Buckbeak — 11
Hermione arrived to her lessons on disillusionment charms with Harry, Ron, and Professor Dill early. She was certain her hair was an absolute disaster, but she didn't have time to go back to the common room and brush it.
"You look refreshed," Emma said when Hermione entered her office.
"Being able to catch even an hour or two of extra sleep in the room of requirement has made a huge difference," Hermione said, hoisting herself up onto one of the desks to sit. "Thank you!"
Emma nodded. "Just be careful how much time you spend in the past," she said. "You're still aging, even in the past."
"I've been careful," Hermione promised.
"Good. Are these lessons helping you get around unnoticed?" Emma asked, taking a seat on the desk across from Hermione.
"I've only had to use the charms we're going over once or twice, but just knowing I can use them has made it all much easier," Hermione said.
"I'm glad, but don't let me wear you out with these lessons. I'd rather you skip this to sleep than go back in time for it. Using that device has a cost. Have you thought about dropping classes for next year?"
"I can't quit," Hermione said, aghast. "These classes are important!"
Emma gave her a very serious look. "You are far more important than a lot of rubbish stuffed in old books, and you're far more than they'll ever contain. You know, it's okay not to know everything. For instance, I can't do divination. I can't do occlumency, and I've never even tried my hand as a legilimens. I can't play an instrument, or write poetry. Do you think the things I can't do define me?"
"No," Hermione said. "But you're a Wandless."
Emma shook her head. "When I was your age, only a handful of people knew about that. You are more than the sum of the facts you've picked up, and your health and sanity are worth more than a few extra courses."
"I can't give up," Hermione said.
Emma gave her a very knowing look. "Do you know, that as a muggleborn, I actually found I had an advantage over some of my peers? My reading, writing, and arithmetic were better than many of the purebloods. Not knowing everything about this world will not make you less of a witch," she hopped off the desk as Harry and Ron arrived. "If I were you, divination and muggle studies would go first."
Hermione gaped at her wordlessly as Emma pulled the boys in for the lesson. They began a new, harder spell for disillusionment.
At the beginning of these lessons, Hermione had worried about how Ron would keep up with her and Harry, but she needn't have. If anything, Hermione was the one worried about keeping up with Harry.
Maybe it was because his course work was always so mediocre, but Hermione hadn't realized how much he'd improved at spell casting. He got nearly every spell faster than she did, and it was frustrating. If anything, it pushed her harder to excel in their course work. Harry always did the minimum when it came to theory, and she'd always be able to best him at that. The worst part was that she didn't even think Harry knew he was driving her mad.
As soon as the lesson ended, Harry was off to the quidditch pitch. Wood had them doing almost continual training, and only the threat of Emma's wrath had kept him from demanding Harry cancel his lessons.
Despite the fact that there were no dementors around Hogwarts anymore, Harry was still continuing his patronus lessons with Remus.
Remus seemed pleased with the lessons, but they weren't progressing nearly fast enough for Harry. He'd managed wisps of silver smoke several times, but nothing even close to a corporeal patronus. In the meantime, the boggart continued to drain him of energy, and he could still hear his mother's screams while it did.
Remus would often sit with him and split a bar of chocolate after his lessons, sometimes, he would tell him happy memories he had of Lily — other times he complained that Sirius was using his freedom to slowly drive him insane, and would tell Harry about his godfather's latest antics.
Harry ran into Sirius a few times a week. Sirius seemed to be keeping busy doing research in the Hogwarts library, where he was often ogled by students. He told Harry he was also doing research at the Black family house and at Flourish and Blot's, but really nothing could rival the Hogwarts library.
He'd also caught Sirius a few times on his way to lessons with Emma. More than once, he'd walked in on them duelling, sometimes Remus was there as well. They always stopped when they saw Harry, but he'd seen enough to know they were accomplished. He wondered if they'd always been good at duelling or if the war had taught them that? He'd have to ask Sirius the next time he saw him.
A few days later, Harry made his way once again to one of his lessons with Emma. She'd started to bring out Steve the Manikin again, and Harry was really dreading the lesson.
