分卷阅读6（2 / 2）

Harry hadn’t eaten much. He’d not felt himself since that afternoon, after his time in the dungeons.

“I’m sorry it’s been so long,” Harry replied. Again.

“Not yer fault, is it? I understan’ not wantin’ to be bothered an’ all,” Hagrid replied, although Harry did not believe he was happy to be excluded from Harry’s life for so long. No one had been.

Fang howled suddenly, making the both of them jump.

Hagrid stood quickly, hurrying over to the window and pulling back the curtain. The sun had set maybe half an hour earlier, and the candle light reflected off the window from where Harry sat, making it difficult to see out of the glass. Hagrid, however, seemed to have spotted something.

“Damn wolf,” he muttered.

“Wolf?” Harry asked, standing up at joining Hagrid at the window, which was not an easy task, seeing how much space Hagrid took up.

There, at the edge of the forest, stood a white wolf.

“He keeps comin’ out of the forest, he does, an’ getting real close to the grounds. I don’ like it one bit, but McGonagall told me I shouldn’ worry abou’ it. Says he doesn’ go abou’ killing anything an’ so who am I to kick him out? I say jus’ because he hasn’t killed summat yet doesn’ mean he won’t,” Hagrid said, with distaste.

Harry was surprised. Hagrid normally loved animals, especially ones with potential to kill.

“Why don’t you try and feed him to make sure he doesn’t kill anything?” Harry offered. He couldn’t take his eyes off the wolf outside. It slunk along the edge of the forest, but not in a way that suggested sneaking. The elegance in its movement almost seemed learned, the way it held its haunches, the movement of its tail, even the way it cocked its ears. There was an air of dignity about it that Harry did not associate with wild animals.

“I don’t like “im. He’s just not righ’, Harry,” Hagrid eyed the animal suspiciously.

Harry agreed that the wolf wasn’t right, but he didn’t think it was bad. He sat with Hagrid half an hour more, all the while his mind unable to move on from the wolf. Finally, he found it had been long enough for him to leave without appearing rude, and made to do so.

Hagrid caught him in a bone crushing hug before he made his way out of the door.

“I missed yeh, Harry. Don’ be a stranger,” he said squeezing all the breath out of Harry.

“I won’t, Hagrid,” Harry laughed.

“An’ be careful on yer way back up to the castle,” Hagrid warned. “Tha’ wolf, yeh know.”

“Right,” Harry nodded.

He shoved his hands in his pockets and began the walk back to the castle. It felt strange. It was his second time making the trek today and about his thousandth time making it in his life, but somehow, it felt longer.