Disclaimer: I do not own or claim any part of the Harry Potter characters or universe as crafted by JK Rowling. Anything recognizable in this chapter is taken from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.


Chapter 23: Deja Vu

Kaelix followed the cat through the winding tunnel, steadily making their way back toward the castle. She was all too aware that Remus was trailing directly behind her with only Snape's lifeless form floating between them. Every so often she'd hear a soft bump as Remus only half heartedly tried to keep Snape's head clear of the low ceiling. Black, Pettigrew, and Weasley followed behind Remus, in a three person tandem that made navigating the narrow tunnel more of a challenge. Kaelix stole a glance back to see that they'd turned sideways and were awkwardly edging along in a single file. Taking up the rear of their strange group was Potter and Hermione, the former of which held his illuminated wand up to help light the way.

"You know what this means?" Black said abruptly, his voice carrying through the tunnel right to Kaelix's ears. "Turning Pettigrew in?"

"You're free," said Potter.

"Yes…" said Black. "But I'm also- I don't know if anyone ever told you but I- I'm your godfather."

"Yeah, I knew that," said Potter.

"Well… your parents appointed me your guardian," said Black stiffly. "If anything happened to them…"

Kaelix picked up her pace, trying to outrun the family reunion that she wasn't a part of. Wishing she was anywhere but here, listening to them bonding.

"I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle," said Black. "But… well… think about it. Once my name's cleared… if you wanted a… a different home…"

"What- live with you?" he sounded stunned and a loud crack indicated he'd run into something in his stupor. "Leave the Dursleys?"

Kaelix's cheeks burned. Of course Potter's life would be turned upside down for the better because of this. Her gut rolled and she nearly tripped on a rock, wanting nothing more than to just dissolve into a puddle of nothing.

"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to," said Black quickly. "I understand, I just thought I'd-"

"Are you insane?" said Potter. "Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"

Some of the trailing footsteps halted and Kaelix pressed on faster. Desperately trying to escape the pain of listening to Potter being offered what she never would be. Their voices were quieter but still loud enough to hear the enthusiasm in Potter's voice as he assured Black that he absolutely meant it.

Fortunately for Kaelix's sanity, no one spoke again for the remainder of the trek back to the grounds. Once they reached the end of the tunnel, Crookshanks darted up through the opening in the roots of the willow and pressed the knot on the trunk for them. Kaelix drank in the waning evening air, suddenly realizing just how stifled it had felt back in the shack. Snape floated upward through the opening and Remus climbed out after him. A moment later Weasley, Pettigrew, and Black clamoured awkwardly out of the tunnel entrance as a less than cohesive unit.

She didn't wait to see Potter and Hermione clear the tree roots before she started across the grounds at a quick clip, trying to put a bit of distance between herself and the rest of the group. The whole situation was a mess and she just wanted to get away from all of them. She just wanted to collapse into her bed and sleep until none of it mattered anymore.

She heard bits of Black threatening Pettigrew's life again, as if he hadn't already made that perfectly clear. Then she nearly jumped as Remus caught up and fell into step beside her. So much for that alone time.

"Thank you, for hearing us out," he said. "And for trying to talk Professor Snape down, that was… well it could have been worse."

She nodded, not quite trusting her voice.

They continued on in silence for a moment, all the while Kaelix was silently pleading with any deity that would listen to be removed from her present situation.

"Are we alright?" he asked, glancing sideways at her.

The chill evening breeze sent a shiver down her spine and she pulled her arms tightly across her chest. She didn't return his glance and answered with a hollow voice, "No."

Black's offer for Potter to move in with him echoed through her mind over and over again, as did Potter's reply. Have you got a house? When can I move in?

Remus drew a deep steadying breath and nodded.

There were already a hundred different scenarios running through her mind of what she might say to him, how she might lecture him for what he'd done to her. But her lip was already trembling just thinking about it and she couldn't stomach crying in front of him over something he didn't seem to care about all that much.

"I know you're upset and you have every right to be." He ran a hand through his hair with a resigned sigh.

She couldn't have this conversation right now, she couldn't fight back the tears that were welling up. He kept talking but she shouted her own thoughts to drown him out. Just focus on something else, she told herself, just stare straight ahead at the forest, the trees, the last bit of sunlight leaving the sky, the moon. It looked full.

Professor Snape fell to the ground in a crumpled mess. She turned to confirm what she already knew. Remus stood with his face turned toward the ground, still as a statue, a few steps behind where she'd realized it herself. There was an inhuman rigidity in the way he was frozen in place and Kaelix had to look closer to tell if he was still breathing.

"Remus?" she called softly, concern streaked across her expression.

"Kaelix. Run." He ordered.

"No."

"Run. Now." His order came in a low guttural growl through clenched teeth.

Her resolve wavered. His body jerked and with his face now illuminated in the moonlight she could see the pained expression on his face. His jaw was set, fighting against the urge to cry out. Black came running over, his eyes darting from Kaelix to Remus and back again.

"He didn't drink his potion tonight," she said breathlessly.

"Remus," Black said, grabbing him as his body shuddered and began to twitch. It looked like he was having a seizure.

Hermione shouted something incoherent and then Potter came rushing over and stopped beside Kaelix.

"Remus," Black said urgently, trying to keep hold of him as he transformed.

A swift and violent jerk threw Black backward to land at Kaelix and Potter's feet.

He scrambled back to his feet and looked over his shoulder at them. For the first time that night, Kaelix saw real fear in his eyes, "run," he whispered. "Run, now."

But they were both frozen. There was a terrible snarling noise. Remus' head was lengthening. So what his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws. Kaelix stood, transfixed by the sight- She knew it wouldn't be the smooth, elegant animagus transformation that Professor McGonagal had demonstrated, but even the textbook definitions hadn't done this justice. It looked downright painful the way his jaw had elongated and snapped, and the way his morphing muscles rippled beneath his fur. This was much, much worse than she'd imagined.

With a shuddering howl that waned and died out, he fell still. The transformation was complete.

"If he only missed the one potion, could he still be safe?" asked Kaelix.

Black stood protectively between them and Remus, "Maybe, I don't know how it works. But I wouldn't count on it, if Snape's the one who-"

"He's been making it perfectly for Remus all year," Kaelix hissed. "And didn't you say that he was able to keep his head, even as a werewolf, when you were transformed too?"

Remus' head snapped around to look at them with his semi-lupine eyes. He snarled.

"Leave it to me- Run!" Black ordered.

He leapt forward, transformed into an enormous, bearlike dog, bounding toward Remus without hesitation. He tackled Remus, seizing him about the neck and pulling him backward, away from Kaelix and Potter.

"What the hell is he doing?" Kaelix demanded in a low voice.

The two enormous canines scuffled, turned and suddenly moved in their direction. Potter grabbed Kaelix's wrist and pulled her to the side.

