on hearing voices. And-- 'Mione, you said, hissing?"
Hermione nodded, and without another word, Lisa had gone.
"What does she understand that we don't?" Ron wondered.
"A snake," said Hermione, as they walked to the field. "Harry-- you speak Parseltongue. We don't. And I- we- heard hissing. It's-- it's got to be a snake. I've got to go tell her-- I know I've read it before-- some snake, petrifying people--"
"I'll tell her." said Luna, staring at the field. "You and Harry should really stick together. It'll make you less anxious-- anxiety isn't good if nargles get to you, my dad says. You said, a snake? I'll tell her. And, I imagine I know what book you mean. I think I read it once... when I was looking for--"
"Just go," Hermione said pointedly, "quick. We- we can't waste any time. If it only hisses when it attacks, then it's going to attack, right? Just- go!"
Atleast twenty minutes later, Harry and part of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team were walking out onto the field, their usual blue robes, met with the usual cheers from the crowd. Nobody had seen Penelope, and Etta was growing worried. Steve had bravely volunteered to go search for her, very red-faced, but she declined at once.
"Something's the matter," she said, "Penny never misses a game. Never! Remember that one time she showed up with that bloody Muggle sickness? She still played! Something is really the matter if she's not here!"
Harry scanned the stands quickly. He spotted Lisa, talking anxiously with Hermione, but he didn't see Luna or Padma anywhere. What had happened? He supposed Padma had gone to look for them and Lisa just never found them... or something. Or maybe they had gone to search, and she was relaying information to Hermione... asking for the book... The library wasn't very easy to search, anyhow... it did have a lot of books, obviously, and they didn't know for sure what they were looking for... he was just being impatient.
It had come time when they had to start playing-- they could delay no longer. Madam Hooch prepared to blow her whistle, and Harry got ready to mount his broom, just when Professor McGonagall came onto the field, half walking, half running, holding a large purple megaphone.
"This match has been cancelled," She called out. "Everyone is to get to their common rooms immediately! Your head of house will give any further information!"
"What? But Professor!" Etta gasped, only to be ignored. Professor McGonagall instead walked past her to Harry. "I think you'd better come with me, Potter... oh, well, I... er, you too, Crocker..." She said, lowering the megaphone.
Hesitantly, Harry and Etta followed her up into the castle. Draco followed closely behind, and Lisa, Hermione, and Ron detached themselves from the crowd of people, coming over. Professor McGonagall stared down at them with-- pity? "Yes, perhaps you all should come along too..."
They walked past people trying to ask why the match had been cancelled, and others worrying about why. The six of them were surprised when Professor McGonagall did not take them to anyone's office.
"This will come as a bit of a... shock." She said in a surprisingly soft voice as they approached the Infirmary. "There was another attack.... But this one was a... well, triple attack."
Harry's breakfast was bubbling in his stomach. Lisa linked her arm with his at once, and behind him, Ron and Draco stilled. Hermione, who was walking impatiently beside Etta and Professor McGonagall, had paused and waited so she could walk beside the four of them.
Nobody said a word until they reached the Hospital wing. Professor McGonagall opened the door, and they all entered.
Etta gasped, horrified, as she saw Madam Pomfrey standing over none other than Penelope, who had been in her Quidditch uniform. "Penny! Penny! Miss Pomfrey, please, tell me she's not--!"
Suddenly, Lisa had screamed, and her arm was not linked with Harry's. Instead, it was now shaking the unmoving bodies of two very familiar, frozen students.
Padma and Luna were lying on separate beds. Petrified, very wide-eyed and looking horrified.
"No!" Hermione had shouted, and Ron had screamed something as well. Draco had paled so intensely that he'd looked truly sick. Harry stood there, feeling too shocked to even react. Something was burning his eyes, and it was nearly hard to keep them open at all. He almost wasn't really even able to move until Lisa, sniffling and teary-eyed, had returned to standing beside him and took his hand in her own.
"This was found near the Library..." Professor McGonagall said, holding up a small mirror. "I don't suppose any of you could explain this..."
They all shook their heads, Hermione shaking more than any of them.
"I will escort you all back to your dorms. I need to address the situation to my own House..."
"Can you take us all to Ravenclaw Tower by any chance?" Hermione asked silently.
"...of course, Miss Granger. You all are to be taken back to your dorms by Professor Flitwick by seven, at the latest. Come along now, Crocker," said Professor McGonagall, easing a sobbing Etta off Penelope's petrified body.
They were all very silent until they got to the common room.
