When she woke, she was inside, but she was still cold. She lay under a blanket for several minutes, staring up at the ceiling, her head reeling. Dementors... That hand... The rat... Sirius Black... Remus. Her breath caught in her throat. She glanced at a long window; it was still dark outside. But she didn't know how long she'd been out for. Had hours passed or only minutes? Even days? There was no sign of Remus; he would still be outside, if it was still the full moon. She dreaded to think what was happening, what he might think when he woke up in the morning.

She'd been in this wing many times before. He'd always been there, or close by at hand, anyway. Now she had no idea where her godfather was, or if he was even okay. She tried to sit up, but it hurt her head, so she lay back down again, eyes drooping shut.

"Shocking business," a voice said, bringing her back to herself. She opened her eyes blearily. "Terrible, shocking... Miracle none of them died... Never heard the like... By thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape."

Snape? He was recovered, then. Calla tried to push herself up to sitting on her elbow, head still spinning. Her throat was raw and it stung from the back. "Thank you, Minister," Snape drawled, voice smug. Something like anger tried to flare in Calla, but she was too tired for it to go any further.

"Order of Merlin," the Minister's voice was saying merrily. "Second class, I'd say. First class, if I can wangle it." He'd attacked them, she remembered, Snape. Of course, she'd attacked him, too. They all had.

Merlin.

Calla fumbled about for her glasses on her bedside table, and put them on. The legs were cold against her face; but she didn't think she'd been out that long, had she? She glanced around at the rest of the wing. Ron was lying on a bed, leg propped up, and Harry and Hermione both looked like they were coming to on the beds next to Calla. Her brother stirred and she looked over at him, heart pounding. "Thank you very much, Minister," Snape's voice continued slimily.

"Nasty cut you've got there," Fudge said, and Calla waved in front of her brother's face.

"Harry," she hissed.

"Black's work, I suppose?"

"Potter, Weasley, and Granger, actually," Snape said silkily. "Calla Potter gave me some nasty scratches on my arm, too, trying to steal my wand from me."

"Terrible," Fudge was mumbling. For goodness' sake.

"Harry," Calla whispered again. "Harry, are you alright?"

He nodded, slowly, and she breathed a sigh of relief. "What's going on?"

"Black had bewitched the children," Snape continued to Fudge, somewhere outside the door, "I could see it immediately. The Confundus Charm, judging by their behaviour. They seemed to think there was a possibility that he was innocent. They weren't responsible for their actions. Though their interference might have permitted Black to escape... They all obviously thought they were going to catch Black single-handed. They have gottten away with a great deal before now... I'm afraid it's given them a rather high opinion of themselves, Harry Potter especially... and of course both of the Potter twins have always been allowed an extraordinary amount of license by the headmaster..."

Harry pulled a face. "What's he doing?"

"Now, Severus," Fudge said. "I'm sure we all have a bit of a blind spot where Harry and Calla Potter are concerned."

Calla rolled her eyes at that, but she supposed it was quite true. "Even so, are we sure it is good for them to be given such special treatment? I, for my part, have always tried to treat them as I would any other student." That was a blatant lie, Calla thought. She pulled a face at Harry.

"Calla?" Hermione's voice hissed. "Harry? Are you hearing this?"

Calla nodded, turning back just a little. She pressed a finger to her lips; she wasn't sure they were meant to hear this conversation.

"And any other students," Snape went on, "would no doubt be suspended for what they have done this night, at the very least. Not only what they have done, but leading their friends into danger, too. I hear Miss Patil and Miss Greengrass are still safe in their beds, which is a miracle in itself this night. Usually they would be dragged into the thick of things, too." Anger prickled at Calla. At least Padma and Daphne were alright, she reminded herself. But she dearly wanted to see them. They were going to revise Blast-Ended Skrewts when she got back... That thought hit her like a train. She had an exam in the morning, probably in less than eight hours. Calla sank down on the bed again, squeezing her eyes shut. She needed to sleep.

"Consider everything, Minister," Snape said. "They have gone against all school rules, against all protections put in place for their own safety, and were out of bounds at night, consorting with a werewolf-" How dearly Calla wanted to shout at him for that, for that tone "-and a murderer. And I have reason to believe Harry Potter, at the very least, has been visiting Hogsmeade illegally, too."

