Draco had taken Slytherin's loss badly. Flint blamed him for losing focus at the last moment, for allowing Harry to catch up and eventually knock his hand out of the way. Flint blamed the whole team, except for himself, everyone had done something wrong.

"Don't listen to him." Jade tried to cheer him up the next day.

"I'm not, he's a prat," Draco told her but he didn't talk much that day, or the next. He felt like he was a disappointment, he felt like he let his House down. But as June approached, and his birthday grew closer, his spirits started to brighten with the weather. The clouds were gone and the sun was warm for a few short days before it became uncomfortable to walk to and from classes in their long robes. Pansy had to beg them for lunch in the courtyard. Students were beginning to spend their free time outside and you had to get a good seat before it became too crowded. It was nice, Draco would never admit that Pansy had a good idea, but he was fond of sitting with his friends on the grass, and he enjoyed the moment Jade had to calm Pansy down to remove a bug that had flown into her hair. Pansy stormed off shortly after because they had been laughing at her but by the time they had to go to their next class she had already gotten over it. Exams were right around the corner, they didn't get many days to spend time outside after that week. The library quickly filled up with students and the Great Hall saw more studying than eating. Draco even saw the Weasley twins studying one day while Jade had lunch with her other friends. She claimed Granger helped her focus while Theo and Draco had kept her distracted. Draco didn't get what everyone was going on about, if they'd paid attention in class they wouldn't need to freak out and cram in hours of studying every day.

"I could help you study," Draco told Jade later that night when she was trying to write her latest essay for Potions. "I used to help you study." He moped about around the table she sat at.

"You still do, but Hermione and I don't spend much time together on our own so we have study dates in the library. It doesn't take long, she's very intelligent, you know?" She spoke to him as she finished one of the last sentences. She didn't want to dismiss him because she was almost done but she didn't want to talk because she was almost done.

"I'm very intelligent." Draco paused in front of her, his hands resting on a chair. Jade said it didn't take long but she would disappear with Granger for hours and it cut into their time. Everyone rarely saw anyone because they were off studying but on the rare occasions they were together Jade wasn't there.

"I didn't say you weren't." Jade grinned. She peeked up, he was annoyed. Draco laid off on the hateful Hermione comments ever since she smacked him. "We hang out plenty." She added as she continued to write out her train of thought. He didn't say anything, just sighed and continued his laps around the table. "Why don't you go see what Blaise is up to?" Draco appeared over her shoulder and leaned in to look at her parchment.

"You're almost done." He added before walking on.

"You don't know that." Jade watched him, "I could write more." He quirked his eyebrow at her. He knew that wasn't true. Jade was struggling just to finish this one parchment, there was no way she would willingly add more. "I'm not going to, but I could." With a final stroke of her quill, she finished and raised it up for him to see. "Besides, I think she enjoys the time away from the boys."

"Who?" Draco asked, trying to hit the parchment out of his face but Jade pulled it back before he made contact with it.

"Hermione," He groaned at the mention of her.

"Enough of that," He said dismissively and came around to grab her hand. "Let's do something."

"Where are we going?" Jade asked, struggling against his grip momentarily to grab her homework.

"Gathering the troops," He led her down to the boys' dormitories.

"Troops? Draco, exams start tomorrow." She said but Draco shushed her and continued on. Jade admitted that it was fun to spend the rest of the night with her friends. She'd had a one-track mind the past few days so it was nice to relax for a chance. But, when morning came, they all trudged down to Hagrid's Hut for Care for Magical Creatures and Jade could barely keep her eyes open.

"Beaky's gettin' a bit depressed," Hagrid told Harry on their routine walk back to the castle after class. "Bin cooped up too long. But still… we'll know day after tomorrow… one way or the other." Ron didn't speak up about any of the books he read so Jade assumed that there was nothing they could do for Buckbeak. Hagrid looked awful and being around him reminded Jade that soon Buckbeak would be gone, she wondered what would happen to the other Hippogriffs, she was sure they wouldn't be put down, but where would they go? The late night before with her friends was messing with her first exam day, she barely got in a small rest at lunch before she had to go to Potions. They were to make a Confusing Concoction and since Draco was some type of Potions genius, they rarely, if ever, failed to meet Professor Snape's expectations. Draco did most of the work because Jade kept dozing off while she was waiting to stir what was in the cauldron. Draco had nudged her awake but when she dozed off the second time, a hard jab came in her ribs that jolted her up. Professor Snape was glaring at her side but he didn't say anything as he walked away. She stayed up after that. They had their Astronomy exam at midnight which messed up her sleep schedule and the next day was just as hard as the one before. But when Thursday came, she was well-rested and determined to make up for her laziness as she tackled the last of her exams. Professor Lupin had compiled an unusual exam, definitely the most interesting. It was some sort of obstacle course outside in the blazing sun. They were to wade across a deep paddling pool containing a Grindylow, cross a series of potholes full of Red Caps, squish their way across a patch of marsh while ignoring misleading directions from a Hinkypunk, then climb into an old trunk and battle with a new Boggart. It was physically demanding and Jade was exhausted as she dragged herself through the patch of marsh.

