Sirius quickly got to his friend and holds him tightly as Lupin's eyes take on a animal appearance, his teeth sharpen like daggers, his nails becoming black and long. "Remus you are a man! Keep your mind!" Sirius begs his friend desperately. All the children back away from him and they heard gleeful laughter. They looked and saw Wormtail give them a smug wave before he began transforming back into a rodent.
"Oh no you don't!" Mirabel took out her wand and yelled. "Stupefy!" Wormtail screams as he was sent flying several feet away and when he landed they could all see him stilling. With that taken care of they turned back to watch in horror as Lupin's body began contorting and hair fell. Sirius was pushed off as the transformation took hold.
"Mirabel! The cure you have the cure right?" Hermione asks her friend desperately shaking her. Mirabel nodded her head and quickly reached into her bag pulling out the container that held the cure she made. As she tries opening it though Lupin howls loud and for everyone in Hogwarts to hear. Instead of the kind protective teacher they had come to known, they know saw a monster. It's limbs were long with patches of black hair, it was so skinny you could see bones, it's claws razor sharp, it's muzzle was filled with teeth like knives. It howls to the moon before looking at them in a almost puppy dog like way. Taking a gulp Mirabel steps forward.
"Sir? I have a cure if you just," she began holding up the jar. Suddenly the werewolf breaks out of it's frozen state and growls at her moving forward to bite her. She screams and falls back onto the ground as her friends pulled her up as they all back away from the approaching monster.
Suddenly Snape came out of the passage in the tree and doesn't notice the monster behind him as he goes over to them with a scowl. "There you are Potter, wait until I," Werewolf Lupin growls and barks. When Snape turns he goes from scowling to protective as he puts himself in front of the four. He fumbles for his wand, but Werewolf Lupin swipes the air and the all scream in horror as they fall back trying to avoid being touched by the werewolf.
As the threat looms over them from the bushes a large black shadow jumps out and tackled Werewolf Lupin. They all saw it was a black dog and Mirabel joyfully exclaims. "Sirius!" Snape looks at her than back at the dog in shock. "That's Black?" He asks. "Yeah he's a animagus, keep up," Ron said with a eye roll.
The two dogs began fighting each other. Werewolf Lupin had the upper hand most of the fight as Sirius mostly played offence trying to just distract Werewolf Lupin from hurting the five defenceless people. Though at one point in the fight Werewolf Lupin picked Sirius up and threw him ahead and the dog lets out a whine of pain. "He's about to be killed!" Harry exclaims. "Good riddance," Snape said. Harry runs, but Hermione pulled him back. "Harry no! None of us could go toe to toe with a werewolf!" Hermione said. "But my cure I can," Mirabel looks around and suddenly realizes to her horror. "My cure! I had it right here it's gone!" She exclaims and all three of her friends look to the ground as well while Snape growls at her. "This is no time for your games Ms Madrigal," he snaps.
"But I did it! I had it right here and," Mirabel began when they all hear another loud whimper of pain in the distance.
Harry saw Sirius was in danger and against his better judgment he ran to help him. He had a brief stand off with Werewolf Lupin, but then someone started howling and the wolf went after them. He goes after the direction Sirius stumbled. From the corner of his eye though he saw a dress with a butterflies go the direction Lupin went. That was his last clear memory.
Later
Harry awakens to a scream. He sat up in the bed and looks around seeing he was in the hospital wing. That scream, who was screaming? He feels hands on himself and he turns seeing Madam Pomfry. "That scream! Who screamed? You heard it right?" He asks her. It couldn't have been in his head could it? It did not sound anything like his mother this time, it sounded younger.
Madam Pomfry nodded her head. "Yes I heard it," Harry was not sure if that should have filled him with more dread or not. "Harry," Hermione was sitting on the bed next to his, she had her cuts from the whomping Willow bandages and was shaking. Her eyes were wide and tears filled her eyes. "That was Mirabel," she whispers.
Harry suddenly remembers everything, he had gone after Sirius. Dementors had shown up and a patronus, who's patronus was that? There was a stag, it had to have been his dad right? His dad is a stag. Mirabel though, she had she gone after Lupin? She didn't have the potion on her and she couldn't have gone up against a werewolf on her own could she?
He looks around, she had to be here! She had to be in a different bed suffering from a nightmare. She had to be okay!
Suddenly though he hears shouting outside the door. He got up, he ignores madam Pomfry trying to take him back, Ron got up too, he had a slight limp, but overall he seemed fine. Hermione joins them as they opened the door of the hospital wing. Mcgonagall was being physically held back by the combined power of Snape and a rope binding spell. Her hair was a mess, her face was filled with unpridal rage no one had ever seen from her and it was directed at Fudge.
"YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED HER!" She screams at Fudge. "Now Minvera it was Petigrew who," Fudge began. "IT WAS YOU! YOU KILLED HER! WHAT AM I GOING TO TELL HER FAMILY?!" Mcgonagall slowly stops struggling and eventually collapses in a heap on the floor sobbing. The sound was heart wrenching like a mother loosing their child. "Pull yourself together Minerva it was just a," Snape interrupts. "As much as I don't like children I would have given my life to protect them," He said with a steely glare. Mcgonagall looks at Fudge and said. "When I tell her family there will be nowhere you can hide," she seethes.
Harry looks at Dumbledore and makes his presence known. "Headmaster?" He asks and Dumbledore looks at him. "What happened?" He asks. Dumbledore purses his lips and enters shutting the doors behind him. "Petigrew and professor Snape had a stand off and Petigrew used a levitation spell on Ms Madrigal and held her above the cliff. When we arrived Fudge disarmed Petigrew, being too dim to realize that without Peter holding the wand," Dumbledore let that sink in.
"Mirabel would fall," Hermione covers her mouth shaking badly. Harry's entire world crumbles as he looks at Dumbledore. "Sir, sir please tell me you caught her, please," Harry begs. Dumbledore gives a sad shake of his head. "No one could have survived a fall that high," he said. Harry felt his knees weaken and Dumbledore caught him before they could give out. Mirabel is gone, Wormtail killed her, just like he killed his parents.
Dumbledore set him on a cot and looks out the window. He's there for only a moment before turning back. "More than one innocent life could have been saved tonight," he said walking back to the door. The shouting had died down Harry only heard sobbing from Mcgonagall now. "If only we could turn back the clock," he said and looks at Hermione who's jaw was open. "Three turns should do it," he said with a wink heading back to the doors.
He opens the doors before exiting and looks at them. "I find retracing my steps to be a wise place to begin, goodluck," he says and finally closes them.
Harry's confused, and angry, and confused. What was Dumbledore talking about? He looks at Hermione for answers, but she was fiddling with her necklace.
It had a gold chain and a hour glass in the middle of it. "Hermione what's that?" Ron asks her. Hermione looks at him, her eyes drifted to his leg and than she looks at Harry and grabbed his arm. Wordlessly she puts the chain around the two of them then looks at Ron. "Sorry Ron, but it's best you stay here with your limping leg," Hermione suggests and than started turning the necklace.
Harry reaches out to touch it, but she slaps him away annoyed. Harry looks around and watches as everything began moving backwards. It was like rewinding a television set as before his eyes Ron was gone and it was mid evening with the sun up.
"Seven thirty, where were we at seven thirty?" Hermione asks Harry as she put the necklace away. "I don't know going to Hagrid's?" Harry answers.
Hermione grabs his hand and says "come on and we can't be seen," she says and Harry quickly followed her.
They go through the courtyard and down the bridge. They arrived just before the bridges exit and Harry gawks when he sees them, Draco, Crab, Goyle, and themselves.
"This is not normal," Harry stated as Hermione pushes him back. She shows him her necklace and said. "See this Harry? It's a time turner and I've been using it to get to my classes all year," she explains.
"We time travelled?" Harry asks in shock and Hermione covers his mouth shushing him.
She peers around the corner and looks, but quickly hides again when she saw Mirabel had turned to look in their direction. Harry presses up against the wall praying Mirabel doesn't find them.
It was a quiet moment when they heard her footsteps approaching, but suddenly they hear Draco cry out. Risking a glance they saw Mirabel had turned away and quickly they hurried to a different hiding place just in time to avoid the gaggle of Slytherin boys running through and avoiding Mirabel.
The pair sighed in relief and carefully they go down the hill following themselves. Hermione managed to lead them ahead and now they were hiding behind a pile of Hagrid's giant pumpkins.
Harry attempted to grab Buck Beak since he was right in front of them, but Hermione pulled Harry back. "Fudge needs to see him first or he'll think Hagrid did it," She says. Harry nodded and they watch on, they watched as Mirabel sat down with Buck beak comforting the poor bird, they hadn't been able to hear what she was saying from inside Hagrid's hut, they saw her crying for the animal though. They can hear her now though and they can't help what they heard.
"Why can't I do anything right?" She asks Buck Beak with a sad expression. Harry had never seen her look like this, he doesn't think anyone has. She's always been so happy and joyful with a skip in her step and a heart of gold in her words.
"I do everything to the point and still I just disappoint everyone," she said stroking it's feathers. "I wish so badly I could do something right," She said to it as it nuzzles her. Harry looks at Hermione who looks at Harry. "Do something right? What has she done wrong?" Hermione asks and Harry looks back to his friend.
"No matter what I do it'll always be wrong. I can't do anything right. Every time I try to be special like my family, people, get hurt. Innocent people always get hurt when I try to be special or helpful and it's always my fault. I'm just a stupid mistake no one actually wants and just puts up with because they feel sorry for me, the dementors showing me that just helped remind me," She said and Buck Beak licks her
Stupid mistake? Is that how Mirabel thinks of herself? A mistake? Who would ever tell her that? Harry heard that plenty from them Dursley's, but they were terrible people in general and hated Harry. From what Mirabel always told them though her family was happy. She spoke fondly of her sisters, Isa seemed really protective if a little mean at first, her parents love her he saw it last year, even her cousin Camilo loves to play with her. That was something Dudley never did.
