𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 | 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿

Revelations & Confrontations

CHAPTER ELEVEN:

Third Person P.O.V.:

Charlie's mind had gone blank with shock.

The four of them stood transfixed with horror at the top of the hill. The very last rays of the setting sun were casting a bloody light over the long-shadowed grounds.

"Hagrid," Charlie muttered, his eyes widened; he wanted to be there for the half-giant because he knew Hagrid would be there for him if the roles were reversed.

Without thinking about what he was doing, he made to start down the hill once again, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione seized his arms.

"We can't," said Ron, who was paper-white. "He'll be in worse trouble if they know we've been to see him..."

"Ron's right," Harry added. "We can't be seen. Charlie, if you go down there -"

"I don't care about what my father is going to say!" Charlie yelled, angrily. "Hagrid's our friend, we should've -"

The boy trailed off as he noticed Hermione's breathing was shallow and uneven.

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

Charlie's face instantly fell and he suddenly forgot about his anger. He moved to comfort the girl once again. Seeing Hermione cry made his heart sink and his voice get caught in his throat.

The boy didn't know what to say, so instead he held her tight as Hermione cried into his chest. Little did he know that this simple action meant the world to the world to her because in that moment she knew - he would stop everything to be there for her in her time of need.

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

They set off back toward the castle, walking slowly as they were still trying to process what they had just witnessed. The light was fading fast now.

"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!" Hermione whispered urgently. "Minister Hawthorne'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?"

"Scabbers - NO!"

Too late - the rat had slipped between Ron's clutching fingers, hit the ground, and scampered away. Before Harry, Charlie or Hermione could stop him, Ron had ran off himself and pelted away into the darkness, chasing after Scabbers.

"Ron!" Hermione yelled.

She shared a glance with Charlie and Harry, then the three of them followed at a sprint.

"Scabbers, come here -"

There was a loud thud.

"Gotcha!"

Harry, Charlie and Hermione almost fell over Ron; they 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 - we have to head back to castle -" Harry panted. "Dumbledore - the Minister - they'll be coming back out in a minute -"

But before they could even catch their breath, they heard the soft pounding of gigantic paws...