It was as though someone was using the inside of Y/N's head as a drumkit.

Steady low thrums were ringing through it constantly and it was all he could do to keep focus. Hermione remained hooked under his arm and pushed another piece of chocolate into his mouth, but it did little to alleviate the pain. He could see, but he wasn't capable of much else.

Together with her help, Y/N managed to get out of the door and follow the procession down the stairs and out of the Shrieking Shack. Crookshanks was way out in front with Remus, Ron, and Pettigrew right behind. Then followed the floating, stunned Snape, Sirius and Harry and bringing up the rear, Hermione, and Y/N.

Y/N's consciousness was fading in and out. One second, they'd begun descending the stairs, the next they were clambering into the tunnel.

How had it gotten this bad without him realising? The shock of everything going on must have weighed on him more than he knew. He assumed he'd be okay with being a room away from the cloak. He'd been closer to it before.

His mind flashed back to the time in the Common Room when Harry had first opened it.

'That cloak's going to be the death of me,' he groaned as he and Hermione ducked under a particularly low hanging part of the ceiling.

'We're almost there,' she said consolingly. 'We can get you rested up and then spend some time making sure you're used to it. We can't have something like this happening again. You look like death.'

'I feel like death,' said Y/N.

'I owe you a thank you,' said a gruff voice and Y/N raised his eyes to look at Sirius.

'Think you already did that,' grunted Y/N.

'Not for the Common Room. For this morning. Spending the morning with someone… I needed it. I didn't realise how much I did until it happened. I've been away from humanity for a while. Your curiosity into something you didn't know intrigued me. And then suddenly, we'd been there for over an hour,' said Sirius. 'Thank you.'

'I was wondering how an ordinary muggle dog was so smart. Annoyed I didn't put two and two together, but it's not often you meet an Animagus. Especially after you've read the register and know none of them become a dog.'

'Yeah, well. I'm not fond of rules,' said Sirius with a grin.

'I'm glad I let you go in the Common Room,' said Y/N. 'I'm glad you didn't betray that trust.'

'So am I,' said Sirius and, with a nod, he turned back towards Harry.

'Hope he looks after him,' whispered Y/N so only Hermione could hear him.

'Who?'

'Both of them,' said Y/N, nodding towards Harry and Sirius. 'Harry needs an adult, and Sirius needs social interaction.'

The walk through the tunnel took longer than it had to get in through a mix of Y/N's limping and the slow moving of the chained trio and floating Potions Master. Luckily, this brought Y/N some time so when they finally emerged out of the tunnel under the tree, he was able to gingerly stand by himself.

The grounds were very dark now. Y/N shot his wand out of his holster and muttered 'Lumos'. Hermione drew hers and did the same. Together, the procession began to advance towards the school.

Then they were bathed in light. Y/N turned his eyes towards the moon. The full moon.

'Remus.' His eyes span towards the front group just in time to stop himself from walking into Sirius and Harry. 'We need to get him detached from Pettigrew and leave him out in the grounds. Taking him back in now will just cause problems.'

He stepped forward alongside Sirius just as Remus gave a horrible snarling noise. His head was lengthening, as was his body. His shoulders were hunching and hair was beginning to sprout along his body. Y/N was about to reach down and begin untethering him when he heard a hissing. Crookshanks batted at his hands and Y/N recoiled just in time to see Remus rear. Something wasn't right.

It was instinct. Pure instinct that saved Y/N that evening. His wand was in his hand and raised as the wolf span towards him.

'Depulso!'

Remus was sent soaring away, he hit the ground and slid a few feet before scrambling back up.

'He mustn't have taken his potion!' screamed Hermione.

'And of course, I stunned the only other one who'd know,' snarled Y/N 'Sirius-' but he didn't get to finish his sentence. The man had disappeared from his side and instead was replaced by the shaggy black dog, which charged at the wolf.

There was a bang followed by a yell.

'Expelliarmus!'

