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'Well … half…brother；' amended Hagrid。 Turns put me mother took up with another giant when she left me dad； an' she went an' had Grawp here …'
'Grawp？' said Harry。
'Yeah： well； tha's what it sounds like when he says his name；' said Hagrid anxiously。 'He don' speak a lot of English： I've bin tryin' ter teach him： anyway； she don' seem ter have liked him much more'n she liked me。 See； with giantesses； what counts is producin' good big kids； and he's always been a bit on the runty side fer a giant … on'y sixteen foot …'
'Oh； yes； tiny！' said Hermione； with a kind of hysterical sarcasm。 'Absolutely minuscule！'
'He was bein' kicked aroun' by all o' them … I jus' couldn' leave him …'
'Did Madame Maxime want to bring him back？' asked Harry。
'She … well； she could see it was right importan' ter me；' said Hagrid； twisting his enormous hands。 'Bu' … bu' she got a bit tired o' him after a while； I must admit： so we split up on the journey home： she promised not ter tell anyone； though：〃
'How on earth did you get him back without anyone noticing？' said Harry。
'Well； tha's why it took so long； see；' said Hagrid。 'Could on'y travel by nigh' an' through wild country an' stuff。 Course； he covers the ground pretty well when he wants ter； but he kep' wantin' ter go back。'
'Oh； Hagrid； why on earth didn't you let him！' said Hermione； flopping down on to a ripped up tree and burying her face in her hands。 'What do you think you're going to do with a violent giant who doesn't even want to be here！'
'Well； now … 〃violent〃 … tha's a bit harsh；' said Hagrid； still twisting his hands agitatedly。 I'll admit he mighta taken a couple o' swings at me when he's bin in a bad mood； but he's gettin' better； loads better； settlin' down well。'
'What are those ropes for； then？' Harry asked。
He had just noticed ropes thick as saplings stretching from around the trunks of the largest nearby trees towards the place where Grawp lay curled on the ground with his back to them。
'You have to keep him tied up？' said Hermione faintly。
'Well： yeah：' said Hagrid； looking anxious。 'See … it's like I say … he doesn' really know 'is own strength。'
Harry understood now why there had been such a suspicious lack of any other living creature in this part of the Forest。
'So； what is it you want Harry and Ron and me to do？' Hermione asked apprehensively。
'Look after him；' said Hagrid croakily。 'After I'm gone。'
Harry and Hermione exchanged miserable looks； Harry unfortably aware that he had already promised Hagrid that he would do whatever he asked。
'What … what does that involve； exactly？' Hermione enquired。
'Not food or anythin'！' said Hagrid eagerly。 'He can get his own food； no problem。 Birds an' deer an' stuff： no； it's pany he needs。 If I jus' knew someone was carryin' on tryin' ter help him a bit： teachin' him； yeh know。'
Harry said nothing； but turned to look back at the gigantic form lying asleep on the ground in front of them。 Unlike Hagrid； who simply looked like an oversized human； Grawp looked strangely misshapen。 What Harry had taken to be a vast mossy boulder to the left of the great earthen mound he now recognised as Grawp's head。 It was much larger in proportion to the body than a human head； and was almost perfectly round and covered with tightly curling； close…growing hair the colour of bracken。 The rim of a single large； fleshy ear was visible on top of the head； which seemed to sit； rather like Uncle Vernon's； directly upon the shoulders with little or no neck in between。 The back； under what looked like a dirty brownish smock prised of animal skins sewn roughly together； was very broad； and as Grawp slept； it seemed to strain a little at the rough seams of the skins。 The legs were curled up under the body。 Harry could see the soles of enormous； filthy； bare feet； large as sledges； resting one on top of the other on the earthy Forest floor。
'You want us to teach him；' Harry said in a hollow voice。 He now understood what Firenze's warning had meant。 His attempt is not working。 He would do better to abandon it。 Of course； the other creatures who lived in the Forest would have heard Hagrids fruitless attempts to teach Grawp English。
'Yeah … even if yeh jus' talk ter him a bit；' said Hagrid hopefully。 〃Cause I reckon； if he can talk ter people； he'll understand more that we all like 'im really； an' want 'im ter stay。'
Harry looked at Hermione； who peered back at him from between the fingers over her face。
