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t； his expression most ill…natured。 Squeals issued from many of the bushes； and dark shapes emerged from them。
〃Ten points from Ravenclaw； Fawcett！〃 Snape snarled as a girl ran past him。 〃And ten points from Hufflepuff too； Stebbins！〃 as a boy went rushing after her。 〃And what are you two doing？〃 he added； catching sight of Harry and Ron on the path ahead。 Karkaroff； Harry saw； looked slightly disposed to see them standing there。 His hand went nervously to his goatee； and he began winding it around his finger。
〃We re walking；〃 Ron told Snape shortly。 〃Not against the law； is it？〃
〃Keep walking； then！〃 Snape snarled； and he brushed past them； his long black cloak billowing out behind him。 Karkaroff hurried away after Snape。 Harry and Ron continued down the path。
〃What's got Karkaroff all worried？〃 Ron muttered。
〃And since when have he and Snape been on first…name terms？〃said Harry slowly。
They had reached a large stone reindeer now； over which they could see the sparkling jets of a tall fountain。 The shadowy outlines of two enormous people were visible on a stone bench； watching the water in the moonlight。 And then Harry heard Hagrid speak。
〃Momen' I saw yeh； I knew；〃 he was saying； in an oddly husky voice。
Harry and Ron froze。 This didn't sound like the sort of scene they ought to walk in on； somehow。。。 Harry looked around； back up the path； and saw Fleur Delacour and Roger Davies standing half…concealed in a rosebush nearby。 He tapped Ron on the shoulder and jerked his head toward them； meaning that they could easily sneak off that way without being noticed （Fleur and Davies looked very busy to Harry）； but Ron； eyes widening in horror at the sight of Fleur； shook his head vigorously； and pulled Harry deeper into the shadows behind the reindeer。
〃What did you know； 'Agrid？〃 said Madame Maxime； a purr in her low voice。
Harry definitely didn't want to listen to this； he knew Hagrid would hate to be overheard in a situation like this （he certainly would have）…if it had been possible he would have put his fingers in his ears and hummed loudly； but that wasn't really an option。 Instead he tried to interest himself in a beetle crawling along the stone reindeer's back； but the beetle just wasn't interesting enough to block out Hagrid's next words。
〃I jus' knew。。。 knew you were like me。。。 Was it yer mother or yer father？〃
〃I…I don't know what you mean； 'Agrid。。。〃
〃It was my mother；〃 said Hagrid quietly。 〃She was one o' the las' ones in Britain。 'Course； I can' remember her too well。。。 she left； see。 When I was abou' three。 She wasn' really the maternal sort。 Well。。。 it's not in their natures； is it？ Dunno what happened to her。。。 might be dead fer all I know。。。〃
Madame Maxime didn't say anything。 And Harry； in spite of himself； took his eyes off the beetle and looked over the top of the reindeer's antlers； listening。。。 He had never heard Hagrid talk about his childhood before。
〃Me dad was broken…hearted when she wen'。 Tiny little bloke； my dad was。 By the time I was six I could lift him up an' put him on top o' the dresser if he annoyed me。 Used ter make him laugh。。。〃 Hagrid's deep voice broke。 Madame Maxime was listening； motionless； apparently staring at the silvery fountain。 〃Dad raised me。。。 but he died； o' course； jus' after I started school。 Sorta had ter make me own way after that。 Dumbledore was a real help； mind。 Very kind ter me； he was。。。〃
Hagrid pulled out a large spotted silk handkerchief and blew his nose heavily。
〃So 。。。anyway。。。 enough abou' me。 What about you？ Which side you got it on？〃
But Madame Maxime had suddenly got to her feet。
〃It is chilly；〃 she said…but whatever the weather was doing； it was nowhere near as cold as her voice。 〃I think I will go in now。〃
〃Eh？〃 said Hagrid blankly。 〃No； don go！ I've…I've never met another one before！〃
〃Anuzzer what； precisely？〃 said Madame Maxime； her tone icy。
Harry could have told Hagrid it was best not to answer； he stood there in the shadows gritting his teeth； hoping against hope he wouldn't…but it was no good。 〃Another half…giant； o' course！〃 said Hagrid。
