Chapter 41 - Gryffindor's Victory
As perhaps one of the most anticipated games loomed on the Gryffindor team it was up to Ron and 'Mione to work on the appeal while our captain worked Harry and I in hopes of winning the cup. To be fair to Oliver this was his last year to win the cup and I must admit I have hated the damn Slytherin's winning the past two years, I couldn't imagine how he felt. Most of the team felt like this so we had put up with Oliver's madness willingly but, as most of his attention was on Harry to win catch the snitch after us girls scored at least 50 points, Harry was close to snapping.
"So you must catch it only if we're more than fifty points up," Wood told Harry constantly. "Only if we're more than fifty points up, Harry, or we win the match but lose the Cup. You've got that, haven't you? You must catch the Snitch only if we're -"
"I KNOW, OLIVER!" Harry finally yelled the day before the match. The whole of Gryffindor House was obsessed with the coming match. Gryffindor hadn't won the Quidditch Cup since the legendary Charlie Weasley (Ron's second oldest brother) had been seeker. Even 'Mione wanted us to be the Slytherin's so badly, I just wanted to squish Draco Malfoy like the bug he is. That night in the common room the twins were louder than usual, Katie and Ang were laughing at them while Oliver continued to plan the game with a model of a Quidditch field in the corner, prodding little figures across it with his wand and muttering to himself. The four of us sat in the corner, Harry looked like a bundle of nerves while Ron and Hermione tried to comfort him. I focused on distracting myself while doing sit-ups, my feet under Hermione's arm chair as they talked. It came as a great relief than Oliver suddenly stood and ordered us to bed. I couldn't sleep, I tried for about an hour before I just got out of bed and went up to Oliver's room, I knew he'd have a sleeping potion and would have no problem in letting me have them. I climbed the stairs and peeked in his room. There was my cousin Katie in his bed, they were up and talking but neither had anything on their top half and as they had cover on the bottom, I didn't really want to know.
"Ash!" Katie hissed, seeing me instantly, Oliver looked up embarrassed as I smirked.
"Knew it." I replied smugly.
"What are you doing sneaking into a 7th year boy's room?" Katie glared at me.
"I can't sleep, I need a potion, can I summon it Oliver?" I asked sweetly, Oliver nodded dumbly. "Accio Sleeping Potion. Thanks." I caught the bottle.
"Don't tell anyone." Katie told me seriously, I did the zipped lip sign and grinned at them.
"Don't we have this big game tomorrow morning, for some their final game at Hogwarts. Maybe you should both get some sleep?" I suggested, Katie threw a pillow at me so I slipped back out of the room and to my bedroom, downed the potion and had a nice sleep.
-.-
I nibbled on toast the morning after and I ate the most out of the team, everyone was nervous for the game although I was excited to play my first game on my Firebolt. Oliver ordered us down early to warm up and so he could assess the pitch until the students of Hogwarts piled into the stands so we were ordered into the changing rooms. It was silence as the team changed but before long we followed our captain out to the field and the very loud cheering.
"And here are the Gryffindors!" yelled Lee Jordan, who was acting as commentator as usual. "Potter and Hyde on those beautiful Firebolts; Bell, Johnson, Weasley, Weasley, and Wood. Widely acknowledged as the best team Hogwarts has seen in a good few years -" Lee's comments were drowned by a tide of "boos" from the Slytherin end. "And here come the Slytherin team, led by Captain Flint. He's made some changes in the line-up and seems to be going for size rather than skill -" I cheered to that but was silenced by a look from Oliver.
"Captains, shake hands!" said Madam Hooch. Flint and Oliver approached each other and grasped each other's hand very tightly; it looked as though each was trying to break the other's fingers. "Mount your brooms!" Madam Hooch continued when she was satisfied. I mounted my Firebolt. "Three... two... one..." Her whistle blew and both teams kicked off, Madam Hooch released the snitch and the bludgers then threw up the quaffle, it was the first time I'd ever been the first to catch the ball so I immediately headed up towards the goal posts flying underneath their captain, Marcus Flint. Warrington bumped into me, causing me to drop the ball so he flew off with it only to have one of the Weasley's hit a bludger at him so Angelina grabbed the ball and scored as Katie and I kept the Chasers away from her as much as possible, as soon as we flew off Flint smashed into her, nearly knocking her off of her broom.