'Kind of makes you wish we had Norbert back； doesn't it？' he said； and she gave a very shaky laugh。
'Yeh'll do it； then？' said Hagrid； who did not seem to have caught what Harry had just said。
'We'll：' said Harry； already bound by his promise。 'We'll try； Hagrid。'
'I knew I could count on yeh； Harry；' Hagrid said； beaming in a very watery way and dabbing at his face with his handkerchief again。 'An' I don' want yeh ter put yerself out too much； like： I know yeh've got exams： if yeh could jus' nip down here in yer Invisibility Cloak maybe once a week an' have a little chat with 'im。 I'll wake 'im up； then … introduce yeh …'
'Wha… no！' said Hermione； jumping up。 'Hagrid； no； don't wake him； really； we don't need …'
But Hagrid had already stepped over the great tree trunk in front of them and was proceeding towards Grawp。 When he was about ten feet away； he lifted a long； broken bough from the ground； smiled reassuringly over his shoulder at Harry and Hermione； then poked Grawp hard in the middle of the back with the end of the bough。
The giant gave a roar that echoed around the silent Forest； birds in the treetops overhead rose twittering from their perches and soared away。 In front of Harry and Hermione； meanwhile； the gigantic Grawp was rising from the ground； which shuddered as he placed an enormous hand upon it to push himself on to his knees。 He turned his head to see who and what had disturbed him。
'All righ'； Grawpy？' said Hagrid； in a would…be cheery voice； backing away with the long bough raised； ready to poke Grawp again。 'Had a nice sleep； eh？'
Harry and Hermione retreated as far as they could while still keeping the giant within their sights。 Grawp knelt between two trees he had not yet uprooted。 They looked up into his startlingly huge face that resembled a grey full moon swimming in the gloom of the clearing。 It was as though the features had been hewn on to a great stone ball。 The nose was stubby and shapeless； the mouth lopsided and full of misshapen yellow teeth the size of half…bricks； the eyes； small by giant standards； were a muddy greenish…brown and just now were half…gummed together with sleep。 Grawp raised dirty knuckles； each as big as a cricket ball； to his eyes； rubbed vigorously； then； without warning； pushed himself to his feet with surprising speed and agility。
'Oh my！' Harry heard Hermione squeal； terrified； beside him。
The trees to which the other ends of the ropes around Grawp's wrists and ankles were attached creaked ominously。 He was； as
Hagrid had said； at least sixteen feet tall。 Gazing blearily around； Grawp reached out a hand the size of a beach umbrella； seized a bird's nest from the upper branches of a towering pine and turned it upside…down with a roar of apparent displeasure that there was no bird in it； eggs fell like grenades towards the ground and Hagrid threw his arms over his head to protect himself。
'Anyway； Grawpy；' shouted Hagrid； looking up apprehensively in case of further falling eggs； 'I've brought some friends ter meet yeh。 Remember； I told yeh I might？ Remember； when I said I might have ter go on a little trip an' leave them ter look after yeh fer a bit？ Remember that； Grawpy？'
But Grawp merely gave another low roar； it was hard to say whether he was listening to Hagrid or whether he even recognised the sounds Hagrid was making as speech。 He had now seized the top of the pine tree and was pulling it towards him； evidently for the simple pleasure of seeing how far it would spring back when he let go。
'Now； Grawpy； don' do that！' shouted Hagrid。 'Tha's how you ended up pullin' up the others …'
And sure enough； Harry could see the earth around the tree's roots beginning to crack。
'I got pany for yeh！' Hagrid shouted。 'pany； see！ Look down； yeh big buffoon； I brought yeh some friends！'
'Oh； Hagrid； don't；' moaned Hermione； but Hagrid had already raised the bough again and gave Grawp's knee a sharp poke。
The giant let go of the top of the tree； which swayed alarmingly and deluged Hagrid with a rain of pine needles； and looked down。
This；' said Hagrid； hastening over to where Harry and Hermione stood； 'is Harry； Grawp！ Harry Potter！ He migh' be in' ter visit yeh if I have ter go away； understand？'
The giant had only just realised that Harry and Hermione were there。 They watched； in great trepidation； as he lowered his huge boulder of a head so that he could peer blearily at them。
'An' this is Hermione； see？ Her…' Hagrid hesitated。 Turning to Hermione； he said； 'Would yeh mind if he called yeh Hermy； Hermione？ On'y it's a difficult name fe