jemina // sirius black

seventeen

Hagrid herded them to the back door as I threw a blanket over his Blast-Ended Skrewts. The Minister wouldn't take too kindly to them. When the Skrewts were covered, I moved to the window at the back. Once they were out the back door, I could body block the Minister and Albus from seeing them sneaking through the pumpkin patch. 

When he was confident that nothing inside the hut could get him in trouble, Hagrid went to the front door and opened it. 

"Hello, Hagrid," Albus smiled as he came through the door, the Minister and his executioner following closely behind. He glanced around the hut, his eyes landing on me as I stood in front of the window that I knew the children were looking in through. He nodded, "Jemina, I'm not too surprised to see you here."

"Hagrid is my friend, and I know how much he loves Buckbeak."

"Speaking of..."

The Minister went into his whole 'condemned to death' spiel, and while he spoke, I turned around and gave a stern look at the pumpkins they were ducked behind. I barely saw Aubrey's dark curls peak over, and then they darted off. I watched them as they left, doing my best to make sure that they were far enough from us that the Minister wouldn't see them when he went outside. When I was sure they were far enough, I started to turn away. 

I could have sworn I saw Hermione's bushy hair behind the pumpkin. 

"Minister, I would hope that you could have some compassion in your heart -"

"Not for a dangerous beast!"

"He's not dangerous," I scoffed quietly, seconding Albus' plead. Fudge turned to me, his eyebrow raised. I shrugged as he scowled deeply, "I have interacted with Buckbeak a dozen times, and he has never shown any signs of aggression. The only thing that could cause Buckbeak to attack someone is if they insult him because that is Hippogriff nature. That is his nature. Draco Malfoy was well aware of that warning, as were all of the students. He blatantly ignored his Professor's direction, and paid the price for his carelessness."

"Is that what you would say if it was your daughter?"

"Yes. My girls know better than to disobey a Professor, so it would never happen to them. Lucius Malfoy allows that boy to believe he can act however he wants because Daddy will get him out of trouble. Just like this. Draco made a mistake, and his father is forcing an innocent animal to pay the price. How is that justice?"

"I do not want to hear another word about this manner, we are here to execute a dangerous beast, not discuss one of the most highly-esteemed wizards in our community, and how he raises his son. Buckbeak will be executed."

I turned away, refraining from making any comments about how esteemed Lucius Malfoy was. My dislike of him was well known throughout the community, and even better known throughout the Ministry. I wasn't often quite about how much I detested Lucius, but I was here for Hagrid, not myself. 

So, I returned to looking out the back window. 

And I nearly had a bloody heart attack for it. 

There Hermione and Harry stood desperately trying to coax Buckbeak out of the pumpkin patch. 

But they didn't look the same as they had when they left. Both of them were covered in mud, both of them had bandaged cuts on their cheeks. 

As they were trying to lure Buckbeak from the patch, Harry looked up at the window, our eyes met and he smiled weakly. For a moment, there was a sense of recognition. 

This Harry knew I was his aunt. 

Fudge started to head outside, but Hermione and Harry were standing in the patch, Buckbeak was refusing to move, and I knew my nephew would get into loads of trouble if he was caught doing what he was doing. How he suddenly was there, I didn't know. Why there was a spark of familiarity between us, for the first time, I couldn't tell.