𝕓𝕣𝕒𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 // 𝕙. 𝕡𝕠𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣

chapter 9: the firebolt

your pov

we ride buckbeak through the night, to the top of the highest tower to free sirius. i missed the feeling you get when you're flying, it's so surreal.

"You were both right. It wasn't my dad I saw earlier. It was me! I saw myself conjuring the Patronus before. I knew I could do it this time because... well, I had already done it," harry says. while i'm glad he did it, i'm a little confused.. "Does that make sense?"

"Not really." i say as we swoop down towards the castle.

"I don't like flying!" hermione exclaims as we reach the tower and dismount from buckbeak. we run toward the cell that's holding sirius. he glances up, a surprised look on his face.

"Bombarda!" hermione casts, breaking the cell door open, and we quickly get sirius onto buckbeak and fly away towards the courtyard.

"I'll be forever grateful for this... to all of you." sirius says as we get off of buckbeak.

"I want to go with you." harry says.

"One day, perhaps. For some time, my life will be too unpredictable. And besides... you're meant to be here." sirius tells him.

"But you're innocent." harry says, i can hear the disappointment in his voice. sirius smiles.

"And you know it. And for now, that will do. I expect you're tired of hearing this... but you look so like your father. Except your eyes. You have..."

"My mother's eyes." harry finishes for him.

"It's cruel that I spent so much time with James and Lily, and you so little. But know this: The ones that love us never really leave us. And you can always find them... in here," sirius points to his heart. he turns to hermione. "You really are the brightest witch of your age," she smiles. then, he faces me. "and you are the bravest. continue to follow your heart." he walks over to buckbeak, mounting him. i pet buckbeak a final time, whispering a goodbye to my favourite hippogriff. sirius waves at us as he flies away into the night sky. i can't help but feel sorry, i can't imagine how it must feel to constantly be on the run for a crime you didn't commit, to not be able to prove your innocence.. just then, the clock tower chimes.

"We have to go." hermione says, running back up to the hospital wing, harry and i follow.

we arrive out of breath outside of the doors as dumbledore closes them, turning around to us.

"Well?" he asks.

"He's free. We did it." harry says, a smile on his face.

"Did what? Good night." dumbledore says, walking down the stairs with a twinkle in his eye. we open the hospital wing doors, and see ourselves for a split second, then they vanish. ron looks at us, bewildered.

"H-How did you get there? I was talking to you there. And now you're there.." he says confused. i try not laugh as hermione turns to us.

"What's he talking about?" she asks.

"I don't know." harry answers.

"Honestly, Ron. How can somebody be in two places at once?" i say with a smile, hermione laughs.

~time skip~

the next morning, i wake up earlier than usual. i look over to the bed next to me, and hermione looks sound asleep, i probably shouldn't wake her. i quietly get up, getting dressed in my school robes and head out to the common room, not expecting to see anyone. i'm surprised when i notice harry heading for the portrait hole.

"good morning harry." i say, walking down the stairs towards him.

"oh, good morning (y/n). uh, what are you doing up so early?" harry says.

"i could ask you the same thing." i respond.

"i was just going to see lupin, to make sure he knows that we freed sirius. would you like to come?" harry says.

"oh, sure!" i say, following him out of the portrait hole to lupins classroom. once we arrive, we walk up the stairs to his office, the door is open, but before we knock, we see lupin facing a bookshelf.

"Hello, Harry. hello (y/n)," he says before turning around. how did he know we were here.. "I saw you coming," he says, pointing at the marauders map. i then notice more scars than usual across his face, and he looks exhausted. "I've looked worse, believe me." he says, packing up his books. wait a minute.. why is he packing?

"You've been sacked." i say.

"No. No. I resigned, actually." lupin replies.

"Resigned? Why?" harry asks him.

"Well, it seems that somebody let slip the nature of my condition. This time tomorrow, the owls will start arriving and parents will not want... well, someone like me teaching their children." lupin says.

"But Dumbledore..." harry starts, but lupin interrupts him.

"He has already... risked enough on my behalf. Besides, people like me are... Well, let's just say that I'm used to it by now," he says, shutting his trunk. i can't believe he's leaving.. first sirius, and now this..

"Why do you two look so miserable?" lupin asks.

"None of it made any difference. Pettigrew escaped." harry says, and part of me agrees. lupin looks at us with a surprised expression.

"Didn't make any difference? It made all the difference in the world. You uncovered the truth. You saved an innocent man from a terrible fate. It made a great deal of difference. If I am proud of anything... it is of how much you have learned this year. Now, since I am no longer your teacher... I feel no guilt whatsoever about giving this back," lupin says, handing harry the marauders map. "So now I'll say goodbye. I feel sure we'll meet again sometime. Until then... mischief managed." he taps the map and it disappears. lupin smiles as he walks out of the classroom. harry and i stand at the top of the stairs, watching him leave. it's sad, he's the first great defense against the dark arts professor we've had, i'm going to miss him. harry takes my hand, and i look up at him.

"what do you say we go get some breakfast? ron and hermione are probably already in the great hall by now." he says. i nod, and we make our way to the great hall. as we walk through the door, i notice a crowd of gryffindors gathered around where we usually sit. then, neville and seamus come running over to us, looking excited.

"Harry. Wherever did you get it?" neville asks.

"Can I have a go, Harry? After you, of course." seamus says, and we head over to the gryffindor table.

"What are you talking about?" harry asks as we reach the table.

"Quiet. Let them through. I didn't mean to open it, Harry. It was badly wrapped. They made me do it." ron says, pointing at the twins.

"Did not." they say in sync.

"what is it?" i ask. harry pulls aside the paper on the table and lying there is the most magnificent broom i have ever seen. "woah. It's a Firebolt!" i exclaim, those are the best brooms in the world!

"For me? But who sent it?" harry asks, looking at the broom in awe.

"No one knows." ron says.

"This came with it." hermione says, holding up a giant blue-gray feather with a smile. sirius.

"Go on, Harry!" neville says, and everyone races out of the great hall, straight out into the courtyard. i grin as harry mounts his broom, and everyone watches excitedly. he pushes off, flying away faster than anything i've ever seen. all the gryffindors cheer, including me. harry zips around the castle, going at speeds my nimbus 2001 could only dream of. things may not have gone the way we would have liked this year, but at least we still have each other. besides, little moments like this.. they make everything worth it.

~END OF YEAR THREE~