Y/N span around just in time to watch Remus' wand go soaring out of Pettigrew's hand. Except it wasn't his hand, it was his paw. Pettigrew was shrinking back into the rat. Y/N raised his wand but even as he watched, the rat vanished from sight. It would be impossible to find him in the grass without sunlight, and even then... He instead glanced around to see Ron collapsed on the floor.

'Get him up to the castle!' bellowed Y/N, turning his wand onto the wrestling animals. 'Pettigrew's gone. We need to get Remus under control.'

'I'm not leaving you!' shrieked Hermione.

'Hermione-!'

'I've got him,' said Harry. He raised his wand just as the snarling behind them ceased. Y/N was almost knocked off his feet as Remus tore past, sprinting in the direction of the Forbidden Forest.

'Impedimenta!'

Even slowed, Remus was still fast, but it was enough for Sirius to close the gap. He stooped low as he stopped alongside Y/N.

'Ron. Castle. Go!' he hopped onto Sirius' back and the two of them took off. Y/N doing his best to ignore Hermione screaming his name.

Sirius was remarkably quick for the fact that he was carrying Y/N. Unfortunately, they'd just closed the gap on Remus when the Impediment jinx faltered, and he sped off ahead.

They were charging towards the lake. Y/N watched the shaggy white outline of the wolf dart around the outskirts of the lake and then he felt it. The biting, chilling, cold. Sirius felt it too, Y/N looked around in alarm and apparently Sirius had too. Unfortunately, this meant he wasn't looking where he was going. His paw caught a loose rock and they were both sent careening to the floor.

Y/N grunted in pain as he hit the ground hard and he heard Sirius yelp. He staggered to his feet. He could feel something warm running down his face, whatever it was had gotten into his eye. But it made no difference now. He had to fight. It was less that he could see them and more that he could feel them. The shadows moving on the outskirts of his vision.

He dashed over to Sirius, who had transformed back now and was hunched over on all fours. Panting and clutching his chest.

'Nooo… nooo please…'

Y/N saw them now. The whirling mass of black shadows. There must have been a hundred of them. He raised his wand and allowed all of the happiness to rush into him. The thought of Hermione's smiling face, Ginny when he'd first brought her her present in Diagon Alley, Sirius when he'd been thanking him.

'Expecto Patronum!'

This time, the pure phoenix burst from the end of his wand. But instead of soaring around him as it had once done, it simply hovered in front of him, flapping its wings. His head pulsed dangerously and as it did, his Patronus flickered and began to fade.

He still hadn't recovered.

'No!' snarled Y/N. 'Not like this!'

But memories were rising into his mind. Unwelcome, forbidden memories. The smiling faces of his friends fading away. The look on Hermione's face when he'd slowed Remus. The sound of her scream-

He'd let her down. He'd let them all down. He couldn't stop them. And now he'd meet the same fate as Sirius.

Then, they were there. Hermione and Harry on either side of him.

'Come on,' said Harry. 'We can do this. Just like before.'

'And I'm here,' said Hermione. Tears were falling down her cheeks, but her face was set, resolute. 'You aren't doing this one without me. Not this year.'

'Expecto Patronum!' bellowed Harry and Y/N.

It was the time for some glorious comeback. Some declaration of victory. They'd all stood shoulder to shoulder. They weren't meant to lose here.

And yet, Harry managed merely a silvery wisp and Y/N once again managed to form the Phoenix, but it was still faltering and fading. His vision swam dangerously.

'I can't,' panted Y/N. The images were rushing past now, faster than ever. Now Hermione was in danger. In danger because of him. Because he'd gone running off. Couldn't just leave it well enough alone.

Her grip was getting tighter, and she swayed dangerously on the spot.

'You can do it. I know… you… can…' her grip slackened, and she collapsed.

'Hermione!' The Phoenix twisted in mid-air and evaporated. Now only Harry's wisp of light hung in the air. 'Sorry… I let you down,' gasped Y/N and his legs collapsed.

()()()()()()

He didn't know how long it was before his eyes drifted open. His head felt like it had been frozen. It felt heavy and unresponsive. His arms too. Wait, no, only one of his arms. And only one area. He absent-mindedly reached a hand down and felt the spot-

-only to run his hand over a very soft set of fingers. He heard someone gasp nearby.

