Chapter 636: Bad Guest
In the evening, while Hagrid was preparing dinner in the kitchen, an owl flew in from the window and dropped a note on the table.
“Who sent it?”
Hagrid looked at the owl flying away in confusion, wiped his hands on his apron, picked up the note, opened it and glanced at it, and was shocked by the content inside the note.
Another attack occurred in Hogwarts Castle!
Hagrid raised his head and looked at the castle through the window, with uneasiness and fear in his eyes.
This is definitely the worst news Hagrid has received in recent months, and the Muggle wizard who was attacked by the Slytherin heir was Hermione Granger whom he knew.
To be honest, Hagrid liked this smart and kind-hearted girl. He had been at Hogwarts for so many years, and Hermione was one of the few students who had a good relationship with Hagrid.
After reading it, Hagrid threw the note into the fireplace and said to himself: "The mandrakes will be harvested for medicine soon. She will be fine, she will be fine."
After half a year of silence, the heir of Slytherin is now starting to make moves again. This is undoubtedly bad news for Hagrid, and even worse according to Albert. If the attacks continue, it will be his turn to be in trouble.
Even Hagrid had to admit that Albert's prediction was really accurate. Just a few hours after Hermione was attacked, an owl from the Ministry of Magic sent him a letter.
Even without reading it, you can guess what is written inside.
Any letter from the Ministry of Magic, there must be nothing good in it.
To be honest, Hagrid didn't have the slightest fondness for the Ministry of Magic.
After reading the letter, Hagrid knew that he was probably going to Azkaban.
At that time, Hagrid stayed there for a while, and it was a very bad experience.
He doesn't want to go to Azkaban.
After a moment of panic, Hagrid decided to write to Albert and seek his advice, as well as Professor Dumbledore, knowing that he was innocent.
When Hagrid was thinking about asking Dumbledore for help, Albert's words rang in his head again: "You think they don't know that you are innocent? No, of course they know, just because you are the best person to take the blame. After all, someone has to take responsibility."
Hagrid slumped on the chair dejectedly. The hound Yaya seemed to sense his master's low mood and whined uneasily. He kept rubbing his head against Hagrid, trying to provide some comfort to his master.
yes!
Albert had predicted the arrival of this day, so he said those words to himself at that time.
Hagrid took a deep breath, touched Fang's dog's head with trembling hands, took the parchment and quill from the cabinet, and began to write a letter to Albert.
Actually, Hagrid’s mind was in chaos right now and he didn’t even know what he should write to Albert.
If you were thrown into Azkaban prison by the Ministry of Magic, someone would always need to fix your teeth and entrust them to Albert?
This was a good idea, but Hagrid quickly thought that Albert was also a Muggle wizard, and he was now also at risk of being targeted by the Slytherin heir.
He can't let Albert take the risk, if even Albert is petrified!
No, we can’t let Albert take the risk!
Don't let anything happen to Albert.
cannot!
Hagrid crumpled the messy parchment into a ball and threw it into the nearby fireplace. The ball burned in the flames and soon turned into a pile of ashes.
Before Hagrid could write to Albert, a paper airplane flew into the room from the window and landed smoothly on the wooden table in front of Hagrid.
Hagrid quickly put down his quill, picked up the paper airplane as if he had found a treasure, carefully opened it, and concentrated on reading the contents inside.
It was Albert's letter, he guessed it.
Hagrid read the contents of the letter over and over again, as if he wanted to remember every word in the letter firmly in his mind. Albert's letter and instructions gave Hagrid a great encouragement.
“Yes, I am innocent.” Hagrid murmured.
The Ministry of Magic actually wanted to arrest innocent people and throw them into Azkaban even though they knew they were innocent.
The purpose is to make him take the blame.
Damn it!
Hagrid was so strong that he almost crushed the letter.
However, Albert believed that he would be released from Azkaban before the end of this semester, which gave Hagrid a lot of confidence.
Hagrid was willing to believe Albert's words. Although he didn't want to go to Azkaban again, it was inevitable.
Even though Albert’s letter strengthened Hagrid’s confidence, the period from dinner to late at night was still a painful torment for Hagrid.
