CHAPTER TWENTY
❛Dad?❜
Hope Lupin-Black sat by herself by the Black Lake, leaned up against an old tree. The teenage girl sat on the grass reading a book on Thestrals that Cedric had loaned to her.
"Hope Lupin," a voice came from behind her, footsteps following. "What might you be doing?"
She turned around to see Milo Bishop walking towards her. "Milo Bishop, are you always so creepy?"
Milo let out a laugh as he leaned up against the tree. "Creepy? I'd like to say observant."
"No, no, creepy is definitely the word to use." she said before looking up to his brown eyes. "Why are you sneaking up on me today? Want to say more about how you are the Ravenclaw and I am the Gryffindor--"
"There's more than just that, Hope--"
Hope rolled her grey eyes, placing her book on her lap. "Do tell, Bishop, what is the Peace Prophecy?"
Milo Bishop bit his lip, and looked up towards the sky before saying. "Well, it's a prophecy--"
"Really? I had no idea."
He scrunched up his nose, as if thinking of what he was allowed to say. "Well, it involves me, you, Alexa Willard, Draco--"
"Malfoy?" she questioned quickly, now more intrigued. "As in, my cousin Draco Malfoy?"
"Yeah, him." he replied, taking a seat across from the Gryffindor on the grass. "Us four, we're destined for great things."
She furrowed her blonde eyebrows. "I'm confused, Milo. What great things?"
"Not even I know."
"Well--"
He held a finger up to her, as if silencing her. "What I do know is that when war strikes we need to be prepared. You need to practice your duelling and using a sword. Alexa needs to learn how to create charms. Draco knows Dark Arts--"
Hope just stared at Milo Bishop as he tried to go on. "There won't be a war, Milo. Don't bring up foolish comments like that."
"There will be a war." he replied, standing up from his place. "We're the four--"
"Voldemort is gone, Bishop." she spoke with words like knives, the subject of him not something she wished to speak of. "And the sooner you realize, the better."
Fred, George, Henry, and Lee laid sprawled out across their dorm. Each one of them was doing something different. Not one of them spoke a word to each other, as there wasn't much to say. They didn't know what to say.
The door to the room creaked open and they all looked over to see Hope walking in, her eyes not bothering to meet anyone else's. "I just need my--"
"Hope, you're here." George spoke, standing up from his bed.
Hope didn't dare look up from her feet, and she didn't speak a word. Henry Hammond, who sat on his own bed, looked from one to the other. He kept looking from side to side until Lee Jordan spoke up.
"Did something happen between you two?"
George bit his lip, before smiling fakely. "Not at all, isn't that right, love--"
"Call me love again and I'll slap you once more, George Weasley." she snapped, walking over to Lee's bed and picking up her sweater.
"Weren't you just telling Hermione how violence was wrong--"
Hope looked over to Henry, and sighed. "You're right, Hen. It isn't the answer."
"You literally hit me!" exclaimed George, pointing his finger in Hope's direction in an accusing manner.
The Lupin girl whipped around, now standing face to face with George. "You deserved that, Weasley. You damn well deserved it."
"What happened?" Lee questioned, looking from one to the other once more. "Can someone please tell me?"
"George and I are no longer together, Lee." she snapped, her greys not leaving George's stare. "Because apparently I cheated on him. Isn't that right, Fred?"
George reached for her hand, only for her to yank it away. "Hope, I was wrong. I didn't realize--"
"I told you, you couldn't just believe me?"
"But Fred told me--"
Tears began to stream down Hope's pale cheeks as she stared at George. "He couldn't have misunderstood? I've never lied to you before."
Silence entered the room as George didn't have a response. He didn't know how to answer the girl, and it was clear that she just wanted an answer.
"Hope--"
Lee attempted to grab Hope's arm but was too late, she slipped out of the room, dropping her sweater behind on the carpeted floor. And once she was out of the room, all eyes fell on George Weasley.
"Bloody hell, what did you do?" questioned Lee, his brown eyes widened.
"Well," the Weasley boy started, picking up the sweater and placing it back onto his trunk. "We're not together anymore so it isn't a big deal."
Fred looked to his brother with an extreme look of guilt. "It's my fault, Georgie--"
"No, I should've listened to her." he said, running his fingers through his long hair. "She told me she didn't, and I should've listened. Cedric's going to kill me."
Henry's dark eyebrows furrowed towards George. "Wait, wait. You thought she cheated on you with Cedric Diggory?"
"You need to win back her heart." stated Lee, looking in his chest for his wand. "She'll forgive you eventually."
