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a difficult name fer him ter remember。'
'No； not at all；' squeaked Hermione。
This is Hermy； Grawp！ An' she's gonna be in' an' all！ Is'n' tha' nice？ Eh？ Two friends fer yeh ter … GRAWPY； NO！'
Grawp's hand had shot out of nowhere towards Hermione； Harry seized her and pulled her backwards behind the tree； so that Grawp's fist scraped the trunk but closed on thin air。
'BAD BOY； GRAWPY！' they heard Hagrid yelling； as Hermione clung to Harry behind the tree； shaking and whimpering。 'VERY BAD BOY！ YEH DON' GRAB … OUCH！'
Harry poked his head out from around the trunk and saw Hagrid lying on his back； his hand over his nose。 Grawp； apparently losing interest； had straightened up and was again engaged in pulling back the pine as far as it would go。
'Righ'；' said Hagrid thickly； getting up with one hand pinching his bleeding nose and the other grasping his crossbow； 'well： there yeh are： yeh've met him an' … an' now he'll know yeh when yeh e back。 Yeah： well：'
He looked up at Grawp； who was now pulling back the pine with an expression of detached pleasure on his boulderish face； the roots were creaking as he ripped them away from the ground。
'Well； I reckon tha's enough fer one day；' said Hagrid。 'We'll …er … we'll go back now； shall we？'
Harry and Hermione nodded。 Hagrid shouldered his crossbow again and； still pinching his nose； led the way back into the trees。
Nobody spoke for a while； not even when they heard the distant crash that meant Grawp had pulled over the pine tree at last。 Hermione's face was pale and set。 Harry could not think of a single thing to say。 What on earth was going to happen when somebody found out that Hagrid had hidden Grawp in the Forbidden Forest？ And he had promised that he； Ron and Hermione would continue Hagrid's totally pointless attempts to civilise the giant。 How could Hagrid； even with his immense capacity to delude himself that fanged monsters were loveably harmless； fool himself that Grawp would ever be fit to mix with humans？
'Hold it；' said Hagrid abruptly； just as Harry and Hermione were struggling through a patch of thick knotgrass behind him。 He pulled an arrow out of the quiver over his shoulder and fitted it into the crossbow。 Harry and Hermione raised their wands； now that they had stopped walking； they； too； could hear movement close by。
'Oh； blimey' said Hagrid quietly。
'I thought we told you； Hagrid；' said a deep male voice； 'that you are no longer wele here？'
A man's naked torso seemed for an instant to be floating towards them through the dappled green half…light； then they saw that his waist joined smoothly into a horse's chestnut body。 This centaur had a proud； high…cheekboned face and long black hair。 Like Hagrid； he was armed； a quiverful of arrows and a longbow were slung over his shoulders。
'How are yeh； Magorian？' said Hagrid warily。
The trees behind the centaur rustled and four or five more centaurs emerged behind him。 Harry recognised the black…bodied and bearded Bane； whom he had met nearly four years ago on the same night he had met Firenze。 Bane gave no sign that he had ever seen Harry before。
'So；' he said； with a nasty inflection in his voice； before turning immediately to Magorian。 'We agreed； I think； what we would do if this human ever showed his face in the Forest again？'
'This human〃 now； am I？' said Hagrid testily。 'Jus' fer stoppin' all of yeh mittin' murder？'
'You ought not to have meddled； Hagrid；' said Magorian。 'Our ways are not yours； nor are our laws。 Firenze has betrayed and dishonoured us。'
'I dunno how yeh'work that out；' said Hagrid impatiently。 'He's done nothin' except help Albus Dumbledore …'
'Firenze has entered into servitude to humans；' said a grey centaur with a hard； deeply lined face。
'Servitude！' said Hagrid scathingly。 'He's doin' Dumbledore a favour is all …'
'He is peddling our knowledge and secrets among humans；' said Magorian quietly。 There can be no return from such disgrace。'
'If yeh say so；' said Hagrid； shrugging； 'but personally I think yeh're makin' a big mistake …'
'As are you； human；' said Bane； 'ing back into our Forest when we warned you …'
'Now； yeh listen ter me；' said Hagrid angrily。 I'll have less of the
'our〃 Forest； if it's all the same ter yeh。 It's not up ter yeh who es an' goes in here …'
'No more is it up to you； Hagrid；' said Magorian smoothly。 'I shall let you pass today because you are acpanied by your young …'
