Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ Ｓｉｘｔｅｅｎ：
𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬
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❝ 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝...𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫...𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐫. ❞
─────𝐒𝐲𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐲
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝗻, 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗷𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻. She had gotten a letter during study hall and figured that she had gotten in trouble for something or they were congratulating her for their win. But she got something better instead.
Edward Aiden ( Teddy ) Bennett was born.
He was named after her Uncle Ted and Zach's dad who passed when he was 13. He was born on Easter, April 11th, 1994. They just didn't tell her or Antonio yet till they knew everything was okay. There was a small complication, but everything was okay now.
They couldn't be happier. Antonio made such a high pitched noise, Crookshanks started hissing. He's a metamorphmagus. Neither could wait till the term ended to see the newborn.
Even the weather seemed to be celebrating; as June approached, the days became cloudless and sultry, and all anybody felt like doing was strolling onto the grounds and flopping down on the grass with several pints of iced pumpkin juice, perhaps playing a casual game of Gobstones or watching the giant squid propel itself dreamily across the surface of the lake.
But they couldn't. Exams were nearly upon them, and instead of lazing around outside, the students were forced to remain inside the castle, trying to bully their brains into concentrating while enticing wafts of summer air drifted in through the windows. Even George and Fred had been spotted working; they were about to take their O.W.L.s ( Ordinary Wizarding Levels ). Percy was getting ready to take his N.E.W.T.s ( Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests ), the highest qualification Hogwarts offered. As Percy hoped to enter the Ministry of Magic, he needed top grades. He was becoming increasingly edgy and gave very severe punishments to anybody who disturbed the quiet of the common room in the evenings. The only person who seemed more anxious than Percy was Hermione.
Harry and Ron had given up asking her how she was managing to attend several classes at once. Accalia had an idea when she saw a chain around her neck, but that idea was crazy and unrealistic. But the boys couldn't restrain themselves when they saw the exam schedule she had drawn up for herself. The first column read:
Monday
9 o'clock, Arithmancy
9 o'clock, Transfiguration
Lunch
1 o'clock, Charms
1 o'clock, Ancient Runes
"Hermione?" Ron said cautiously because she was liable to explode when interrupted these days. "Er — are you sure you've copied down these times right?"
"What?" snapped Hermione, picking up the exam schedule and examining it. "Yes, of course, I have."
"I have to take Ancient Runes during lunch," Accalia looked like she said something scandalous.
"Is there any point asking how you're going to sit for two exams at once?" said Harry.
"No," said Hermione shortly. "Have either of you seen my copy of Numerology and Gramatica?"
"Oh, yeah, I borrowed it for a bit of bedtime reading," said Ron, but very quietly. Hermione started shifting heaps of parchment.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione had plenty of opportunities to speak to Hagrid during Care of Magical Creatures, which they filled Accalia in after.
"Beaky's gettin' a bit depressed," Hagrid told them, bending low on the pretence of checking that Harry's flobberworm was still alive. "Bin cooped up too long. But still...we'll know day after tomorrow — one way or the other —"
They had Potions that afternoon, which was an unqualified disaster, for others. Accalia did great when she brewed her potions, Snape had to give her full marks. Her favourite thing ever was Snape scanning her potions and trying to get her to mess up, yet she never did. The anger on his face when he was forced to give her full marks was the best thing she'd ever seen.
Then Ancient Runes at lunch, which she thinks she passed. Next came Astronomy at midnight, upon the tallest tower; which she passed easily. History of Magic on Wednesday morning, in which Accalia scribbled everything Ted had ever told her about medieval witch-hunts. Wednesday afternoon meant Herbology, in the greenhouses under a baking-hot sun; then back to the common room once more, with sunburnt necks, thinking longingly of this time next day, when it would all be over.
Their second to the last exam, on Thursday morning, was Defense Against the Dark Arts. Remus had compiled the most unusual exam any of them had ever taken; a sort of obstacle course outside in the sun, where they had to wade across a deep paddling pool containing a Grindylow, cross a series of potholes full of Red Caps, squish their way across a patch of the marsh while ignoring misleading directions from a Hinkypunk, then climb into an old trunk and battle with a Boggart.
"Excellent, little wolf," Remus muttered as Accalia climbed out of the trunk, grinning. "Full marks."
