Wish Upon A Star

Buckbeak

Ashlyn made her way back to the Gryffindor common room, where Harry, Hermione, and Ron were waiting for her. 

"Come here, quick. There's something I have to tell," Harry said hurriedly. 

"What is it?" Ashlyn asked as she went over to sit on the arm of Hermione's chair.

Harry then told them all about Trelawney's prediction about the Dark Lord rising again.

Ron looked horrified, Hermione just scoffed. That's when Ashlyn remembered what day it was. It was a full moon and the day of the final showdown. How had she forgotten? Even if she was busy with her exams, her transformation, and being worried about Buckbeak, this was not something she could forget! 

"Do you think Hagrid won the trial?" Ron asked. And as if on cue Hedwig came and delivered a letter.

Hagrid's note was dry this time, no tears had splattered it, yet his hand seemed to have shaken so much as he wrote that it was hardly legible.

Lost appeal. They're going to execute at sunset. Nothing you can do.
Don't come down. I don't want you to see it.
Hagrid

Ashlyn jumped from her seat and ran outside screaming, "Wait here" to the others, who looked befuddled.

Ashlyn didn't stop running until she reached Dumbledore's office. She knocked thrice on the old mahogany door.

"Enter" came the reply. 

Wrenching the door open and making sure to shut it behind her tightly she went up to the table where Dumbledore, unexpectedly, wasn't seated behind.

She looked around and saw Professor Dumbledore standing with a book in his hands, near his elaborate bookshelf, where hundreds of books were piled.

"Professor, Sirius Black is innocent. It was Pettigrew. He is alive, in his animagus form, Ron's rat" Ashlyn said hurriedly.

Dumbledore just looked at her serenely from above his half-moon spectacles.

"Pettigrew, he is going to escape tonight. He will return to Voldemort" Ashlyn continued.

At this Dumbledore straightened. "What is that you wish to ask me, Miss Clarke?" he said kindly.

After a small pause, Ashlyn said in a small voice, "Should I let Pettigrew escape?"

"What is supposed to happen?"

"He escapes and Sirius still remains a criminal, and Voldemort rises again," Ashlyn said.

There was a long pause, in which Dumbledore considered everything. He was stroking the leather-bound book in his hands as the cogs turned behind his head.

"Allow him to escape," he said simply after long thought.

Ashlyn opened her mouth to protest.

"I suppose this is to create purpose for the future?"

Ashlyn nodded. 

"It would be best not to let things veer off course," Dumbledore said. 

Ashlyn opened her mouth to protest, but Dumbledore held up a hand and said, "You are aware of the prophecy, I take it,"

"Yes, sir," Ashlyn said hastily. "But I don't see how. . .oh. . ." she trailed off.

"Precisely," Dumbledore nodded serenely.

Harry had to be the one to kill Voldemort because that noseless baldy had started out to act on the prophecy. That is the only way Lord Voldemort could be defeated, finally killed. And for that, they had to let Pettigrew go. Voldemort would come to power one way or the other, and the best way was to let it go as it is supposed to so that Ashlyn would be able to do her job and protect the others.