Chapter 41
Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.
- Shel Silverstein [Where the Sidewalk Ends]
Months ago, it had felt like their exams would never arrive and the middle of term would simply drag on forever. Now that the week of exams had at last arrived it all seemed to have happened so quickly. The castle seemed to have suddenly been plunged into an anxious quiet as students spent most of their free time trying to cram in last minute studying. Rose, Mariko, Sam, and Ava were constantly together either quizzing each other or practicing spells for their practical exams.
After her morning Herbology exam—which included having to harvest leaves, juices, and thorns from venomous tentacula without being bitten, stung, or grabbed—Rose helped Remus set up the obstacle course for his third-years. While he walked about the area setting up various enchantments to contain the creatures he'd be adding to the course on the days of the examinations, Rose worked to transfigure the landscape. One section became a series of potted pits for the redcaps, another a deep pool for the grindylow, and another a low marshy section for the hinkypunk. With the two working together, the task took less than half an hour to complete.
As the week wore on, Rose began feeling more and more confident even as she grew more and more tired. She'd had great success in dueling during her Defense Against the Dark Arts practical—able to demonstrate both nonverbal spells and even wandless magic when she'd summoned her wand back to her hand after the examiner had disarmed her. She was sure she'd written thorough answers on her theory of Alchemy exam explaining the four stages necessary for the creation of a philosopher's stone and the corresponding metaphysical journey which had to accompany it. In arithmancy she'd been able to describe the significance of numerology and Latin for spell making and demonstrate some of her own spells she had created that year such as fulminantia este which would manifest a miniature thunderstorm and apricorum which she could use to fill a glass jar with a bright beam of sunlight. Transfiguration had been a complete success, and she'd been able to transform into her animagus form for her examiner when requested—she'd even managed it nonverbally, though still with the use of her wand.
To make the week feel like an even greater success, midway through it she received an owl from Damien offering her an apprenticeship pending her final N.E.W.T. scores. She'd happily written back and accepted. By the time her final exam ended Thursday afternoon, Rose was feeling on top of the world. Leaving the exam hall, she felt free and light like she could do anything. She'd have a week of relaxing after the exams, with plenty of time to spend with Remus, and at that moment she just knew that in that time she could convince him to let them keep seeing each other. Realizing that Lupin's third-year class would be going through their exam, Rose decided to wander out of the hall and see if she could make it in time to watch Draco work his way through the obstacle course. But she never made it that far.
Standing in the courtyard, looking out over the grounds was the unmistakable figure of Cornelius Fudge with two other wizards. The older wizard she didn't recognize, but the middle-aged one fingering an axe in his belt was unmistakably Walden Macnair—an old friend of her father's. Rose didn't know Macnair very well as he was rarely invited to the manor because Narcissa found his profession as an executioner repugnant, but she'd seen him enough times to know his face. Any relief she felt at the absence of Lucius Malfoy, was replaced with dread at Macnair's presence; they'd already made up their minds. As she stared at the three men, Harry, Ron, and Hermione made their way into the courtyard from the grounds having presumably just finished their Defense Against the Dark Arts exam. She listened, frozen, while Fudge greeted Harry, and began telling him that he was there as a witness for the execution of Buckbeak.
"Does that mean the appeal's already happened?" Ron interrupted the conversation.
"No, no, it's scheduled for this afternoon."
"Then the hippogriff might still get off," the redhead continued. It looked as if he might say more, but Hermione grabbed his sleeve and began dragging him towards the castle entrance. The three of them looked at her with wide eyes and white faces as they passed, and Rose swallowed uncomfortably.
'This is stupid,' she thought to herself even while she walked towards the trio of wizards. Perhaps it was because of the overconfidence she felt from a successful week of tests or from not wanting her excitement about graduating Hogwarts to be marred by the sadness she'd feel if Buckbeak were executed. Whatever the reason, Rose walked up to the Minister of Magic and smiled charmingly.
"Hello Minister, what an unexpected pleasure to see you here," she greeted.
