Evan and Buckbeak were well-acquainted; he had even ridden him before to raid the lair of the Acromantula.
Seeing Evan and the others, Buckbeak extended his huge head towards them and clicked his razor-sharp beak.
“Oh dear,” said Hermione nervously. “He’s still a bit scary, isn’t he?”
“A little bit, but don’t be fooled by his appearance, he’s actually quite friendly,” said Evan, eting the Hippogriff’s eyes.
Without blinking he bowed low to the Hippogriff, and after a few seconds, Buckbeak sank into a bow too.
Behind him, Harry, Hermione and Elaine also bowed to him.
This was a way to show friendship and greet the Hippogriff, and it could not be omitted even if both parties were friends.
After bowing, Buckbeak allowed them to stroke his feathery head gently, appearing very docile.
“We just learned about hippogriffs a few days ago, and Buckbeak is the most popular one. There are…” said Elaine.
“Oi!” A loud voice interrupted her.
Hagrid had co striding around the corner of his cabin wearing a large flowery apron and carrying a sack of potatoes. His enormous boarhound, Fang, was at his heels; Fang gave a booming bark and bounded forward toward Evan and the others.
“Git away from him! He’ll have yer fingers —” said Hagrid. “Oh, it’s yeh lot!”
Fang was jumping at Hermione and Elaine, attempting to lick their ears, his tail wagging behind him.
Hagrid stood and looked at them all for a split second, then turned and strode into his cabin, slamming the door behind him.
“Oh dear!” said Hermione, looking stricken.
“Looks like he’s still upset,” said Evan.
“Don’t worry about it,” said Harry grimly. He walked over to the door and knocked loudly.
“Hagrid! Open up, we want to talk to you!”
There was no sound from within, only Harry’s knock on the door.
“If you don’t open the door, we’ll blast it open!” Harry said, pulling out his wand.
“No, Harry, you can’t possibly —” Hermione tried to stop him, while Fang continued to jump on her, “No!”
It was unclear whether she was telling Harry not to blast the door or telling Fang to stop licking her.
“Yeah, I can!” said Harry, raising his wand. “Stand back —”
“If the door gets blasted, a simple nding Charm will fix it,” Evan said, supporting Harry’s approach.
No sooner had he spoken than Hagrid opened the door forcefully!
This was what Evan and Harry had expected, and Hagrid stood there glowering down at them and looking, despite the flowery apron, positively alarming.
“I’m a teacher!” he roared at Harry. “A teacher, Potter! How dare yeh threaten ter break down my door!”
“I’m sorry, sir,” said Harry, emphasizing the last word as he stowed his wand inside his robes.
Hagrid looked stunned. He stared at Harry with wide eyes in disbelief.
“Since when have yeh called ‘sir’?”
“Since when have you called ‘Potter’?”
“Oh, very clever,” growled Hagrid, shaking the sack of potatoes in his hand so that dust flew everywhere. “Very amusin’. That’s outsmarted, innit? All righ’, co in then, yeh ungrateful little …”
Mumbling darkly, he stood back to let them pass. Evan, Hermione, and Elaine followed Harry into the cabin, and Fang followed happily behind them.
“What brought you here?” snapped Hagrid as Evan, Harry, Hermione and Elaine sat down around his enormous wooden table, Fang laying his head imdiately upon Harry’s knee and drooling all over his robes.
“What’s this? Feelin’ sorry for ? Reckon I’m lonely or summat?”
“No,” said Harry at once. “We wanted to see you.”
“We’ve missed you!” said Hermione tremulously.
“We were very concerned about your current situation, and we ca to explain the course selection issue to you,” said Evan.
“I didn’t drop your class, and I don’t plan to either. I think you’re a great teacher,” Elaine concluded.
Her words softened Hagrid’s expression a little, but he quickly turned away with an angry snort.
He stomped around, brewing up tea in his enormous copper kettle, muttering all the while. Finally he slamd down four bucket-sized mugs of mahogany-brown tea in front of them and a plate of his rock cakes.
Evan was hungry enough even for Hagrid’s cooking, and took one at once.
Harry and Hermione did the sa, while Elaine took a piece and pulled out a crystal bottle, dripping a few drops of dragon’s blood onto it.
“Hagrid,” said Hermione timidly, when he joined them at the table and started peeling his potatoes with a brutality that suggested that each tuber had done him a great personal wrong, “Like Elaine said, we really like your lessons and think they’re great. We really wanted to carry on with Care of Magical Creatures, you know.”
Hagrid gave another great snort, as if so bogeys had landed on the potatoes.
“We did!” said Hermione. “But none of us could fit it into our schedules!”
“Yeah. Righ’,” said Hagrid again, “Tha’s why yeh all gave up.”
At that mont, there was a funny squelching sound and they all looked around: Hermione let out a tiny shriek, and Evan leapt out of his seat and hurried around to the big barrel standing in the corner. It was full of what looked like foot-long maggots, slimy, white, and writhing.
Evan frowned. What were these things? Extra large worms or maggots?
The creatures were plump and squirming, and the sight of their wriggling bodies made Evan feel a little disgusted.
“What are they?” asked Harry, trying to sound interested rather than revolted.
Elaine stared at the barrel for a while, then quickly put down the rock cake in her hand that had just been soaked in dragon blood.
“Jus’ giant grubs,” said Hagrid.
“Giant grubs…” That didn’t sound like a magical creature.
“Yeah, I got ’em ter feed ter Aragog,” said Hagrid. “Nothin’ to be scared of.”
And without warning, he burst into tears, and the group exchanged glances.
“Oh, Hagrid!” cried Hermione, leaping up, hurrying around the table the long way to avoid the barrel of maggots.
None of them had expected that their decision not to take Hagrid’s class would upset him so much that he’d break down in tears…
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