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The trouble was that February the twenty…fourth looked a lot closer from this side of Christmas； and he still hadn't done anything about working out the clue inside the golden egg。 He therefore started taking the egg out of his trunk every time he went up to the dormitory； opening it； and listening intently； hoping that this time it would make some sense。 He strained to think what the sound reminded him of； apart from thirty musical saws； but he had never heard anything else like it。 He closed the egg； shook it vigorously； and opened it again to see if the sound had changed； but it hadn't。 He tried asking the egg questions； shouting over all the wailing； but nothing happened。 He even threw the egg across the room…though he hadn't really expected that to help。
Harry had not forgotten the hint that Cedric had given him； but his less…than…friendly feelings toward Cedric just now meant that he was keen not to take his help if he could avoid it。 In any case； it seemed to him that if Cedric had really wanted to give Harry a hand； he would have been a lot more explicit。 He； Harry； had told Cedric exactly what was ing in the first task…and Cedric's idea of a fair exchange had been to tell Harry to take a bath。 Well； he didn't need that sort of rubbishy help…not from someone who kept walking down corridors hand in hand with Cho； anyway。 And so the first day of the new term arrived； and Harry set off to lessons； weighed down with books； parchment； and quills as usual； but also with the lurking worry of the egg heavy in his stomach； as though he were carrying that around with him too。
Snow was still thick upon the grounds； and the greenhouse windows were covered in condensation so thick that they couldn't see out of them in Herbology。 Nobody was looking forward to Care of Magical Creatures much in this weather； though as Ron said； the skrewts would probably warm them up nicely； either by chasing them； or blasting off so forcefully that Hagrid's cabin would catch fire。
When they arrived at Hagrid 's cabin； however； they found an elderly witch with closely cropped gray hair and a very prominent chin standing before his front door。
〃Hurry up； now； the bell rang five minutes ago；〃 she barked at them as they struggled toward her through the snow。
〃Who're you？〃 said Ron； staring at her。 〃Wheres Hagrid？〃
〃My name is Professor Grubbly…Plank；〃 she said briskly。 〃I am your temporary Care of Magical Creatures teacher。〃
〃Where's Hagrid？〃 Harry repeated loudly。
〃He is indisposed；〃 said Professor Grubbly…Plank shortly。
Soft and unpleasant laughter reached Harrys ears。 He turned； Draco Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherins were joining the class。 All of them looked gleeful； and none of them looked surprised to see Professor Grubbly…Plank。
〃This way； please；〃 said Professor Grubbly…Plank； and she strode off around the paddock where the Beauxbatons horses were shivering。 Harry； Ron； and Hermione followed her； looking back over their shoulders at Hagrid's cabin。 All the curtains were closed。 Was Hagrid in there； alone and ill？
〃What's wrong with Hagrid？〃 Harry said； hurrying to catch up with Professor Grubbly…Plank。
〃Never you mind；〃 she said as though she thought he was being nosy。
〃I do mind； though；〃 said Harry hotly。 〃What's up with him？〃
Professor Grubbly…Plank acted as though she couldn't hear him。 She led them past the paddock where the huge Beauxbatons horses were standing； huddled against the cold； and toward a tree on the edge of the forest； where a large and beautiful unicorn was tethered。
Many of the girls 〃ooooohed！〃 at the sight of the unicorn。
〃Oh it's so beautiful！〃 whispered Lavender Brown。 〃How did she get it？ They're supposed to be really hard to catch！〃
The unicorn was so brightly white it made the snow all around look gray。 It was pawing the ground nervously with its golden hooves and throwing back its horned head。
〃Boys keep back！〃 barked Professor Grubbly…Plank； throwing out an arm and catching Harry hard in the chest。 〃They prefer the woman's touch； unicorns。 Girls to the front； and approach with care； e on； easy does it。。。〃
She and the girls walked slowly forward toward the unicorn； leaving the boys standing near the paddock fence； watching。 The moment Professor Grubbly…Plank was out of earshot。 Harry turned to Ron。
〃What d'you reckons wrong with him？ You don't think a skrewt…？〃
〃Oh he hasn't been attacked； Potter； if that's what you're thinking；〃 said Malfoy softly。 〃No； he's just too ashamed to show his big； ugly face。〃
〃What d'you mean？〃 said Harry sharply。
Malfoy put his hand inside the pocket of his robes and pulled out a folded page of newsprint。
〃There you go；〃 he said。 〃Hate to break it to you。 Potter。。。〃
He smirked as Harry snatched the page； unfolded it； and read it； with Ron； Seamus； Dean； and Neville looking over his shoulder。 It was an article topped with a picture of Hagrid looking extremely shifty。
DUMBLEDORE'S GIANT MISTAKE
Albus Dumbledore； eccentric Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry； has never been afraid to make controversial staff appointments； writes Rita Skeeter； Special Correspondent。 In September of this year； he hired Alastor 〃Mad…Eye〃 Moody； the notoriously jinx…happy ex…Auror； to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts； a decision that caused many raised eyebrows at the Ministry of Magic； given Moody's well…known habit of attacking anybody who makes a sudden movement in his presence。 Mad…Eye Moody； however； looks responsible and kindly when set beside the part…human Dumbledore employs to teach Care of Magical Creatures。
Rubeus Hagrid； who admits to being expelled from Hogwarts in his third year； has enjoyed the position of gamekeeper at the school ever since； a job secured for him by Dumbledore。 Last year； however； Hagrid used his mysterious influence over the headmaster to secure the additional post of Care of Magical Creatures teacher； over the heads of many better…qualified candidates。
An alarmingly large and ferocious…looking man； Hagrid has been using his newfound authority to terrify the students in his care with a succession of horrific creatures。 While Dumbledore turns a blind eye； Hagrid has maimed several pupils during a series of lessons that many admit to being 〃very frightening。〃
'I was attacked by a hippogriff； and my friend Vincent Crabbe got a bad bite off a flobberworm；〃 says Draco Malfoy； a fourth…year student。 〃We all hate Hagrid； but we're just too scared to say anything。〃
Hagrid has no intention of ceasing his campaign of intimidation； however。 In conversation with a Daily Prophet reporter last month； he admitted breeding creatures he has dubbed 〃Blast…Ended Skrewts；〃 highly dangerous crosses between manti…cores and fire…crabs。 The creation of new breeds of magical creature is； of course； an activity usually closely observed by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures。 Hagrid； however； considers himself to be above such petty restrictions。
〃I was just having some fun；〃 he says； before hastily changing the subject。
As if this were not enough； the Daily Prophet has now unearthed evidence that Hagrid is