'Y/N?'

It took a monumental effort to open his eyes, but he eventually managed it. The light pierced his eyes like spears. He squinted and raised his hand to cover it. He didn't need to for long however as a moment later, it was obscured by a mane of bushy brown hair.

'Oh my god!'

'I'm okay 'Mione,' he spluttered as she threw herself onto his chest.

'Don't! Don't you dare tell me you're okay after that. Don't you dare lie to me, Y/N!'

'Okay… okay. I'm sorry. About everything.'

'Shhhh, don't speak.' Hermione pried herself off his chest and moved to the side of him, wrapping herself around his arm. Y/N took the time to scan the room.

They were in the Hospital Wing. There was no sign of Madam Pomfrey, or anyone for that matter, apart from the beds next to and across from them. Lying in the bed next to them was Harry who still looked out cold, and in the bed across was Ron.

'What happened?' asked Y/N.

'I was about to ask you the same thing,' said Hermione. 'I collapsed whilst we were still being swarmed.'

'I went straight afterwards,' said Y/N bitterly. 'Watching you collapse. It-' his voice broke and Hermione squeezed his arm. 'I failed you.'

'You didn't fail anyone,' said Hermione. 'We all collapsed from the looks of it. We-' but she was interrupted as the door to Hospital Wing opened. Y/N slammed his eyes closed and let his body relax. He heard two sets of footsteps move up the room towards where he and Hermione lay.

'And you say it was young mister L/N that caught you out Severus?' came a first voice.

'Indeed it was, Minister,' came the voice of Severus Snape. 'He managed to see through the disguise I'd used and chose to attack me instead of coming to me for assistance. Another part of Black's blackmail, I dare say.'

'Dear, dear,' said Fudge's voice. The two of them were very close to the bed. 'And this is the girl from the lake?'

'Indeed Minister. Where you can find either Miss Granger or Mr L/N, the other is not far behind. They have been joined at the hip since they began here. I dare say Black only needed to convince one of them and the other would have listened without question.'

Y/N felt his hand clench.

'And what of Potter and the other boy?'

'I know not of Weasley. When I came to, he was already knocked out. Potter was also down at the lake with the others. They all almost lost their souls trying to defend Black.'

The footsteps were moving away towards the Hospital Wing doors. No doubt because the door up the other end of the wing had just opened which warned of Madam Pomfrey's arrival.

Sure enough, a few moments later and Y/N heard something drop onto the table next to him that sounded like a boulder. His eyes snapped open. Madam Pomfrey had a pumpkin sized chunk of chocolate that she was needing to use a small hammer to break apart.

'Seems a bit much, doesn't it?' he asked wearily as Madam Pomfrey spotted his open eyes. This was not a smart comment.

'A bit much? Like charging a lake full of Dementors was a bit much?' she said irritably as she stuffed a large chunk into his hand. 'Eat it. Both of you,' she added as she shoved a piece towards Hermione.

'Good thing I like this stuff. Pretty much living on it at this point,' said Y/N wearily.

The two of them stuffed the chunks into their mouths and continued listening to the conversation just outside as Madam Pomfrey moved off to check on Ron.

'Shocking business... shocking... miracle none of them died. Never heard the like, by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape.'

'Thank you, Minister.'

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

'Thank you very much indeed, Minister.'

'Order of Merlin First Class for getting knocked out by a fourteen-year-old,' spat Y/N. Hermione gave his arm a reassuring squeeze, but shushed him.

'Black had bewitched them, I saw it immediately. A Confundus Charm, to judge by their behaviour. Perhaps they thought he was innocent. Or maybe he was attempting to indoctrinate them. Use them to allow his escape. They obviously thought they were going to catch Black single-handed or else they wouldn't have stunned me. They wanted all the glory for themselves. They've got 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 amount 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 and treat him like any other student. And any other student would 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, and I have reason to believe he has been visiting Hogsmeade illegally too-'

'Well, well… we shall see, Snape, we shall see... The boy has undoubtedly been foolish. What amazes me most is the behaviour of the Dementors. You've really no idea what made them retreat, Snape?'

