Chapter 37 - The Quartet's Fallout
"Ow." I moaned in pain as I opened my eyes to see the very bright room. I tried to sit up and moaned in pain again as I looked around the room. I recognised it as the Hospital Wing as I had been here many times before.
"Miss Hyde." Madam Pomfrey greeted as she approached me.
"What happened this time?" I asked.
"You broke your Coccyx bone which I have fixed however there is still some bruising on your lower back from your fall. Although you didn't fall far, but you fell in a very awkward position." Madam Pomfrey sighed as she handed me a potion. "Drink this for the pain, Miss Hyde." She ordered and I did as I was told, feeling a little better almost immediately. I spotted Harry in the bed across from me.
"How is he?" I asked the nurse.
"He's fine. He didn't actually fall, he only had to recover from the Dementor attack so he woke up a few hours ago. He's just resting now." Madam Pomfrey explained.
"Did Gryffindor win?" I asked hopefully.
"No. Mr. Diggory caught the snitch before he realised what was happening, he wanted to have a rematch but the game was won, there was nothing that could be done." Madam Pomfrey paused. "And I'm afraid both yours and Mr. Potter's broomsticks were destroyed. Mr. Potters sailed into the whomping willow where as you're crashed to floor after you fell from it."
"My nimbus!" I cried.
"Hush now. Get some sleep and you can go back to your dorm in the morning." She said before walking off. I rolled over and grumbled. My poor nimbus 2001. How on earth was I supposed to play `Quidditch without a broomstick? I couldn't use one of those ghastly brooms that the school had, they were old and useless. No, I had to buy myself a new broom. I had money. Maybe I could afford a Firebolt, I'd have to see if someone could lend me the rest of the money for it. Maybe for Christmas, I have a fair amount of Galleons from Vander's so it wouldn't be that much. I'd have to ask Moony, was my last thought before I fell asleep again.
-.-
Three weeks later and Harry and I were in detention with Snape. On Hogsmede day but luckily I have a plan, using the map that I'd yet to return to the twins, after the detention we went through the one-eyed witch passage straight to Honeydukes under the invisibility cloak, we decided to have a bit of fun with Malfoy before revealing ourselves to 'Mione and Ron who loved it before the four of us went to the Three Broomsticks for butterbeers before we went shopping. That's when the Minister entered the pub suspiciously with McGonagall to go upstairs with Rosmerta, Flitwick and Hagrid, who seemed a little drunk. Harry was under his cloak and following them before any of us had chance to stop him. I went to the Quidditch shop next door with Ron while Hermione waited for Harry. My dreams of a Firebolt ended when I actually saw the price. I didn't know anyone who could afford that except maybe the Malfoys, certainly not me even with my job and I couldn't ask money for that amount just for a broom. Still, I got to touch it. I had a look around at some other brooms but decided to wait until after Christmas to see if anyone sent me some more money, then I could get an even better one. I saw Harry storm passed the window looking pissed with Hermione chasing after him, when quick look passed between Ron and I then we followed them. He was at the woods by the Shrieking Shack when we caught up with him. He looked angrier than I'd ever seen him.
"He was their friend." He whispered to himself, working through whatever information he had found out. "HE WAS THEIR FRIEND!" He bellowed and punched the tree.
"Harry!" Hermione gasped.
"The filthy murdering bastard was their friend, best man at their wedding, best friend all the way through Hogwarts. My bloody godfather!" Harry continued ranting.
"Oh, Harry." I sighed.
"He's the reason they're dead! He sold them out to Voldemort! Treacherous Bastard!" He growled before he turned to me. "You knew. You knew and you didn't bloody tell me!" My eyes went wide as my best friend snarled at me.
"So you rather you knew, from the way your acting I bet you didn't." I scowled slightly.
"That shows how well you know me then. I'd rather know, so when I find him I can kill him." He growled his reply.
