"The boy has undoubtedly been foolish…" Jade could hear a man's voice somewhere nearby and her eyes fluttered open. Her chest felt tight and her body ached as she tried to move to get up, but then she realized where she was. She was in the Hospital Wing. "What amazes me most is the behavior of the Dementors…" The voice said again, it sounded familiar but not familiar enough for her to place it with a face. Jade was laying on her back and she turned her head to the left. Harry was in the bed next to her. He had a cut right under his left eye and his hair was sticking out wildly but other than that and the fact he looked like he just got finished wrestling in the dirt, he seemed okay. She turned her head to the other side and saw who the voice was coming from. Minister Fudge was talking with Professor Snape just outside the Hospital Wing. Hermione was facing her in the bed on the right side of hers and she was awake as well. She slowly lifted one of her fingers to her lips, just then the Hospital doors opened further, Madam Pomfrey quickly closed them again until they were only slightly ajar. Jade swiftly looked back at the ceiling and shut her eyes. Not wanting them to catch her awake and start asking her questions, or worse, give her her punishment. "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, and Harry, and the girls-"
"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." Jade hadn't seen Ron in her quick glances around the room. She heard footsteps come close and then pass her bed and she let her head slowly inch by inch turn to the left once more before opening her eyes again. Madam Pomfrey was tending to someone with bright red hair at the very end of the ward. Harry's head lolled to the right and he opened his eyes to find Jade staring at him. She gave him the same warning Hermione had given her. It was still dark outside, the only light coming from a few lanterns hung on the walls. She didn't know how long they'd been out for, it was probably the early hours of the morning. Instead of listening to Jade's warning, Harry turned to look at Madam Pomfrey when she started coming back from Ron's bed.
"Ah, you're awake!" She smiled down at him and Jade rolled her eyes. She placed something large and dark on the table beside Harry's bed and then noticed the two girls were watching her as well. She began pounding on the dark brick with a small hammer and it fell apart easily.
"How's Ron?" Harry asked.
"He'll live," Madam Pomfrey said shortly. "As for you three, you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're-" But Harry wasn't having any of that, he sat up and reached for his glasses before picking up his wand. "Potter, what do you think you're doing?"
"I need to see the headmaster." He said, and with that statement, Hermione and Jade also lifted themselves up into a sitting position. Jade looked down and realized why her chest had felt so tight, there was a large bandage wrapped around her midsection.
"Potter," Madam Pomfrey let her tone turn soothing, "it's all right. They've got Black. He's locked away upstairs. The Dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now-"
"What?" Harry jumped up out of bed and then immediately set a hand back on the bed to steady himself. Jade took her time getting out of bed and paused for a moment, waiting for the lightheadedness to fade. Harry's shout gathered the attention of the men outside and they came to see what was going on.
"Harry, Harry, what's this?" Fudge asked, he looked irritated. "You should be in bed. Has he had any chocolate?" He turned to Madam Pomfrey anxiously.
"Minister, listen!" Harry said. "Sirius Black's innocent. Peter Pettigrew faked his own death! We saw him tonight." Harry looked at his friends and they nodded in confirmation. "You can't let the Dementors do that thing to Sirius, he's-"
"Harry, Harry, you're very confused, you've been through a dreadful ordeal, lie back down, now, we've got everything under control." He was shaking his head down at the floor and Jade got ticked off by it. As if children couldn't possibly understand what was going on.
"You haven't!" Harry yelled. "You've got the wrong man!"
"Minister, listen, please." Hermione started, "I saw him too. It was Ron's rat. He's an Animagus, Pettigrew, I mean, and-"
"You see, Minister?" Snape drawled. "Confunded, both of them… Black's done a very good job on them-"
"We're not confunded!" Harry sighed.
"Minister! Professor!" Madam Pomfrey interrupted angrily. "I must insist that you leave. Potter is my patient, and he should not be distressed!"
"I'm not distressed, I'm trying to tell them what happened!" Harry tried again but they wouldn't take him seriously, Jade didn't know if it was because he was so emotional or if it was because he was a child trying to tell adults they were wrong. "If they'd just listen-" But Madam Pomfrey suddenly stuffed a large chunk of chocolate into Harry's mouth, Harry choked on the intrusion and she took it as an opportunity to force him back into bed.
"Now, please, Minister, these children need care. Please leave." The door opened again and another person joined their conversation. It was Dumbledore.
"Professor Dumbledore, Sirius Black-"
"For heaven's sake!" Madam Pomfrey interrupted hysterically. "Is this a hospital wing or not? Headmaster, I must insist-"
"My apologies, Poppy," Her name is Poppy Pomfrey? Jade smiled for a second before she forced it away before anyone could see. "but I need a word with them." Dumbledore explained calmly with a gesture towards the three irritated children to his right. "I have just been talking to Sirius Black-"
"I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he's planted in Potter's mind?" Snape spat. "Something about a rat, and Pettigrew being alive-"
"That, indeed, is Black's story," Dumbledore said, he was watching Snape closely.
