Daughter of a Criminal

Hermiones Secret

'Shocking business … shocking … miracle none of them died … never heard the like … by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape …'
'Thank you, Minister.'
'Order of Merlin, Second Class, I'd say. First Class, if I can wangle it!'
'Thank you very much indeed, Minister.'
'Nasty cut you've got there … Black's work, I suppose?'
'As a matter of fact, it was Potter, Weasley, Granger, and Miss Black, Minister …'
'No!'
'Black had bewitched them, I saw it immediately. A Confundus Charm, to judge by their behaviour. They seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent. They weren't responsible for their actions. On the other hand, their interference might have permitted Black to escape … they obviously thought they were going to catch Black single-handed. They've got away with a great deal before now … I'm afraid it's given them a rather high opinion of themselves … and of course Potter has always been allowed an extraordinary amount of licence by the Headmaster â€"'
'Ah, well, Snape … Harry Potter, you know … we've all got a bit of a blind spot where he's concerned.'
'And yet â€" is it good for him to be given so much special treatment? Personally I try to treat him like any other student. And any other student would be suspended â€" at the very least â€" for leading his friends into such danger. Consider, Minister: against all school rules â€" after all the precautions put in place for his protection â€" out of bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer â€" and I have reason to believe he has been visiting Hogsmeade illegally, too â€"'
'Well, well … we shall see, Snape, we shall see … the boy has undoubtedly been foolish …' Ann lay listening with her eyes tight shut. She felt very groggy. The words she was hearing seemed to be travelling very slowly from her ears to her brain, so that it was difficult to understand.
'What amazes me most is the behaviour of the Dementors … you've really no idea what made them retreat, Snape?'
'No, Minister. By the time I had come round they were heading back to their positions at the entrances …' 'Extraordinary. And yet Black, and Harry, and the two girls â€"'
'All unconscious by the time I reached them. I bound and gagged Black, naturally, conjured stretchers and brought them all straight back to the castle.' There was a pause. Ann opened her eyes. She was lying in the dark hospital wing. At the very end of the ward, she could make out Madam Pomfrey with her back to her, bending over a bed. Ann squinted. Ron's red hair was visible beneath Madam Pomfrey's arm. Ann moved her head over on the pillow. In the bed to her right lay Hermione. Moonlight was falling across her bed. Her eyes were open, too. She looked petrified, and when she saw that Ann was awake, pressed a finger to her lips, then pointed to the hospital-wing door. It was ajar, and the voices of Cornelius Fudge and Snape were coming through it from the corridor outside Ann nodded and turned to watch Harry who was also up. Madam Pomfrey now came walking briskly up the dark ward to Harry's bed. He turned to look at her. She was carrying the largest block of chocolate he had ever seen in his life. It looked like a small boulder.
'Ah, you're awake!' she said briskly. She placed the chocolate on Harry's bedside table and began breaking it apart with a small hammer.
'How's Ron?'said Ann, Harry and Hermione together.
'He'll live,'said Madam Pomfrey grimly. 'As for you three … you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're â€" Potter, what do you think you're doing?' Harry was sitting up, putting his glasses back on and picking up his wand.
'I need to see the Headmaster,' he said.
'Potter,'said Madam Pomfrey soothingly, 'it's all right. They've got Black. He's locked away upstairs. The Dementors will be performing the Kiss any moment now â€"'
'WHAT?' Harry jumped up out of bed; Ann and Hermione had both done the same. But his shout had been heard in the corridor outside; next second, Cornelius Fudge and Snape had entered the ward.
'Harry Harry, what's this?' said Fudge, looking agitated. 'You should be in bed â€" has he had any chocolate?' he asked Madam Pomfrey anxiously.
'Minister, listen!' Ann said, hurrying to Harry's side. 'Sirius Black's innocent! Peter Pettigrew faked his own death! We saw him tonight! You can't let the Dementors do that thing to Sirius, he's â€"' But Fudge was shaking his head with a small smile on his face.
'Miss Black I know he's your dad, but I assure you, you're very confused, you've been through a dreadful ordeal, lie back down, now, we've got everything under control …'
'YOU HAVEN'T!' Harry yelled. 'YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG MAN!'
'Minister, listen, please,' Hermione said; she had hurried to Harry and Ann's side and was gazing imploringly into Fudge's face. 'I saw him, too. It was Ron's rat, he's an Animagus, Pettigrew, I mean, and â€"'
'You see, Minister?' said Snape. 'Confunded, all three of them … Black's done a very good job on them …'
'WE'RE NOT CONFUNDED!' Harry roared.
'Minister! Professor!' said Madam Pomfrey angrily. 'I must insist that you leave. Potter is my patient, and he should not be distressed!'