Happy with her success, she hung around to watch Ron, Harry, and Hermione. Harry did everything perfectly, not surprising. Ron did very well until he reached the Hinkypunk, which successfully confused him into sinking waist-high into the quagmire. Hermione did everything perfectly until she reached the trunk with the Boggart in it. After about a minute inside it, she burst out again, screaming.
"Hermione!" said Remus, startled. "What's the matter?"
"P-P-Professor McGonagall!" Hermione gasped, pointing into the trunk. "Sh-she said I'd failed everything!"
It took a little while to calm Hermione down. When at last she had regained a grip on herself, she, Accalia, Harry, and Ron went back to the castle. Ron was still slightly inclined to laugh at Hermione's Boggart, but an argument was averted by the sight that met them on the top of the steps.
Cornelius Fudge, sweating slightly in his pinstriped cloak, was standing there staring out at the grounds. He started at the sight of Harry.
"Hello there, Harry!" he said. "Just had an exam, I expect? Nearly finished?"
"Yes," said Harry. Accalia, Hermione and Ron, not being on speaking terms with the Minister of Magic, hovered awkwardly in the background, Accalia hiding slightly behind Ron in hopes he doesn't see her.
He isn't exactly the biggest fan of her family...
"Lovely day," said Fudge, casting an eye over the lake.
"Pity...pity..."
He sighed deeply and looked down at Harry.
"I'm here on an unpleasant mission, Harry. The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures required a witness to the execution of a mad Hippogriff. As I needed to visit Hogwarts to check on the—" He glanced towards Accalia, who scoffed. "—Black situation, I was asked to step in."
"My aunt didn't help her stupid brother escape and didn't recruit me to help either," she glared at him, stepping away from Ron. The papers were still suggesting that Celeste was hiding Sirius Black, much to their annoyance. "Nor is she hiding him like a bloody manic."
Fudge nodded sceptically. "Of course, of course."
"Look here—" Hermione elbowed Accalia to stop her from continuing.
"Does that mean the appeal's already happened?" Ron interrupted, stepping forward.
"No, no, it's scheduled for this afternoon," said Fudge, looking curiously at Ron.
"Then you might not have to witness an execution at all!" said Ron stoutly. "The Hippogriff might get off!"
Before Fudge could answer, two wizards came through the castle doors behind him. One was so ancient he appeared to be withering before their very eyes; the other was tall and strapping, with a thin moustache. Accalia gathered that they were representatives of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures because the very old wizard squinted toward Hagrid's cabin and said in a feeble voice, "Dear, dear, I'm getting too old for this...Two o'clock, isn't it, Fudge?"
The moustached man was fingering something in his belt; Harry looked and saw that he was running one broad thumb along the blade of a shining axe. Ron and Accalia both opened their mouths to say something, but Hermione nudged them both hard in the ribs and jerked her head toward the entrance hall.
"You hit hard, what the fuck!" Accalia started rubbing where Hermione elbowed her, twice. Harry patted her head.
"You'll be fine."
She scowled at him and slapped his hand. "Oh fuck you."
"Why'd you stop me?" said Ron angrily as they entered the Great Hall for lunch. "Did you see them? They've even got the axe ready! This isn't justice!"
"Ron, your dad works for the Ministry, you can't go saying things like that to his boss!" said Hermione, but she too looked very upset. "As long as Hagrid keeps his head this time, and argues his case properly, they can't possibly execute Buckbeak...."
Accalia could tell Hermione didn't believe what she was saying. All around them, people were talking excitedly as they ate their lunch, happily anticipating the end of the exams that afternoon, but Accalia, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, lost in worry about Hagrid and Buckbeak, didn't join in.
Harry's, Accalia's and Ron's last exam was Divination; Hermione's, Muggle Studies. They walked up the marble staircase together; Hermione left them on the first floor and Accalia, Harry, and Ron proceeded all the way up to the seventh, where many of their class were sitting on the spiral staircase to Professor Trelawney's classroom, trying to cram in a bit of last-minute studying.
"She's seeing us all separately," Neville informed them as they went to sit down next to him. He had his copy of Unfogging the Future open on his lap at the pages devoted to crystal gazing. "Have either of you ever seen anything in a crystal ball?" he asked them unhappily.
"Nope," said Ron in an offhand voice. He kept checking his watch; Accalia. knew that he was counting down the time until Buckbeak's appeal started.