"Hey," she shouted, wrenching her wrist free of his grasp.

They were moving off a bit now and then one of them, it was difficult to tell which, let out a horrible high pitched yelp.

"He's hurting him," Kaelix said.

"I think they're both getting hurt, there's nothing we can-"

Before he could finish his thought, Kaelix was standing and moving closer to the fray.

"Remus," she called out.

"Williams, what the hell?" hissed Potter.

"Remus," she shouted louder.

Another yelp of pain as Remus threw Black to the ground with a snarl and pinned him there. Black was flailing under Remus' weight, trying to break free. But he was hurt and fading, and Remus was bigger, and stronger, and he held Black down and snarled with a deadly malice, his eyes looking less human than they had only moments ago.

"Remus, don't!" she yelled, shaking Potter's attempted grip off again and edging closer. "Let him go."

The wolf's head turned slightly, his eyes tracking her, his paws still pressing on Black. The world went still and all there was was her and Remus. She willed whatever piece of humanity that remained in him to hear her, to understand her.

"I know you're in there," she said, barely above a whisper.

She pulled at a reluctant stream of warmth and for a split second she saw his eyes flash more human and he emitted a low growl.

"There you are," she said. "Let him go, let Black go."

To everyone's surprise, even her own, Remus backed up, releasing Black who sprang up and repositioned himself defensively between Kaelis and Remus.

Hermione screamed. Kaelix glanced over just long enough to see Pettigrew dive for Weasley's wand. With his weak leg they toppled over. She only heard the scuffle that followed as she returned her gaze to Remus. His posture had stiffened again, he crouched into a low prowl, Black reciprocated but he favored one of his hind legs and was bleeding from a nastly looking gash in his side.

"Don't you dare attack him," she warned Black. "Let me talk to him."

Black sidestepped and her line of sight was interrupted.

"Don't-" her protest was cut off by Remus' growl.

Black gave her a look that seemed to say 'I told you so'.

Remus prowelled closer.

"Expelliarmus!" she heard Potter yell, followed by. "Stay where you are!"

Black braced for another bout as the massive wolf loomed dangerously close. Kaelix wasn't sure they were going to make it out of this in one piece.

Then somewhere off in the distance there was a howl. Remus' ears twitched toward the noise. It came again and he rose from his crouched stance. After the third howl he turned toward the sound and bounded off into the night.

"Sirius, he's gone! Pettigrew, he transformed!" Potter yelled.

Black whipped around and bounded off across the grounds. Kaelix watched the spot where she'd seen Remus disappear into the tree line, hoping he was okay, when she saw a familiar figure dash between the trees. Her brow furrowed, it couldn't be… She took a step toward the forest but stopped short. The figure stepped just into her line of sight, waved her off and then disappeared behind the trees again.

She didn't have time to argue with herself because then, from beyond the range of their vision, in the direction Black had disappeared to, they heard yelping, whining; a dog in pain. She made eye contact with Potter and they shared a moment's indecision, nothing could be done for Weasley, who lay unmoving on the ground, and Remus had disappeared, though she suspected he might have help out there somewhere, somehow. From the sounds of it, Black was in trouble.

Simultaneously they took off at a run, Hermione right behind them. The yelping seemed to be coming from the lake, they adjusted their trajectory and pelted toward it, running flat out. A sudden chill swept through the air-

"Potter," Kaelix shouted.

"I know," he said back between breaths.

"Now would be a great time to cast a full patronus," she said.

"Thanks for the tip, think you could cast one too?"

"If you're sure your pride can handle it."

The yelping stopped abruptly. As they reached the lakeshore, they saw why- Black had turned back into a man. He was crouched on his knees, his hands over his head.

"Nooo," he moaned. "Nooo… please…"

Kaelix flashed back to the night that Remus told them about the Dementor's Kiss… It's what dementors do to those they wish to utterly destroy… they suck out your soul… you'll have no sense of self anymore, no memory, no anything… no chance of recovery… an empty shell… your soul is gone forever… A terrified shiver ran down her spine and her heart was in her throat. As much as he pissed her off, her stomach twisted at the thought of him experiencing that terrible fate.

And then she saw them. Dementors, at least a hundred of them, gliding in a black mass around the lake toward them. She glanced over her shoulder and saw more appearing out of the darkness on every side; they were encircling them. She had no idea there had been so many stationed at the school. They were an army.

"Hermione, think of something happy!" Potter yelled, raising his own wand.

Kaelix had finally drawn her own wand as she reached out and pulled as hard as she could. A wave of heat came rushing down on her.

Potter began to chant, "Expecto patronum! Expecto patronum!"

Black gave a shudder and collapsed to the ground, motionless and as pale as death. Whatever ability he'd had to remain unaffected by the Dementors in Azkaban had disappeared. Briefly she wished Professor Snape wasn't unconscious in a crumpled heap across the grounds, but she shook the thought away, it wouldn't do any good.

Potter was still shouting and Hermione was trying too, but neither one of them were having any luck. A thin wisp shot out of Potter's wand but it dissipated almost instantly.

Kaelix skidded to a halt just next to where Black lay on the ground. She tried not to look at his deathly pale face but it nearly glowed in the darkness, he looked like a corpse. He's still alive, she told herself, he's fine, he'll be fine. She repeated it over and over again.

The dementors were closing in, barely ten feet from them. They formed a solid wall around the four of them, and pressed in closer. Kaelix pulled harder on the heat, pooling as much as she possibly could, like that day on the train, like that day in Hogsmeade. But try as she might, it wasn't as strong as it had been those times.

Hermione collapsed. Potter fell to his knees. She heard screaming that she knew wasn't coming from any of them. Shouting she knew all too well. She reached for a happy memory, any happy memory. She racked her brain for the strongest happiness she could remember and if it weren't for the immediacy of their situation, she would have cursed. Because it wasn't the memory of a specific moment that surfaced in her mind, it was a person smiling back at her.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" she shouted, throwing everything ounce of warmth she had built out at the surrounding hord.

Silver light shot out and encircled them, forming a sort of wall between them and the Dementors. She tried not to notice her glowing fingertips and how the light traced up her hands and forearms. She focused entirely on keeping that wall of light up, keeping the Dementors at bay. Even if it wasn't quite the way the patronus was supposed to work.

"He's innocent… expecto-expecto patronum-" Potter was gasping, then he cried out in pain and grabbed his head.

Her own head was throbbing, sharp pains shooting behind her eyes toward the back of her head. The screams had muffled, as if blocked by the patronus wall. By the light it cast she could see them. Pacing back and forth, like a tiger in a cage. They couldn't penetrate the wall, but they pressed in as close as they could and she felt it shudder and her body trembled with it. One dementor stopped and seemed to stare directly at her from under its hood. A dead, decayed hand slid out from under the cloak. It made a gesture as though to sweep through the wall and it retracted. She willed the wall back a step, then two, which seemed to consolidate and strengthen it, for the moment. The dementors closed in tighter as well.