'He's not distressed, we're just trying to tell them what happened!' Ann said furiously. 'If they'd just listen â€"' But Madam Pomfrey suddenly stuffed a large chunk of chocolate into Ann's mouth. She choked, and Madam Pomfrey seized the opportunity to force Ann back onto the bed, then she did the same to Harry.
'Now, please, Minister, these children need care. Please leave â€"' The door opened again. It was Dumbledore. Ann swallowed her mouthful of chocolate with great difficulty, and got up again.
'Professor Dumbledore, my dad Sirius Black â€"'
'For heaven's sake!' said Madam Pomfrey hysterically. 'Is this a hospital wing or not? Headmaster, I must insist â€"'
'My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Mr Potter, Miss Black and Miss Granger,' said Dumbledore calmly. 'I have just been talking to Sirius Black â€"'
'I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he's planted in Miss Black and Potter's minds?'spat Snape. 'Something about a rat, and Pettigrew being alive â€"'
'That, indeed, is Black's story' said Dumbledore, surveying Snape closely through his half-moon spectacles.
'And does my evidence count for nothing?'snarled Snape. 'Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see any sign of him in the grounds.'
'That was because you were knocked out, Professor!' said Hermione earnestly. 'You didn't arrive in time to hear â€"'
'Miss Granger, HOLD YOUR TONGUE!'
'Now, Snape,' said Fudge, startled, 'the young lady is disturbed in her mind, we must make allowances â€"'
'I would like to speak to Harry, Anastasia, and Hermione alone,' said Dumbledore abruptly. 'Cornelius, Severus, Poppy â€" please leave us.'
'Headmaster!' spluttered Madam Pomfrey. 'They need treatment, they need rest â€"'
'This cannot wait,'said Dumbledore. 'I must insist.' Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips and strode away into her office at the end of the ward, slamming the door behind her. Fudge consulted the large gold pocket watch dangling from his waistcoat.
'The Dementors should have arrived by now,' he said. 'I'll go and meet them. Dumbledore, I'll see you upstairs.' He crossed to the door and held it open for Snape, but Snape hadn't moved.
'You surely don't believe a word of Black's story?' Snape whispered, his eyes fixed on Dumbledore's face.
'I wish to speak to Harry, Anastasia and Hermione alone,' Dumbledore repeated. Snape took a step towards Dumbledore.
'Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of sixteen,' he breathed. 'You haven't forgotten that, Headmaster? You haven't forgotten that he once tried to kill me?' 'My memory is as good as it ever was, Severus,' said Dumbledore quietly. Snape turned on his heel and marched through the door Fudge was still holding. It closed behind them and Dumbledore turned to Harry, Anastasia, and Hermione. They all burst into speech at the same time.
'Professor, Black's telling the truth â€" we saw Pettigrew â€"' 'â€" he escaped when Professor Lupin turned into a werewolf â€"' 'â€" he's a rat â€"' 'â€" Pettigrew's front paw, I mean, finger, he cut it off â€"' 'â€" Pettigrew attacked Ron, it wasn't Sirius â€"my dads innocent-' But Dumbledore held up his hand to stem the flood of explanations.
'It is your turn to listen, and I beg you will not interrupt me, because there is very little time,' he said quietly. 'There is not a shred of proof to support Black's story, except your word â€" and the word of three thirteen-year-old wizards will not convince anybody, escapilly when one is the criminals daughter' at this Ann winced 'A street full of eye-witnesses swore they saw Sirius murder Pettigrew. I myself gave evidence to the Ministry that Sirius had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper.'
'My dads innocent,' said Ann
'Ann's right, Professor Lupin can tell you â€"' said Harry.
'Professor Lupin is currently deep in the Forest, unable to tell anyone anything. By the time he is human again, it will be too late, Sirius will be worse than dead. I might add that werewolves are so mistrusted by most of our kind that his support will count for very little â€" and the fact that he and Sirius are old friends â€"'
'But â€"'
'You-'
'Listen to me, Anastasia, Harry. It is too late, you understand me? You must see that Professor Snape's version of events is far more convincing than yours.'
'He hates Sirius,' Hermione said desperately. 'All because of some stupid trick Sirius played on him â€"'
'Sirius has not acted like an innocent man. The attack on the Fat Lady â€" entering Gryffindor Tower with a knife â€" without Pettigrew, alive or dead, we have no chance of overturning Sirius's sentence.'
'But you believe us.' said Harry
'Do you?' Ann asked
'Yes, I do,' said Dumbledore quietly. 'But I have no power to make other men see the truth, or to overrule the Minister for Magic …' Ann stared up into the grave face and felt as though the ground beneath her was falling sharply away. Their last hope was gone. 'What we need,' said Dumbledore slowly, and his light-blue eyes moved from Harry and Ann to Hermione, 'is more time.'