'No, Minister. By the time I had come 'round, they were heading back to their positions at the entrances.'

'Extraordinary. And yet Black, Harry, Miss Granger and Mr L/N—?'

'All unconscious by the time I reached them. I bound and gagged Black, naturally, conjured stretchers, and brought them all straight back to the castle.'

'So it wasn't Snape?' hissed Y/N.

'I guess not,' whispered Hermione. 'Then what did happen? Unless Harry drove them off?'

'His Patronus was barely forming, never mind corporeal. And against over a hundred Dementors?'

He saw movement out of the corner of his eye and looked across to Harry's bed. His eyes were open and glancing blearily in his and Hermione's direction.

Y/N watched Hermione hold a finger to her lips and point towards the door. He stopped talking and let himself listen back in on Snape and Fudge's conversation as Madam Pomfrey went over to Harry's bed. Sadly, it became difficult to continue eavesdropping after that.

'Ah, you're awake!' she said briskly, now placing the chunk of chocolate down on Harry's bedside table and once more taking the hammer to it.

'How's Ron?' Harry asked.

'He'll live,' said Madam Pomfrey, looking grim. 'It's lucky some healing seems to have already been done to it. As for you three, you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're ready to go. Which will take even longer if you refuse to go to your own bed, Miss Granger. I- Potter, what do you think you're doing?'

Harry had sat up in his bed and was putting his glasses back on, before reaching over for his wand. Y/N did the same, scooping up his holster and beginning to reattach it as Hermione got to her feet.

'We need to see the Headmaster,' said Harry.

'Potter,' said Madam Pomfrey in a soothing voice. 'It's all right, they've got Black. He's locked away upstairs. The Dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now.'

'WHAT?' bellowed Harry. Y/N finished attaching his holster and his wand shot straight into his hand as he too, got to his feet.

Sadly, Harry's shout had drawn the attention of those outside and now Snape and Fudge came sweeping back into the room. Fudge looked nervous, but Snape was fixing Y/N with a look that Y/N could not read.

'Harry, Harry, what's this?' said Fudge. 'You should be in bed, has he had any chocolate?'

'Minister, listen!' Harry said. 'Sirius Black's innocent! Peter Pettigrew faked his own death! We saw him tonight! You can't let the Dementors do that thing to Sirius, he's-'

But Fudge was shaking his head with a small smile on his face.

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

'YOU HAVEN'T!' Harry yelled. 'YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG MAN!'

'Minister, listen, please,' Hermione said 'We saw him too. It was Ron's rat, he's an Animagus, Pettigrew, I mean, and-'

'You see, Minister?' said Snape. 'Confunded, both of them. No doubt Miss Granger convinced Mr L/N to attack me.'

'I'll do it again if you aren't careful, Professor,' said Y/N nastily.

'You wouldn't even get to raise your wand,' spat Snape.

Luckily, their glaring match was short-lived as the Hospital wing doors flew open and in came Professor Dumbledore.

'My apologies for the disturbance,' said Dumbledore as Madam Pomfrey looked mutinous, 'but I must have a word with Mr Potter, Mr L/N and Miss Granger. I have just been talking with Sirius Black.'

'I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he's planted in their minds?' 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.'

'Kind of hard to when you got stunned by a 3rd year, Professor.'

'Do you want me to curse you, Mr L/N?'

'Now Snape!' said Fudge, looking alarmed. 'The young boy has been through a terrible ordeal. Possibly even Confunded himself. We must take caution-'

'I would like to speak to Harry, Y/N and Hermione alone,' said Dumbledore. 'Cornelius, Severus, Poppy, please leave us.'

Madam Pomfrey did not look impressed, but she strode away into her office and closed the door behind her.

'The Dementors should have arrived by now,' said Fudge. 'I'll go and meet them. Dumbledore, I'll see you upstairs.'

