"And Ron told us once that Hermione, Harry and him made some in their second year. I think us three can manage. And let's face it, you're pretty great at potions." Fred said.

"Why thank you."

Guys?" I asked later that week.

"What's up?" Hermione replied.

"I know you two don't particularly like me, but-"

"Particularly isn't very strong." Ron interjected.

"I can't find Pepper. He's my cat, black and white, you know, looks like pepper and salt?"

"You lost him again?" Hermione groaned. I bit my lip and nodded.

"Oh Rita. I think you need a different pet."

"So you haven't seen him?" I asked.

They all shook their heads.

"Fuck."

"Miss Black!"

"Yes, Professor...?" I asked, slowly turning around to see McGonagall standing there, her hands on her hips.

"Language. Thirty points from Gryffindor." She said, causing me to groan.

"Yes Professor." I mumbled and she walked away.

"What do you think about a ferret? I wonder what colors they come in..." I hummed absentmindedly.

"They aren't wigs, Rita. They don't 'have colors they come in.'"

"Oh. Right. But what colors do they have?" I asked, and she rolled her eyes. I grinned innocently and walked over to where Fred, George, and Lee were sitting.

"Have any of you seen Pepper?"

"You mean your salt and pepper cat?" George asked.

"Yes, exactly! Finally, someone gets it."

"No, Rita, no one gets it. We just know that why you call him that." Lee said.

"Oh. Well. When's the Slytherin/Gryffindor match again?" I asked, sitting down next to Fred.

"You're so forgetful."

"Few weeks."

"Rita!" Hermione yelled, running into the common room.

"Hermione? What happened?" I asked.

Her face was red and splotchy and she had tears in her eyes. "They're going to execute Buckbeak!"

"What?" I exclaimed, jumping up from the couch, "But they can't do that! It's not fair! What about all that research we did? I thought there was no way Hagrid could loose!"

"Buckbeak's going to be killed?" Ron asked, him and harry walking over.

"Ja, Orange One, keep up!" I said.

"Oh this is horrible!" Hermione cried.

"Hey, it's alright! We still have the appeal!" I said.

"The what?" Harry asked.

"We still have a chance to defend Buckbeak." Hermione said. "Will you guys help?"

"I can't Hermione, I've got quidditch every waking moment not spent in classes." Harry said.

"I'll help." Ron offered. I scoffed.

"Oh yes, you'll be such a great help."

"Rita." Hermione warned.

"What! If you've forgotten, these are the two dipshits who were being rude to you in the first place." I huffed.

"Not like you're any better!" Ron said.

"Yeah, well at least I'm not giving her the silent treatment because there is the least possible chance that her cat ate my rat!"

"You have a rat?" Ron asked.

"You're so stupid. No I do not have a rat! I'm just saying that you obviously aren't a great friend if you're accusing her cat of eating scanners just because it's a cat and mouse situation."

"No, you're right. It was probably your cat. And that's why no one can find him." Ron shot back.

Hermione and Harry sat there, looking back and forth between the two of us.

"Hey! You leave Pepper out of this!"

"Both of you, stop this right now!" Hermione yelled.

"Fine. But I'm not helping when he is." I said, and Ron crossed his arms.

"And I'm not helping when she is."

Hermione looked between the two of us, and put her hands on her hips.

"Are you suggesting that I make a schedual?"

"That would be great." I said.

"Yes." Ron said.

So Hermione made a schedual and I helped her help Hagrid on Mondays, Wednesdays, and saturdays, and Ron helped on Tuesdays and thursdays. Sundays were days off or something I guess. For the next few weeks we went back and forth like this, trying to find anything we could to save the hippogriff.

Hermione even wrote it all out into a speech for Hagrid.

Not all he had to do was read it and wow them. Hopefully it would work.

I wonder sometimes if we didn't hope enough.