"Well, well," Fudge said nervously. "We shall have to see, Severus. We shall see... They have undoubtedly been foolish..." Foolish, yes. Wrong? They hadn't been, and Calla couldn't even say she regretted trying to fight Snape. "What amazes me most is the behaviour of the Dementors. You've really no idea what made them retreat, Snape?"

A Patronus Charm. Calla was sure it had been; but who on Earth had cast it? Remus was transformed, and Ron - well, she didn't know where Ron had been, actually, but he didn't seem to be in a position to cast a very powerful Charm she was sure he'd never learned - and the rest of them were all huddled together on the shore. And Pettigrew certainly wouldn't have done it. He was long gone by now, and -

Matilda. Calla's eyes snapped open, and she turned hurriedly to Hermione. The Minister's voice faltered. There was no cat on the floor by her, and Matilda wasn't on her other side either. Calla made up to get up, frantic, and Madam Pomfrey bustled over from where she had been with Ron. "Now, now, dear," she said. "Lie down, you've been through an awful lot."

"But Matilda!" Calla wailed, sitting up. "Where - where is she? Did she come in here?"

Fudge and Snape stopped talking, and Calla flung herself out of bed, feet landing on the cold floor. "Matilda?" Madam Pomfrey asked. "Miss Potter, please," she said, as Calla swayed on her unsteady legs. "Sit down."

"But - but Matilda!" she said frantically. "Where is she?"

"Who-"

"Her cat," Harry said groggily from his own bed. "Matilda. Where - where did she go?"

"She went into the forest," Calla said hollowly, swaying. She fell back onto her bed. "She - I was trying to find Pettigrew, I was looking for the rat and I caught him and she got his tail so I could get my wand and we were going to come back and find you, Harry, and - and then he transformed again and kicked her off and she went flying and - and then h-he transformed ag-again and ran off and Mat-Matilda went running into the F-Forest so I-I followed her and I s-saw-" She broke into a sob that wracked her chest and Madam Pomfrey pushed her back to lie down on the pillow, gently, though her forehead was creased with worry.

"You ought to sleep," she said, as Fudge and Snape entered, staring at her. "Here," she produced a massive chocolate bar, the size of a boulder. "Eat."

"B-but she - I don't know where she is! He - he - what if he's gotten h-her?" Her head snapped around to Snape. "Professor, y-you-" She couldn't say anything.

Madam Pomfrey lay the chocolate bar down on the bedside table between Calla and Harry's beds and started breaking it apart with a large hammer. The sound hurt Calla's head, and she took the broken piece of chocolate from Pomfrey wearily. "Thanks," she said quietly, shutting her eyes.

"How's Ron?" Hermione asked.

"He'll live," Pomfrey said grimly. That didn't actually sound particularly positive. "As for the three of you, you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're - Mr Potter, where do you think you're going?"

Harry had gotten out of his bed, putting his glasses back on. "I have to speak to the Headmaster," he said breathlessly, and Fudge frowned.

"Harry, Harry, my dear boy, please sit back down."

"It's alright, Potter," Pomfrey said gently, guiding Harry back to his bed. "It's alright. They've got Sirius Black now, the Dementors will be performing the Kiss at any moment now."

"No!" Harry said, shooting back up again.

"He's innocent," Calla said quickly. "Sirius - Sirius Black. We spoke to him, it was Peter Pettigrew, not him."

"Please!" Fudge said, looking quite alarmed by her outburst. "You should have some chocolate, lie down, now."

"No, Minister, you have to listen!" Harry insisted. "Black's innocent, alright?"

"Harry-"

"Peter Pettigrew faked his own death!" Harry was yelling. "We saw him tonight! You can't let the Dementors do that thing to Sirius, it's-"

"Harry," Fudge said, shaking his head slowly. His eyes were too kind. "Harry. You're very confused."

"He's not confused," Calla said crossly. "It's the truth. We all saw him. Remus - Remus Lupin can tell you the same!"

"When he is finished ravaging the Highland countryside?" Snape asked smoothly, and Calla snarled at him.

"It's the truth! Nothing changes that! Even if you don't believe us, Minister, let us have time, before you do it, let us prove it! We - we can give evidence and - and we can be witnesses!"