But when Harry got to Emma's office, she wasn't there.
"Good, you came!" Sirius said, bouncing with excitement. He was holding a long, thin package.
"Yeah, of course I did," Harry said, looking around uneasily. "Not that it isn't good to see you, but where is Emma?"
Sirius' grin was contagious. "You know, Harry, your godmother's always been a bit of a stick in the mud," he said, holding the package out to Harry. "But thankfully, I've always known how to appeal to her reckless and mischievous side."
Harry took the package Sirius held out to him a bit hesitantly. With a nod of encouragement, he unwrapped it, inhaling in shock as he realized what it was.
The handle of the broomstick was an untarnished ash, and it shone in the light. It was a Firebolt.
Harry looked up at Sirius in amazement. "But, how?"
"I went down to Quality Quiddich Supplies earlier in the week," Sirius said, coming closer. "I never got you a Christmas present… do you like it?"
"Like it?" Harry was speechless. "It's — It's amazing!" he gazed at the Firebolt again in wonder before frowning. "But, Sirius, it's too much," Harry said.
Sirius waved that away. "For all the Christmases and birthdays I've missed," he said. "It's about time you stopped using Swift's broom and had one of your own again. Do you think you'd want to go and try it out at the pitch?"
It was nearly dark out, but Harry agreed without hesitation. Sirius had grabbed Emma's broom for the occasion, and the two of them sped up and down the pitch, marvelling at the speed and precision of the Firebolt.
Harry could not have been more nervous for his match against Ravenclaw.
He'd seen Sirius that morning. He, Emma, and Remus had been on their way down to the kitchens for some breakfast.
"You could eat in the great hall, couldn't you?" Harry had asked.
"Well, sure, but where's the fun it that?" Sirius had said.
Even with the Firebolt, Harry was feeling the extra pressure of having Sirius watching. Hermione seemed to notice, and was trying to encourage him to eat something. While the rest of the team chattered excitedly about Harry's new broomstick, many students from other houses even coming over to see it, Harry felt his gut twisting in knots.
"Harry — make sure you win," said Percy in an urgent whisper, having just bet Penelope Clearwater 10 galleons Gryffindor would win. "I haven't got 10 galleons. Yes, I'm coming, Penny!"
Harry watched him bustle off with a grin. He started as Hermione dumped a few strips of bacon on his plate. "You need to eat something," she said.
"I'm fine, Hermione, really. I'm not hungry."
Hermione was giving him a look. Ron looked up at the duo, and said, "She's right, Mate."
"My two mother hens," Harry murmured, taking a bite of bacon and chewing it with fake enthusiasm. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Sure you can manage that broom, Potter?" said a cold, drawling voice.
It seemed even Malfoy hadn't managed to resist coming over to take a look at the Firebolt. Crabbe and Goyle flanked him, trying to get a look at the Firebolt despite themselves.
"Yeah, recon so," Harry said casually.
"Got plenty of special features, hasn't it?" Malfoy said, eyes glittering maliciously. "I guess that Wandless didn't think you'd be able to catch the snitch without it — or did the murderer get it for you?"
It took a lot of effort for Harry to bottle down his rage. "Didn't your father buy the entire Slytherin team new broomsticks last year?" Harry asked, calmly. "I guess he figured even with the best broom, you'd need the help of the entire team to catch the snitch."
The Gryffindor team had been listening, and they burst into laughter at Harry's quip, booing Malfoy. George even threw a sausage after Draco as he turned to walk away, blushing furiously.
As it neared 11 o'clock, Harry and the rest of the Gryffindor team made their way down to the changing rooms. He noticed Emma, Sirius, and Remus making their way down to the pitch as well.
"I am not turning into a horse and racing you to the stands," Emma said to Sirius, sounding exasperated.
"But just think of the looks on their faces," Sirius said, pointing to the Gryffindor team, who were all smirking. Harry thought Remus looked like he was thoroughly enjoying the argument. "How cool would that make Professor Dill look?"
Emma rolled her eyes. "I don't need to look cool. My job is to prepare them for life after Hogwarts."
"You probably couldn't catch me anyways," Sirius said, pretending to examine his nails.
