When the five of them left the hospital wing the following morning, it was to a deserted castle. The summer sun was beating down upon Hogwarts and the students were making the most of their last Hogsmeade trip of the year. None of them felt like going and so they wandered the grounds.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry." Freya cried, running into Bella's arms. "I should have been there."

"It's okay." Bella reassured her. "How's Fred?"

"He's okay." Freya replied. "Worried about you guys but he's okay."

They sat by the lake, watching the Giant Squid drifting lazily on the surface of the water. Bella and Hermione had just finished telling Freya everything that had happened the night before when a shadow fell over them. They looked up to see a bleary-eyed Hagrid, wiping his sweaty face on his handkercheif, beaming down at them.

"Know I shouldn' feel happy, after wha' happened las' night -" Hagrid said. "I mean, Black escapin' an' everythin' - but guess what?"

"What?" they all said, pretending to seem curious.

"Beaky! He escaped! He's free! Bin celebratin' all night!"

"That's wonderful!" Hermione said.

Bella elbowed Ron in the ribs as he looked fit to burst with laughter.

"Yeah... cant've tied him up properly." Hagrid said, gazing happily out over the grounds. "I was worried this mornin', mind ... thought he mighta met Professor Lupin in the grounds, but Lupin says he never ate anythin' las' night."

"What?" Harry said quickly.

"Blimey, haven' yeh heard?" Hagrid said, his smaile fading a little. He lowered his voice even though they were the only people there. "Er - Snape told all the Slytherins this mornin' ... thought everyone'd know by now ... Professor Lupin's a werewolf, see. An' he was loose in the grounds las' night. He's packin' now, o' course."

"He's packing?" Harry said, alarmed. "Why?"

"Leavin', isn' he? "Hagrid said, looking shocked that Harry had asked. "Says he can' risk it happenin' again."

Harry scrambled to his feet.

"I'm going to see him." he said firmly.

"But if he's resigned -"

"- doesn't sound like there's anything we can do -"

"I don't care." Harry said sharply. "I still want to see him. I'll see you later."


As the end of term approached, they heard many different theories of what exactly had happened that night with Sirius Black. Only Harry, Hermione, Ron, Bella, Freya, Emily and Professor Dumbledore knew the absolute truth and Bella found it amusing to hear everyone's wild theories.

In public, Draco made a huge spectacle of being utterly furious that Buckbeak had escaped. However, in private, he had an air of indifference.

"What actually happened?" Draco asked Bella the next time he saw her.

"I don't know. I was with you." Bella reminded him.

"But -"

"I don't know." she chuckled.

"I see the less likeable Weasley didn't die." Draco said.

"If that's your way of asking how Ron is -" Bella said with a chuckle. "- he's fine."

Percy was the most vocal of the entire school on the subject of Sirius Black.

"If I manage to get into the Ministry, I'll have a lot of proposals to make about Magical Law Enforcement!" he told the only person willing to listen to him - his girlfriend, Penelope.

The exam results came out on the last day of term. Bella and the others had passed every subject, much to their surprise. Percy had achieved his top-grade N.E. ; Fred and George jad scraped a handful of O. between them. Gryffindor House, mainly thanks to their spectacular performance in the Quidditch Cup, had won the House Championship for the third year running. This meant that the end-of-term feast took place amid decorations of scarlett and gold, and the Gryffindor table was the nosiest of the lot.


As the Hogwarts Express rolled away from the platform the next morning, Hermione told them some very shocking news indeed.

"I went to see Professor McGongall this morning, just before breakfast. I've decided to drop Muggle Studies."

"But you passed your exam with three hundred and twenty percent!" Ron said.

"I know -" she sighed. "but I can't stand another year like this one. That Time-Turner, it was driving me mad. I've handed it in. Without Muggle Studies and Divination, I'll be able to have a normal timetable again."

"I still can't believe you didn't tell us." Ron grumbled. "We're supposed to be your friends."

"I promised I wouldn't tell anyone." Hermione said honestly.

Bella noticed Harry had a far-away look in his eyes as he watched Hogwarts disappear behind a mountain.

"Oh, cheer up, Harry." Bella said sadly.

