Dungeons weeks later. Since that day, that was the last time Snape's talk to Hermione. If they bump into each other, she quickly turns her way and walks to the other side. She must know the students, and the teachers talk about her and Snape this lately.

Love between student and professor is not allowed from the ministry. Not until Hermione finishes her school and has a job.

Snape watches her from the window. Harry stood watching Hermione and Ron from the clock tower.

Hermione and Ron go to Hogsmeade village. "Come on, Ron. I'm gonna show you something that I really want to see it".

"Okay".

Shrieking shack later. At this elevation, the mist hangs in thick, undulating veils, the Shrieking Shack an eerie silhouette in the gloom.

Ron and Hermione stand stiffly, attempting, as best they can, to conceal the fact that, basically, they're scared stiff.

"It's meant to be the most haunted building in Britain. Did I mention that?"

"Twice".

Chuckles. "Do you want to move a bit closer? To the Shrieking Shack?" They take a step. One step. Stop dead.

"Actually, I'm fine here".

Just then, voices echo and three figures appear over the rise, phantoms in the mist. Malfoy. Crabbe. Goyle. Pike.

"Well, well. Look who's here. You two shopping for your new dream home? Bit grand for you, isn't it, Weasle-Bee? Don't your family sleep in one room?"

"Shut your mouth, Malfoy!"

Draco clicking his tongue. "Not very friendly. Boys, I think it's time we teach Weasle-Bee how to respect his superiors''.

"Hope you don't mean yourself".

Malfoy's eyes shift, regard Hermione with disgust. "How dare you talk to me! You filthy little mudblood!"

SPLAT!

Malfoy takes a snowball to the grill. Splutters. "Who is that?" Malfoy glances in confusion, when - SPLAT!SPLAT! - he takes two more.

Hermione and Ron glance about uneasily.

"Don't stand there! Do something!"

"What?"

Crabbe and Goyle start for Ron and Hermione, when -FLUMPH! Their knees go out and they fall head first into the snow.

Draco begins to back away fearfully, eying the mist... "What's up, Malfoy? Lost your skis?"

Malfoy's ski mask is pulled over his eyes, he's spun about, given a rough kick to the ass and sent stumbling over the rise and out of sight.

Instantly, Crabbe andGoyle join him. "Get out of the way! Move!"

"Malfoy! Wait! Wait!"

Ron stands frozen. Hermione laughed. "Harry!" The Invisibility Cloak drops. Sure enough. Harry grinning.

"Bloody hell, Harry. That was not funny". But he's smiling. They all are.

Moments later. The trio trudge through the swirling snow . Harry's donned Hermione's scarf and Ron's hat to disguise himself.

"Those weasels! Never told me about any Marauder's Map".

"He won't keep it. He'll turn it over to Professor McGonagall. Aren't you?"

"Sure. Along with his Invisibility Cloak".

The trio stop. Hermione smiles at someone. "Look who it is. Madam Rosmerta. Ron fancies her".

"That's not true!"

Up ahead Cornelius Fudge emerges from a Ministry sleigh as Hagrid swings the door clear and with unfortunate ease rips it clean off the fittings.

Fudge joins McGonagall and a curvy barmaid outside the three Broomsticks Pub.

Fudge looks around nervously, then jerks his head toward the pub. As he leads Rosmerta and McGonagall inside.

"Harry!" He's gone. Footprints track through the snow, into the pub.

As he threads through the teeming pub, past a sign No Underage Wizards and nearly collides with some very strange looking patrons.

Ron and Hermione ripple briefly past a frosted window, then... three Shrunken heads swing into view...

No underage wizards allowed in today!

Shut the damn door!

"So rude!" Hermione slammed the door shut.

"Thick heads".

Thick heads?!

How dare they! Who are they calling thick heads? Young whippersnappers!

Moments later. "Ron, look!" Hermione points at the footprints that appear in the snow.

Harry under his invisibility cloak pushes the choir as Hermione and Ron until they leave the frame. "Sorry. Excuse me, excuse me".

"Merry Christmas".

Then holds on a poster of BLACK, fluttering against a lamppost: Have you seen this wizard?

At the end of a rocky outcrop , the footprints end and sobs are heard. Ron takes Hermione's arm, discouraging her from going further, but she does, filling the footprints with her own, then kneeling and very gently drawing the cloak from Harry.

He stares into the mist, eyes stinging with tears. "Harry, what happened?"

"He was their friend... and he betrayed them. He was their friend!"

Harry's eyes hardened. "I hope he finds me. Because when he does, I'm gonna be ready! When he does, I'm gonna kill him!"

Hogwarts castle. Days. Slope. The trio make their way down the slope. Hermione smiles at the weather..

"Beautiful day. Gorgeous".

"Unless you've been ripped to pieces!"

Harry frowned. "Ripped to pieces? What are you talking about?"

"Ronald has lost his rat".

"I haven't lost anything! Your cat killed him!"

"Rubbish".

"Harry, you've seen the way that blood thirsty beast of hers... is always lurking about. And Scabbers is gone".

"Well, maybe you should take better care of your pets!"

"Your cat killed him!"

"Did not".

"Did".

"Didn't".

Ron stops, wishes he could take it back. They all wish he could. Avoiding each other's eyes, they turn, continue on.

Moments later. Black lake. Hagrid, wearing a gigantic, hairy brown suit and perhaps the world's ugliest yellow and orange tie, stands knee deep in the shallows of the Black Lake, skimming rocks as big as flagstones across the water's shiny gloss.

As he turns, the trio catches a brief sight of his eyes, red with tears, then he looks away

"How did it go, Hagrid? The hearing?"

"Well, first off, the committee members took turns... talking about why we were there. I got up and did my piece. Said how Buckbeak... was a good hippogriff, always cleaned his feathers. And then Lucius Malfoy got up. Well, you can imagine. He said Buckbeak was a deadly and dangerous creature... who would kill you as soon as he saw you".

"And then?"

Hagrid slings another rock into water. "And then he asked for the worst, did old Lucius".

"They're not sacking you!"

"No, I'm not sacked. Buckbeak's been sentenced to death!" Hagrid cried.

After meeting with Hagrid, the trio return to the castle. Hermione is still angry about how old Lucius Malfoy behaved.

Like father, like son.

"They can't do that! Buckbeak behaves well. We were there.. we saw that.. Malfoy is the one approaching Buckbeak with threat".

"What we can do to save Buckbeak, Hermione. Nothing. You hear what Hagrid said earlier ''.

"That's why we need to save Buckbeak".

"Like how?" asks Ron. "Fudge will be there, witness Buckbeak's head being cut off". He stared. "What will Snape do about it?"

Hermione gasps. "There's nothing to do with Snape, Ron!"

"True. They talk about you and Snape. Why that git grab your arm, Hermione? What did you do wrong!"

"Honestly Ron. Is nothing. I was there and nothing happened between us".

"Nothing happened? He grabbed you, Hermione. Have you lost your mind!"

Hermione shakes her head, turns her feet. Then she stops, turns to Harry and Ron.

"Well come on then.."