The Order of the Phoenix Read online

  ‘Oh, Hagrid, don’t, it’s not hygien—’ Hermione began, but Hagrid had already slapped the meat back over his swollen eye.

  He took another fortifying gulp of tea, then said, ‘Well, we set off righ’ after term ended –’

  ‘Madame Maxime went with you, then?’ Hermione interjected.

  ‘Yeah, tha’s righ’,’ said Hagrid, and a softened expression appeared on the few inches of face that were not obscured by beard or green steak. ‘Yeah, it was jus’ the pair of us. An’ I’ll tell yeh this, she’s not afraid of roughin’ it, Olympe. Yeh know, she’s a fine, well-dressed woman, an’ knowin’ where we was goin’ I wondered ’ow she’d feel abou’ clamberin’ over boulders an’ sleepin’ in caves an’ tha’, bu’ she never complained once.’

  ‘You knew where you were going?’ Harry asked. ‘You knew where the giants were?’

  ‘Well, Dumbledore knew, an’ he told us,’ said Hagrid.

  ‘Are they hidden?’ asked Ron. ‘Is it a secret, where they are?’

  ‘Not really,’ said Hagrid, shaking his shaggy head. ‘It’s jus’ that mos’ wizards aren’ bothered where they are, ’s’long as it’s a good long way away. But where they are’s very difficult ter get ter, fer humans anyway, so we needed Dumbledore’s instructions. Took us abou’ a month ter get there –’

  ‘A month?’ said Ron, as though he had never heard of a journey lasting such a ridiculously long time. ‘But – why couldn’t you just grab a Portkey or something?’

  There was an odd expression in Hagrid’s unobscured eye as he squinted at Ron; it was almost pitying.

  ‘We’re bein’ watched, Ron,’ he said gruffly.

  ‘What d’you mean?’

  ‘Yeh don’ understand,’ said Hagrid. ‘The Ministry’s keepin’ an eye on Dumbledore an’ anyone they reckon’s in league with ’im, an’ –’

  ‘We know about that,’ said Harry quickly, keen to hear the rest of Hagrid’s story, ‘we know about the Ministry watching Dumbledore –’

  ‘So you couldn’t use magic to get there?’ asked Ron, looking thunderstruck, ‘you had to act like Muggles all the way?’

  ‘Well, not exactly all the way,’ said Hagrid cagily. ‘We jus’ had ter be careful, ’cause Olympe an’ me, we stick out a bit –’

  Ron made a stifled noise somewhere between a snort and a sniff and hastily took a gulp of tea.

  ‘– so we’re not hard ter follow. We was pretendin’ we was goin’ on holiday together, so we got inter France an’ we made like we was headin’ fer where Olympe’s school is, ’cause we knew we was bein’ tailed by someone from the Ministry. We had to go slow, ’cause I’m not really s’posed ter use magic an’ we knew the Ministry’d be lookin’ fer a reason ter run us in. But we managed ter give the berk tailin’ us the slip round abou’ Dee-John –’

  ‘Ooooh, Dijon?’ said Hermione excitedly. ‘I’ve been there on holiday, did you see –?’

  She fell silent at the look on Ron’s face.

  ‘We chanced a bit o’ magic after that an’ it wasn’ a bad journey. Ran inter a couple o’ mad trolls on the Polish border an’ I had a sligh’ disagreement with a vampire in a pub in Minsk, bu’ apart from tha’ couldn’t’a bin smoother.

  ‘An’ then we reached the place, an’ we started trekkin’ up through the mountains, lookin’ fer signs of ’em …

  ‘We had ter lay off the magic once we got near ’em. Partly ’cause they don’ like wizards an’ we didn’ want ter put their backs up too soon, an’ partly ’cause Dumbledore had warned us You-Know-Who was bound ter be after the giants an’ all. Said it was odds on he’d sent a messenger off ter them already. Told us ter be very careful of drawin’ attention ter ourselves as we got nearer in case there was Death Eaters around.’

  Hagrid paused for a long draught of tea.

  ‘Go on!’ said Harry urgently.

  ‘Found ’em,’ said Hagrid baldly. ‘Went over a ridge one nigh’ an’ there they was, spread ou’ underneath us. Little fires burnin’ below an’ huge shadows … it was like watchin’ bits o’ the mountain movin’.’

  ‘How big are they?’ asked Ron in a hushed voice.

  ‘’Bout twenty feet,’ said Hagrid casually. ‘Some o’ the bigger ones mighta bin twenty-five.’

  ‘And how many were there?’ asked Harry.

  ‘I reckon abou’ seventy or eighty,’ said Hagrid.

  ‘Is that all?’ said Hermione.