"Oh yeah. Famous Harry Potter's gonna kill a fully trained wizard that murdered twelve muggles and a wizard. Really smart Harry." I sneered slightly and his stupidity. "You won't go near him. I know he's the reason Aunt Lily and Uncle James are dead and don't you think I'd rather not know. Don't you bloody think I'd rather not know how a fellow marauder my, sorry, our godfather murdered another marauder and a street full of innocent fucking muggles, don't you think I'd rather not know that someone else I'm..." Harry cut me off as I was saying how I was related to him which probably wouldn't have been the best of things to tell him.
"ENOUGH! I don't want to hear any more. You should have told me! You should have fucking told me! I'd rather have found out from you then gossipers in the pub. I can't even look at you anymore." He barged passed me leaving us in shock.
"Well, I'm glad I didn't tell you! I was right! You're proving me right, you wouldn't have handled it." I snarled not letting him get the last word. "You can't fucking handle it." I changed and ran the opposite direction towards the Shrieking Shack and ran into the room I usually stay in and collapsed onto the bed in tears. How could he be such an arse to me? I know he's angry but how could he vent on me. He's supposed to be like my brother. I've always protected him, who is he to just throw something like that away. I reached into my pocket for the Marauders Map to find Moony before I cursed violently. I gave it to him to look after while I opened the passage to Honeydukes. He has my bloody map. I laid their sobbing, thinking angry thoughts about my god brother before Moony came and found me. He pulled me into a hug while I sobbed on his shoulder.
"There, there." He said soothingly as he rubbed my back. "Hermione told me you and Harry had a fight. Do you want to talk about it?"
"Harry hates me." I whined pitifully through tears.
"I'm sure he doesn't hate you, Nine Lives. Maybe you're over reacting." Mooney asked.
"Harry f-f-found out about what B-Black did." I sobbed. "And he hates me because I knew and I d-d-didn't tell him and he had to find out through people g-g-gossiping in the pub." I cried some more before continuing. "All the Gryffindors are gonna s-s-side with Harry and no one is going to speak to me and the team will be ruined and I'll be all alone forever."
"Don't be silly Ash, you'll make up. You're practically family and you've still got Hermione. And me." He added as an afterthought. "The team will get on as usual and nobody is going to leave you in your house, you have plenty of friends. I know Mr. Thomas is sweet on you."
"Don't be silly, Moony." I muttered into my uncle's shoulder making him chuckle.
"Come on. You've missed your dinner. Dry your eyes and we'll go to the kitchens and see about getting you some food." Moony dragged me up and we went and got sandwiches from the house elves before I slept on Moony's sofa.
-.-
I entered the Gryffindor Common Room next morning to see my three best friends in the corner talking quietly, I looked over hopefully but didn't approach. As soon as Harry saw me, he glared at me coldly and went to his dorm slamming the door, causing the attention of everyone in the common room. I glared after him before mimicking his immature response to me, only to shower and change before leaving the common room, slamming the portrait.
"Ash!" I heard someone call behind me as I walked away from the common room. I paused and turned around to see Seamus and Dean.
"What was that all about?" Dean asked concerned.
"You and Harry aint fallen out, have you?" Seamus asked curious.
"As a matter of fact, we have. And it's his fault. Now, if you excuse me, I'm not welcome in the common room so I'm going to library." I turned to walk away but Dean grabbed my arm.
"Don't be daft, Ash. Harry doesn't control the common room, so why would you be kicked out of it." Seamus told me.
"And we're going tomorrow, don't tell me you've forgotten?" Dean glared at me playfully.
"Of course not." I replied uncertainly.
"You're coming to mine tomorrow. You, Seamus and Sam so you don't have to worry about Harry. I knew you'd forget so I told McGonagall for you and I think Lupin knows too. So I suggest you spend today with Hermione and Ron or whoever. Go back in to that common room and hold your head high. You are Aurora-Shaw Hyde and no one can drive you out." Dean finished his motivational speech and I had the strong urge to kiss the boy who was quickly becoming one of my close friends. I was getting slightly worried, if I had to spend the next few weeks with him, what's gonna happen. I smiled brightly at him and hugged him before following his orders. I had Deja vu, Harry was back and sitting in the same position they were before I entered the Common Room earlier. I approached them confidently and went straight to Hermione, ignoring the glare from Harry.