"You've both had a very rough night," Fudge was saying gently. "This has all been a terrible ordeal... Lie down now, we've got everything under control."

"NO!" Harry bellowed, sitting back up again. "HE'S INNOCENT! YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG MAN!"

"Minister, listen, please," Hermione said, hurrying to Harry's side. "I saw him too. Peter Pettigrew, he's an Animagus, he turned into Ron's rat, Scabbers."

"See, Minister? Confounded, all of them."

"We would know if Pettigrew was an Animagus, Miss Granger," Fudge said kindly.

"He's unregistered!" Calla insisted, sitting up, too. "Minister, please, you have to listen! You didn't give Black a trial, did you? You - you have to give him a trial!"

"It was the days after the war, Miss Potter. Black was undoubtedly guilty."

"You can't know that without a trial!" Calla shouted at him, throwing off her covers and standing up. "Minister, Sirius Black is innocent! If you'd just listen!"

"A very good Confundus Charm," Snape said drily.

"WE'RE NOT CONFUNDED!" Harry yelled.

"Minister, Professor, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. The Potters are my patients and I will not have you distressing them."

"We're not distressed!" Harry protested angrily, and Calla nodded her fervent agreement. "You've got the wrong man, Minister, we keep telling you-"

"Out!" Pomfrey said, ushering Fudge and Snape away from their bedside. Harry slumped back onto his pillow, glasses askew and face defeated. Pomfrey shoved a large lump of chocolate into his hands. "Eat, Potter."

The door opened as Dumbledore swept inside, brushing past Fudge and Snape. Calla sat up straighter, and Harry went back up to sitting, swallowing the chocolate. "Professor Dumbledore, Sirius Black-"

"For heaven's sake!" Madam Pomfrey cried, bear to hysterics. "Is this a Hospital Wing or not, Dumbledore? Will you let me attend to my patients? Headmaster, I really must insist-"

"My apologies, Poppy," Dumbledore said in a calm voice, holding up a gently hand, "but I just have a word with the Potters and Miss Granger. I have just been in a conversation with Sirius Black-"

"Told you the same fairytale he's planted in the Potter's minds, has he?" Snape demanded, spitting a little. "Something about a rat, and Peter Pettigrew being alive-"

"That is indeed Black's story, Severus," said Dumbledore, eyeing him carefully over his half-moon spectacles.

"And does my evidence count for nothing?" Snape snarled. "Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, not did I see any sign of him in the grounds."

"Because you weren't conscious the whole time!" Calla protested. "You only have half the facts, Professor!"

"Calla's right!" Hermione agreed earnestly. "You didn't arrive in time to hear-"

"HOLD YOUR TONGUES!" Snape yelled. "BOTH OF YOU!"

"Now, Severus," Fudge said, clearly startled. "These young ladies are clearly not in their right minds." Calla scoffed her offence at that statement. "We must make allowances."

"I would like to speak to Calla, Harry and Hermione alone," said Professor Dumbledore abruptly. "Cornelius, Severus, Poppy, leave us." Calla turned to him hopefully; Remus had said Dumbledore wasn't entirely convinced of Sirius' guilt and now was their chance to prove that he was innocent. He'd hear them out, she was sure.

"Headmaster!" Pomfrey spluttered. "These children need treatment, they need rest!"

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

Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips and hesitated a moment before turning and storming into her pocket, slamming the door behind her. Calla was surprised it didn't wake Ron up. Fudge picked up a large golden pocket watch that hung from the pocket of his waistcoat. "The Dementors should have arrived by now," he said. "I shall go and greet them."

"But you can't do it now!" Calla cried, sitting up. "You haven't even listened - you won't listen to what we have to say, you're about to condemn an innocent man! Minister, please!"

Fudge ignored her. He strode to the door and held it open, but Snape didn't move to leave with him. "Surely you don't believe a word of what Black has told you, Headmaster," he whispered, eyes fixed intently on Dumbledore's face.

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

Snape took a step towards him and Calla's eyes widened as she glanced sharply between the two of them. "Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of sixteen," he breath, face white. "Surely 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, voice still ever so calm. It was honestly a little unnerving.