"Ang!" Katie and I called as we flew over to her.
"Sorry!" said Flint as the crowd below booed. "Sorry, didn't see her!" Fred then threw a beaters bat at his head.
"That will do!" shrieked Madam Hooch, zooming between then. "Penalty shot to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack on their Chaser! Penalty shot to Slytherin for deliberate damage to their Chaser!"
"Come off it, Miss!" howled Fred, but Madam Hooch blew her whistle and I flew forward to take the penalty.
"Come on, Ash!" I heard Lee yell as silence descended on the crowd. I picked up the quaffle and smirked at Bletchley, the keeper. I faked a throw towards the left ring and as he dived I deposited it into the middle one. "YES! SHE'S BEATEN THE KEEPER! TWENTY-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!" The crowd cheered before we went to the other side to watch the Slytherin penalty, it was silence again as Marcus Flint took it for it to be caught by Oliver. "YES! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! HE'S SAVED IT!" Lee shouted again, it seemed I could only hear him when he shouted. The team cheered and the game restarted, Angelina got the ball before it was knocked out of her hands by Warrington before I flew into his side so Katie grabbed it and flew up the field.
"I'll get you for that." Warrington growled at me.
"Bring it." I smirked and flew up the field after the quaffle only to see Montague, a Slytherin Chaser, had swerved in front of Katie, and instead of seizing the Quaffle had grabbed her head. Katie cart wheeled in the air, managed to stay on her broom, but dropped the Quaffle. Madam Hooch's whistle rang out again as she soared over to Montague and began shouting at him. A minute later, Katie had put another penalty past the Slytherin Seeker.
"THIRTY-ZERO! TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING -" Lee had cried into his microphone. I flew up to Katie and Angelina who were taking to Oliver.
"If that's how they want to play then that's how we'll play." I smirked, Oliver nodded his approval as we talked tactics. Oliver tossed the ball to me when the game restarted and I do loops around the Chasers that followed me as Katie and Ang got as far up the field as possible. My leg accidentally on purpose kicked Warrington in the face so he grabbed my leg and pulled me down just as I launched the ball to Katie and she scored. It was quickly turning into a very dirty game after Flint finally scored for his team making it Forty-Ten. Bole, one of the idiot Slytherin Beaters, decided to hit me in the head, saying that he thought I was a bludger so George elbowed him in the face for me Madam Hooch had to again award penalties to both teams. Ang scored for us and Oliver saved Warrington's so now we were on Fifty-Ten. The two beaters used our distraction to their advantage and walloped both bludgers at Oliver. Madam Hooch was beside herself
"YOU DO NOT ATTACK THE KEEPER UNLESS THE QUAFFLE IS WITHIN THE SCORING AREA!" she shrieked at Bole and Derrick. "Gryffindor penalty!" And Angelina scored. Sixty-ten. Moments later, Fred Weasley pelted a Bludger at Warrington, knocking the Quaffle Out of his hands; I seized it and put it through the Slytherin goal - seventy-ten. We were in the lead by over fifty so it was all up to Harry now, as a team we played defence now, not letting any of them near the goal posts. Just then, Harry streaked off with Malfoy not far behind him as he grabbed the end of his Firebolt.
"Foul!" I heard Oliver screech.
"Aim bludgers at Malfoy!" I cried to the Weasley twins, victory was so close and it was going to be ruined by him. Unfortunately he had done it, I was beside myself with fury.
"Penalty! Penalty to Gryffindor! I've never seen such tactics." Madam Hooch screeched, shooting up to where Malfoy was sliding back onto his Nimbus Two Thousand and One.