"And does my evidence count for nothing?" Snape argued. "Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see any sign of him on the grounds."
"That was because you were knocked out, Professor!" Hermione said bravely. "You didn't arrive in time to hear."
"Miss Granger, hold your tongue!"
"Now, Snape," Fudge interrupted, startled by the sudden venom that had crept into his tone, "The young lady is disturbed in her mind, we must make allowances-" Hermione huffed but Dumbledore held up a hand.
"I would like to speak to them alone," Dumbledore spoke gently. "Cornelius, Severus, Poppy... please leave us."
"Headmaster!" Madam Pomfrey's objection was only at half its intensity. "They need treatment, they need rest-"
"This cannot wait," Dumbledore spoke with finality. "I must insist." Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips and strode away into her office at the end of the ward, slamming the door behind her. Fudge consulted his large gold pocket watch that dangled from his waistcoat.
"The Dementors should have arrived by now," He mumbled. "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 intensely on Dumbledore's face.
"I wish to speak to them alone," Dumbledore repeated. Snape took a step toward Dumbledore. Jade saw it as a defiant move, he was seriously wound up about Black, he normally listened to 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," Snape turned without another word and walked through the door that Fudge was still holding open for him. All three of them began speaking at once but Dumbledore held up his hand and they all stopped. "It is your turn to listen, and I beg you will not interrupt me, because there is very little time," He told them quietly. "There is not a shred of proof to support Black's story, except your word, and the word of three thirteen-year-old wizards will not convince anybody. 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 blurted out. Even though Harry had interrupted, Dumbledore didn't snap on him for doing so.
"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-" Harry tried again.
"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.
"All because of some stupid trick Sirius played on him when-" Jade added.
"Sirius has not acted like an innocent man. The attack on the Fat Lady, entering Gryffindor Tower with a knife… without Pettigrew, alive or dead, we have no chance of overturning Sirius's sentence." They all exchanged a look, they weren't expecting Dumbledore to say this, they were expecting him to say what everyone else was saying.
"But... you believe us?" Hermione asked and Dumbledore grinned.
"Yes, I do. But I have no power to make other men see the truth, or to overrule the Minister of Magic." Jade had believed if they could make Dumbledore see the truth then everything would be okay, but that was not the case. Without any evidence proving Sirius was innocent, Dumbledore's word wouldn't be enough. "What we need," Dumbledore started slowly, "is more time."
"But..." Hermione began but then she let the word hang in the air and her eyes grew wide. "Oh!"
"What?" Jade asked but Dumbledore leaned in a bit closer to them and raised his hand, making sure they were all listening.
"Now, pay attention. 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." He locked eyes with each of them. "You must not be seen. Miss Granger, you know the law, you know what is at stake. You must not be seen." Hermione nodded then and Jade looked between the two of them. She was hearing the same thing that Hermione was hearing but she didn't understand what he was talking about. Dumbledore left them then but paused before closing the door behind him. "I am going to lock you in. It is five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck." Then with a loud thud of the doors closing, he was gone, they weren't out for as long as Jade thought.
"Lock us in?" Jade asked.
"Good luck?" Harry repeated.
"How is locking us in going to help anything?"
"Three turns? What's he talking about? What are we supposed to do?" Jade and Harry went back and forth but Hermione was fumbling with something around her neck. She began to pull it out from under her clothes to reveal a very long, very fine gold chain with a small hourglass hanging on the end of it.
"Here, come here." She was speaking urgently. "Quick!" She snapped when they hadn't moved fast enough. Hermione clumsily threw the chain around both of them, their heads gently pressed together to give the chain some slack. "Ready?"
"Ready? Ready for what? You haven't told us what's going on, Hermione." Jade guessed that was good enough for Hermione because she turned the hourglass on her necklace three times. The Hospital ward began to fade and then they were yanked back and it felt like they were falling, no not falling, kind of like flying without a broom. Colors and shapes seemed to zoom past them, too quick for Jade to make out anything. There was a pounding in her ears that gave her a horrible headache and before she could ask for what seemed like the tenth time what was going on, they stopped and Jade could feel herself on the ground again. Jade immediately noticed the sun setting, with a glance around, she noticed they were in the empty Entrance Hall.
"Hermione, what-" Harry said.
"In here!" Hermione yanked on Jade's and Harry's arms, dragging them across the hall to the door of a broom closet. She opened it, pushed them inside among the buckets and mops, then slammed the door behind them.
"I feel sick," Jade mumbled, she was lightheaded and her stomach threatened to send whatever was left in it back up.
"What... how? Hermione, what happened?" Harry asked.
"We've gone back in time," Hermione whispered, gently lifting the chain off their necks in the darkness.
"I'm sorry?" Jade asked loudly and Hermione shushed her.
"Three hours back."
"But-" Harry began to say but Hermione shushed him too.
"Shh! Listen! Someone's coming! I think... I think it might be us!" Hermione had her ear pressed against the cupboard door. Harry and Jade shared a mutual look of confusion. What kind of necklace allowed you to go back in time? How did she get one? Why was she acting like it was the most natural thing in the world? "Footsteps across the hall… yes, I think it's us going down to Hagrid's!"
