The carriages rolled slowly along the road, wheels creaking as their bodies swayed.
They passed between the towering stone pillars flanking the school gates. Statues of boars poised to take flight crowned the pillars, lending them a solemn grandeur.
Harry leaned forward, straining to see through the night whether any light shone from the windows of Hagrid's Hut at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. But only deep darkness greeted him across the grounds.
Hogwarts Castle gradually emerged from the haze, its tall towers looking darker still against the night sky.
The carriage finally lurched to a stop beside the broad stone steps leading to the Castle's oak doors, and Harry jumped out at once. He looked back toward the Forbidden Forest, searching for the faintest glimmer from Hagrid's Hut, but it remained dark and still.
"Hagrid hasn't really left Hogwarts, has he?" Ginny asked anxiously.
"I'd celebrate if he had," Luna said offhandedly. "He's hardly a brilliant teacher, is he?"
"No, Hagrid's a brilliant Care of Magical Creatures teacher!" Harry, Ron, and Ginny protested almost in unison, their voices full of indignation.
Harry then shot a displeased glance at Hermione and Jerry, who had stayed silent. What's with you two?
"Ahem!" Hermione cleared her throat softly and hurried to agree. "Yes, exactly." Jerry nodded along.
"Oh, come on. Everyone in my house thinks Hagrid's just careless," Luna said with a breezy shrug.
"That only proves Ravenclaw students have a terrible sense of humor," Ron shot back.
Luna took no offense. Instead, she watched Ron with interest for a moment, as though he were a mildly entertaining television show.
"Jerry, did Professor Dumbledore tell you where Hagrid went?" Harry asked quietly.
"I only saw Dumbledore twice over the Summer Vacation," Jerry replied, keeping his voice low. "But remember when we