Black Moon: book one

fifteen

Students were made to spend the night in the great hall while the castle was swept top to bottom in search of Sirius.

Pansy was sleeping next to Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle were opposite from us at the other side of the hall.

Daphne was somewhere resting with one of her Ravenclaw friends that she talks so highly of. I've never met the girl but apparently her imagination is rather different to most.

And i was beside Draco.

I tried to sneak off to be beside Harry, just to figure out how he was feeling, but Draco held me back from doing so.

Everyone seemed to be asleep in our area except us. We were sharing a book, i think he still felt guilty as much as i still felt angry.

I was able to convince him to read a muggle book with me, at the start he kept making comments about the plot saying things like 'that's stupid.' 'Seen that coming' 'Pathetic i could write a better story than this.'

But as we kept going his opinions simmered, turning to curiosity as he now started to pull the book closer to him trying to finish a page before me to get to the next part. When we reached the start of another chapter we both decided to call it quits.

"I tried to stop my dad." He whispered. Out of the blue he was bringing up the trial.

"Did you?" I said in shock knowing he was probably all for the poor bird being sent down.

"I don't like it. Don't misunderstand, but I didn't want it dead. Father didn't care. His hatred for Hagrid took over and he done everything he could to get him fired. Buckbeak was just collateral-,"

"I wrote to him everyday, asking him to re-appeal, reconsider... anything I could think of i asked, begged even."

His eyes darted away failing to look at me.

"Just so you didn't loose that stupid chicken." He puffed.

I took my hand to his chin to pull his focus back to me and i thanked him with a smile, "Thank you, for trying... for doing anything at all."

Just for us both to hear the doors of the hall swing open. Dumbledore Snape and Filch pilling in.

Draco's hand reached for my head and pushed it down towards the floor raising his free hand to cover my mouth. In attempt to hint to be quiet, to not let them know we were awake as we listened in.

Snape cold voice echoed the silent hall dragging his words as slow as ever. "Remarkable for one to enter Hogwarts Castle on one's own completely undetected."

"Quite remarkable." Dumbledore agreed.

"You may recall a certain concern i addressed when you appointed Professor Lupin to the post, his connection with Black is no doubt unsevered."

Draco's eyes left Snape who was now across the hall and looked at me removing his hand, furrowing his brows before turning back to listen.

But Dumbledore was quick to dismiss Snape's ridiculous claim.

"Severus, don't allow your opinion of the man misjudge him, as a person." Dumbledore spoke as wise as ever. "I believe Lupin has as much reason to avoid Black as I and yourself."

"Why might that be Albus." Snape asked, tone full of wonder.

"Miss Lupin, i assume you've noticed her magic is far beyond her years. A strong threat to the dark forces. I believe if Sirius truly wanted to hurt Harry... he wouldn't stop there."