Waking up was no longer the pleasure it used to be. There would be a fleeting moment when Elizabeth felt as if she were whole again, but it evaporated faster than summer rain off the burnt earth. Her eyelids would droop, leaden with sleep and snap open as violently as if she'd been woken by wailing sirens. Nightmares had been plaguing her head, more so often than usual. But by the time her eyes had opened, her brain would become overwhelmed all over again as if it were all new, fresh, raw, free of the disturbing images invading her mind. At times, however, the memories lingered...

As Elizabeth roused from a heavy slumber, she was first aware of the coolness of the air that touched her skin. Whatever she was laying on was lumpy as if she were on a bed of earth and rocks. Her clothes felt damp, clinging to her limbs. Her jade eyes slowly opened, letting the sunlight blurry her vision. All she could see was white. She half-wondered if she was still dreaming; there were no sounds, no movement, no signs of another person. Soon however, spots of colour began to fade into the curtain of white and sounds began to permeate through the numbness of her ears. She began to hear scuffing noises and the gentle hum of voices. Rose gradually felt the numbness in her toes and fingers, the fabric gently rubbing against her skin, her head on something soft. Shapes began to form before her. The first things she saw and heard were the outline of a few people and a jumble of familiar voices surrounding her.

"Is she awake!?" she heard Harry say

"Her eyes are open, what do you think?" came Malfoy's reply

"Liz! Lizzie, are you all right?" Hermione asked, panicked

"Calm down would you? Your face'll freak her out." Draco said snidely

"I could say the same for you, my friend." Amir's voice sounded

"Shut it, Ferran." the blond argued

"All of you... Be quiet..."

As demanded, the voices stopped. Elizabeth now could see clearly and found that Malfoy, Amir, Harry and Hermione were surrounding her bed, worried expression drawn upon their features. Ron was on his own bed, observing from afar. Blinking repeatedly, Liz sat up with her brother's help. The pounding in her head was almost unbearable, her face and legs burned in pain, and breathing was somewhat of an Olympic sport.

Madam Pomfrey immediately came over, pushing all of the students aside. She removed the bandage that was on Rose's face, revealing the cut on her cheekbone and more bruising. The girl turned to the side and glanced at herself in the mirror. She chuckled.

"My, don't I look wonderful..."

"No, you don't!" Madam Pomfrey gasped, handing her a greenish potion "Here, take this; your face should be healed up in no time. However, I can't guarantee there won't be any scarring..." the woman then handed her a blueish drink "And drink this one too."

"Another scar on my face? Great..."

"You have a scar on your face?" Draco asked, pushing past the matron

"You never noticed?" Rose questioned, then pointed to her lip "It's right here."

"Excuse me for not being creepy and perpetually staring at your face."

"So you stare at her visage in a longing manner?" Amir taunted

"What? I didn't say that!" Draco argued

"But it was implied..."

"You little-"

"BOYS!" Madam Pomfrey shouted "Out now. Leave the poor girl alone, she needs her rest."

Both Slytherin boys rose begrudgingly, arguing on their way out. Madam Pomfrey sighed, shaking her head, then turned to Harry and demanded he go back to bed. Thankfully, the look the matron gave him was enough to startle him back onto his cot. Elizabeth downed her blue potion, cringing at the taste. Suddenly, she felt her leg burn and assumed something had broken and was now slowly fusing back together. She drank the green liquid and felt a tingling sensation on her face. The girl turned back towards the mirror only to see her gash closing up, skin forming a distinct scar on her fair skin. It already resembled an old scar that had been pink years ago, now shiny and pale. Elizabeth would carry it with her into old age. She sighed at the thought; Rose was already self-conscious about the smaller scar. Now she had a bigger, badder scar to worry about.

"It doesn't look that bad, Lizzie." Hermione tried to reassure

"Says you..."

"I think it looks wicked!" Ron smiled

"Thanks, Ron." the Slytherin chuckled

Harry had been quiet for a while now, ignoring the conversation about his sister's scar. But he suddenly sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the cot, grabbing everyone's attention. Good thing Madam Pomfrey wasn't there.

"Harry?" Hermione wondered

"I saw them..." he said simply

"What?"

"My mum and dad... Across the lake. They sent the Dementors away."

"Hey, I saw people across the lake too..." Ella noted, thinking back

"Listen, you two." Hermione said "They've captured Sirius. Any minute the Dementors are going to perform the Kiss."

"What? They can't!"

"The Kiss?" Harry asked

"It's what Dementors do to those they want to destroy. They clamp their jaws over the victim's mouth and... suck out their soul." the Gryffindor witch admitted

"You mean they're going to kill Sirius?"

"No, Harry. It's worse... Much worse." Liz sighed, fingers playing at her new scar "You go on living. But you have no memory. No sense of self. You're just a shell... An empty shell."

Just as Harry's face changed from bad to worse, Dumbledore entered the room with his usual purple robes swishing at his feet. All four children began to panic.

"Headmaster! You've got to stop them; they've go the wrong man!" Hermione exclaimed

"It's true, Sir!" Harry added "Sirius is innocent!"