"No one would care if I died. Probably be easier for everyone if I was just out of the way. That's what some of the grownups in my village always told me. I'm the defective Madrigal, no one needs someone defective. If I can't be useful to the village I'm nothing," Mirabel sobs. She wipes away the tears and hugged it tightly.
Nothing? Who could call her nothing? That was almost as bad as being called names, at least you were something. Mirabel always had a bright smile and kind heart to everyone. Had that all been a lie? Had she just been locking away her emotions so no one saw how sad she was all the time?
"You deserve so much better," Mirabel said looking at Buck Beak. Even in her most vulnerable state she was still thinking of others. She looks up and wipes the tears from her eyes and Harry can't help looking more up. Hermione pulled him down though and kept him from being discovered. "We can't be seen," she reminds him.
Mirabel looked at them, but then she turns distracted going up to the execution group arguing with them. They then saw their past selves and Ron leave Hagrid's hut and head up the hill.
"Come on," Hermione said urging Harry to help her unchain Buck Beak. They pulled at the chains and got Buck Beak unchained, but he didn't follow at first. Hermione had to grab some dead rodents to lure him towards the forest.
Lucky for them Mirabel had unintentionally helped them in distracting Fudge. Dumbledore sent her up the hill just as they hid Buck Beak behind behind the tree line. From behind the trees they watched the ensuing scene. The group turns back to the pumpkin patch and Fudge's face drops, Lucious looks ready to pop a vain, and Dumbledore had a funny smug look in his eyes.
"Where did it go? It was right here!" Fudge exclaims as Hagrid saw Buck Beak was gone and had thinly contained joy. "We must search the grounds," Fudge said. "You can search the skies if you want. Do you really think whoever took it left on foot?" Dumbledore asks Fudge who blubbers. "That girl she was clearly distracting us she must be hind this. She must be expelled for this," Fudge states. To Harry and Hermione's shock Mr Malfoy intervenes at this part.
"That girl is a close friend of my son's and the one injured by the beast. What sane child would go near it after a encounter like that? You expel her without any proper proof and you can expect my yearly donation to the ministry to stop," he threatens clutching his cane. Fudge looks to be at a loss and Dumbledore smiles and turns to Hagrid. "If you don't mind Hagrid may I stay for a cup of tea? Ooh or brandy," He said with a smile climbing Hagrid's steps as he turns to the executioner.
"Your services are no longer needed you are dismissed," he said heading inside. Hermione and Harry watched as the executioner raised his axe and in his frustration he chopped a pumpkin.
Seeing all they wanted too the two wizards left the scene and travelled through the forests edge to the whomping willow. They got their in time to see Sirius drag Ron into the secret passage, than they all felt into it, or thrown in some cases.
Now all they really had to do was wait and stay out of sight.
Sitting down Harry got comfortable. He's quiet for a moment before he looks at Hermione who tied Buck Beak to a look tree branch. "Hermione?" She looks at him. "Mirabel? Did she ever?" Hermione sat a little behind him on a tree root. "Kinda, after the dementor attack on the train she broke down in the dorms. She kept calling herself a mistake. When I tried assuring her otherwise she screamed I was wrong. The next day she was back to her normal self, it was kinda scary actually," Hermione explains with a shiver.
Harry wonders what could have ever made Mirabel think she was a mistake. Calling herself all those terrible things back there, saying she was better off gone? Harry doesn't think there will ever be a worse moment in his life than when he saw Mcgonagall screaming at Fudge that he had killed her. Ginny adores Mirabel, he's pretty sure Mcgonagall sees Mirabel as the child she never had, she's Hermione's study buddy, she's the mediator, she's the one who brightens the room when she walks in it.
"How could she think that stuff about herself and still be so?" Harry trails off before he found the right word. "Happy?" He asks. "My mum told me once that the ones who have the brightest smiles suffer the most. They're the ones who lie the best because they lie to themselves about how they feel until it becomes too much," Hermione answers. Harry thinks back to Mirabel's older sister Isabela.
For most of the year she walked around with a picture perfect smile and posture doing everything with practiced steps. Everyone assumed her to be the most perfect and happiest woman ever. Yet Harry saw for himself that Isabela was suffering. Behind her smile she hid a scream, she was suffering under pressure by their grandmother to become exactly like her when Isabela didn't want that. Yet Isabela had been too afraid to ever express that, too afraid to go against her grandmother. Harry saw for himself when he spied on her that Mirabel's sister had been one second away from breaking down and crumbling under the expectations to be perfect.
He really, really, hopes locking away emotions and feelings was not a family tradition in the Madrigal family.