"YOU CHEATING SCUM!" Lee Jordan was howling into the megaphone, dancing out of Professor McGonagall's reach. "YOU FILTHY, CHEATING B -" Professor McGonagall didn't even bother to tell him off, she was actually shaking her finger in Malfoys direction, her hat had fallen off, and she too was shouting furiously. I took the penalty but I was so angry I simply launched the quaffle at Bletchley's face and heard a sickening crack as his nose broke. He managed to throw the ball to Flint who passed to Montague. Seventy-Twenty. Angelina got the ball and nearly every Slytherin player was on her tail so much so I couldn't even get around them although I did use Warrington's tactic on himself and pulled his leg, I imagine it hurt him more than it did me. In the end, Harry had to come down and dive bomb them from above causing them to scatter, clearing the way for Ang to score. Eighty-Twenty. Harry flew back to where he was supposed to be and it couldn't have been more than seconds as Harry dived for the snitch again, it was neck and neck as both boys went for it but Malfoy's Nimbus was no match for a Firebolt and Harry caught it.
"YES!" I screamed happily. We had WON! Oliver flew up to Harry, half-blinded with tears and pulled Harry into a bone-crushing hug. The Gryffindor Chaser's and the Weasley Twins did cheering victory laps as we sang; "We've won the Cup! We've won the Cup!" Until we all flew to Harry and Oliver and dived on them. The field was flooded and I had tears of joy running down my face as the entire team were hoisted onto the Gryffindor student's shoulders. Dean, Ron, Hermione and Uncle Moony finally got down to us and we cheered as Professor Dumbledore walked onto the pitch, the cup in his hands that had scarlet and gold ribbons on the handles and every single member of the teams names on it. He passed it to Oliver and clapped causing his to sob even more as he lifted up Katie and kissed her fully on the mouth. Fred and George wolf whistled as the cup was passed around, it finally got to me as Dean lifted me up and span me around. I hugged him tightly then kissed him.
"You did amazing." Dean whispered to me. I grinned at him and kissed him again before passing the cup to Harry. It was the best day I had ever had.
-.-
Exams were nearly upon them, and instead of lazing around outside in the brilliant June heat, the students were forced to remain inside the castle, trying to bully their brains into concentrating while enticing wafts of summer air drifted in through the windows. Even Fred and George had been spotted working; they were about to take their O.W.L.s (Ordinary Wizarding Levels). Percy was getting ready to take his N.E.W.T.s (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests), the highest qualification Hogwarts offered. As Percy hoped to enter the Ministry of Magic, he needed top grades. He was becoming increasingly edgy, and gave very severe punishments to anybody who disturbed the quiet of the common room in the evenings. In fact, the only person who seemed more anxious than Percy was Hermione. It was mad bless her, I always said she had too many classes and this was the time when she was paying for it. Care of Magical Creatures was the first of our exams, the four of us did well as it was one of our best subjects and we had a chance to speak to Hagrid afterwards.
"Beaky's gettin' a bit depressed," Hagrid told them, "Bin cooped up too long. But still... we'll know day after tomorrow - one way or the other -" They had Potions that afternoon and a Confusing Concoction was the potion we had to make, it wasn't the easiest of potions but I got through it as did Hermione although unfortunately I didn't think the boys had, Snape looked too happy while he was marking them. Then came Astronomy at midnight, up on the tallest tower, easiest so far; History of Magic on Wednesday morning, I couldn't remember my ghostly teacher saying anything about the questions on the exam but the books I had read had enough information so I think I passed that one too. Wednesday afternoon meant Herbology, in the greenhouses under a baking-hot sun; then back to the common room once more, with sunburnt necks, thinking longingly of this time next day, when it would all be over. Their second to last exam, on Thursday morning, was Defence Against the Dark Arts. Uncle Moony had compiled the most unusual exam I had ever taken; a sort of obstacle course outside in the sun, where they had to wade across a deep paddling pool containing a Grindylows, cross a series of potholes full of Red Caps, squish their way across a patch of marsh while ignoring misleading directions from a Hinkypunks, then climb into an old trunk and battle with a new boggart.