  ‘Yep,’ said Hagrid sadly, ‘eighty left, an’ there was loads once, musta bin a hundred diff’rent tribes from all over the world. Bu’ they’ve bin dyin’ out fer ages. Wizards killed a few, o’ course, bu’ mostly they killed each other, an’ now they’re dyin’ out faster than ever. They’re not made ter live bunched up together like tha’. Dumbledore says it’s our fault, it was the wizards who forced ’em to go an’ made ’em live a good long way from us an’ they had no choice bu’ ter stick together fer their own protection.’

  ‘So,’ said Harry, ‘you saw them and then what?’

  ‘Well, we waited till morning, didn’ want ter go sneakin’ up on ’em in the dark, fer our own safety,’ said Hagrid. ‘’Bout three in the mornin’ they fell asleep jus’ where they was sittin’. We didn’ dare sleep. Fer one thing, we wanted ter make sure none of ’em woke up an’ came up where we were, an’ fer another, the snorin’ was unbelievable. Caused an avalanche near mornin’.

  ‘Anyway, once it was light we wen’ down ter see ’em.’

  ‘Just like that?’ said Ron, looking awestruck. ‘You just walked right into a giant camp?’

  ‘Well, Dumbledore’d told us how ter do it,’ said Hagrid. ‘Give the Gurg gifts, show some respect, yeh know.’

  ‘Give the what gifts?’ asked Harry.

  ‘Oh, the Gurg – means the chief.’

  ‘How could you tell which one was the Gurg?’ asked Ron.

  Hagrid grunted in amusement.

  ‘No problem,’ he said. ‘He was the biggest, the ugliest an’ the laziest. Sittin’ there waitin’ ter be brought food by the others. Dead goats an’ such like. Name o’ Karkus. I’d put him at twenty-two, twenty-three feet an’ the weight o’ a couple o’ bull elephants. Skin like rhino hide an’ all.’

  ‘And you just walked up to him?’ said Hermione breathlessly.

  ‘Well … down ter him, where he was lyin’ in the valley. They was in this dip between four pretty high mountains, see, beside a mountain lake, an’ Karkus was lyin’ by the lake roarin’ at the others ter feed him an’ his wife. Olympe an’ I went down the mountainside –’

  ‘But didn’t they try and kill you when they saw you?’ asked Ron incredulously.

  ‘It was def’nitely on some o’ their minds,’ said Hagrid, shrugging, ‘but we did what Dumbledore told us ter do, which was ter hold our gift up high an’ keep our eyes on the Gurg an’ ignore the others. So tha’s what we did. An’ the rest of ’em went quiet an’ watched us pass an’ we got right up ter Karkus’s feet an’ we bowed an’ put our present down in front o’ him.’

  ‘What do you give a giant?’ asked Ron eagerly. ‘Food?’

  ‘Nah, he can get food all righ’ fer himself,’ said Hagrid. ‘We took him magic. Giants like magic, jus’ don’ like us usin’ it against ’em. Anyway, that firs’ day we gave ’im a branch o’ Gubraithian fire.’

  Hermione said, ‘Wow!’ softly, but Harry and Ron both frowned in puzzlement.

  ‘A branch of –?’

  ‘Everlasting fire,’ said Hermione irritably, ‘you ought to know that by now. Professor Flitwick’s mentioned it at least twice in class!’

  ‘Well, anyway,’ said Hagrid quickly, intervening before Ron could answer back, ‘Dumbledore’d bewitched this branch to burn fer evermore, which isn’ somethin’ any wizard could do, an’ so I lies it down in the snow by Karkus’s feet and says, “A gift to the Gurg of the giants from Albus Dumbledore, who sends his respectful greetings.”’

  ‘And what did Karkus say?’ asked Harry eagerly.
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  ‘Nothin’,’ said Hagrid. ‘Didn’ speak English.’

  ‘You’re kidding!’

  ‘Didn’ matter,’ said Hagrid imperturbably, ‘Dumbledore had warned us tha’ migh’ happen. Karkus knew enough to yell fer a couple o’ giants who knew our lingo an’ they translated fer us.’

  ‘And did he like the present?’ asked Ron.

  ‘Oh yeah, it went down a storm once they understood what it was,’ said Hagrid, turning his dragon steak over to press the cooler side to his swollen eye. ‘Very pleased. So then I said, “Albus Dumbledore asks the Gurg to speak with his messenger when he returns tomorrow with another gift.”’

  ‘Why couldn’t you speak to them that day?’ asked Hermione.

