Daisy Potter and the Awesomest Godfather Ever (Book 3, Harry Potter ff)

Chapter 17 - Xylophone

All eight of us stood in shock. I can't believe that they would do it! Behind us, I heard a wild howling.

"Hagrid." Harry and I muttered simultaneously.

Without thinking about what we were doing, we made to turn back, but the others grabbed us.

"We can't." Ron said, who was paper white. "He'll be in worse trouble if they know we've been to see him..."

Hermione's breathing was shallow and uneven.

"How - could - they?" She choked. "How COULD they?"

"Come on." Ron said, whose teeth seemed to be chattering.

Us Insurgents transformed into our Animagi forms and the others threw the Invisibility Cloak over themselves.

We set off back towards the castle, walking slowly to keep the others hidden under the Cloak. Light was fading fast now. By the time we reached open ground, darkness was settling like a spell around us.

"Scabbers, keep still." Ron hissed, clamping his hand over his chest. The rat was wriggling madly. Ron came to a sudden halt, trying to force Scabbers deeper into his pocket. "What's the matter with you, you stupid rat? Stay still - OUCH! He bit me!"

"Ron, will you shut up!" Fred whispered urgently, transforming back. "Fudge'll be out here in a minute -"

"He won't - stay - put -"

Scabbers was plainly terrified. He was writhing with all his might, trying to break free of Ron's grip.

"What's the MATTER with him?"

But I had just seen - slinking towards us, his body low to the ground, wide yellow eyes glinting eerily in the darkness - Crookshanks. Whether he could see us, or was following the sound of Scabbers's squeaks, I couldn't tell.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione moaned. "No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!"

But the cat was getting nearer -

"Scabbers - NO!"

Too late - the rat had slipped between Ron's clutching fingers, hit the ground, and scampered away. In one bound, Crookshanks sprang after him, and before anyone could stop us, Ron had thrown the Invisibility Cloak off himself, and us two pelted away into the darkness.

"Daisy! Ron!" Hermione moaned.

I heard the others thundering after us. I snapped and growled at Crookshanks, snapping at his tail. I barked at him, but he still chased after Scabbers.

"Get away from him - get away - Scabbers, come HERE -" Ron was shouting.

Ron was almost on Scabbers - I dived at Crookshanks, and distracted him long enough for Ron to grab Scabbers.

"GOTCHA! Get off, you stinking cat -" Ron shoved Crookshanks off me from where he had leapt on top of me.

The others nearly fell on top of us when they caught up.

"Ron - come on - back under the Cloak -" Hermione panted. "Dumbledore - the Minister - they'll be coming back out in a minute -"

But before they could all cover themselves again, before we could even catch our breath, I heard the soft pounding of gigantic paws. Something was bounding towards us out of the dark - an enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black dog.

Harry reached for his wand, but too late - the dog had made an enormous leap and it's front paws hit him on the chest. He keeled over backwards in a whirl of hair; I yelped and dived for them -

But the force of its leap had carried it too far; it rolled off him; Harry tried to stand up; the dog was growling as it skidded around for a new attack; I hopped in front of my brother.