"Get off of me you asshole!" Pansy snarled as a Red Cap grabbed onto her leg and she sent a knockback jinx at it.

"This is just…" Draco's sentence died off in a growl as he trudged on at Jade's side, they were both wet and filthy but it was bothering him more than it was her. The Hinkypunk had been busy pestering other students but when it found Draco and Jade it drifted over to them and flew around Draco's head. "Piss off!" The Hinkypunk let out a loud screech and they both covered their ears as they tried getting through the marsh and away from the creature. They were at the end, only the Boggart was left. Jade hadn't thought about what her most awful fear could be since the lesson on Boggarts and she couldn't think of anything. Of course, Voldemort came to mind, but what exactly would she see, she never saw him before.

"Good luck." She told Draco as he tried to gather his breath before going in.

"Good luck." He repeated and Jade looked off into the short distance between the trunk and Professor Lupin, who smiled encouragingly at them. Only a few other students had finished before them and the competitive side to Jade sent her forward and into the trunk. She was worried about the space but when she got inside she climbed down a ladder that led her to a large dull cement room where a small wardrobe sat alone. The environment itself put Jade on edge but she reminded herself that was the idea, to overcome her fears. There was a small rattle and then the doors of the wardrobe slowly creaked open, Jade held her wand out in front of her. A familiar figure stepped out.

"Dad?" She called, squinting in the dim room. Her father stepped towards her and then stood a few feet in front of her. She didn't understand, she wasn't afraid of her father.

"Jade." He sighed. "Look at you." He gestured to her sweat-stained hair and her dirty clothes. She immediately tried to fix the wild mess on top of her head. "How are your exams going?" He took a few steps closer and then began to circle her, she moved with him, keeping him in her sight.

"Fine." She replied shortly.

"Fine?" He scoffed, "Why did I expect more? You're such a disappointment." She stopped, looking at her father who looked at her with such a disgusted expression. "Why do I keep getting my hopes up that you'll be extraordinary? You were put in Slytherin after all. Should've just disowned you right then."

"Dad?" She whispered past the large lump forming in her throat. "I'm doing well, I am! I'm one of the first to finish this exam."

"But not the first." He pointed out. "Never the first."

"Daddy?" She called to him as he disappeared into the large shadows in the room.

"Rodrick was always first." A new voice spoke, a sweeter voice.

"Mum?" Her mother came out of the shadow with a sad look in her eyes.

"Where did I go wrong with you?" She stared at Jade and Jade could feel her heart thump heavily in her chest.

"You didn't."

"Look at your friends!" She sighed, exasperated. "Parkinson, Zabini, Malfoy." She made a disgusted noise. "We raised you better, now you're going to end up just like them."

"They're wonderful students." Jade protested.

"Now. You have no idea what he's capable of."

"Lucius?" Jade froze. "What about him?"

"You'll end up just like them. I'd rather see you dead." A silent tear fell from her eyes and she chased her mother's retreating figure into the shadow.

"Don't say that!" She yelled and felt a strong hand grasp around her neck and it shoved her back against a wall.

"It's the truth." In the dim light, she saw her brother's face inches from hers. "You're such a disappointment. You ruined this family when you went to Hogwarts. I wish you were never born."

"Rodrick." She struggled against his grasp as her nails dug into his fingers. "Please." She gasped.

"We don't love you." His nose touched hers, his breath falling onto her cheeks.