"Wait, but… we're here," Jade said.
"Yes," Hermione confirmed, her ear still against the cupboard door.
"But you said we're out there."
"I'm sure it's us. It doesn't sound like more than four people… and we're walking slowly because we're under the Invisibility Cloak."
"How could you possibly know that just by listening through a door?" Jade doubted and Hermione shot her an irritated glance. "Don't look at me like that," Jade argued quietly. "You're telling us that we've gone back in time due to your magic necklace! We can't be seen and we've got us walking around but we can't cross paths with them… us, because why? Why can't we explain what's going to happen? Help them!" Hermione pulled away from the door and sat down on an upturned bucket.
"Yeah, where did you get that hourglass thing?" Harry asked.
"It's called a Time-Turner." Hermione whispered, "And I got it from Professor McGonagall on our first day back. I've been using it all year to get to all my lessons."
"Why didn't you tell us?" Jade asked.
"Professor McGonagall made me swear I wouldn't tell anyone. She had to write all sorts of letters to the Ministry of Magic so I could have one. She had to tell them that I was a model student and that I'd never, ever use it for anything except my studies… I've been turning it back so I could do hours over again, that's how I've been doing several lessons at once, see? But… I don't understand what Dumbledore wants us to do. Why did he tell us to go back three hours? How's that going to help Sirius?" It was quiet for a long moment.
"There must be something that happened around now he wants us to change," Harry said slowly. "What happened? We were walking down to Hagrid's three hours ago…"
"This is three hours ago, and we are walking down to Hagrid's," Hermione corrected.
"Dumbledore just said... just said we could save more than one innocent life…" Harry mumbled. "Hermione, we're going to save Buckbeak!" Buckbeak. Jade pushed herself off the wall she'd been leaning on. "But, how will that help Sirius?"
"Dumbledore told us where the window of Flitwick's office was," Jade added. "We, we could fly Buckbeak up to the window-"
"And rescue Sirius!" Harry added excitedly, a small hopeful smile crossing his face. "Sirius can escape on Buckbeak, they can escape together!" That would be perfect. But Jade didn't know how to fly a Hippogriff, she expected it to be completely different than a broom.
"If we manage that without being seen, it'll be a miracle!" Hermione looked at them like they were crazy. But that had to be it, that had to be why Dumbledore sent them back to the beginning of the night's events.
"Well, we've got to try, haven't we?" Harry was determined and Jade stepped to his side so they were both in front of Hermione.
"Agreed." She nodded and Harry carefully moved in the small area to place his ear against the door.
"Doesn't sound like anyone's there… Come on, let's go." Harry opened the door quietly. The Entrance Hall was empty. They silently darted out of the closet and down the stone steps.
"If anyone's looking out of the window-" Hermione squeaked, looking up at the castle behind them.
"Oh, come on now, Hermione." Jade smiled as she half walk, half jogged next to Harry. "This was your idea in the first place."
"It was not!" Hermione hissed a little behind her.
"Straight into the forest, all right? We'll have to hide behind a tree or something and keep a lookout." Harry told them.
"Okay, but we'll go around… by the greenhouses!" Hermione said quietly. "We need to keep out of sight of Hagrid's front door, or we'll see us! We must be nearly at Hagrid's by now!" It took a second longer for Jade to remember that Hermione wasn't talking about them, she was talking about past them. They tore across the vegetable gardens to the greenhouses, they were catching up to themselves quicker than they thought so they waited out of sight before setting off again towards the forest. With the protection of the trees, Hermione let out a sigh and relaxed slightly. "Right." Hermione swallowed. "We need to sneak over to Hagrid's… and keep out of sight."
"Yes, I think we've got that now," Jade mumbled back as she watched them enter Hagrid's hut. Once they were safely inside, Jade, Hermione, and Harry moved quickly to get closer to the back of Hagrid's home, by the pumpkin patch where Buckbeak was laying.
"This is the weirdest thing we've ever done," Harry said fervently and Jade couldn't help but giggle.
"Right, facing The Dark Lord, killing a Basilisk, no big deal. That's your average everyday stuff." Jade huffed as she followed closely behind him. They crept through the trees until they saw the nervous Hippogriff, tethered to the fence.
"Now?" Harry whispered.
"No!" Hermione hissed. "If we steal him now, those Committee people will think Hagrid set him free! We've got to wait until they've seen he's tied outside!" That was a good point, a good thing Hermione thought of it otherwise Jade would've gone out there and set him loose.
"That's going to give us about sixty seconds." Harry doubted.
"Like I said… no big deal," Jade whispered but she doubted it herself. They had to get to Buckbeak, free him, and escape back into the forest before their other thems came out the backside of Hagrid's. There was a crash inside Hagrid's home that caught their attention.
"That's Hagrid breaking the milk jug," Hermione whispered. "I'm going to find Scabbers in a moment..." A few seconds later, they heard Hermione's shriek of surprise.