The Hammond boy's eyes lit up as Lee pulled out Hope's sugar quills. "Buy her sugar quills, that'll help."
"And daisies!"
"Or those muggle pens." said Henry, pulling one of Hope's pens from his book that he borrowed. "She loves these things. And really, I see why."
Hope, Hermione, Ron, and Harry walked down to Hagrid's Hut. The news of Buckbeak's sentenced execution on all of their minds. As they walked down, there was no talking coming from any of the Gryffindors.
"Hermione," spoke Hope, breaking the awkward silence. "I apologize, I've been very hypocritical."
Hermione turned towards her friend with furrowed eyebrows. "Pardon?"
"A few days after you hit Draco, I got angry and smacked George." she said, guilt clear on her face.
"My brother?" questioned Ron, looking puzzled.
Hope only nodded, and Hermione spoke up. "It's okay, Hope. I know you didn't mean it."
"Besides," said Harry, smirking as he spoke. "You should've seen Hermione punch Freya Reed that day Buckbeak got your arm."
"You punched her? You never told--"
The Granger girl interrupted her friend quickly. "She said something awful about you. And you're one of my only true friends, they shouldn't be so foul to you."
Hope brought Hermione into a hug, which wasn't something she usually did. "You're a badass, 'Mione Jean."
"Wait, you hit my brother?"
Everyone's eyes turned towards Ron, and Harry nodded along. "What'd he do to you? Are you hurt?"
"Everything's fine." she said, not looking up from her necklace. "Just know, I'd hit him harder if I could do it again."
The four arrived at Hagrid's Hut in no time at all. And once they did, Hagrid pulled them inside quickly. Not wanting any of them to be seen. Hagrid wasn't crying, which was surprising to say the least.
"Wan' some tea?" he asked, walking over to his counter.
Hermione and Hope shared a look before the Granger girl spoke up. "Where's Buckbeak, Hagrid?"
"I took him outside, he's tethered in me pumpkin patch." he managed to say, not looking back. "Thought he oughta see the trees an'-- an' smell fresh air, before--"
Hagrid's hands began to tremble and he dropped the glass milk jug onto the hard floor. Pieces of glass flying across the floor as it shattered. Hope and Hermione jumped out of their seats quickly to help.
"Oh, Hagrid." said Hope, picking the glass off the floor. "Let me help you with that."
Hermione motioned for him to sit back in his chair. "We'll clean it up for you, and make the tea."
"There's another one in the cupboard--"
Harry looked towards his professor, trying to fix the situation. "Isn't there anything anyone can do, Hagrid? Dumbledore--"
"He's tried." he spoke softly, not bothering to look up from his hands. "He's got no power ter overrule the Committee. He's told 'em Buckbeak's all right, even offered to let Hope speak. But yeh know what Lucius Malfoy's like--"
Hagrid was cut off by Hope running over to him and giving him a hug. "I'm so sorry, Hagrid."
"Dumbledore's gonna come down while it, while it happens," he continued on, as Hope walked back over to the glass on the floor. "Wrote me this mornin', said he wants ter be with me. Great man, Dumbledore--"
Ron and Harry glanced over to Hermione and Hope who were sniffling in tears, the Weasley boy looked to his friend. "Girls, I tell you."
"We'll be with you too, Hagrid."
Hagrid only told the girls how he didn't want them to be there, how it wasn't going to be a sight to see. And an awkward silence filled the room until Hermione let out a loud shriek.
"Ron, I don't believe it!" she exclaimed, looking in the milk jug. "It's Scabbers!"
Ron looked over to his friend with furrowed eyebrows. "What are you talking about?"
Hermione tilted the milk jug over the table, shaking it until Scabbers plopped out onto the table, making Ron's blue eyes widen. "Scabbers! Scabbers, what are you doing here?"
"The rat lived?" commented Hope, scrunching her nose. "Such a shame."
"It's okay, Scabbers." the boy cradled the rat as if it were a human baby. "No cats! There's nothing here to hurt you!"
Hagrid suddenly stood up, and took one glance out of the window. His face suddenly turning a pale shade of white. Which caused Hope to stand up and look as well.
"Bloody hell, they're here."
"Yeh gotta go. They mustn' find yeh here. Go now!"
As the four students sprinted out of the back down, the invisibility cloak almost fell off of them in the wind. Once they reached the other end of the pumpkin patch, they heard Hagrid's door close with a snap.
"Please, let's hurry." whispered Hermione, her voice almost cracking. "I can't stand it. I can't bear it."
"It's all my fault."
