My heart was pounding through my ears. I watched the hunched over creature with the some of the worst anxiety I've ever had. But I had a duty to protect my friends. And that's what I was going to do.
I heard my friends whispering behind me, before Hermione came to my side. I pushed her back with the others, "All of you, shut up!" I whisper-shouted. "Remember what Snape taught you; once turned, a werewolf doesn't know what the human did. Don't try and get the human out, because you will have no avail. Understand?!"
They all nodded fearfully, and I turned my gaze back to the whimpering creature. But they didn't listen to me. I heard Hermione go, "Professor? Professor Lupin?"
"What don't you understand about the words 'shut up'?" I asked.
The werewolf looked to all of us, then howled. My heart stopped. I kept my gaze on the monster as it crept towards us. A growl came from deep down in my throat. Probably shouldn't have done that though.
"There you are, Potter! Meadows!" Snape's voice echoed behind me.
The creature didn't seem to pleased and went to attack. I jumped and transformed mid-air. I can't become a werewolf in my animagus form, I remembered as I tackled the thing. I could barely hear the gasps and yelling coming from behind me through the yelps and cries from the creature and me. I would get in a bite or scratch, it would do the same. I got it down for long enough and it kind of rolled slightly down hill. I ran back up to the professor and my friends. I transformed back.
"You are in serious trouble, Meadows," Snape scowled.
"You're an animagus?!" Ron was baffled.
Hermione was just astonished, "Is this what your meetings with McGonagall were about?"
"Why didn't you tell me?" Harry asked.
"Too many questions, not enough time," I panted. "Just wait until I save your lives. If I come back, that is. Severus, keep them here. And," I pointed to Harry, "don't let him out of your sight. Harry, don't follow me. Whatever you do."
I smelled something, like wet dog and wood in the air. I spun around and the werewolf was a few feet from us. I put out my arms to protect them. Right as he was about to swing at me, he was knocked over by a black dog. I smiled, and transformed immediately. I sniffed at the air. That way, I told myself, pointing my nose in the direction of the rocks.
I barked and growled as I made my way down there. I got there to see Sirius in critical condition. I ran up to the werewolf. It was facing away from me, which gave me the advantage. I jumped onto it's back, digging my claws into his shoulder blades. I bit and nipped at his neck. He thrashed around and hollered. I kept good hold though.
I didn't keep the hold for long, sadly. He threw me off of him. I hit something, I don't know what. But I let out a cry as I slipped back down to the ground. Bet it's a tree, I groaned to myself in pain. Just like first year.
I tried to get up, but he was getting closer. Some blob hit him in the head. The monster turned, and growled. He leaped over the shrub and it gave me time to get up. I stretched and popped my back, Oh, that felt great.
I jumped over the shrub. Harry was standing on the other side of the werewolf. I started to bark like crazy. I really hoped I would've gotten its attention. And I did. It looked to me then to Harry, then back to me. I growled and crawled closer, baring my sharp, canine teeth. It was about to swipe at me, when a howl was heard from off in the distance. It stopped. It glanced towards the distance. The howl came once more.
He stopped, almost as to think. he looked back and ran off into the trees. I was about to transform back into a human again to chew out Harry, when a whine came from behind me. The look on Harry's face made me worried. I turned around. Sirius' animagus form was trying to get up, and follow the werewolf. He transformed back into a human and stumbled out of sight. I heard him his the dirt and start rolling down the hill.
I whimpered and ran after him. Harry was close behind me. I ran down the tree line, catching his smell in the midnight wind. I followed the track. I barked if I thought Harry had gone too far behind me. Soon enough, I got close. I was able to make out his body lying on the bank to the lagoon area. I whimpered as I ran up to him. He seemed to be breathing, but I knew he needed to get back up there. I pawed at him hoping he would wake up.
Harry ran up next to me, "Sirius," he flipped him over to his face would show. I tried to bite on his pant leg to carry him back up, but I failed to do so. I stopped as I felt a chill run down my spine. I sniffed at the air: Sadness, death. I pieced it all together. Dementors! I barked like there was no tomorrow. Harry turned to me, "What?"
I started running around and barking but he just seemed confused. He wasn't understanding what was going on. Until he heard the water in the lagoon quickly become ice. He looked over and I did too. The lagoon was completely frozen within ten seconds. I tried to tug on Sirius' sleeve, trying to rush him within the trees. I whined trying to get Harry to help. Harry seemed too out of it.
I could hear them from above. Their awful cries and howls I was never able to hear in human form. I put my head down and started to paw at my ears. I whined and barked. Make it stop...Make it stop!
I saw them come closer. One was able to get part of Sirius before backing off. Harry got up and did his Patronus Charm. I knew it was weak, and needed some work. It wasn't going to hold and soon enough the dementors would take Harry and Sirius. I wasn't going to let that happen on my watch.