"Hermione," Harry spoke, "what if we, we just run in there and grab Pettigrew-"
"No!" Hermione squeaked. "Don't you understand? We're breaking one of the most important wizarding laws! Nobody's supposed to change time, nobody! You heard Dumbledore, if we're seen-"
"We'd only be seen by ourselves and Hagrid!" He argued.
"Harry, what do you think you'd do if you saw yourself bursting into Hagrid's house?"
"I'd... I'd think I'd gone mad… or I'd think there was some Dark Magic going on-"
"Exactly! You wouldn't understand. You might even attack yourself! Don't you see? Professor McGonagall told me what awful things have happened when wizards have meddled with time. Loads of them ended up killing their past or future selves by mistake!"
"Okay! It was just an idea, I just thought-" But Jade nudged him and pointed toward the castle. Harry turned and saw Dumbledore, Fudge, the old Committee member, and Macnair the Executioner, coming down the steps.
"We're about to come out." Hermione breathed. Hagrid's back door opened and they saw themselves.
"This is so... " Jade died off as she watched herself, Harry, Ron, and Hermione walk out of the small building with Hagrid.
"It's Okay, Beaky, it's okay…" Hagrid said to Buckbeak. Then he turned to them. "Go on. Get goin'."
"Hagrid, we can't."
"We'll tell them what really happened,"
"They can't kill him,"
"Go! It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!" Then, they vanished under the Invisibility Cloak. "Go quick. Don' listen…" There was a knock on Hagrid's front door and Jade's stomach turned. Dumbledore and the others had arrived. Hagrid turned around and headed back into his cabin, leaving the back door ajar. They could hear themselves leaving, getting further away from Hagrid's.
"Where is the beast?" Macnair's cold voice asked.
"Out, outside." Hagrid croaked. Jade leaned in a bit further to try and catch their conversation but immediately jumped back when she saw the Executioner's face look out the window at Buckbeak.
"We… have to read you the official notice of execution, Hagrid." Cornelius Fudge said. "I'll make it quick. And then you and Macnair need to sign it. Macnair, You're supposed to listen too, that's procedure." Macnair's face vanished from the window.
"Wait here," Harry whispered to them. "I'll do it." Fudge's voice started again and Harry darted out from behind the tree, vaulted the fence into the pumpkin patch, and approached Buckbeak. It was the smartest thing to do, Buckbeak knew Harry, he trusted Harry. Harry approached Buckbeak slowly and then bowed, like he had the first time they met in class. Buckbeak almost immediately sank to his knees and then stood up again. Harry began to mess with the knot of rope tying Buckbeak to the fence.
"Come on, Harry," Hermione whispered anxiously. Harry had gotten the rope from the fence but Buckbeak dug in his front feet, refusing to move.
"Well, let's get this over with," The old man from the Committee said from inside. "Hagrid, perhaps it will be better if you stay inside-"
"Come on, Harry." Jade hissed over to him.
"No, I, I wan' ter be with him… I don' wan' him ter be alone." Came Hagrid's reply. Harry tugged harder on the rope and finally, Buckbeak began to cooperate. He walked with Harry, his wings rustling irritably.
"One moment, please, Macnair," Dumbledore announced. "You need to sign too." Harry gave the rope another sharp tug and Buckbeak snapped his beak but cooperated and walked faster.
"Harry, hurry!" Hermione whispered. Another few tense seconds and they were back within the tree line of the forest. "Quick!" Hermione whispered, she left the tree she was hiding behind to help Harry pull Buckbeak further into safety.
"Stop!" Jade whispered to them when she saw the back door open. "They might hear us." Harry and Hermione froze and Jade watched as she tucked herself further behind the tree.
"Where is it?" The old man asked, looking around the pumpkin patch where he had just seen Buckbeak. "Where is the beast?"
"It was tied here!" Macnair snarled. "I saw it! Just here!"
"How extraordinary," Dumbledore said, Jade didn't think the others could hear the note of humor in his tone. She thought for a moment that Dumbledore knew what they had done. But he couldn't have, not yet anyway, he was also the Dumbledore from the past. The executioner swung his ax into the fence in anger.
"Gone! Gone! Bless his little beak, he's gone! Musta pulled himself free! Beaky, yeh clever boy!" Hagrid sobbed. Buckbeak started to strain against the rope, trying to get back to a distressed Hagrid. Harry and Hermione tightened their grip and dug their heels into the forest floor to stop him.
"Keep him quiet!" Jade whispered.
"We're trying!" Harry grunted.
"Someone untied him!" The executioner said. "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?" Dumbledore said in that same light tone. "Search the skies, if you will… Hagrid, I could do with a cup of tea. Or a large brandy."
"O' course, Professor," Hagrid sounded sad but there was a large smile on his face. "Come in, come in…" They all went back inside and then Dumbledore closed the door shut.
"Now what?" They stood alone in the forest with Buckbeak making low noises in his throat.
"We'll have to hide in here." Hermione sighed. "We need to wait until they've gone back to the castle. Then we wait until it's safe to fly Buckbeak up to Sirius's window. He won't be there for another couple of hours."