"Now, go on inside. Mr Potter, if you would give me a moment," McGonagall requested. When Harry didn't move or answer, Hermione tapped him on the shoulder, and he nodded, slipping his hand away from Lisa's. The others entered the common room to wait. Professor McGonagall faltered before putting her hand on Harry's shoulder as the door closed.
"We've known for a while that it hasn't been you or any of your friends doing this. We've... tried, to tell other students to not make assumptions, and not let their guard down, but children are... keen to not listen to adults. You can rest a little bit easier knowing that we've tried, I hope. My deepest apologies about your friends. But do not forget, they will be right back to normal before you know it. It may be best for you to advise Miss Crocker on this aswell."
Harry nodded, thanking her, walking into the common room. There was a loud chatter that he could barely hear over, but he wasn't quite listening anyway, for the ringing in his ears was deafening. He couldn't get the image out of his head; Padma and Luna, lying still as statues(though they may as well have been such now) in the Infirmary. He'd have to figure out who was doing the attacks, and soon. Riddle turned in Hagrid without a second thought when introduced to the prospect of having to go back to a muggle orphanage if the school closed. Harry didn't want to impose on anyone if the Dursleys were still in Majorca, but if they were home.... They weren't any better than an orphanage, and he supposed it couldn't be any better than what Riddle was going through, because he now knew very well how Riddle felt.
A sharp tug pulled Harry from his thoughts. Lisa had pulled him into a very tight hug. When he looked past her shoulder, Draco, Hermione, and Ron were behind her.
"They'll be back to normal soon." Harry muttered, and Lisa nodded, sniffling still, and forcing herself away from him to wipe her eyes.
Very suddenly, the door to the common room slammed shut so loudly that everyone went silent. They were all waiting very patiently until Professor Flitwick came into view, and at once, people were shouting and asking, "What happened? What happened?"
Professor Flitwick had not said a word, pulling a roll of parchment from out his robes pocket and unrolling it. "Silence! Silence, everybody! Listen! Every student is to be in their common room by six o'clock every evening; No student is allowed to leave after that time! You will be escorted to classes in groups, and by teachers. There will be no outside activities, including Quidditch. All practices and matches will be cancelled until further notice. Any and all information known about the suspect must be brought to a teacher at once!"
People had already started to leave the common room, presumably going to their dorms, and very shortly, it was only the five of them there.
"Do you think they suspect Hagrid?" Ron wondered quietly. "If they think he opened the chamber last. They can't, but- but, they've got to think that, right?"
"Probably," said Hermione. "But how would we go and see him when we can't leave the common room?"
"We're not in our proper common room in the first place, I'm not sure how much of that applies to us," Draco speculated.
"We could use the invisibility cloak." Harry mumbled, picking at the bracelet around his wrist. The bracelet he had gotten from Lisa as a Christmas present just last year. Padma had a necklace, and Lisa had a ring. When she saw him messing with the bracelet she began staring at the ring.
"We could, but-- w-we shouldn't." Lisa said, frowning. "What if-- what if whatever's got them gets us? You two haven't heard that voice thing again, have you?"
"I haven't." Harry said, and he felt relieved about it.
"Me neither," Hermione said quietly.
"Well," said Draco, "I suppose the best thing we could do is tell a teacher about it, right?"
"I want to see Hagrid," Harry muttered. "If they're going to suspect him, I need to go and see him."
"Harry," said Ron, "there'll be people keeping watch, I bet. You'll get in trouble-- big trouble."
"It'll only be me," he shrugged. "I'm used to trouble."
"Oh, Harry," Lisa whined, and she looked close to tears again. "You can wait until we're allowed to go, can't you? Please, promise you'll stay. Please?"
"I won't go," Harry lied quickly. He didn't want to see her crying again, but he didn't want to not go. He didn't even care about getting in trouble anymore-- he'd just wait until she wasn't looking, pretend to go to bed, and then sneak out--
"You're lying," said Draco suddenly. "I know when you're lying. Your voice is doing that weird thing-- and your ears are all red and it's obvious that you're lying."
"What's it matter so much to you?" Harry muttered looking at him. "You think I've got the worst mindset you've ever met, didn't you say that? Didn't you say I'm manic? Bloody-- you say that every day! What does it matter to you what I do?"
"Because! You're going to get in trouble. I don't care if you don't care, but it's not happening."
"I'll be under the Invisibility Cloak. What, does it suddenly matter I break the rules? Hardly ever matters any other time--"
"Name one time--"
"I can name twenty, Snowflake--"
"Snowflake! You are acting ridiculous, Floppy--"
"That's enough," said Lisa, slapping both their shoulders. "Stop fighting. Fine- Harry, if you really want to go, then fine-- go. I'm not even gonna stop you. There's no stopping you anyways. You--" she pointed at Draco. "-- ought to know that by now. Just-- just be careful."