"Ah, Miss Malfoy," he shook her hand. She saw the older wizard—presumably one of the committee members—give a small start at her last name. "Lovely to see you again, how are your parents?"
"They are both in excellent health, thank you. I'll be sure to let them know you asked after them," she said.
"See that you do, dear girl, see that you do. I've heard from young Dolohov that a certain happy event is fast approaching…."
"Oh yes, on the 26th, we're both very excited."
"Wonderful, simply wonderful."
"Minister, Miss Malfoy, sorry to interrupt, but it is getting close to two o'clock," the committee-member interjected.
"You're quite right," Fudge answered him. "Well, Miss Malfoy, we must be off. Unfortunate business this."
"You're here for the appeal, right? You'll be going to Professor Hagrid's? Allow me to show you the way," Rose looped her arm through Fudge's and began to walk him out towards the grounds.
"How thoughtful," he said in a rather taken aback tone of voice as the other two men hurried to catch up to them.
"I'm sure your father will be glad to know that justice will soon be had for your brother," the committee member said as they walked. Rose gave him a pleasant smile.
"Oh, I'm not sure he's particularly invested in the outcome—after all it was only a scratch, and Draco should have listened to Professor Hagrid," Rose could feel Macnair's eyes boring into her as she said this.
"I must say I'm surprised to hear that; he seemed most… displeased at the initial trial," the man said skeptically.
"He was definitely angry at first—Draco is his baby boy after all but, now that he's had more time to think about it, I believe he's seeing it as a valuable learning experience for Draco," Rose said, wondering if the three could smell the bullshit she was currently spewing. Macnair could—of that she was certain, but she didn't need to convince him. She was concerned how her father would react when he found out about this, but that was a worry for future Rose to deal with.
"Hmm," the man said, and the three fell into silence. Rose wasn't sure she'd been entirely convincing but didn't want to push too hard either. Rose released Fudge's arm as they approached Hagrid's cabin.
"Thank you for escorting us," Fudge said kindly while the committee member went up to the door and knocked.
It swung open almost instantly and a white-faced Hagrid ushered the three men into his house. Rose gave him what she hoped was an encouraging smile which he returned before closing the door behind him. Rose waffled between staying to hear the outcome of the trial and going back to the castle. She settled for pacing back and forth on the lawn outside his house. A few minutes later, she looked up to the sound of footsteps hurrying towards her. Professor Dumbledore was walking quickly down the path towards Hagrid's hut. He gave her an appraising look but didn't stop to chat instead going straight into the house.
Rose resumed her pacing. It was nearly half an hour later that loud wailing sobs poured out of the house, and her heart dropped. The door quickly opened, and Fudge walked out, his hands pressed over his ears. He was followed closely by Macnair and then by the committee member.
"We'll be back at sunset for the execution. That will give you time to say goodbye to the beast," the man said over his shoulder, quickly closing the door against the earsplitting sobs. Rose stared at the three while they walked past her—neither Fudge nor the committee member meeting her eye. Macnair however looked straight at her and gave her a malicious grin that made her shiver.
'It was all for nothing,' she thought angrily when the three disappeared over the hill. She'd stuck her neck out and in the end the outcome was just as if she'd done nothing at all. She should have never gotten involved to begin with. Rose kicked at a clump of grass moodily, her earlier feelings of confidence and success utterly squashed.
'I should go,' she thought, walking up to Hagrid's front door. 'I'm sure I'm the last person he wants to see right now.'
Rapping on the door loudly to be heard over the sobs, Rose listened to footsteps moving across the room. She stepped back in surprise when Dumbledore opened the door and looked down his long crooked nose at her.
"Miss Malfoy," he greeted, pushing the door open wider. "What a surprise."
Rose walked in, feeling especially nervous in the Headmaster's presence. She was greeted by the strangest sight she'd ever seen. A large gray hippogriff was laying on what she assumed was Hagrid's bed, and the man himself had buried his face into the creature's neck and was sobbing into its feathers. The hippogriff was nibbling affectionately at his wild black hair.
"Oh, Beaky!" she could hear him exclaim between sobs.
"Our friend is, understandably, most upset," Dumbledore observed to her.