'But â€"' Hermione began. And then her eyes became very round. 'OH!'
'Now, pay attention,' said Dumbledore, speaking very low, and very clearly. 'Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on the seventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. But remember this, each of you. You must not be seen. Miss Granger, you know the law â€" you know what is at stake … you â€" must â€" not â€" be â€" seen.' Neither Harry or Ann had a clue what was going on. Dumbledore had turned on his heel and looked back as he reached the door. 'I am going to lock you in. It is â€"' he consulted his watch, 'five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck.'
'Good luck?' Harry and Ann repeated, as the door closed behind Dumbledore.
'Three turns?'said Ann
'What's he talking about?' Harry asked
'What are we supposed to do?' said Ann. But Hermione was fumbling with the neck of her robes, pulling from beneath them a very long, very fine gold chain.
'Harry, Ann come here,' she said urgently. 'Quick!' Harry and Ann moved towards her, both completely bewildered. She was holding the chain out. Ann saw a tiny, sparkling hourglass hanging from it. 'Here â€"' She had thrown the chain around Ann and Harry's necks, too. 'Ready?'she said breathlessly.
'You have a Time-Turner?' Ann breathed
'What are we doing?' Harry said, completely lost. Hermione turned the hourglass over three times. The dark ward dissolved. Ann had the sensation that she was flying, very fast, backwards, as such she grabbed Harry's arm to make sure she didn't lose him. A blur of colours and shapes rushed past her; her ears were pounding. Ann tried to yell but couldn't hear her own voice â€" And then she felt solid ground beneath her feet, and everything came into focus again â€" She was standing next to Harry and Hermione in the deserted Entrance Hall and a stream of golden sunlight was falling across the paved floor from the open front doors.
'Hermione, what â€"?' Harry begun
'How did you get a Ti-,' Ann began to ask Hermoine.
'In here!' Hermione seized Ann and Harry's arms and dragged them across the hall to the door of a broom cupboard; she opened it, pushed the two inside amongst the buckets and mops, followed them in, then slammed the door behind them.
'What â€" how â€" Hermione, what happened?' Harry asked
'We've gone back in time,' Hermione whispered, lifting the chain off Ann and Harry's necks in the darkness. 'Three hours back …
'But â€"' Harry begun
'Shh! Listen! Someone's coming! I think â€" I think it might be us!' Hermione had her ear pressed against the cupboard door. 'Footsteps across the hall … yes, I think it's us going down to Hagrid's!'
'Are you telling me,' Harry whispered, 'that we're here in this cupboard and we're out there, too?'
'Yes,'said Hermione, her ear still glued to the cupboard door. 'I'm sure it's us … it doesn't sound like more than four people … and we're walking slowly because we're under the Invisibility Cloak â€"' She broke off, still listening intently. 'We've gone down the front steps …' Hermione sat down on an upturned bucket; looking desperately anxious, Harry wanted a few questions answered.
'Where did you get that hourglass thing?' he asked
'Hermoine how did you get a Time-Turner there super rare!,' said Ann
'It's called a Time-Turner and I got it from Professor McGonagall on our first day back. I've been using it all year to get to all my lessons. Professor McGonagall made me swear I wouldn't tell anyone. She had to write all sorts of letters to the Ministry of Magic so I could have one. She had to tell them that I was a model student, and that I'd never, ever use it for anything except my studies … I've been turning it back so I could do hours over again, that's how I've been doing several lessons at once, see?
'But …' said Harry, 'I don't understand what Dumbledore wants us to do. Why did he tell us to go back three hours? How's that going to help Sirius?' Harry stared at her shadowy face. 'There must be something that happened around now he wants us to change,' Ann said slowly. 'What though?' she asked
'We were walking down to Hagrid's three hours ago …' Harry begun
'This is three hours ago, and we are walking down to Hagrid's,' said Hermione. 'We just heard ourselves leaving …' Ann frowned
'Dumbledore just said â€" just said we could save more than one innocent life …' said Harry. And then it hit Ann.
'Hermione, we're going to save Buckbeak!' Ann realised
'But â€" how will that help Sirius?' Hermoine asked the other two
'Dumbledore said â€" he just told us where the window is â€" the window of Flitwick's office! Where they've got Sirius locked up! We've got to fly Buckbeak up to the window and rescue Sirius! Sirius can escape on Buckbeak â€" they can escape together!' said Harry. From what Ann could see of Hermione's face, she looked terrified.
'If we manage that without being seen, it'll be a miracle!'
'Well, we've got to try, haven't we?' said Ann. Harry stood up and pressed his own ear against the door.
'Doesn't sound like anyone's there … come on, let's go …' Harry pushed the cupboard door open. The Entrance Hall was deserted. As quietly and quickly as they could, they darted out of the cupboard and down the stone steps. The shadows were already lengthening, the tops of the trees in the Forbidden Forest gilded once more with gold.