Snape turned sharply on his heel and marched through the open door at the end of the room. It closed behind him and Fudge and Dumbledore turned to Calla, Harry and Hermione. All three of them were silent for a handful of seconds before they burst into speech.

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

"-he escaped when Remus turned into a werewolf-"

"-Remus came to help us, he's heard everything, if you'd let us testify-"

"-Pettigrew's a rat, Professor-"

"-his front paw, I mean his finger, he cut it off-"

"-he killed all those Muggles in the street-"

"-Pettigrew attacked Ron, sir, not Sirius, he got Calla too, didn't he Calla-"

"-not as hard, but he did and-"

Dumbledore held up his hand and they all stopped, voices faltering. "It is your turn to listen," he said quietly, and Calla opened her mouth to protest, "and I beg you will not interrupt me, because there is very little time." He paused but they said nothing, even though Calla dearly wanted to speak now, and make him listen. "There is not a shred of proof to support Black's story, except your word, and I am afraid the word of three thirteen year olds will not account for very much."

"But-"

"Miss Potter," Dumbledore said quietly, and she swallowed her protestations as he went on. "A street full of eye-witnesses swore they saw Sirius Black murder Peter Pettigrew. I myself gave evidence to the Ministry that Sirius was the Potters' Secret Keeper."

"But Remus-"

"Professor Lupin is currently deep inside the Forbidden Forest, unable to tell anybody anything. By the time he has returned to himself, it will be too late. Sirius will have been Kissed already. I might add that werewolves are so mistrusted by most of our kind, that his voice will count for very little. Not to mention he and Sirius were old school friends-"

"That doesn't mean it's not true!" Calla shouted. "Professor, this isn't fair! You know we have to do something, there must be some proof we can find! If we can find Pettigrew again-"

"Listen to me, Calla," Dumbledore said gently. "It is already too late."

"How can you-"

"Do you understand me?"

"No!"

"You must see that Professor Snape's version of events is more convincing than yours."

"But it isn't the truth! He doesn't have all the facts! It doesn't matter if it's convincing, it isn't true!"

But the truth didn't always convince, she knew. And Fudge wouldn't know he didn't have all the facts; he would be convinced. She let out a frustrated sob and huffed as she flung herself back down onto her pillow.

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

"Sirius has not acted like an innocent man."

"He hasn't been treated like one, either!"

"Miss Potter, I did ask you not to interrupt me."

"Professor," she said desperately. "We - we have to do something. This can't happen, we have to let everyone know, we have to get Pettigrew, or he - he's going to bring Voldemort back!"

Her words rang out across the wing. Dumbledore and Harry froze, and Hermione stared at her like she'd never head her speak before. "I - I had a vision, Professor. In the Divination exam. I wasn't sure earlier but I am now, now he's - he's gone. It was a rat, and this... This sort of skeleton, but it was still alive, just destroyed. A body, I'm sure it was Voldemort's. And he was the rat."

"What?" Hermione said, having gone quite pale. "What do you mean a - a vision?"

But Dumbledore was looking at her very seriously. "Calla, where was this happening?"

"I - in a forest, somewhere, I think. I don't know where, the - the only things that come to mind... I don't know! I'd seen things in a crystal ball, just before it: a stag, dog, wolf, crowd, eagle, but that - that could be any forest, couldn't it?"

"Crystal ball..." Hermione was muttering under breath, regarding Calla as though had in fact gone completely mad.

"Professor, I realise it's not much to go on..."

"I will do everything I can," he said to her.

"He's already getting away," she said urgently. "We have to act now! You have to do something, Professor!"

"The chances of finding him... But the Order... Are there any pictures of this rat?"

"I - yes, there's the one from the Daily Prophet, sir. When the Weasleys were in Egypt."

"There is very little we can do," he said quietly. "But perhaps... Innocent lives. I do believe you, Calla," he said. "In both matters. But I'm afraid I have very little power over other men's minds, or to overrule the Minister of Magic. He is not so open to the idea of seeing the future."

"Well, we can't just let it happen!" Calla insisted angrily. "This is Voldemort we're talking about!"

"Believe me, Calla, I have no intentions of allowing Voldemort to rise again," Dumbledore said quietly.

"If we don't do something now, then he will."

Dumbledore nodded gently. "There is very little I can do."