They're not his！' interrupted Bane contemptuously。 'Students； Magorian； from up at the school！ They have probably already profited from the traitor Firenze's teachings。'
'Nevertheless；' said Magorian calmly； 'the slaughter of foals is a terrible crime … we do not touch the innocent。 Today； Hagrid； you pass。 Henceforth； stay away from this place。 You forfeited the friendship of the centaurs when you helped the traitor Firenze escape us。'
'I won' be kept outta the Fores' by a bunch o' old mules like yeh！' said Hagrid loudly。
'Hagrid；' said Hermione in a high…pitched and terrified voice； as both Bane and the grey centaur pawed at the ground； 'let's go； please let's go！'
Hagrid moved forwards； but his crossbow was still raised and his eyes were still fixed threateningly upon Magorian。
'We know what you are keeping in the Forest； Hagrid！' Magorian called after them； as the centaurs slipped out of sight。 'And our tolerance is waning！'
Hagrid turned and gave every appearance of wanting to walk straight back to Magorian。
'Yeh'll tolerate 'im as long as he's here； it's as much his Forest as yours！' he yelled； as Harry and Hermione both pushed with all their might against Hagrid's moleskin waistcoat in an effort to keep him moving forwards。 Still scowling； he looked down； his expression changed to mild surprise at the sight of them both pushing him； he seemed not to have felt it。
'Calm down； you two；' he said； turning to walk on while they panted along behind him。 'Ruddy old mules； though； eh？'
'Hagrid；' said Hermione breathlessly； skirting the patch of nettles they had passed on their way there； 'if the centaurs don't want humans in the Forest； it doesn't really look as though Harry and I will be able …'
'Ah； you heard what they said； 'said Hagrid dismissively； 'they wouldn't hurt foals … I mean； kids。 Anyway； we can' let ourselves be pushed aroun' by that lot。'
'Nice try；' Harry murmured to Hermione； who looked crestfallen。
At last they rejoined the path and； after another ten minutes； the trees began to thin； they were able to see patches of clear blue sky again and； in the distance； the definite sounds of cheering and shouting。
'Was that another goal？' asked Hagrid； pausing in the shelter of the trees as the Quidditch stadium came into view。 'Or d'yeh reckon the match is over？'
'I don't know；' said Hermione miserably。 Harry saw that she looked much the worse for wear； her hair was full of twigs and leaves； her robes were ripped in several places and there were numerous scratches on her face and arms。 He knew he must look little better。
'I reckon it's over； yeh know！' said Hagrid； still squinting towards the stadium。 'Look … there's people in' out already … if yeh two hurry yeh'll be able ter blend in with the crowd an' no one'll know yeh weren't there！'
'Good idea；' said Harry。 'Well： see you later； then； Hagrid。'
'I don't believe him；' said Hermione in a very unsteady voice； the moment they were out of earshot of Hagrid。 'I don't believe him。 I really don't believe him。'
'Calm down；' said Harry。
'Calm down！' she said feverishly。 'A giant！ A giant in the Forest！ And we're supposed to give him English lessons！ Always assuming； of course； we can get past the herd of murderous centaurs on the way in and out！ I … don't … believe … him！'
'We haven't got to do anything yet！' Harry tried to reassure her in a quiet voice； as they joined a stream of jabbering Hufflepuffs heading back towards the castle。 'He's not asking us to do anything unless he gets chucked out and that might not even happen。'
'Oh； e off it； Harry！' said Hermione angrily； stopping dead in her tracks so that the people behind had to swerve to avoid her。 'Of course he's going to be chucked out and； to be perfectly honest； after what we've just seen； who can blame Umbridge？'
There was a pause in which Harry glared at her； and her eyes filled slowly with tears。
'You didn't mean that；' said Harry quietly。
'No： well： all right： I didn't；' she said； wiping her eyes angrily。 'But why does he have to make life so difficult for himself … for us？'
'I dunno …'
'Weasley is our King； Weasley is our King； He didn't let the Quaffle in； Weasley is our King：〃
'And I wish they'd stop singing that stupid song；' said Hermione miserably； 'haven't they gloated enough？'
A great tide of students was moving up the sloping lawns from the pitch。
'Oh； let's get in before we have to meet the Slytherins；' said Hermione。
'Weasley can save anything； He never leaves a single ring； That's why Gr