"Come on 'Mione, you're spending my last day with me." I grinned at her.
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked confused.
"I'm not spending Christmas at Hogwarts, I told you all at the beginning of the year. Dean is taking me, Seamus and his little sister Samantha to Alton Towers. I forgot myself if I'm honest but they have reminded me and as I am not wanted here, I leave tomorrow." I replied leaving all three of them speechless. "So, come on Hermione." I dragged her away and we walked out of the common room. We spent the day with Hagrid who had learned of Buckbeaks fate, we found him sobbing his big heart out.
"Hagrid, what is it?" said Hermione, aghast. I saw an official-looking letter lying open on the table.
"What's this, Hagrid?" I asked him softly but Hagrid's sobs redoubled, he passed me the envelope so I brought out the letter and read it aloud to Hermione. "Dear Mr. Hagrid, Further to our inquiry into the attack by a hippogriff on a student in your class, we have accepted the assurances of Professor Dumbledore that you bear no responsibility for the regrettable incident. Well, that's okay then, as long as you're in no trouble Hagrid." I paused but the Half-Giant sobs still continued, "However, we must register our concern about the hippogriff in question. We have decided to uphold the official complaint of Mr. Lucius Malfoy, and this matter will therefore be taken to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. The hearing will take place on April 20th, and we ask you to present yourself and your hippogriff at the Committee's offices in London on that date. In the meantime, the hippogriff should be kept tethered and isolated. Yours in fellowship... There followed a list of the school governors."
"Oh dear." Hermione said. "But you said Buckbeak isn't a bad hippogriff, Hagrid. I bet he'll get off..." Hermione trailed off.
"Yeh don' know them gargoyles at the Committee fer the Disposal o' Dangerous Creatures!" choked Hagrid, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. "They've got it in fer interesting' creatures!" Hermione and I heard cracking bones from the corner, that's when we noticed Buckbeak the hippogriff was lying in the corner, chomping on something that was oozing blood all over the floor. "I couldn' leave him tied up out there in the snow!" choked Hagrid. "All on his own! At Christmas."
"You'll have to put up a good strong defence, Hagrid," said Hermione, sitting down and laying a hand on Hagrid's massive forearm. "I'm sure you can prove Buckbeak is safe."
"Won't make no diff'rence!" sobbed Hagrid. "Them Disposal devils, they're all in Lucius Malfoy's pocket! Scared o' him! Ad if I lose the case, Buckbeak -" Hagrid drew his finger swiftly across his throat, then gave a great wail and lurched forward, his face in his arms.
"What about Dumbledore, Hagrid?" I asked. "Surely there's something else that can be done."
"He's done more'n enough fer me already," groaned Hagrid. "Got enough on his plate what with keepin' them dementors outta the castle, an' Sirius Black lurkin' around -"
"Listen, Hagrid, you can't give up. You won't give up because I won't let you Hermione's right, you just need a good defence. You can call us as witnesses and we'll help you. Right now." I assured him.
"I'm sure I've read about a case of hippogriff-baiting," said Hermione thoughtfully, "where the hippogriff got off I'll look it up for you, Hagrid, and see exactly what happened." Hagrid's sobs gradually quietened but he reached for some Mead.
"We'll have none of that." I snatched it away from him. "You need a clear head if we're going to start this. I'm going to make you a very strong cup of tea and we'll get started." I stood and made tea while Hermione read over the letter, I placed three large cups on the table before we all sat down.
"Yer right. I can' afford to go ter pieces. Gotta pull meself together..." Hagrid said before taking a long slurp of tea. "I've not bin meself lately," Hagrid paused. "Worried abou' Buckbeak, an' no one likin' me classes -"
"We do like them!" lied Hermione at once.
"Yeah, they're great!" I added. "Now, let's get to work with the legal stuff, we'll go grab all the legal books we can find then return. We'll have a strong case for Buckbeak in no time." I finished. And that's what we did for the rest of the day, we enjoyed ourselves as well but I still couldn't wait for my first muggle Christmas and my first Christmas away from Hogwarts.