"I'm sorry," she half-whispered, unsure exactly what she was apologizing for.
"Whatever for," he asked, keen blue eyes meeting her own.
"It wasn't enough… it didn't matter," she said, her eyes dropping to the floor. One of his aged hands touched her shoulder gently, and Rose looked back up at him.
"My dear, Rose, in my rather long life, I have found that making the simple decision to care is something which matters a great deal," he told her. Rose swallowed thickly and for a moment she wanted to ask him why he hadn't made that choice when it had come to caring about her twelve years ago.
"Yes sir," she said instead. Some emotion she didn't catch flickered across his face, and she wondered if he knew what she'd been thinking.
"I have to return to the castle to discuss some important matters with the minister. I will return at sunset, I want to be with you when the time comes," he said loudly enough that Hagrid could hear this as well. His sobs lessened in intensity. "Rose, I wonder if you'd be willing to stay and look after our dear Rubeus—at least until he's calmed down a bit."
"Of course Headmaster," Rose agreed instantly. She could feel the apprehensive look that was now fixed to her face. She was not the most compassionate caregiver and didn't really want to be in the cabin any longer than was absolutely necessary. Dumbledore patted her shoulder and walked out of the hut.
"Hagrid," Rose said tentatively, stepping towards him. The hippogriff leveled its dark eyes on her, and she froze, not wanting to get any closer to the beast. Turning around, Hagrid looked at her with red rimmed eyes, his face and beard wet from tears, snot leaking from his nose into his mustache—Rose looked away fast. Without thinking she swirled a hand in the air and conjured a large white handkerchief. Holding out the lace-trimmed fabric, she offered it to him. Hagrid quickly wiped his face with the kerchief and blew his nose into it noisily.
"Hagrid, I'm so sorry," she said.
"S'alright, Rose, 'ermione told me what yeh did ter try an help," he replied with a watery smile. "I need ter send her a letter sayin' what happened."
"Let me do that, Hagrid," Rose offered when she saw how badly his hands were shaking. Nodding, he let her take the quill and parchment from his hands, and she wrote the message he dictated to her. When she had sent that off, Rose busied herself hanging a kettle over the fire and getting out two mugs for them. Seeing a bottle of firewhiskey in his cabinet, she poured a generous shot into their tea for good measure. The pair sat at his kitchen table silently for a while sipping unenthusiastically at their spiked tea. Hagrid seemed to have cried himself out and now seemed merely pale and dazed.
"I—I'm gonna take Beaky ou'side, let 'im enjoy some fresh air," he mumbled, after finishing the tea. Rose stood with him and followed him out to the pumpkin patch, giving the hippogriff a wide berth. He tied the creature to a stake in the middle of the patch and fed him a few dead ferrets, patting his head affectionately. Rose stood to the side; her arms crossed over her chest to keep herself from fidgeting too much.
"Did yeh wan' teh meet 'im?" Hagrid asked suddenly, and Rose swallowed rapidly. She did not want to meet him.
"I'd love to," she said, stepping forward hesitantly. Buckbeak squawked aggressively at her, and she hastily stepped back.
"Nothin' ter worry abou'. Yeh jus' need ter bow is all."
"Oh," Rose gasped squeakily. She bowed low to the hippogriff, her hair falling over her shoulders in long curls. She held her breath for the near minute it took the creature to decide to bow back. Encouraged by Hagrid's smile she walked towards them both slowly.
"Yeh can touch 'im if yeh like," he encouraged with a small sad smile. Rose didn't think she'd like that very much but lifted a shaking hand slowly towards the beast. To her surprise, Buckbeak pressed his beak into her palm, nuzzling it affectionately. Hagrid burst into a fresh round of tears at this, and Rose felt her own eyes going slightly misty. Reaching up, she patted Hagrid on his arm—she couldn't reach any higher.
"He's a good boy, Beaky, he don' deserve this," Hagrid sobbed into the lace handkerchief. Rose found her throat too tight to say anything and could only squeeze his arm comfortingly, blinking back tears as she tried to look anywhere else.
