A/N: This chapter contains an extract from the chapter; Professor Trelawney's Prediction.

Chapter Five: Things get Grim

Ron and Hermione had both received replies from their families and had been told everything would be taken care of before the summer holidays. Ron's father would arrange for Hermione's house to be connected to the Floo Network and make sure there was plenty of Floo Powder too.

It was now the last day of the exams and Harry, Ron and Hermione had just finished their penultimate exam; Defence Against the Dark Arts, and all three of them were reasonably confident of passing. But before any of them could speak, Harry spotted a familiar portly man with a lime green bowler at the top of the steps.

Cornelius Fudge, sweating slightly in his pinstriped cloak, was standing there staring out at the grounds. He started at the sight of Harry.

'Hello there, Harry,' he said, 'Just had an exam, I expect? Nearly finished?'

'Yes,' said Harry. Hermione and Ron, not being on speaking terms with the Minister for Magic, hovered awkwardly in the background.

'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.'

'Execution?' said Harry, 'what about the appeal? We've worked really hard on that!' he finished indicating himself, Ron and Hermione.

'Y-you've been helping to clear the Hippogriff's name?' said Fudge curiously.

'Of course, Minister, we saw the whole thing. The first thing we were told was to never insult a Hippogriff. However, as Draco Malfoy was too busy trying to find a way mess up the lesson, he wasn't listening. As far as I'm concerned he got what he deserved as he called Buckbeak "An ugly great brute". No witness statements were taken, at least not from either of us, so the execution shouldn't be happening,' said Harry.

'Well, I see. I'm not sure what I can do …' said Fudge.

'Well, surely as the Minister for Magic, you have some powers …' said Harry cajolingly. 'Anyway, nice to see you again, Minister, we're going to lunch.'

Once lunch was over, Ron walked Hermione to her Muggle Studies exam.

'Y'know, I still think you're barmy for taking this subject,' said Ron.

'Well, like I said back in the summer, I thought it would be interesting to study Muggles from a Wizarding point of view.' she said.

'I'll take your word for it, love,' he said as they reached the classroom.

Hermione smiled at the endearment and said, 'Maybe you should take Muggle Studies next year?'

'No, I'd rather be taking Muggle-born Witch Studies – in particular; you,' said Ron.

Hermione laughed and said, 'Silly boy, what am I going to do with you?'

At that point Ron kissed her and wished her luck before she went into the exam. He went back to Gryffindor Tower, when he arrived he took a seat by the fire and began to think about the summer holidays. He knew that the Quidditch World Cup would be on and that there was a chance his dad could get tickets from work, hopefully he would be able to invite both Harry and Hermione to come to the Burrow to see the final, and spend the rest of the summer holidays there too. He didn't want to have to choose between his girlfriend and his best mate. He would do whatever it took to get them both there, even if he had to do Fred, George and Ginny's chores for the summer. He was so deep in thought, he neither noticed Hermione's return from her exam, or the Owl perched on the table beside him.

'Ron? Ron, are you there?' she said waving her hand in front of his face.

'Hmm?' he said breaking out of his thoughts, 'Oh, hi, Hermione, sorry, I was miles away,' he said as she sat beside him.

'Was it somewhere nice? Never mind, there's an owl – it's from Hagrid!' She then read the letter aloud.

'"Dear Harry, Ron and Hermione,

We won! The Minister of Magic dismissed the case!

Beaky and me are celebrating and Dumbledore is going to come down and join us later.

Thank you for all the help you gave us, I won't forget it.

Hagrid"'

'Yes, I can't believe it! Justice is done. I'd love to see Malfoy's ugly face when he finds out!' said Ron cheerfully.

'Harry will be pleased to know what happened, too,' said Hermione.

'Harry will be pleased to know what?' said Harry who had just returned from his Divination exam. Hermione passed Harry the letter from Hagrid and he read it before saying, 'Brilliant, I could do with a party, if only I still had the invisibility cloak …'

'Where is it?' asked Hermione.

'In the passageway under the one-eyed witch, but if Snape sees me near there again … I'm in serious trouble …' said Harry.

'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, pulled the Fat Lady's portrait open and vanished from sight.

'I think you've had a bad influence on her, mate,' said Harry as Ron laughed.

Hermione returned a quarter of an hour later with the silvery cloak beneath her robes. Ron said, 'Have I told you lately how brilliant you are, Hermione?'

Hermione blushed.

After dinner in the Great Hall, Harry, Ron and Hermione snuck down to Hagrid's hut under the Invisibility cloak. After knocking and declaring themselves, Hagrid invited them inside.

'I dunno if yeh three being 'ere is a good idea – particularly yeh, Harry,' said Hagrid.

'Well I wouldn't be much of a friend if I didn't come down and offer my congratulations to you and Buckbeak; would I?' Harry replied.

The three of them took it in turns to bow to Buckbeak and each received a bow in return before patting him.

'Fancy a cuppa, then?' said Hagrid.

'I'll make it,' said Hermione.

Hagrid was about to speak until Hermione shrieked.

'You okay, Hermione?' said Ron.

'Yes, I-I don't believe it-it's Scabbers!'

Hermione then carried over a milk jug 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 on 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 his hair had fallen out leaving him with 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.

'Dumbledore's on 'is way down, yeh'd better go,' said Hagrid.

Without another word Hermione threw the cloak over herself, Ron and Harry, before they left by the back door as Ron stuffed Scabbers into his jacket pocket.

They made their way back up to the castle until Ron stopped dead. Hermione pleaded with Ron to keep moving. Ron continued to struggle with the rat until – 'Ouch! He bit me!' said Ron. Then Crookshanks appeared, Ron stuffed the rat back into his pocket and fastened the zip closed.

Then the biggest dog any of them had ever seen appeared and ran towards them. Harry and Hermione ducked as it jumped over them towards Ron and grabbed him by his ankle.

'AHH!' shouted Ron in pain as a distinct cracking noise was heard. Ron then felt himself being dragged, but to where he did not know as his eyes were closed due to the pain. The next thing he knew, he found himself in an ugly room with a bed. He slid over to the bed and heaved himself up on to it, holding his broken leg, wincing in agony.

'Fuck! Shit! Bloody dog!' he said; his voice raspy.

There was a chuckle from across the room and Ron looked up to see something truly shocking.

A tall man with long matted hair, filthy robes was pointing Ron's own wand at him.

It was Sirius Black.