𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑢𝑝𝑜𝑛 𝑎 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚 \\ 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗷. 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿

𝑋𝑉𝐼.

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙞𝙭𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

THE FOUR OF them had to hurry if they wanted to make it to Hagrid's before sunset. They picked up the pace and passed Buckbeak, tied up and laying in Hagrid's pumpkin patch. Caroline opened the door to Hagrid's house, immediately going to the window where Hagrid was looking out at Buckbeak. Harry joined the two.

"Oh, look at him. Loves the smell of the tress when the wind blows through them." Hagrid said. Caroline frowned, keeping her eyes trained on Buckbeak.

"Why don't we just set him free?" Harry suggested. Caroline rolled her eyes.

"They'd know it was him, Harry." said Caroline, gazing out the window.

"That's right, Caroline. 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. A great man." Hagrid said, turning away from the window. He tossed some food at an unknown animal.

"We'll stay with you too, Hagrid." Hermione said as she stood from the table.

"You'll do no such thing! Think I want you seeing something like that? No, you just drink your tea and be off," Hagrid insisted. Caroline turned from the window, instead hopping up on it, sitting with her back towards to the ledge. "Oh. Before you do, Ron..." Hagrid went over to his cupboard and opened a container, turning around with Ron's ugly rat in his hands.

"Scabbers! You're alive!" Ron said happily, taking Scabbers from Hagrid.

Caroline scoffed. "Told you." she muttered, petting some adorable creature that had landed on her thigh.

"Keep a closer eye on your pet, Ron." Hagrid said.

"I think that means you owe someone an apology." Hermione said, walking closer to Ron.

"Right. Next time I see Crookshanks and Penny, I'll let them know." Ron said, leaning towards Hermione.

Caroline rolled her eyes at Ron's pettiness. "I meant us!" said Hermione.

All of a sudden, a stone was thrown at a jar filled with animal food on the table, and it broke. "Blimey. What was that?" Hagrid questioned.

Then, a stone hit Harry on the back of the head, and Caroline on the neck, making them both yelp in pain. "Hagrid." Harry said suddenly. Caroline stood from her seat on the window, taking the little animal and putting it on the table.

"Oh, crikey," Hagrid said. Dumbledore, Fudge and the executioner were walking down the path towards the hut. "It's late. It's nearly dark. You shouldn't be here. Someone sees you outside the castle this time of night, you'll be in trouble—big trouble, particulary you, Harry." Hagrid began to cover things up in his hut.

"What should we do, then?" Caroline questioned, just as the front door was knocked on.

"With you in a moment!" Hagrid called, continung to cover things up. "Quick. Quick!" he whispered, ushering the friends through the hut, towards the back entrance.

Caroline opened the back door, poking her head out, seeing Hagrid inviting the men into his house. Ron, followed by Hermione and Harry appeared at the door, and when the coast was clear, they ran through Hagrid's pumpkin patch, stopping when they came upon a large stack of them to hide behind.