Bella and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Chapter Forty-Four

My mind had gone blank with shock. The four of us stood transfixed with horror under the Invisibility Cloak. The very last rays of the setting sun were casting a bloody light over the long-shadowed grounds. Then, behind us, we heard a wild howling. 

"Hagrid," Harry muttered turning back but me and Hermione grabbed his arms stopping him.

"We can't," I said, my face losing all its colour. "He'll be in worse trouble if they know we've been to see him..."

Hermione's breathing was shallow and uneven. 

"How - could - they?" she choked. "How could they?"

"Come on," Ron said, his teeth seemed to be chattering. 

We set off back towards the castle, walking slowly to keep ourselves hidden under the Cloak. Light was fading fast now By the time we reached open ground, darkness was settling like a spell around us. 

"Scabbers, keep still," Ron hissed, clamping his hand over his chest. The rat was wriggling madly. Ron came to a sudden halt, trying to force Scabbers deeper into his pocket. "What's the matter with you, you stupid rat? Stay still - OUCH! He bit me!"

"Ron, be quiet!" I hissed. "Fudge'll be out here in a minute -"

"He won't - stay - put-"

Scabbers was plainly terrified. He was writhing with all his might, trying to break free of Ron's grip. 

"What's the matter with him?"

But I had just seen - slinking towards us, his body low to the ground, wide yellow eyes glinting eerily in the darkness - Crookshanks. Whether he could see us, or was following the sound of Scabbers's squeaks, I couldn't tell.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione groaned. "No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!"

But the cat was getting nearer -

"Scabbers - NO!"

Too late - the rat had slipped between Ron's clutching fingers, hit the ground and scampered away. In one bound, Crookshanks sprang after him, and before myself, Harry or Hermione could stop him, Ron had thrown the Invisibility Cloak off himself and pelted away into the darkness.

"Ron!" Hermione moaned. 

The three of us look at each other, then followed at a sprint; it was impossible to run full out under the Cloak; we pulled it off and it streamed behind us like a banner as we hurtled after Ron; we could hear his feet thundering along ahead, and his shouts at Crookshanks.

"Get away from him - get away - Scabbers, come here -"

There was a loud thud.

"Gotcha! Get off, you stinking cat -"

The three of us almost fell over Ron; we skidded to a stop right in front of him. He was sprawled on the ground, but Scabbers was back in his pocket; he had both hands held tight over the quivering lump.

"Ron - come on - back under the Cloak - " Hermione panted. "Dumbledore - the Minister - they'll be coming back out in a minute -"

But before we could cover ourselves again, before we could even catch our breath, we heard the soft pounding of gigantic paws. Something was bounding towards us out of the dark - an enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black dog.

I reached for my wand, but too late - the dog had made an enormous leap and its front paws hit me on the chest. I keeled over backwards in a whirl of hair; I felt its hot breath, saw inch-long teeth - 

But the force of its leap had carried it too far; it rolled off me; dazed, feeling as though my ribs were broken, I tried to stand up; I could hear it growling as it skidded around for a new attack.

Ron was on his feet. As the dog sprang back towards us, he pushed me aside; the dog's jaws fastened instead around Ron's outstretched arm. Harry lunged at it and seized a handful of the brute's hair, but it was dragging Ron away easily as if he were a rag- doll...