Where Your Loyalties Lie

Chapter Twenty-Four: Is That Bad?

My plans to be the first one to potions class today failed. Instead I'd have to wait until after class. As usual, I was the first person to finish today's potion. After cleaning up my station, I sat and stared at the clock. Never have I ever wanted potions to end so quickly. Well maybe those months in second year when I hated my dad, but never before or after that.

Tick tock, tick tock. The clock kept its turtle pace. Finally, class ended. All of my fellow classmates walked out of the classroom, Gryffindors being the fastest. I told Maddie and Draco not to wait for me. They both shrugged and walked out, closing the door behind them. It was just Dad and I now.

"Is something wrong, Katie?" Instead of answering in words, I ran up and hugged him. Next I stepped back and looked him in the eyes.

"Thank you so much for the guitar. How did you know I wanted one?"

"The day Sirius Black was discovered in the castle, I had received complaints about your music that you and Ms. J were listening to. I had come to tell you two to turn it down, but once I got there, you had already done so. I was about to leave when I heard you telling her that you hoped I would get you a guitar for Christmas."

"I love it. Thank you so much."

"You are welcome. Now that it is dinner time, I'll walk with you to the Great Hall."

After I had sat down next to Draco, he asked what I had to talk to Dad about. "I was telling him thanks for the guitar he gave me."

"Oh OK. Do you even know how to play?" He asked.

"Not that much. I'll work at it though. In fact I was planning on practicing after dinner." True to my word, I went straight to my room to practice after dinner. First, after tuning, I worked on scales. Then I moved onto strumming exercises. Afterwards, I began working on putting my lyrics to music.

At bedtime, I put away my guitar and crawled into bed. Tomorrow I'd do the same thing, and the next day and so on until I finish the song. Of course I'll still take time to be with friends, but not as much as I usually do until I'm done with the song.

Months later I still hadn't gotten my song done. Maybe it'll be done by tomorrow, but I'm not sure. Today is a Saturday. I was planning to work on my song some more after lunch. However Harry stopped me before I ran down the stairs.

"Hey Katie! Ron, Hermione, and I are about to go down to Hagrid's hut. Do you want to come?"

I bit my lip, thinking about my guitar waiting for me in my room. "I don't know-"

"It would mean a lot if you come with. He thinks of you as a friend too," Harry cut in.

"Alright I guess I'll go," I sighed.

"Great!" He smiled before leading me over to Ron and Hermione who were standing in the corner of the Entrance Hall.

After Harry had knocked on the door, Hagrid came and let us in. "Katie you're here too." I nodded. "Glad yeh came. I appreciate it." Harry gave me a look as if saying, "I told you so."

"How did the hearing go, Hagrid?" Hermione asked.

"Well, not too well, I'm afraid."

"They aren't sacking you?" Ron gasped.

"No I ain't sacked. Buckbeak has been sentenced to death," Hagrid sobbed.

"Wait, what hearing?"

"Malfoy didn't tell you?" Harry asked. I shook my head.

"Well Malfoy told his father about the whole arm incident with Buckbeak and his father told the Ministry."

"That's so stupid!" I exclaimed.