"Excellent, Ash," Moony muttered as I climbed out of the trunk, grinning. "Full marks." I grinned at my Uncle then went back up to the castle with the others for lunch before the last exam. Harry's and Ron's last exam was Divination while Hermione and I had Muggle Studies. They walked up the marble staircase together; before Hermione and I left them on the first floor we walked into the classroom and sat the exam, the questions were amazingly easy with question like 'what is the use of a toaster?'. I aced my final exam and met Dean by the lake so we could spend the afternoon together, Dean looked troubled when I saw him.
"Hey." I smiled at him. "How'd you last exam go?"
"It was okay." Dean grunted and laid down in the sun, a question popped into my head that I'd forgotten to ask him.
"Hey Dean, you know your Dad... your birth Dad. I know his name is Reggie but what is his surname?" I asked him.
"It's Black. His name was Reggie Black." Dean replied, I sat up immediately. "I think I'm probably related to Sirius Black but aren't most families related to the Black's?"
"Yes. Including mine, I'm directly related to the Black's." I told him.
"So, we're probably cousins." Dean wrinkled his nose thinking about it.
"Yeah." I replied feeling the exact same. "You have the same colour eyes as my Dad and my brother Addy, I don't know how I didn't see it."
"I think we've broken up." Dean stated.
"We're better as friends anyway." I replied.
"Best friends." Dean finished. I nodded and grinned then hugged him tightly.
"You probably shouldn't tell anyone you're related to the Black's, with Sirius Black on the run." I advised him.
"Thanks. I'll see you later, Ash." Dean kissed me one last time then got up and walked away. Considering I had just broken up with my first boyfriend, I didn't feel that bad. We probably were better off as mates. "Oh, and Ash. You know my Divination exam."
"Yeah?" I asked curious.
"For the first time, I actually saw something so I passed with flying colours." Dean looked at me oddly.
"Well done then, what was it?" I asked him.
"You... with Cedric Diggory." He replied then walked off up to the castle before I could say anything back. Cedric Diggory, it was like a light switched back on, my crush on Dean had gone and I remember literally everything nice Cedric had done for me.
"Orchideous." I whispered and a bouquet of flowers left my wand. I pulled out the Calla Lily and pushed it into my hair. "Evanesco." I vanished the rest of the bouquet. It reminded me of Ced. I smiled and walked up to the castle and back to the common room, I saw Harry rush in before me so I jogged to keep up. I saw Ron's stormy face immediately.
"Buckbeak lost," said Ron weakly. "Hagrid's just sent this." Hagrid's note was dry this time, no tears had splattered it, yet his hand seemed to have shaken so much as he wrote that it was hardly legible.
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
"We've got to go," said Harry at once. "He can't just sit there on his own, waiting for the executioner!"
"Sunset, though," said Ron, who was staring out the window in a glazed sort of way. "We'd never be allowed... Especially you, Harry..."
"If we only had the Invisibility Cloak..." I sighed, Harry had lost it.
"Where is it?" said Hermione.
"Inside the One-Eyed Witch passage, if Snape sees me anywhere near there again, I'm in serious trouble," he finished.
"That's true," said Hermione, getting to her feet. "If he sees you... How do you open the witch's hump again?"
"You - you tap it and say, 'Dissendium,'" said Harry. "But -" Hermione didn't wait for the rest of his sentence; she strode across the room, pushed open the Fat Lady's portrait and vanished from sight.
"She hasn't gone to get it?" Ron said, staring after her.
"Oh, are 'Mione's all grown up and breaking rules." I dramatically flicked away a pretend tear making Harry and Ron chuckle slightly. "Me and Dean broke up."
"Really?" Harry asked. "Why?"
"We decided we're better as friends." I replied before the three of us lapsed into silence waiting for the return of Hermione. She had got the cloak. Hermione returned a quarter of an hour later with the silvery cloak folded carefully under her robes.