"Remus, help me," Emma said.
"Perhaps, Sirius, you could amuse yourself by consorting with Peeves," Remus suggested. "I am sure he'd be happy to see you again."
"I've already talked to him," Sirius said. Harry watched as Fred and George exchanged looks. "Who do you think convinced him to dye all the Slytherin bed hangings pink?"
Emma hid her face in her hand, looking mortally embarrassed as the Gryffindor team laughed. "I think we need to make our way to the top box," she said, grabbing Sirius by the shoulder and steering him away. "Have a good game," she called back to the team.
Sirius gave them the thumbs up as Emma pulled him away. Harry chuckled, his butterflies easing slightly.
"You're a grown man, why are you still pranking Slytherins?" Emma asked with a sigh, leading the way up the stairs to the teachers' box.
"If you must know, I've been spreading harmless pranks to all the houses," Sirius said. "I'm also the person who put a disco ball in the Ravenclaw common room, sent the Hufflepuffs a late-night espresso order from the kitchens, and sent Fred and George that care package from Zonko's."
Remus frowned. "You didn't prank Gryffindor?"
"Didn't you hear me? I sent the Weasley twins Zonko's products," Sirius said. "You could say I pranked Gryffindor worst of all."
"Well, now I'm dreading my rounds," Emma said, taking a seat. "I know you're here helping Hagrid, but I need you to do less… marauding."
Sirius sat beside her, crossing his legs at the ankles and leaning back on the bench. "I did it for you."
Emma turned in her seat and fixed him with a pointed look. Sirius grinned.
"That, right there. You're always so serious, preparing for some kind of battle. When was the last time you relaxed?"
"We're not 16 anymore, and I am a professor," Emma said, turning away from him.
Sirius looked around her. "Remus, help me."
"I am going to let you both sort out your differences," Remus said, looking amused. "One could say that Sirius needs to grow up-"
"Thank you!" Emma said.
"-and that you could lighten up," Remus finished, fixing Emma with a look.
"I feel like I did when you lot roped me into detention during our first Herbology lesson," Emma said acidly.
"That was mostly Prongs," Sirius said. He shivered. "I still can't believe he threw a worm in my hair," he frowned, looking at Emma. "The pranks I've been pulling, if you must know, are actually for the students. You have to admit that a few harmless, mostly fun pranks always brightened the day. It's not as if I turned everyone into a duck. Bed hangings and disco balls are just fun for everyone."
Emma was still giving him a look. "You're not Santa Claus, bringing joy to children isn't your job."
"They spent half the year surrounded by Dementors," Sirius said. "It kind of is."
Emma sighed and nodded. He grinned, wrapping an arm around her. Even as he did, Minerva and Lee Jordan entered the stands. Lee was carrying a microphone, which he used to provide commentary on the matches. He was grinning widely when he saw them.
"Fred and George told me you got Harry the Firebolt," he said, slipping past Minerva and making a beeline for Sirius. He looked giddy with excitement.
"I did, yeah," Sirius said, seeming a bit surprised.
"What was it like?"
"What was… what was what like?" Sirius asked, confused.
"Buying the broomstick," Lee said, looking very much like he wanted to sit down beside Sirius and get a full description. "How did it feel holding it and-"
"I think that's enough, Mr. Jordan," Minerva interrupted. "I believe you have a quidditch match to provide commentary on?"
"I, right, yeah," Lee walked over to the podium, looking back at a bemused Sirius every few minutes. Emma and Remus were trying not to laugh.
For the most part, the match went remarkably well. Sirius hadn't watched Gryffindor quidditch matches while at Hogwarts after his first year, and it made it easier to dissociate. Harry flew so like James it was almost painful. It was amazing, considering Harry had never seen James fly. He turned the same way, and was prone to the same downward spirals James had always performed so easily. And yet, Sirius had spent enough time with Harry to see the parts of him that were more like Lily. He tended to think his actions through further than James ever had at that age, and his fighting stance was much closer to Lily's than it was to James'. Of course, plenty of parts were unique to Harry: his love of defence against the dark arts and the house elves who surrounded him. While both Lily and James had seen 'part-humans' as fully humans, Harry's compassion regarding house elves and other fully non-humans was somewhat surprising. It made Sirius re-evaluate some of his own pre-held ideas about them.