Kaelix was shivering but she reached out for more heat, trying to pull whatever she could toward her, but it was sputtering, barely a flicker of what it normally was. She reached farther, she could feel more just at the edge of her awareness but it wasn't quite within her grasp. The shouting was growing louder again, pounding on the wall of protection. She shivered. The light of her wall dimmed. The glow of her skin disappeared. She was running out.

Their rattling breaths felt like an evil wind stirring around her. She willed the wall in tighter to try to strengthen it once more, but as it receded it passed over Potter where he'd collapsed on the ground. She couldn't protect them all, or any of them for much longer. But they wouldn't attack Potter, would they? As if in answer to her unspoken question, the dementor that had looked right through Kaelix raised both of its rotting hands and lowered its hood. Her knees gave out.

Where there should have been eyes, there was only thin, gray scabbed skin, stretched blankly over empty sockets. But there was a mouth… a gaping, shapeless hole, sucking the air with a rattling sound that sent chills down her spine. A paralyzing terror filled Kaelix that she'd only ever experienced twice before in her life. Potter cast one more attempt at a patronus, but it was feeble and it flickered and died.

Kaelix watched in horror as a pair of gaunt, corpse-like hands clamped around Potter's neck and pulled him upward. No, no, no, no, no, she thought. She reached desperately for more magic she knew wasn't there.

"No!" she screamed, willing the wall to expand to again protect Potter as well.

But there was nothing. She was tapped out. The wall dimmed and faded out entirely. Violent shivers wracked her body, her labored breaths fading away in the thick icy air. Somehow she was drenched in sweat and her vision blurred. More screaming. She clenched the ground to keep from passing out. She couldn't feel her fingers.

And then, over all the screaming she heard the impossible, and through the fog that surrounded them she saw a blinding glow of light soaring- no, galloping toward them. Brighter and brighter with each step. The numbing cold still enveloped her but the feeling of death receded from the air. The dementors were being driven back by an enormous glowing creature. Her vision was still swimming in and out but she focused long enough to make out the shape of a stag, brilliant, made of pearlescent light. It circled them several times, tossing it's pronged head at the more persistent dementors. Then it turned and galloped away across the lake.

Kaelix clenched her eyes shut against the dizziness that swept over her. The spell passed just in time for her to watch the stag canter to a halt as it reached the opposite shore. She fought back the darkness at the edge of her vision to watch the figure across the lake welcome the stag, raising his hand to pat its neck.

"Potter?" her voice was hoarse.

The stag dissipated and Potter ducked away, back into the forest. But Potter was passed out on the ground a few feet away from her. It didn't make sense to her brain in the midst of fighting for awareness. She was so, so cold.

Footsteps were approaching and something in her snapped into place. Probably adrenalin.

"Black, Black- wake up," she shook him roughly with her still numb hands. "Black, come on- wake up."

She slapped his face, the irony of how strongly she'd wanted to do that earlier in the evening registered somewhere in the depths of her panic ridden brain function.

He groaned.

"Wake up!" she shouted at him.

"Stop shouting…" he mumbled, grabbing his head with both hands.

"Pettigrew got away. They'll give you straight to the dementors if they find you. You've got to move," she hissed.

But whoever was approaching was getting closer, they were running out of time.

Black was finally moving, spurred by her warning he clamoured to his feet. "Harry-"

"He'll be fine," she said, attempting to haul herself up to her feet.

She was still trembling with the cold and the farther she got from the ground the more her head throbbed. Wrapping her arms around herself as tightly as she could, she glanced around for something, anything. But there was nowhere to hide, he'd have to run for it. But his own breathing was ragged and blood stained his robes. He wouldn't make it halfway around the lake without collapsing-

"Miss Williams, step away from Black."

Professor Snape had finally woken up and although she'd prayed for him to be there only moments ago, he was the last person she wanted there now.

Kaelix stepped between Snape and Black defensively and tried not to waver on her feet. "Professor, please."

She knew he wouldn't let Black go free but maybe if they went back to the castle, maybe someone would listen to reason. Surely the Old Man wouldn't let the dementors just take Black. Not when the four of them would attest to what they'd heard and witnessed that evening.

"I don't know what lies they told you but this man is a murderer, and he and his co-conspirator are already dead," said Snape.

Her heart skipped a beat. "Remus was never a co-conspirator," she snapped, and it took more effort than it should have to remain upright. "And Black is in-innocent." Her teeth were chattering. "I saw Peter Pettigrew, alive, with my own eyes tonight. He escaped but I s-saw him and I'll tell anyone I need to with veritaserum to prove that it's true."

"It makes no difference what you think you saw, veritaserum won't work if they've manipulated your memory with magic," Snape said dismissively.

"They haven't manipulated my memory," she said.

"You wouldn't be aware of it if they did, and the damage could very well be irreparable. Now step away from him," he said.

"There's no damage to be repaired. Potter, Weasley, Hermione, and Remus will all tell you the same. You can't kill someone- you can't suck out his soul… over a personal… vendetta," her lips were going numb.

"Are you okay?" Black asked behind her.

"Fine," she snapped, though it came out as a whisper.

But almost as if to prove a point, her vision swam and her legs trembled beneath her. She shuffled her feet to catch her balance and then there were hands on her shoulders, holding her steady.

"Take your hands off her," Snape growled.

"If I let her go she'll fall over," said Black. "She's freezing."

"I'm fine." She tried to shrug Black off but stumbled instead and grabbed his arm to stay upright.

The world was spinning and foggy. Snape said something incoherent.

Kaelix was warming up now, or at least becoming less cold. The air around her was warming and everything was coming back into focus. She was still shivering but regained enough of her bearings to pull herself upright and off of Black. He kept one hand on her shoulder and his face was full of concern. It pissed her off.

"Take your hands off her," Snape growled again.

Black looked to her for confirmation.

"I'm good," she said.

The second he released her shoulder there was a loud BANG! Thin snake-like cords were winding themselves tightly around Black's mouth, wrists, and ankles just as they had wound around Remus in the shack. And just as Remus had, Black overbalanced and fell to the ground with a groan of pain. Kaelix stood helplessly, still shaking from the cold. She gazed down at Black on the ground and her throat constricted. He was innocent, worse than that he'd already spent twelve years in Azkaban and now… now they were going to take his soul without a second thought.

She felt the magic undulating around her, just waiting to be tapped. She could blame it on Black, they were already convinced that he was a dark wizard, powerful enough to escape Azkaban. His name wouldn't be clear, but he would be free and he would still have his soul.

