𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐥𝐞 | h. granger

xlvi | the execution

CHAPTER FOURTY-SIX
the execution

── •✧• ──

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐅 𝐁𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐊'𝐒 𝐄𝐗𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 was gray and chilly. The sound of scraping metal hit Dakota's ears as she walked out to the courtyard with her friends; the executioner was sharpening his ax.

Hermione, Dakota, and Aliyah glared at the man. Lyra, too emotional about what was to happen in a couple short hours, clung to Aliyah's arm and kept her head down.

"I can't believe they're going to kill Buckbeak," Hermione said as they walked across the bridge on their way to Hagrid's. "It's just too horrible."

"It just got worse." Ron stopped walking. Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle were gathered together behind a giant rock slab, binoculars in the blonde boy's hand. Dakota stormed forward, pulling out her wand as the others rushed after her.

"Look who's here," Goyle said, smirking as Dakota approached him, her jaw clenched.

"Ah, come to see the show?" Draco smirked.

"You're a right foul git, you know that?" Dakota pressed her wand tip against Draco's neck, making the boy whimper and press his back against the rock. "You think an execution is something to laugh about, do you? What about now? How about we make this your execution!"

"Dakota, no!" Harry pulled his cousin back. "He's not worth it."

Dakota sighed. She turned as if she were about to walk away before whirling back around and punching Draco in the face. He groaned in pain, his cronies helping him as they ran back to the castle.

"Not a word to anyone, understood?" she heard Draco say to Crabbe and Goyle, his voice laced with what sounded like fear. "I don't want anyone knowing I was punched in the face by a filthy Mudblood!"

Hermione stared at Dakota in shock as she turned back around, a satisfied smirk on her face. "That was so hot," she whispered quietly. Aliyah heard this and grinned knowingly.

"I've been wanting to do that since first year," Dakota admitted, shaking her head with a chuckle. "That felt good."

"He deserved it," Lyra agreed, shrugging.

They quickly made their way down to Hagrid's hut. Buckbeak was laying outside in the pumpkin patch. Aliyah slowly approached him and bowed, the hippogriff bowing his head in return. She gently stroked the side of his head before following the others inside, a small pout on her lips.

"Now, look at him," Hagrid said, sighing softly as he stared out the open window at Buckbeak. "Loves the smell of the trees when the wind blows through them."

"Why don't we just set him free?" Harry suggested.

Hagrid shook his head. "They'd know it was me, and then Dumbledore would get into trouble. He's coming down, you know, Dumbledore. Says he wants to be with me when they. . .When it happens. . .Great man, Dumbledore."

Dakota made a sort of grimace. She didn't know Dumbledore that well, but she knew enough about him to know he favoured Gryffindor more than the other houses just because Harry was in it. "He's. . .okay. . .I guess."

"We'll stay with you too, Hagrid," Hermione declared.

"You'll do no such thing!" Hagrid quickly shot her down. "Think I want you seeing something like that? No. You just drink your tea and be off. Oh, before you do, Ron. . ." Hagrid opened up a container on the counter and took something furry out.

"Scabbers!" Ron gasped. He stood up from the table and went to take his rat from Hagrid. "You're alive!"

"Wanna keep a closer eye on your pets, Ron," Hagrid advised.

"Think that means you owe someone an apology," Hermione said, glaring at Ron.

"Right. Next time I see Crookshanks, I'll let him know," Ron responded.

"She was talking about her, half-wit!" Dakota snapped.

The vase on the table suddenly broke, startling the six friends. Hermione picked up what broke it – a rock with a little swirl on it. Harry exclaimed in pain as something hit the back of his head. He looked out the open window to see who threw it, only to see the executioner coming down with Cornelius Fudge and Albus Dumbledore.

Hagrid quickly ushered them out the back door. Hermione poked her head around the corner. When the adults entered the hut, they quickly rushed down to hide behind a pile of large pumpkins. They could hear Fudge reading off Buckbeak's sentence.

They ran up the pathway back to the castle. They stood between the large rocks where the Slytherin trio had been earlier, watching as the executioner raised his sharpened ax.

Dakota took Hermione's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze, Aliyah doing the same with Lyra. The ax came down on Buckbeak, and Lyra burst into tears, burying her face in Aliyah's shoulder as Dakota wrapped Hermione in a comforting hug.

Ron suddenly gasped. "He bit me," he whispered. "Scabbers." He turned and ran after his rat, who had taken off. The others hurried after him. "Scabbers, come back!"

They came to a stop when they realized that Scabbers was running towards the Whomping Willow. Ron didn't notice; he fell to his knees and grabbed his pet.

"Ron, run!" Harry shouted.

Fear fell across Ron's face. He lifted a shaky finger and shouted, "You guys run! It's the Grim!"

They turned around and saw a large, shaggy black dog. Its teeth were bared, and he ran towards them, barking. He leapt past the five teens and sprinted towards Ron. He bit onto his leg and dragged him away, his friends unable to reach him before he disappeared into a tunnel inside the tree.

The Whomping Willow hit the five back with one of its branches, and they grunted as they landed with a thud on the ground.

"Don't move!" Lyra shouted when they tried to get up again. "My sister told me about this tree. There's a little knot that you have to press to freeze it."

Lyra, being the smallest in their friend group, was able to crouch across to the trunk of the tree without getting hit. She pressed the knot, immobilizing the tree. She motioned for the others to come on. They walked into the opening at the base of the tree trunk, nothing but darkness awaiting them.

"Where do you suppose this goes?" Hermione asked.

"I have a hunch," Harry said. "I just hope I'm wrong."