Harry Potter and the Flying Squad (01) - Sahits

"Let's go ... There's somebody waiting for me."
"Really?" Ron looked surprised, then grinned. "Does this somebody happen to be ..."
Just barely, Harry managed to cut his friend short. "Wait and see ... I have to take something
for Hagrid."
"No dragon, I hope." This was Hermione.
They passed through the hidden entrance, both Ron and Hermione eager to see Hagrid's
delivery - if only for their peace of mind.
Exactly where he'd expected him, Harry saw a man standing with a dog at his side, the dog's
shape and colour not leaving any doubt if, by some crazy accident, these two weren't the right
ones.
Coming closer, he registered the moment when the man recognized him - one of the few
occasions at which a lightning-shaped scar had proved a benefit.
The man passed him the leash, pointed to a compartment behind, and left, without exchanging
a single word.
Ron had reached Harry with dog, said, "Of course, another pet for Hagrid, because for anyone
smaller, this beast would ..." Ron stopped in mid-sentence, examined the dog more closely,
turned to Harry with big eyes. "But that's ..."
"That's the dog for Hagrid!" Harry had accentuated every word sharply, now looked hard into
Ron's face, relaxing when he saw his friend had caught the message.
Hermione had caught it too. She kept silent, which perhaps was a discipline as heroic as
Harry's own when declining the Weasley offer, only her eyes were bright with surprise.
Her desire to listen was easily matched by Harry's impatience to tell. He said, "We have a
compartment with a special dog allowance ... Come in."
Of course, when entering, his friends registered the locked compartment next door at once,
looked at him questioningly, then hurried forward at realizing that they'd learn more only
behind closed doors.
In the open compartment, Harry made the dog jump onto the seat next to the window, sat
down at its side, feeling himself suddenly dwarfed. He turned around. "Ron - please tell Fred
and George to join us as soon as we've left the station ... No - don't ask me now, I'll explain
everything to all of you."
Ron opened his mouth, closed it, nodded, left.
Hermione fondled the dog, bent closer, whispered, "Hi, Sirius."
The dog's answer was a wagging tail and a quick slap with the tongue.
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