"What are we supposed to do for hours?" Jade groaned.
"We've got to be able to see the Whomping Willow, or we won't know what's going on," Harry told them and Hermione nodded.
"Okay," Jade watched as Hermione tightened her grip on Buckbeak's rope and then looked over her shoulder.
"May I?" Jade asked, walking up to her. "Lead him." She explained when Hermione gave her a confused look.
"Oh… please." She handed her the rope and Jade smiled reassuringly up at Buckbeak. "But we've got to keep out of sight, Harry." Hermione turned to Harry who had already started off towards the castle again. It took a while for them to get to a good spot where they could see the Whomping Willow but when they did, there were only a few traces of sunlight left to keep them from being in the dark.
"There's Ron!" Harry pointed. The girls came to his side and they watched as a large dark figure sprinted across the lawn and shoved Harry over, then seized onto Ron. "Looks even worse from here, doesn't it?" Harry asked, watching the dog pull Ron into the roots.
"Ouch, look, I just got walloped by the tree, and so did you… this is weird." Hermione grimaced. Jade watched as the tree connected with her chest and she groaned, remembering the sudden burst of pain and the aching she still felt. The Whomping Willow was creaking and lashing out, they could see themselves darting around trying to avoid the heavy branches. They finally pulled back a little to talk and that's when Crookshanks came by and pressed the knot at the trunk of the tree.
"And there we go," Harry mumbled. "We're in." The tree didn't freeze for long because a few seconds after they climbed into the tunnel it began moving again. They stood there for a while, eyes glued on the Whomping Willow but Hermione gently hit Harry on the arm and pointed at an approaching figure.
"Here comes Lupin!" Hermione whispered. Jade looked up at the sky, luckily, clouds were blocking any view of the moon. Lupin grabbed a broken branch from the ground and prodded the knot on the trunk. The tree stopped fighting, and then Lupin descended into the gap in its roots.
"If he'd only grabbed the cloak," Harry sighed. "It's just lying there." He turned to the girls and looked at Hermione carefully before speaking. "If I just dashed out now and grabbed it, Snape would never be able to get it and-"
"Harry, we mustn't be seen!" Hermione cut him off and Harry groaned.
"How can you stand this? Just standing here and watching it happen?" He looked down for a moment and then back at them. "I'm going to grab the cloak."
"Harry, no!" Hermione seized the back of Harry's robes but as Harry turned to fight her they all stopped as a low voice sung out. Harry retreated further into the trees and they all craned to look towards the castle. Hagrid was making his way up to the castle with a large smile on his face. Hermione let out a large breath as Hagrid got further away. "See?" She whispered. "See what would have happened? We've got to keep out of sight!" Buckbeak must've spotted Hagrid as well because he was now trying to break free of his restraint and Jade's hold to get back to him. "No, Buckbeak!" Hermione tried to calm him, raising her arms in front of him. Harry came behind Jade and reached around her to pull on the rope. With Harry's help, she was able to get Buckbeak back on all fours. Hagrid finally disappeared over a hill and Buckbeak quickly settled down. His head fell sadly. Harry let go once he had calmed and Jade gave him an awkward smile, he still hadn't stepped away and he was almost pressed against her.
"Thanks." Jade said quietly. Harry flushed and he cleared his throat as he took a large step back.
"Yeah. No problem."
"Guys!" Hermione whispered and they took their attention off of each other and towards where Hermione was gesturing. Snape stormed out of the castle doors, running toward the Willow, his robes swishing madly behind him. He came across the cloak and held it up.
"Get your filthy hands off it," Harry growled and Hermione shushed him. Snape picked up the same branch Lupin had used to freeze the tree and vanished from view as he put on the cloak.
"So that's it," Hermione said quietly, nodding slightly. "We're all down there… and now we've just got to wait until we come back up again." She turned her back to the tree for the first time since they'd come and held out her hand towards Jade. "May I?" She asked and Jade gave her the rope, Buckbeak followed obediently as she tied his lead securely around a tree before sinking to the surprisingly dry ground and wrapping her arms around her knees. Jade and Harry followed her lead and sat, forming a small triangle. "Harry, there's something I don't understand." Hermione said, "Why didn't the Dementors get Sirius? I remember them coming and then I think I passed out… there were so many of them…" Harry then explained what he'd seen; how as the nearest Dementor had lowered its mouth to Harry's, a large silver something had come running across the lake and forced the Dementors to retreat.
"But... what was it?" Jade asked.
"There's only one thing it could have been, to make the Dementors go," Harry spoke, he was looking at the ground. "A real Patronus. A powerful one."
"But who conjured it?" Hermione asked. Harry didn't say anything. "Didn't you see what they looked like?" She tried again eagerly. "Was it one of the teachers?"
"No," Harry spoke quietly. "He wasn't a teacher."
"But it must have been a really powerful wizard, to drive all those Dementors away. If the Patronus was shining so brightly, didn't it light him up? Couldn't you see-?"
