star shopping ✰ d.m.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Professor Snape had demanded that they go back to the castle and let Professor Dumbledore handle the rest. Hermione, Ron, and Arabella didn't want to, but with Ron so badly injured, no idea of where Sirius and Harry had gone to, and a werewolf on the loose, they had no choice. Of course, they went straight to the hospital wing, and Hermione and Arabella stayed with Ron while Snape went to inform Dumbledore of what had happened. It wasn't until a half-hour later that they found out what had become of Harry and Sirius.

Arabella stayed by Ron's bedside as Hermione woke Harry up and told him what the Minister of Magic had done with Sirius.

"Listen, Harry," Hermione said, "they've captured Sirius. Any minute, the dementors are going to perform the Kiss."

"You mean they're gonna kill him?" Harry asked, jumping out of bed and putting on his glasses.

"No, it's worse. Much worse. They're going to suck out his soul."

Before Harry could respond, Professor Dumbledore entered the infirmary.

"Headmaster, you've got to stop them," Hermione pleaded. "They've got the wrong man."

"It's true, sir," Harry agreed. "Sirius is innocent."

"It's Scabbers who did it," Ron spoke up.

"Scabbers?" Dumbledore asked.

"He was my rat, sir. He's not really a rat. Oh, but he was a rat. He was my brother Percy's rat. But then they gave him an owl-"

"He wasn't a rat, Professor," Arabella cut him off. "He was an Animagus. Peter Pettigrew. We saw him tonight, but he escaped when Professor Lupin turned. You do believe us, don't you?"

"I do, Miss Weasley," Dumbledore said. "But I'm sorry to say the word of four 13-year-old wizards will convince few others. A child's voice, however honest and true, is meaningless to those who have forgotten how to listen. Mysterious thing, time. Powerful, and when meddled with, dangerous. Sirius Black is in the topmost cell of the Dark Tower. You know the laws, Miss Granger. You must not be seen. And you would do well, I feel, to return before this last chime. If not, the consequences are too ghastly to discuss. If you succeed tonight, more than one innocent life may be spared. Three turns should do it, I think." He made to leave but stopped. "Oh, and by the way... when in doubt, I find retracing my steps to be a wise place to begin. Good luck." And then he left.

"What the bloody hell was that all about?" Ron asked.

"Sorry, Ron, but seeing as you can't walk, and Bella isn't about to leave you anytime soon..." Hermione said, reaching into her shirt. She took out what looked like a necklace and threw the chain around Harry's neck so it was around both of them. Then she seemed to be doing something, but her back was turned to Ron and Arabella so they couldn't see. To the twins' astonishment, Hermione and Harry seemed to dissolve. But then, just a second later, they came running through the hospital wing doors, thoroughly confusing them.

"How did you get there?" Ron asked. "I was just talking to you there. And now you're there."

"What's he talking about, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know," Harry said. "Honestly, Ron. How can somebody be in two places at once?"

Eventually, Harry was scolded for being up and was given a large amount of chocolate by Madam Pomfrey. Around that time as well, Hermione was sent back to Gryffindor Tower, as her minor injuries had been treated and she wasn't family. She mouthed to Arabella to tell Ron about Draco before leaving.

Arabella sighed. She would much prefer it if she and Ron were alone, but Ron would most likely tell Harry anyway, so she went on.

"Ron, there's something I need to tell you," she said.

"Oh, no. You're not a murderous, raving lunatic, are you?" he said.

Arabella actually managed a laugh. "No, no, but, um... that day after the Quidditch match with the dementors when we were on our way back to the common room and I left to go to the library and you said there was something I wasn't telling you... you were right."

Ron looked confused now. "What do you mean?"

"I wasn't going to the library to work on that essay for Snape."

"Well, I already knew that."

"Let me finish. I was going to the library to... to study with Malfoy."

Ron's eyes widened. "Malfoy? As in Draco Malfoy? As in the git that faked an injury to try and get Hagrid sacked, Malfoy?"

"He didn't fake it. He just... overexaggerated it."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that made such a huge difference."

"Ron, please-"

"Bella, you do realize he's like the worst person ever? That his family are all Slytherins that support You-Know-Who? That his father gave Ginny that diary and made her open the Chamber of Secrets to get rid of all the Muggle-borns in our school? And two of your best friends just so happen to be Muggle-borns, and one of them he called a-"

"Yes, yes, I know, but you've got to listen to me. On the first day of term, he asked me to help him study, that he wanted to do better in school, and I agreed, on conditions that he would pay me and neither of us would tell anyone. He hasn't been rude to me all year and I've actually been able to buy things at Hogsmeade. And have you noticed that I haven't gotten in trouble once all year? Not a single detention or even a warning. That's his doing, too. I'm not trying to say he's an angel but he's not as bad as he makes himself out to be."

"You said you agreed not to tell anyone, yet you've just told me. Who else knows?"

"Seamus, Dean, and Hermione."

"Hermione knew? Hermione knew and she didn't tell me?"

"Oh, please don't be mad at her, Ron. She didn't mean any harm by it."

Ron sighed. "I really wish you would've told me sooner, Bella. Like, as soon as it happened."

"I know, I'm sorry. I was just afraid I'd lose you and everyone else. I know that's not an excuse. But can I ask you not to tell the others? I'll tell Ginny myself, but I don't want to deal with Fred and George quite yet. Or Percy. And Mum and Dad can never know."

[word count: 1092]
[written: 4/29/20]
[published: 5/31/20]