"I have. I always see the Grim attacking Harold here." Accalia laughed as Harry hit her in the back of the head as Neville's eyes widened.
"She's kidding, Neville..." Harry looked at her before back at him. "Maybe."
The line of people outside the classroom shortened very slowly. As each person climbed back down the silver ladder, the rest of the class hissed, "What did she ask? Was it okay?"
But they all refused to say.
"She says the crystal ball's told her that if I tell you, I'll have a horrible accident!" squeaked Neville as he clambered back down the ladder toward Accalia, Harry and Ron, who had now reached the landing.
"That's convenient," snorted Ron. "You know, I'm starting to think Hermione was right about her" — he jabbed his thumb toward the trapdoor overhead — "she's a right old fraud."
"Yeah," said Harry, looking at his watch. "Wish she'd hurry up..."
"I don't think she's a fraud...exactly," Accalia mumbled but the two heard her.
"Don't tell me you believe in all this..." Ron waved his hands around wildly. "It's all complete nonsense!"
"Well, I mean—" Accalia pursed her lips before they turned into a fake smile. "Never mind, forget I said anything."
Parvati came back down the ladder glowing with pride.
"She says I've got all the makings of a true Seer," she informed Harry, Accalia, and Ron. "I saw loads of stuff...Well, good luck!"
She hurried off down the spiral staircase toward Lavender.
"I may be wrong...but I don't think reading a book will help you become a true seer..." Accalia trailed off with a confused look. "Nor would I be excited about such a thing..."
The boys just shrug.
"I mean...she isn't exactly wrong," Cassandra said. "It's not that fun either."
"Ronald Weasley," said the familiar, misty voice from over their heads. Ron grimaced at Accalia and Harry and climbed the ladder out of sight. Accalia and Harry were now the only people left to be tested.
Somehow, twenty minutes later when Ron finally finished, they two were in a very intense game of rock, paper, scissors. A muggle game.
"— did you win again!" Harry sighed as Accalia smirked.
"The voices," she winked and pointed at her head.
Harry turned around when he heard Ron. "How'd it go?" Harry asked him.
"Rubbish," said Ron. "Couldn't see a thing, so I made some stuff up. Don't think she was convinced, though..."
"Accalia Lupin," said the familiar voice, making her scrunch her nose and stand up.
"Wish me luck, boys." She groaned as she started up the ladder.
The tower room was hotter than ever before; the curtains were closed, the fire was alight, and the usual sickly scent made Accalia cough as she stumbled through the clutter of chairs and table to where Trelawney sat waiting for her before a large crystal ball.
"Good day, my dear," she said softly. "If you would kindly gaze into the Orb...Take your time, now...then tell me what you see within it...."
Accalia sighed boredly as she leaned in closer to see into the crystal ball. For a while, it was just fog before it cleared to what she saw the other day.
"Well?" Professor Trelawney prompted delicately. "What do you see?"
The heat was overpowering and his nostrils were stinging with the perfumed smoke wafting from the fire beside them.
"Er —" said Accalia, "I see, er, Italy. And, uh —" She looked at it again confused as it changed once more, and not to the dog, rat, and full moon.
"What is it dear?" Trelawney whispered.
"The basement in Malfoy Manor," she muttered quietly. She and Draco went down there once. It was cold, dark, and just creepy.
"Good! Good," she started scribbling things down. "Anything else?"
She looked back at the crystal with a concerned look, before shaking her head. Trelawney sighed and shook her head, mumbling something under her breath.
"I'm sorry?"
"Nothing! Nothing at all, dear. Disappointed...your mother...exceptionally seer. Your great grandmother too. Must've not passed it down. But I do sense a powerful aura."
Ouch, Accalia thought.
"I was pretty great when I was alive...still am," hummed Cassandra.
"You do realize she insulted your kid." Jordan looked at her confused.
"Please, we all know Lia will be a powerful witch. Maybe better than me," she smiled proudly.
Accalia scoffed and rolled her eyes, not even bothering to say anything. "May I leave now?"
"Yes, yes, of course." She nodded and pushed her glasses up, her eyes wide as saucers.
