Homecoming from Hogwarts

May has arrived and June is approaching.

The sun stayed in the sky longer and longer. At seven o'clock in the evening, a bright moon with a missing corner was first seen in the southeast sky, while the clouds on the southwest horizon were still glowing with a blood-red glow.

In order to avoid the hot weather at five or six o'clock, Harry and his friends now have the habit of going to the playground to do exercises after dinner.

When the three of them arrived at the Quidditch field, Harry looked at the small cottage with a closed door and covered with red and gold gauze at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, and he sighed in disappointment.

Hagrid left school shortly after Voldemort's resurrection, and like Professor Brainiac, he had been missing for almost two months.

He knew that Hagrid was going to carry out the mission assigned by Professor Dumbledore, but he had not returned for such a long time that Harry could not help but worry whether Hagrid had met with some misfortune. After all, he did not possess the reassuring strength like Professor Braine or Professor Dumbledore.

Of course, Hagrid was most likely safe. If something happened to him, Dumbledore would not have been able to show up in the Great Hall on time for every meal in the past two months, chatting with Professor McGonagall and Snape, whose face was becoming increasingly gloomy, with a gentle smile.

The last time he chatted with Hagrid, it was not a very pleasant situation, because he refused to tell them what important task Dumbledore had entrusted him with, and Hagrid said that Dumbledore had asked him to do so.

This can't help but make teenagers, who are at an emotionally sensitive age, feel angry.

However, all this anger had dissipated in two months. Now, he was filled with worry about Hagrid, so he did not join Hermione and Ron in discussing what kind of questions Professor Brain would give to the warriors in the third trial of the Triwizard Tournament, which they had discussed many times in the past few days.

"If this continues, Harry--"

When they left the Quidditch field, the sky finally darkened. They walked towards the brightly lit castle against the students who came out for a walk in the breeze after dinner. Ron, the warrior, didn't have to take the final exams. Hermione fanned her flushed cheeks with her palms and said to Harry calmly,
"You're almost like the champion of Beauxbatons, Harry -"

Hermione said something odd, but Harry understood it and they had discussed it before.

Ever since Professor Blaine left Hogwarts, Fleur became listless, as if nothing in this school could arouse her interest anymore. She even ignored her classmates at Beauxbatons and spent most of her time alone.

"Hermione is right, Harry—"

Ron walked from Hermione's side to Harry's side, put his arm around his neck and said,
"You have to cheer up. Don't forget that Professor McGonagall has warned you that if you skip her class again, she will put you in detention until the end of the semester and ban you from going to Hogsmeade again."

Harry grunted in response to Hermione and Ron's friendly reminder.

Hermione and Ron saw his absent-minded look, looked at each other, and sighed at the same time.

In the Great Hall, at the Gryffindor table, Fred and George seemed to have told a joke, which made Neville laugh out loud. His hearty laughter attracted the attention of many young wizards and faculty members in the hall. Even Professor Dumbledore, who looked much calmer than usual tonight, couldn't help but smile.

But Harry was not interested in all this. He just glanced at the movement there and prepared to go upstairs.
"Ahem-"

Ron, who fell at the bottom of the stairs, suddenly coughed twice awkwardly, as if he wanted to say something but stopped himself.

"If you're going to go on a date with Lavender, just go ahead, Ron, there's no need to rack your brains to come up with excuses -"

Harry turned his head and said listlessly. In the quick glance just now, he had seen Lavender at the dining table casting an earnest look at Ron.

"What. I didn't--"

Ron obviously hadn't expected Harry's criticism to be so sharp, and coupled with Hermione's half-smile, his cheeks were redder than the setting sun.

"I'm not going to make excuses,"

Ron said vaguely,

"I just um, maybe I could use your Invisibility Cloak, Harry."

"Oh, sorry, I forgot."