"Hermione," Jade called and Hermione looked at her. Harry seemed distracted and all her prodding wasn't helping.
"Yeah, I saw him," Harry replied slowly. "But… maybe I imagined it… I wasn't thinking straight. I passed out right afterward."
"Who did you think it was?" Jade asked carefully.
"I think... I think it was my dad." Harry finally glanced up at them. Well, that was impossible. Harry must've been seeing things if he thought it was his father.
"Harry, your dad's... well... dead," Hermione said quietly.
"I know that," Harry reassured her quickly.
"You think you saw, like, his ghost?" Jade asked.
"I don't know. No, he looked solid. Maybe I was seeing things." Harry looked down again and fiddled with his sleeve. Those were Jade's thoughts exactly. "But… from what I could see, it looked like him. I've got photos of him…" Hermione and Jade didn't say anything, they just watched Harry pick at his robes. "I know it sounds crazy."
"No…" Jade tried comforting him but she wasn't going to lie and say she believed that it was actually his father who saved them. She settled for resting her hand on his leg and he grinned at her appreciatively. She didn't know what she could say but Hermione and Harry seemed to be okay with the silence. They sat for what felt like a long time but Jade knew it couldn't have been more than half an hour, they weren't in the Shrieking Shack for that long. She watched as the breeze pushed the clouds in the sky, the moon drifting in and out of sight. Hermione sat turned toward the Willow, waiting. Jade watched Buckbeak dig in the ground, he was looking for something to eat. His beak dove into the ground to catch something before he lifted his head and looked around before doing it again.
"Here we come!" Hermione whispered. They all stumbled to their feet and grouped together behind the nearest tree. There they were, walking in a line out of the tunnel and towards the castle. Harry glanced up at the sky anxiously. Even though they were much further away from Professor Lupin, Jade was still scared for the moment when he would transform. "Harry, we've got to stay put." Hermione felt like she had to repeat as Harry shifted his weight from side to side. "We mustn't be seen. There's nothing we can do."
"So we're just going to let Pettigrew escape all over again." Harry snipped back at her.
"How do you expect to find a rat in the dark?" Hermione hissed. "There's nothing we can do! We came back to help Sirius, we're not supposed to be doing anything else!"
"Would you two quit it?" Jade added. The moon slid out from behind the clouds again and Jade looked back at the group.
"There goes Lupin," Hermione whispered. "He's transforming."
"Hermione!" Harry said urgently after a moment. "We've got to move!"
"I keep telling you-" Hermione sighed.
"Not to interfere! Lupin's going to run into the forest, right at us!" Jade's eyes widened and she began to untie Buckbeak from the tree.
"Absolutely not," Jade muttered as she messed with the knot. She was not going to become werewolf chow.
"Quick! Where are we going to go? Where are we going to hide? The Dementors will be coming any moment-" Hermione whispered quickly behind her.
"Back to Hagrid's!" Harry began leading them in that direction once Jade had gotten Buckbeak free. "It's empty now. Come on!" They ran as fast as they could. Jade heard the werewolf howl and she urged her legs to go faster. They were heading further away from where they needed to be but she wasn't going to object. He was going to head towards them any moment now. They could see Hagrid's hut and it did little to ease Jade's fear. She didn't chance a look back but she thought she could hear the werewolf running towards them. It couldn't be that fast, could it? It had only been a few seconds. With a cry of relief, they reached the small cabin. Harry ripped the door open and the girls and Buckbeak ran through, Harry hurried in behind them and bolted the door shut. Fang, Hagrid's dog, had barked at the sudden intrusion but Harry quickly went over to him and began petting between his ears. Jade dropped down onto Hagrid's bed and tried to catch her breath.
"Shh, Fang, it's us!" He panted.
"That was really close!" Hermione gasped.
"I hate this." Jade sighed. "I'm done following you guys into crazy, dangerous, awful-"
"How were we supposed to know the night would turn out like this?" Harry asked. Jade didn't have an answer for him so she gave him a not so polite gesture. Harry looked out of the window. Buckbeak briskly made himself comfortable, he seemed happy to be back. "I think I'd better go outside again, you know," Harry swallowed. "I can't see what's going on, we won't know when it's time."
"Are you mental? We just got somewhere safe!" Jade objected.
"But if we don't see what's going on, how're we going to know when it's time to rescue Sirius?" Harry pointed out and Jade sank her face into her hands. Harry was right.
"Well… okay, then." Hermione agreed. "I'll wait here with Buckbeak… but Harry, be careful. There's a werewolf out there and the Dementors." Harry nodded and he turned to Jade.
"I'll come back when it's done."
"Sod off." Jade groaned and then lifted her head. "You're not going by yourself." She didn't want to go back out there, it was the last thing she'd want to do in a long list of stuff she'd hate to do, but she wouldn't abandon Harry to all the danger she knew was out there.
