Chapter One

"Harry!" a female voice called. Someone banged on the door, causing Harry Potter to sit upright in his bed. Mum? he wondered tiredly.

The door flew open. "Who's there?" Harry asked.

"It's me," the voice called. Harry blinked. "Oh, of course! You can't see me!" Harry heard smack, rustling, then a POP and Hermione Granger appeared in his doorway.

He rushed to cover himself with his sheets; he was wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. Hermione rolled her eyes.

Harry said, rather intelligently, "Er…"

Hermione moved around his room, gathering books and quills. The boy asked groggily, "Why are you here?" with a meaningful glance at the Muggle clock. It showed 1:23 a.m.

"For a late night snog." Harry's eyes widened. "Honestly, Harry! Why do you think I'm here? I'm taking you away, of course."

"Er…" Harry said again.

"Get dressed," she ordered sharply, tossing him a pair of trousers and a shirt. Harry caught them, and hurriedly dressed.

Afterward, he helped Hermione collect his belongings, stuffing everything unceremoniously into his trunk. He grabbed Hedwig's cage as Hermione tugged him by his arm out of his room and down the stairs.

"Quiet!" Harry urged, still sleepily. "You might wake the Dursley's!"

"I put a sleeping potion in the bottle of wine they received today." Harry smiled grimly. Earlier, the Dursley's had gotten a bottle of wine in the mail, supposedly from Vernon's company, to celebrate Dudley graduating.

"You spiked the wine?"

"That's right. Now hurry up!" she said, leading the way out of the house.

"Wait!" Harry scribbled, "Had to leave. Harry," on a slip of paper, and stuck it to the refrigerator. Upon joining Hermione outside, he asked, "How are we going to get there? I can't Apparate yet…"

"I borrowed from Hagrid for the occasion," she replied, smiling as she beckoned Harry behind the bushes. Harry stared at the plant.

"We're riding twigs?" He was amazed. Hermione shook her head furiously, and explained in quiet tones.

"No, course not! We're going to be riding," she paused, looking at Harry, "Buckbeak. Now, bow down," she instructed, and Harry obeyed, openmouthed. Though he couldn't see Beaky - as Hadgrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper liked to call him - Hermione was able to, and she nodded when the hypogriff sank to the ground.

"May I be so bold as to inquire," Harry teased, "why I cannot see you nor the noble steed?"

"Why, yes, you may. We both drank a Disillusionment Potion, and here is yours!" Harry took the small vial that was being handed to him, and drank the contents quickly. Immediately, his body turned to the shade of the bushes behind him.

Hermione moved quickly; she muttered a spell and lifted Harry's trunk with ease. At Harry's expression, she said, "Reducing-Gravity charm." At his further confused look, Hermione whispered, "Got permission from the Ministry for a night of underage magic." Harry nodded, and Hermione tied a rope around Buckbeak's belly, which connected to the trunk.

Harry felt his way to the hippogriff, and slowly mounted the creature. It was an usual feeling; not being able to see the mount, but Harry didn't mind too much. He did, though, mind when Hermione jumped on in front of him.

"You can't be bloody serious," he thought. Out loud, he said, "Hermione, c'mon. You can't even ride a broomstick!"

Harry heard a swish. "Er, not that you're broomstick-like, Beaky."

"Well, I got here, didn't I?" Hermione answered with a shrug. "It's not that hard, after all."

Harry gulped, then watched as Hermione turned the same texture as the wall in front of which they stood.

"Perfect!" she muttered, then tapped Buckbeak with both her feet. Upon the command, he rose, flapping his wings in perfect rhythm.

"Where are we go…" he began, when a thought crossed his mind. "How do I know that you're really Hermione Granger?" he asked nervously. He made a mental note to never again get on a hypogriff with someone who might not be who they seem.

"Ask me anything."

"Okay. Um…what nickname does Ron hate?"

"Ickle Ronniekins. Happy now?" Hermione sounded exasperated.

"Yes. Thanks. Now…where are we going, and why?"

"I-I can't tell you all, but there has been a crisis." Harry gulped.

"Crisis?"

"Yes, you know; a catastrophe." Harry could imagine her rolling her eyes, and he snapped, "I know what a crisis is! What happened?"

Hermione spun in her seat, and Buckbeak veered off course. Harry nearly fell off. "Hey, careful!" he reminded Hermione. "Now; what happened?"

"Sturgis Podmore has disappeared. He's believed dead." Harry gasped. "Mundungus was with him," Hermione added gravely.