〃'Ow dare you！〃 shrieked Madame Maxime。 Her voice exploded through the peaceful night air like a foghorn； behind him。 Harry heard Fleur and Roger fall out of their rosebush。 〃I 'ave nevair been more insulted in my life！ 'Alf…giant？ Moi？ I 'ave…I 'ave big bones！〃
She stormed away； great multicolored swarms of fairies rose into the air as she passed； angrily pushing aside bushes。 Hagrid was still sitting on the bench； staring after her。 It was much too dark to make out his expression。 Then； after about a minute； he stood up and strode away； not back to the castle； but off out into the dark grounds in the direction of his cabin。
〃C'mon；〃 Harry said； very quietly to Ron。 〃Let's go。。。〃
But Ron didn't move。
〃What's up？〃 said Harry； looking at him。
Ron looked around at Harry； his expression very serious indeed。
〃Did you know？〃 he whispered。 〃About Hagrid being half…giant？〃
〃No；〃 Harry said； shrugging。 〃So what？〃
He knew immediately； from the look Ron was giving him； that he was once again revealing his ignorance of the wizarding world。 Brought up by the Dursleys； there were many things that wizards took for granted that were revelations to Harry； but these surprises had bee fewer with each successive year。 Now； however； he could tell that most wizards would not have said 〃So what？〃 upon finding out that one of their friends had a giantess for a mother。
〃I'll explain inside；〃 said Ron quietly； 〃c'mon。。。〃
Fleur and Roger Davies had disappeared； probably into a more private clump of bushes。 Harry and Ron returned to the Great Hall。 Parvati and Padma were now sitting at a distant table with a whole crowd of Beauxbatons boys； and Hermione was once more dancing with Krum。 Harry and Ron sat down at a table far removed from the dance floor。
〃So？〃 Harry prompted Ron。 〃What's the problem with giants？〃
〃Well； they're。。。 they're。。。〃 Ron struggled for words。 〃。。。 not very nice；〃 he finished lamely。
〃Who cares？〃 Harry said。 〃There's nothing wrong with Hagrid！〃
〃I know there isn't； but。。。 blimey； no wonder he keeps it quiet；〃 Ron said； shaking his head。 〃I always thought he'd got in the way of a bad Engorgement Charm when he was a kid or something。 Didn't like to mention it。。。〃
〃But what's it matter if his mother was a giantess？〃 said Harry。
〃Well。。。 no one who knows him will care； 'cos they'll know he's not dangerous；〃 said Ron slowly。 〃But。。。 Harry； they're just vicious； giants。 It's like Hagrid said； it's in their natures； they're like trolls。。。 they just like killing； everyone knows that。 There aren't any left in Britain now； though。〃
〃What happened to them？〃
〃Well； they were dying out anyway； and then loads got themselves killed by Aurors。 There're supposed to be giants abroad； though。。。 They hide out in mountains mostly。。。〃
〃I don't know who Maxime thinks she's kidding；〃 Harry said； watching Madame Maxime sitting alone at the judges' table； looking very somber。 〃If Hagrid's half…giant； she definitely is。 Big bones。。。 the only thing that's got bigger bones than her is a dinosaur。〃
Harry and Ron spent the rest of the ball discussing giants in their corner； neither of them having any inclination to dance。 Harry tried not to watch Cho and Cedric too much； it gave him a strong desire to kick something。
When the Weird Sisters finished playing at midnight； everyone gave them a last； loud round of applause and started to wend their way into the entrance hall。 Many people were expressing the wish that the ball could have gone on longer； but Harry was perfectly happy to be going to bed； as far as he was concerned； the evening hadn't been much fun。
Out in the entrance hall； Harry and Ron saw Hermione saying good night to Krum before he went back to the Durmstrang ship。 She gave Ron a very cold look and swept past him up the marble staircase without speaking。 Harry and Ron followed her； but halfway up the staircase Harry heard someone calling him。
〃Hey…Harry！〃
It was Cedric Diggory。 Harry could see Cho waiting for him in the entrance hall below。
〃Yeah？〃 said Harry cold