snake in the lions den|| WTM

thirty two

Hagrid, wearing a gigantic, hairy brown suit and perhaps the world's ugliest yellow and orange tie, stands knee deep in the shallows of the Black Lake, skimming rocks as big as flagstones across the water's shiny gloss. As he turns, the trio catches a brief sight of his eyes, red with tears, then he looks away. "How'd it go, Hagrid?" Hermione asks trying to stay hopeful but she also knows that Hagrid was against Lucius Malfoy who seems to have the whole ministry in his back pocket. Hagrid sniffs and avoids the question "Buckbeak liked London."

"I meant the hearing."

"Oh. That. Well, I got up an' said my bit -- You know, how Buckbeak was a good Hippogriff an' as long as yeh treated 'im with respect, he'd treat you the same. Then Lucius Malfoy got up an' said his bit -- you know, how Buckbeak was a deadly dangerous beast that no teacher in their righ' mind would expose their students to..."

"And?" Hagrid slings another rock into water with a bit more force. "You mustn't blame yourself, Hagrid." Hermione tells the half giant with sympathy

"Draco. It's him the Committee should punish. It's him they should send off to the forest, not Buckbeak." Ron concludes.

"Hey." Draco says in protest wearing a pout on his face as everyone just eyes him. "Mate you were a little shit back then, I bet aunt Cissa wanted you to get lost in the forest sometimes." Mattheo tells the boy who looks straight towards his mum who pulls a slight face in agreement whilst shrugging. The expression on the blonde boys face caused, Ada, Sirius and Blaise to burst out laughing.

"Buckbeak's not going back to the forest..." Hagrid says in a solum tone, The trio close their eyes dreading the answer to Hermione's question "Where's he going, Hagrid?"

"He asked fer the worse, yeh see, Lucius Malfoy did. An' the Committee granted it. Buckbeak's bin sentenced ter death." Hagrid chokes out a sob.

Silent. A room of shadows. While those around her slumber, Ada lies awake, unable to sleep. Finally, she turns to his cupboard, takes the Marauder's Map. Whispers "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." The crooked corridors and serpentine passageways of Hogwarts radiate across the parchment, then... a tiny dot catches Ada's eye. She frowns. It reads: Peter Pettigrew.

Whispers fill the great hall in confusion they were all led to believe that Pettigrew was dead, how was he rooming the school corridors.

Ada moves down a dark corridor, map in hand, wand aglow. In the paintings she passes, the subjects snore softly. On the map Ada Potter and Peter Pettigrew draw closer and closer. Ada squints toward the end of the corridor. Down at the map. Pettigrew moves quickly down the adjoining corridor. Twenty yards away. Ten. Only seconds away...Wand trembling in her hand, Ada glances from the map to the dark corridor ahead, again and again. Then... as the two dots are about to collide... she looks slowly up...turns the corner... heart in her chest... and meets...

Everyone is on the edge of their seats curious on what's about to happen. Some were a bit scared Ada was just following the unknown in the dark. That girl needs better survival instincts Minnie thinks to herself.

Herself.

Even more confused glances were shared throughout the hall, but no one spoke.

Reflected in a mirror. She blinks, startled, then glances back down at the map. Pettigrew has moved past her. Confused, she wheels, casts her wand along the walls. "Watch it there girl!" Ada jumps. But it's only an old man in a painting, scowling in the glare of Ada's wand light. On the map, Pettigrew continues to move away. Ada makes to follow, then stops. Hearing footsteps . The wands spot dances across the parchment, finds another dot. Approaching fast: Severus Snape. Ada internally groans. "Mischief managed."