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dormitories； then cleared the rubbish off the woolly hats。
'They should at least see what they're picking up；' he said firmly。 'Anyway：' he rolled up the parchment on which he had written the title of Snape's essay； 'there's no point trying to finish this now； I can't do it without Hermione； I haven't got a clue what you're supposed to do with moonstones； have you？'
Harry shook his head； noticing as he did so that the ache in his right temple was getting worse。 He thought of the long essay on giant wars and the pain stabbed at him sharply。 Knowing perfectly well that when the morning came； he would regret not finishing his homework that night； he piled his books back into his bag。
'I'm going to bed too。'
He passed Seamus on the way to the door leading to the dormitories； but did not look at him。 Harry had a fleeting impression that Seamus had opened his mouth to speak； but he sped up and reached the soothing peace of the stone spiral staircase without having to endure any more provocation。
* * *
The following day dawned just as leaden and rainy as the previous one。 Hagrid was still absent from the staff table at breakfast。
'But on the plus side； no Snape today' said Ron bracingly。
Hermione yawned widely and poured herself some coffee。 She looked mildly pleased about something； and when Ron asked her what she had to be so happy about； she simply said； The hats have gone。 Seems the house…elves do want freedom after all。'
'I wouldn't bet on it；' Ron told her cuttingly。 They might not count as clothes。 They didn't look anything like hats to me； more like woolly bladders。'
Hermione did not speak to him all morning。
Double Charms was succeeded by double Transfiguration。 Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall both spent the first fifteen minutes of their lessons lecturing the class on the importance of OWLs。
'What you must remember；' said little Professor Flitwick squeakily perched as ever on a pile of books so that he could see over the top of his desk； 'is that these examinations may influence your futures for many years to e！ If you have not already given serious thought to your careers； now is the time to do so。 And in the meantime； I'm afraid； we shall be working harder than ever to ensure that you all do yourselves justice！'
They then spent over an hour revising Summoning Charms； which according to Professor Flitwick were bound to e up in their OWL； and he rounded off the lesson by setting them their largest ever amount of Charms homework。
It was the same； if not worse； in Transfiguration。
'You cannot pass an OWL；' said Professor McGonagall grimly； 'without serious application； practice and study。 I see no reason why everybody in this class should not achieve an OWL in Transfiguration as long as they put in the work。' Neville made a sad little disbelieving noise。 'Yes； you too； Longbottom；' said Professor McGonagall。 There's nothing wrong with your work except lack of confidence。 So： today we are starting Vanishing Spells。 These are easier than Conjuring Spells； which you would not usually attempt until NEWT level； but they are still among the most difficult magic you will be tested on in your OWL。'
She was quite right； Harry found the Vanishing Spells horribly difficult。 By the end of a double period neither he nor Ron had managed to vanish the snails on which they were practising； though Ron said hopefully he thought his looked a bit paler。 Hermione； on the other hand； successfully vanished her snail on the third attempt； earning her a ten…point bonus for Gryffindor from Professor McGonagall。 She was the only person not given homework； everybody else was told to practise the spell overnight； ready for a fresh attempt on their snails the following afternoon。
Now panicking slightly about the amount of homework they had to do； Harry and Ron spent their lunch hour in the library looking up the uses of moonstones in potion…making。 Still angry about Ron's slur on her woolly hats； Hermione did not join them。 By the time they reached Care of Magical Creatures in the afternoon； Harry's head was aching again。
The day had bee cool and breezy； and as they walked down the sloping lawn towards Hagrid's cabin on the edge of the Forbidden Forest； they felt the occasional drop of rain on their faces。 Professor Grubbly…Plank stood waiting for the class some ten yards from Hagrid's front door； a long trestle table in front of her laden with twigs。 As Harry and Ron reached her； a loud shout of laughter sounded behind them； turning； they saw Draco Malfoy striding towards them； surrounded by his usual gang of Slytherin cronies。 He had clearly just said something highly amusing； because Crabbe； Goyle； Pansy Parkinson and the rest continued to snigger heartily as they gathered around the trestle table and； judging by the way they all kept looking over at Harry； he was able to guess the subject of the joke without too much difficulty。