He was, in Sirius' opinion, rather amazing, and certainly more level headed than he'd been at that age… possibly more level headed than Sirius was now.
Lee Jordan spent most of the match trying to talk about Harry's Firebolt, which irked Minnie to no end. Sirius was glad to see a new generation of trouble makers had taken over to provide his old Head of House with problems to solve.
"They've seen the snitch!" Lee called out, breaking Sirius' train of thought. "Wait — Are those dementors?"
Emma stood a half second before Sirius, hanging over the rails to get a better look at what was happening on the pitch.
"Those aren't dementors," she whispered at the same time that Harry sent a jet of silver at the tall, hooded creatures. Sirius watched as they tripped over themselves, going down like bowling pins. He made a wild grab as Emma lifted herself over the guard rail with ease and free-fell down to the ground. Remus grabbed him by the shoulders, keeping Sirius from grabbing her.
Sirius' heart hammered in his chest as he watched her slow before hitting the ground and begin making her way over to the creature, completely unharmed. He had forgotten she could do that.
"She's going to give me a heart attack one of these days," Sirius said, a hand over his chest. Remus hummed in agreement.
"Potter sends the dementors tumbling to the ground," Lee said. "And Professor Dill is after the creatures; I almost feel bad for them… I don't believe it, Potter's got the snitch! 150 points to Gryffindor — Gryffindor wins!"
Sirius clapped enthusiastically, watching as Harry was swarmed midair by his team. He watched them for a few minutes before turning with Remus and Minerva to see what had happened with the 'dementors'.
.
Draco yanked the hood off his head, winded. Goyle was still tangled in his feet. Crabbe and Marcus Flint were both breathing hard and occasionally coughing. Whatever spell Potter had used on them, it had felt like a grenade.
By the time Draco managed to struggle to his knees, Dill was standing over him.
She looked almost rabid in her anger, her hair flying about her in a strange wind. Draco shrank back as her eyes fell on him.
"So, you think it's amusing to endanger the lives of your classmates?" she asked calmly, her eyes a swirling molten gold that made Draco shiver. His father had told him golden eyes were a sign of her losing control.
"What did Potter do to us?" Flint asked then, finally seeming to have gotten his breath back. He was still sitting on the ground.
"Marcus Flint, you're old enough to know better," Emma said, and her tone made Flint flinch. "You are expelled from my class. I never want to see you in it again. Is that understood?"
Marcus went white. He nodded slowly, eyes wide.
"Good. You can make your way to Professor Dumbledore's office, I am sure he'll want to speak with you. I am deducting 50 points from Slytherin on your behalf, and you can expect Professor McGonagall to contact you about detentions."
Flint looked at Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle once before standing shakily and leaving. Draco noticed that he passed McGongall and Black as he did. Lupin was over speaking with Potter and pointing at them. Draco flushed.
Emma seemed to watch them for a long time. Draco gulped.
"Will you expel us too?" he asked at last. His normal drawl was gone, replaced by fear.
An eternity seemed to pass before Emma answered. "No," she said at last. "But I am taking 50 points each, and you will each serve 30 detentions. While your actions could never have actually harmed Mr. Potter — a dementor is more than a cloak — it reflects a lack of caring and compassion that I cannot ignore. You must know that a real dementor could have cost Mr. Potter his life, and I can only assume you meant to gain the same results from this stunt. I hope you each aspire to be better human beings than this. You can make your way to Professor Dumbledore's office now. I am sure he'll have further words for you."
She turned on her heel and left, not even bothering to see if they'd manage to stand. McGonagall came over then, looking furious.
Emma walked passed Sirius and made for the forest, opening and closing her fists in anger. He followed her slowly, keeping his distance. When she wandered off the path he let her go, sitting on a nearby rock to wait for her to return.