I need to wait though, and save up my energy until I had to do it. I was right though. Harry's Patronus did give away. He let down his wand, giving dementors time to attack. One went after Harry. I heard his screams and that was enough. That was my...last...nerve.
I transformed back into my human self faster than I normally could. That kinda made me happy. I took out my wand, which surprisingly wasn't broken. I looked up at all the dementors. I smiled, "Expecto Patronum!" The light came out of my wand. The trail lead to a very happy golden retriever.
It pranced around, and all the dementors fled. I laughed, so hard I nearly cried. But the happiness didn't stay forever. I got off track and lost my focus making my dog disappear. I took deep breaths. I opened my eyes to the face of a dementor. It started to suck my soul. I tried to look away and prevent it. I hit it right in the face with my wand, making it flee for a while. I fell backwards and scooted backwards.
I rested my back on a tree. I needed to regain my energy and I was cold. I watched the dementors start to suck Harry and Sirius's souls. But it all stopped when some little ball of light slowly came out of Sirius' mouth. It was as if all your happy memories were destroyed.
This is what I was afraid of. Watching or listening to my loved one getting hurt or killed and not being able to do anything. So I was going to do something about that, "Expecto Patronum!" I said it louder, with more emphasis. The light came out stronger. The dog seemed slightly bigger, and faster. More happy. I watched Sirius' soul get put back into him and he gasped. I rush of relief spread over me.
From the distance, I saw a deer. A stag to be more precise. A stag of light. It came running over. It and my dog started to almost play. Harry looked at them for a second, then passed out. Within a few seconds, the air felt clear. It was warmer than it had been. The white ice became blue water. I couldn't see my heavy breathing. I felt happy again without having to think of a memory. I looked to the two boys lying on the ground. I smiled, grateful that they were both still alive.
I crawled over to Harry. I put his head on my lap and pet his head. I noticed a few wet droplets fell onto his face. I was crying. I was so grateful and happy for my two boys that I was crying. I mean who wouldn't be. They were still here. So I cried. I sighed, and shot off fireworks in the air. I knew someone would find us. And Sirius would probably get caught. But we needed help. Serious help.
+++
"They've captured Sirius," Hermione's voice rang out in the hospital wing. I had fallen asleep, and woke up only minutes ago. I knew they captured Sirius and it was all my fault. "Any minute now the dementors will form the kiss."
I was sitting up in my hospital bed, "I'm sorry."
"Sorry?" Hermione asked.
"If I hadn't of shot off the fireworks for them to come get us, they wouldn't have found him. I'm so sorry."
"Bridget," Harry sat up in his bed, "you didn't do anything wrong. We could still fix this, right?"
Dumbledore walked in (like a boss) and came over to us. I stood up as well as Hermione and Harry, "Headmaster, you have to do something," Hermione pleaded.
"They have the wrong man," I told him. "He's innocent."
"It was Scabbers fault," Ron's voice behind us got my attention.
"Scabbers?" Dumbledore asked.
"My rat, sir," Ron explained. "Well, he was my rat. He was my brother, Percy's, rat."
"We know the truth," Hermione explained.
"I believe you," Dumbledore nodded, "but I highly doubt that the word of four young wizards will be put into account." He walked over by Ron, "A child's voice that is true, is useless to those who won't listen." He kept patting Ron's bad leg. Then he started to wonder around, "Time is a mysterious thing. Very powerful and dangerous if one meddles with it. Sirius Black is at the top of the dark tower," Dumbledore seemed like he was about to leave, but stopped and turned to us.
Oh, I know what he's saying.
"Ms. Meadows. Ms. Granger. You know the rules: don't be seen. And come back before the last chime, or the consequences may be severe. If you succeed, more than one innocent life will be spared," He turned to leave. "About three spins should work, and before I forget," he turned back to us, "retracing my steps is what I do when I get stuck. Don't you have a date at 9, Ms. Meadows." And with that he left.
I groaned and looked to Hermione, "You ready? We know when we're going to go back?"
She nodded.
"Perfect," I smiled. "Sorry that you won't be able to come Ron."
Hermione put hers around Harry's neck, "Ready. One. Two." We both started to spin ours at the same time. I watched as the people started to come and go. Everything stopped and nobody was in the Hospital Wing. Well, except Hermione and Harry.
Hermione and I put the necklace away. "What happened? Where'd Ron go?" Harry was very confused.
"Where were we going at 7:30?" Hermione asked.
"Going to Hagrid's," I answered.
"Alright, let's go. We can't be seen," She grabbed onto Harry. We started to run through the castle and out towards. We ran out past the waterfall and into the bridge. I could smell all of the teenage hormones from there.
"Hermione? Bridget? Tell me what's going on!" Harry yelled as we made our way down the bridge.
Hermione stopped at the end. We all looked over the corner. Someone very familiar started to speak, "You! You loathsome cockroach!"
