Hermione simply stared at him, her mouth open.

“Hagrid, when you say ‘brother’,” said Harry slowly, “do you mean—?”

“Well—half-brother,” amended Hagrid. “Turns put me mother took up with another giant when she left me dad, an’ she went an’ had Grawp here—”

“Grawp?” said Harry.

“Yeah… well, tha’s what it sounds like when he says his name,” said Hagrid anxiously. “He don’ speak a lot of English… I’ve bin tryin’ ter teach him… anyway, she don’ seem ter have liked him much more’n she liked me. See, with giantesses, what counts is producin’ good big kids, and he’s always been a bit on the runty side fer a giant—on’y sixteen foot—”

“Oh, yes, tiny!” said Hermione, with a kind of hysterical sarcasm. “Absolutely minuscule!”

“He was bein’ kicked aroun’ by all o’ them—I jus’ couldn’ leave him—”

“Did Madame Maxime want to bring him back?” asked Harry.

“She—well, she could see it was right importan’ ter me,” said Hagrid, twisting his enormous hands. “Bu’—bu’ she got a bit tired o’ him after a while, I must admit… so we split up on the journey home… she promised not ter tell anyone, though…”

“How on earth did you get him back without anyone noticing?” said Harry.

“Well, tha’s why it took so long, see,” said Hagrid. “Could on’y travel by nigh’ an’ through wild country an’ stuff. Course, he covers the ground pretty well when he wants ter, but he kep’ wantin’ ter go back.”

“Oh, Hagrid, why on earth didn’t you let him!” said Hermione, flopping down on to a ripped up tree and burying her face in her hands. “What do you think you’re going to do with a violent giant who doesn’t even want to be here!”

“Well, now—‘violent’—tha’s a bit harsh,” said Hagrid, still twisting his hands agitatedly. “I’ll admit he mighta taken a couple o’ swings at me when he’s bin in a bad mood, but he’s gettin’ better, loads better, settlin’ down well.”

“What are those ropes for, then?” Harry asked.

He had just noticed ropes thick as saplings stretching from around the trunks of the largest nearby trees towards the place where Grawp lay curled on the ground with his back to them.

“You have to keep him tied up?” said Hermione faintly.

“Well… yeah…” said Hagrid, looking anxious. “See—it’s like I say—he doesn’ really know ’is own strength.”

Harry understood now why there had been such a suspicious lack of any other living creature in this part of the Forest.

“So, what is it you want Harry and Ron and me to do?” Hermione asked apprehensively.

“Look after him,” said Hagrid croakily. “After I’m gone.”

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<== попередня сторінка	\|	наступна сторінка ==>
Harry looked from her to Hagrid and then, as realisation hit him, he looked back at the mound with a small gasp of horror.	\|	Harry and Hermione exchanged miserable looks, Harry uncomfortably aware that he had already promised Hagrid that he would do whatever he asked.

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