"Get off of me!" She began to panic and kicked out at him, landing a firm kick to his groin and he released her. Jade whipped out her wand, "Riddikulus!" The hoarse word escaped her throat and her brother turned into a memory, he was now a few years younger and wearing a hideous sweater that their mother had bought him for Christmas. He started dancing just as he had years ago and a smile slowly came to Jade's mouth. He was jerking around more than dancing, but with the dramatic expressions on his face as his foot jerked out and his hands flew in the air, you couldn't tell him that he was a horrid dancer. The previous danger left her mind as she began to laugh. It started small but then soon she was doubled over as he caught himself before falling and then returned to his dance, pretending he hadn't missed a step and almost fell on his face. Her brother exploded into a large cloud of smoke and she paused and straightened out, a sense of clarity unfogging her mind. It was the Boggart, she had let it trick her. It was always the Boggart, it was never her family. She took a few seconds to collect herself, allow herself a few moments to get over the words the Boggart had said, they were supposed to get under her skin, they were supposed to distract her long enough till it had killed her, that's why it hurt. She then turned and climbed the ladder out of the trunk to a small crowd of applause. She smiled at Professor Lupin.

"Well done, Jade! Well done!" He enthusiastically patted her shoulder as she passed him and stood next to Draco.

"How was it?" He asked.

"Fine."

"You were in there a while."

"Yeah." He took a step from her side and looked at her funny. "What?" She snapped.

"Your neck." A hand flew to her neck and she tried to pull her shirt collar up but it fell right back down. She took her hair out from her ponytail and let it fall around her.

"Become all perceptive now, have you?" She mumbled.

"Always been perceptive." He replied. "If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine, just making sure you're alright."

"What about you?" She asked. "What did Draco Malfoy see?" He turned away from her then.

"You could probably guess." She regretted snapping on him, she wasn't the only one put through her greatest fear, they all had gone through it.

"I'm sorry." She told him and he smirked.

"It's fine."

"Excellent, Harry!" Lupin boomed as Harry climbed out of the trunk, grinning. "Full marks." Harry quickly joined the rest of them and he gave Jade a small nod before standing next to Lupin, waiting for the others. They were allowed to leave once they finished but Jade wanted to wait for her friends so she hung around with Draco for a while. Ron finished first, then Hermione, then Blaise, Theo, and finally Pansy. The way up to the castle was filled with conversation about what they'd noticed while they were doing the obstacle course. They were commenting on how out of breath Draco had been, how angry he was about his dirty clothes, how Theo had yelped loudly when a Red Cap jumped out of the ground right next to him, or how Pansy broke down momentarily when she got stuck in the marsh. Jade's joyous mood slowly subsided as she noticed Cornelius Fudge at the castle's entrance. He was turned towards them, looking out at the grounds.

"Hello there, Harry!" She heard him greet Harry. "Just had an exam, I expect? Nearly finished?" Jade let her friends go on without her and melted into the background with Ron and Hermione as Cornelius Fudge spoke to Harry. "Lovely day," said Fudge, casting an eye over the lake. "Pity… pity…" He sighed deeply and looked down at Harry. "I'm here on an unpleasant mission, Harry. The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures required a witness to the execution of a mad Hippogriff. As I needed to visit Hogwarts to check on the Black situation, I was asked to step in."

"Does that mean the appeal's already happened?" Ron interrupted, stepping forward.

"No, no, it's scheduled for this afternoon," Fudge told him, looking curiously at Ron.

"Then you might not have to witness an execution at all!" Ron said bravely. "The Hippogriff might get off." Before Fudge could answer, two wizards came through the castle doors behind him. One was very old, the other was tall and very muscular. Jade didn't like the sight of either of them.

"Dear, dear, I'm getting too old for this… Two o'clock, isn't it, Fudge?" The old man spoke quietly. The younger man was fingering something in his belt, Jade's eyes widened when they landed on what he was messing with. A large, shiny, and very sharp-looking ax sat there. Ron opened his mouth again but Hermione grabbed his elbow and led him into the Entrance Hall, Jade and Harry followed closely behind.

"Why'd you stop me?" Ron jerked out of her grasp as they walked to the Great Hall for lunch. "Did you see them? They've even got the ax ready! This isn't justice!"

"Ron, your dad works for the Ministry, you can't go saying things like that to his boss!" Hermione pointed out. Jade had forgotten that and by the looks of it, so did Ron. Even though Hermione spoke against Ron's actions and pulled him away it didn't mean she didn't agree with him, she looked very upset herself. "As long as Hagrid keeps his head this time, and argues his case properly, they can't possibly execute Buckbeak…" She said the words but Jade could tell she really didn't believe them. Everyone around them was in a good mood, happy to finish their exams that afternoon, none of them aware that an innocent Hippogriff, a beautiful and (believe it or not) friendly creature, was going to be put to death soon. Lunch went by quickly and then it was time for Divination. Jade joined Harry and Ron as they proceeded all the way up to the seventh floor, where they found many of their classmates sitting on the spiral staircase to Professor Trelawney's classroom, trying to cram in a bit of last-minute studying.

