HARRY POTTER and the Prisoner of Azkaban CHAPTER 8
Chapter 8
THE FAT LADY DISAPPEARS
Defense Against the Dark Arts is Harry’s favorite class. After learning about boggarts, they study Red Caps. Red Caps are small creatures that live where violence happens: in castle dungeons, on battlefields. After Red Caps, they study kappas.
Kappas are creatures that live in water. They look like monkeys with scales. They kill people who swim in the water where they live. But Harry still hates potions class. Snape is meaner and meaner to him every class. Snape is also very mean to Neville Longbottom.
Snape heard about Neville and his boggart. Neville’s boggart looked like Snape. But Neville made the Snape boggart dress like his grandmother! Snape did not like that at all. Snape is acting like a bully to Neville. Harry does not like seeing Neville suffer so much.
And Harry hates Professor Trelawney’s Divination class. He thinks divination is fake. He does not think he will learn anything from tea leaves! And every time Trelawney looks at Harry, she cries. But other students in the class love her. And they talk to Harry like he is going to die soon!
And poor Hagrid. His Care of Magical Creatures class is very boring. He is afraid something bad will happen to a student. So, they only study small animals, like slugs and worms. “Why do we have to learn how to take care of flobberworms?” asks Ron one day. “They are the most boring and least dangerous creature of them all!”
But there is something exciting that is about to happen. Quidditch season is about to begin! Quidditch is Harry’s favorite sport. He loves it very much. And he is very good at it. He is the best Seeker at Gryffindor. But his team has not won a House Cup for many years.
Oliver Wood, the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, wants to win the Cup this year. “This is our last chance to win the Quidditch Cup,” he says before their first Quidditch practice. “At least, it’s my last chance. I graduate this year. I’ll never have another chance to win!”
“We’ve had bad luck. There were injuries one year. The tournament was cancelled last year. But we have the best team at the school!” The team is very excited by Oliver’s speech. They practice very hard. Rain or sun, cold or hot, they train three times a week.
One day after a very intense practice, Harry returns to the Gryffindor commons room. There are many students there. They are all very excited. “What’s going on?” Harry asks Ron and Hermione. “We’re going to Hogsmeade on the weekend,” says Ron. “It’s on Halloween day!”
Harry is very sad. “Harry,” Hermione says, trying to make Harry feel better, “I’m sure you’ll be able to go next time. I’m sure they’ll catch Sirius Black soon.” “Ask McGonagall if you can go, Harry,” says Ron. “She might let you come this time.”
But Hermione is angry with Ron. “Ron!” she yells. “Harry should stay in school. It’s too dangerous.” “But he will be the only third year who stays here! Go on, Harry, just ask McGonagall.” “Yeah, I think I will. You’re right. She might say yes.”
Hermione is about to argue with Ron. But at that moment, Crookshanks, her big orange cat, jumps into her lap. He has a large spider in his mouth. He begins to eat the spider. He looks at Ron while he eats the spider. “Keep that cat away from me, Hermione,” he says. “Scabbars is here in my bag.
Suddenly, the cat jumps onto Ron’s bag! “Hey!” Ron yells, surprised. He tries to close his bag, but the cat uses his sharp claws to attack Scabbars. “GET OUT OF HERE, YOU STUPID CAT!” Ron tries to pull the bag away from the cat. But the cat hangs on tightly with its sharp claws.
The cat is very angry! “Ron, don’t hurt him!” yells Hermione. Ron pulls the bag hard. And suddenly, Scabbars falls out of the bag, far away! Crookshanks jumps to catch him! “STOP THAT CAT!” yells Ron. Scabbars runs quickly under a desk. He escapes! Crookshanks cannot catch him. He tries to catch him with his claws under the desk.
Hermione picks up Crookshanks. Ron runs and picks up Scabbars. “Look at Scabbars!” yells Ron. “He looks like he’s about to die!” “Crookshanks doesn’t know he’s doing something wrong!” says Hermione. She is almost crying. “All cats chase rats, Ron!”
“There’s something different about that cat!” says Ron. “I said Scabbars was in my bag, and then he jumped at my bag!” “Oh, that’s silly, Ron!” yells Herione. “I think your cat wants to kill Scabbars!” Ron leaves the common room angrily. Ron is still angry with Hermione the next day. He does not talk to her in class all day…
