Chapter Seventeen: Hints
Maybe in some alternate universe I could own a small smidgen of this, but not here. Here I own zippedy-do-dah.
Okay, thank you so much Hermione2007 for pointing out my error, it was a huge oversight on my side. But I've thought of a way to work around it so that it doesn't mess up the story so…the question still stands except I'm adding the end of fifth year to the options too. So, do Lily and James come back at the end of third, fourth or fifth (to Harry and/or publicly)? Think about it! And I'm sorry it took so long to update! Enjoy!
True to my word, I went directly to my dad the Saturday morning a week before the Quidditch Final to ask if I could witness in favor of Buckbeak's defense. I asked Hermione to come with me because I figured that she'd been holed up in the library for too long as she continually avoided Ron and, by extension, Harry and myself. Ron hadn't listened to a word I'd said about Scabbers just running off somewhere, thinking I was only defending Hermione. I was dropping hints every so often and I was sure he was going to either break down and yell at me soon or finally take a hint.
I knocked on the door to Snape's quarters before entering, Hermione directly behind me, carrying all of her research. He wasn't in his favorite chair so I assumed he'd be in his laboratory. I'd never been in there, so I just knocked loudly on the door where I received a muffled "Come in."
Opening the door, I gestured for Hermione to go in first. The room was similar to the dungeons. It was dark and cool, the walls lined with various jars of ingredients. Snape was standing over a cauldron that was situated in the center of the room, holding a piece of parchment and a quill on a clipboard and feverishly taking notes. The smell coming from the cauldron was very sweet and it almost burned my nose.
"What're you making?" I asked from the doorway. I didn't want to get any closer than I had to.
"It's the first trial I'm making of your potion," he replied swiftly. "Of course, the only guarantee I have at this point is that it won't kill you," he added sounding annoyed.
"Yeah, I like living," I agreed. "Should I come back later?"
"No, I'm finished here," he said, putting his clipboard on a desk and placing a shield around the potion to prevent explosions. He turned and noticed Hermione. "Ms. Granger," he said, nodding his head. Then he noticed what she was holding. "No,"
"You don't even--"
"I won't put you on Lucius Malfoy's hit list,"
"I'm already on it," I answered. "Dad, I can't just let them kill Buckbeak! I want to prove that there was no lasting damage, look I don't even have a scar anymore," I said, lifting my shirt just high enough to prove my point. "And Hermione's got an awesome defense all set up and everything,"
"Will Buckbeak die if you are not present at that trial?" Snape asked, glaring.
"His blood will be on my hands," I answered, dodging the question.
"You know that isn't true. No one's blood is on your hands,"
"It doesn't matter if it's true or not, what matters is how much guilt I feel," I replied solemnly trying to summon up some of the guilt I really did feel about James' parents as well as some of the acting I had picked up being the only female Marauder. It worked.
"I don't know when they would allow you to speak," Snape said, hedging around saying a definite 'yes.'
"They don't need to know which side I'm speaking for; they'll want me as soon as possible if they think I'm against Buckbeak,"
"Why would they think that?"
"Aren't you kinda sorta friends with Mr. Malfoy? By extension, that makes it sound like I'd side with him as well,"
"Very well, I will speak with the headmaster of the matter and let you know later today," he said. "Ms. Granger?" he added. Hermione jumped and looked at him nervously.
"Yes, sir?" she asked curiously.
"Might I have a look at your notes?"
"Oh, please do," she said, handing over the load of parchments and books seeming surprised but excited.
Snape picked apart her notes, separating them into two piles: adequate vs. terrible. Most were in the adequate pile but he gave her a few more references to seek out which she eagerly copied down. I was just glad that he wasn't being prejudiced against her being a Gryffindor/muggle-born. She ran off to the library around lunch time to look for the books Snape had recommended and he and I headed for the Great Hall.
"I had always believed she would be better suited in Ravenclaw but I see I was mistaken," Snape said along the way.
"What made you change your mind?" I asked, curiously.
"Her devotion is far beyond just learning the facts."
I just nodded as we arrived in the Great Hall and went to sit next to Ron and Harry.
"Where've you been?" Ron asked, loading his plate up with food.
"With Hermione and my dad," I replied. "He's going to ask Dumbledore if I can witness at Buckbeak's trial,"
"For the defense?" Ron asked.