"She's seeing us all separately," Neville informed them as they looked around curiously. "Have either of you ever seen anything in a crystal ball?"

"Nope," Ron told him, he kept checking his watch. He was counting down the time until Buckbeak's appeal started. The line of people outside the classroom shortened very slowly. As each person climbed back down the silver ladder, the rest of the class buzzed,

"What did she ask? Was it okay?" But no one told them anything.

"She says the crystal ball's told her that if I tell you, I'll have a horrible accident!" Neville told them when he came back down and Jade rolled her eyes.

"That's convenient," Ron scoffed. "You know, I'm starting to think Hermione was right about her."

"Hermione's always right," Jade told him as she saw Draco and Theo talking with Pansy quietly.

"Yeah," Now Harry began checking his watch.

"What time is it?" Jade asked, he turned the face towards her. It was now two o'clock. "Wish she'd hurry up." To add to Jade's bad mood, Parvati came back down the ladder glowing with pride after her exam.

"She says I've got all the makings of a true Seer," She boasted. "I saw loads of stuff… well, good luck!"

"Ronald Weasley," Professor Trelawney called from above them. Ron grimaced at Harry and climbed the silver ladder out of sight. Then went Draco, then went Dean Thomas, then went Theo, then went Jade.

"Meet you in the Common Room," Harry muttered as Jade went past him, she nodded. Divination class was always warm because Professor Trelawney always had a fire going even in the warmer weather but today it was hot after a few minutes Jade began sweating. The curtains were closed and a constant mist of smoke floated around the room. Professor Trelawney sat at a table with a crystal ball in front of her.

"Good day, my dear," She greeted with a small smile. "If you would kindly gaze into the Orb." She gestured towards it once Jade sat down. "Take your time, now. Then tell me what you see within it." Jade froze, she'd never been able to see anything in the crystal ball before. She tried to clear her mind and took a few calming breaths to focus and stared. Hoping today would be the day she finally saw something, maybe a shadowy figure of something, a reflection of something. "Well?" Professor Trelawney prompted delicately. "What do you see?" The heat was not helping Jade focus nor was Professor Trelawney's obnoxious mouth breathing. Make something up. That's what Ron had done, but what if she made something up that made no sense?

"Water." She said after a second of pretend gazing.

"Interesting." Professor Trelawney mumbled before writing something down. "What does it resemble?" She asked. How was Jade supposed to know? She had given her water.

"Dark water." Professor Trelawney nodded, looking down.

"Think now…" She told her.

"Something in the water."

"Can you make it out?"

"A person." Jade blurted out and Professor Trelawney looked up.

"Interesting." She said again. "A single person?"

"Yes. Alone."

"What do you think it means?" She asked, scribbling onto her parchment.

"Loneliness," Jade said after thinking about the picture she created for Professor Trelawney.

"Are you experiencing this now?" Professor Trelawney asked and Jade looked up from the crystal ball.

"No." Professor Trelawney tisked before looking back down at her parchment. "But," Jade went on, in fear of messing up her figmentation, she seemed to have Trelawney hooked till now. "But I felt that way earlier, during my Defense Against the Dark Arts exam, I had to face a Boggart." Professor Trelawney smiled then and nodded.

"You could be seeing your fear for the future. You're afraid you'll end up alone, so much so, that it's the only thing you can focus on and it reflects in the crystal ball." Jade went to object but stopped herself and nodded. "Excellent. Excellent work, Miss Maddex." Professor Trelawney smiled and gestured towards the door.

"Thank you." Jade sighed in relief and quickly left.

"How'd it go?" Harry asked.

"Follow Ron's advice, she'll never notice," Jade told Harry and then went down the stairs to find the Gryffindor Common Room. She only sat with Ron for a bit before Hermione came back from her exam with awful news.

"Buckbeak…" Was all Hermione was able to get out but she didn't need to say any more than that, she gave them a note, it was from Hagrid.

