MILLIES POV
"I just can't believe it, Millie!"
"Yeah."
"After all that work - I bet it wasn't even a fair appeal!"
"I know."
"I just hope Hagrid's okay."
"Yeah."
Mione swivelled her body round on the bench so that she was fully facing me, a confused look on her face.
"What's wrong?"
"What?" I said, shaking my head and pulling a plate of potatoes towards me. "Nothing, I'm fine-"
"You never give me one word answers," she pressed slowly, leaning her face in front of mine. "Tell me what's wrong."
"Mione!" I whined, pushing her away. She continued staring at me while I put some steak and kidney pudding onto my plate, sending her sideways glances. I finally broke, rolling my eyes, before blurting, "I really regret breaking up with Harry, Mione! I miss being with him so much, and every day it gets harder to control myself around him because all he does is flirt with me but then as soon as we get close to a kiss or something he stops. I'm so confused!"
"Well," Mione said quietly, after a short pause, "I think you did the right thing. Harry deserved to be broken up with that night, and if you hadn't done it then, who knows what might've happened? I reckon this whole thing will just bring you closer together. And I'm not being funny, Millie, but Harry's probably scared of being rejected or hurting you again, that's why. He definitely likes you, though, I can tell. Merlin, everyone can tell except you and Harry!"
I laughed wearily, my eyes automatically glancing down the table to where Harry was sat with his boys - or was sat. I straightened up, squinting in case I was just being blind; but both Harry and Ron were missing. I had just opened my mouth to point this out to Mione, when I felt two people appear behind me, and knew instantly who they were.
"Girls," Harry whispered, tapping both of us on the shoulder. "I've got the cloak hidden down the front of my robes, let's go."
"Mmm right," I muttered, hastily grabbing a small cake and stuffing it into my mouth.
"I'd hurry up if I were you," whispered Ron, in a sing-song voice. "Harry's had to keep his arms folded on his lap the whole time to cover it, people might think he's got a bon-"
"Okay, let's go," Mione quickly interrupted, grabbing my arm and dragging me out of the Hall.
"In here," Ron hissed, guiding us into an empty chamber off the Entrance Hall. "Hermione, make sure it's empty."
Mione poked her head around the door, then whispered, "It's okay, no-ones there. Put the Cloak on..."
Walking very close together so that nobody would see us, we crossed the Hall on tiptoe beneath the Cloak, then walked down the stone front steps into the grounds. The sun was already sinking behind the Forbidden Forest, gliding the top branches of the trees.
We reached Hagrid's cabin and knocked. He was a minute in answering, and when he did, he looked all around for his visitor, pale-faced and trembling.
"It's us," Harry hissed, gently wrapping his hand around the back of my school shirt and pulling me backwards. "We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off."
"I told Austin to tell yeh not ter come!" Hagrid whispered, but he stood back, and we stepped inside. Hagrid shut the door quickly and Harry pulled the Cloak off us.
Hagrid was not crying, nor did he throw himself upon our necks. He looked like a man who did not know where he was or what to do. This helplessness was worse to watch than tears.
"Wan' some tea?" he croaked. His great hands were shaking as he reached for the kettle.
"Where's Buckbeak?" I said hesitantly, fiddling with the end of my skirt.
"I - I took him outside," Hagrid answered, spilling milk all over the table as he filled up the jug. "He's tethered in me pumpkin patch. Thought he oughta see the trees an' - an' smell fresh air - before-"
Hagrid's hand trembled so violently that the milk jug slipped from his grasp and shattered all over the floor.
"I'll do it, Hagrid," said Mione, hurrying over and starting to clean up the mess.
I quickly followed her, grabbing my wand and muttering, "Evanesco." The glass disappeared.
"There's another one in the cupboard," Hagrid said wearily, dropping down and wiping his forehead on his sleeve. I glanced up at Mione, who looked back hopelessly.