"You keep saying that! There has to be something, Professor! Some way to find him! Put a notice out, go and tell Fudge, convince him! You're Albus Dumbledore!" She was shaking now, she realised, as Harry took her arm gently.

"What we need," Dumbledore told her, "is more time."

The little, running hourglass she'd seen. Time. "We're wasting time right now!"

But Hermione's eyes had become very round. Dumbledore looked at her, eyes twinkling gently. "OH!"

"Now, pay attention," Dumbledore said, keeping his voice very low indeed, but still speaking very clearly. "Sirius is currently being kept in Professor Flitwick's office on the seventh floor. Calla, I trust you know where to find it?" She nodded. "Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower, if approaching from the air. If all goes well, you might save more than one innocent life tonight. But remember this, all of you. You must not be seen. Miss Granger, you know what is at stake here. You - must - not - be - seen."

Calla sat staring between them; now she was definitely the confused one. At least Harry didn't seem to have any clue what was going on either. Dumbledore had turned on his heel, leaving the room, and turned back as he reached the door.

"I am going to lock you in in a moment," he said. "It is five minutes to midnight." She'd thought it was later. Her exam was still technically tomorrow but she didn't think it was so important now. "Miss Granger, three turns ought to do it. Good luck."

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

Hermione was fumbling under the neck of her robes; she'd pulled out a very long, very thing gold chain, on which there was a collection of rings and a very small hourglass of white sand. Calla stared at it. "Both of you, come here," she said. "Quickly!"

Calla clambered out of bed, moving over to her. She exchanged a bewildered glance with Harry. "Here." Hermione threw the chain first around Harry's neck and then Calla's. "Ready?"

"Ready for what?" Calla asked, entirely confused. Hermione didn't reply.

She turned the hourglass over three times, and the dark Hospital Wing disintegrated before Calla's eyes. Something was pulling Calla backwards, but she wasn't sure she was moving. Her head felt a bit like it did sometimes when she was having a particularly strong vision, a blur of colours and shapes that rushed around her frantically so she had to strain to try and make them out.

Then her feet hit solid ground. It was light outside. "No way," she breathed as everything came sharply back into focus. It looked like it was daylight outside. "Hermione, what is that thing?"

"Sh," Hermione said, pressing a finger to her lips. "I'm here!"

Hermione grabbed Calla and Harry and dragged them across the deserted Entrance Hall, into a small, dusty broom cupboard. Calla coughed as Hermione closed the door behind them, knocking Harry into a bucket.

"What - how - Hermione, what just happened?" Harry asked breathlessly.

"We've gone back in time," Hermione said, taking the chain from around their necks. "Three hours back..."

Calla just gaped at her. How had Hermione gotten her hands on... On whatever that thing was that she'd used to take them back in time. "How-"

"Shh!" Hermione said again, clamping a hand over Calla's mouth. "Listen! There's someone coming! I think it might be us!" Hermione had pressed her ear against the door of the cupboard; Calla and Harry exchanges baffled glances.

"Are you telling us," Harry said quietly, "that we're in here, in this cupboard, right now, and we're also out there, in the Entrance Hall?"

"Yes, Hermione said, listening intently. "Im sure it's us... It doesn't sound like more than four people, and we're walking slowly because of the Invisibility Cloak... We've gone down the front steps," she said quietly, pulling away.

Hermione sat down anxiously on an upturned bucket, looking very stressed indeed. "Where did you get that thing?" Calla asked, sitting down opposite her with crossed legs.

"It's called a Time-Turner," Hermione said. "I got it from Professor McGonagall the first day back. I've been using it all year so that I could get to all of my extra classes. They're really rare, and Professor McGonagall made me swear I wouldn't tell anyone. She had to write all sorts of letters to the Ministry of Magic so that I could have one. She had to tell them I'm a model student and that I'd never, ever use it for anything other than my studies. I've been turning it back so I can make it to everything at the same time. That's how I've been doing several lessons at once, see?"

Calla frowned. "Wait, What-"

"But," Hermione continued, "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?"

"Maybe we can find Pettigrew," Calla suggested. "But we'll have to wait quite a long time..."

"No," Hermione said. "There must be something that happens around about now that we have to change. But what?"

"We were going down to Hagrid's three hours ago," Harry said, frowning.