He crossed to the door and held it open for Snape, but Snape 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, Y/N, and Hermione 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 Fudge was still holding. It closed behind them, and Dumbledore turned to the three of them.

Harry opened his mouth to speak at once, but Y/N stuck out an arm to stop him, his eyes fixed on Dumbledore.

'There is very little time' Dumbledore began at once, speaking quietly and in hushed tones.

'There is not a shred of proof to support Black's story, except your word and the memory from Y/N. The word of two fourteen- and one thirteen-year-old wizards will not convince anybody. And the memory only tells us that he is searching for the rat. Not who it is, and Black could just as easily have been lying. 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—' Harry began.

'Professor Lupin is currently deep in the forest, unable to tell anyone anything. By the time he 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-'

'But-'

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

'He hates Sirius,' Hermione said desperately. 'All because of some stupid trick Sirius played on him-'

'Sirius has not acted like an innocent man in public. The attack on the Fat Lady, breaking out of Azkaban. And if not for Y/N's intervention, he'd have marched into your dormitory knife drawn. Without Pettigrew, alive or dead, we have no chance of overturning Sirius's sentence.'

'But you believe us?' asked Y/N.

'Yes, I do,' said Dumbledore quietly. 'But I have no power to make other men see the truth, or to overrule the Minister of Magic.'

Y/N's mind was racing. There had to be something, anything. It couldn't just end like this? They needed to help Sirius. They had to.

'What we need,' said Dumbledore slowly, and his light blue eyes moved from Harry to Y/N and Hermione, 'is more time.'

'Of course!' cried Y/N.

'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, all of you: you must not be seen. You know the law. You know what is at stake...You - must - not - be - seen.'

Dumbledore turned and strode away, and Y/N turned excitedly towards Hermione who was now reaching down the front of her robes for the golden necklace.

'I am going to lock you in. It is-' Dumbledore consulted his watch, '-five minutes to midnight. Three turns should do it. Good luck.'

'Good luck?' asked Harry, turning to face them, but Y/N pointed his wand at the necklace chain around Hermione's neck.

'Engorgio!' he said.

The chain around Hermione's neck expanded. Whilst both Hermione and Y/N could fit in it, they normally had to be stood quite close and Y/N wasn't quite sure he wanted to be that close to Harry or have Harry that close to Hermione.

Hermione stepped forward and threw it over Y/N's neck as he beckoned Harry over.

'Head in Potter,' said Y/N, throwing the chain over his neck too. Harry looked bewildered and then glanced down at the circular hourglass residing within the time-turner.

'What are we doing?' he asked, but Hermione wasn't listening. She span the necklace three times.

The familiar feeling of being sucked backwards enveloped him. Colour and sound whizzed by in a blur. Everything looked sped up and yet unfocused. Then they came to a stop just off the top of the Entrance Hall, crouching behind the staircase.

'Come on,' whispered Hermione as she unslung the chain from around their necks and moved off to enter the Entrance Hall, but Y/N seized her and dragged her back. 'What?'

'For one, a couple of Hufflepuffs are about to cross there and for two, I'm disillusioned down there,' he whispered. 'We walk out and I'll see us.'

'Oh god I completely forgot,' she whispered, clasping a hand to her mouth. 'Thank goodness you're here.'

'Would either of you like to explain what's going on?' asked Harry, looking slightly irritated now.

'Reckon we've got about five minutes before we reach Hagrid's hut, so I'll keep it quick,' said Y/N, turning to face Harry. 'Me and Hermione got given a Time-Turner to get to our classes. That's how we kept being at several at the same time. We'd go sit one, rewind time and go to a different one. We've been doing it all year.'

'Wait… so we're in the past?' asked Harry, his mouth hanging open.

'3 hours in the past to be exact,' said Hermione, watching anxiously down into the Entrance Hall. 'We really are obvious in that cloak,' she muttered as a foot fluttered into view.

'But why have we gone this far back?' asked Harry. 'How's this going to help Sirius?'

'We need a way to get Sirius out of Flitwick's tower…' said Y/N, trailing off.