'If anyone's looking out of the window â€"' Hermione squeaked, looking up at the castle behind them.
'Run for it?,' said Ann
'We'll run for it,' said Harry determinedly. 'Straight into the Forest, all right? We'll have to hide behind a tree or something and keep a lookout â€"'
'OK, but we'll go round by the greenhouses!' said Hermione breathlessly. 'We need to keep out of sight of Hagrid's front door, or we'll see us! We must be nearly at Hagrid's by now!' Still working out what she meant, Ann set off at a sprint, Harry and Hermione behind her. They tore across the vegetable gardens to the greenhouses, paused for a moment behind them, then set off again, fast as they could, skirting around the Whomping Willow, tearing towards the shelter of the Forest … Safe in the shadows of the trees, Ann turned around; seconds later, Harry revved barley sweating, but Hermione arrived beside the two, panting as though she'd just ran a marathon.
'Right,' she gasped, 'we need to sneak over to Hagrid's. Keep out of sight, Harry, Ann …' They made their way silently through the trees, keeping to the very edge of the Forest. Then, as they glimpsed the front of Hagrid's house, they heard a knock upon his door. They moved quickly behind a wide oak trunk and peered out from either side. Hagrid had appeared in his doorway, shaking and white, looking around to see who had knocked. And Ann heard Harry's voice.
'It's us. We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off.' 'Yeh shouldn've come!' Hagrid whispered. He stood back, then shut the door quickly.
'This is the weirdest thing we've ever done,' Harry said fervently.
'Weirder than fighting that troll our first year?' Annn joked, causing Harry to chuckle.
'Let's move along a bit,' Hermione whispered. 'We need to get nearer to Buckbeak!' They crept through the trees until they saw the nervous Hippogriff, tethered to the fence around Hagrid's pumpkin patch.
'Now?' Harry whispered.
'No!' said Hermione. 'If we steal him now, those Committee people will think Hagrid set himfree! We've got to wait until they've seen he's tied outside!'
'That's going to give us about sixty seconds,' said Ann nervously. This was starting to seem impossible. At that moment, there was a crash of breaking china from inside Hagrid's cabin. 'That's Hagrid breaking the milk jug,' Hermione whispered. 'Me and Ann are going to find Scabbers in a moment â€"' Sure enough, a few minutes later, they heard Hermione's shriek of surprise.
'Hermione,' said Harry suddenly, 'what if we â€" we just run in there, and grab Pettigrew â€"'
'Oh yes we could cha-,' Ann begun cutting Harry off
'No!' said Hermione in a terrified whisper. 'Don't you two understand? We're breaking one of the most important wizarding laws! Nobody's supposed to change time, nobody! You heard Dumbledore, if we're seen â€"'
'We'd only be seen by ourselves and Hagrid!' Harry argued. Ann nodded
Harry, what do you think you'd do if you saw yourself bursting into Hagrid's house?' said Hermione.
'I'd â€" I'd think I'd gone mad,' said Harry,
'I'd think there was some Dark Magic going on â€"' said Ann
'Exactly! You wouldn't understand, you might even attack yourself! Don't you see? Professor McGonagall told me what awful things have happened when wizards have meddled with time … loads of them ended up killing their past or future selves by mistake!'
'OK!' said Harry.
'It was just an idea,' said Ann. 'I just thought â€"' But Hermione nudged her, and pointed towards the castle. Harry and Ann moved both their heads a few inches to get a clear view of the distant front doors. Dumbledore, Fudge, the old Committee member, and Macnair the executioner were coming down the steps.
'We're about to come out!' Hermione breathed. And sure enough, moments later, Hagrid's back door opened, and Ann saw herself, Harry, Ron and Hermione walking out of it with Hagrid. It was, without a doubt, the strangest sensation of her life, standing behind the tree, and watching herself in the pumpkin patch.
'It's OK, Beaky, it's OK …' Hagrid said to Buckbeak. Then he turned to Ann, Harry, Ron and Hermione. 'Go on. Get goin'.'
'Hagrid, we can't â€"' 'We'll tell them what really happened â€"' 'They can't kill him â€" I'll-'
'Go! It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!' Ann watched the Hermione in the pumpkin patch throw the Invisibility Cloak over herself, Harry, and Ron. 'Go quick. Don' listen …' There was a knock on Hagrid's front door. The execution party had arrived. Hagrid turned around and headed back into his cabin, leaving the back door ajar. Ann watched the grass flatten in patches all around the cabin and heard three pairs of feet retreating. She, Harry, Ron and Hermione had gone … but the Ann, Harry and Hermione hidden in the trees could now hear what was happening inside the cabin through the back door.
'Where is the beast?' came the cold voice of Macnair.