"Hope--"
Ron abruptly in his tracks, messing with the pocket of his jacket. Hermione whipped her head over to face him. "Oh, Ron, please let's move--"
"Okay," he replied, not even bothering to look up. "Scabbers, stay put--"
"I swear to Merlin, I'll make that rat die once more--"
Hope was cut off by the sound of an axe hitting the ground. All four stopped what they were doing and looked back. After, Scabbers began to squirm and squeal loudly. While Hermione just began to cry.
"Oh, 'Mione--"
"How could they?" she cried, as Ron from beside her continued to try and settle Scabbers.
"Scabbers, keep still. What's the matter with you, stupid rat? Stay still--" Ron quit talking and let out a gasp, holding up his finger quickly. "He bit me!"
Everyone's eyes darted over to Ron and Hope glared her eyes. "Be bloody quiet, Ronald Weasley."
"What's the matter with him?"
As if it was on que, they all looked over to see Crookshanks walking towards them. His eyes fixed on Scabbers as he went through the grass.
Hermione groaned loudly. "Crookshanks! No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!"
As the cat grew closer to them, Scabbers began to squirm more than ever. "Scabbers, no--"
Ron tried to reach out his hands, but it was too late. Scabbers slipped out of Ron's hands and fell onto the grass. Running away from Crookshanks as soon as he could. And it wasn't but a second before Ron sprinted after the two animals.
The three shared a look before Hope sprinted out after him. "Weasley, I swear to you."
"I got him!" cried Ron, holding the rat in his hands.
Before anyone had a chance to reply, they all heard the soft pounding of paws. And they all whipped around to be face to face with a gigantic black dog. Hope and the dog made quick eye contact, to which the dog only nodded towards her.
Harry whipped out his wand, but Hope raised hers first. "Expelliarmus!"
The dog gripped it's teeth around Ron's leg as it sprinted towards the Whomping Willow, dragging Ron behind like a rag doll. Hope leaped forward to be dragged along with but missed by only an inch.
Out of nowhere, a branch hit Hope across the face, causing her to fall to the ground. Harry and Hermione soon landed onto the grass too, all of them watching as Ron got dragged into the tree.
"Ron!" cried Harry, looking for a sign of Ron. "That thing's big enough to eat him. We haven't got time--
Hope ran towards the opening once more, only to be struck across her open arm and flung backwards. Hermione sprinted towards her, helping her back onto her feet.
"I need to get in there." she breathed out, holding her arm in pain as it bled out. "I can't remember how to, though."
Crookshanks took a look at the three before darting forward, barely missing the tree's branches. And once he got to the trunk, he placed his paw upon the knot, making the tree stand still instantly.
"Crookshanks!" exclaimed Hermione, genuinely surprised at her cat's actions. "How did he know?"
Harry only narrowed his eyes at the furry orange creature. "He's friends with that dog--"
Hope reached into her pocket, handing Harry back his wand, which only made him narrow his green eyes. "Wands out, but don't go hexing or cursing anyone."
Without a word, the tip of Hope's wand shined a bright light. Once they all slid down to where the tunnel was, they all looked around to see they were in a dark dirty tunnel. No light came from anywhere besides Hope's wand.
"Where's Ron?"
The Lupin-Black girl shrugged, brushing the dirt off of her pants. "Should be at the end of this tunnel. It goes to the Shrieking Shack."
"How do you know that?" questioned Harry, furrowing his eyebrows. "Fred and George said--"
"Aflie's been down here before. Now, can we get going?"
It wasn't long before the three had arrived inside a dusty room. Scratches lines each of the boards on the wall, and every piece of furniture was broken and tore apart into multiple pieces.
"Papa and Alfie." muttered Hope, not even bothering to look up.
Once Hope sprinted up the stairs, Harry and Hermione quickly following. She reached a door, she only turned behind and gave her friends a stern stare before opening up the door. Inside was Ron on the floor, clutching his leg.
"Ron," breathed Hermione, dashing over to him. "Are you okay?
"Where's the dog?" asked Harry, looking around the room.
"Not a dog, Harry." cried Ron, his teeth gritted in pain. "It's a trap--
Hope pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ron, he's not dangerous--"
"He's the dog. He's an Animagus."
As they all turned around, they saw a man with long matted dark hair. His grey eyes the same shade of Hope's but filled with much more pain. His off-white teeth turned into a smile as he looked at his daughter.
"Dad?"
hey guys! i hope this chapter was alright, and wasn't too long. but rather long than super short.
is there any clarifications i can make about the story or any questions you have, if so just comment! i read every comment all day, and some of them make me laugh out loud.
also, question, what has been your favorite part of this story so far?