"This is three hours ago, and we are going down to Hagrid's now."

They'd found Scabbers in Hagrid's hut... But Ron had left with him, and they couldn't very well run up to Ron and take him, and besides, then everything they'd found it in the Shack wouldn't have been possible to be found out because he wouldn't be there. She didn't quite understand time travel but she figured if they weren't careful they would probably end up creating some kind of paradox. Or just destroying the future.

"Dumbledore just said-" Harry screwed up his whole face in concentration "-he said we could save more than one innocent life tonight... Buckbeak!"

Hermione's face lit up and Calla's mind started rushing. She'd foreseen Buckbeak's death, and that time had passed now... But she hadn't actually seen Buckbeak die, only the axe swinging and the crows, and she'd seen a Hippogriff, yes, but... "I don't know," she said nervously. "My vision showed his execution but... We might be able to change it."

"What is this vision?" Hermione asked, looking entirely perplexed. "You still haven't explained."

"It's a long story," she said quickly. "Basically, I have glimpses of the future, and I can't really control it but I'm learning, and that's how I'm good at Divination."

"You can't see the future," Hermione said flatly.

"I can," Calla said, huffing a little. "Or possibilities of it, anyway. It might be possible to change... Choices are just as important as interpretation." She squeezed her eyes shut, thinking. "How could saving Buckbeak help Sirius?"

"Dumbledore said - he just told us where Sirius is being kept, in Flitwick's office! And he mentioned the window, he told us!" She could see it. Them flying up to the top of the West Tower, saving Sirius, Buckbeak flying into the clouds. "We've got to fly Buckbeak up to the window and save Sirius! They can escape together!" He grasped Calla's arm and she opened her eyes. "I'm right, aren't I?"

"I - I think you could be," Calla said gingerly, and that was all, it seemed, she needed to say.

Harry pushed forward, pressing his ear to the door of the cupboard. Hermione still didn't look convinced by any of this, and seemed very pale. "If we can manage that without being seen, it'll be a miracle!"

"Well we've got to try, haven't we?" Harry asked. Calla's mind was reeling. Not only could they save Sirius, if they timed it right, she could wait in the Forest and keep an eye for Matilda and Pettigrew. She was sure that was where he had scampered off to. They still had a chance. Maybe two futures could be avoided tonight.

"It doesn't sound like anyone's there," Harry said to her and Hermione. "Let's go."

Calla felt very apprehensive as her brother pushed the cupboard door open, but to her relief, there was no one there. She caught his and Hermione's arms just before they stepped out, pulling the Invisibility Cloak from her pocket. "So we're not seen," she whispered, pulling it over them. "Don't let it go this time."

They nodded under the cloak and shuffled quietly out of the castle. The sun was already close to going down, and Calla kept a nervous eye out for Fudge, Dumbledore and MacNair. Even with the cloak, they had to be careful.

"If anyone sees us..." Hermione trailed nervously.

"We'll run for it," Harry said. "We'll go straight into the forest right, wait there until we - past we - leave. Left?"

"Round by the greenhouses," Hermione said breathlessly, hurrying down the slope. "We still need to make sure we're out of sight. Any slip-up, any at all..."

"It'll be alright," Calla assured her, though her stomach was still squirming. "Come on, we should hurry."

"Calla's right," Hermione said, keeping up her step. "We must be nearly at Hagrid's by now - of course, we've got the cloak, we can't see us."

Calla and Harry both exchanged a glance of confusion, and hurried to keep up with Hermione, who was now sort of running - at least, as much as anyone could run under the cloak. They skirted around the vegetable gardens and the greenhouses where Calla could spy Sprout talking to a couple of older students, and then around the back of them, avoiding the Whomping Willow narrowly, and then towards the Forest, where they lingered in a crouch, eyes fixed on Hagrid's hut and garden.

They got there just in time to hear a knock on Hagrid's door, as he stepped out, pale and shaking. He looked even worse than he had earlier - now? - Calla thought. Then she heard her own voice, and startled. It sounded so weird outside her own head. "Hagrid, it's us. Can we come in?"

"That was weird," Calla whispered as the door shut again. "Tell me that was weird."

"That was really weird," Harry said, nodding. "I'd say this might be the weirdest thing we've ever done."