"No, offense," I answered, rolling my eyes. "Yes, you dolt, the defense! Jeez, what do you take me for?"
"Sorry, just wasn't sure whose side you'd be on," he replied sourly.
"For the last time, Scabbers isn't dead," I said shaking my head. "How many times do I have to say it for you to believe it?"
"When he turns up again," Ron answered stubbornly.
"But that's like a month away," I groaned, leaning back before remembering that there were no backs to the benches.
"You know where he is?" Harry asked, leaning around Ron and grabbing my wrist before I tumbled to the ground.
"No, he's a rat, he could be anywhere at the moment," I answered as Harry yanked me back into an upright position. "Thanks for that save, Ron," I added. He just shrugged. I shook my head and looked up at the staff table to see Snape and Dumbledore speaking quickly to one another. Remus was on Dumbledore's other side and he was speaking at intervals as well.
"What do you suppose they'll say?" Harry asked, noticing that I was watching the conversation.
"I've got no clue," I answered before leaning onto the table with one elbow.
"And you don't like that," Ron added.
"I don't mind it," I replied with a shrug. "But no, I don't like it very much,"
"I can't see Dumbledore letting you just let anything happen to Buckbeak," Harry said reassuringly.
"I can, Buckbeak is a Hippogriff. I've watched worse things than a Hippogriff being put down," I muttered bitterly. "He didn't have a problem with it then, I can't see what'll have changed,"
"So Hagrid will lose the trial, and Buckbeak will die if you don't go," Ron said nervously.
"Yes and no," I answered, poking at the food in my plate. "I'd rather both answers be 'no' though," I added quietly after a moment. "That way it'd be legal," I explained when I noticed both of them staring at me with confused expressions exclaimed on their faces. They turned to each other and shrugged before going back to their lunches.
I looked up at the staff table again just in time to notice Dumbledore nodding his head while Remus smiled and Snape looked as pleased as he ever looks in public.
"Now remember not to look any of them in the eye, keep your sentences short and factual and do not allow yourself to at any time raise your voice," Snape instructed as we walked along the hall of the ministry, heading for the court room.
"I know how to deal with these people, dad," I said again for the thousandth time. "I've witnessed in court before," I added before he could protest.
He closed his mouth angrily. He'd been badgering me all week about my behavior in a court setting. It had gotten so ridiculous that McGonagall had had to remind him that he was needed in the Potions lab for first year Hufflepuffs when he had followed me to Transfiguration.
It was Friday now and we had left the school early because the ministry had indeed been interested in my side of the story. They felt that I, being the victim of the actual attack, should make my statement awhile before either of the parties presented their cases. I had no idea why, but I didn't really care either. Since I was an underage witch, though, I needed a parent to be present so Snape had got to leave the school as well.
"Foolish Gryffindor bravery," he muttered before opening the doors to the court.
We were in one of the lesser courts so there were only a couple of judges as opposed to the entire Wizengamot. The jury and school governors were also there as was a man holding a piece of parchment and a quill who I took to be a reporter. At least he wasn't Rita Skeeter.
There was a stand in the middle of the room facing away from everyone except for the judges and that was where they ordered me to stand, Snape coming to stay at my side.
"We recognize at this time the beginning of the case of the Hippogriff called Buckbeak. Please state your name, how you pertain to the case and what side you would like to represent." The elderly wizard in the middle stated. His beard was wispy and grey and his face was wrinkled and pinched. He sounded bitter, as though this were a waste of his time.
"Kailey Audrina Macauley-Snape, alleged victim and witness for the defense," I said clearly. The wizard frowned but the wider and wrinkled witch beside him grinned.
"I told you this would be interesting," she cackled, elbowing the grumpy looking man.
He threw a dirty glare at her before continuing. "And you sir? Please state your name and relation to the witness,"
"Professor Severus Snape, father of the witness," Snape answered.
The wizard nodded, "Please present your side and then--"
"Explain to the old coot why you're defending the beast which attacked you," the witch finished. She grinned as the wizard rolled his eyes and 'humphed.'
