SKREIGH- C.DIGGORY

14

"Harry?"

Delilah, Cedric, and Hermione were perched around Harry's bed as the boy's eyes slowly open.

"I saw dad," Harry says.

"You saw who now?" Delilah asks, the other three sharing confused glances

"Our dad. He sent the Dementors away," Harry says. "I saw him across the lake"

"Harry, our dad's dead remember?" Delilah says bluntly. "Remember, that's why you have a fucking lightning bolt on your head?"

"I saw him," The younger boy was adamant.

"Harry, they've captured Sirius," Delilah says. "Any minute the Dementors are gonna perform the Kiss"

"They're gonna kill him?"

"No. It's worse" Hermione says. "Much worse. They're going to suck out his soul"

Dumbledore walks in only to be harassed by all of the occupants of the hospital wing.

"Headmaster, stop them-" Hermione says.

"They've got the wrong man," Delilah says.

"It's true. Sirius is innocent" Harry says.

"It's Scabbers who did it," Ron says.

"Scabbers?" Dumbledore asks curiously.

"He's my rat, sir," Ron says. "He's not really a rat. He was a rat. He was my brother Percy's rat. But then they gave him an owl-"

"Ron, stop talking," Delilah snaps.

"The point is, we know the truth. Please believe us" Hermione says.

"I do, Miss Granger," Dumbledore says. "But the word of three 13-year-old wizards, a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old will convince few others. A child's voice, however honest and true, is meaningless to those who have forgotten how to listen. Mysterious thing, time. Powerful and when meddled with, dangerous. Sirius Black is in the topmost cell of the Dark Tower. You know the laws, Miss Granger. You must not be seen. And you would do well, I feel, to return before this last chime. If not, the consequences are too ghastly to discuss. If you succeed tonight more than one innocent life may be spared. Three turns should do it, I think. Oh, and by the way. When in doubt, I find retracing my steps to be a wise place to begin. Good luck"

"What the bloody hell was that all about?" Ron asks as Hermione wraps a large chain around Delilah, Cedric, and Harry.

"Sorry, Ron, but seeing as you can't walk-" Hermione turns the dial three times and they watch as people begin to move rapidly around them. Backwards.

"What just happened?" Harry asks. "Where's Ron?"

"7:30," Hermione says. "Where were we at 7:30?"

"I don't know. Going to Hagrid's?" Harry says.

"Come on. And we can't be seen." Hermione says.

"Hermione!" Delilah says.

"Hermione! Hermione, wait," Cedric calls.

"Hermione, will you please tell me what it is we're doing?" Harry asks.

They watch curiously as they see themselves from behind. Delilah tilts her head to the side, admiring herself.

"Those jeans do me justice," The witch announce and Hermione rolls her eyes.

"You foul, loathsome, evil little cockroach!"

"That's us"

"Hermione, no! He's not worth it.

"This is not normal," Harry says.