Lucy Potter: Harry's little sister

| Year 3 | Chapter 15: The verdict

Lucy's POV:

EXECUTED?! how?! Just because some little brat can't just listen to his teacher's instruc- tions?!

"Malfoy, the little brat," I hiss at no one in particular. "And his stupid father just barg- ing in as always, acting like he's bloody royalty!"

"Yeah well with their wealth," Ron admitted through gritted teeth, also seething. "He basically is, sadly. You've seen it!"

"Oh, I can't believe this!" Hermione stands up in frustration, throwing a very annoyed Crookshanks off her lap.

"Keep that thing away!" Ron grabs at his pocket in panic.

"What, d'you have a gun in there or some- thing?" Ron looks at me, totally confused and thrown off guard for a second. "A what?"

"Ronald has been afraid Crookshanks will eat Scabbers," Hermione explains with a pointed, annoyed look to Ron. "Which is not going to happen, Crookshanks is a very sweet cat."

"I wouldn't say it's a sweet cat exactly," Harry tunes in.

"Oh come on, Crookshanks is fine," I tell the boys. Hermione smiles brightly, finally having found some support. "Crookshanks is actually the only cat that's sweet that I know of."

"Wait, but you love cats," Harry frowns at me. "When did you stop liking Mrs. Figg's cats?"

"Yeah well, most cats take a disliking to me lately."

Harry opens his mouth to ask, but he closes it again when he realises, giving me a sad frown. Don't you dare pity me, Harry Potter!

"How's Hagrid doing, with all of this?"

"Not good," Ron scoffs at no one in particu- lar. "He's mad at himself mostly. But also at Malfoy, of course."

"As he should be," Hermione comments with a huff. "It was not even his fault. Neither was it Buckbeak's, he was being provoked by Malfoy!"

That might be true, but I of all people know how the Ministry does not care about that. This incident is like catching two flies at once: they get to please Lucius Malfoy, be in his favour and they can get rid of a 'monster' that they want to get rid of anyways. Doing what is right doesn't matter in this case, not to the people who decide.

"Is there anything we can do?" I really want to help Hagrid, he does not deserve this. And I'm pretty sure Buckbeak doesn't deserve what's coming for him either. I should go see Hagrid and meet Buckbeak, try to help a little.

"Well there is one more chance, sort of," Harry starts, but they do not look too hope- ful. "The day of the execution, the Minister will come first, to make the final decision."

"But he won't change the verdict," I finish for them. Defeated, Harry hangs his head and nods. Hermione bites her lip, obviously doing everything to keep her tears in.

Should I just go comfort her? How? Do I tell it's going to be fine? I know it probably won't, she knows it too! She looks like she needs a hug, maybe a hug?

I decide that is the right thing to do. I walk up to her slowly, maybe she doesn't like hugs, then she'll have time to tell me. She doesn't though, so I go in for the hug. She stiffens, probably in surprise, and so do I, but she quickly hugs me back. Merlin, why is this so hard? Why do I even flinch when I'm the one hugging first?

"Lu, are you... okay?" Harry asks from behind me and I can just picture his face right now. I never hug anyone unless they're like my best friend or they go in for the hug. I only ever really hugged Harry, Remus and Ginny, if you don't count Liliana in a group hug and Vanessa, who often initiates hugs.