Miss Slytherin

Book 3: Chapter 19

"I would've kicked him the balls, now that he deserves," Finley smiles as she saw the boys pale and squirm under her gaze.

On their walk down the hill, pumpkins were all around Hargrid's garden, extremely large too. What seemed to be a clothing line there hang dead ferrets, probably Buckbeak's final meal.

"This is mad," Finley mutters under her breath as she stopped in front of the curled Buckbeak who looked to be resting. She let her lion friends go ahead, she walked towards the Hippogriff cautiously, the animal looked up and taking a bow towards her in sign of respect.

"They shouldn't be executing you Beaky," Finley coos as she stroked the animal's head. This wasn't fair, and she despises Draco for suing an animal who acted on his instincts. For all she knew, Buckbeak was a gentle Hippogriff, proud and suspiciously narcissistic yes, but gentle indeed.

"Finley, Hagrid is making us tea," Harry called.

With one last mutters of Goodbye to Buckbeak, she heavy heartedly let go of the hippogriff and walked towards the hut right past Harry who gave her a confused look. Now realising that she was avoiding him in the most subtle way possible, he was going to confront her. But not now, not when one of Hagrid's beloved animals was getting executed.

"Look at him. Loves the smell of the trees when the wind blows through them," Hagrid sighed, he loved the hippogriff too much that everyone in the hut could feel the same pain in his voice. Ron and Hermione sat around the table where tea was set, while Finley sat on the arm chair next to Fang.

The slytherin girl stroked the dog's head distracting herself from the upcoming death. "Why can't we just set him free?" She heard Harry suggest.

If only it were that simple, then everything would be better. "They'd know it was me," Hagrid says.

"And then Dumbledore would get into trouble. He's coming down, Dumbledore," Hagrid continues, eyes still not leaving the sleeping Hippogriff just outside his hut beside the large pumpkins. "Says he wants to be with me when they... when it happens."

"Great man, Dumbledore. A great man," Hagrid went on, tossing something towards a worm of sorts.

"Hagrid, if you'd like. We'd stay with you too," Hermione suggests, turning towards Finley who only shook her head in disapproval.

Finley earned her warning from the headmaster, he allowed her and her lion friends to come down and comfort Hagrid. But not long enough to stay, not only that but Finley was still wary about being out the school after hours seeing as Sirius Black was still on the loose.

"We can't, we'll get in trouble with Dumbledore. And who knows if Sirius Black is still on the grounds," Finley explains, standing up and sitting next to Ron who began eating a treacle fudge that Hagrid laid out for them.

"And I'd hate to have you children see something like that," Hagrid adds. He poured Finley a cup of tea, hearing a small thank you from the girl. "You just drink your tea and be off."

"Oh. Before you do, Ron," Hagrid paused, walking towards a jar on a shelf. Taking out an old rat that Finley found familiar and at the same time felt confused. Rats like these don't survive as long as they pleased, or maybe it was another rat.

"Scabbers!" Ron gasped in surprise, holding out his hand and cradling the rat much to Finley's dismay. She's definitely a cat person. "You're alive!"

"I wished he died," Finley mutters glaring at the freakishly looking rat who seemed to look like a zombified rodent than a pet. And in which earned her a glare from her red head friend.

"Keep a closer eye on your pet Ron," Hagrid warned.

"I think you owe someone and apology," Hermione says, glaring at the boy and his rat.

The news of the supposedly dead rat shocking, with an argument ensued by both Hermione and Ron as the ginger had accused Hermione's ginger cat a rodent murderer. Finley thinking it was not a big deal, it was in the cat's instincts really, to hunt a rat. Her sweet Cassian went on his extremes and brought her back some rats too after his own venture around the castle when she was either busy with classes, with her extra lessons, or her doubling over pain.

"Right. When I see Crookshanks, I'll let him know."

"I meant me—" a jar shattered on the table, startling the group inside. Finley was the first one to take charge and check to see what caused it to shatter. It was a snail shell, odd it was.

"Blimey, what was that?"

"Ow!" Harry exclaimed rubbing the back of his neck in pain. "Are you alright?" Finley checked on Harry for a bit until something caught her eye in the distance.

"We should go," Finley says before looking back inside motioning for Hagrid to come see. The headmaster, the minister, and the executioner were walking down the hill. And if thy were caught in the hut after hours, it was for sure a severe punishment, especially for Finley as she was the one getting advanced lessons from him. Her only query was if she gets caught would her lessons stop too, and she couldn't afford that.

"If anyone sees you out of the castle you will be in great trouble, particularly you Harry," Hagrid says picking up a blanket and tossing on top of the worm like creature near the door.

"Quick, Quick!" Hagrid shoos the teenagers, Finley left behind still feeling sad for what was going to become of Buckbeak.

"Will you be okay Hagrid?" Finley asked the half-giant. She would hate to see the gentle man see his beloved animal companion to die, with a gentle smile Hagrid nodded.

"I'll be alright Finley, now go!" He says gently pushing her to the back door where the trio waited for their opportunity to escape.

Just as Hagrid let the older men in his hut, Finley tapped on Hermione's on shoulder in cue for them to run ahead behind the pumpkin pile.

"Next time, bring the invisibility cloak," Finley grumbled as she was out of breath speed walking down the slope leading to the pumpkin pile.

"I'll take note of that, thanks," Harry replied in exhaustion, peaking at the window where Hagrid opened, seeing Dumbledore's silvery hair on the back.

"Did you hear that?" Hermione asked in confusion.

Raising her eyebrow in curiosity, she looked towards the place where Hermione was looking. "Hear what?"

"I thought I saw," Hermione's voice trailed before she dropped the subject all together. "Never mind."

"Let's go," Ron whispers as he had a firm grip on his rat before running up the hill again. Finley being the one running behind the three of them, she could feel her shoulder start to burn again, doing her best not to wince in pain for her friends to not notice.

"Bye Beaky," she says towards the hippogriff just as she got on the first bit of steps on the slope, the animal making a sound as if it was a goodbye to her too. It was truly heart breaking.

Just as the four of them got on the hill, back to where the large stones where, they had the perfect view of the execution. It was time for the man with the large axe to drop it on Beaky's neck, and it took everything in Finley to not yell stop.

"This can't be happening," Finley whispers to herself, rubbing her hands on her arms soothing her goosebumps. As soon as the axe dropped and the crows flew away by the commotion, it was done. Buckbeak was dead, and they failed at saving him.

Finley could hear Hermione whimper in disdain, she felt a hand on her good shoulder. It was Harry giving her his own version of comfort that she couldn't help but embrace him. It was all truly unfair.

"Ow!" Ron gasped, causing Harry and Finley to snap their gazes towards Ron and Hermione who were as surprised as they were.

"He bit me. Scabbers bit me," Ron says before turning around to run after the runaway rat.

"Ron! Wait!"

'Bloody rat!' Finley grumbles as she ran after her friends who were running after a bloody rat. For some reason Finley wanted that rat dead and she never felt that type of emotions towards a defenceless animal before. And yet who knew.