In the Melancholy Moonlight

Chapter XLVI: The Path Leads Right to Where They Won't Go

So keep your head up, princess, before your crown falls
Now these voices in your head will be your downfall
I know it gets so hard but you don't got far to go
Keep your head up, princess, it's a long road
And the path leads right to where they won't go
I know it hurts right now but I know you'll make it home

"Keep Your Head Up, Princess"
Anson Seabra

LUCY:

Because I spent every hour of daylight working on Buckbeak's case (which was rapidly approaching), I found myself staying up until one or two or even three in the morning doing homework. After Sirius Black's attack on Ron, I started doing my homework in the common room instead of my dormitory, keeping my wand right next to me at all times. I knew I didn't stand a chance against Sirius Black if he returned and wanted a fight, but I hoped that I could give everyone else enough time to protect themselves if I raised an alarm. But for all of my efforts, I knew there had to be something more that I could do to help.

I had the idea exactly seven days before the full moon --- it was perfect.

So, after classes on Monday, I found myself heading down to Hagrid's hut as I always did, but this time, there was a large silver goblet waiting for me on his kitchen table.

It had been nearly impossible to convince Cedric to let me take wolfsbane so I could patrol the Forbidden Forest on full moons, but I refused to take no for an answer. Having Dumbledore agree to my idea almost immediately was helpful, too --- what prefect wanted to disagree with the Headmaster? Not my brother, that was for sure.

Besides, I argued, I wanted to do everything I could to protect Harry. While a werewolf would naturally try to bite any human in sight, it would be easier to target Sirius Black if I was fully aware of myself. If nothing else, the sight of a werewolf would hopefully frighten him away and deter him from trying to get into the castle.

Every night that week, I would drink wolfsbane potion before Hagrid walked me back up to the castle for the night. On Thursday, a notice appeared on the Gryffindor bulletin board announcing a Hogsmeade trip the following Saturday. I tried to slip up to my dormitory without being seen, feeling rather terrible after my fourth night of wolfsbane, but Ron caught my eye and motioned me over to where they were sitting.

"Hogsmeade, next weekend! What d'you reckon?" he asked in a low voice.

"Well, Filch hasn't done anything about the passage into Honeydukes," Harry replied, glancing at me.

"Harry!" Hermione said sharply, shifting a massive pile of books to glower at him. "Harry, if you go into Hogsmeade again, I'll tell Professor McGonagall about that map!"

"Can you hear someone talking, Harry?" Ron inquired, refusing to turn around.

"Ron, how can you let him go with you? After what Sirius Black nearly did to you! I mean it, I'll tell-"

"So now you're trying to get Harry expelled, Hermione? Haven't you done enough damage this year?"

Before she could reply, Crookshanks jumped into her lap, and she cast one scared look at Ron before darting away to the girls' dormitories, clutching her cat to her chest.

Ron carried on as if nothing had happened. "So how about it? Come on, last time we went you didn't see anything. You haven't even been inside Zonko's yet!"

"Okay. But I'm taking the Invisibility Cloak this time." Harry glanced at me. "What do you think, Lu? You want to come with me?"

Harry's not asking you to Hogsmeade in that way, I told myself, he's just asking if you want to go with him since you technically aren't allowed to go either.