"I'm okay." Harry said quickly. "Just thinking about the holidays."

"Yeah, I've been thinking about them too." Ron said. "Harry, you've got to come and stay with us. I'l sort it with mum and dad."

"You should all come!" Bella said enthusiastically.

"Would your mum and dad let us all come and stay?" Freya asked.

"Without a doubt." Bella said.

"Mum would love it." Ron added. "It's the Quidditch World Cup this summer! How about it? Come and stay, and we'll go and see it! Dad can usually get tickets from work."

"Yeah -" Harry said, a smile creeping up his cheeks. "I bet the Dursleys'd be pleased to get rid of me ... especially after what I done to Aunt Marge."

The atmosphere in the compartment was a lot cheerier now as they played several games of Exploding Snap. A few hours later and something caught Hermione eye and piqued her curiosity.

"Harry." she said suddenly, peering over his shoulder. "What's that outside your window?"

Every eye turned to the window. Something very small and grey was bobbing in and out of sight beyond the glass. Harry stood for a better look, straining his neck to see the small grey thing outside. Harry hurriedly opened the window and reached his arm out, catching whatever was outside in the palm of his hand. He pulled the small fluffy thing into the compartment and Bella noticed it was, in fact, a small owl, carrying a letter that was much too big for it.

The owl dropped its letter onto Harry's seat and began zooming around the compartment, obviously very pleased it had accomplished its task. Hedwig clicked her beak with a sort of dignified disapproval. Crookshanks sat up in his seat, following the owl with his large yellow eyes. Ron, noticing this, snatched the owl safely out of harm's way. Harry picked up the letter, tore it open and his eyes widened in surprise.

"It's from Sirius." he said quietly.

"Go on then -" Ron said excitedly. "Read it to us!"

'Dear Harry,

I hope this finds you before you reach your Aunt and Uncle. I don't know whether they're used to owl post. Buckbeak and I are in hiding. I won't tell you where, in case this falls into the wrong hands. I have some doubt about the owls reliability, but he is the best I could find, and he did seem eager for the job. I believe the Dementors are still searching for me, but they haven't a hope of finding me here. I am planning to allow some Muggles to glimpse me soon, a long way from Hogwarts, so that the security on the castle will be lifted. There is somethign I never got round to telling you about during out brief meeting. It was I who sent you the Firebolt -'

"Ha!" Hermione cried triumphantly. "See! I told you it was from him!"

"Yes, but he hadn't jinxed it, had he?" Ron said.

"Let's not fight again." Bella chuckled.

"Ouch!" Ron yelled. The tiny owl, now hooting happily in his hand, had nipped his finger in what was meant to be an affectionate way.

'Crookshanks took the order to the Owl Office for me. I used your name but told them to take the golf from Gringotts vault number seven hundred and eleven - my own. Please consider it as thirteen birthdays' worth of presents from your Godfather. I woudl also like to apologise for the fright I think I gave you, that night last year when you left your uncle's house. I had only hoped to get a glimpse of you before starting my journey north, but I think the sight of me alarmed you. I am enclosing something else for you, which I think will make your next year at Hogwarts more enjoyable. If you ever need me, send word. Your owl will find me. I'll write again soon. Sirius'

Harry's eyes widened again as he pulled another slip of parchment from inside the envelope.

'I, Sirius Black, Harry Potter's Godfather, hereby give him permission to visit Hogsmeade at weekends'

"That'll be good enough for Dumbledore." Harry beamed. "Hang on, there's a PS..."

'I thought your friend Ron might like to keep this owl, as it's my fault he no longer has a rat'

It was now Ron's eyes that widened.

"Keep him?" Ron said undertainly. He looked to Bella with a mix of horror and curiosity in his eyes and to everyone's surprise, held the small owl out for Crookshanks to sniff.

"What d'you reckon?" Ron asked Crookshanks. "Definitely an owl?"

Crookshanks purred.

"That's good enough for me." Ron said happily. "I'll keep him."

Around ten minutes later and the Hogwarts Express rode to a halt.

"Next year will be better." Bella said to Harry as they stepped up to the barrier of platform nine and three-quarters. "Just you wait and see, Harry."