She quickly stood up and went to leave, but Trelawney grabbed her shoulder. She turned around, thinking that she forgot something, but all she saw was her eyes roll back and her grip tighten around her shoulder. Her voice was cold and harsh as she spoke;
"YOU SOON...MUST MAKE A CHOICE...WHETHER EVIL SHALL...PREVAIL...OR FAIL...AS SOON AS THE DARKNESS RISES...ONCE MORE...THE HEIR OF THE FUTURE...COLLECTS THE DEAD..."
Trelawney's head fell forward onto her chest and her arm fell to her side. She made a grunting sort of noise. Accalia stood there, staring at her. Then, quite suddenly, Trelawney's head snapped up again.
'remember carefully.'
The voice in Accalia's head sounded again, freaking her out more.
"What the fuck was that?" Everyone looked towards Cassandra.
"Don't look at me! I don't bloody know!"
"I'm so sorry, dear," she said dreamily, "the heat of the day, you know...I drifted off for a moment...."
Accalia blinked at her.
"Is there anything wrong, dear?"
"You just said...I had to make a choice...about an evil...and final battle...and...and darkness..."
"Oh sweetie, darkness is nothing to joke around about." She shook her head.
"Wait, what choice do I have to make — I...I don't understand?" Accalia's hair went white.
"You must've gotten stuck in your head...happens to the best of us." Professor Trelawney waved off. "You must get to your next exam, dear."
Accalia looked at her one more time before leaving her classroom and climbing down the ladder in total confusion, her hair still white.
"Sunshine?" Harry stood up and walked over to her as he knew he'd be next. "What happened? Your hair's white."
She cleared her throat and changed her hair to a light blue as she looked back up at Harry.
"Nothing!" She glanced back at the ladder then back to Harry, who looked unconvinced. "Really, nothing! I'll wait for you down here then we can go to the common room?"
"Harry Potter," called out the Professor.
Harry looked up before looking back at Accalia and nodding. "Yeah, yeah."
Harry climbed up the ladder while Accalia sat down to wait for him. Her knee was bouncing nervously as her fingers tapped against her leg.
She didn't know whether or not she should be panicking by what Professor Trelawney said. It's no secret that...everyone that she was complete bullshit, but what if she wasn't this time? What if what she was saying was a real prophecy? And if it was real, what the hell did it mean?
'You soon must make a choice
whether evil shall prevail or fail.
As soon as the darkness rises once more,
the heir of the future collects the dead.
The final battle must be fought
on the day of death.'
Then the voice told her to remember it. Between the weird, mousy man she's been drawing, the whispers in her head getting louder and louder, then whatever just happened in there, she couldn't help but feel something bad coming.
Accalia was knocked out of her thoughts as she closed her eyes, just for when she opened them again she was in the Divination room again. She looked around confused and walked to the table where she had her weird test. She saw Professor Trelawney and Harry talking.
"What the actual fuck?" Accalia hissed, looking around.
She walked closer to the two and bumped into a table, except...she didn't? She walked right through it. She tried to put her hand on top of it just for it to just go right through it.
"What?" She muttered.
"No blood? No weeping Hagrid?" Accalia turned around quickly and realized that Professor Trelawney was talking. She walked closer so that she was right next to them.
"No!" said Harry. "It looks fine, it's — flying away..."
Professor Trelawney sighed.
"Well, dear, I think we'll leave it there...A little disappointing...but I'm sure you did your best."
"Bitch," Accalia muttered before realizing no one can see or hear her.
Relieved, Harry got up, picked up his bag and turned to go. Accalia just stayed where she was when she saw Professor Trelawney going rigid in her armchair; her eyes were unfocused and her mouth sagged. Accalia's eyes widened as she took a few steps back.
"IT WILL HAPPEN TONIGHT."
Harry wheeled around. Accalia was even more confused.
"S — sorry?" said Harry.
But Professor Trelawney didn't seem to hear him. Her eyes started to roll. Accalia stood there in a panic, knowing she couldn't do anything to help. She looked as though she was about to have some sort of seizure. Professor Trelawney spoke again, in the same harsh voice, quite unlike her own:
"THE DARK LORD LIES ALONE AND FRIENDLESS, ABANDONED BY HIS FOLLOWERS. HIS SERVANT HAS BEEN CHAINED THESE TWELVE YEARS. TONIGHT, BEFORE MIDNIGHT...THE SERVANT WILL BREAK FREE AND SET OUT TO REJOIN HIS MASTER. THE DARK LORD WILL RISE AGAIN WITH HIS SERVANT'S AID, GREATER AND MORE TERRIBLE THAN EVER HE WAS. TONIGHT...BEFORE MIDNIGHT...THE SERVANT...WILL SET OUT...TO REJOIN...HIS MASTER..."