Harry shrugged, pulled out the Invisibility Cloak from his bag, threw it to Ron over the stairs, then turned around and went straight upstairs. "I'm going to the library, Harry--"

When they reached the second floor landing, Hermione called Harry and said.

Harry just shrugged and said nothing, continuing to walk upstairs.

Looking at Harry's slightly dejected back, Hermione blinked her beautiful brown eyes, hesitating whether to tell Harry that the New York Ghost had reported that Professor Brain had left New York and had returned to England, but in the end, she said nothing.

Harry's biggest problem is that he regards all issues related to Voldemort as above all else. But Professor Dumbledore and Professor Braine, especially Professor Braine, have been trying to tell them that what they should do most now is to arm themselves with knowledge and focus on their current life.

Every summer, the sound of the evening breeze blowing through the forbidden forest is like the pleasant ebb and flow of the tide on a moonlit night.

Breathing the familiar scent in the air and looking at the castle he had been away from for nearly two months, a hint of joy unconsciously emerged on the corners of Amosita's mouth. He must admit that he has become more and more accustomed to life in Hogwarts.

A suppressed cry of pain suddenly came from the evening breeze, drawing Amosta's eyes to the marble stairs outside the hallway.

Looking at the two little guys who fell down in panic and supported each other and quietly slipped into the hall under the invisibility cloak, Amosta chuckled. He did not rush back to his office, but pointed his eyes at the lighted cottage at the edge of the forbidden forest. After hesitating for a moment, he started walking towards it.

Hagrid opened the window, letting the cool evening breeze take away the depression in the room. He turned around and saw Fang eyeing the dragon meat in his hand that he was using to treat his wounds.

"Oh, here you go--"

Hagrid impatiently threw the dragon meat next to the stove, and Fang rushed over like black lightning.

Dom carefully approached the table with the kettle, and under Dumbledore's smiling gaze, he tremblingly filled the two cups on the table with tea. Without waiting for Dumbledore to thank him, he shrank back into the shadow of the cupboard for fear of being an eyesore. Amosta was staring at the oil lamp thoughtfully and did not notice Dom.

"That's the thing, Professor Dumbledore, Professor Braine—"

Hagrid sat down on the bed, pressing the bed board into a visible arc. His black beetle-like shining eyes revealed sadness, and he said in a muffled voice,

"Gallop took the remaining giants. I guess they must have been taken away by the Death Eaters. I had to bring Grawp back. I couldn't leave him there. Gallop wouldn't let him go. Sorry, Professor Dumbledore, I screwed up."

"No need to apologize, Hagrid."

Dumbledore was silent for a few seconds, then his expression softened.

"I believe you have done your best, right? This is actually my inconsideration. The Death Eaters gave the giant the killing I could not promise. As for your brother, Hagrid, put him in the Forbidden Forest for the time being. I believe you can take good care of him, and it is indeed your duty."

Hagrid, with tears in his eyes, took out a handkerchief from his pocket and blew his nose heavily. Dumbledore's words touched his heart and made him sad.

Giants are a powerful force. If they appear on the battlefield in a head-on confrontation, it would be like a group of fire dragons rushing in. It would have a great deterrent and impact on the backbone of their side. According to Amosta's own thoughts, he still wants to nip this crisis in the bud. He doesn't mind running to the giant tribe again without stopping, but -
Glancing at Hagrid, whose shoulders were slightly shaking at the edge of the bed, Amosita sighed inwardly and gave up the idea.

Dumbledore seemed to know what Amos was thinking. Under the dim light, his sparkling blue eyes stared at Amos.

"Let's leave it at that, Amosta. We have new troubles now."

Although it was troublesome, Dumbledore looked calm. He took out a letter from his pocket and handed it to Amosta.
"From the Ministry of Magic, an owl was delivered to my office this morning."

Amosta unfolded the letter and read it. After scanning the words on it and the minister's seal on the lower right corner, a sneer flashed across his face.
"You want to send people to Hogwarts. Have you asked for my opinion?"

(End of this chapter)