  ‘Dumbledore wanted us ter take it very slow,’ said Hagrid. ‘Let ’em see we kept our promises. We’ll come back tomorrow with another present, an’ then we do come back with another present – gives a good impression, see? An’ gives them time ter test out the firs’ present an’ find out it’s a good one, an’ get ’em eager fer more. In any case, giants like Karkus – overload ’em with information an’ they’ll kill yeh jus’ to simplify things. So we bowed outta the way an’ went off an’ found ourselves a nice little cave ter spend that night in an’ the followin’ mornin’ we went back an’ this time we found Karkus sittin’ up waitin’ fer us lookin’ all eager.’

  ‘And you talked to him?’

  ‘Oh yeah. Firs’ we presented him with a nice battle helmet – goblin-made an’ indestructible, yeh know – an’ then we sat down an’ we talked.’

  ‘What did he say?’

  ‘Not much,’ said Hagrid. ‘Listened mostly. Bu’ there were good signs. He’d heard o’ Dumbledore, heard he’d argued against the killin’ o’ the last giants in Britain. Karkus seemed ter be quite int’rested in what Dumbledore had ter say. An’ a few o’ the others, ’specially the ones who had some English, they gathered round an’ listened too. We were hopeful when we left that day. Promised ter come back next mornin’ with another present.

  ‘Bu’ that night it all wen’ wrong.’

  ‘What d’you mean?’ said Ron quickly.

  ‘Well, like I say, they’re not meant ter live together, giants,’ said Hagrid sadly. ‘Not in big groups like that. They can’ help themselves, they half kill each other every few weeks. The men fight each other an’ the women fight each other; the remnants of the old tribes fight each other, an’ that’s even without squabbles over food an’ the best fires an’ sleepin’ spots. Yeh’d think, seein’ as how their whole race is abou’ finished, they’d lay off each other, bu’ …’

  Hagrid sighed deeply.

  ‘That night a fight broke out, we saw it from the mouth of our cave, lookin’ down on the valley. Went on fer hours, yeh wouldn’ believe the noise. An’ when the sun came up the snow was scarlet an’ his head was lyin’ at the bottom o’ the lake.’

  ‘Whose head?’ gasped Hermione.

  ‘Karkus’s,’ said Hagrid heavily. ‘There was a new Gurg, Golgomath.’ He sighed deeply. ‘Well, we hadn’ bargained on a new Gurg two days after we’d made friendly contact with the firs’ one, an’ we had a funny feelin’ Golgomath wouldn’ be so keen ter listen to us, bu’ we had ter try.’

  ‘You went to speak to him?’ asked Ron incredulously. ‘After you’d watched him rip off another giant’s head?’

  ‘Course we did,’ said Hagrid, ‘we hadn’ gone all that way ter give up after two days! We wen’ down with the next present we’d meant ter give ter Karkus.

  ‘I knew it was no go before I’d opened me mouth. He was sitting there wearin’ Karkus’s helmet, leerin’ at us as we got nearer. He’s massive, one o’ the biggest ones there. Black hair an’ matchin’ teeth an’ a necklace o’ bones. Human-lookin’ bones, some of ’em. Well, I gave it a go – held out a great roll o’ dragon skin – an’ said, “A gift fer the Gurg of the giants –” Nex’ thing I knew, I was hangin’ upsidedown in the air by me feet, two of his mates had grabbed me.’

  Hermione clapped her hands to her mouth.

  ‘How did you get out of that?’ asked Harry.

  ‘Wouldn’ta done if Olympe hadn’ bin there,’ said Hagrid. ‘She pulled out her wand an’ did some o’ the fastes’ spellwork I’ve ever seen. Ruddy marvellous. Hit the two holdin’ me right in the eyes with Conjunctivitus Curses an’ they dropped me straightaway – bu’ we were in trouble then, ’cause we’d used magic against ’em, an’ that’s what giants hate abou’ wizards. We had ter leg it an’ we knew there was no way we was going ter be able ter march inter the camp again.’

  ‘Blimey, Hagrid,’ said Ron quietly.

  ‘So, how come it’s taken you so long to get home if you were only there for three days?’ asked Hermione.

  ‘We didn’ leave after three days!’ said Hagrid, looking outraged. ‘Dumbledore was relyin’ on us!’

  ‘But you’ve just said there was no way you could go back!’

  ‘Not by daylight we couldn’, no. We just had ter rethink a bit. Spent a couple o’ days lyin’ low up in the cave an’ watchin’. An’ wha’ we saw wasn’ good.’

  ‘Did he rip off more heads?’ asked Hermione, sounding squeamish.

  ‘No,’ said Hagrid, ‘I wish he had.’

  ‘What d’you mean?’

  ‘I mean we soon found out he didn’ object ter all wizards – just us.’

  ‘Death Eaters?’ said Harry quickly.

  ‘Yep,’ said Hagrid darkly. ‘Couple of ’em were visitin’ him ev’ry day, bringin’ gifts ter the Gurg, an’ he wasn’ dangling them upsidedown.’