'Out â€" outside,' Hagrid croaked. Ann pulled her head out of sight as Macnair's face appeared at Hagrid's window, staring out at Buckbeak. Then they heard Fudge. 'We â€" er â€" have to read you the official notice of execution, Hagrid. I'll make it quick. And then you and Macnair need to sign it. Macnair, you're supposed to listen too, that's procedure â€"' Macnair's face vanished from the window. It was now or never.
'Wait here,' Harry whispered to Ann and Hermione. 'I'll do it.' As Fudge's voice started again, Harry darted out from behind his tree, vaulted the fence into the pumpkin patch and approached Buckbeak.
'It is the decision of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures that the Hippogriff Buckbeak, hereafter called the condemned, shall be executed on the sixth of June at sundown â€"' Careful not to blink, Harry stared up into Buckbeak's fierce orange eye once more, and bowed. Buckbeak sank to his scaly knees and then stood up again. Harry began to fumble with the rope tying Buckbeak to the fence, Ann, growing worried, moved closer.
'… sentenced to execution by beheading, to be carried out by the Committee's appointed executioner, Walden Macnair …'
'Come on, Buckbeak,' Harry murmured, 'come on, we're going to help you. Quietly … quietly …'
'… as witnessed below. Hagrid, you sign here …' Harry threw all his weight onto the rope, but Buckbeak had dug in his front feet.
'Well, let's get this over with,' said the reedy voice of the Committee member from inside Hagrid's cabin. 'Hagrid, perhaps it would be better if you stayed inside â€"'
'No, I â€" I wan' ter be with him … I don' wan' him ter be alone â€"' Footsteps echoed from within the cabin.
'Buckbeak, move!' Harry hissed. Harry tugged harder on the rope around Buckbeak's neck. The Hippogriff began to walk, rustling its wings irritably. They were still ten feet away from the Forest, in plain view of Hagrid's back door.
'One moment, please, Macnair,' came Dumbledore's voice. 'You need to sign, too.' The footsteps stopped. Harry heaved on the rope. Buckbeak snapped his beak and walked a little faster. Ann's worried face was sticking out from behind a tree.
'Harry, hurry!' she mouthed. Harry could still hear Dumbledore's voice talking from within the cabin. He gave the rope another wrench. Buckbeak broke into a grudging trot. They had reached the trees …
'Quick! Quick!' Ann moaned, darting out from behind her tree, seizing the rope too and adding her weight to make Buckbeak move faster, Hermoine doing the same.
'Stop!' he whispered to Ann and Hermione. 'They might hear us â€"' Hagrid's back door had opened with a bang. Ann, Harry, Hermione and Buckbeak stood quite still; even the Hippogriff seemed to be listening intently. Silence … then â€"
'Where is it?' said the reedy voice of the Committee member. 'Where is the beast?'
'It was tied here!' said the executioner furiously. 'I saw it! Just here!'
'How extraordinary' said Dumbledore. There was a note of amusement in his voice.
'Beaky!' said Hagrid huskily. There was a swishing noise, and the thud of an axe. The executioner seemed to have swung it into the fence in anger. And then came the howling, and this time they could hear Hagrid's words through his sobs.
'Gone! Gone! Bless his little beak, he's gone! Musta pulled himself free! Beaky, yeh clever boy!' Buckbeak started to strain against the rope, trying to get back to Hagrid. Ann, Harry and Hermione all tightened their grip and dug their heels into the Forest floor to stop him. 'Someone untied him!' the executioner was snarling. 'We should search the grounds, the Forest â€"'
'Macnair, if Buckbeak has indeed been stolen, do you really think the thief will have led him away on foot?' said Dumbledore, still sounding amused. 'Search the skies, if you will … Hagrid, I could do with a cup of tea. Or a large brandy.'
'O' â€" o' course, Professor,' said Hagrid, who sounded weak with happiness. 'Come in, come in …' Ann, Harry and Hermione listened closely. They heard footsteps, the soft cursing of the executioner, the snap of the door, and then silence once more.
'Now what?' whispered Harry, looking around.
'Yeah do-,' Ann begun
'We'll have to hide in here,' said Hermione, who looked very shaken. 'We need to wait until they've gone back to the castle. Then we wait until it's safe to fly Buckbeak up to Sirius' window. He won't be there for another couple of hours , this is going to be difficult …' She looked nervously over her shoulder into the depths of the Forest. The sun was setting now. 'We're going to have to move,' said Harry. 'We've got to be able to see the Whomping Willow, or we won't know what's going on.'
'Harry's right we need to move,' said Ann
'OK,' said Hermione, getting a firmer grip on Buckbeak's rope. 'But we've got to keep out of sight, you two, remember …' They moved around the edge of the Forest, darkness falling thickly around them, until they were hidden behind a clump of trees through which they could make out the Willow.
