Stag and Doe ~ Harry Potter's Twin Sister

Chapter 10: Marauder's Map

It was the middle of the night when we got woken up by Ron's yells. The entire Gryffindor House, in pajamas, stand before McGonagall, who wears a pajama robe and an expression of singular irritation. I was tired because of the training me and Harry had done earlier with Professor Lupin. My bed was calling me, the Patronus charm took a lot of my energy but at least, I had managed to do it.

"That's preposterous, Weasley. How could Sirius Black possibly have got through the portrait hole?"

"I don't know how he got in! I was a bit busy dodging his knife!" Ron protested.

McGonagall looked at Ron's brother who was standing beside him. "Percy, have you seen Sir Cadogan?"

I zoned out of the conversation and laid my head on Fred's shoulder, my tiredness taking over. As soon as I was about to fall asleep, the group moved towards the paintings where the knight was.

"Sir Cadogan. Is it possible that you let a mysterious man enter Gryffindor Tower tonight?" McGonagall questioned him.

"Certainly, good lady! He had the password. Had the whole week's, in fact. On a little piece of paper." The painting explained.

"Which abysmally foolish person wrote down the passwords and then proceeded to lose them!" Every eye shifts once more, this time towards Neville. McGonagall sighs. "Is it always going to be you, Longbottom?"

"I'm afraid so, ma'am." He answered, looking down. I thought that it was a shame that Neville didn't believe in himself more, he could accomplish great things.

"While we know Sirius Black is gone tonight, I think you can safely assume he will, at some future time, attempt to return. Let me be clear. You are not to move about the castle alone. And you are not to write down the password! Understood!" A collective nod of the head and everyone walks away to their dorm rooms. "And remember. Act responsibly!"

As the students drift off, I sigh in defeat. Fred put his hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Hannah. It will all work out."

I smile and we part ways. It seemed like Sirius Black wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted: my brother and I's death.

.•°¤*(¯'★'¯)*¤° • °¤*(¯'★'¯)*¤°•.

Harry, Hermione, Ron and I were with Hagrid at the side of the lake. He had just come back from Buckbeak's hearing, Hagrid was wearing a gigantic, hairy brown suit and perhaps the world's funkiest yellow and orange tie, stands knee-deep in the shallows of the Black Lake, skimming rocks as big as a fat rat across the water's shiny gloss. As he turns, we catch a brief sight of his eyes, red with tears, then he looks away.

"How'd it go, Hagrid?" Hermione asked him from beside Ron while I was sitting beside Harry.

"Well, first off, the committee members took turn talking about why we were there." He threw another rock. "Well, I got up an' said my bit -- You know, how Buckbeak was a good Hippogriff an' as long as yeh treated 'im with respect, he'd treat you the same. Then Lucius Malfoy got up an' said his bit -- you know, how Buckbeak was a deadly dangerous beast that would kill as soon as he looks at ya'..."

"And then?" I asked, dreading his answer.

"And then he asked for the worst, Lucius."

"Not sacking you?" Ron exclaimed.

"I wish though I got sacked." He paused, the emotion getting to him and he dropped a bomb on us. "Buckbeak has been sentenced to death!" He cried out, dropping the rocks he had been holding. Anger flooded me quickly and I got up from my spot, approaching Hagrid.