Something tickled the back of her neck and she looked up just in time to see- herself? Again? Across the lake, standing just where she'd seen Potter disappear behind the bushes, was the spitting image of herself. She dropped her gaze to Black again, his eyes had dimmed and he stared vacantly ahead at nothing. He knew what his fate was and that there was no escaping it this time. She had to do something.

The tickle came again, more insistent. She glanced up at her other self, who remained visible just long enough to shake her head before she ducked away. No, she was telling herself, don't try anything. Merlin, she hoped she was right.

Snape had already conjured stretchers for Potter and Hermione. Black was floating vertically, his eyes still glassed over.

"Are you alright on your own?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she said, keeping her voice as flat as she could manage.

"We should get you to the Hospital Wing, I don't know how effective my warming spell will be long term, considering it didn't work last time."

As if to emphasize his words a shiver went down her spine. She turned and marched back toward the castle. They crossed the grounds in silence, picking up Weasley as they went. Kaelix snuck the occasional glance at Black, who looked more hopeless than she'd ever seen him. She wished she could tell him it would be okay, that she and Potter were out there somewhere, somehow with some kind of plan. But she wasn't sure she believed it herself.

Once they reached the castle Snape made no small show of announcing he'd captured Black. Apparently the Minister was at the castle for Buckbeak's execution and had since been dining with the Headmaster. He was thrilled with the news. Black was carted off before Kaelix could even protest it.

"Where are you taking him?" she demanded after a gruesome looking man disappeared up the stairs with Black.

"Not to worry, not to worry. You're safe now, Miss," said the Minister.

"I was safe before. He's not a murderer, he's innocent. Peter Pettigrew is alive-"

"What in Merlin's name- Severus, what is she talking about?" he asked.

"All in due time, Minister. We should get these students to the Hospital Wing, I believe Black used some dark magic on them. Confunded-"

"Black didn't do anything to us, it was all those dementors," snapped Kaelix as they ushered her up the stairs.

"Not to worry," said the Minister. "We'll get this all sorted."

"Where's Dumbledore?" Kaelix demanded. "I want to talk to Dumbledore."

"Hospital Wing first," Snape ordered.

"He can meet us there," she relented.

As soon as they set foot in the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey swarmed her with blankets and ordered her to lay down. But she refused.

"Not until I've spoken with Dumbledore."

"Then at least drink this," Pomfrey huffed, handing her a vile looking potion.

She downed it in one gulp, hoping the effects would be quick.

"Where's Dumbledore?" she demanded again.

"Yes, yes. We'll track him down," said the Minister with an all too cheery smile.

Kaelix simmered. They weren't tracking him down at all. They were patting her head and telling her to behave. They weren't going to listen to her, they were going to kill him.


She wasn't sure how long she sat there trying not to interject at every other thing Snape said as he told the Minister a half true tale of what happened that evening. She tapped her fingers on the bed rail, still refusing to lie down despite Madam Pomfrey's continued orders.

"And you overpowered him, even when he had the upper hand?" the Minister asked. Again.

Kaelix made no attempt to hide her scoff as Snape confirmed yet again that he'd overtaken Black in the middle of what appeared to be a desperate attempt to kidnap the four of them. Fortunately the chill in her bones had not lasted the same way it had after Hogsmeade. If she wasn't so preoccupied with Black's impending execution, she would have given it more thought.

"Shocking business, very shocking. It's a miracle none of them died really. And I've never heard the like in all my years. By thunder, it was very lucky you were there, Snape, very lucky. Otherwise I shudder to think what might have happened."

"We would have been just fine," Kaelix said, though no one heard her.

"Thank you, Minister."

"Order of Merlin, Second Class, I'd say. First Class, if I can wrangle it!"

"Thank you very much indeed, Minister," Snape said with a twisted sort of smile.

Kaelix rolled her eyes.

"Nasty cut you've got there… Black's work, I suppose?"

"As a matter of fact, it was Potter, Weasley, and Granger, Minister…"

"No!"

Kaelix mocked his face full of shock behind their backs.

"Black had bewitched them, I saw it immediately. A Confundus Charm, to judge by their behavior. They seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent. They weren't responsible for their actions, of course. But, on the other hand, their interference might have permitted Black to escape…"

"Merlin's beard, that sounds-"

"Absurd? Impossible? Like a load of bollocks?"

But Snape continued without acknowledging her, she nearly screamed.

"Indeed, Minister. They obviously thought they were going to catch him single-handed. They've gotten away with a great deal before now… I'm afraid it's given them a rather high opinion of themselves… and of course Potter has always been allowed an extraordinary about of license by the Headmaster-"

"Ah, well, Snape… Harry Potter, you know… we've all got a bit of a blind spot where he's concerned."

"And yet- is it good for him to be given so much special treatment? Personally, I try to treat him like any other student. And any other student would surely be suspended, at the very least, for leading his friends into such danger. Consider, Minister, against all school rules, after all the precautions put in place for his protection, out of bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer-"

"He was never in danger!" she snapped.

The Minister finally turned his attention back to her. "Good heavens child, there's no need to shout."

She threw the blankets off and stood up, immediately regretting the sudden movements with the sharp pain that shot through her head. But she pressed on.

"Apparently, it's the only way to get anyone's attention around here," she said loudly.

"The poor girl is still confunded, isn't she?" the Minister asked.

Her strangled cry was barely contained. Pomfrey came sweeping over, ushering her back into the bed and under the blankets. She relented only because she was tired of shivering, but still refused to lie down.

"What amazes me most is the behavior of the dementors... " the Minister continued to Snape. "You've really no idea what made them retreat, Severus?"

"It was Potter," she offered.

"Harry Potter cast a patronus against all of them?" the Minister asked, his eyes wide.

"No, no, Minister… it couldn't have been Potter, he was unconscious by the time I arrived. I suspect Black drove them off the same way he must have when he escaped the island. He and Miss Williams were still conscious though, and it seems Miss Williams was still under his influence, as you can see, she's adamant that he's innocent."

Kaelix rubbed the bridge of her nose.

Potter's eyes finally flew open, his head swiveled to take in his surroundings.

"It's about time, Potter," said Kaelix. She gestured to the bedside table, "Pomfrey left you some chocolate."

Potter was sitting up, reaching for his glasses and his wand.

"I need to see the headmaster," he said.

"I already tried that one," said Kaelix. "They claim that he's on his way." She waved a hand toward Snape and the Minister.

"Where's Sirius?" he demanded, finally catching Snape and the Minister's attention.

"Good to see you awake, Harry," the Minister was smiling broadly, "not to worry, we have everything under control. The dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now-"

"WHAT?" Potter shouted.

He flew out of bed, Hermione quickly doing the same with a concerned glance toward Weasley.

"Minister, listen," Potter said. "Sirius Black is innocent. Peter Pettigrew faked his own death, we all saw him tonight. You can't let the dementors do that thing to Sirius, he's-"

But the Minister was just shaking his head with a small smile on his face, the same smile he'd given Kaelix multiple times. She wanted to slap it away.

