A Black and a Weasley

Chapter 33

Me and the entire Gryffindor House are in pajamas, standing before McGonagall, who wears an expression of singular irritation."That's preposterous, Weasley. How could Sirius Black possibly have got through the portrait hole?"McGgonagall asks Ron

"I don't know how he got in! I was a bit busy dodging his knife!" Ron says as Crookshanks wends his way through Ron's legs"And this bloody cat ate my rat!"Ron exclaims

"That's a lie!"Mione says defending her cat

"It is not and you bloody well know it!"Ron tells her

"Silence!" McGonagall says before she turns to Sir Cadogan who, sensing the attention, perks up instantly" Sir Cadogan. Is it possible that you let a mysterious man enter Gryffindor Tower tonight?"McGonagall asks him

"Certainly, good lady! He had the password. Had the whole week's, in fact. On a little piece of paper" Sir Cadogan says

"Which abysmally foolish person wrote down the passwords and then proceeded to lose them!"McGonagall exclaims and everyone's eyes shift over to  Neville making McGonagall sigh  "Is it always going to be you, Longbottom?"She asks him

"I'm afraid so, ma'am"Neville answers

"While we know Sirius Black is gone tonight, I think you can safely assume he will, at some future time, attempt to return. Let me be clear. You are not to move about the castle alone. And you are not to write down the password! Understood!"McGonagall tells everyone and we all nod and McGonagall  gives the ties of her robe a sharp tug, collects herself, and exits

"I could've killed him" I hear Harry say as the Common room empty's and I turn to  see Harry staring out the window."He was right there. Close enough to touch. I could've killed him"Harry says

"I find it astonishing that someone who prides herself on being so logical can be in such denial"Ron says as the four of us walk across he bridge

"Lola or Harry. Will you explain to your friend Ronald that he has absolutely no proof whatsoever that my sweet, unassuming cat ate his shabby, decidedly decrepit rat"Mione tells me and Harry

"Harry was there! He'll tell you how it was. Go on, Harry, tell her"Ron says to Harry

"No, I won't. Know why? Because I don't care about your stupid rat! I don't care about your stupid cat! I've got few other things on my mind right now"Harry snaps

"Really? Wasn't you had to roll under the bed last night to avoid getting cut to ribbons! A person could die being your friend, Harry!" Ron says before he stops, and I can tell he wishes he could take it back.

Hagrid who is wearing a 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, we catch sight of his eyes which red with tears, then he looks away.

"How'd it go, Hagrid?" I ask him

"Buckbeak liked London"Hagrid tells me

"I meant the hearing" I say to him

"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 too"Hagrid explains

"And...?" Mione asks as  Hagrid slings another rock into water.

"You mustn't blame yourself, Hagrid."I say

"Draco. It's him the Committee should punish. It's him they should send off to the forest, not Buckbeak."Ron says making me look at him with an eyebrow raised

"Buckbeak not going back to the forest"Hagrid says to us

"Where's he going, Hagrid?" I ask dreading the answer

"He asked fer the worse, yeh see, Lucius Malfoy did. An' the Committee granted it. Buckbeak's bin sentenced ter death" Hagrid says to us