Harry Potter 02 - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

again.’
    *
    Harry had inherited just one thing from his father: a long and silvery Invisibility Cloak. It was their only chance of sneaking out of the school to visit Hagrid without anyone knowing about it. They went to bed at the usual time, waited until Neville, Dean and Seamus had stopped discussing the Chamber of Secrets and finally fallen asleep, then got up, dressed again, and threw the Cloak over themselves.
    The journey through the dark and deserted castle corridors wasn’t enjoyable. Harry, who had wandered the castle at night several times before, had never seen it so crowded after sunset. Teachers, Prefects and ghosts were marching the corridors in pairs, staring around for any unusual activity. Their Invisibility Cloak didn’t stop them making any noise, and there was a particularly tense moment when Ron stubbed his toe only yards from the spot where Snape was standing guard. Thankfully, Snape sneezed at almost exactly the moment Ron swore. It was with relief that they reached the oak front doors and eased them open.
    It was a clear, starry night. They hurried towards the lighted windows of Hagrid’s house, and pulled off the Cloak only when they were right outside his front door.
    Seconds after they had knocked, Hagrid flung it open. They found themselves face to face, with him aiming a crossbow at them, Fang the boarhound barking loudly behind him.
    ‘Oh,’ he said, lowering the weapon and staring at them. ‘What’re you two doin’ here?’
    ‘What’s that for?’ said Harry, pointing at the crossbow as they stepped inside.
    ‘Nothin’ … nothin’,’ Hagrid muttered. ‘I’ve bin expectin’ … doesn’ matter … Sit down … I’ll make tea …’
    He hardly seemed to know what he was doing. He nearly extinguished the fire, spilling water from the kettle on it, and then smashed the teapot with a nervous jerk of his massive hand.
    ‘Are you OK, Hagrid?’ said Harry. ‘Did you hear about Hermione?’
    ‘Oh, I heard, all righ’,’ said Hagrid, a slight break in his voice.
    He kept glancing nervously at the windows. He poured them both large mugs of boiling water (he had forgotten to add tea bags) and was just putting a slab of fruitcake on a plate, when there was a loud knock on the door.
    Hagrid dropped the fruitcake. Harry and Ron exchanged panic-stricken looks, then threw the Invisibility Cloak back over themselves and retreated into a corner. Hagrid checked that they were hidden, seized his crossbow and flung open his door once more.
    ‘Good evening, Hagrid.’
    It was Dumbledore. He entered, looking deadly serious, and was followed by a second, very odd-looking man.
    The stranger was a short, portly man with rumpled grey hair and an anxious expression. He was wearing a strange mixture of clothes: a pin-striped suit, a scarlet tie, a long black cloak and pointed purple boots. Under his arm he carried a lime-green bowler.
    ‘That’s Dad’s boss!’ Ron breathed. ‘Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic!’
    Harry elbowed Ron hard to make him shut up.
    Hagrid had gone pale and sweaty. He dropped into one of his chairs and looked from Dumbledore to Cornelius Fudge.
    ‘Bad business, Hagrid,’ said Fudge, in rather clipped tones. ‘Very bad business. Had to come. Four attacks on Muggle-borns. Things’ve gone far enough. Ministry’s got to act.’
    ‘I never,’ said Hagrid, looking imploringly at Dumbledore, ‘you know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir …’
    ‘I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence,’ said Dumbledore, frowning at Fudge.
    ‘Look, Albus,’ said Fudge, uncomfortably. ‘Hagrid’s record’s against him. Ministry’s got to do something – the school governors have been in touch.’
    ‘Yet again, Cornelius, I tell you that taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest,’ said Dumbledore. His blue eyes were full of a fire Harry had never seen before.
    ‘Look at it from my point of view,’ said Fudge, fidgeting with his bowler. ‘I’m under a lot of pressure. Got to be seen to be doing something. If it turns out it wasn’t Hagrid, he’ll be back and no more said. But I’ve got to take him. Got to. Wouldn’t be doing my duty –’
    ‘Take me?’ said Hagrid, who was trembling. ‘Take me where?’
    ‘For a short stretch only,’ said Fudge, not meeting Hagrid’s eyes. ‘Not a punishment, Hagrid, more a precaution. If someone else is caught, you’ll be let out with a full apology …’
    ‘Not