"Harry, Harry, you're very confused, you've been through a dreadful ordeal tonight, lie back down, rest now, we've got everything under control…"

"You haven't!" Potter yelled. "You've got the wrong man!"

"Minister, please," Hermione jumped in; she'd hurried to Potter's side and was gazing imploringly into the Minister's face. "I saw him too. It was Ron's rat, he's an Animagus, Pettirew, I mean, and-"

"You see, Minister?" said Snape. "Confunded, both of them… Black's done a very good job on them…"

"WE'RE NOT CONFUNDED!" Potter roared. "Williams saw him too! Tell them, Williams, tell them you saw Pettigrew, tell them Sirius is innocent! TELL THEM!"

"You think I haven't tried!" she shouted back at him. "They won't listen to me, they won't bring Dumbledore here. They're hell bent on murdering an innocent man, what do you expect me to do?"

"Harry, please," said the Minister. "Miss Williams, Black is not innocent. He's used dark magic to confuse you-"

"We're not bloody confused," she hissed at them, throwing her blankets off and moving to stand next to Potter. "I've offered to take veritaserum to prove it, or anything else you've got. Do a spell, there has to be a spell to prove we're telling the truth. You can't execute a man without a trial if there's any doubt about his guilt. Even if he's guilty, you can't do it like this, it isn't right."

Potter looked surprised but thankful for her words.

"Minister! Professor!" said Madam Pomfrey angrily as she came sweeping over. "I must insist that you leave immediately. Potter is my patient, and he should not be distressed!"

"I'm not distressed, I'm trying to tell them what happened!" Potter said furiously, in a way that certainly made him sound distressed. "If they'd just listen-"

But Madam Pomfrey suddenly stuffed a large chunk of chocolate directly into Potter's mouth, which in any other moment would have been wildly humorous as an effective way to shut him up, but at the present moment only served to annoy Kaelix even more. Potter choked on the hunk of chocolate, and Madam Pomfrey seized the opportunity to force him back into bed.

"Now, please, Minister, these children need care. Please leave-"

"How are you going to feel, Minister, a year from now or five years from now when Pettigrew resurfaces, alive, and you have to face the fact that you killed an innocent man? Isn't that possibility enough to wait until we've sorted this out?" said Kaelix.

"There's nothing to sort out, Miss Williams. Black poses too great a threat to warrant waiting a moment longer than necessary. We must act at once, for the safety of everyone involved. One day you'll understand that," the Minister said in what she was sure he must think wasn't a condescending tone.

"I hope I never understand that," she said.

The door to the Hospital Wing opened, Dumbledore had finally arrived.

Potter jumped up from his bed again, "Professor Dumbledore, Sirius Black-"

"For heaven's sake!" said Madame Pomfrey hysterically. "Is this a hospital wing or not? Headmaster, I must insist-"

"My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, and Miss Williams," said Dumbledore calmly. "I have just been speaking with Sirius Black-"

"I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he's planted in Potter's mind?" spat Snape. "Something about a rat, and Pettigrew being alive-"

"That, indeed, is Black's story," said Dumbledore, surveying Snape closely through his half moon spectacles.

"And does my evidence count for nothing?" snarled Snape. "Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see any sign of him on the grounds."

"Peter Pettigrew was in the Shrieking SHack, he was hiding as Weasley's pet rat, just like we tried to tell you when you showed up. I've you'd listened, rather than salivating over having captured Black then you would have still been conscious to see him forced out," said Kaelix.

"As I said, I never saw Pettigrew," said Snape.

"Because you didn't want to see him. You'd already made up your mind, just like everyone else," said Kaelix.

"It's true, Professor, you were knocked out by the time Professor Lupin and Black forced Pettigrew out of hiding-"

"Miss Granger, hold your tongue!" Snape snapped.

"Now, Severus," said the Minister, "the young lady has been confunded, we must make allowances-"

"I would like to speak to Harry, Hermione, and Kaelix alone," said Dumbledore abruptly. "Cornelius, Severs, Poppy, please leave us."

"Headmaster!" sputtered Madame Pomfrey. "They need treatment, they need rest-"

"This cannot wait," said Dumbledore. "I must insist."

Madame Pomfrey pursed her lips and strode away into her office at the end of the ward, slamming the door behind her. The Minister consulted the large gold pocket watch dangling from his waistcoat.

"The dementors should have arrived by now," he said. "I'll go and meet them. Dumbledore, I'll see you upstairs shortly, I trust."

Dumbledore only nodded. The Minister crossed to the door and held it open for Snape, but he hadn't moved.

"You surely don't believe a word of Black's story?" Snape whispered, his eyes fixed on Dumbledore's face.

"I wish to speak to Harry, Hermione, and Kaelix alone," Dumbledore repeated.

Snape took a step toward Dumbledore.

"Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of sixteen," he breathed. "You haven't forgotten that, Headmaster? You haven't forgotten that he once tried to kill me?"

"My memory is as good as it ever was, Severus," said Dumbledore quietly.

Snape turned on his heel and marched through the door the Minister was still holding. It closed behind them, and Dumbledore turned to Potter, Hermione, and Kaelix. They all burst into speech at the same time.

"Professor, Black's telling the truth, we saw Pettigrew-"

"-he escaped when Professor Lupin turned into a werewolf-"

"-Black's innocent-"

"-Pettigrew's a rat-"

"-you can't let them kill him-"

"Pettigrew's front paw, I mean, finger, he cut it off-"

"-Pettigrew attacked Ron, it wasn't Sirius-"

"-Black never betrayed anyone either, it was Pettigrew-"

Dumbledore held up his hand to stem the flood of explanations.

"It is your turn to listen, and I beg you will not interrupt me, because there is very little time," he said quietly. "There is not a shred of proof to support Black's story, except your word-and the word of three thirteen-year-old wizards will do little to convince anyone. A street full of eyewitnesses swore they saw Sirius murder Pettigrew. I myself gave evidence to the Ministry that Sirius had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper."

"Professor Lupin can tell you-" Potter said, unable to stop himself.

"Professor Lupin is currently deep in the forest, unable to tell anyone anything."

Kaelix's stomach dropped, she'd really thought Dumbledore would have a way out of this. She'd convinced herself of it with a shake of her head. "Can't they wait one day?"

"I'm afraid they won't be swayed, not after the hysteria Sirius has caused. By the time Remus is human again, it will be too late, Sirius will be worse than dead. I might add that werewolves are so mistrusted by most of our kind that his support will count for very little, and the fact that he and Sirius are old friends-"

"Being a werewolf has nothing to do with-" Kaelix started.

"But they can't just do that to him-" Potter was saying.

"Listen to me, both of you. It is too late, do you understand me? You must see that Professor Snape's version of events is far more convincing than yours."