At midnight, the lights were still on in Hagrid's hunting lodge, and he was waiting for someone from the Ministry of Magic. In fact, Hagrid had been sitting there waiting for hours.
The sound of slight footsteps came from outside, making Hagrid's nerves tense.
A few seconds later, there was a knock on the wooden door.
Hagrid opened the door suddenly and found no one outside.
The next moment, Harry and Ron appeared without warning. They actually wore invisibility cloaks and sneaked out of the castle.
"What are you two doing here?" Hagrid didn't understand why Harry and Ron would risk leaving the castle at this time.
"Have you heard about Hermione?" Harry put away his invisibility cloak and walked into the room.
Hagrid probably understood what the two of them were thinking. Albert had told him about this, and Harry and Ron probably came to ask about the Chamber of Secrets.
"I heard." Hagrid's voice was choked with sobs. "You guys sit down first and I'll make you tea."
“Hagrid, what’s wrong with you?”
Harry noticed that Hagrid was absent-minded, always looking nervously towards the window, and even knocked over the teapot. When making tea for them, he forgot to put the tea bags in, and only poured them a large cup of boiling water.
"You shouldn't have come." Hagrid looked away from the window and said quickly to Harry and Ron: "I know what you want to ask, but I'm afraid it's too late now."
Harry and Ron didn't understand what Hagrid was talking about, so they heard Hagrid laugh at himself: "The matter of the Chamber of Secrets has nothing to do with me. Albert even said that with my IQ, there is no way I can find the location of the Chamber of Secrets. Let alone becoming the heir of Slytherin.”
Harry and Ron looked at each other with a bit of embarrassment on their faces. Hagrid obviously knew what they were doing to come to him late at night.
"If you want to know more, go find Albert." Hagrid looked out the window again, "By the way, remember to feed Yaya for me when I'm not here."
"What?"
Harry and Ron didn't understand the meaning of Hagrid's last words at all, but at this moment there was a knock on the door.
Harry and Ron exchanged uneasy glances, and could only quickly hide under the invisibility cloak and retreat into the corner.
Hagrid saw that the two of them were hiding, so he opened the door.
The person knocking on the door was Dumbledore.
Harry felt that Professor Dumbledore's eyes were particularly stern tonight, and behind him was a short and fat wizard.
As long as you often read the Daily Prophet, it is not difficult to recognize this person as the current Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge.
What happened next was within Albert's expectation. Because Hagrid had a so-called criminal record, the Ministry of Magic planned to continue to let him take the blame.
Professor Dumbledore was unhappy with this decision. He tried to persuade Fudge, but he still couldn't change anything. Just like back then, he couldn't convince anyone at all.
Hagrid could only hope that Albert's prediction would be accurate, and he would be released from the Azkaban prison before the end of the semester.
As for the so-called precautions Cornelius Fudge mentioned, Hagrid sounded ridiculous.
If you catch another person, will you be released with a full apology?
This is the style of the Ministry of Magic. In Albert's words, it is very political.
"Will the Ministry of Magic publish an apology in the newspaper? I mean if I am proven innocent." Hagrid took a deep breath, stared directly at Fudge, and said this sentence indifferently.
Not only Fudge was stunned, but Harry, Ron, and Dumbledore were also stunned. They did not expect Hagrid to make such a request.
This is what Albert suggested to Hagrid.
"What did you say? I didn't hear clearly?" Fudge stuttered a little. He didn't even look into Hagrid's eyes. No one expected Hagrid to be so determined. His tone didn't sound like a threat, but a warning to everyone. People say: I am innocent, I am not afraid!
"If it turns out that I am innocent, will the Ministry of Magic publish an apology in the newspaper?" Hagrid took another deep breath, loud enough for everyone present to hear clearly.
This time, there was no vibrato in his voice, only firmness and confidence. He was willing to believe in Albert, willing to believe that the other party had a way to prove his innocence, and even more willing to believe in his predictions!
Yes, prophecy!
At this moment, even Dumbledore couldn't help but frown. He didn't expect Hagrid to be so tough suddenly. When his eyes met Hagrid, Dumbledore knew the reason.
