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[[../../../Characters/Rubeus Hagrid|Hagrid]] invites Harry and Ron to tea. When they see Hagrid's best suit hanging out, they suddenly remember that [[../../../Characters/Buckbeak|Buckbeak]]'s hearing is that Friday, and they are dismayed that they forgot their promise to help with his defense. Hagrid tells them that [[../../../Characters/Hermione Granger|Hermione]] is very upset that no one is talking to her, and he tells them that friends are more important than pet rats or new brooms. Chastised, they return to the castle at around 9:00 p.m.
A Hogsmeade visit is scheduled for that weekend, and Harry plans to sneak in wearing his [[../../../Magic/Invisibility Cloak|Invisibility cloakCloak]]. Neville and [[../../../Characters/Severus Snape|Professor Snape]] nearly prevent him from getting to the One-eyed Witch passagel, but he evades them and meets Ron in [[../../../Places/Hogsmeade|Hogsmeade]]. They visit the Post Office and Zonko's Joke Shop, then head to [[../../../Places/The Shrieking Shack|the Shrieking Shack]]. While he and Ron are discussing the Shack's reputation as the most haunted building in Britain, Ron is approached by [[../../../Characters/Draco Malfoy|Draco]], [[../../../Characters/Vincent Crabbe|Crabbe]], and [[../../../Characters/Gregory Goyle|Goyle]]. They start insulting Ron, but Harry attacks them. In the fracas, Harry's Invisibility Cloak slips down, revealing his head. Draco panics and runs off, and Harry rushes back to Hogwarts through the secret passage, discarding the Cloak at the bottom of the entrance. He exits at the Hogwarts end and closes the passage but is immediately apprehended by Snape and taken to his office. Snape says Draco reported seeing Harry's head in Hogsmeade, and demands to know what Harry was doing there. Snape reveals that although Harry's father [[../../../Characters/James Potter|James]], once saved his (Snape's) life, it was because he and his friends had played a potentially fatal trick on him. He claims James got cold feet and warned him at the last minute only to protect ''himself''. When Snape orders Harry to turn out his pockets, he finds the [[../../../Magic/Marauder's Map|Marauder's Map]]. He demands it reveal its contents, but the Map's four authors, Moony, Prongs, Padfoot, and Wormtail, each respond with an insult. Snape summons [[../../../Characters/Remus Lupin|Professor Lupin]] and asks if the map contains Dark Magic. Although Lupin seems taken aback when he sees the map, he responds that it looks like a common joke scroll. Ron bursts in, saying thatclaiming he bought it at Zonko's ages ago. Lupin says that settles it, and, collecting Ron, Harry, and the map, departs. Lupin sternly tells Harry he knows it is a map, that he did in fact knowknew the creators, and that he cannot return it—not after what happened when someone else left information lying about. He also says the creators would have wanted to lure Harry from the castle, and that risking his life is a poor way to repay his parents for their sacrifice.
As theyHarry and Ron approach the Gryffindor Common room, they meet Hermione who is almost in tears. She tells them Hagrid lost his case, and Buckbeak is to be executed.
== Analysis ==
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