Draco scowled, turning away. "I'm going with you then."
"Like bloody hell you are," Harry scoffed, and he had turned to go and get the Invisibility cloak, but Ron was blocking him.
"We're coming with you. If we've got the cloak, that'll be the perfect cover. You can't really think you'll be going alone? Forget trouble-- you'll probably be putting yourself in danger."
"I lived with the Dursleys for ten years, I can deal with a bit of danger."
"That's not the same. You've never done this sort of thing before, I'm coming with you. You're not going alone."
"If he's going, I'm going." Draco said stubbornly.
"Oh, you're all ridiculous," said Hermione finally. "Harry- get the cloak and don't you dare put it on without us. We're going with you. End - of - discussion!"
Harry huffed. "Fine."
"Fine. Go get the cloak."
"Fine!"
Lisa had stayed behind, saying quietly that she had a headache.
The journey through the dark and deserted castle corridors wasn't enjoyable. Harry, who had wandered the castle at night several times before, had never seen it so crowded after sunset. Teachers, prefects, and ghosts were marching the corridors in pairs, staring around for any unusual activity. The Invisibility Cloak didn't stop them making any noise or being physical, and there was a particularly tense moment when Ron stubbed his toe only yards from the spot where Snape and the Bloody Baron stood guard. Thankfully, Snape sneezed at almost exactly the moment Ron swore. It was with relief that they reached the oak front doors and quietly eased them open.
It was a clear, starry night. They hurried toward the lit windows of Hagrid's house and pulled off the cloak only when they were right outside his front door.
Seconds after they had knocked, Hagrid flung it open. They found themselves face-to-face to a crossbow. Fang the boarhound barked loudly behind Hagrid, who had been unintentionally aiming right between Harry's eyes.
"Oh," said Hagrid, quickly lowering the crossbow and staring at them as they pulled off the cloak. "What're you four doin' here?"
"We were just a little... cooped up inside," Ron trailed off. "Anyway, what's the crossbow for?"
"Nothin', nothin'.. I've been expectin' some guests... doesn' matter, sit down-- I'll make tea," Hagrid insisted, but it seemed he hadn't been particularly thinking. He spilled water from the tea kettle, nearly putting out the fire, and then smashed the teapot on accident.
"Are you okay, Hagrid?" Harry asked, staring at his shoes. "Er-- did you hear about..."
"Yeah, I heard, alrigh'," said Hagrid solemnly. He poured up mugs of boiling water, for he forgot the tea bags, and was putting a slab of fruitcake on a plate when there was a loud knock at the door.
Draco was the quickest thinking and said, "Quick, in the corner," as Ron pulled the invisibility cloak over all their heads. Once Hagrid checked they were hidden, he seized his crossbow, and flung the door open.
"Good evening, Hagrid." said Dumbledore. He entered, looking the worst type of serious, and was followed by a second, very odd-looking man. The stranger had rumpled grey hair and an anxious expression, and was wearing a strange mixture of clothes-- a pinstriped suit, a scarlet tie, a long black cloak, and pointed purple boots. Under his arm he carried a lime-green bowler.
"That's Dad's boss!" Ron breathed. "Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic!"
"Shut it!" Draco shushed him.
Hagrid, meanwhile, had been pale and sweaty. He dropped into one of the chairs and looked frantically from Dumbledore to Fudge.
"Bad business, Hagrid," said Fudge in rather clipped tones. "Very bad business... had to come. Attacks on two Muggle-borns, three Purebloods... five students... things 've gone far enough. The Ministry's got to act."
"I never," said Hagrid, looking imploringly at Dumbledore. "You know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir--"
"I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence," said Dumbledore, frowning at Fudge. "He wouldn't."
"Look, Albus," said Fudge uncomfortably. "Hagrid's record's against him. Ministry's got to do something-- the school governors have been in touch--"
"Yet again, Cornelius, I tell you that taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest," said Dumbledore. His blue eyes were full of a fury Harry had never seen before.
"Look at it from my point of view," said Fudge, fidgeting with his bowler. "I'm under a lot of pressure. Got to be seen to be doing something. If it turns out it wasn't Hagrid, he'll be back and no more said. But I've got to take him. Got to. Wouldn't be doing my duty as Minister--"
"Take me?" said Hagrid, trembling. "Take me where?"
"For a short stretch only," said Fudge, not meeting Hagrid's eyes. "Not a punishment, Hagrid, more a precaution. If someone else is caught, you'll be let out with a full apology--"
"Not– not Azkaban?" croaked Hagrid, and he repeated faintly, "A-apology?"
