Gryffindor Never Lacks Courage

"Going to Hagrid's to catch rats?"

Both Harry and Ron found the whole thing rather baffling. They both knew there really were 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 set him on her lap, then took out the comb Albert had given her for christmas from her robe pocket and began smoothing the cat's fur 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 avoided going to see Hagrid in order to avoid suspicion.

Now that Buckbeak's affair had been over for quite some time, no one was likely paying special attention to it anymore. It was a good opportunity to ask Hagrid what had really 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 too, but the Vanishing Spell clearly could not achieve that sort of thing. 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 hardly fun.

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

"I've got something to do. I'll go over later." Albert gave Lee Jordan, who looked like he wanted to say something, a shut-up look and continued eating.

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

"I've got it now."