  ‘How d’you know they were Death Eaters?’ said Ron.

  ‘Because I recognised one of ’em,’ Hagrid growled. ‘Macnair, remember him? Bloke they sent ter kill Buckbeak? Maniac, he is. Likes killin’ as much as Golgomath; no wonder they were gettin’ on so well.’

  ‘So Macnair’s persuaded the giants to join You-Know-Who?’ said Hermione desperately.

  ‘Hold yer Hippogriffs, I haven’ finished me story yet!’ said Hagrid indignantly, who, considering he had not wanted to tell them anything in the first place, now seemed to be rather enjoying himself. ‘Me an’ Olympe talked it over an’ we agreed, jus’ ’cause the Gurg looked like favourin’ You-Know-Who didn’ mean all of ’em would. We had ter try an’ persuade some o’ the others, the ones who hadn’ wanted Golgomath as Gurg.’

  ‘How could you tell which ones they were?’ asked Ron.

  ‘Well, they were the ones bein’ beaten to a pulp, weren’ they?’ said Hagrid patiently. ‘The ones with any sense were keepin’ outta Golgomath’s way, hidin’ out in caves roun’ the gully jus’ like we were. So we decided we’d go pokin’ round the caves by night an’ see if we couldn’ persuade a few o’ them.’

  ‘You went poking around dark caves looking for giants?’ said Ron, with awed respect in his voice.

  ‘Well, it wasn’ the giants who worried us most,’ said Hagrid. ‘We were more concerned abou’ the Death Eaters. Dumbledore had told us before we wen’ not ter tangle with ’em if we could avoid it, an’ the trouble was they knew we was around – ’spect Golgomath told ’em abou’ us. At night, when the giants were sleepin’ an’ we wanted ter be creepin’ inter the caves, Macnair an’ the other one were sneakin’ round the mountains lookin’ fer us. I was hard put to stop Olympe jumpin’ out at ’em,’ said Hagrid, the corners of his mouth lifting his wild beard, ‘she was rarin’ ter attack ’em … she’s somethin’ when she’s roused, Olympe … fiery, yeh know … ’spect it’s the French in her …’

  Hagrid gazed misty-eyed into the fire. Harry allowed him thirty seconds of reminiscence before clearing his throat loudly.

  ‘So, what happened? Did you ever get near any of the other giants?’

  ‘What? Oh … oh, yeah, we did. Yeah, on the third night after Karkus was killed we crept outta the cave we’d bin hidin’ in an’ headed back down inter the gully, keepin’ our eyes skinned fer the Death Eaters. Got inside a few o’ t
he caves, no go – then, in abou’ the sixth one, we found three giants hidin’.’

  ‘Cave must’ve been cramped,’ said Ron.

  ‘Wasn’ room ter swing a Kneazle,’ said Hagrid.

  ‘Didn’t they attack you when they saw you?’ asked Hermione.

  ‘Probably woulda done if they’d bin in any condition,’ said Hagrid, ‘but they was badly hurt, all three o’ them; Golgomath’s lot had beaten ’em unconscious; they’d woken up an’ crawled inter the nearest shelter they could find. Anyway, one o’ them had a bit of English an’ ’e translated fer the others, an’ what we had ter say didn’ seem ter go down too badly. So we kep’ goin’ back, visitin’ the wounded … I reckon we had abou’ six or seven o’ them convinced at one poin’.’

  ‘Six or seven?’ said Ron eagerly. ‘Well that’s not bad – are they going to come over here and start fighting You-Know-Who with us?’

  But Hermione said, ‘What do you mean “at one point”, Hagrid?’

  Hagrid looked at her sadly.

  ‘Golgomath’s lot raided the caves. The ones tha’ survived didn’ wan’ no more ter to do with us after that.’

  ‘So … so there aren’t any giants coming?’ said Ron, looking disappointed.

  ‘Nope,’ said Hagrid, heaving a deep sigh as he turned over his steak and applied the cooler side to his face, ‘but we did wha’ we meant ter do, we gave ’em Dumbledore’s message an’ some o’ them heard it an’ I ’spect some o’ them’ll remember it. Jus’ maybe, them that don’ want ter stay around Golgomath’ll move outta the mountains, an’ there’s gotta be a chance they’ll remember Dumbledore’s friendly to ’em … could be they’ll come.’

  Snow was filling up the window now. Harry became aware that the knees of his robes were soaked through: Fang was drooling with his head in Harry’s lap.

  ‘Hagrid?’ said Hermione quietly after a while.

  ‘Mmm?’

  ‘Did you … was there any sign of … did you hear anything about your … your … mother while you were there?’

  Hagrid’s unobscured eye rested upon her and Hermione looked rather scared.

  ‘I’m sorry … I … forget it –’