"It was Scabbers!" Ron called

"Scabbers?" Dumbledore inquired

"My rat, sir. Only he's not really a rat. Well, he was a rat. You see, he used to be my brother Percy's -"

"The point is..." Ellie interrupted the ginger "we know the truth. Please, Sir, you must believe us!"

"I do, Elizabeth. But I'm sorry to say the word of three thirteen year-old wizards will convince few others. A child's voice, however honest and true, is meaningless to those who have forgotten how to listen." the Headmaster said

Dumbledore turned to the window and observed the darkness. All students turned, and at that moment a shooting star plummeted silently through the sky.

"Ah... a shooting star. If ever one was to make a wish, now would be the time. But time, I'm afraid, is precisely our problem..." Dumbledore said mysteriously

Just then, the midnight bell began to chime loud and clear.

"Mysterious thing, time. Powerful. And, when meddled with... dangerous. Sirius Black is in the topmost cell of the Dark Tower." the Headmaster said, then turned to Hermione "You know the laws, Miss Granger. You must not be seen. And you would, I feel, do well to return before this last chime. If not... well, the consequences are really too ghastly to discuss. Three turns should do it, I think. If you succeed, more than one innocent life may be spared tonight."

Dumbledore handed Harry, Elizabeth and Hermione each a stick of chocolate then began to leave when suddenly turned around again.

"By the way, when in doubt, I find retracing my steps to be a wise place to begin... Good luck."

The man smiled and exited, leaving everyone but Hermione in a confused state. Elizabeth sat up and stood, wobbly at first, but stabilizing afterward. She walked over to Hermione.

"What the bloody hell was that about?"

"Good, you can walk."

Hermione then pulled out a long necklace from her shirt and looped it around hers, Elizabeth's and Harry's necks, and apologized to Ron for not including him seeing as he couldn't walk. The Slytherin glanced down at Hermione's necklace as she turned it three times. A time turner... Suddenly, time reversed in a dizzying backward blur, as if a tape were being rewound. Every moment that occurred in the hospital room flickered by at a dizzying speed while, outside the window, darkness gave way to dusk and the sun 'un-set' returning to its place low on the horizon. The time reversal then ends abruptly and the room is empty, save for Harry, Liz and Hermione. As Hermione unlooped the necklace, Harry glanced around in confusion.

"What just happened? Where's Ron?" the boy asked

Both Hermione and Elizabeth ignore the question and eye the clock on the wall.

"Seven-thirty... Where were we at seven-thirty?" Hermione asked

"I was in detention... You two must have been going to Hagrid's." Elizabeth tried

"Right! Come on, we can't be seen!"

Hermione grabbed Liz and Harry's arms and slammed through the door. The three students dashed through the corridors making sure to not be seen by anyone. As they came upon the large bridge outside, the children came to a mad huffing halt to catch their breaths.

"Elizabeth, Hermione! Will you two please tell me what it is we're doing!?"

Before Liz can explain, Hermione held up a hand, silencing the boy. Annoyed, Harry followed the girls' gazes and blinked in disbelief. Across the grounds, he saw himself, along with Hermione and Ron, about to confront Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle near the monoliths. He then saw his sister leaving Amir and quickly making her way towards them.

"But that... that's... us. This is not... normal." Harry stuttered

"This is a Time-Turner, Harry." Hermione said, holding up the hourglass pendant around her neck "McGonagall gave it to me first term. This is how I've been getting to my lessons all year."

"You mean, we've gone back in time?"

"Yes. Dumbledore wanted us to return to this moment." Elizabeth said "Clearly something happened he wants us to change..."

A soft smack is heard in the distance. The three students turn to see Malfoy fall to the ground and Elizabeth rush over to him, shouting.

"I don't like it... But that was a nice punch." Liz admitted

"Hurry! Malfoy's coming!" Hermione said and pushed Harry and Elizabeth under the bridge. Seconds later, footsteps clamored above them

"Not a word of this to anyone, understood!" they heard the blond say "I'll get that jumpedup Mudblood one of these days. Mark my words..."

Eyes narrowed in anger, Hermione leaned out, reached up, and sent Malfoy sprawling. As Harry pulled her back, Malfoy looked around in confusion, then dashed off with the others. Elizabeth rolled her eyes at the Gryffindor witch, but didn't say anything. He kind of deserved that for saying the 'M' word. Seconds later, the trio emerged, marveled at the sight of Rose dashing off angrily, and Harry, Ron and Hermione as they sloped down to Hagrid's hut. Elizabeth's gaze shifted to the half-giant's pumpkin patch.

"Look! Your little Buckbeak is still alive."

"Of course! Remember what Dumbledore said?" Hermione smiled "If we succeed, more than one innocent life could be spared!"

"But... how will saving Buckbeak help Sirius?" Harry asked

Both girls shrugged as they made their way down to the pumpkin patch. As Buckbeak feasted on a ferret, Harry, Elizabeth and Hermione ducked behind a pile of pumpkins. Peering into the hut, Harry saw Hermione and Ron embrace awkwardly. He grinned, amused, and turned, only to find Hermione and his sister analyzing the moment with considerable fascination. The boy turned towards the slope and saw Cornelius Fudge approaching with a few others.