"Alright, well it was the first day of Care of Magical Creatures class for the Gryffindor and Slytherin third years," I began, trying to remind myself to stand up straight and speak loudly. I thought they might all need hearing aids. "Professor Hagrid introduced us to the Hippogriffs, keeping us outside of the paddock and the Hippogriffs on the inside. He explained to us what they were and how we should behave around them. He said that the most important thing to remember was that a Hippogriff is a very proud creature and to treat it with respect. He said that if one of us insulted one that it would attack because that's what Hippogriffs do. He was very clear with those instructions,"
"Did the Hippogriffs seem tame to you before the Professor told you all of this?" another witch, this one with a very pointy nose and long neck, asked looking over her glasses.
"They still seem very tame to me, Ma'am," I replied easily. She nodded for me to continue. "Well, next he asked who would like to try and greet the Hippogriffs first; he said we could start with Buckbeak. Nobody else volunteered, so I said I would do it,"
"And then you were attacked?" The old wizard guessed.
"No, sir," I answered. "I bowed to Buckbeak and he returned the gesture, signifying that I could go and pet him, which I did. He was very friendly towards me. Harry Potter was the next person to try and Buckbeak bowed to him as well."
"The Boy-Who-Lived, you say?" the elder witch asked for clarification. I just nodded, satisfied that mentioning Harry had seemed to impress at least one witch in Buckbeak's favor.
"Yes, after that the rest of the class was more eager to try. Harry and I stayed closer to the fence while everyone else began going up to the Hippogriffs. Everything was going great but then I heard some of the Slytherin boys talking. They were making rude comments and I was worried that they had ignored our Professor's warnings. I made my way over to them just in time to hear one of my classmates tell Buckbeak that he was a 'great ugly beast.' It was too late to tell Malfoy to move so I dove into him, knocking him out of the way."
"And placing yourself in the path of the Hippogriff's talons," the pointy witch finished.
"Yes, but it wasn't a terrible injury, Madame Pomfrey healed it so fast it was like there was never anything wrong," I said confidently. I heard the scraping of a chair behind me and turned to see Lucius Malfoy standing in the front row. Snape placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Now, Ms. Snape, what makes you say that the Hippogriff is not at fault in this instance? A creature must be held accountable for its own actions," he said in his oily voice.
I turned back to face the witch who seemed to be on my side. She gave me a wink before standing herself. "Mr. Malfoy, by the sound of it to me, you have just called your own son a creature. Ms. Snape very clearly has told us that her professor warned the students against insulting Hippogriffs and your son seems to have done so on purpose. I, for one, see no reason for this case to move onward into trial," she sat back down and two of the other judges nodded their heads in agreement.
"But, Madame, you cannot be serious, my son suffered a terrible head injury from the incident and Ms. Snape received a terrible injury as well," Malfoy pressed on.
"Silence, Mr. Malfoy," the bitter wizard scolded. "Ms. Snape has told us of her own condition and there seems to be no trauma there. As for your son, he should have listened to his professor—for all we know that injury has taught him a valuable lesson on the art of listening. We shall vote right now as to whether or not this frivolous matter moves onward." He added to the other four judges. "All in favor of pressing charges?" None of them raised their hands. "All against?" the five of them raised their hands. "It is unanimous; the charges against the Hippogriff called Buckbeak shall be dropped. Professor Snape, you may take your daughter back to the school,"
Snape swept me swiftly out of the room, avoiding Lucius Malfoy at all costs it seemed, and we flooed back to the headmaster's office. Dumbledore stood from behind his desk and Hagrid looked over, holding a handkerchief very tightly in his massive, white knuckles. A grin broke through my features.
"All charges dropped," I smiled and Hagrid let out a wild whoop of joy before pulling me into a bone crushing hug. "Hagrid—air—" I panted and he released me.
"Sorry, I was jus' so excited! I best go an' tell Beaky! He'll be so pleased! How can I ever repay yeh, Kailey?" Hagrid's face was shining with happiness.
"Never make me ride him again and we'll call it even," I grinned. Hagrid's laugh caused the portraits on the wall to shake and their occupants to complain as he left the room.
"Very good work, Ms. Snape," Dumbledore commended, coming around the desk to shake my hand. "Severus, why so silent?" he added.
"Foolish Gryffindor bravery," was all he muttered, shaking his head. "You do realize that by mentioning Malfoy's name you have just created a solid enemy?"
"He was part of the story and I wasn't the one who called him a creature," I said, folding my arms and sticking out my tongue at Snape. "That was that nice old lady judge, she and the rest of them made an enemy, I just told the truth,"
Snape rolled his eyes. "Go find your friends; I don't doubt that they will be curious as to the outcome. Oh, and be kind when you tell Hermione, she didn't even get to use all of that research,"
I smirked and traded a grin with Dumbledore.
