The Art of New Beginnings

Chapter Nineteen: Mirror Images

Erica, Harry, Hermione and Ron went down to dinner with everybody else normally, but did not return to their common rooms afterwards. Harry had the Cloak hidden down the front of his robes and Erica had the Map with her, in order to make their trip down across the grounds safe.

They skulked in an empty chamber off the Entrance Hall, listening, until they were sure it was deserted. They heard a last pair of people hurrying across the Hall, and a door slamming. Hermione poked her head around the door.

"Okay," she whispered, "no one there- Cloak on-"

Walking very close together so that nobody would see them, they crossed the Hall on tiptoe beneath the Cloak, then walked down the stone front steps into the grounds. The sun was already sinking behind the Forbidden Forest, gilding the top branches of the trees.

They reached Hagrid's cabin and knocked. He was a minute in answering, and when he did, he looked all around for his visitor, pale-faced and trembling.

"It's us," Erica hissed. "We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off."

Yeh shouldn've come!" Hagrid whispered, but he stood back, and they stepped inside. Hagrid shut the door quickly and Harry pulled the cloak off of them all.

Hagrid was not crying, nor did he throw himself upon their necks. He looked like a man who did not know where he was or what to do. This helplessness was worse to watch than tears.

"Wan' some tea?" he said. His great hands were shaking as he reached for the kettle.

"Where is Buckbeak, Hagrid?" Erica asked gently, resting a hand on his great, big arm and squeezing slightly, hoping it at least offered him some comfort.

"I- I took him outside," said Hagrid, spilling milk all over the table as he filled up the jug. "He's tethered in me pumpkin patch. Thought he oughta see the trees an'- an' smell fresh air- before-"

Erica had drifted over to the window whilst he spoke, and watched Buckbeak with one hand on the pain, before glancing back over at Hagrid. His hand trembled so violently that the milk jug slipped from his grasp and shattered all over the floor.

"I'll do it, Hagrid," said Hermione quickly, hurrying over and starting to clean up the mess.

"There's another one in the cupboard," Hagrid said, sitting down and wiping his forehead on his sleeve.

Erica glanced between Ron and Harry, who looked back hopelessly, before turning back to the window. Buckbeak seemed okay, as he was, lounging in the pumpkin patch with his head down on his legs, rather like a great, big dog really, rather than the Hippogriff that he was.

"Isn't there anything anyone can do, Hagrid?" Harry asked fiercely, sitting down next to him. "Dumbledore-"

"He's tried," said Hagrid. "He's got no power ter overrule the Committee. He told 'em Buckbeak's all right, but they're scared... yeh know what Theodore Nott Senior's like... threatened 'em, I expect... an' the executioner, Macnair, he's an old pal o' Nott's... but it'llbe quick an' clean... an' I'll be bside him..."

Hagrid swallowed. His eyes were darting all over the cabin, as though looking for some shred of hope or comfort, but Erica was a little too preoccupied to give it him. You see, she was watching as a remarkable likeness to herself and Hermione walked down over the grounds and towards the pumpkin patch with a mixture of curiosity and pure confusion.

Rather, it wasn't a remarkable likeness at all, because as they grew closer Erica realised that it actually was herself and Hermione, though they looked a little worse for wear than they did currently. The other her was dressed in much the same clothes that she was now, though her tights were ripped, her wand was out, her plaits had fallen out, leaving her tangled, wavy hair to fall over her shoulders messily, and her skin was marred with dirt and blood. The other Hermione was in much the same condition.