Astra

XXXVII - The Time Turner

"I'd -- I'd think I'd gone mad," said Harry, "or I'd think there was some Dark Magic going on --"

"Exactly! You wouldn't understand, you might even attack yourself! Don't you see? Professor McGonagall told me what awful things have happened when wizards have meddled with time... Loads of them ended up killing their past or future selves by mistake!"

"Okay!" said Harry. "It was just an idea, I just thought --"

But Hermione nudged him and pointed toward the castle. Dumbledore, Fudge, the old Committee member, and Macnair the executioner were coming down the steps.

"We're about to come out!" Astra breathed.

And sure enough, moments later, Hagrid's back door opened, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna, and Astra walked out of it with Hagrid.

"It's Okay, Beaky, it's okay..." Hagrid said to Buckbeak. Then he turned to the students. "Go on. Get going."

"Hagrid, we can't --"

"We'll tell them what really happened --"

"They can't kill him --"

"Go! It's bad enough without you lot in trouble and all!"

They watched as Hermione through the cloak over Harry, Ron, and Luna and cast the spells on herself and Astra, while said girl was trying to get the rat out of Ron's pocket.

"Go quick. Don't listen...."

There was a knock on Hagrid's front door. The execution party had arrived. Hagrid turned, around and headed back into his cabin, leaving the back door ajar. Their past selves had left, and now they were able to listen to what was going on in the cabin.

"Where is the beast?" came the cold voice of Macnair.

"Out -- outside," Hagrid croaked.

Macnair's face appeared at Hagrid's window, staring out at Buckbeak. Then they heard Fudge.

"We -- er -- have to read you the official notice of execution, Hagrid. I'll make it quick. And then you and Macnair need to sign it. Macnair, You're supposed to listen too, that's procedure --"

Macnair's face vanished from the window. It was now or never.

"Okay, no offense, but Luna and I are best at magical creatures. We'll be right back." Hermione scoffed a tiny bit, but knew she was right. So, she hung back with Harry as the other two girls made their way there.

As Fudge's voice started again, they darted out from behind the trees, vaulted the fence into the pumpkin patch, and approached Buckbeak.

"It is the decision of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures that the Hippogriff Buckbeak, hereafter called the condemned, shall be executed on the sixth of June at sundown -"

They nodded to each other and Luna went to untie the rope while Astra got Buckbeak's attention, making sure not to blink.

Buckbeak bowed as Luna got the rope undone.

"Come on, Buckbeak, we have to go now," Astra murmured. "Quietly... quietly..."

"... as witnessed below. Hagrid, you sign here..."

"Well, let's get this over with," said the reedy voice of the Committee member from inside Hagrid's cabin. "Hagrid, perhaps it will be better if you stay inside --"

"No, I -- I want to be with him... I don't want him to be alone..."

Footsteps echoed from within the cabin.