Rosabella Black |Daughter of Sirius Black| (Book 6)

After The Burial

Rosabella's Point of View:
Patches of bright blue sky were beginning to appear over the castle turrets, but these signs of approaching summer did not lift Harry's mood. He had been thwarted, both in his attempts to find out what Malfoy was doing, and in his efforts to start a conversation with Slughorn that might lead, somehow, to Slughorn handing over the memory he had apparently suppressed for decades.
    "For the last time, just forget about Malfoy." Hermione told Harry firmly.
Harry and I were sitting with Ron and Hermione in a sunny corner of the courtyard after lunch. Winter was sunbathing as she lay in the direct sunlight, perfectly content. Harry had his arms wrapped around me, his chin resting on my shoulder.

Hermione and Ron were both clutching a Ministry of Magic leaflet: Common Apparition Mistakes and How to Avoid Them, for they were taking their tests that very afternoon, but by and large the leaflets had not proved soothing to the nerves. Ron gave a start and tried to hide behind Hermione as a girl came around the corner.
    "It isn't Lavender." Hermione said wearily.
   "Oh, good." Ron said, relaxing.
   "Harry Potter? I was asked to give you this." The girl said.
   "Thanks. . ." Harry said as he took the small scroll of parchment.
    "Dumbledore said we wouldn't be having any more lessons until I got the memory!" Harry said, once the girl was out of earshot.
   "Maybe he wants to check on how you're doing?" Hermione suggested, as Harry unrolled the parchment.
I looked but rather than finding Dumbledore's long, narrow, slanted writing I saw an untidy sprawl, very difficult to read due to the presence of large blotches on the parchment where the ink had run.

Dear Harry, Ron, Ro, and Hermione,

Aragog died last night. Harry, Ro and Ron, you met him and you know how special he was. Hermione, I know you'd have liked him. It would mean a lot to me if you'd nip down for the burial later this evening. I'm planning on doing it round dusk, that was his favorite time of day. I know you're not supposed to be out that late, but you can use the cloak. Wouldn't ask, but I can't face it alone.
Hagrid

Harry and I gaped at each other after reading the message.
   "Look at this." Harry said, handing the note to Hermione.
   "Oh, for heaven's sake." Hermione said, scanning it quickly and passing it to Ron, who read it through looking increasingly incredulous.
   "He's mental. That thing told its mates to eat Harry, Ro and me! Told them to help themselves! And now Hagrid expects us to go down there and cry over its horrible hairy body!" Ron said furiously.
    "It's not just that. He's asking us to leave the castle at night and he knows security's a million times tighter and how much trouble we'd be in if we were caught." Hermione said.
   "We've been down to see him by night before." I said.
   "Yes, but for something like this?We've risked a lot to help Hagrid out, but after all - Aragog's dead. If it were a question of saving him -" Hermione said.
   "- I'd want to go even less. You didn't meet him, Hermione." I said, shuddering at the memory from second year.
    "Believe me, being dead will have improved him a lot." Ron said firmly.

Harry took the note back and we stared down at all the inky blotches all over it. Tears had clearly fallen thick and fast upon the parchment. . .
    "Harry, you can't be thinking of going. It's such a pointless thing to get detention for." Hermione said.
Harry sighed.
    "Yeah, I know. I s'pose Hagrid'll have to bury Aragog without us." Harry said.

I felt bad, knowing how emotional Hagrid can be. I didn't like think about him crying all alone. But Hermione had a point.
    "Yes, he will. Look, Potions will be almost empty this afternoon, with us all off doing our tests. . . try and soften Slughorn up a bit then!" Hermione said, looking relieved.
    "Fifty-seventh time lucky, you think?" Harry said bitterly.
    "Lucky. Harry, that's it - get lucky!" Ron said suddenly.
    "What d'you mean?" Harry said but I understood.
I grinned eagerly.
    "Use your lucky potion!" I practically shouted.
    "Ron, that's - that's it! Of course! Why didn't I think of it?" Hermione said, sounding stunned.
    "If I can't get Slughorn to talk this afternoon, I'll take some Felix and have another go this evening." Harry said.
    "That's decided, then." Hermione said briskly, getting to her feet and performing a graceful pirouette.    
    "Destination . . . determination. . . deliberation. . ." Hermione murmured.
    "Oh, stop that. I feel sick enough as it is - quick, hide me!" Ron begged her.
    "It isn't Lavender!" Hermione said impatiently, as another couple of girls appeared in the courtyard and Ron dived behind her.
I laughed and gave Harry an exasperated expression.
    "Cool." Ron said, peering over Hermione's shoulder to check.
    "Blimey, they don't look happy, do they?" Ron said.
     "They're the Montgomery sisters and of course they don't look happy, didn't you hear what happened to their little brother?" I said, looking over at them with a sympathetic look.
    "I'm losing track of what's happening to everyone's relatives, to be honest." Ron said.
    "Well, their brother was attacked by a werewolf. The rumor is that their mother refused to help the Death Eaters. Anyway, the boy was only five and he died in St. Mungo's, they couldn't save him." Hermione said.
    "He died?" Harry repeated, shocked.
I nodded my head sadly. Such a terrible way to go especially when he was so young.
     "But surely werewolves don't kill, they just turn you into one of them?" Harry said.
   "They sometimes kill. I've heard of it happening when the werewolf gets carried away." Ron said, who looked unusually grave now
   "What was the werewolf's name?" Harry said quickly.
   "Well, the rumor is that it was that Fenrir Greyback." Hermione said.
   "I knew it - the maniac who likes attacking kids, the one Lupin told me about!" Harry said angrily.
    "I swear, I'll kill him first chance I get!" I said angrily.
Hermione looked at Harry bleakly.
    "Harry, you've got to get that memory. It's all about stopping Voldemort, isn't it? These dreadful things that are happening are all down to him. . ." Hermione said.