"You've done weirder," Calla muttered back, as Hermione ushered them on around the other side of Hagrid's hut, where Buckbeak was standing still tethered. He looked awfully nervous, for a Hippogriff, and kept looking around him, head swivelling. He beat his wings like he was calling for someone to let him escape, and Calla's heart went out to him. "Come on," she whispered, making to walk out. Hermione pulled her back.

"No!" she hissed. "If we take him now then the people from the Committee'll think Hagrid's set him free. We have to make sure Fudge sees him first."

"That'll give us all of about sixty seconds," Calla muttered, falling back behind the line of the trees. It was still awful to just wait there, watching Buckbeak, stomach curling. But she knew Hermione was right.

"Just wait," Hermione whispered to her.

There was a crash from inside the hut, the sound of breaking china. "That's Hagrid breaking the milk jug," Hermione whispered. "I'm going to find Scabbers in a minute."

There was an agonising few minutes before they heard Hermione's confirming shriek, and Calla could tell Harry was thinking of the same thing as she had. "Hermione," he said lowly, "what if we - if we just go in there now and grab Pettigrew-"

"Absolutely not," Hermione said in a terrified whisper. "Don't you understand? That would be breaking one of the most important wizarding laws there is! Nobody's supposed to change time, nobody! You heard what Dumbledore said! If anybody saw us-"

"And it would throw everything else off, too," Calla said. "Come on, Harry. Doctor Who. You can't interfere with your own time stream."

"Yeah, but this isn't Doctor Who! You've changed the future sometimes, when you've said what's happened and you've gone to fix it!"

"Yeah, but not after it's happened! That's different. This is happening right now, but it - it's also already happened, hasn't it? For us? We know what happened. We can't change anything we know for definite happened." She looked at Hermione, who was nodding. "The future can change, but the past and our memories can't."

"We'd still only be seen by ourselves and Hagrid."

"But we didn't see ourselves and Hagrid," Calla hissed. "Did we?"

"And imagine if you did see yourself running in to Hagrid's, Harry. What would you think had happened?"

"I - I don't know. I suppose I'd think it was some sort of Dark magic."

"Exactly," Hermione said. "You wouldn't understand, you might attack! Bad things happen to wizards who mess with time." She shook her head. "Professor McGonagall told me loads of wizards have ended up killing their past selves by mistake."

"Okay!" Harry held up his hands and Calla gave him a weak smile. "Okay, it was just a suggestion!"

But Hermione nudged him in the side, shutting him up. Dumbledore, Fudge and MacNair were all coming down the slope towards the hut now, towards Hagrid's hut. Calla adjusted the cloak around them, just to be certain they weren't seen, and watched for their past selves leaving the hut. "We're about to come out," Hermione said breathlessly and sure enough, a moment later, the door opened out to the pumpkin patch and Calla, Harry, Hermione and Ron all traipsed out.

It was a very strange feeling indeed, as Calla watched her past self in the pumpkin patch, stroking Buckbeak's neck feathers. Fresh tears sprang to her eyes. "Poor thing," she whispered, as they turned away, and Hermione threw the cloak over the four of them. It was the same cloak thy wore now, and Calla found that a very strange thought indeed.

There was a knock on the door as the execution party arrived, and Calla bit down on her lip. Hagrid went tearily back inside, leaving the back door ajar; Calla watched patches of the grass flatten all around the cabin as the four of them set off up the hill, huddled under the cloak. Calla frowned, trying to hear what was being said inside the hut.

"Where is the beast?" asked a cold voice she didn't recognise - MacNair.

"Out - outside," Hagrid croaked. Calla's eyes darted to Buckbeak. They'd have to take him soon.

MacNair's face appeared at Hagrid's window and Calla shrank back, holding the cloak tightly. MacNair stared at Buckbeak, eyes fixed, and after a long and tense moment, he turned back.

"We - er - have to read you the official execution notice," Fudge's voice said, sounding awkward.

"We should do it now," Calla used.

"I'll make this quick, Hagrid. And then you and MacNair need to sign it; MacNair, you too, that's the procedure."

"Wait here," Harry said, shrugging off the cloak.

"Harry!" Calla whispered. "Be careful!"