"Isn't there anything anyone can do, Hagrid?" I asked, sitting down next to Ron. "Dumbledore-"
"He's tried," said Hagrid miserably, sending me a sad smile. "He's got no power ter overrule the Committee. He told 'em Buckbeak's all right, but they're scared...yeh know what Lucius Malfoy's like...threatened 'em, I expect...an' the executioner, Macnair, he's an old pal o' Malfoy's...but it'll be quick an' clean...an' I'll be beside him..." Hagrid swallowed. His eyes were darting all over the cabin, as though looking for some shred of hope or comfort. "Dumbledore's gonna come down while it - while it happens. Wrote me this mornin'. Said he wants ter - ter be with me. Great man, Dumbledore-"
Mione, who had been rummaging in Hagrid's cupboard for another milk jug, let out a small, quickly stifled sob. She straightened up, trying to reach the top of the shelf, fighting back tears. Harry stood up and went over to her, reaching his hand up and grabbing the new jug, handing it to Mione. He then leant his back against the counter, crossing his arms and staring down at the floor blankly.
"Thanks..." she mumbled, before turning back to Hagrid. "We'll stay with you, too, Hagrid-"
"Yeh've ter go back up ter the castle," Hagrid said instantly, shaking his shaggy head. "I told yeh, I don' wan' yeh watchin'. An' yeh shouldn' be down here anyway...if Fudge an' Dumbledore catch yeh out without permission, Harry, yeh'll be in big trouble..."
Harry only flicked his head up slightly at this, keeping his gaze on the floor. Silent tears were now streaming down Mione's face, but she hid them from Hagrid, bustling around making tea. I wanted to go and hug her, but I knew it would probably set Hagrid off, too. Then, as she picked up the milk bottle to pour some into the jug, she let out a shriek.
"Ron! I - I don't believe it - it's Scabbers!"
My mouth dropped open, while Ron gaped at her.
"What are you talking about?"
Mione carried the milk jug over to the table and turned it upside-down. With a frantic squeak, and much scrambling to get back inside, Scabbers came sliding out onto the table. After all the arguments - I felt like laughing.
"Scabbers?" said Ron blankly, bending down with a shocked expression. "Scabbers, what are you doing here?"
He grabbed the struggling rat and held him up to the light. Scabbers looked dreadful. He was thinner than ever, large tufts of hair had fallen out leaving wide bald patches, and he writhed in Ron's hands as though desperate to free himself.
"It's okay, Scabbers!" said Ron, clutching the rat to his chest. "No cats! There's nothing here to hurt you-!"
Hagrid suddenly stood up, his eyes fixed on the window. His normally ruddy face had gone the colour of parchment.
"They're coming..."
I whipped around; a group of men were walking down the distant castle steps. In front was Dumbledore, his silver beard gleaming in the dying sun. Next to him trotted Fudge. Behind them came the feeble old Committee member and the executioner, Macnair.
"Yeh gotta go," said Hagrid frantically, standing up. Every inch of him was trembling. "They musn' find yeh here...go on, now..."
Ron stuffed Scabbers into his pocket and Mione grabbed the Cloak.
"I'll let yeh out the back way," Hagrid said, gesturing to the door.
We followed him into his back garden. I felt strangely unreal, and even more so when I saw Buckbeak a few yards away, tethered to a tree behind Hagrid's pumpkin patch. The Hippogriff seemed to know something was happening. He turned his sharp head from side to side, and pawed the ground nervously.
"It's okay, Beaky," said Hagrid softly, blowing him a kiss. If it wasn't such a serious situation, I would've laughed. I tried not to catch Ron's eye, knowing I would. "It's okay..." Hagrid turned to us. "Go on," he said, "get goin'."
But I didn't move.
"Hagrid, I can't - I'll tell him what really happened - they can't kill him-"
"Millie, go!" Hagrid insisted, patting me lightly on the shoulder with his gigantic hand. I tried not to make my knees buckle. "It's bad enough without you in trouble an' all!"