"What?" Snape asked, narrowing his eyes.
"You called Hermione by her first name," I said.
"Yes, and?" he replied, though I could tell he was growing uncomfortable by my accusation.
"Nothing, nothing, I'll just go and find them then," I said, skipping over to the door of the office and heading for the common room.
I entered the Common Room and looked around to find that no one was in there. Classes must not have been over yet. I decided I didn't want to go and find everyone so I just went over to the couch and sat down. Suddenly there was a tapping at the window and I looked up to see an owl waiting to be let in. I walked over and opened the window and the owl fluttered over to where I had been sitting and stuck out its leg.
"Who do you belong to?" I wondered aloud, taking the letter from the brown owl's leg. I tore the letter open and read:
Kailey,
Padfoot is going to try sneaking into the castle tomorrow night and nothing that Prongs or I say has convinced him that it would be a bad idea, he's insisting that he won't get caught. Do what you need to in order to prepare tonight and write back as soon as you can find the time. Perhaps you could write a letter to him if he shouldn't break in?
Best wishes,
Redtail
I frowned and looked at the bird. I stood up and the bird followed me as I ran up the stairs and into my dorm. I dug through my trunk for a moment before I found the book I was looking for and then searched for the right chapter.
"Damn it, Sirius," I muttered, grabbing a quill and tearing a piece of parchment in half before scribbling two letters. "Take this to Lily and James first and then to Sirius," I ordered the bird as I tied the letters to the bird's leg before going to the window and opening it so that the bird wouldn't be seen in the common room.
I went back downstairs to find people filtering in gradually. Taking a deep breath, I walked over to the couches once more and plopped down in front of the fireplace, my leg bouncing out of nerves. Why is Sirius always so annoying…?
"Kailey, you're back already?" I looked up to see Hermione and the other two coming through the portrait. She practically ran over to me and sat down. "What did they say? Do you have to go back?"
"No, they decided to drop all of the charges. They figured that I was fine and Buckbeak didn't do anything that a normal, well-behaved Hippogriff wouldn't do. Oh, and a nice old lady judge inadvertently called Malfoy a creature." I grinned.
"Wicked," Ron muttered, grinning ear to ear. "Wish I could've been there,"
"That's great! Oh, Hagrid must be thrilled." Hermione said at the same time.
"He is, believe me, I'm lucky to still be breathing he gave me such a hug," I answered, laughing a bit. "But my dad is all paranoid now. He says I've made myself an unnecessary enemy of the Malfoy family," I added, rolling my eyes.
"Aren't we all already enemies of the Malfoy family because of Draco?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I thought so, but apparently this just finalized the deal for me," I shrugged.
"Well, at least Hagrid's pet will live," Ron said, nodding his head.
Harry brought a hand to his forehead and Hermione turned bright red. I blew up.
"Oh my God, Ron, give the stupid rat thing a rest already, would you? Are you seriously planning on letting that ruin your friendship with Hermione?" I fumed, not honestly in the mood for Ron's complaining.
"Well if you'd give me a bloody hint--"
"No! No hints! Everyone else in the world lives without them so why can't you?" I hissed.
"Well you obviously don't care about Scabbers or me," Ron said pointedly.
"I don't care about your rat, I don't like rats, particularly not your rat. He's not normal and he never has been so stop moping over the goddamn rat!" I wasn't quite yelling yet but Ron's ears were beginning to turn red.
"Wow, I guess Kailey doesn't like Scabbers," George said coming up from behind me.
"Can't imagine why, all he ever did was sleep," Fred mused, coming up to my other side.
"Shove off, you two," Ron growled. "And if you didn't like Scabbers so much then why would you care if he's dead or not?"
"I don't!" I replied angrily.
"Then why the bloody hell do you think it's okay for you to tell me that he's alive?" Ron nearly yelled.
"Because he is!" I groaned.
"Prove it!"
"I can't!"
"Then why should I believe anything you've got to say?"
"Just forget it," I muttered, standing up and heading for the portrait.
"Where are you going?" Harry called after me.
"For a walk," I replied before exiting the common room, ignoring Sir Cadogan's taunts from behind me.
"Kailey, wait!" I turned around not all that far down the corridor to see Harry chasing after me. "Where are you really going?" he asked, coming to walk beside me.