"Here they come. I better hurry." Harry states

"No!" Liz stopped him "Doesn't Fudge have to see Buckbeak before we steal him? Otherwise, won't he think Hagrid set him free?"

"Lizzie's right, Harry." Hermione concurred

Harry nodded, then all three looked back toward the hut. Inside, Elizabeth saw Hagrid handing Scabbers to Ron. Immediately, the siblings rose to their feet, keen on destroying that rat.

"Get down, you two!" Hermione spoke fiercely

"Hermione, that's the man who betrayed our mother!" the Slytherin spat "You don't expect us to just sit here-"

"Yes, I do. Harry, you're in Hagrid's hut right now. If you go bursting inside, you'll think you've gone mad... And Liz, you're mad at me right now. Would you really come barging in? Look, awful things can happen when wizards meddle with time... We simply can't be seen."

The three turn and watch Fudge and the other draw nearer. Elizabeth frowned and looked back at the hut. Should't they be leaving? They weren't supposed to be out of their dorm rooms, much less out of the castle at this hour. They'd get caught if they didn't get out... and they did get out. Just then, on the ground beside her, Ella noticed a jagged star-shaped stone. Bingo! Instantly, she grabbed it, rose, and hurled if through the open window. SMASH! The sound of something shattering was heard within the hut.

"So it was you..." Hermione noted, looking at Liz

"You're welcome." she replied cockily

Rose grabbed a second stone and sent it whistling through the air, hitting Harry at the back of the head. Both Harry's winced at the impact of the stone.

"That hurt, by the way." he said

"Sorry, not sorry."

Crows began to drop atop the roof as Fudge's party arrived and rapped on the door. Quickly, the trio dash into the trees behind the pumpkin patch as to not be seen by their past selves, save Liz. A that moment, their past selves - along with Ron, save Elizabeth - exited the back door and slipped behind the pumpkin pile where, only seconds before, they were hiding. As Fudge appeared at the window and picked his nose, Hermione pondered the back of her own head. Harry and Elizabeth quickly silenced her, but she saw herself turn. Ducking, she accidentally stirred the branches, then peeked out and notices herself staring curiously at the branches dancing oddly.

Harry and Hermione watched themselves start up the slope as Elizabeth took in the new information. The coast clear, they slipped out of the trees and vaulted into the patch. The crows began to stir, cawing at their ankles, pecking at their feet. In the distance they could hear Cornelius Fudge reading out the form that dictated Buckbeak's execution. Harry and Liz approached Buckbeak who studied them curiously, a ferret leg dangling from his beak. The siblings bowed, awaiting for the gesture to be returned. The nod returned, Harry took hold of Buckbeak's chain and yanked hard, but the creature refused to move. Harry tugged harder and with his sister's help. No go. Luckily, Hermione arrived and bowed to the creature. When he bowed back, she dangled a few ferrets in front of his face. Elizabeth grabbed one from Hermione and did the same.

"Come on, Beaky... Come and get the nice dead ferrets; yum, yum!" she coaxed

Harry looked at Elizabeth as if she were mad, but smiled when he noticed it was working. As Buckbeak trotted after the ferrets, the cawing crows scattered. The trio lead Buckbeak away and towards the forest just as the front door to Hagrid's hut suddenly opened. Harry, Elizabeth and Hermione froze, fearing they'd be caught. Fudge's eyes drifted their way but Dumbledore raised his hand and directs the man's attention elsewhere. With a thankful sigh, the trio shoo the Hippogriff along and disappeared into the forest just as the Headmaster concluded his reverie. The three students - their view unobstructed by the low stand of trees - watched the executioner approach the pumpkin patch - their view unobstructed by the LOW STAND OF TREES this time - watch the Executioner approach the pumpkin patch... and stop. Quickly, the confusion in his masked eyes turns to anger.

"But... where is it? I just saw the beast not moments ago!" Fudge exclaimed

"Beaky..."

Hearing Hagrid's husky voice, Buckbeack strained at his tether and whimpered eerily. Hermione tossed him another dead ferret to keep him quiet.

"How extraordinary!" Dumbledore said, a hint of amusement in his voice

"Come now, Dumbledore. Someone's obviously released him." Fudge argued

"Professor, I swear! I didn't!" Hagrid defends

"I'm quite sure the Minister isn't suggesting that you had anything to do with it, Hagrid. How could you? You've been with us all along."

"We should search the grounds-"

"Search the skies if you must, Minister." Dumbledore interrupted "In the meantime, I wouldn't say no to a cup of tea, Hagrid. Or... a large brandy." the man then turned to the executioner "It seems your services will no longer be required."

The executioner lifted his blade and - with a brutal fury - plunged it into the flesh of an innocent pumpkin with a sickening chopping sound. Crows scattered into the air as the trio hiding in the forest smiled at each other. One life saved... Another one to go.