over dead leaves
sounded like a cl alrid was squinting
up the dark path, but after a few seds, the sound faded away.
”i k, ” he murmured. ”theres summat i shouldn
be.”
”a werewested.
”that wasn no werewolf an it wasn no uher,”
said hagrid grimly. ”right, follow me, but ow.”
they walked more slowly, ears straini
sound. suddenly, in a g ahead, somethiely moved.
”whos there?” hagrid called. ”show yerself -- im armed!”
and into the g came -- was it a man, or a horse? to
the waist, a man, with red hair a below that was a
horses gleami body with a loail. harry
and hermiones jaws dropped.
”oh, its you, ronan,” said hagrid in relief. ”how are yeh?”
he walked forward and shook the taurs hand.
”good evening to you, hagrid,” said ronan. he had a deep,
sorrowful voing to shoot me?”
”t be too careful, ronan,” said hagrid, patting his
crossbow. ”theres summat bad loose in this forest. this is
harry potter an hermier, by the way. students up at the
s this is ronan, you two. hes a taur.))
”wed noticed,” said hermioly.
”good evening,” said ronas, are you? and do you
learn much, up at the school?”
”erm --”
”a bit,” said hermioimidly.
”a bit. well, thats something.” ronan sighed. he flung back
his head ahe sky. ”mars is bright tonight.”
”yeah,” said hagrid, glang up, too. ”listen, im glad
weve run inter yeh, ronan, cause theres a uni hurt --
you seen anythin?”
ronan didnt aely. he stared unblinkingly upward,
then sighed again.
”always the ihe first victims,” he said. ”so it