"For a walk," I answered, raising an eyebrow though not surprised in the least that he hadn't believed me. "I'm a bit stressed at the moment and I don't want to deal with his stupid rat issue,"
"Why are you stressed? Is something going to happen at the game tomorrow?"
"No, the game has nothing to do with it. You remember when I told you guys what would happen if Sirius Black got into the castle again?"
"Expelled and Azkaban or St. Mungo's, wasn't it?" Harry answered, looking confused. "He isn't going to get into the castle again, though, is he?"
"Not if he listens to my letter, he's not," I answered rubbing the back of my neck.
"You actually wrote to him?" Harry asked, sounding in between furious and shocked.
"Well, it would look awfully bad if I got expelled and sent off somewhere just after getting Buckbeak out of that trial, wouldn't it? That and it would be strike…I dunno, probably six or seven on my chance list with Dumbledore and I don't think he wants to listen to me anymore," I sighed. "Never mind he gives loads of other people a million screw up shots, when you know the outcome beforehand it limits you," I added, rolling my eyes.
"So…you're concerned with what would happen to Buckbeak if Black came into the castle?" Harry asked slowly.
"Well, considering that would be the only negative to take place, yes. There are no injuries or arrests that take place, other than my own which would suck." I stated. "I may even just stay by the castle doors tomorrow just to make sure he doesn't even try," I added as an afterthought.
"You really believe he's innocent, don't you?" Harry asked, sounding a little bewildered.
"Yep,"
"So what is he coming into the castle for then?"
"Classified."
"Really?" he sounded interested.
"No," I grinned.
"Then why won't you tell me?"
"Cause,"
"Because why?"
"Well, mostly because it would involve divulging some illegal and some private information about people other than me before they are ready to tell you themselves,"
At some point we had ended up outside and we weren't all that far from the forest. Harry noticed me staring off into the woods and frowned.
"Is he out there?"
"Somewhere," I answered with a shrug. "I really hope he got my letter," I added.
"Me too," Harry agreed. "I don't much enjoy it when Keena disappears and I imagine I wouldn't like it much if you did either," he elaborated for my benefit.
"I'll try to remember that," I said with a small smile, and we turned to walk along the forest's edge. "How bad do you think Ron and Hermione have got into it?" I asked for a change of subject.
"Well, they were yelling when I left--" Harry started.
"No, I'm talking about how much they like each other," I said, cutting him off.
"Er…"
"Don't tell me you haven't noticed," I grinned as he shook his head.
"I think you're confusing 'like' with utter disdain," he laughed.
"No, you forget, I've got experience on my side," I said, tapping my temple. "They fight about as much as Lily and James fought in school before she loosened up and he deflated."
"I guess you're probably right, then," he answered, rubbing his head, effectively messing up his already tussled hair. "I am curious about something though," he said.
"About what?"
"Is it weird for you at all? Thinking about Black, I mean."
"Thinking that way about him? Yeah, sorta, I mean, as Kailey he's just…well, some guy I suppose. Not a stranger exactly, but I wouldn't say I felt anything…special towards him. When I'm Keena, though…it all changes. It's so confusing," I shook my head. "There are some things that just make the whole two souls deal more confusing than others. My magic, for example, is already easy to control. Every spell I already know from my first time through Hogwarts is still with me, it just takes one or two tries to get it right as opposed to the four it takes Hermione,"
"Except with the patronus," Harry noted.
"Yes, that one was harder to do, but I still did it much sooner than I should have been able to," I answered. "That's past seventh year level magic and the first time I learned it was after school. We all learned it when the dementors began to switch to Voldemort's side just in case we ever needed it. Didn't help much, but whatever," I added with a non-committal shrug.
"Is that why I can't do it, then? The full patronus, I mean, because it's past seventh year level?"
"You can do it, I'm sure, it's all about your mindset," I said confidently.
"So when am I going to do it? Or is that classified as well?" he asked.
"You'll do it when you least expect it, how's that?" I answered with a grin.
"Vague," he replied, pouting a little. I laughed and he frowned. "Please?" he asked, grabbing my arm and bringing us to a halt. We were near the Whomping Willow now.
I laughed. "Kay, you'll least expect it and it will be a surprise," I said with a wink.
"Fine, what shape does it take the form of?" he persisted.
