Bones

Chapter 14

        My mind had gone blank with shock. The four of us stood transfixed with horror under the Invisibility Cloak. The very last rays of the setting sun were casting a bloody light over the long-shadowed grounds. Then, behind us, we heard a wild howling.

        "Hagrid," Harry muttered. Without thinking about what he was doing, he made to turn back, but me, Ron and Hermione seized his arms.

        "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," I said, my teeth seemed to be chattering.

        We set off back toward the castle, walking slowly to keep ourselves hidden under the cloak. The 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, be quiet!" Hermione whispered urgently. "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 -- stinking toward 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 me or Harry or Hermione could stop him, Ron had thrown the Invisibility Cloak off himself and pelted away into the darkness.

        "Ron!" I moaned.

        The three of us looked at each other, then followed at a sprint; it was impossible to run full out under the cloak; we pulled it off and it streamed behind us like a banner as we hurtled after Ron; we could hear his feet thundering along ahead and his shouts at Crookshanks.

        "Get away from him -- get away -- Scabbers, come here --"

        There was a loud thud.

        "Gotcha! Get off, you stinking cat --"

        Me, Harry and Hermione almost fell over Ron; we skidded to a stop right in front of him. He was sprawled on the ground, but Scabbers was back in his pocket; he had both hands held tight over the quivering lump.

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

        But before we could cover ourselves again, before we could even catch our breath, we heard the soft pounding of gigantic paws.... Something was bounding toward us, quiet as a shadow -- an enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black dog.