Yes, Hagrid does not need to fear the Ministry of Magic at all, because he is innocent to begin with, and someone clearly told him this, which undoubtedly gave Hagrid the courage and confidence. Moreover, even if he slowed down his tone, he could not change his upcoming fate. The fact of going to Azkaban.
"Oh, that's...of course." Fudge stuttered.
Hagrid looked at Fudge even more unhappy when he thought about being imprisoned in Azkaban Prison for several months. Especially the respect he had for the Minister of Magic in the past was gone now.
yes!
That kind of Fudge doesn't deserve his respect.
Now, Hagrid is more willing to believe in Albert, believing that he will clear up his grievances.
Hiding in the corner, Harry and Ron stared at all this with their mouths open. They didn't understand where Hagrid's confidence came from. But looking at Fudge, who was hesitant to speak, Harry's mood suddenly became happy, and he also felt that Hagrid was innocent, but the Minister of Magic actually wanted to imprison Hagrid because of Hagrid's so-called criminal record without evidence. This was simply unreasonable.
At this moment, there was another knock on the door of the room.
Dumbledore went to open the door, and this time it was Lucius Malfoy who appeared at the door.
A guy that Hagrid hated immensely.
Instinct told Hagrid that Lucius Malfoy's presence here must be up to no good.
Facts have proved that Hagrid’s intuition was right, and Lucius Malfoy’s appearance at his door was indeed up to no good.
The guy took out a piece of parchment directly from his pocket and announced directly in front of everyone that Dumbledore had been dismissed by the school directors because: "Dumbledore failed to prevent these attacks."
This announcement undoubtedly frightened Fudge. Even Fudge's poor mind knew that if Dumbledore couldn't stop the attack, who could?
However, Fudge was powerless to prevent this from happening, just as Dumbledore was unable to prevent Hagrid from being thrown into Azkaban prison by the Ministry of Magic.
“This is all your fault, right?” Hagrid stared at Malfoy with an evil look. Albert once said that if anyone wanted to drive Dumbledore away at this time, it would most likely have something to do with him.
“Here’s a word of advice for you.” Lucius Malfoy’s lips curved into a proud smile, “The guards of Azkaban don’t like people yelling at them like that.”
"How many people did you threaten and blackmail before you forced them to agree to remove Dumbledore?" Hagrid gritted his teeth and said, "It's all your fault, right? It was you who woke up the monster in the secret room. You deliberately let it attack Muggle wizards, and now you have taken Dumbledore away, just to not leave a way for Muggle wizards to survive..."
"You're really like a biting mad dog now." Malfoy didn't care about Hagrid's threat.
"Calm down, Hagrid." Dumbledore stopped Hagrid's accusation sternly. He turned to look at Malfoy and said, "If the board of directors wants me to leave, of course I will give up my seat."
"But..." Fudge simply couldn't imagine how bad the situation would become once Dumbledore left the school, and how much blame he would receive.
"Now, are you happy?" Hagrid glared at Fudge and said, "I think you also know that as long as Dumbledore leaves the school, murders will happen soon, and you will find that even if you throw me into Azka There’s no point in ban jail either.”
"I believe that your successor will be able to completely prevent...the murders." Malfoy strode to the door of the hut, opened the door himself, and bowed to send Dumbledore out.
Lucius Malfoy's movements made Harry want to rush up and kick him on the butt, making him fall into pieces.
After Hagrid left with Fudge, the door of the hunting lodge was slammed shut.
"This is trouble." Ron pulled off the invisibility cloak and said uneasily: "With Dumbledore gone, who can stop the attack?"
“Albert!” Harry said suddenly.
“Don’t forget, he is a Muggle wizard and is on Slytherin’s hit list.” Ron reminded.
"No, I mean we should go talk to Albert. I think he knows a lot of things that we don't know. Maybe, he is the only one who knows what is happening in the school now."
“Then we’d better hurry up and get there before he’s attacked.” Ron muttered and followed Harry out of Hagrid’s hunting lodge, leaving him scratching his front teeth.
(End of this chapter)