A/N: This chapter is super short, so I'm really sorry about that! I just really wanted to try my hand at attempting a cliff hanger, twist ending sort of thing, so please let me know if it worked! For the most part, I have the plot worked out, but if anyone has any ideas, let me know and I'll see if I can work them in! Thanks for reading!
The next day, Rory, Sam, and Lily were walking down behind the greenhouses during lunch, where they could talk privately and not risk being overheard.
"Run through the plan again?" Rory asked, sitting down on a rather large rock.
"Lily's going to go to McGonagall's office with the Invisibility Cloak and when she finds a time, escape from detention as soon as she can. You and I are going to take the chimera down here and wait for Lily and Coriolanus while trying not to die or get anyone else killed." Sam smiled, chuckling slightly before his face resumed it's serious undertone.
"Easier said than done," Rory raised his eyebrows, but didn't continue.
"It'll be a cool story when it's all over and done with. James will be so jealous," Lily grinned, her face lighting up and her eyes sparking when she realized she'd have one over her eldest and most mischievous brother.
"And then maybe I can get that fifth year to notice me," Rory said, his face lighting up much the way Lily's did. That is, until Sam hit him on the back of the head.
"You goof, you've never talked to her!" Sam grinned.
"Yeah, but if she sees me wrangling a chimera, she'll talk to me," Rory said,
"She'll talk to you as soon as Duncan Hutchinson can walk into class without almost dying," Lily grinned, and after a beat, the three children burst into laughter.
"Too true, too true," Sam wiped tears of mirth from his ocean eyes, still laughing.
"You heartless git," Rory gasped, hysterics still riddling his voice.
"I love you too, mate," Sam managed to get out.
"You two are ridiculous!" Lily spluttered in between breaths.
None of trio was able to discern exactly why Lily's comment was so funny, but nevertheless, it took a few minutes yet for the last giggles to die out and fade away.
Lily buried her face in her hands. "I can't believe we're actually doing this." Lily groaned, her voice muffled.
"Chin up, amigo," Sam grinned, patting her on the back. "It's not like we're in mortal danger or anything."
This sparked a second round of giggles, though not as long or vivacious as the first.
"Seriously," Sam said. "We'll come out on top. We usually do."
"Usually," Lily pointed out.
"Oh, don't be such a pessimist!" Sam scolded light heartedly.
"I am a realist," Lily turned her nose up snootily, imitating Zinnia Zabini, the delightful Slytherin spawn of Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini, to perfection.
Sam made a face like he had just smelled something really terrible. "And I am the queen of Sheba," he retorted in a haughty, fake voice.
Rory, wanting to join in on the fun, made a face like he had to go to the bathroom and said in a squeaky voice, "How may I help you, Madame Realist and Your Highness?"
And once again, the three dissipate into fits of laughter.
"What in the name of Merlin's lacy delicates was that?" Lily struggled to catch her breath.
"I dunno, but it was brill, wasn't it?" Rory placed his hands on his hips proudly.
Sam patted Rory on the back, giving Lily a private smirk. "Bloody genius, mate."
"We really should focus on how this is actually going to work out," Lily said, fighting away the giggles that remained. "More specifically, how we're going to sort out Hagrid."
"That's going to fun," Rory wrinkled his nose. "And easy."
Sam ignored Rory's comments. "I guess we should let him know as soon as possible. Give him more time to adjust right?"
Lily couldn't believe she was about to say this, but, "How does right now sound?"
"Nip it in the bud," Sam agreed.
"Now?" Rory groaned.
"Yes, now," Lily pushed herself off the ground, knowing that if she didn't do it now, she'd procrastinate until the last second, which never worked out. "You scared, Rory?" Lily raised her eyebrows, knowing full well that if Rory thought that she thought he was scared, he'd do just about anything to prove her wrong.
"Are you in?" Lily held out a hand to Sam, who took it and heaved himself up.
"Always," he grinned, his eyes twinkling. "I mean, I'm so scaredy cat-"
"All right, all right, I'll do it!" Rory protests shrilly. "But if we die, I'll kill you both."
"That's the spirit!" Sam thumped Rory on the back and he winced slightly, but shoved Sam for good measure.
"You know," Lily said thoughtfully as they made their way around the greenhouses towards Hagrid's hut, "if getting the chimera out of Hogwarts isn't death wish, this is."
"Ah, but death is the next great adventure," Sam said superciliously.
"Not if something better comes along first," Rory smirked. "Like that fifth year…" he sighed dreamily.
"Do you even know her name?" Sam raised an eyebrow.
"Nope," replied Rory, his eyes glazing over. "But that's the beauty of it. It's chemical."
"Sure it is, Lover Boy. Sure it is," Lily cooed and ruffled his hair, sharing a smirk with Sam, who laughed.
The trio walked on for a minute or two longer, before they came to the stoop of the hut where Hagrid lived.
Lily knocked on the door, and after a sound like a massive elephant was emitted from inside the house, Hagrid opened the door holding a handkerchief, his face wet with tears.
"Hagrid?" Lily prodded gently. "Erm, what's wrong?"
"It's Kitty!" Hagrid sobbed, blowing his nose loudly again. "He's run away!"
The three children and paled and shared a look that said one thing: bugger isn't a strong enough word for this situation.