"I am," he whispered back, and vaulted over the fence into the pumpkin patch. Calla couldn't watch; she darted out after him, clambering over the fence and hurrying to Buckbeak.

Fudge was still speaking inside. They didn't have long. "It is the decision of the Committee for the Disposal or Dangerous Creatures that the Hippogriff Buckbeak, hereafter known as the condemned, shall be executed on the sixth of June at sundown."

Calla approached Buckbeak as calmly as she could, holding gaze with his large amber eyes. She pressed a finger to her lips as she sank into a low bow, not letting her gaze waver from his. Buckbeak bent his knees, bowing back, and she breathed a sigh of relief as he did the same to a bowing Harry. "Come on, sweet," she whispered, fumbling about untying the rope that kept him tied to the fence.

"...sentenced to execution by beheading, to be carried out by the Committee's appointed executioner, Walden MacNair." Calla gritted her teeth, stomach rolling nauseously as she untied them as quickly and as quietly as she could.

"Come on, Buckbeak," Harry murmured quietly. "We're going to help you."

"It's going to be alright," Calla told the Hippogriff gently, taking the rope into her hands. She pulled only a little, but Buckbeak followed after her. "Quietly, now," she whispered. "Quietly."

"As witnessed below. Sign here, if you would, Hagrid."

There was a loud sniffling sound from inside. Calla and Harry threw all their weight onto the rope, and Buckbeak dug his front feet in, turning towards the cabin, towards Hagrid. "It's alright," Calla whispered to him. "Come on now, Buckbeak."

"Well, let's get this over with," came a reedy voice of one of the committee members from inside Hagrid's cabin. "Hagrid, perhaps it would be better if you were to stay inside..."

"No, I - I wan' ter be wi' 'im! I don' wan' him to be alone!"

There were footsteps from inside the cabin. "Buckbeak, please," Calla whispered. "Please, move!"

Harry tugged harder on the rope, and to Calla's immense relief, Buckbeak went to walk forward after them. He rustled his wings irritably, shaking his head and mane. But they were still at least ten feet from the Forest and the safety of the trees and the cloak. "Come on, sweetheart," she said gently to Buckbeak. "Quickly, Buckbeak."

Buckbeak sped up, and the twins pulled him along as hard as they could. Calla looked back at the forest, where Hermione had just poked her head out from under the cloak, looking very white. "Both of you, hurry!" she mouthed.

Calla bit her lip and urged Buckbeak forward, nearer to the treeline. "Come on!" Hermione moaned. "Quick! Quick!" Next thing Calla knew, Hermione had run out from the Forest too, helping them to pull Buckbeak along. She didn't dare to look back, pulling Buckbeak to the trees and out of sight.

"Stop!" Harry whispered. "They might hear us!"

Hagrid's back door had banged open. Calla froze, as did everyone else. Even Buckbeak had gone entirely still, as though he was listening intently. There was silence for a very long moment. "Where is it?" asked the committee member's reedy voice. "Where is the beast?"

"It was tied here!" cried the executioner, stamping his foot furiously. "I saw it right here!"

"How extraordinary," said Dumbledore, quite pleasantly. He almost sounded amused.

"Beaky!" Hagrid said huskily.

There was a cold swishing sound and the swing of an axe. It thudded into the fence, catching there, and a group of crows fluttered out of the trees in fright. Calla breathed a sigh of relief, sinking back against a tree. Then came the howling, except now she could hear Hagrid's sobbing voice.

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

Buckbeak started straining against the rope, trying to get back to comfort Hagrid, and Calla put a hopefully soothing hand on his feathered neck. "Sh," she whispered. "It's alright. Stay still for now, Beaky."

"Someone must have untied him!" MacNair snarled, voice completely furious. "We should search the grounds, the Forest!"

"MacNair, if Buckbeak has indeed been stolen, do you truly think the thief would lead him away on foot? Search the skies, if you will... Hagrid, I do believe I could do with a nice cup of tea. Or perhaps a large brandy."

"O' - o' course, Professor," said Hagrid hoarsely, voice weak with happiness and relief. "Come in, Dumbledore, come in..."

The three of them listened very closely. They heard fading footsteps and the executioner cursing heavily, the door snapping shut, and then the world fell back into silence.