Before Fudge could answer, there was another loud rap on the door. Dumbledore answered it. It was Harry and Draco's turn to be shushed; They both had let out audible gasps.
Lucius Malfoy strode into Hagrid's hut, swathed in a long black traveling cloak, smiling a cold and satisfied smile. Fang started to growl.
"Already here, Fudge," he said approvingly, and he tapped a long cane on the ground. "Good, good..."
"What're you doin' here?" said Hagrid furiously. "Get outta my house!"
"My dear man, please believe me, I have no pleasure at all in being inside your.... Er... do you call this a house?" said Mr Malfoy, sneering as he looked around the small, yet large cabin. "I simply called at the school and was told that the headmaster was here."
"And what exactly did you want with me, Lucius?" said Dumbledore. He spoke politely, but the fire was still blazing in his blue eyes.
"Dreadful thing, Dumbledore," said Mr Malfoy lazily, taking out a long roll of parchment, "But the other governors and I feel it's time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension-- you'll find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid we feel you're losing your touch. How many attacks have there been now? Three more this afternoon, wasn't it? At this rate, there'll be no students left at Hogwarts at all, and we all know how many parents would retaliate against their children being petrified, and myself I am not excluded from that crowd. I worry for my son's safety."
"Oh, now, see here, Lucius," said Fudge, looking alarmed, "Dumbledore suspended-- no, no, that's the last thing we want just now--"
"The appointment or suspension of the headmaster is a matter for the governors, Fudge," said Mr Malfoy smoothly. "And Dumbledore has failed to stop these attacks--"
"See here, Malfoy, if Dumbledore can't stop them," said Fudge, whose upper lip was sweating now, and he gave a strained chuckle. "I mean to say, who can, if not him?"
"That evidence remains to be seen, Fudge," said Mr Malfoy, remaining civil. "Not a single attack has been stopped. But as all twelve of us have already voted--"
Hagrid leapt to his feet, his shaggy head grazing the ceiling.
"An' how many did yeh have ter threaten an' blackmail before the agreed, Malfoy, eh?" he roared.
"None!" said Mr Malfoy, smirking grandly. "And you know, that temper of yours will lead you into trouble one of these days, Hagrid. I would advise you not to shout at the Azkaban guards like that. They won't like it at all."
"Yeh can' take Dumbledore!" yelled Hagrid, making Fang the boarhound cower and whimper in his basket. "Take him away, an' the students won' stand a chance! There'll be killin's next!"
"Calm yourself, Hagrid," said Dumbledore sharply. He looked pointedly at Mr Malfoy.
"If the governors want my removal, Lucius, I shall, of course, step aside temporarily--"
"But--" stuttered Fudge.
"No!" growled Hagrid.
Dumbledore had not taken his bright blue eyes off Mr Malfoy's calm grey ones that resembled Draco's-- although unlike his father's, he looked nearly terrified. His ears were very low and a furious pink.
"However," said Dumbledore, speaking very slowly and clearly so that none of them could miss a word, "You will find that I will only have truly left this school when none here are loyal to me. You will also find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it and those who need it."
For a second, Harry was almost sure Dumbledore's eyes flickered toward the corner where he, Draco, Hermione, and Ron stood hidden.
"Admirable sentiments, Dumbledore," said Mr Malfoy, bowing. "We shall all miss your... highly individual way of running things, Albus, and only hope that your successor will manage to prevent any-- ah-- killings."
He strode to the cabin door, opened it, and bowed Dumbledore out. Fudge, fiddling with his bowler, waited for Hagrid to go ahead of him, but Hagrid stood his ground, took a deep breath, and said carefully, "If anyone wanted ter find out some stuff, all they'd have ter do would be ter follow the spiders, That'd lead 'em right! That's all I'm sayin'."
Fudge stared at him in amazement.
"All right, I'm comin'," said Hagrid, pulling on his moleskin overcoat. But as he was about to follow Fudge through the door, he stopped again and said loudly, "An' someone'll need ter feed Fang while 'm away!"
The door banged shut and Ron pulled off the Invisibility Cloak.
"We're in trouble now," he said hoarsely. "No Dumbledore. They might as well close the school tonight. There'll be a new attack a day with him gone."
"Everyone's really in danger," said Hermione worriedly. "At this rate, any one of us could be killed tomorrow- nevermind Petrified."
Draco stood silent, staring out the window, clearly watching the fading figure of his father.
Fang started howling, scratching at the closed door.
"What're we going to do now?" Harry mumbled, fiddling with the bracelet again.