"I'm not going to make you go back out-"
"You can't make me do anything." Jade clarified and then reluctantly got to her feet. "Hurry up, let's go before I change my mind." She told him when he hadn't moved. Harry opened the door and stepped outside again, Jade followed closely behind as they edged around the cabin. They could hear yelping in the distance, Jade was happy to hear it was far away. But that also meant the Dementors were already on their way over. Harry paused once they reached the area they were in before. He looked around and began moving to the other side of the lake. They moved silently as Dementors began coming from all directions and Jade reached out and grabbed Harry's hand, he squeezed onto it reassuringly, or maybe he needed her support as much as she needed his. Thankfully there weren't any near them at the moment. Without a word, Harry began running and Jade picked up her pace. Jade looked across the lake and could see her and Harry and their small attempts to keep the Dementors at bay. They came to a stop directly across from their doubles. Hermione was still standing, she couldn't make out their features from where they were but she saw three small figures and a crumpled one on the ground. Harry then yanked them behind a large bush and he finally let go of Jade's hand as he peered between the leaves. Hermione dropped and Jade's light went out. A few seconds later Jade sank down and then there was just Harry.
"Come on!" Harry whispered. "Where are you? Dad, come on." Jade glanced around but there wasn't a sign of anyone else, there was only them. Harry's light went out across the lake and the Dementors were practically on top of them.
"Harry," Jade whispered anxiously. Harry looked around and then back at himself and Sirius. He darted out from behind the bush and pulled out his wand.
"Expecto Patronum! " He yelled and out of the end of his wand burst, not a shapeless cloud of mist like before, but a blinding, dazzling, silver animal. Jade slowly stood up, her eyes glued on the large shining figure. This was no small production of the spell, this was a clear, perfectly executed, reaction. There was no hesitation and Harry confidently stood a few feet away from her, his wand outstretched and his jaw clenched in determination. Jade couldn't help but narrow her eyes to help protect them from the blinding light but it was too magnificent to look away. The figure took off towards the now frozen over lake, it lowered its head and rammed into the cloud of Dementors. Jade thought she saw some things coming out of the top of the creature's head, maybe branches? What animal would have branches or branch-like things coming out of its head? The Patronus did a wonderful job, the Dementors were fleeing in every direction. The Patronus ran around until every dark flying figure was gone. The Patronus turned and started coming towards them. She could see it clearly now, those weren't branches she thought she saw, they were antlers. It was a stag. It was a large stag. It stopped a few feet in front of Harry and stared at him. Its hooves left no mark on the soft ground, the stag slowly bowed its head.
"Prongs," Harry whispered. Harry reached for the creature but it vanished before his fingertips could make contact. The light faded until they were covered in darkness again. Jade moved to his side, his hand was still outstretched.
"Harry-" Jade was cut off by the sound of hooves coming at them quickly from behind. They both turned to see Hermione running towards them with Buckbeak casually following behind.
"What did you do?" Hermione asked fiercely. "You said you were only going to keep a lookout!"
"I just saved all our lives…" Harry said and then seemed to shake the awe from his head. "Get behind this bush, I'll explain." Hermione listened to Harry's explanation, with a few add-ins from Jade, about what had just happened and her mouth fell open.
"Did anyone see you?" She asked when he was finished.
"Yes, haven't you been listening? I saw me but I thought I was my dad! It's okay!"
"Harry, I can't believe it. You conjured up a Patronus that drove away all those Dementors! That's very, very advanced magic."
"I knew I could do it this time," Harry nodded, "because I'd already done it…" He turned to Jade. "Does that make sense?"
"No." She giggled at the wild excitement in his eyes and Harry smiled at her.
"I don't know… Harry, look at Snape!" Hermione pointed across the lake. Together they all peered around the bush at the other bank. Snape had regained consciousness. He was conjuring stretchers and lifting the limp forms of them all onto them. A fifth stretcher, carrying Ron and reminding Jade that he had also been there as well, was already floating at his side. Snape then turned and made his way back to the castle with five stretchers floating behind him. "Right, it's nearly time," Hermione whispered and peered down at her watch. "We've got about forty-five minutes until Dumbledore locks the door to the Hospital wing. We've got to rescue Sirius and get back into the ward before anybody realizes we're missing." Jade nodded and they waited restlessly for enough time to pass before they could begin their move to rescue Sirius.
"Do you reckon he's up there yet?" Harry asked, checking his watch. They looked up to where Black was being held in one of the castle's towers. Something caught Jade's attention, it was a small figure that seemed to run by the bottom of her view.
"Look!" Jade whispered, drawing their attention away from the tower. "Someone's coming back out of the castle." Jade tried to squint in the darkness and she couldn't make the person out until he got closer.
"Macnair!" Harry hissed. "The executioner! He's gone to get the Dementors! This is it, Hermione." Jade was the first to approach Buckbeak, she was rather giddy to get on him. Harry held out his hands and interlocked his fingers, giving Jade a stepping point up until she threw her other leg over Buckbeak's back and steadied herself. Hermione was next, and she nervously walked up to Buckbeak, giving him a few strokes before hiking herself up behind Jade.
