Hey ya'll!

WOW! I haven't updated in a LONG TIME! I'm so sorry! I guess college got the best of me and I had no time to write. But, it's the Summer now! So I can update much faster now! :D Who knows! I might even get done with 'Prisoner of Azkaban' before the 4th of July! :D I'm actually gonna post 2 chapters to make up for the lack of updates, so don't panic at how short this chapter is...It wouldn've been uber long to keep it all together.

Enjoy!

Chapter 21

Harry immediately shielded himself and the girls as the dog rushed towards them. But, much to their surprise, instead of tearing them to shreds, it jumped over them and made a dash for Ron.

"Ron!"

Too late. The dog's teeth clamped down onto Ron's leg and began dragging him towards the Whomping Willow.

"RON!"

Harry jumped up from the grass and dove for Ron's hand. He grasped onto it as hard as he could, but ended up getting dragged along with him.

"Hang on, Harry!" Alexia yelled and grabbed onto the boy's ankles, but it was no use. She ended up being pulled also.

"I got you!" Hermione's voice yelled and Alexia felt her legs being weighed down by a pair of shoes. Alexia was yanked off, but Harry and Ron kept on going; stopped as the Grim tried pulling Ron down into a hole at the base of the tree.

"Harry!"

"Hold on, Ron!" Harry calls back, gripping his hand around Ron's fingers.

"I can't, Harry!" Ron yelled back and Alexia could see him slowly slipping.

"No Ron!" Harry begged.

But it was too late. Ron's hand had already slipped out of Harry's grasp and he disappeared inside the hole.

"NO!" Hermione shouted and tried to dive in after him, but WHACK! One of the branches of the Whomping Willow came alive and shoved not just Hermione, but Alexia and Harry as well, 3 feet back. They all landed painfully on the ground with a thud.

"Come on!" Alexia jumped up and started running towards the hole again...but SWOOSH! The branch snapped her back again, and this time, Alexia held on.

"Alexia!" Hermione yelled as she jumped over another branch.

"I can't hang on forever, guys!" Alexia screamed.

"Just hold on!" Hermione's yell was cut short when another branch sent her flying through the air was well.

Harry managed to duck as another branch swiped for his head. He rollled away, just in time to see Hermione's fist grab his shirt and be sent into orbit only to find himself landing/sliding into the hole where Ron was last seen.

"OOF!" He groaned.

"UFF!" Hermione's voice echoed as she landed on top of Harry.

"Ow..." Harry moaned.

"Sorry!"

CRACK! Alexia landed on the hard floor, right arm first, and yelped out painfully.

"That didn't sound good," Harry winced.

"Didn't feel too good either," Alexia mumbled standing up from the ground, cradling her now probably broken arm.

"Where do you suppose this goes?" Hermione wondered seeing the long tunnel in front of them.

"I have a hunch," Harry replied taking the lead. "I just hope I'm wrong."

Harry, Alexia and Hermione made their way through the primitive passageway, ducking under the roots that dangled overhead. Then, abruptly, the tunnel ended. "What?" Alexia gasped. "That can't be the end!" Confused, the threesome began glancing about, then, as one, peered up. A small opening was barely visible in the dim lighting. Harry reached up, and hoisted himself through. "What's up there?" Hermione yelled. "Come up and see for yourself..." Harry poked his head back down and hoisted her and Alexia up. "Ow...ow...ow," Alexia winced as Harry pulled her up. Her arm was definitely broken. "Sorry." "It's okay," Alexia hissed, patting her arm gingerly. Suddenly, she took notice of where she was. The setting was no longer a dark, dank, tunnel. Oh no. It was much worse. They were in a house. An old, worn-down house. Wallpaper peeled from the walls around them. Stains, which Alexia suspiciously though looked a whole lot like blood, blotted the wooden, dusty floorboards, and pieces of shattered furniture lay strewn everywhere.

"We're...we're in the Shrieking Shack," Hermione's voice was low. "Aren't we?"

Harry remained silent, but nodded.

"I was afraid of this..." Alexia muttered.

Hermione grasped her shoulder.

"Alexia!" she whispered, and pointed at the dusty paw prints on the floor.

"Ron..." Harry breathed, also seeing them.

Just then, the ceiling creaked above them. They all looked at each other, knowing where Ron was. They all made a mad dash up the stairs and as the made their way across the landing, there was a large, reddish-brown streak going through the dust. Almost as if someone was dragged...

"Blood..." Alexia shuttered.

"It goes into there." Hermione pointed to a shut door at the end of the hall.

"Ron's in there," Harry glared, wand in his hand.

Alexia and Hermione quickly pulled out their wands as well. They both signaled to Harry, and after a nod, he kicked open the door.

"Ron!" The girls heard Harry yell and they ran inside, seeing Ron, on an old bed, his leg covered in blood, but alive.

"The dog...where is it Ron?" Harry yelled.

"It's a trap, Harry!" Ron whimpered. "He's the dog! He's an animagus!"

Harry and the girls followed to where his finger was pointing. Behind the door. It slowly closed shut, revealing a horrible sight. There, in the shadows, was a man with filthy, matted hair that hung to his shoulders; His skin like a corpse. Alexia's eyes widened and she let out a terrified gasp.

"Sirius Black..."