Hermione instructs Umbridge to follow her into the forbidden forest where the "secret weapon" lives. Of course, we all know there is no secret weapon and Hermione is bluffing. She makes Harry and I come with her insisting we still know something she doesn't.
The forest is long and dark and quieter than any forest i've ever walked through. No birds seem to flutter overhead tonight and even the crunching of earth beneath our feet appears to be muted by fear. We've been waking for a while now and soon enough Umbridge will catch on.
"What are you doing?", Harry whispers angrily to Hermione who strides ahead.
"Improvising!", She mutters.
"Shut up! She'll hear you", I shush.
"Are you sure we're going the right way?", Umbridge asks impatiently.
"Uh, yes. Just a few more steps and it should be...right here", Hermione frowns as we stop at a very tall, old looking tree with a half torn rope tied around it.
"Well? Where is it? Where is this weapon?", Professor Umbridge snaps, circling us with her wand in hand.
The silence comes again. We all stare at Hermione. I have no idea what to do.
Umbridge's face melts into realisation.
"There isn't one is there...".
I don't dare breathe.
"You we're trying to trick me!", She squeals.
Her lips twist into a terrifying smile.
"You know...I really hate children", She whispers.
I fight the urge to tell her that every soul in Hogwarts knows that.
A branch snaps and footsteps emerge from the darkness inside the woods.
Coming towards us is a group of angry centaurs, clearly not happy about the intrusion on their land.
Umbridge cowers back. "You have no business here centaur. This is a ministry matter!", She says, hiding behind us.
The centaurs don't respond, but the one in front raises a bow and arrow and prepares to shoot.
"Lower your weapons!", She demands.
"I warn you. Under the law, as creatures of near human intelligence..."
One of the centaurs shoots at her and she blocks it immediately with her wand.
"HOW DARE YOU!", She screams. "FILTHY HALFBREED! INCARCEROUS!".
Suddenly a rope appears around the centaurs neck that chokes him tightly. He screams out and Hermione runs to help him.
"PLEASE! PLEASE STOP IT!", She begs.
"NO ENOUGH", Umbridge yells, piercing my ears.
"I WILL HAVE ORDER!".
There's a yelp and out of nowhere, the biggest giant I have ever seen grabs Umbridge by her blazer collar and flings her into the air. She drops her wand which I catch gracefully.
"FILTHY ANIMAL", She shouts at the giant as he swings her from side to side. "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?".
The centaurs flood over and begin to shoot at both of them, missing Umbridge and hitting the giant. He looks at the arrow in his arm which must feel like a mere pinch to him, and drops Umbridge into the pile of centaurs below.
They begin to carry her away.
"POTTER, GRANGER, (L/N), DO SOMETHING. TELL THEM I MEAN NO HARM!", She yelps.
They continue dragging her away into the deep depths of the forest.
"I'm sorry Professor, I must not tell lies", Harry grins smugly as she screams and is pulled further and further away.
"She's...gone", I say in disbelief.
"We don't know for how long". Mione says.
"You're right. We need to keep
moving", Harry stresses.
I look up at the giant who has now pulled the arrow out of his arm. The feeling of fear comes back immediately.
"Uh...is he going to...".
"No he won't hurt us. He's our friend", Harry says.
I stare at him disbelievingly.
"Hagrid's friend", Says Mione.
"That makes much more sense".
"Yeah it's his half brother apparently", Harry explains.
"I was going to come here for his help originally but he wasn't there. Thank Merlin he appeared when he did. He's meant to be tied up to that tree. His name is Grawp", Hermione explains.
"Hello Grawp", I wave uncertainly and he smiles widely back.
"Okay we really need to go", Harry says.
"Bye Grawp", I wave again. "Well that was short lived", I joke.
Mione laughs. "You'll see him again soon if you like.".
"I hope so. He's a rather charming fellow", I say.
"Can we focus please? On Sirius", Harry says.
"Sorry, I'm just not as accustomed to seeing 20ft giants everyday as you are".
"16ft actually, quite small for a giant", Mione corrects.
"Of course. My apologies".
"Hurry!", Harry urges.
As we cross the bridge to get to the Hogwarts entrance we bump into six familiar faces. Ron, Ginny, Luna, Blaise, Neville and Draco. I immediately run towards Draco who hugs me tightly.
"You're safe", I exclaim.
"You're safe", He smiles.
"I'm safe!", Ron interrupts happily.
Draco shoots him a dirty look.
"Why didn't I get a hug?", Blaise asks and I pull him into a suffocating hug before he can complain anymore.
"How did you get out?", Harry asks.
"I had some of Fred and George's puking pastilles. Took them out and pretended they were sweets. Of course they took them off me and scoffed them, the greedy gits. I reckon they'll be in there for a while", He grins.
"Merlin, That was clever Ron", Hermione says with wide eyes, clearly impressed.
"No need to sound so surprised", He smirks, his cheeks turning slightly red.
"It was brilliant", Neville smiles.
"Me and (Y/N) need to go. Now. We can't wait any longer", Harry says, taking my arm and trying to lead me away.
"Hold on", Draco says. "She's not going anywhere without me".
"Don't you mean, you're not going anywhere without us?", Ron corrects.
"What?", Says Harry.
"We're obviously coming with you", Hermione says.
"No way. It's too dangerous.", Harry says. "I don't want any more people to get hurt because of me".
"So what, was all that stuff you said in Dumbledores army just meaningless? We've been training to fight so let us fight", Neville says, louder than i've ever heard him speak before.
"No offense mate, but we're not all risking our life's just for you. This affects all of us, and all the people we love", Blaise says, looking at Luna.
"We could use the extra help. We don't have to do
this alone", I whisper to Harry.
He sighs deeply.
"Fine. Come on".
"Hold on. How are we going to get there?", Ginny asks.
Everyone thinks for a moment until Luna emerges
from the group.
"We fly of course".
"Fly? I can barely hover on a broomstick?", Mione says nervously.
"No.", Luna shakes her head.
"Thestrals".