4(3) THE KEEPER OF THE KEYS

Uncle Vernon roared. Pulling Aunt Petunia and Dudley into the other room, he cast one last terrified look at Hagrid and slammed the door behind them.

Hagrid looked down at his umbrella and stroked his beard.

“Shouldn'ta lost me temper,” he said ruefully, “but it didn't work anyway. Meant ter turn him into a pig, but I suppose he was so much like a pig anyway there wasn't much left ter do.”

He cast a sideways look at Harry under his bushy eyebrows.

“Be grateful if yeh didn't mention that ter anyone at Hogwarts,” he said. “I'm—er—not supposed ter do magic, strictly speakin'. I was allowed ter do a bit ter follow yeh an' get yer letters to yeh an' stuff—one o' the reasons I was so keen ter take on the job—”

“Why aren't you supposed to do magic?” asked Harry.

“Oh, well—I was at Hogwarts meself but I—er—got expelled, ter tell yeh the truth. In me third year. They snapped me wand in half an' everything. But Dumbledore let me stay on as gamekeeper. Great man, Dumbledore.”

“Why were you expelled?”

“It's gettin' late and we've got lots ter do tomorrow,” said Hagrid loudly. “Gotta get up ter town, get all yer books an' that.”

He took off his thick black coat and threw it to Harry.

“You can kip under that,” he said. “Don' mind if it wriggles a bit, I think I still got a couple o' dormice in one o' the pockets.”