CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts,” said Hagrid fiercely.
“Yeh’ve done wrong an’ now yeh’ve got ter pay fer it.”
“But this is servant stuff, it’s not for students to do. I thought
we’d be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing
this, he’d —”
“— tell yer that’s how it is at Hogwarts,” Hagrid growled.
“Copyin’ lines! What good’s that ter anyone? Yeh’ll do summat use-
ful or yeh’ll get out. If yeh think yer father’d rather you were ex-
pelled, then get back off ter the castle an’ pack. Go on!”
Malfoy didn’t move. He looked at Hagrid furiously, but then
dropped his gaze.
“Right then,” said Hagrid, “now, listen carefully, ’cause it’s dan-
gerous what we’re gonna do tonight, an’ I don’ want no one takin’
risks. Follow me over here a moment.”
He led them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up
high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disap-
peared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as
they looked into the forest.
“Look there,” said Hagrid, “see that stuff shinin’ on the ground?
Silvery stuff? That’s unicorn blood. There’s a unicorn in there bin
hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found
one dead last Wednesday. We’re gonna try an’ find the poor thing.
We might have ter put it out of its misery.”
“And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?” said
Malfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.
“There’s nothin’ that lives in the forest that’ll hurt yeh if yer with
me or Fang,” said Hagrid. “An’ keep ter the path. Right, now, we’re
gonna split inter two parties an’ follow the trail in diff ’rent direc-
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