PHANTOM FIGURES | harry potter

30. cat, rat, and dog

     Aspen's mind had gone blank with shock. The five of them 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 them, they heard a wild howling.

     "Hagrid," Harry muttered. Without thinking about what he was doing, he moved to turn back around. Aspen grabbed the back of his shirt to stop him.

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

     "And Hagrid will also be even more distraught if he knew we stuck around..." said Aspen, all the colour drained from her face.

     "No thanks to your rat," added Jasmine.

     Hermione's breathing was shallow and uneven.

     "How - could - they?" she choked. "How could they?"

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

     They set off back toward the castle, walking slowly to keep themselves hidden under the Cloak. The light was fading fast now. By the time they reached open ground, darkness was settling like a spell around them.

     "Scabbers, keep still," Ron hissed, clamping a hand over his chest. The rat was wriggling madly. Ron came to a sudden halt, trying to force Scabbers deep into the 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?"

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

     Aspen turn around and spotted the orange cat getting nearer and 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 any of the other kids could stop him, Ron had thrown the Invisibility Cloak off himself and pelted away into the darkness.

     "Ron!" Hermione groaned.

     Aspen, Jasmine, Harry, and Hermione looked at each other briefly and then took off after him in a sprint; it was impossible to run full out under the Cloak; they pulled it off and it streamed behind them like a banner as they hurtled after Ron; they 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-"

     The four chasing after Ron almost tripped over him, they 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 they could cover themselves again, before they could even catch their breath, they heard a soft pounding of gigantic paws... Something was bounding toward them out of the dark - an enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black dog.