'There's Ron!' said Harry suddenly. A dark figure was sprinting across the lawn and its shout echoed through the still night air. 'Get away from him â€" get away â€" Scabbers, come here â€"' And then they saw three more figures materialise out of nowhere. Ann watched herself, Harry and Hermione chasing after Ron. Then he saw Ron dive. 'Gotcha! Get off, you stinking cat â€"'
'There's Sirius!' said Ann. The great shape of the dog had bounded out from the roots of the Willow. They saw him bowl Ann and Harry over, then seize Ron …
'Looks even worse from here, doesn't it?' said Harry, watching the dog pulling Ron into the roots. The Whomping Willow was creaking and lashing out with its lower branches; they could see themselves darting here and there, trying to reach the trunk. And then the tree froze.
'That was Crookshanks pressing the knot,' said Hermione.
'And there we go …' Harry muttered. 'We're in.' The moment they disappeared, the tree began to move again. Seconds later, they heard footsteps quite close by. Dumbledore, Macnair, Fudge and the old Committee member were making their way up to the castle. 'Right after we'd gone down into the passage!' said Hermione. 'If only Dumbledore had come with us …'
'Macnair and Fudge would've come too,' said Ann bitterly. 'I bet you anything Fudge would've told Macnair to murder my dad on the spot …' They watched the four men climb the castle steps and disappear from view. For a few minutes the scene was deserted. Then â€" 'Here comes Lupin!' said Harry, as they saw another figure sprinting down the stone steps and haring towards the Willow. Harry looked up at the sky. Clouds were obscuring the moon completely. They watched Lupin seize a broken branch from the ground and prod the knot on the trunk. The tree stopped fighting, and Lupin, too, disappeared into the gap in its roots.
'If he'd only grabbed the Cloak,' said Harry. 'It's just lying there …' He turned to Hermione. 'If I just dashed out now and grabbed it, Snape'd never be able to get it and â€"'
'Harry, we mustn't be seen!' she said
'How can you stand this?' he asked Hermione fiercely. 'Just standing here and watching it happen?' Harry hesitated.
'I'm going to grab the Cloak!' he said
'Harry, no!' Hermione and Ann seized the back of Harry's robes not a moment too soon. Just then, they heard a burst of song. It was Hagrid, making his way up to the castle, singing at the top of his voice, and weaving slightly as he walked. A large bottle was swinging from his hands.
'See?' Hermione whispered. 'See what would have happened? We've got to keep out of sight!'
'No, Buckbeak!' Ann whispered, letting go of Harry. The Hippogriff was making frantic attempts to get to Hagrid again; Harry seized his rope, too, straining to hold Buckbeak back. They watched Hagrid meander tipsily up to the castle. He was gone. Buckbeak stopped fighting to get away. His head drooped sadly. Barely two minutes later, the castle doors flew open yet again, and Snape had come charging out of them, running towards the Willow. Ann's fists clenched as they watched Snape skid to a halt next to the tree, looking around. He grabbed the Cloak and held it up.
'Get your filthy hands off it,' Harry snarled under his breath.
'Shh!' Hermoine whispered. Snape seized the branch Lupin had used to freeze the tree, prodded the knot, and vanished from view as he put on the Cloak.
'So that's it,' said Hermione quietly. 'We're all down there … and now we've just got to wait until we come back up again …' Ann took the end of Buckbeak's rope and tied it securely around the nearest tree, as Hermoine sat down on the dry ground, arms around her knees. 'Harry, Ann there's something I don't understand … Why didn't the Dementors get Sirius? I remember them coming, and then I think I passed out … there were so many of them …' Ann and Harry sat down, too.
'I dunno,' said Harry. Ann sighed and explained what she'd seen; how, as the nearest Dementor had lowered its mouth to Anns, two large silver somethings had come galloping across the lake and forced the Dementors to retreat. Harry and Hermione's mouth were both slightly open by the time Ann had finished.
'But what where they?' Hermoine asked
'There's only one thing it could have been, to make the Dementors go,' said Harry. 'Two real Patronuses. Powerful ones too.'
'But who conjured them?' Hermoine asked
'I dunno, fainted before I saw the conjurers,' said Ann. She then turned to look at Buckbeak, who was digging his beak into the ground, apparently searching for worms. The leaves overhead rustled faintly in the breeze. The moon drifted in and out of sight behind the shifting clouds. Hermione sat with her face turned towards the Willow, waiting. And then, at last, after over an hour …
'Here we come!' Hermione whispered. She, Ann and Harry got to their feet. Buckbeak raised his head. They saw Lupin, Ron and Pettigrew clambering awkwardly out of the hole in the roots. Then came Hermione and Harry … then the unconscious Snape, drifting weirdly upwards. Next came Ann and her dad. They all began to walk towards the castle. Any moment now, that cloud was going to move aside and show the moon …
'Ann,' Hermione muttered, as though she knew exactly what Ann was thinking, 'we've got to stay put. We mustn't be seen. There's nothing we can do …'
'So we're just going to let Pettigrew escape all over again …' said Harry quietly.