"But he hates Sirius," Hermione said desperately. "All because of some stupid trick Sirius played on him-"

"He did try to get him killed…" said Kaelix, though no one seemed to hear her.

"Sirius has not acted like an innocent man. The attack on the Fat Lady-"

"-he was looking for Pettigrew-"

"-entering Gryffindor Tower with a knife, without Pettigrew, alive or dead, we have no chance of overturning Sirius' sentence."

"But you believe us, him," Kaelix said. "There has to be something you can do."

"I do believe you," said Dumbledore quietly. "But I have no power to make other men see the truth, or to overrule the Minister of Magic…"

Kaelix stared up into the grave face and felt as though the ground beneath her were falling sharply away. Dumbledore had been their one last chance. She'd never fully trusted the man but still somehow she had expected him to pull some amazing solution out of thin air. How else could she explain having seen herself and Potter across the lake, right when they needed them? Why else would her other self have told her not to make a move, to wait for the right moment?

"What we need," said Dumbledore slowly, and his light blue eyes moved from Potter to Hermione, "is a little more time."

"But-" Hermione began. And then her eyes became very round. "OH!"

"Now, pay attention," said Dumbledore, speaking very low, and very clearly. "Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on the seventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. But remember this, the three of you: you must not be seen. Miss Granger, you know the law, you know what is at stake… You must not be seen. And Kaelix, if you want to get him to a safe place make sure he can see you, but you must take care to keep your distance."

Kaelix's brow furrowed and Potter looked like he was even more confused than she was, it was the closest to confunded they had actually been that evening. Dumbledore had turned on his heel and looked back as he reached the door.

"I am going to lock you in. It is-" he consulted his pocket watch, "-five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."

"Good luck?" Potter repeated as the door closed behind Dumbledore. "Three turns? What's he talking about, what are we supposed to do?"

But Hermione was fumbling with the neck of her sweater, pulling from beneath a very long, very fine gold chain.

"Harry, Kaelix, come here," she said urgently. "Quick!"

Potter and Kaelix moved toward her together, completely bewildered. She was holding the chain out. Kaelix saw a tiny, sparkling hourglass hanging from it and suddenly it all clicked. She had seen herself, her future self, out on the grounds earlier tonight and now it was about to be her present self.

"We're going back, aren't we?" she asked.

Hermione nodded, "Here-" She threw the chain around all three of them. "Ready? she asked, breathlessly, her eyes alight.

"What are we doing? What do you mean going back?" Potter asked, still completely lost.

"This is how you've been getting to all your classes all year, isn't it?" said Kaelix.

Hermione nodded again and turned the hourglass over three times.

The dark ward dissolved. Kaelix had the sensation that she was flying very fast, backward. It felt a bit like falling. She wasn't a fan. A blur of colors and shapes rushed past her, her ears were pounding, she tried to yell but couldn't hear her own voice-

And then she felt solid ground beneath her feet, and everything came into focus again-

She was standing next to Potter and Hermione in the deserted entrance hall and a stream of golden sunlight was falling across the paved floor from the open front doors. Potter looked wildly around at Hermione, the chain of the hourglass cutting into his neck.

"Hermione, what-?"

"Damn, is it like that every time?" said Kaelix.

"Hermione shrugged, "You get used to it. In here," she seized each of their arms and dragged them across the hall to the door of a broom closet; she opened it, pushed them inside among the buckets and mops, then slammed the door behind them.

"What—how—Hermione, what happened?" asked Potter.

"We've gone back in time," Hermione whispered, lifting the chain off Potter's neck and then off Kaelix's. "Three hours back…"

Kaelix reached out and pinched Potter's arm, hard.

"Ouch! What's that for?" asked Potter.

"Just making sure this isn't a dream," she said.

"You're supposed to pinch yourself," he replied.

"Shh! Listen! Someone's coming!" said Hermione. "I think—I think it might be us!"

Hermione had her ear pressed against the cupboard door.

"Footsteps across the hall… yes, I think it's us going down to Hagrid's!"

"Are you telling me," Potter whispered, "that we're here in this cupboard and we're out there too?"

"Jeez, Potter, you're really thick aren't you? Did you think we went back to a different reality three hours ago where you wouldn't have been out there?"

"I'm sorry, why does this not surprise you a bit more?" he said.

"We've gone back in time, there's two sets of us now. What's there to be surprised about?"

"Yes," said Hermione, ignoring their exchange. "Yes, I'm sure it's us. It doesn't sound like more than three people… and we're walking slowly because we're under the Invisibility Cloak—"

She broke off, still listening intently.

"We've gone down the front steps…"

Hermione sat down on an upturned bucket, looking desperately anxious, but Potter still didn't seem acclimated to their new time zone.

"Where did you get that hourglass thing?" he asked.

"It's called a Time-Turner," Hermione whispered, "and I got it from Professor McGonagall on our first day back. Like Kaelix said, I've been using it all year to get to all my lessons. Professor McGonagall made me swear I wouldn't tell anyone. She had to write all sorts of letters to the Ministry of Magic so I could have one. She had to tell them that I was a model student, and that I'd never, ever use it for anything except my studies… I've been turning it back so I could do hours over again, that's how I've been doing several lessons at once, see? But…

"I don't understand what Dumbledore wants us to do. Why did he tell us to go back three hours? How's that going to help Sirius?"

Potter just stared at her shadowy face.

"Obviously we've got to help him escape before they get up to that tower with the dementor three hours from now," said Kaelix.

"Right, but how?" said Potter. "There must be something that happened around now he wants us to change," he said slowly. "What happened? We were walking down to Hagrid's three hours ago…"

"This is three hours ago, and we are walking down to Hagrid's," said Hermione. "We just heard ourselves leaving…"

Potter frowned.

"This is going to be tough for you isn't it?" said Kaelix.

"Dumbledore just said—just said we could save more than one innocent life…"

"Buckbeak," said Kaelix.

"What's Buckbeak got to do- Oh! We're going to save Buckbeak!"

"But—how will that help Sirius?" asked Hermione.

"Dumbledore's just told us right where Black will be," said Kaelix. "The window of Flitwick's office. That's where he's locked up. You can fly Buckbeak right up to the window, can't you, Potter? Black and Buckbeak can escape together."

"Brilliant!" said Potter.

Hermione, however, looked terrified.

"If we manage that without being seen, it'll be a miracle!" she said.

"Well, we've got to try, haven't we?" said Potter. He stood up and pressed his ear against the door.

"Doesn't sound like anyone's there… Come on, let's go…"

Potter pushed open the closet door. The entrance hall was deserted. As quietly and quickly as they could, they darted out of the closet and down the stone steps. The shadows were already lengthening, the tops of the trees in the Forbidden Forest gilded once more with gold.

"If anyone's looking out of the window—" Hermione squeaked, looking up at the castle behind them.

