In the evening, when Hagrid was preparing dinner in the kitchen, an owl flew in from the window and threw a note on the table.
"Who sent it?"
Hagrid looked at the flying owl in confusion, wiped his hands on his apron, picked up the note, opened it and glanced at it, and was stunned by its contents.
There's been another attack at Hogwarts Castle!
Hagrid raised his head and looked at the castle through the window, his eyes filled with anxiety and fear.
This was definitely the worst news Hagrid had received in recent months, and the Muggle wizard attacked by the Slytherin heir was Hermione Granger, whom he knew.
To be honest, Hagrid liked this smart and kind girl very much. He had been at Hogwarts for so many years, and Hermione was one of the few students who had a good relationship with Hagrid.
After reading it, Hagrid threw the note into the fireplace and said to himself, "The mandrakes will be ready for harvesting and making medicine soon. She'll be fine. She'll be fine."
After being silent for half a year, the heir of Slytherin is now stirring again, which is undoubtedly bad news for Hagrid. What's worse is that according to Albert, if the attacks continue to happen, it will be his turn to be in trouble.
Even Hagrid had to admit that Albert's prediction was really accurate. Just a few hours after Hermione was attacked, an owl from the Ministry of Magic sent him a letter.
Even without reading it, you can guess what is written in it.
Any letter from the Ministry of Magic definitely doesn't contain any good news.
To be honest, Hagrid had no good feelings towards the Ministry of Magic.
After reading the letter, Hagrid knew that he would probably be sent to Azkaban.
Hagrid had stayed there for a while back then and it was a very bad experience.
He didn't want to go to Azkaban.
After a moment of panic, Hagrid decided to write to Albert, seeking his advice, and also Professor Dumbledore, who would surely know that he was innocent.
When Hagrid was considering asking Dumbledore for help, Albert's words resounded in his head: "Do you think they don't know that you are innocent? No, of course they know, it's just that you are the most suitable person to take the blame. After all, someone has to take responsibility for this matter."
Hagrid slumped dejectedly in the chair. The hound Fang seemed to sense his master's low mood and made whining sounds uneasy. He also kept rubbing his head against Hagrid, trying to provide some comfort to his master.
yes!
Albert had predicted that this day would come, which is why he said those words to himself at that time.
Hagrid took a deep breath, touched Fang's dog head with trembling hands, took out parchment and quill from the cabinet, and began to write a letter to Albert.
In fact, Hagrid's mind was in a mess and he had no idea what he should write to Albert.
If I were thrown into Azkaban Prison by the Ministry of Magic, someone would need to take care of my teeth. Should I entrust my teeth to Albert
This was a good idea, but Hagrid quickly remembered that Albert was also a Muggle wizard, and he was also at risk of being targeted by the heir of Slytherin.
He couldn't let Albert take the risk if even Albert was petrified!
No, Albert cannot be put at risk!
Nothing could happen to Albert.
cannot!
Hagrid crumpled up the scribbled parchment and threw it into the fireplace next to him. The ball of paper burned in the flames and soon turned into a pile of ashes.
Before Hagrid could write a letter to Albert, a paper airplane whizzed into the room from the window and landed steadily on the wooden table in front of Hagrid.
Hagrid quickly threw down his quill, picked up the paper airplane as if it were a treasure, carefully opened it, and concentrated on reading the contents.
It was from Albert, he guessed.
Hagrid read the contents of the letter over and over again, as if he wanted to remember every word of the letter firmly in his mind. Albert's letter and instructions gave Hagrid great encouragement.
"Yes, I'm innocent," muttered Hagrid.
The Ministry of Magic arrested innocent people and put them in Azkaban even though they knew they were innocent.
The purpose is to make him take the blame.
hateful!
Hagrid was so strong that he almost crushed the letter.
However, Albert believed that he would be released from Azkaban before the end of this semester, which gave Hagrid great confidence.
Hagrid was willing to believe Albert's words. Although he didn't want to go to Azkaban again, it was inevitable.