Hermione gasped so loudly that Y/N shot his wand into his hand, glancing around anxiously.

'What was that for?' he asked exasperatedly as he saw the coast was clear.

'Buckbeak!' she cried.

'Of course!' said Harry. 'We can fly Buckbeak up to his window.'

'How are we going to get him out of Hagrid's garden?' hissed Y/N. 'We'd have about 30 seconds and you heard Sirius, he was there to watch it too.'

'Yes, but he left when he heard us leaving, remember? He heard that we had Scabbers and followed us,' said Hermione.

'And from what Dumbledore was saying we'll need to go after we've left anyway,' said Harry. '"We must not be seen".'

Y/N bit his lip. Risky was his forte. But breaking international wizarding law?

'Y/N,' whispered Hermione. He lowered his head towards her and she cupped her hands so Harry couldn't hear. 'If you saw you, what do you think you'd do?'

'I'd assume it was the Time-Turner,' he hissed back.

'Exactly, so we only need to make sure Harry isn't seen. If we catch sight of us, we'll assume we're doing something and try to forget it. I certainly wouldn't kill me whilst I know we have this.' She jingled the chain loosely.

'Yeah, okay. We're here now anyway,' said Y/N. 'I'm going to go on ahead so I don't need to feel the cloak-'

'The cloak!' yelled Harry, his hand flying to his head. 'I forgot it!'

'What do you mean you forgot it?' hissed Y/N. 'You stashed it under your robes!'

'It fell out while we were running after you!'

Y/N swore loudly.

'Fine. We're going on foot.' His wand was still in his hand from when Hermione had gasped and he now twirled it around, before gently rapping it on Hermione's head. He watched as her form shimmered and vanished.

'Never going to get used to this,' said her voice as he repeated the spell on Harry. Already, Y/N could feel the effort tugging on him.

'One more,' he muttered through gritted teeth as with one final flourish he too vanished. His vanishment wasn't as good as Harry and Hermione's. Bits of him kept flashing into existence for brief seconds making him look almost like a ghost who wasn't quite sure how transparency worked.

'Come on,' whispered Hermione, hooking an arm around him, and making Y/N jump. 'Sorry,' she added in a whisper.

Together, the three of them slipped out of the school and made their way around by the greenhouses watching the grounds carefully. Y/N knew he'd walked further out this way, trying to keep a distance between himself and the cloak. It was much safer back here, and hopefully they were far enough back that he couldn't sense… him?

'Good thing I didn't look around too much,' he muttered to the invisible bushy haired girl around his arm. 'I reckon I'd be able sense these.'

'Can you sense disillusionment charms?' whispered Hermione.

'If I pay attention yeah, but this is OWL magic, and I've just cast it three times and still need to reverse it. This is going to take a toll.'

'Maybe you won't be so quick to hop on the back of the Sirius this time.'

'In my defence-'

'Mmmmhmmm?' said Hermione after a brief pause.

'I've got nothing.'

The punch was worse when he couldn't see it coming.

'Okay, point taken.'

'Will you two shut up,' came Harry's hiss. 'We don't want to get caught.'

'We're not going to,' hissed Y/N back. He pointed towards Hagrid's hut, then realised he was invisible. 'Look at Hagrid's door,' he added as he heard Hermione giggle.

The door had just swung open and Hagrid's head was poking out, muttering something.

He was there for a few moments, before he gave a small start and snapped his door shut.

'Come on, we'll hide out on the edge of the forest,' said Y/N.

Together, the three of them gave a wide berth around the outside of Hagrid's hut and arrived just alongside the stretch of grass between the Pumpkin Patch and the Forbidden Forest.

'Shouldn't we get in the trees?' whispered Harry.

'For one, we're practically invisible,' said Y/N confidently as his hand flashed into view, 'and for two, Sirius is in there somewhere. We don't want to run into him this early. Although…' he said as his entire upper arm flashed into view.

'What?' asked Harry.

'I'm useless like this. And someone will need to be able to see Buckbeak.' And with a twirl of his wand and a light tap to his head he faded back into view-

-only to be immediately yanked backwards into the brush by an invisible Hermione.