'Everyone here？' barked Professor Grubbly…Plank； once all the Slytherins and Gryffindors had arrived。 'Let's crack on then。 Who can tell me what these things are called？'
She indicated the heap of twigs in front of her。 Hermione's hand shot into the air。 Behind her back； Malfoy did a buck…toothed imitation of her jumping up and down in eagerness to answer a question。 Pansy Parkinson gave a shriek of laughter that turned almost at once into a scream； as the twigs on the table leapt into the air and revealed themselves to be what looked like tiny pixie…ish creatures made of wood； each with knobbly brown arms and legs； two twiglike fingers at the end of each hand and a funny flat； barklike face in which a pair of beetle…brown eyes glittered。
'Oooooh！' said Parvati and Lavender； thoroughly irritating Harry。 Anyone would have thought Hagrid had never shown them impressive creatures； admittedly； the Flobberworms had been a bit dull； but the Salamanders and Hippogriffs had been interesting enough； and the Blast…Ended Skrewts perhaps too much so。
'Kindly keep your voices down； girls！' said Professor Grubbly…Plank sharply； scattering a handful of what looked like brown rice among the stick…creatures； who immediately fell upon the food。 'So … anyone know the names of these creatures？ Miss Granger？'
'Bowtruckles；' said Hermione。 They're tree…guardians； usually live in wand…trees。'
'Five points for Gryffindor；' said Professor Grubbly…Plank。 'Yes； these are Bowtruckles； and as Miss Granger rightly says； they generally live in trees whose wood is of wand quality。 Anybody know what they eat？'
'Woodlice；' said Hermione promptly which explained why what Harry had taken to be grains of brown rice were moving。 'But fairy eggs if they can get them。'
'Good girl； take another five points。 So； whenever you need leaves or wood from a tree in which a Bowtruckle lodges； it is wise to have a gift of woodlice ready to distract or placate it。 They may not look dangerous； but if angered they will try to gouge at human eyes with their fingers； which； as you can see； are very sharp and not at all desirable near the eyeballs。 So if you'd like to gather closer； take a few woodlice and a Bowtruckle … I have enough here for one between three … you can study them more closely。 I want a sketch from each of you with all body…parts labelled by the end of the lesson。'
The class surged forwards around the trestle table。 Harry deliberately circled around the back so that he ended up right next to Professor Grubbly…Plank。
'Where's Hagrid？' he asked her； while everyone else was choosing Bowtruckles。
'Never you mind；' said Professor Grubbly…Plank repressively； which had been her attitude last time Hagrid had failed to turn up for a class； too。 Smirking all over his pointed face； Draco Malfoy leaned across Harry and seized the largest Bowtruckle。
'Maybe；' said Malfoy in an undertone； so that only Harry could hear him； 'the stupid great oaf's got himself badly injured。'
'Maybe you will if you don't shut up；' said Harry out of the side of his mouth。
'Maybe he's been messing with stuff that's too big for him； if you get my drift。'
Malfoy walked away； smirking over his shoulder at Harry； who felt suddenly sick。 Did Malfoy know something？ His father was a Death Eater after all； what if he had information about Hagrid's fate that had not yet reached the ears of the Order？ He hurried back around the table to Ron and Hermione who were squatting on the grass some distance away and attempting to persuade a Bowtruckle to remain still long enough for them to draw it。 Harry pulled out parchment and quill； crouched down beside the others and related in a whisper what Malfoy had just said。
'Dumbledore would know if some thing had happened to Hagrid；' said Hermione at once。 'It's just playing into Malfoy's hands to look worried； it tells him we don't know exactly what's going on。 We've got to ignore him； Harry。 Here； hold the Bowtruckle for a moment； just so I can draw its face：'
'Yes；' came Malfoy's clear drawl from the group nearest them； 'Father was talking to the Minister just a couple of days ago； you know； and it sounds as though the Ministry's really determined to