Even though Albert's letter strengthened Hagrid's confidence, the time from dinner to late night was still a painful ordeal for Hagrid.
It was the middle of the night and the lights were still on in Hagrid's hunting lodge as he waited for someone from the Ministry of Magic to come. In fact, Hagrid had been sitting there waiting for hours.
The sound of light footsteps outside made Hagrid tense up suddenly.
A few seconds later, there was a knock on the wooden door.
Hagrid flung the door open and found no one outside.
The next moment, Harry and Ron appeared without warning, and they sneaked out of the castle wearing invisibility cloaks.
"What are you two doing here?" Hagrid didn't understand why Harry and Ron would risk leaving the castle at this time.
"Have you heard about Hermione?" Harry put away his invisibility cloak and walked into the house.
Hagrid probably understood what the two were thinking. Albert had told him about this. Harry and Ron probably came to ask about the Chamber of Secrets.
"I heard about it." Hagrid's voice was a little choked. "Please sit down first. I'll make you some tea."
"Hagrid, what's wrong with you?"
Harry noticed that Hagrid was distracted. He kept looking nervously at the window and even knocked over the teapot. When he made them tea, he forgot to put in the tea bags and just poured them each a mug of boiling water.
"You shouldn't have come." Hagrid withdrew his gaze from the window and said quickly to Harry and Ron, "I know what you want to ask, but I'm afraid it's too late now."
"Too late for what?"
Harry and Ron didn't understand what Hagrid was talking about, and they heard Hagrid mockingly say, "The Chamber of Secrets has nothing to do with me. Albert even said that with my IQ, I can't even find the location of the Chamber of Secrets, let alone become the heir of Slytherin."
Harry and Ron looked at each other with some embarrassment on their faces. Hagrid obviously knew why they came to see him so late at night.
"If you want to know more, go find Albert." Hagrid looked out the window again. "By the way, remember to feed my teeth when I'm not around."
"What?"
Harry and Ron didn't understand what Hagrid meant by his last words, but at this moment there was a knock on the door.
Harry and Ron exchanged an uneasy look, then quickly retreated into a corner under their invisibility cloaks.
Hagrid opened the door only after he saw that the two men were hidden.
It was Dumbledore who knocked on the door.
Harry felt that Professor Dumbledore's gaze was particularly stern tonight, and behind him followed a short and fat wizard.
If you read the Daily Prophet regularly, it would not be difficult to recognize that this man is the current Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge.
What happened next was all within Albert's expectations. Because Hagrid had a so-called criminal record, the Ministry of Magic planned to continue to let him take the blame.
Professor Dumbledore was unhappy with this decision. He tried to persuade Fudge, but still couldn't change anything, just like he couldn't convince anyone back then.
All Hagrid could now hope was that Albert's prediction would be correct, and that he would be released from Azkaban before the end of the term.
As for the so-called precautions mentioned by Cornelius Fudge, they sounded ridiculous to Hagrid.
If they caught another person, they would let you go and apologize fully
This is the style of the Ministry of Magic, or as Albert said, it is very political.
"Will the Ministry of Magic apologize in the newspaper? I mean if I am proven innocent." Hagrid took a deep breath, stared at Fudge, and said this coldly.
Not only Fudge was stunned, but also Harry, Ron, and even Dumbledore were stunned. They did not expect Hagrid to make such a request.
This is the solution Albert gave to Hegarty.
"What did you say? I didn't hear you clearly?" Fudge spoke a little stutteringly. He didn't even look into Hagrid's eyes. No one expected Hagrid to be so determined. The tone did not sound like a threat, but it was saying to everyone: I am innocent, I am not afraid!
"If I am proven innocent later, will the Ministry of Magic apologize in the newspaper?" Hagrid took a deep breath again, loud enough for everyone present to hear clearly.
This time, there was no tremor in his voice, only firmness and confidence. He was willing to believe Albert, willing to believe that the other party had a way to prove his innocence, and even more willing to believe his prediction!
Yes, prophecy!