I had no choice. Harry grabbed my wrist and pulled me into him, as Mione threw the Cloak over the four of us. I could feel the timeturner against my chest and I quickly grasped it from over my shirt, in fear it would accidentally turn or something. I heard voices at the front of the cabin, and Hagrid looked at the direction they were coming from, then at the place we had just vanished from sight.
"Go quick," he whispered hoarsely. "Don' listen..."
And he strode back into his cabin as someone knocked at the front door.
There was a short silence, before Harry muttered, "Come on...", and the four of us set off around Hagrid's house. Just as we reached the other side, the front door closed with a sharp snap.
"Please, let's hurry," Mione whispered, wiping her damp eyes with her sleeve. "I can't stand it, I cant bear it..."
We started up the sloping lawn towards the castle. The sun was sinking fast now; the sky had turned to a clear, purple-tinged grey, but to the west there was a ruby-red glow. I kept glancing back at Hagrid's hut guiltily, feeling my heart hammering against my chest, but every time I even thought about sneaking back, Harry would tug on my shirt and I would be forced to follow him.
"You don't want to watch this, Mills, trust me," he whispered, taking my wrist once again.
"You said that last time, didn't you?" I said fiercely, out of pure desperation. "'Buckbeak's going to be fine, trust me', and now look..." I bit my lip to stop myself from crying as I heard Mione give another loud sob. Harry stared at me, guilt swimming in his emerald eyes. "Sorry..." I muttered, shaking my head helplessly. My stomach flipped as I felt Harry's hand slide from my wrist to my hand, hesitantly entwining our fingers. I turned my head to look at him again, watching as his eyes slowly travelled down my face-
Ron stopped dead, making me crash right into him.
"Ronny!" I hissed, ripping my hand from Harry and shoving Ron forwards, but he just stopped again.
"Oh, please, Ron," Mione begged, sending anxious glances back to Hagrid's cabin.
"What is it, mate?" said Harry, seeing his friends troubled expression.
"It's Scabbers - he won't - stay put-"
Ron bent over, trying to kept Scabbers in his pocket, but the rat was going berserk, squeaking madly, twisting and flailing, trying to sink his teeth into Ron's hand.
"Scabbers, it's me, you idiot, it's Ron," Ron hissed desperately, fighting with the tiny creature.
"Why's he doing that?" I questioned, tilting my head up to the sky when I suddenly heard a loud whistling sound; a beautiful sight met my eyes as I spotted a golden eagle soaring above us, it's white tail shining in the setting-sun. Warmth and comfort seemed to rush through me as I watched it, and only forced myself to look away when I realised something. "Ron, I think it's because of that eagle," I said, gesturing to it - but it was already in the distance, looking as though it was flying towards the castle. "Eagles eat rats, don't they?"
Scabbers, if possible, began to wiggle and squeak even more wildly at my words, but before Ron could answer, I suddenly heard a door open behind us and men's voices.
"Oh, Ron," Mione breathed, clinging onto my arm, "please let's move, they're going to do it!"
"Okay - Scabbers, stay put-"
Harry grabbed both Mione and I's wrists and began pulling us forwards behind Ron, who was still fighting with his pet; I was trying not to listen to the rumble of voices behind me...Ron stopped again.
"Ron-!"
"I can't hold him!" he hissed, looking very panicked. "Scabbers, shut up, everyone'll hear us-"
The rat was squealing madly, but not loudly enough to cover up the sounds drifting from Hagrid's garden. There was a jumble of indistinct male voices, a silence, and then, without warning, the unmistakable swish and thus of an axe.
Harry dug his fingers into my wrist so tightly it hurt.
"They did it," Mione breathed, freezing. "I d-don't believe it - they did it!"
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Thank you so so much to that_ravenclaw_nerd for drawing this of Harry and Millie💗I love it so much