Lost appeal. They're going to execute at sunset. Nothing you can do. Don't come down. I don't want you to see it. -Hagrid

The Common Room was almost empty, the students had gone off and were celebrating the end of the school year. They sat in silence, the awful thoughts invading their minds. Harry came running through only a few minutes later, "Professor Trelawney," Harry panted, "just told me-" He stopped abruptly at the sight of their faces.

"Buckbeak lost," Ron told him. "Hagrid sent this."

"We've got to go," Harry said once he finished the note. "He can't just sit there on his own, waiting for the executioner!"

"Sunset, though. We'd never be allowed… 'specially you, Harry." Ron told him. Harry hung his head and began pacing in front of them.

"If we only had the Invisibility Cloak…"

"Where is it?" Hermione asked. Harry told them about how he left it in the passageway under the one-eyed witch.

"If Snape sees me anywhere near there again, I'm in serious trouble." He finished.

"That's true," Hermione said, getting to her feet. "If he sees you… How do you open the witch's hump again?"

"You, you tap it and say, 'Dissendium'." Harry took a second to put together what Hermione was getting ready to do. "But-" Hermione didn't wait for him to finish, she strode across the room, pushed open the Fat Lady's portrait, and vanished from sight.

"She hasn't gone to get it?" Ron asked, staring after her. She most definitely had. Hermione returned fifteen minutes later with the silvery cloak folded carefully under her robes. "Hermione, I don't know what's gotten into you lately!" Ron was looking at her in that fascinated way he had when she'd slapped Draco. "First you hit Malfoy, then you walk out on Professor Trelawney-" A look of pride overcame Hermione's features and Jade smiled at her. They went down to dinner with everybody else but did not return to Gryffindor Tower afterward. Harry had the cloak hidden down the front of his robes, he had to keep his arms folded to hide the lump. Jade had dinner with them that night, it wasn't uncommon for her to eat meals with her Gryffindor friends but she felt paranoid, like the teachers knew what they were up to. After dinner, they disappeared into an empty chamber off the Entrance Hall, they waited until they were sure it was deserted. They waited a long time and Jade's patience was wearing thin, they heard the last pair of people hurrying across the hall and a door slamming. Hermione poked her head around the door.

"Okay," she whispered, "No one's there, cloak on." They'd never tried hiding four people under the cloak before, they walked together very closely, Jade and Harry in front and then Hermione and Ron immediately behind them. They walked down the stone front steps into the grounds. The sun was already sinking behind the Forbidden Forest, dipping past the top of the branches. They reached Hagrid's cabin and knocked. They all stood uncomfortably for a minute until he answered.

"It's us," Harry whispered. "We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off."

"Yeh shouldn've come!" Hagrid whispered, but he took a step back and they stepped inside. Hagrid shut the door quickly and Harry pulled off the cloak. Hagrid was not crying, nor did he throw himself upon their necks. He was past that point, he looked like he no longer knew what to do. "Wan' some tea?" He asked them. He reached for the tea kettle and Hermione was the first to speak about the large absence in the small house.

"Where's Buckbeak, Hagrid?"

"I, I took him outside," Hagrid cleared his throat. "He's tethered in me pumpkin patch. Thought he oughta see the trees an'... an' smell fresh air... before..." Hagrid's hand trembled so violently that the milk jug slipped from his grasp and shattered all over the floor.

"I'll do it, Hagrid," Hermione told him gently, hurrying over to the mess.

"Reparo," Jade muttered with a wave of her wand and Hermione gave her a look. They weren't supposed to do magic outside of class. Did everyone follow this rule? No, and they certainly didn't do it in front of teachers but Jade took the chance, thinking Hagrid couldn't care less at the moment, and she was right. Harry glanced at Ron, who looked back hopelessly.

"Isn't there anything anyone can do, Hagrid?" Harry asked, sitting down next to him. "Dumbledore-"

"He's tried," Hagrid told them. "He's got no power ter overrule the Committee. He told 'em Buckbeak's all right, but they're scared… Yeh know what Lucius Malfoy's like… threatened 'em, I expect…" Any mention of Lucius Malfoy sent a cold feeling through Jade, she couldn't shake the look of pure anger he had on his face at the end of last year. He was always nice and polite to Jade, which made it worse, that usually meant the person was all the more dangerous. "The executioner, Macnair, he's an old pal o' Malfoy's… but it'll be quick an' clean… an' I'll be beside him…" Hagrid swallowed. His eyes were darting all over the cabin as though looking for some shred of hope or comfort. "Dumbledore's gonna come down while it, while it happens. Wrote me this mornin'. Said he wants ter, ter be with me. Great man, Dumbledore…" Hermione let out a small, quickly stifled sob. She turned from the repaired jug with tears in her eyes.

