Echo | Harry Potter - George Weasley

Chapter 38: A Rat of a Man

It was the day of Buckbeak's execution. 

Shaye and her friends knew that it would be a rough twenty-four hours for Hagrid, so as soon as they were done with classes for the day, they changed out of their school robes and headed down to Hagrid's hut. They wanted to be there for him and show him support like he had done for them on many occasions in the past.

As the group of four exited the school and crossed the courtyard toward the bridge, an eerie scraping sound could be heard. When the students rounded the corner in the path and a flock of crows departed from their resting spot, they spotted a man in a black cloak sitting on one of the benches. In plain view of anyone and everyone, he was sharpening a large scythe with a stone.

Shaye glared at the man. He was obviously here for Buckbeak's execution. How could somebody be happy in a profession where their sole job was to put things to death all day, every day?

The man looked up at the group passed by, the upper half of his face covered by a black mask with two slender eyeholes. The parts of his skin that were showing were wrinkled and sagging. He looked just as terrifying as the task he was about to carry out. 

"I can't believe they're going to kill Buckbeak." Shaye huffed as they crossed the bridge.

Hermione nodded in agreement. "It's just too horrible."

When the four came out the other side of the bridge, they spotted Draco and his goons standing on the grassy ledge overlooking Hagrid's hut. 

"It just got worse," Ron stated.

"What did I tell you?" Draco turned to his friends; the four of them so caught up in their own little worlds that they hadn't even noticed the group standing behind them. "Father said I can keep the hippogriff's head. I think I'll donate it to the Gryffindor's common room. This is going to be rich."

Hermione balled her hands into fists and marched toward Draco. Shaye, Harry, and Ron were unsure what she was going to do, but they followed her lead anyway, ready to support her. 

"Look who's here." Crabbe turned around and pointed at Hermione.

"Come to see the show?" Draco chirped.

"You!" Hermione snapped at Draco. "You foul, loathsome, evil little cockroach."

As Hermione drew her wand and pointed it right at Draco's face, Draco backed up until his spine was firmly pressed into a boulder. With nowhere to go, all the smugness washed from his face pretty quickly.

"Hermione, no!" Ron tried to stop her. "He's not worth it."

Draco sniffled and cried while Hermione held her wand to his throat. Everyone stood by in silence, waiting to see what would happen. Eventually, Hermione listened to common sense and lowered her wand. As Hermione turned to walk away, Draco let out a laugh. That was what pushed Hermione over the edge. With her hand balled into a fist once more, she rounded on the blonde boy and punched him square in the nose.

Shaye smirked. While she had agreed with Ron about not using magic, she had no quarrels against Draco receiving the punch he had deserved since first year. 

Quicker than any of them could blink, the three Slytherin boys were once again high tailing it away from the group of four. Draco was whining the whole way, but for once, it sounded like music to Shaye's ears.

"That felt good." Hermione smiled.

"Not good, brilliant," Ron corrected. 

Shaye watched happily as Draco sprinted across the bridge. "If you hadn't done it, I probably would have. He's got a very punchable face."