Heart of Stone: HPHM Year 6

Guilt, Emptiness, Anger

"Let me go first," Sarah whispered, once they finally arrived at the whomping willow. She wanted to give the others a chance to hide in case a teacher awaited them above. 

"Oh no you don't, Spellman," Merula hissed, shoving the others aside so she could climb up first. 

Sarah stepped back. Was it petty revenge for what had happened at the lake with Jacob that she allowed Merula to go first? Her heart still seemed engulfed in angry flame at the thought of it--her waiting for hours, for years really, and Jacob only turning up at the same time as her bully and nemesis. 

These thoughts were pulled from her mind at the deafening sound of creaking wood that echoed  throughout the cavern. She gasped. How could they have forgotten that the willow was murderous? Barnaby and Ben actually collided in their joint effort to rescue Merula, but the next instant, the tree stilled again. 

"Hurry up, then!" Merula's voice reached them. 

They all scrambled after her. 

"I just had to touch that same knot Barnaby headbutted earlier," said Merula, pointing to the spot. 

"Jacob said to poke around the roots," Sarah mused. 

"Not exactly the most specific hint," said Merula, eyeing the labyrinth of twisted roots that surrounded the tree.

"That's probably as specific as he could get," she said, as they followed the others back toward the courtyard. 

It was still pitch dark, but Sarah knew it had to be well past midnight, probably three or four in the morning. She was pulling the invisibility cloak out of her bag when they reached the courtyard. 

Ben walked through the archway first. "We should inform the Circle of Khanna," he began, but stopped in his tracks at the sound of the rasping, delighted voice emitting from within. 

"Aha! I got you now!" Filch wheezed. They all backed into the shadows at once. "Don't run! I've seen you! You're in for it now, ooh yes, there'll be bad times for you now!"

Mrs. Norris had scurried over to sit in front of them. The others exchanged a panicked look as Filch grunted and hobbled toward them. He'd only seen Ben. Without thinking, Sarah tossed the cloak over Beatrice's head. She pushed Barnaby as hard as she could toward the shrubbery beside the arch. Taken off guard, he stumbled forward and fell into the bush, disappearing from view just as Filch rounded the archway. 

"I knew it'd be you three!" he wheezed triumphantly, regarding Sarah, Ben, and Merula with his gray eyes. "Told Professor Dumbledore I'd heard a disturbance by the willow, I did! He said it was probably nothing, but I waited, and look now, here's the proof! You better take a good look around, this'll be the last night you spend in this castle." He licked his lips. "Ooh dear, we are in trouble." 

The trio hardly had time to exchange a pitiful glance before Filch was shoving them toward the castle. They'd be reported to Dumbledore and they'd be on the train home in the morning. 

Sarah glanced back at the archway. There was no sign of Beatrice or Barnaby, but Mrs. Norris was pacing back and forth in the place Sarah had last seen them. She let out an agitated meow. 

Butt out, Sarah thought desperately. She never wanted to bring harm to animals, but now she dearly wished she managed to give the cat a good kick. If Barnaby were caught, he'd be sent home to his abusive grandmother, and if Penny learned what Beatrice had been up to, she'd probably never speak to Sarah again. 

Mrs. Norris meowed again, but Filch seemed too excited by his catch to investigate further. "Come along, my sweet. It's time these ones got the punishment they deserve!"