"I dunno," I said in a sing-song voice.
"Liar," he accused.
"Damn, you caught me," I replied, snapping my fingers.
"That isn't very nice, you know," he said as if he were speaking to a child. I just shrugged.
Suddenly a twig snapped very close by and we both jumped. I took my wand out and so did Harry and we stared into the trees. After a very tense moment, a dog came bounding out of the woods, tackling me to the ground.
"Get off of me, you big mutt!" I cried, laughing a little. The dog barked happily and sat down on my stomach as Harry tried to shove him off.
"Where did he come from?" Harry asked, as he finally managed to get the stupid dolt off of me. Padfoot then jumped Harry and began licking his face. "D'you think he's safe?" he asked after I had pulled him off of Harry.
"I think he's an idiot," I answered. Padfoot barked and then whined. "No offense," I added.
"He looks really familiar," Harry said suddenly. Padfoot sat down and tilted his head in confusion. "Oh! Your patronus! Er, Keena's patronus! It did the same thing," Harry said excitedly.
I frowned and looked at the dog who seemed to be even more confused. "Nah can't be, this mutt looks like an idiot," I answered, shaking my head. Padfoot growled at me then barked twice. "Sorry, but I don't speak dog," I said innocently. He just gave me a look that I took to be a glare.
"Maybe we should take him up to the castle, I don't think it's safe in the forest," Harry suggested.
"No, he should be fine as long as he stays away from any dog catchers," I answered.
"There aren't dog catchers out here," Harry said before a quick pause. "Are there?"
"Sure there are, they're called dementors, professors and dog-haters," I replied rolling my eyes.
"Why would the professors care if we were just taking him up to the castle to find him a home?" Harry asked.
"Mickey is a full on cat person, Harry, trust me," I said. "And I'm not so sure my dad would approve either. He'd probably make me take an anti-rabies potion or something,"
"What about Dumbledore?"
"He doesn't like me,"
"Dumbledore likes everyone," Harry replied, rolling his eyes in disbelief.
"Except me, and if I bring this dog to the castle he'll like me even less, trust me," I said turning to look at Padfoot. "Besides, the dog is gone," I added.
Harry looked down and then back up at me. I just shrugged. "Should we go look for him?"
"Why are you so interested?" I asked, shaking my head and heading back for the castle.
"I already told you, he looked really familiar." He persisted, looking over his shoulder to see if he could find Padfoot by just talking about him. "Like I've seen him before,"
"Don't tell Wood that, he'll go bloody crazy if he thinks you've gone mental right before the Quidditch cup," I laughed as Harry gave me a shove. "It's true and you know it,"
"So, about the outcome of the match tomorrow…"
"You're as bad as your father when you talk about Quidditch, I'll have you know."
"Maybe, but I would bet you didn't know the outcome of his matches and you probably do know the outcome of mine,"
"Okay, here's what we'll do, whoever gets back to the common room first decides whether or not I tell you which team claims victory tomorrow," I said as we began to climb the stairs to the castle. "Deal?" I asked, extending my hand for him to shake. We stopped in front of the doors.
"Deal," he said and we shook.
"Ready? Set? Go!"
We each shoved a door open and raced to the first staircase. Harry was already ahead by a little when we reached the top, but I took a passage that he didn't know about behind a tapestry and I lost sight of him. Two staircases and a different secret passage way later, I arrived in front of Sir Cadogan.
"What be your quest you whelp?"
"Is Harry Potter back yet?" I panted out.
"No, he is not, do you have the password?"
"Warty Hogs," I answered.
"Imposter! That is not the password!"
"What d'you mean it isn't the password? You just changed it this morning!" I cried.
"And again this afternoon," he said proudly.
"C'mon, let me in please! I can't tell Harry the answer to the outcome of the Quidditch match," I begged.
"There, you've said the password!" he said, opening up. "Was that so hard?"
"Um…what was the password?" I asked, stunned.
"Quidditch you loony lass!"
"Huh," I said, climbing through the portrait hole.
I turned around at the sound of a frustrated yell and saw Harry coming down the hall before the portrait slammed shut.
"Three, two, one," I muttered, listening at the portrait.
"What d'you mean you changed the password!"
I sniggered at the muffled yell.
Right, so don't kill me! And don't forget to answer that very important question which can be found in bold at the top of the chapter! Or just review…whatever works! Next is number 18!
:-D