Nearly an hour went by, punctuated by the snapping and cracking of trees. She looked thoroughly spent when she did come back, seeming to drag herself forwards by sheer willpower alone. Sirius stood so she could sit on the rock, but she ignored him, simply wilting and sitting on the path. Sirius kneeled beside her. "I heard a lot of things breaking."
"A lot of things," Emma confirmed. She had her head in her hands. "I'm going to resign."
"What?!"
"I very nearly killed them today," she said. "I have never come that close to harming a student before."
"Swift," Sirius said, pulling her hands away from her face. "You can't stop teaching-"
"A Hogwarts professor should never be a danger to their students," Emma said. "Today, I very nearly was."
"Well, usually students don't try to murder each other," Sirius said. "You think you were angry? I think Minnie was ready to flay them. You should have heard what she said to that Flint kid when he walked by."
"Yelling is not the same as murder."
"You didn't murder them," Sirius said, sounding exasperated. "Although, I think the Malfoy boy might have shit his pants."
Emma chuckled. "Serves him right."
"Talk to Dumbles," Sirius said. "See what he says."
Emma sighed. "Fine… let's go."
Sirius pulled her to her feet. She still looked drained, and he wondered how much energy she'd spent… and what was left of the forest.
Dumbledore wasn't free until the next day. He'd called the students' parents, and apparently they were all facing an in-school suspension. He was adamant that Emma not leave the school, and encouraged her to expel Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle from her class if she felt they'd cause a problem.
She chose not to. She had a feeling Draco's fear of his father would keep him in line.
As April 20th approached, Sirius could be found in the library more and more. There was only one magical library in the United Kingdom as well-stocked as Hogwarts, and while Sirius did visit it several times, he found that most of its books were older and less useful for a current legal case.
On the morning of the hearing, Emma and Remus saw Sirius and Hagrid off for London. Hagrid rode Buckbeak, and Sirius took Emma's broom. It was a long flight, but hippogriffs couldn't travel by floo.
Sirius knew they were well prepared. The case he'd made for Buckbeak was almost fool-proof, but he had little confidence they'd succeed.
Remus spent most of the day preoccupied by his lessons, and then with his lessons with Harry. He was making remarkable progress, and Remus had no doubt he'd manage a corporeal patronus soon.
At the end of the night, Remus made his way to the owlery hoping for news. Emma was already there when he arrived, a note in hand. He could tell by the look on her face that Buckbeak had lost.
"But there will be an appeal," Hermione said several days later. She, Harry, and Ron had joined Hagrid for tea.
"I' won' matter," Hagrid said. "With all o' Sirius' help, our case for Beaky shou'd o' been an easy win. Yeh could tell by their faces, they knew they had no case against 'im."
"That isn't right!" Ron exclaimed. "We have laws for a reason!"
"Aye, bu' they're terrified," Hagrid said. "Yeh forge' who Malfoy is, who he was."
"A Death Eater," Harry said.
Hagrid nodded. "He 'as connections all over, an no one is brave enough to go against 'im."
"I might know a few people," Harry said.
Hagrid shook his head. "I'll not 'ave the Marauders gettin' thrown in Azkaban for this," he said. "If they find out i' was 'er, Fudge will do what he can to have her destroyed."
"Would they be able to kill her though, really?" Hermione asked.
Hagrid ran a hand threw his beard, looking desolate. "They did it once before… caught a Wandless an' destroyed it. They're magnificent creatures, Wandless are. I'll not have one destroyed on my o'count."
"Destroyed?" Hermione asked. "Not killed?"
Hagrid gave Harry a slight look before he continued. "They say all tha' was left was ashes. Emma tol' me once, tha' if she listens, she can hear the elements crying over 'em. She said tha' the ministry killed their soul, nah jus' their body. They're gone, forever."
Hagrid's words haunted Harry. There was something too real about them, a niggling in his mind. If he closed his eyes and concentrated on the feeling, he'd see a sharp burst of sparkling silver, but it always vanished as soon as it came.
He went into his next lesson with Emma with a mission. He was determined to find out what it all meant.
"It's true," Emma said when Harry asked her about the destroyed Wandless. "Rodin and Combal were both destroyed by the Ministry in 1619."