"What the fuck!?" Everyone questioned and shared glances as they watched Harry start to ask Professor Trelawney what she said.
Accalia gulped as she stood frozen in her place once again. Her eyes closed one more time before she opened them again, and she was back in her seat.
"Dark Lord?" She whispered to herself, her eyes widened as she realized. "Voldemort."
She quickly stood up, about to go get Harry before he appeared. The second he did the two started talking as fast as they could about everything that just happened. They were talking over each other, it was a miracle either of them understood what the other said.
Accalia talked about what Professor Trelawney told her and how she became like a ghost while he was talking to her, hearing what she told him.
Harry talked about what Professor Trelawney told him about Voldemort and how she said that he'd probably dozed off—as well as seemed very concerned about what happened to her.
Five minutes later they were both dashing past the security trolls outside the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, Professor Trelawney's words still resounding in their heads, both what she told Accalia and Harry.
People were striding past them in the opposite direction, laughing and joking, heading for the grounds and a bit of long-awaited freedom; by the time they had reached the portrait hole and entered the common room, it was almost deserted. Over in the corner, however, sat Ron and Hermione.
"Professor Trelawney," Harry panted, "just told me --"
But he stopped abruptly at the sight of their faces.
"Buckbeak lost," said Ron weakly. "Hagrid's just sent this." He handed it to Accalia; Harry peeked over her shoulder to read it.
Hagrid's note was dry this time, no tears had splattered it, yet his hand seemed to have shaken so much as he wrote that it was hardly legible.
Lost appeal. They're going to execute at sunset. Nothing you can do. Don't come down. I don't want you to see it.
Hagrid
"We've got to go," said Harry at once. "He can't just sit there on his own, waiting for the executioner!"
"Harry's right," Accalia spoke as she looked away from the letter. "We all know how Hagrid is, he needs us."
"Sunset, though," said Ron, who was staring out the window ill a glazed sort of way. "We'd never be allowed ...'specially you, Harry..."
Harry sank his head into his hands, thinking.
"If we only had the Invisibility Cloak..."
"Where is it?" said Hermione and Accalia.
Harry told them about leaving it in the passageway under the one-eyed witch.
"... if Snape sees me anywhere near there again, I'm in serious trouble," he finished.
"That's true," said Hermione, getting to her feet. "If he sees you..." Both Accalia and Hermione shared a look.
"How do you open the witch's hump again?"
"You — you tap it and say, 'Dissendium,'" said Harry. "But —"
Hermione and Accalia didn't wait for the rest of his sentence; they strode across the room, pushed open the Fat Lady's portrait and vanished from sight.
They returned a quarter of an hour later with the silvery cloak folded carefully under Hermione's robes.
"Hermione, I don't know what's gotten, into you lately!" said Ron, astounded. "First you hit Malfoy, then you walk out on Professor Trelawney —"
Hermione looked rather flattered.
"I feel the love, Ronny," said Accalia as she playfully rolled her eyes.
Ron rolled his eyes as well. "You always do things like this."
"I'm offended by this statement!"
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
They went down to dinner with everybody else but did not return to Gryffindor Tower afterwards. Harry had the cloak hidden down the front of his robes; he had to keep his arms folded to hide the lump. Ron and Accalia kept making jokes that the other two hadn't seemed to understand about the lump.
Ron grew up with five other brothers and Accalia...well she grew up with Dora.
They skulked in an empty chamber off the entrance hall, listening, until they were sure it was deserted. They heard the last pair of people hurrying across the hall and a door slamming. Hermione poked her head around the door.
"Okay," she whispered, "no one there — cloak on —"
Walking very close together so that nobody would see them, they 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, gilding the top branches of the trees.
They 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. "We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off."
"Yeh shouldn've come!" Hagrid whispered, but he stood back, and they stepped inside. Hagrid shut the door quickly and Harry pulled off the cloak.
Hagrid was not crying, nor did he throw himself upon their 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.