"That's us," Harry was starting to get it. I continued to watch and listen to the scene at hand.
"Get off my Drakey!" We watched as the scene unfold before us. You heard a ku-smack and a, "You bitch!"
"Don't ever point your pathetic wand at one of my friends again," I am scary. Bloody hell.
"Guys stop. They aren't worth it," Ron told us.
"Yeah. We need to go to Hagrid's."
There was silence as Hermione lowered her wand. She turned around, and smacked his nose with her elbow.
"Good shot," I complimented Hermione.
She came back behind me after she had explained all of it to Harry, "Thanks."
"Guys, they're coming," I said, before jumping through of the openings in the bridge walls. The others followed behind. I crouched down, and kept my eye out for us. I watched as they ran out of the rock circle. I slowly crept around and into the circle. I up to a rock, and watched us run off down the path.
"Buckbeak's still alive," Harry said in a cheery tone.
"Well yeah, we went back in time for a reason," I nodded.
"That's what Dumbledore meant," Hermione was now connecting the dots. "'If we succeed, then more than one innocent life will be saved.'"
"Let's go," I said, running off to the path. We got to Buckbeak, who squawked at me as we went by. I smiled at him when I ran past. I went and hid behind the huge pumpkins. Hermione and Harry came behind me. We all watched over the pumpkins at our group.
I took a deep breath. I could smell them, "They're coming."
Harry looked at me with a questioning look before looking out towards the path. He looked back to us, "She's right."
"Again."
"I'll go get him," Harry got up.
"No," I said as Hermione grabbed onto him. "Cornelius has to see him, or he'll think Hagrid set him free. And I'll do it. I'm the reason he's in this situation in the first place."
"Okay," Harry nodded. We all watched as Ron got his pet Rat. I grabbed onto Harry before he could even say a word.
"Don't."
"He betrayed my parents, you can't expect me to sit here," He said through his teeth.
"Yes, you will," I grabbed him and pulled him as we traveled along the pumpkins.
I stopped and sat to I was covered by the pumpkins. Hermione kept talking, "You are in Hagrid's hut, now. If you burst in there, they'll think you've gone insane. Bad things happen to wizards who meddle with time."
"We mustn't be seen," I shook my head. We started to be able to hear Fudge and Dumbledore talking. "They're coming."
"Yeah I know," Hermione looked to the hut, "but we aren't leaving."
"Has the vase been broke yet?" I asked, keeping an eye on the men.
"Of course," Hermione sighed. I looked back to see her picking up a pebble. She chucked it at the opening of Hagrid's hut. She crouched back down.
I heard the vase break, "That makes sense."
"Are you mad?" Harry asked.
She picked up another and chucked it at the back of Harry's head. It hit him in the back of the head. I heard Harry wince. I looked over and he was rubbing the back of his head, "That hurt."
"Sorry," Hermione said.
We watched as the men approached the door. I ran back into the forest and transformed into my dog form. I looked back to see Hermione and Harry still sitting by the pumpkins, watching. I went up to Hermione and grabbed a hold of her pant leg. I pulled on it. She looked to me, and nodded. She grabbed onto Harry and came down just in the nick-of-time.
Harry and Hermione hid behind the trees while I kind of just stood there. I walked around to the other side of Harry. Wow, I thought, think I need to loose some pounds in the thighs. Merlin. The old me turned on her heels, and I backed away. I looked over and Hermione was taking a look too. But she broke a branch, which caused the old Hermione to turn around also.
"What, guys?" Old Harry asked the old us.
"I thought I saw something," I shook my head and turned back the other way.
"Same."
"Let's go, guys," Ron spoke up. So we listened to him and I led the way up the path.
I turned back to Harry and Hermione. I walked back over to them and transformed. They both looked to me and nodded. I started and made my way up towards the pumpkins. I got behind them, and the other two followed.
I watched the men and once they were out of sight, I walked around the pumpkins. "Buckbeak," I whispered.
The creature looked to me and squeaked a little. He got up, and tried to come closer, but he didn't make it far seeing as he was on a chain. I picked up a few dead ferrets that were on a post. I threw them over my shoulder. I came up to Buckbeak and pet his beak. I fed him one ferret as I walked past him and unchained his chain. I took hold of it and walked past him. Hermione and Harry came over with me to help. I handed Hermione the dead ferrets. She went wide eyed. I turned around to see Dumbledore and Fudge coming out of the hut. Dumbledore had him facing the opposite direction though.
I sighed and turned to my friends, "Lead the way. We'll be right behind you."
Hermione and Harry went straight into the forest and I ran after them. Buckbeak was trotting along side me. We went into the forest and I stopped behind a tree. I turned and Fudge was looking around, "I just saw the creature. Where'd he go?"
I leant against the tree and sighed in relief.
"Alright, let's get a move on," Hermione told us. I nodded and followed them into the misty forest. Then a thought came to mind, What time is it?