Chapter 36

Rose cried over the loss while Harry, Ron, and Hermione were in shock. Her red hair cascaded over Harry's back and shoulder. His arm wrapped around her as the only support system she had, so much loss in one year but Rose knew that wouldn't be the end of it, she would lose more people in the years to come.

"Hagrid,"Harry muttered and moved forget Rose was on his shoulder. Rose looked up the and stopped Harry. She wanted to go down to see Hagrid too but she couldn't or he would get in trouble.

"We can't he'll be in worse trouble if they know we've seen him,"Ron reasoned. Rose wiped her eyes of the tears and ran her fingers through her red hair.

"How-could-they,"Hermione choked, her voice catching trying to catch herself from crying. "How could they?" Tears overwhelmed Rose's eyes again but she fought them back this time. It was cold outside and goosebumps were forming on her arms.

"C'mon,"Ron said through his chattering teeth. The group made their way back up to the castle. Night had fallen over the grounds and Rose looked up her eyes falling on the clouds and how they made the stars and moon look eerie.

Ron hissed about Scabbers who was squirming again. He was in Ron's grasp still trying to get out. "What's the matter with him?" I ask.

Ron was about to answer when our attention was caught by yellow eyes slinking closer, they were fixed on Ron. Rose heard Scabbers squeak and Hermione exclaimed,"Crookshanks! No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!" I noticed the ginger fur getting closer not heeding Hermione's protests.

"Scabbers no,"Ron yelled as the rat leapt into the grass and scurried out of sight. Ron took off and I followed after in a sprint followed by Hermione and Harry. Ron was shouting at Crookshanks nad making desperate snatches at Scabbers. Rose almost fell on Ron when he called out,"Gotcha! Get off you stinking cat!" Harry and Hermione bumped into Rose and her vision was blocked temporarily by her loose hair. Harry covered her in the cloak as she pushed her hair out of her face as Hermione urged Ron under the cloak but it was too late.

As Rose pushed the last chunk of hair out of her face she saw the dog. The pale eyes locked on Ron, no on Scabbers and it leaped. Rose made a frantic search for her wand and she grasped it but her hands were shaking so badly she dropped it. Rose was on the ground scrambling to find her wand but when she did it Ron was disappearing into the Whomping Willow.

A branch hit Rose across the face getting her hair in her face again and causing a small burning sensation. She moved Hermione and Harry out of the way of the Willow. She noticed Hermione had been cut across the shoulder and Rose tried to cover it up with her shirt. "Harry- we've got to go for help,"Hermione insisted. Rose looked at Harry, they both knew they didn't have time but Rose was also thinking something else trying to connect the dots.

"No! That thing is big enough to eat him, we haven't got time,"Harry insisted. A branch made a move to hit them and Rose flinched, fear coursing through her veins, adrenaline keeping her senses alert.

"Harry, we're never gonna get through without help,"Hermione pleaded. A branch attempted to hit them but narrowly missed.

"Hermione, we have to try!" Rose exclaim. "Besides even if we do get help Ron will probably dead!" Hermione and Rose locked eyes for a moment but she could see the fear in her clever friend eyes. "We need to save Ron, we are the only ones who can." Rose knew she sounded dramatic but she couldn't help herself, she had to get her point across to Hermione.

"If that dog can get in, so can we,"Harry said. He ran into the frenzy of branches. Rose followed and noticed the same ginger cat that had gotten them in this mess darting through the branches until they stopped in mid-air. Rose looked at Harry and Hermione they were both shocked.

"Crookshanks,"Hermione exclaimed. "How did he-?"

"That mangy cat,"Rose called out in anger.

"He's friend with that dog,"Harry tells them."I've seen them together. Come on, wands out."

"Lumos,"Rose whispered as she slid down the tunnel first as was quickly followed by Harry than Hermione.

"Where's Ron,"Hermione asked. Crookshanks walked ahead of them and Rose dusted herself off before she followed.

"This way,"Harry said.

"Where does this tunnel come out?"Hermione asked but Rose's mind was preoccupied.

"I don't know it's marked on the Marauder's Map but Fred and George said no one's ever gotten into it,"Harry said. The title Marauder's Map caught my attention. "It goes off the edge of the map, but it looked like it was heading to Hogsmeade."

They continued to move but Rose did not dare ask what the map was, she assumed it was a map of different ways to get to Hogsmeade. Rose's gears were turning she was thinking about Ron but the possibilities of the dog, could it be? Her thoughts were interrupted by the tunnel rising. The cat had gone left and the group entered a dusty room. Rose coughed and brushed her red hair out of her face. The windows were boarded up and the furniture was turned topsy turvy.

"Harry, Rose,"Hermione said. "I think we're in the Shrieking Shack." Rose grabbed Hermione's arm as she looked closer at the furniture. Chunks were bitten out and claw marks raked the walls.

"I am fairly certain that this place isn't haunted."

Harry backed her up and said," Ghosts didn't do that that."