"We'll run for it," said Potter determinedly. "Straight into the forest, all right? We'll have to hide behind a tree or something and keep a lookout—"

"Okay, but we'll go around by the greenhouses!" said Hermione breathlessly. "We need to keep out of sight of Hagrid's front door, or we'll see us! We must be nearly at Hagrid's by now!"

Potter set off at a sprint, Hermione behind him, and Kaelix followed last. They tore across the vegetable gardens to the greenhouses, paused for a moment behind them, then set off again, fast as they could, skirting around the Whomping Willow, tearing toward the shelter of the forest…

Safe in the shadows of the trees, Potter turned around; seconds later, Hermione arrived beside him, panting; and Kaelix followed soon after.

"Right," Hermione gasped. "We need to sneak over to Hagrid's… Keep out of sight, Harry…"

They made their way silently through the trees, keeping to the very edge of the forest. Then, as they glimpsed the front of Hagrid's house, they heard a knock upon his door. They moved quickly behind a wide oak trunk and peered out from either side. Hagrid had appeared in his doorway, shaking and white, looking around to see who had knocked. And Kaelix heard Potter's voice but not from where he stood next to her.

"It's us. We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off."

"Yeh shouldn've come!" Hagrid whispered. He stood back, then shut the door quickly.

"This is the weirdest thing we've ever done," Potter said fervently.

Kaelix scoffed, "I doubt that."

"Let's move along a bit," Hermione whispered. "We need to get nearer to Buckbeak!"

They crept through the trees until they saw the nervous hippogriff, tethered to the fence around Hagrid's pumpkin patch.

"Now?" Potter whispered.

"No!" said Hermione. "If we steal him now, those Committee people will think Hagrid set him free! We've got to wait until they've seen he's tied outside!"

"That's going to give us about sixty seconds," said Potter.

"Guess it's a good thing you practice all those sprints for Quidditch," said Kaelix.

At that moment, there was a crash of breaking china from inside Hagrid's cabin.

"That's Hagrid breaking the milk jug," Hermione whispered. "I'm going to find Scabbers in a moment—"

"You mean Pettigrew, he was hiding out here? With Hagrid's affinity for the deadly and dangerous?" said Kaelix.

"He probably figured it was far enough away from Crookshanks but close enough to Harry," said Hermione.

Sure enough, a few minutes later, they heard Hermione's shriek of surprise from inside the hut.

"Hermione," said Potter suddenly, "what if we—we just run in there and grab Pettigrew—"

"No!" said Hermione and Kaelix simultaneously. Hermione continued, "Don't you understand? We're breaking one of the most important wizarding laws! Nobody's supposed to change time, nobody! You heard Dumbledore, if we're seen—"

"We'd only be seen by ourselves and Hagrid!" he argued.

"Potter, you can't even come to terms with their being two of you now, when you know you travelled through time. What do you think your past self would do if you just showed up unannounced before he knew time travel was even a thing? You think he'd just invite you in for a game of exploding snap?" said Kaelix.

"She's right, Harry, what do you think you'd do if you saw yourself bursting into Hagrid's house?" said Hermione.

"I'd—I'd think I'd gone mad," said Potter, "or I'd think there was some Dark Magic going on—"

"Exactly! You wouldn't understand, you might even attack yourself! Don't you see? Professor McGonagall told me what awful things have happened when wizards have meddled with time… Loads of them ended up killing their past or future selves by mistake!"

"Okay!" said Potter. "It was just an idea, I just thought—"

"Don't," said Kaelix. "Just don't think. We already have a plan, you just need to focus on executing it, not on other crazy ideas to commit suicide by time travel."

Hermione nudged him and pointed toward the castle. Potter moved his head a few inches to get a clear view of the distant front doors and Kaelix did the same. Dumbledore, the Minister, the old Committee member, and Macnair the executioner were coming down the steps.

"We're about to come out!" Hermione breathed.

And sure enough, moments later, Hagrid's back door opened, and Kaelix watched Past-Potter, Past-Hermione, and Past-Weasley walking out of it with Hagrid. It was a bit strange watching a second Potter and a second Hermione leaving the hut when they were crouched next to her.

"It's okay, Beaky, it's okay…," Hagrid said to Buckbeak. Then he turned to Past-Potter, Past-Weasley, and Past-Hermione. "Go on. Get goin'."

"Hagrid, we can't—"

"We'll tell them what really happened—"

"They can't kill him—"

"Go! It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!"

They watched Past-Hermione in the pumpkin patch throw the Invisibility Cloak over Past-Potter and Past-Weasley.

"Go quick. Don' listen…"

There was a knock on Hagrid's front door. The execution party had arrived. Hagrid turned around and headed back into his cabin, leaving the back door ajar. Kaelix watched the grass flatten in patches all around the cabin and heard three pairs of feet retreating. The past three of them had gone… but Present-Potter and Present-Hermione remained hidden in the trees with Kaelix and they could all hear what was happening inside the cabin through the back door.

"Where is the beast?" came the cold voice of Macnair.

"Out—outside," Hagrid croaked.

Potter ducked just in time as Macnair's face appeared at Hagrid's window, staring out at Buckbeak. Then they heard the Minister.

"We—er—have to read you the official notice of execution, Hagrid. I'll make it quick. And then you and Macnair need to sign it. Macnair, you're supposed to listen too, that's procedure—"

Macnair's face vanished from the window. It was now or never.

"Wait here," Potter whispered. "I'll do it."

As the Minister's voice started again, Potter darted out from behind his tree, vaulted the fence into the pumpkin patch, and approached Buckbeak. Kaelix sat watching with a nervous Hermione.

"It is the decision of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures that the hippogriff Buckbeak, hereafter called the condemned, shall be executed on the sixth of June at sundown—"

Kaelix watched Potter stare Buckbeak down the same way he had in their first Care of Magical Creatures class and bow before the hippogriff. In a few seconds Buckbeak sank to his scaly knees and then stood up again. Potter began to fumble with the knot of rope tying Buckbeak to the fence.

"…sentenced to execution by beheading, to be carried out by the Committee's appointed executioner, Walden Macnair…"

"Hurry up, Potter," Kaelix whispered under her breath.

"Oh, Harry, I can't watch," said Hermione covering her eyes.

"…as witnessed below. Hagrid, you sign here…"

Potter threw all his weight onto the rope, but Buckbeak had dug in his front feet.

"Well, let's get this over with," said the reedy voice of the Committee member from inside Hagrid's cabin. "Hagrid, perhaps it will be better if you stay inside—"

"No, I—I wan' ter be with him… I don' wan' him ter be alone—"

Footsteps echoed from within the cabin.

"No!" gasped Hermione.

"Move, Potter," hissed Kaelix.

And then, finally, the hippogriff began to walk, rustling its wings irritably. They were still ten feet away from the forest, in plain view of Hagrid's back door.