'How do you expect to find a rat in the dark?'snapped Hermione.
'Hermione's right Harry, there's nothing we can do,' said Ann
'Ok,' said Harry, knowing how much Ann herself would've loved to change that night's events. The moon slid out from behind its cloud. They saw the tiny figures across the grounds stop. Then they saw movement â€"
'There goes Lupin,' Hermione whispered. 'He's transforming â€"'
'Hermione, Ann!' said Harry suddenly. 'We've got to move!'
'We mustn't, I keep telling you â€"' Hermoine said
'Not to interfere! But Lupin's going to run into the Forest, right at us!' said Harry. Hermione gasped.
'Quick!' Ann moaned, dashing to untie Buckbeak.
'Quick! Where are we going to go? Where are we going to hide?' Hermoine asked 'The Dementors will be coming any moment â€"'
'Back to Hagrid's!' Harry said. 'It's empty now â€" come on!' They ran, fast as they could, Buckbeak cantering along behind them. They could hear the werewolf howling behind them … The cabin was in sight. Harry skidded to the door, wrenched it open and Ann, Hermione and Buckbeak flashed past him; Harry threw himself in after them and bolted the door. Fang the boarhound barked loudly.
'Shh, Fang, it's us!' said Ann, hurrying over and scratching his ears to quieten him.
'That was really close!' Hermoine said to Harry.
'Yeah …' Harry was looking out of the window. It was much harder to see what was going on from here. Buckbeak seemed very happy to find himself back inside Hagrid's house. He lay down in front of the fire, folded his wings contentedly and seemed ready for a good nap.
'I think I'd better go outside again, you know,' said Harry slowly. 'I can't see what's going on â€" we won't know when it's time â€"' Hermione looked up. Her expression was suspicious. 'I'm not going to try and interfere,' said Harry quickly. 'But if we don't see what's going on, how're we going to know when it's time to rescue Sirius?'
'I'll go with Harry make sure he doesn't interfere,' said Ann trying to lighten the mood
'Well … OK, then, just take Ann … I'll wait here with Buckbeak … but Harry, Ann be careful â€" there's a werewolf out there â€" and the Dementors â€"'
Ann and Harry stepped outside again and edged around the cabin. They could hear yelping in the distance. That meant the Dementors were closing in on Sirius … her, Harry and Hermione would be running to him any moment … Harry and Ann both stared out towards the lake. Whoever had sent those Patronuses would be appearing at any moment. For a fraction of a second he stood, irresolute, in front of Hagrid's door. And there were the Dementors. They were emerging out of the darkness from every direction, gliding around the edges of the lake … they were moving away from where Harry stood, to the opposite bank … he wouldn't have to get near them … Harry began to run, Ann on his heels. On the opposite bank, Ann could see tiny glimmers of silver â€" her own attempts at a Patronus â€" There was a bush at the very edge of the water. Harry and Ann threw themselves behind it, peering desperately through the leaves. On the opposite bank, the glimmers of silver were suddenly extinguished. But no one came. And then Ann relized.
'Its us Harry,' she said.
'What-,' And then it hit him â€" he understood. Harry and Ann flung themselves out from behind the bush and pulled out their wands.
'EXPECTO PATRONUM!' they yelled at the same time. And out of the end of Harrys wand burst, not a shapeless cloud of mist, but a blinding, dazzling, silver animal. It was a stag. And then out of Ann's wand came a bright silver elephant. The two animals charged at the swarming Dementors … now they were galloping around and around the black shapes on the ground, and the Dementors were falling back, scattering, retreating into the darkness … they were gone. The Patronuses turned. They were cantering back towards Harry and Ann across the still surface of the water. Slowly, it bowed its antlered head. And Harry realised … 'Prongs,' he whispered. But as his trembling fingertips stretched towards the creature, it vanished. Anns did the same. Then, with a great leap of her heart, Ann heard hooves behind the â€" her and Harry whirled around and saw Hermione dashing towards them, dragging Buckbeak behind her.
'What did you do?'she said fiercely. 'You said you were only going to keep a lookout!'
'We just saved all our lives …' said Ann. 'Get behind here â€" behind this bush â€" I'll explain.' Hermione listened to what had just happened with her mouth open yet again.
'Did anyone see you?'
'Yes, haven't you been listening? The two of us produced fully formed Patronuses!' said Ann grinning
'Harry, Ann I can't believe it â€" you two both conjured up a Patronus that drove away all those Dementors! That's very, very advanced magic …'
'I knew I could do it this time,' said Harry, 'because I'd already done it … Does that make sense?'
