“Better out than in,” he said cheerfully, plunking a large copper basin in front of him.” Get ’em all up, Ron.”
“I don’t think there’s anything to do except wait for it to stop,” said Hermione anxiously, watching Ron bend over the basin.” That’s a difficult curse to work at the best of times, but with a broken wand.”
Hagrid was bustling around making them tea. His boarhound, Fang, was slobbering over Harry.
“What did Lockhart want with you, Hagrid?” Harry asked, scratching Fang’s ears.
“Givin’ me advice on gettin’ kelpies out of a well,” growled
Hagrid, moving a half-plucked rooster off his scrubbed table and setting down the teapot.” Like I don’ know. An’ bangin’ on about some banshee he banished. If one word of it was true, I’ll eat my kettle.”
It was most unlike Hagrid to criticize a Hogwarts’ teacher, and Harry looked at him in surprise. Hermione, however, said in a voice somewhat higher than usual, “I think you’re being a bit unfair. Professor Dumbledore obviously thought he was the best man for the job.”
“He was the on’ man for the job,” said Hagrid, offering them a Y
plate of treacle fudge, while Ron coughed squelchily into his basin.” An’ I mean the on’ one. Gettin’ very difficult ter find anyone fer Y
the Dark Arts job. People aren’t too keen ter take it on, see. They’re startin’ ter think it’s jinxed. No one’s lasted long fer a while now. So tell me,” said Hagrid, jerking his head at Ron.” Who was he tryin’ ter curse?”
“Malfoy called Hermione something. it must’ve been really bad, because everyone went wild.”
“It was bad,” said Ron hoarsely, emerging over the tabletop looking pale and sweaty.” Malfoy called her `Mudblood,’ Hagrid.”
Ron dived out of sight again as a fresh wave of slugs made their appearance. Hagrid looked outraged.
“He didn’!” he growled at Hermione.
“He did,” she said.” But I don’t know what it means. I could tell it was really rude, of course.”
“It’s about the most insulting thing he could think of,” gasped Ron, coming back up.” Mudblood’s a really foul name for someone who is Muggle-born. you know, non-magic parents. There are some wizards. like Malfoy’s family. who think they’re better than everyone else because they’re what people call pure-blood.” He gave a small burp, and a single slug fell into his outstretched hand. He threw it into the basin and continued, “I mean, the rest of us know it doesn’t make any difference at all. Look at Neville Longbottom. he’s pure-blood and he can hardly stand a cauldron the right way up.”
“An’ they haven’t invented a spell our Hermione can’ do,” said Hagrid proudly, making Hermione go a brilliant shade of magenta.
“It’s a disgusting thing to call someone,” said Ron, wiping his sweaty brow with a shaking hand.” Dirty blood, see. Common blood. It’s ridiculous. Most wizards these days are half-blood anyway. If we hadn’t married Muggles we’d’ve died out.”
He retched and ducked out of sight again.
“Well, I don’ blame yeh fer tryin’ ter curse him, Ron,” said Hagrid loudly over the thuds of more slugs hitting the basin.” Bu’ maybe it was a good thing yer wand backfired. ‘Spect Lucius Malfoy would’ve come marchin’ up ter school if yeh’d cursed his son. Least yer not in trouble.”
Harry would have pointed out that trouble didn’t come much worse than having slugs pouring out of your mouth, but he couldn’t; Hagrid’s treacle fudge had cemented his jaws together.
“Harry,” said Hagrid abruptly as though struck by a sudden thought.” Gotta bone ter pick with yeh. I’ve heard you’ve bin givin’ out signed photos. How come I haven’t got one?”
Furious, Harry wrenched his teeth apart.
“I have not been giving out signed photos,” he said hotly.” If Lockhart’s still spreading that around.”
But then he saw that Hagrid was laughing.
“I’m on’y jokin’,” he said, patting Harry genially on the back and sending him face first into the table.” I knew yeh hadn’t really. I told Lockhart yeh didn’ need teh. Yer more famous than him without tryin’.”
“Bet he didn’t like that,” said Harry, sitting up and rubbing his chin.