"One moment, please, Macnair," came Dumbledore's voice. "You need to sign too." The footsteps stopped. Potter heaved on the rope. Buckbeak snapped his beak and walked a little faster.

Hermione leaned out from behind a tree.

"Harry, hurry!" she mouthed.

Dumbledore's voice was still drifting out from within the cabin and if Kaelix didn't know any better she would have sworn the Old Man was stalling on purpose. Could he have known what they were up to? Potter gave the rope another wrench. Buckbeak broke into a grudging trot. They had reached the trees.

"Quick! Quick!" Hermione moaned, darting out from behind her tree, seizing the rope too and adding her weight to make Buckbeak move faster. Potter looked over his shoulder; they were now blocked from sight; they couldn't see Hagrid's garden at all.

"Stop!" he whispered to Hermione. "They might hear us—"

Hagrid's back door had opened with a bang. Kaelix, Potter, Hermione, and Buckbeak stood quite still; even the hippogriff seemed to be listening intently.

Silence… then—

"Where is it?" said the reedy voice of the Committee member. "Where is the beast?"

"It was tied here!" said the executioner furiously. "I saw it! Just here!"

"How extraordinary," said Dumbledore. There was a note of amusement in his voice.

"Beaky!" said Hagrid huskily.

There was a swishing noise, and the thud of an axe. The executioner seemed to have swung it into the fence in anger. And then came the howling, and this time they could hear Hagrid's words through his sobs.

"Gone! Gone! Bless his little beak, he's gone! Musta pulled himself free! Beaky, yeh clever boy!"

Buckbeak started to strain against the rope, trying to get back to Hagrid. Potter and Hermione tightened their grip and dug their heels into the forest floor to stop him and still nearly slipped. Kaelix grabbed the rope too for good measure, Buckbeak wouldn't outpull all three of them.

"Someone untied him!" the executioner was snarling. "We should search the grounds, the forest—"

"Macnair, if Buckbeak has indeed been stolen, do you really think the thief will have led him away on foot?" said Dumbledore, still sounding amused. "Search the skies, if you will… Hagrid, I could do with a cup of tea. Or a large brandy."

"O'—o' course, Professor," said Hagrid, who sounded weak with happiness. "Come in, come in…"

The three of them listened closely. They heard footsteps, the soft cursing of the executioner, the snap of the door, and then silence once more.

"Now what?" whispered Potter, looking around.

"We'll have to hide in here," said Hermione, who looked very shaken. "We need to wait until they've gone back to the castle. Then we wait until it's safe to fly Buckbeak up to Sirius's window. He won't be there for another couple of hours… Oh, this is going to be difficult…"

She looked nervously over her shoulder into the depths of the forest. The sun was just beginning to set.

"We're going to have to move," said Kaelix. "We've got to be able to see the Whomping Willow, or we won't know what's going on."

"Okay," said Hermione, getting a firmer grip on Buckbeak's rope. "But we've got to keep out of sight," she implored.

They moved around the edge of the forest, darkness falling thickly around them, until they were hidden behind a clump of trees through which they could make out the Willow.

"There's Ron!" said Potter suddenly.

A dark figure was sprinting across the lawn and its shout echoed through the still night air.

"Get away from him—get away—Scabbers, come here—"

And then they saw two more figures materialize out of nowhere. Kaelix watched Past-Potter and Past-Hermione chasing after Past-Weasley. Then she saw Past-Weasley dive.

"Gotcha! Get off, you stinking cat—"

"There's Sirius!" said Potter. The great shape of the dog had bounded out from the roots of the Willow. They saw him bowl Past-Potter over, then seize Past-Weasley.

"Looks even worse from here, doesn't it?" said Potter, as they watched the dog pulling Past-Weasley into the roots.

"I wouldn't know," said Kaelix dryly. "Never saw it the first time."

"Right," said Potter, still looking somewhat baffled by the whole thing. "Ouch—look, I just got walloped by the tree—and so did you, Hermione—this is weird—"

The Whomping Willow was creaking and lashing out with its lower branches; they could see themselves darting here and there, trying to reach the trunk. And then the tree froze.

"That was Crookshanks pressing the knot," said Hermione.

"And there we go…," Potter muttered. "We're in."

The moment they disappeared, the tree began to move again. Seconds later, they heard footsteps quite close by. Dumbledore, Macnair, the Minister, and the old Committee member were making their way up to the castle.

"Right after we'd gone down into the passage!" said Hermione. "If only Dumbledore had come with us…"

"Macnair and Fudge would've come too," said Potter bitterly.

"I bet you anything that damn Minister would've told Macnasty to kill Black on the spot," said Kaelix.

They watched the four men climb the castle steps and disappear from view. For a few minutes the scene was deserted. Then—

"Here comes Lupin!" said Potter as they saw another figure sprinting down the stone steps and haring toward the Willow.

Kaelix looked up at the sky, it was darkening but the moon hadn't risen yet. They watched Remus seize a broken branch from the ground and prod the knot on the trunk. The tree stopped fighting, and Remus, too, disappeared into the gap in its roots. Kaelix saw her past self running across the grounds before Remus had disappeared.

"That's you, isn't it?" said Potter.

"Yeah," she confirmed. "Past-me anyway."

"If only one of you had grabbed the cloak," said Potter. "It's just lying there…"

"I didn't even see it, I'm surprised Snape did," said Kaelix.

Potter turned to Hermione.

"If I just dashed out now and grabbed it, Snape'd never be able to get it and—"

"Harry, we mustn't be seen!"

"How can you stand this?" he asked Hermione fiercely. "Just standing here and watching it happen?" He hesitated. "I'm going to grab the cloak!"

"Harry, no!"

"Potter!"

Kaelix grabbed his robes at the same time as Hermione and they jerked him back down.

"Don't you understand? Forget being seen, you can't alter the timeline that much. You can't go grab the cloak because you didn't before. All of this has already happened and Snape already got the cloak so that's how it has to go this time."

"What are you talking about, he doesn't have the cloak yet. I could grab it-"

"No!" Kaelix and Hermione shouted in unison once more.

"Well why did we even bother coming back if we're not supposed to change what happened?" he demanded.

"We're not changing anything, we're just making sure it all happens the way it already has," said Kaelix. "Just sit tight, we're going to be here for a bit."


AN: Hey two chapters in one week, must be a miracle! I hope you all enjoy this one, please drop me a review to let me know if you did. Also, as a heads up, the next chapter is going to be the final chapter for this story! Don't worry, Kaelix's adventures will continue on, but this first installment that I've been working on for literally as long as I can remember is going to come to a close. So buckle up, we're in the final drop of this particular rollercoaster! Thank you all so much for reading this far and all the lovely reviews you've left. Looking forward to closing this one out with a bang ;)