"But how did they destroy their souls?" Harry asked. He knew that souls existed, after all, he'd helped Emma empty the glass jar of them and set them free for lumoportus.
Emma frowned, seemingly unsure of how to answer. "It isn't something mortals are supposed to get messed up in," she said.
"Aren't you a mortal?"
"Yes… and no," she said evasively.
"Is that how you survived when the basilisk looked at Protem?" Harry asked.
Emma was still frowning deeply. "The basilisk doesn't kill with its gaze," she said at last. "It banishes its prey into the next world."
"It killed Myrtle," Harry said. "And her ghost is still in this world."
"Yes, but she'd tied herself to this world with magic. She sort of… slingshot back," Emma said. "Listen, Harry, it's complicated."
"So if you got sent to the next world, did you just, just walk back?" Harry asked.
He had a feeling he'd come close to the truth, because Emma looked a bit dodgy. "Harry, please stop asking questions about this before I get in trouble."
"Who would you get in trouble with? Are there other Wandless?"
She ignored the question, instead turning him to their lesson. Any other questions he asked about Wandless and their souls, she ignored.
She stayed up late that night. Up on the Hogwarts battlements, she could look out over the grounds, all the way to the lights in Hagrid's cabin, where she knew Buckbeak was, unknowingly, passing his final days.
"Harry told me he spoke to you about Rodin and Combal," Sirius said, joining her at the ledge.
"How did you know I was here?"
"Please, you and I always made our way to the roof when we needed to think," Sirius said. "You're not going to free him, are you?" he asked, referring to Buckbeak.
"No," Emma said. "I've thought about it a million times, but I have too much at risk. What about you?"
"No, for the same reasons," Sirius said. "I just got out of prison, I'm not giving Fudge an excuse to put me back behind bars."
They stood silently together for a while, simply taking in the night. "Do you want to tell me about it, what Harry asked you about?" Sirius said at last.
"I can't," Emma answered with a small sigh.
"Because there are no Wandless like you?"
"Because there are no Wandless like me."
Sirius watched her. "But you could be like them, couldn't you? I've noticed the changes. You've grown."
"I have chosen not to be," Emma said. She smiled slightly. "I fell in love with a Wizard. That's rather frowned upon."
Sirius gave a barking laugh. "Yes, Infinity mentioned that a few times," he sighed, looking out at the night. "I won't ask you about it. I realized, after Mirage, that some things about Wandless would always be, well, not for me," he smiled at her briefly. "Just promise you won't go disappearing on me."
"I promise," Emma said, squeezing his hand. "Everything I've ever wanted is here."
Sirius watched her. "Can I ask you something?"
Emma nodded, curious.
"Why did you choose a Wizard?"
Emma seemed to consider for a few minutes. "Why did you choose a Wandless? We both know you could have had any Witch you wanted."
Sirius looked amused. "I was being serious."
"So was I, Merlin knows being with a Witch would be easier — safer, at least," Emma said.
Sirius snorted. "You're not dangerous." He yelped as she zapped him with the tip of her finger. "Ouch! Swift, for Godric's sake!"
Emma laughed. "I thought you said I wasn't dangerous."
"Har, har," Sirius muttered. The sting had already faded. "I didn't choose you because you were a Wandless."
"And I didn't pick you because you were a Wizard," Emma said. She grinned mischievously. "There was just something about the way you went through a revolving door-"
"Fuck off, Swift," Sirius said. "We both know those things are death traps."
Emma laughed at his annoyance. After a moment, he joined her.
.
"I still can't believe that monster was sleeping in my bed," Ron said some weeks later as he, Harry, and Hermione made their way to class. "Every time I think about it, it gives me the willies."
"I just wish we'd caught him," Harry said.
"Sirius is free now, that's what matters," Hermione said.
Ron muttered darkly.
"I only wish we could do something for Buckbeak," Hermione said with a sigh.
"There isn't a lot," Ron said. "Especially considering they're bringing an executioner to the appeal… I mean, it's not like we can turn back time."
Harry started, looking at Hermione out of the corner of his eye. She was looking at the floor and frowning. "If we could turn back time, hypothetically," Harry said. "How would that help us?"