"We'll stay with you too, Hagrid," she began, but Hagrid shook his head.

"Yeh're ter go back up ter the castle. I told yeh, I don' wan' yeh watchin'. An' yeh shouldn' be down here anyway… If Fudge an' Dumbledore catch yeh out without permission, Harry, yeh'll be in big trouble." Silent tears were now streaming down Hermione's face, but Hagrid hadn't noticed, Hermione was keeping busy making some tea. Then, as she picked up the milk bottle to pour some into the jug, she let out a shriek that made them all jump.

"Ron, I don't believe it. It's Scabbers!" Ron gaped at her.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione picked up another jug from the cabinet, carried it over to the table, and turned it upside down. With a frantic squeak, and much scrambling to get back inside, Scabbers the rat came sliding out onto the table. "Scabbers!" Ron exclaimed. "Scabbers, what are you doing here?" He grabbed the struggling rat and held him up to the light. The rat looked dreadful. He was thinner than Jade had ever seen him, large tufts of hair had fallen out leaving wide bald patches, and he writhed in Ron's hands as if he was desperate to free himself. He was the ugliest rat Jade had ever seen. "It's okay, Scabbers!" Ron tried to calm him. "No cats! There's nothing here to hurt you!" Hagrid suddenly stood up, his eyes fixed on the window.

"They're comin'." He spoke quietly. They all whipped around to look out the window. A group of men was walking down the distant castle steps. In front was Dumbledore, his long beard catching glints of the dying sunlight. Next to him was Fudge, then behind him was the old man and the executioner, Macnair. "Yeh gotta go," Hagrid told them, he was trembling beside them. "They mustn' find yeh here. Go now." Ron stuffed Scabbers into his pocket and Hermione picked up the cloak. "I'll let yeh out the back way," They followed him to the door into his back garden. Jade saw Buckbeak then, tethered to a tree, she knew he could tell something was going on. He turned his sharp head from side to side and pawed the ground nervously. "It's okay, Beaky," Hagrid cooed softly. "It's okay." He turned his attention to the children next to him, "Go on. Get goin'." But they refused to move.

"Hagrid, we can't." Hermione objected.

"We'll tell them what really happened," Jade promised.

"They can't kill him," Harry added.

"Go!" Hagrid told them as loudly as he thought was safe. "It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!" They didn't want to get Hagrid in trouble. They had no choice. Hermione threw the cloak over Harry and he helped secure Ron and Jade under it. "Go quick," He repeated tiredly. "Don' listen." And he left then to get ready for the men that were quickly closing the distance between them and Hagrid's cabin. They didn't speak, they set off quietly around Hagrid's house. When they reached the other side, the front door opened and closed with a sharp snap. It felt like an awful sickness had bloomed in Jade's stomach.

"Please, let's hurry," Hermione whispered. "I can't stand it, I can't bear it."

"I know," Jade told her, she wouldn't tell Hermione it would be okay, that things would work out. They lost. There was no upside to this. Their last look at Buckbeak played on repeat in Jade's head, he knew something was wrong, he knew. He's not going to go peacefully, he's not going to go nicely. They started up the sloping lawn toward the castle. The sun was disappearing quickly now, darkness was taking over. Suddenly, Ron stopped dead in his tracks.

"Oh, please, Ron." Hermione began.

"It's Scabbers, he won't… stay put." Ron bent over, trying to keep Scabbers in his pocket, but the rat was squeaking madly and thrashing around. "Scabbers, it's me, you idiot. It's Ron." Ron hissed. They heard a door open behind them and men's voices.

"Oh, Ron, please let's move, they're going to do it!" Hermione begged quietly.

"Okay. Scabbers, stay put." They walked forward, they moved silently but they tried to hurry away from the mumble of the voices behind them. Ron stopped again. "I can't hold him." Ron told them, "Scabbers, shut up! Everyone'll hear us." The rat's squealing continued but they were far enough away where the group of men shouldn't hear him. They were focusing on Ron but then the voices stopped and there was a short moment of silence before the unmistakable swish and thud of an ax. Hermione looked pale and she swayed and almost lost her balance, Jade put up a hand to steady her.

"They did it." She barely whispered. "I… don't believe it. They did it."