At this moment, even Dumbledore couldn't help but frown. He didn't expect Hagrid to be so tough all of a sudden. When his eyes met Hagrid's, Dumbledore knew the reason.
Yes, Hagrid didn't need to fear the Ministry of Magic at all, because he was innocent, and someone told him this clearly, which undoubtedly gave Hagrid the courage and confidence. Moreover, even if he slowed down his tone, it could not change the fact that he was about to go to Azkaban.
"Oh, that's... of course." Fudge stuttered.
When Hagrid thought about being imprisoned in Azkaban for several months, he looked at Fudge with even more displeasure. In particular, the little respect he had for the Minister of Magic in the past was gone now.
yes!
That kind of Fudge was not worthy of his respect.
Now, Hagrid is more willing to believe Albert and believe that he will clear his name.
Harry and Ron, hiding in the corner, watched all this in amazement. They didn't understand where Hagrid's confidence came from, but looking at Fudge who spoke hesitantly, Harry's mood suddenly became cheerful. He also felt that Hagrid was innocent, and that the Minister of Magic actually wanted to lock Hagrid up just because Hagrid had a so-called criminal record instead of having evidence. It was simply unreasonable.
Just then, there was another knock on the door.
Dumbledore went to open the door, and this time it was Lucius Malfoy who appeared at the door.
A guy that Hagrid hates so much.
Hagrid's intuition told him that Lucius Malfoy's appearance here must be bad news.
As it turned out, Hagrid's intuition was correct. It was indeed no good when Lucius Malfoy showed up at his doorstep.
The guy pulled out a piece of parchment from his pocket and announced in front of everyone that Dumbledore had been dismissed by the school board because: "Dumbledore failed to prevent these attacks."
This announcement undoubtedly frightened Fudge. Even Fudge's poor brain knew that if even Dumbledore couldn't stop the attack, who could
However, Fudge was powerless to prevent this from happening, just as Dumbledore was unable to prevent Hagrid from being thrown into Azkaban prison by the Ministry of Magic.
"You are the one who did this, right?" Hagrid stared at Malfoy unkindly. Albert once said that if someone wanted to drive Dumbledore away at this time, it was probably related to him.
"Here's a piece of advice for you." Lucius Malfoy's lips curled up into a smug smile, "The guards in Azkaban don't like people yelling at them like this."
"How many people did you threaten and blackmail to force them to agree to dismiss Dumbledore?" Hagrid gritted his teeth and said, "You are the one who did all this, right? You woke up the monster in the Chamber of Secrets and deliberately let it attack Muggle wizards. Now you have taken Dumbledore away, leaving no way for Muggle wizards to survive..."
"You're really like a mad dog biting people now." Malfoy didn't care about Hagrid's threat.
"Calm down, Hagrid." Dumbledore sternly stopped Hagrid's accusation. He turned to look at Malfoy and said, "If the board wants me to leave, I will certainly give up my position."
"But..." Fudge simply couldn't imagine how bad the situation would become and how much blame he would receive once Dumbledore left the school.
"Now, are you happy?" Hagrid glared at Fudge and said, "I think you also know that as long as Dumbledore leaves the school, murders will soon occur, and you will find that it is meaningless to put me in Azkaban prison."
"I believe your successor will be able to completely stop... the murders." Malfoy strode to the door of the cottage, opened it himself, and bowed to let Dumbledore out.
Lucius Malfoy's actions made Harry want to rush up and kick him in the butt, making him fall flat on his face.
The door to the hunting lodge was slammed as Hagrid followed Fudge out.
"This is troublesome." Ron pulled off the invisibility cloak and said anxiously: "With Dumbledore gone, who can stop the attack?"
"Albert!" said Harry suddenly.
"Don't forget, he's a Muggle wizard and on Slytherin's attack list," Ron reminded.
"No, I mean we should go talk to Albert. I think he knows a lot of things that we don't know. Maybe he is the only one who knows what is happening in the school now."
"Then we'd better hurry up before he gets attacked," Ron muttered, and followed Harry out of Hagrid's hunting cabin, leaving Fang scratching at the door.