Ron shrugged. "The biggest problem with pulling off something like that is we wouldn't have an alibi, and you know Snape would be just waiting to accuse us. If we could turn back time, we'd have an alibi. We could be seen around the school and save Buckbeak. Although, I don't know where we'd hide him."
"I can think of a place," Harry said. "The Shrieking Shack is empty."
"And haunted," Ron said. "It's the most haunted house in Britain."
"It's not haunted," Harry said. Both Ron and Hermione paused to listen to him. "The Marauders used to use it for some of their experiments, that's where the legend comes from."
It wasn't a complete lie. Of course, Harry knew the real reason for the myth was Remus' time with the moon. But Emma had told Harry that the Marauders had done some of their more disruptive work in the shack, where people were less likely to get injured.
"I feel like that should be more surprising," Ron said, looking amused.
"Even if we could rescue Buckbeak," Hermione said. "How would we get him into the Shrieking Shack unseen?"
"We'd have to wait for the cover of night," Harry said. "There's a tunnel under the Whomping Willow that leads to the shack."
Hermione was frowning. "Well we can't go back in time," she said, chewing on her bottom lip, "so it really doesn't matter anyways."
She started down the hall. With a shrug, Ron followed her. Harry followed more slowly, remembering what Emma had said about the teachers fearing Hermione's peers would pressure her to misuse the time turner — but wasn't Buckbeak's life a good reason?
Harry made his way to Runes alone. He knew that Hermione would find him after she turned time back. Right now, she and Ron had divination in North Tower.
Harry waited outside of the classroom, his face creased in a frown. He knew saving Buckbeak was the right thing to do, but even Hermione didn't know that he knew about the time turner.
"Planning your next misadventure?"
Harry looked up to see Vicky Valentine grinning at him. "Something like that," he said, grinning back.
"Ah," Vicky joined him against the wall. "Well I won't tell Emma. For all the mischief she got up to — and I know you know just how much — she really isn't one for watching others break the rules."
"You know about-? Of course you do," Harry said, grinning. Sometimes he forgot that Vicky had grown up with Emma around, that she'd spent most of her childhood trailing after her around Hogwarts or Hogsmeade. "You're right, she won't be pleased."
Vicky smiled. It was a tad mischievous, and it made Harry smile back. "Well, if you need a hand, you know where to find me," she said. "Merlin knows I could use a break from studying."
"I might take you up on that," Harry said. He could see Hermione coming up the hall towards them.
Vicky nodded. "Good! Hermione, I thought you were going to be late."
There was something in the way she said it that made Harry pause.
"I'm never late," Hermione said, her voice a bit snappier than usual.
Harry frowned and looked her over. "Are you alright, Hermione?"
Hermione seemed to be almost shaking with suppressed rage. "Divination is an utter waste of time. She was going on again about how she sees the Grimm around Ron, and I just," Hermione made a strange strangled noise. "I've honestly had enough of it. I quit the class."
Vicky's mouth was slightly open with surprise. Harry felt rather the same way. "You quit?"
"Yes. Yes, I quit," Hermione said. She was beginning to grin. "And you know what? It felt good!"
"Merlin," Vicky whispered.
"I will never have to go into that stuffy, ridiculous classroom again," Hermione said. "Nor will I have to hear that woman drivel on about terrors she invents to amuse the easily fooled."
Harry was a bit shocked. Vicky looked like she wanted to laugh.
"Are you going to become a Marauder now, Hermione?" she asked, her eyes sparkling.
"You know what, I just might," Hermione said. "Harry, I want to do it. I want to rescue…" she paused, looking at Vicky.
Harry grinned. "She'll help," he said. "After all, Vicky's the one who showed me how to get into the Shrieking Shack."
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Hello! Yes, I am still alive :)
Sorry for the delay! I got a very large, very needy rescue puppy last July and she has kept me quite busy. On the bright side, the next chapter is mostly written, so I am hoping you'll have it soon.
I hope you're all well and keeping safe! Sending you lots of love 3
Also, THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed! You are the reason updates happen xoxo