"Hermione, I don't know what's gotten, into you lately!" said Ron, astounded. "First you hit Malfoy, then you walk out on Professor Trelawney -" Hermione looked rather flattered as I grinned at her. We went down to dinner with everybody else, but did not return to Gryffindor Tower afterwards. Harry had the cloak hidden in his robes; he had to keep his arms folded to hide the lump. We skulked in an empty chamber off the entrance hall, listening, until we were sure it was deserted, a last pair of people hurrying across the hall and a door slammed before Hermione poked her head around the door. "Okay," she whispered, "no one there - cloak on -" Walking very close together so that nobody would see us, we crossed the hall on tiptoe beneath the cloak, then walked down the stone front steps into the grounds. The sun was already sinking behind the Forbidden Forest, gilding the top branches of the trees. They reached Hagrid's cabin and knocked. He took a minute in answering, and when he did, he looked all around for his visitor, pale-faced and trembling. "It's us," Harry hissed. "We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off."
"Yeh shouldn've come!" Hagrid whispered, but he stood 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 looked like a man who did not know where he was or what to do. This helplessness was worse to watch than tears. "Wan' some tea?" he said. His great hands were shaking as he reached for the kettle.
"Where's Buckbeak, Hagrid?" said Hermione hesitantly.
"I - I took him outside," said Hagrid, spilling milk all over the table as he filled up the jug. "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," I said gently, hurrying over and starting to clean up the mess.
"There's another one in the cupboard," Hagrid said, sitting down and wiping his forehead on his sleeve. Harry glanced at Ron, who looked back hopelessly.
"Isn't there anything anyone can do, Hagrid?" Harry asked fiercely, sitting down next to Hagrid. "Dumbledore -"
"He's tried," Hagrid replied. "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... an' 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..."
"We'll stay with you too, Hagrid," Hermione began, but Hagrid shook his shaggy 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 she hid them from Hagrid, bustling around making tea, I sniffled as I continued to clean up the helped 'Mione. She suddenly let out a shriek.
"Ron, I don't believe it - it's Scabbers!" Hermione cried, Ron gaped at her. "What are you talking about?" Ron asked. Hermione carried Scabbers over to the table. "Scabbers!" said Ron blankly. "Scabbers, what are you doing here?" He grabbed the struggling rat and held him up to the light. Scabbers looked dreadful. He was thinner than ever, large tufts of hair had fallen out leaving wide bald patches, and he writhed in Ron's hands as though desperate to free himself. "It's okay, Scabbers!" said Ron. "No cats! There's nothing here to hurt you!" Hagrid suddenly stood up, his eyes fixed on the window. His normally ruddy face had gone the colour of parchment.
"They're comin'..." We whipped around and saw the group of men walking down the distant castle steps. In front was Albus Dumbledore, his silver beard gleaming in the dying sun. Next to him trotted Cornelius Fudge. Behind them came the feeble old Committee member and the executioner, Macnair. "Yeh gotta go," said Hagrid. Every inch of him was trembling. "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," said Hagrid. They followed him to the door into his back garden. I sobbed when I saw Buckbeak a few yards away, tethered to a tree behind Hagrid's Pumpkin patch, I turned back and hugged Hagrid as tightly as I could.
"I'm sorry, Hagrid... I'm sorry we couldn't do it..." I whispered into his beard.
"It's okay, we all tried. Now go... Go!" Hagrid ordered. I released him then scrambled away. Buckbeak seemed to know something was happening. He turned his sharp head from side to side and pawed the ground nervously. "It's okay, Beaky," said Hagrid softly. "It's okay..." Hermione threw the cloak over us, they heard voices at the front of the cabin. Hagrid looked at the place where they had just vanished from sight. "Go quick," he said hoarsely. "Don' listen..." And he strode back into his cabin as someone knocked at the front door. Slowly, in a kind of horrified trance, Harry, Ron, Hermione and I set off silently around Hagrid's house. As we reached the other side, the front door closed with a sharp snap. "Please, let's hurry," Hermione whispered. "I can't stand it, I can't bear it..." They started up the sloping lawn toward the castle. The sun was sinking fast now; the sky had turned to a clear, purple-tinged grey, but to the west there was a ruby-red glow.