'Ow,' he muttered, rubbing the back of his head. 'Reckon you've done more damage than the willow and the Dementors combined at the moment, 'Mione.'

He felt her give a swift kiss to his forehead. That was probably her way of an apology. It wasn't enough, but she had to start somewhere.

'This is so weird,' said Harry, who sounded a little bit higher up than the others.

'I know, you really are scrawny, aren't you?' muttered Y/N.

'Not that,' said Harry impatiently. 'Well, kind of that. Have you guys run into yourselves before?'

'Once or twice in passing. Normally if we stop off in a classroom. We just ignore us. As long as no one is nearby obviously. So far no one has been. And we kind of know to delay ourselves if we see ourselves? If you get what I mean.'

'Kind of,' said Harry as they heard something smash inside the hut. 'Wait, you're about to find Scabbers, aren't you?'

'I believe so,' said Hermione.

'What if I was to just run in, grab him, and then we could-'

'Cease to exist, 'cause we'd never end up in the Shack, never get a confession out of Sirius, we'd traumatise our past selves and Hagrid and cause of violation of wizarding law. Not counting the fact both versions of me would definitely hex you,' said Y/N darkly as a squeal came from inside the hut.

'Alright alright!' said Harry's voice. 'It was just a thought.'

'We told you, we can't be seen,' said Hermione. She wrapped herself tighter around Y/N's arm and placed a soft kiss against his cheek. He had to fight to stop himself turning to her and doing it properly.

Not least of all cause a split-second later and he was lying flat on his stomach. Three small specs had just exited the castle and were moving across the grounds.

'Y/N?' came Hermione's voice from above him.

He pointed towards the specs and then muttered, 'And come more this way. Sirius will be appearing off to our right in a minute. I saw his eyes when I left.'

Y/N watched as Hagrid's backdoor opened and winced as he felt the pulse of the cloak exiting. He heard the bush off to their right shuffle slightly and assumed that was Sirius moving around to give chase to them.

'It's okay, Beaky, It's okay...' said Hagrid, before looking vaguely around. 'Go on, Get goin'.'

'Hagrid, we can't- '

'We'll tell them what really happened-'

'They can't kill him-'

'We don't have time, guys.' He heard the shake in his own voice. It hurt to hear it. Not least of all because he knew how he'd feel a few moments from now. And he really hoped he could stop it for being for good reason.

'Go!' said Hagrid fiercely. 'It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!'

He heard a faint stomping sound and then felt the presence of the cloak begin to move off as a knock rang out from Hagrid's front door.

Hagrid stepped away from his back door and pulled it closed with a dull thunk. Y/N heard his front door open and several sets of footsteps across wooden surfaces.

'Where is the beast?' came a cold voice.

'Out- outside,' muttered Hagrid.

A few moments later and the face of Macnair, the executioner appeared at the window. He felt his stomach tighten. He didn't like the look in his eyes. It was twisted, sadistic.

'We… well, we 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 meant to listen as well. Follow procedure,' came the weedy voice of the Committee member.

Macnair's face vanished and Y/N scrambled to his feet at once and vaulted the fence into the pumpkin patch.

He could hear Fudge rambling on inside, official decision this, with great remorse that. He didn't care. It was Buckbeak he needed to focus on.

The great Hippogriff turned its eyes to look at Y/N who bowed low. The Hippogriff sized him up for a few seconds… and did not bow.

Oh no.

Confidence. Confidence is key for these beasts. He kept himself bowed low holding eye contact with Buckbeak. It took a while. Far longer than Y/N was comfortable with. The fear was no doubt making Buckbeak uneasy. But a moment later and Buckbeak lowered its head. Y/N charged forward and untied the rope holding Buckbeak.

'Well, let's get this over with,' said the voice of the Committee member. 'Hagrid, perhaps it would be better if you stayed inside.'

'No, I-I wan' ter be with him... I don' wan' him ter be alone-'

Shit.