'I'm just proud of us,' said Ann, still grinning, making Harry smile.
'Harry, Ann look at Snape!' The three peered around the bush at the other bank. Snape had regained consciousness. He was conjuring stretchers and lifting the limp forms of Ann, Harry, Hermione and Anns dad onto them. A fifth stretcher, no doubt bearing Ron, was already floating at his side. Then, wand held out in front of him, he moved them away towards the castle. 'Right, it's nearly time,' said Hermione tensely, looking at her watch. 'We've got about forty-five minutes until Dumbledore locks the door to the hospital wing. We've got to rescue Sirius and get back into the ward before anybody realises we're missing …' They waited, watching the moving clouds reflected in the lake, while the bush next to them whispered in the breeze. Buckbeak, bored, was ferreting for worms again.
'D'you reckon he's up there yet?' said Harry, checking his watch. Ann looked up at the castle, and began counting the windows to the right of the West Tower.
'He might,' she said
'Look!' Hermione whispered. 'Who's that? Someone's coming back out of the castle!' Harry and Ann stared through the darkness. The man was hurrying across the grounds, towards one of the entrances. Something shiny glinted in his belt.
'Macnair!'said Harry. 'The executioner!'
'He's gone to get the Dementors! This is it, Hermione â€"' said Ann. Ann put her hands on Buckbeak's back and Harry gave her a leg up. Then Hermoine climbed on with Harry and Anns help, and finally Harry placed his foot on one of the lower branches of the bush and climbed up in front of Ann. Hermoine was gripping Ann so hard she could feel her ribs being scratched. Harry pulled Buckbeak's rope back over his neck and tied it to the other side of his collar like reins.
'Ready?' he whispered to Hermione and Ann. 'You'd better hold on to me â€"' He nudged Buckbeak's sides with his heels. Buckbeak soared straight into the dark air. Harry gripped his flanks with his knees, feeling the great wings rising powerfully beneath them. Ann grabbed Harry without thinking. Hermione was holding Ann very tightly around the waist; she could hear her friend muttering,
'Oh, no â€" I don't like this â€" oh, I really don't like this â€"' Harry urged Buckbeak forwards. They were gliding quietly towards the upper floors of the castle … Harry pulled hard on the left-hand side of the rope, and Buckbeak turned. Harry was trying to count the windows flashing past â€" 'Whoa!' he said, pulling backwards as hard as he could. Buckbeak slowed down and they found themselves at a stop, unless you counted the fact that they kept rising up and down several feet as he beat his wings to remain airborne.
'He's there!' Ann said, spotting Sirius as they rose up beside the window. Harry reached out, and as Buckbeak's wings fell, was able to tap sharply on the glass. Sirius looked up. Ann saw his jaw drop. He leapt from his chair, hurried to the window and tried to open it, but it was locked.
'Stand back!' Hermione called to him, and she took out her wand, still gripping the back of Harry's robes with her left hand. 'Alohomora!' The window sprang open.
'How â€" how â€"?'said her dad weakly, staring at the Hippogriff.
'Get on â€" there's not much time,' said Ann, 'You've got to get out of here â€" the Dementors are coming. Macnair's gone to get them.' her dad placed a hand on either side of the window-frame and heaved his head and shoulders out of it. It was very lucky he was so thin. In seconds, he had managed to fling one leg over Buckbeak's back, and pull himself onto the Hippogriff behind Hermione.
'OK, Buckbeak, up!' said Harry, shaking the rope. 'Up to the tower â€" come on!' The Hippogriff gave one sweep of its mighty wings and they were soaring upwards again, high as the top of the West Tower. Buckbeak landed with a clatter on the battlements and Ann Harry and Hermione slid off him at once.
'Sirius, you'd better go, quick,' Harry panted. 'They'll reach Flitwick's office any moment, they'll find out you've gone.' Buckbeak pawed the ground, tossing his sharp head.
'What happened to the other boy? Ron?' said Sirius urgently.
'He's going to be OK â€" he's still out of it, but Madam Pomfrey says she'll be able to make himbetter. Quick â€" go!' But Sirius was still staring down at Ann. He pulled her into an awkward hug and kissed her forehead before he said.
'How can I ever thank â€"'
'GO!' Harry and Hermione shouted together. Sirius wheeled Buckbeak around, facing the open sky.
'We'll see each other again,' he said. 'I promise Annie …' He squeezed Buckbeak's sides with his heels. Ann, Harry and Hermione all jumped back as the enormous wings rose once more … the Hippogriff took off into the air … he and his rider became smaller and smaller as Harry gazed after them … then a cloud drifted across the moon … they were gone.