"Will there be enough room for all of us?" Hermione asked and Jade scooted up until she was just under the base of Buckbeak's neck. She felt less secure but if she had to, she could always wrap her arms and legs around Buckbeak's neck. Harry pulled himself up to a large low branch and then gently transferred his weight onto Buckbeak, much of Buckbeak's rear was left open for Sirius.
"Okay, I only see one problem," Jade said quietly. "I don't know how to fly him." She looked back at Harry, he should've been in the front.
"Use the rope, it'll make it a lot easier," Harry instructed her and Jade looped the rope back around Buckbeak's neck, the ends now on each side of him and Jade held onto them like reins. She tightened her hold and her palms began to sweat from nerves.
"Ready?" Jade called back.
"Use your heels to push into his sides, like you're riding a horse," Harry told her.
"A horse, yeah. Big horse with wings... and a beak... and feathers." Jade mumbled to herself. "Hermione hold onto me." She told her friend and Hermione quickly wrapped her arms tightly around Jade's midsection, she winced slightly, she had to have brusied her ribs. "Harry?" Jade called back.
"Yup, got it!" He answered as he tightened his grip around Hermione.
"Okay, here we go!" Jade squealed as she gave Buckbeak a small kick on each side and he took off at a sprint before leaping. Hermione screamed as they soared into the air and Buckbeak stabilized high up in the sky. Jade could feel Buckebeak's wings moving behind her legs, he was very muscular, a strong beautiful creature. Luckily, it didn't seem like Buckbeak was struggling much with their weight. As Jade tightened her grip on the reins once more she felt her fears slowly fade away, Buckbeak knew what he was doing, and he was listening to her well. Jade looked at the glorious view around them, it would've been breathtaking during the day. She could see the lake and the forest, the path they took down to Hagrid's. Hermione wasn't enjoying it as much as she was though.
"I don't like this. Oh, I really don't like this." Hermione was mumbling as she kept her head tucked into the robes at Jade's neck.
"Come on, Hermione. We're flying!" Jade teased her. "It's just like a broom. A large, feathered broom. If you think about it there's more stability with Buckbeak than just a thin-"
"Not helping, Jade!" Hermione quickly begged her to stop and Jade complied with a humorous smile. Jade applied a small amount of pressure into Buckbeak's sides and he flew quicker towards the tower. All they could hear was the flap of Buckbeak's wings and the wind, it was very peaceful… for Jade at least. Jade pulled gradually with her left hand and Buckbeak turned. She pulled on both sides of the reins to slow him down as they flew past the windows.
"He's there!" Harry yelled, spotting Sirius in the next window. Jade pulled harder to bring Buckbeak to a stop in front of the window. Jade carefully let one of the reins go and knocked on the window. Black looked up and his mouth dropped open as he took in the sight in front of him, he weakly pulled himself up and came over to the window. He tried to open it but it wouldn't budge.
"Stand back!" Hermione called to him, and she shakily took out her wand, still gripping Jade with her other arm. "Alohomora!" She chanted. The window sprang open.
"How.. how did-" Black was in awe as he looked at Buckbeak.
"We'll explain later, let's go!" Jade hurried him. She struggled a bit but was able to get Buckbeak to turn so his rear was facing Sirius.
"You've got to get out of here, the Dementors are coming," Harry told him. Black placed a hand on either side of the window frame and heaved his head and shoulders out of it.
"Alright, Buckbeak, don't freak out now. Someone else is going to get on." Jade pet his neck soothingly and a few seconds later she heard Black groan as he hoisted himself onto Buckbeak. "Hold on!" Jade called back. "Okay, boy, up!" She nudged him gently and Buckbeak flapped his strong wings and Jade's stomach dropped as Buckbeak took off straight up into the air, Hermione screamed again as she tightened her grip around Jade and Jade felt like she couldn't breathe. Her wrapping doing little to soften the vice grip squeezing her stomach. "Where to now?" Jade yelled.
"Just get up to the roof of the tower!" She heard Harry say and Jade steered Buckbeak onto the roof and he landed elegantly onto the battlements. Hermione slid off of Buckbeak quickly and then Harry and Jade gave Buckbeak a final pat before getting off.
"Sirius, you'd better go, quick," Harry told him. Sirius carefully scooted forward and picked up the reins. "They'll reach Flitwick's office any moment, they'll find out you're gone."
"What happened to the other boy? Ron?" Sirius asked.
"He'll be okay. He's still out of it, but Madam Pomfrey says she'll be able to make him better. Quick! Go!" Harry told him. But Black was still staring down at Harry with a grateful smile on his face.
"How can I ever thank-"
"Go!" The three of them yelled at him and Sirius chuckled. Buckbeak turned as if he were going to leap off into the sky but before he did, Black paused.
"We'll see each other again." He promised. "You are truly your father's son, Harry." He looked over Harry once more and then nudged Buckbeak, the three students backed up as Buckbeak spread out his large wings and then leaped. It was a bittersweet moment. Both of them were safe from their fates now, but Jade wished they could stay. They all stood there, watching Sirius Black and Buckbeak fly off to safety until they were gone.