Footsteps rang out across Hagrid's hut, getting louder

'One moment, please, Macnair,' came Dumbledore's voice. 'You need to sign too.'

Y/N let out a breath that felt like five and quickly tugged on Buckbeak's rope. Buckbeak got to his feet and allowed Y/N to lead him out of the paddock. He led the Hippogriff around and out at a low jog just into the cover of the treeline as the backdoor swung open.

Y/N practically dived into a bush as the entire clearing rang with the silence. Then-

'Where is it? Where is the beast?' asked the Committee member.

'It was tied here!' said Macnair savagely. 'I saw it! Just here!'

'How extraordinary,' came Dumbledore's voice, was he trying to supress a laugh?

'Beaky!' said Hagrid huskily.

Y/N had not been prepared for this and he stuck his feet against the nearby tree root to provide support as Buckbeak began to tug on the rope, trying to return to Hagrid, but Y/N held fast.

There was a swishing noise and the thud of an axe. Macnair had apparently simply swung the weapon into a tree stump.

This was followed immediately by an almost strained howl from Hagrid. Y/N was surprised he hadn't heard it before. But by this point, him and Hermione were no doubt collapsing in each other's arms.

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

'Hagrid for the love of- ' snarled Y/N as Buckbeak made a fresh attempt at returning to the Gamekeeper.

'Someone untied him!' bellowed Macnair. '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. '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...'

Y/N listened closely at the crunching of grass, the sound of feet on wood and finally the snap of Hagrid's backdoor closing.

Then he heard footsteps behind him and felt a presence. Buckbeak felt it too and he wheeled around.

'Stop!' hissed Y/N. 'He can't see you. He won't like it. Place your hands on me.'

One rested gingerly on his shoulder whilst the other slid lovingly down his chest.

'I really hope you're the order I think you are,' he said with a twirl of his wand as Harry's arm and body came into view. He took his hand off Y/N's shoulder with a confused look.

''Mione's-' was all he managed before a full presence wrapped around his body. He gave a laugh and began twirling his wand. He'd just finished the incantation when something crashed against his lips. He let out a small laugh and kissed back as he tapped his wand on the head of his girlfriend, and she faded back into view.

'Ah,' said Harry as the two broke apart. 'Yeah, that wasn't me.'

'I figured as much, mate,' said Y/N. 'Come on, let's get a good look at the Willow.'

The three of them and Buckbeak moved through the outskirts of the forest and arrived at a position where they could see the four of them up the grounds. Y/N watched as Hermione seemed to be hugging the air and then saw as Ron materialised. A moment later and something big and black slunk out of the trees nearby, crouched low, its eyes locked on the group.

Y/N heard his own voice call something and figured he'd just slowed Crookshanks and the dog burst into a sprint. He watched Ron move aside as Y/N faded into view, watched Sirius stop and examine him and then place two paws flat against his chest and send Y/N crashing to the floor.

'This is weird' said Harry. 'It looks so much worse from here.'

Y/N gritted his teeth as he heard Hermione's squeal of pain and watched both her and Harry hit the floor as the red hair beacon that was Ron began drifting towards the tree.

Next, it was Hermione's turn to squeal 'Y/N!' weakly from next to him as he dashed between her and the falling branch, he watched it rake across and definitely saw the branch looked slightly shinier now at the point where it'd hit him.

'I didn't realise it was that bad,' he said genuinely.

'That tree hurts,' said Harry as the red hair vanished under the roots.

The tree was creaking in the night, lashing left and right. Y/N watched himself charge forward and be battered around. He might have chosen to punch a dragon for all it looked like he was doing. He watched the tree rise up for a full smash down onto him. Watched Hermione charge forward…

And heard as the creaking came to a halt.

'I owe Crookshanks for that one,' said Y/N.

'Stop running off alone and we could have helped,' Hermione said sniffily, she apparently hadn't taken well to watching him be battered about a second time. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in close. She allowed her head to fall sideways onto his shoulder and Y/N watched as the three of them vanished into the trunk.

'Right then,' said Y/N, now turning to look at Harry. 'So, what the bloody hell happened at the lake?'