Gryffindor Never Lacked Courage

"Going to Hagrid's to catch rats?"

Both Harry and Ron found the whole thing rather baffling. They both knew there were indeed quite a few rats in Hagrid's Hut, but... something about it felt strange.

"Do you two want to come along later?"

Hermione picked up Crookshanks and placed him on her lap, then took out the brush Albert had given her for Christmas from her robe pocket and began grooming the cat as she casually asked Harry and Ron.

"Yeah, we haven't been to see Hagrid in ages." Harry turned to Ron. "Want to come?"

"Of course." Ron nodded.

Ever since Buckbeak's escape, the three of them had stayed away from Hagrid's to avoid suspicion.

Now that the Buckbeak incident had long passed, no one was likely paying special attention to it anymore. It was a good opportunity to ask Hagrid what exactly had happened.

The three of them had always been curious about how Albert had made Buckbeak vanish into thin air—and where he had hidden the Hippogriff.

Hermione had asked Professor McGonagall about it before, but the Vanishment Charm clearly could not achieve that sort of result. At least, Professor McGonagall could not.

After a brief discussion, the three decided to visit Hagrid after dinner, lest catching rats leave them with no time to eat. Going hungry at night was not remotely fun.

Hermione found Albert while he was eating. "Want to go see Hagrid with us?"

"I have something to do. I'll head over later." Albert shot Lee Jordan, who looked like he wanted to say something, a look that told him to shut up, then continued eating.

Once Harry and the others had gone far enough away, Albert turned to Lee Jordan. "How's your Patronus Charm coming along?"

"I've got it now." Lee Jordan proudly