"Well, we aren't exactly the most responsible kids if you've looked at the past years." Accalia tried to lighten the mood with a joke.
Ron was the only one to laugh. Harry bite his cheek so he wouldn't. Hermione merely gave her a disapproving look. Hagrid was too preoccupied.
"Wan' some tea?" he said. His great hands were shaking as he reached for the kettle.
"Where's Buckbeak, Hagrid?" said Hermione hesitantly.
"I — I took him outside," said Hagrid, 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 Hermione quickly, hurrying over and starting to clean up the mess.
"There's another one in the cupboard," Hagrid said, sitting down and wiping his forehead on his sleeve. Harry glanced at Accalia and Ron, who looked back hopelessly.
"Isn't there anything anyone can do, Hagrid?" Harry asked fiercely, sitting down next to him. "Dumbledore —"
"He's tried," said Hagrid. "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.
"Lucius Malfoy is..." Accalia tried to think of a nice way to put him. "Well, I wouldn't put it past him to threaten them. You did the best you could."
"Dumbledore's gonna come down while it — it happens. Wrote me this mornin'. Said he wants ter — ter be with me. Great man, Dumbledore...."
Accalia frowned slightly. She didn't not like Dumbledore there was just something...something that made her feel iffy about the wizard.
Hermione, who had been rummaging in Hagrid's cupboard for another milk jug, let out a small, quickly stifled sob. She straightened up with the new jug in her hands, fighting back tears.
"We'll stay with you too, Hagrid," she began, but Hagrid shook his shaggy head.
"Yeh're ter go back up ter the castle. 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."
Silent tears were now streaming down Hermione's face, but she hid them from Hagrid, bustling around making tea. Then, as she picked up the milk bottle to pour some into the jug, she let out a shriek.
"Ron, I don't believe it — it's Scabbers!"
Ron gaped at her.
"What are you talking about?"
Hermione 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 the rat came sliding out onto the table.
"Scabbers!" said Ron blankly. "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. "No cats! There's nothing here to hurt you!"
"Except maybe, Sunshine," whispered Harry as he saw the uncomfortable look Accalia was giving the rat.
Hagrid suddenly stood up, his eyes fixed on the window. His normally ruddy face had gone the colour of parchment.
"They're comin'...."
Harry, Accalia, Ron, and Hermione whipped around. A group of men was walking down the distant castle steps. In front was Albus Dumbledore, his beard gleaming in the dying sun. Next to him trotted Cornelius Fudge. Behind them came the feeble old Committee member and the executioner, Macnair.
"Yeh gotta go," said Hagrid. Every inch of him was trembling. "They mustn' find yeh here...Go now..."
Ron stuffed Scabbers into his pocket and Hermione picked up the cloak. "I'll let yeh out the back way," said Hagrid.
They followed him to the door into his back garden. Accalia felt strangely unreal, and even more so when she saw Buckbeak a few yards away, tethered to a tree behind Hagrid's pumpkin patch. Buckbeak 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. "It's okay..." He turned to Harry, Accalia, Ron, and Hermione. "Go on," he said. "Get goin'."
But they didn't move.
"Hagrid, we can't —
"We'll tell them what really happened —"
"They can't kill him —"
"It's not fair —"
"Go!" said Hagrid fiercely. "It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!"
They had no choice. As Hermione threw the cloak over Harry, Accalia, and Ron, they heard voices at the front of the cabin. Hagrid looked at the place where they had just vanished from sight.
"Go quick," he said hoarsely. "Don' listen..."
And he strode back into his cabin.
Slowly, in a kind of horrified trance, Harry, Accalia, Ron, and Hermione set off silently around Hagrid's house. As they reached the other side, the front door closed with a sharp snap.
"Please, let's hurry," Hermione whispered. "I can't stand it, I can't bear it...."
"Wait," Accalia stopped them.
"What—"
"Do you lot trust me?" She asked them hurriedly and quietly.
"Yes."
"Without a doubt."
"I guess."
Accalia rolled her eyes at Ron. "Then go, I'll catch up."
"What are you going to do?" Harry stopped her from taking the cloak off her.
Accalia didn't say anything, just winked and quickly walked out from under the cloak and dove into the forest. Harry sighed and looked at the other two.
"Go, I'll figure out what she's doing."
