Just like Brothers

Chapter 43

"Why don't we just untie Buckbeak and let him go." Draco said.

"We can't," Hermione whispered, "the Committee people need to see Buckbeak before we let him go. If we just let him go, they're going to think Hagrid freed him."

"Ok, so we go to Hagrid's, wait for us to leave, wait for the committee to see Buckbeak and then free him." Harry recapped as they walked across the grounds. "Hermione!" Harry said suddenly, "what if we just go in and grab Pettigrew..."

"No!" Hermione said in a terrified shriek, "don't you understand? We're breaking one of the important wizarding laws! We cannot be seen under any circumstances!"

"Hermione, what's the big deal? The only people that would see us is ourselves and Hagrid—" Harry yelped as Draco elbowed him in the ribs, "Oi! What was that for?"

"Because you're an airhead, we can't let anyone see us." Draco answered.

"Shut it!" Hermione said as they got closer to Hagrid's hut. "Let's hide behind this bush."

Draco, Hermione and Harry crouched down behind the bush and waited. Not too long after they arrived, they heard the door to Hagrid's hut open, Harry, Ron and Hermione came walking into the garden.

They could hear them arguing with Hagrid, the Hermione in the pumpkin patch wiped tears from her eyes. Hagrid shooed them out and Draco watched as they took off back to the castle.

"How long do we have to sit behind this bush," Draco complained, "I'm getting dirt on my robes and leaves in my hair."

"Be quiet, will you, we just have to wait until the committee members see Buckbeak," Harry groaned.

"Arse," Draco murmured under his breath. Harry went to retaliate but Hermione grabbed his robes.

"Look, over there, they're coming." She whispered pointing past the hut. Dumbledore, Fudge, the executioner Macnair and a few other committee members were among the execution party. Draco watched as the approached Hagrid's hut and knocked.

"Where's the beast?" Came the cold voice of Macnair.

"Out—Outside," Hagrid sniffed, opening the door wider, letting the execution party pass.

Macnair looked out the window and Harry, Draco and Hermione's heads ducked back behind the bush. They heard Fudge's voice coming from inside.

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

Macnair's face disappeared from the window and the teen's heads popped up again.

"Wait here," Harry whispered, "I'll do it."

As Fudge's voice started again, Harry leapt out of the bushes, vaulted the fence into the pumpkin patch and approached the Hippogriff.

"It is the decision of the Committee for Disposal of Dangerous Creatures that the Hippogriff Buckbeak, hereafter called the condemned, shall be executed on the 6th of June at sundown—"

Harry froze, did Fudge just say 6th of June. Something poked in the back of his mind, he had definitely forgotten to do something the day prior. What was it though? What had he forgotten? He shook his head, he couldn't worry about that right now, he had to free Buckbeak.

Careful not to blink, Harry stated up into Buckbeak's fierce orange eyes and bowed. Buckbeak sank to his scaly knees and then stood up again. Harry fumbled with the rope tying Buckbeak to the fence.

"...sentenced to execution by beheading, to be carried out by the Committee's appointed executioner, Walden Macnair..."

"Come on, Buckbeak," Harry murmured, "come on, we're going to help you."

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

Harry had thrown his whole weight onto the rope but Buckbeak has dug in his front claws.