"You're not supposed to be out, Harry!" said Hermione.
"I'll be fine, go." Harry quickly followed Accalia's lead.
"What are you doing here?" Accalia looked at him confused as he crouched behind a tree next to her.
"Did you think I'd let you do whatever stupid thing you're planning alone?"
"Kind of hoping, yeah."
"Sucks to suck."
Accalia looked at him weirdly. She felt something pull at her heart but she just rolled her eyes and turned back. She watched as the group of wizards knock on the door after getting a good look at Buckbeak.
"What is your plan to whatever you're doing?" Harry questioned just as Hagrid brought the group of wizards inside.
"Get Buckbeak and run him into the forbidden forest before he can get killed," Accalia said as if it wasn't an issue at all. "They saw Buckbeak already so they know Hagrid didn't let it go. Hagrid is in the cabin with them, so they know he didn't just do it now."
"Are you insane?!"
"A little."
"You can't just take Buckbeak," he told her as if she didn't know.
"Watch me," she sent him a grin.
'Now. Five minutes.'
Accalia went to go but Harry stopped her.
"I'll go get him."
She looked at him with wide eyes. "What? No! If you get caught you'll get in trouble!"
"If I get caught, I'm the Boy-Who-Lived and Fudge will let me off." Maybe, he thought, but didn't say. "If you get caught, they already think you helped Black escaped. They will probably arrest you and your aunt!"
'Three minutes.'
Accalia knew he was right and glanced down at Harry's watch. "You have three minutes, hurry!"
She watched as Harry hurried over to Buckbeak. She watched as he struggled to undo the rope and get it to walk.
'Thirty seconds."
"Harry, hurry!" Accalia called out quietly. He merely sent her a look before going back to pulling Buckbeak.
Finally, he managed to get Buckbeak to started moving and walk into the forest. She quickly walked out from behind the tree and took part of the rope, helping Harry pull Buckbeak farther into the forest and away from the light.
It was much harder than it seemed in her head. Harry looked over his shoulder; they were now blocked from sight; they couldn't see Hagrid's garden at all.
"Stop!" he whispered to Accalia. "They might hear us."
Hagrid's back door had opened with a bang. Harry, Accalia, and Buckbeak stood quite still; even the Hippogriff seemed to be listening intently. Silence... then —
"Where is it?" said the reedy voice of the Committee member. "Where is the beast?"
"It was tied here!" said the executioner furiously. "I saw it! Just here!"
Accalia glanced to Harry a gave him a soft smile before turning back to the group. Harry swallowed before looking over.
How extraordinary," said Dumbledore. There was a note of knowing amusement in his voice. It made Accalia feel uncomfortable.
"Beaky!" said Hagrid huskily.
There was a swishing noise, and the thud of an axe. The executioner seemed to have swung it into the fence in anger. And then came the howling, and this time they could hear Hagrid's words through his sobs.
"Gone! Gone! Bless his little beak, he's gone! Musta pulled himself free! Beaky, yeh clever boy!"
Buckbeak started to strain against the rope, trying to get back to Hagrid. Harry and Accalia tightened their grip and dug their heels into the forest floor to stop him.
"Someone untied him!" the executioner was snarling. "We should search the grounds, the forest."
"Macnair, if Buckbeak has indeed been stolen, do you really think the thief will have led him away on foot?" said Dumbledore, still sounding amused. "Search the skies, if you will... Hagrid, I could do with a cup of tea. Or a large brandy. "
"O' — o' course, Professor," said Hagrid, who sounded weak with happiness. "Come in, come in..."
Harry and Accalia listened closely. They heard footsteps, the soft cursing of the executioner, the snap of the door, and then silence once more.
"Now what?" whispered Harry, looking around.
Accalia pursed her lips. "I didn't think this far through."
"Really?" Harry deadpanned, ignoring the glare she gave him.
She looked around thinking of what to do. "Let's walk deeper into the forest. We can leave Buckbeak there, he'll be able to fend for himself. Hagrid will probably stumble upon him and think it's just another hippogriff. The ministry will have no proof it is Buckbeak, even if they did care. Then, we go meet up with Hermione and Ron and explain what happened."
Harry stared at her for a while before nodding. "Okay. Let's get walking."
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AUTHORS NOTE
unedited
5.9k words
did i think out the buckbeak situation...no...