A/N: Thank you for all of the feedback on this story! I really appreciate it. This story will be coming to an end within the next five or six chapter but never fear, there WILL be a sequel. I have the whole story planned out.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter.

Exam fever was upon Hogwarts. It was quite common to see stressed out students in the library, surrounded by piles of books and parchment as they scratched feverishly away with their quills. The fifth and seventh years in particular were stressed out beyond Harry's comprehension as they would be doing their O.W.L.S and N.E.W.T.S examinations.

The stress was hitting Harry hard as with the revising for exams, his dementor lessons and his treatment he was finding it difficult. A blustery Friday afternoon found Harry crouched over a toilet in the third floor boys bathroom, throwing his guts up as Ron whispered words of comfort to him.

Getting weakly to his feet, Harry staggered over to the sinks and clutched hard at them. Ron knew what to do as he pulled Harry's bag of medication and handed him the relevant medications. He sighed with relief as he downed a nutrition potion, headache potion, fever reducer and nausea reducer.

"Better?" said Ron, handing Harry's bag back to him.

"Much. Thanks." said Harry, splashing his face with cold water and taking his bag from Ron.

"C'mon Hermione will be having kittens." chuckled Ron.

Harry grinned shiftily and followed Ron out of the bathroom to find Hermione.

-xxx-

A heatwave hit Hogwarts the week of exams began. Ron was grumbling loudly that he wanted to play Quidditch instead of doing Divination; their last exam. Hermione shot that idea down straight away. Stating in no uncertain terms that he HAD to do the exam or she would murder him.

Harry chuckled at Ron's affronted expression as Hermione departed for her arithmancy exam, while Ron and Harry headed for the Divination tower. When they arrived, the whole class were grouped underneath the trapdoor, talking apprehensively amongst themselves.

"What do you suppose she'll have us do?" said Ron, pulling off his robes and sitting down, leaning against the wall.

Harry shrugged "I dunno, probably have us interpret our future from how many split ends we've got."

Ron sniggered at this, earning himself glares from Parvati and Lavender; both of whom were very fond of the old fraud.

One by one; their names were called until it was only Harry and Ron left to do the examination. Parvati climbed down the ladder with a happy expression on her face.

"How'd it go?" said Harry nervously.

"Brilliant," Parvati beamed "I saw loads. Good luck."

"Ronald Weasley." came Trelawneys earthy tones.

Ron eyed the door nervously and entered the room with the look of someone headed for the gallows. Harry sighed and slumped against the walls, despite the potions he still felt unwell. He felt cold, like his bones were made of ice, his skin was painful and his head felt as if it would explode.

Harry grumbled, all he needed was to get ill when he was due to take an exam. Fifteen minutes later Ron emerged with a shifty grin on his face.

"Made it up." said Ron, grinning.

Harry chuckled and bade goodbye to Ron as he waited for his name to be called.

"Harry Potter!"

Sighing, he struggled to his feet and with difficulty, climbed the ladder into the stifling room.

"Ah hello my dear. Take a seat in front of the orb." said Trelawney in her mystic tones.

Harry suppressed an eye roll and sat down in front of the crystal ball.

"Well gaze into it and tell me what you see my dear." said Trelawney.

Harry sighed under his breath and looked into the crystal ball. Honestly! What a load of rubbish! There was nothing to see. He'd have to make it up.

"I uh see a lot of fog. So I um think it's going to be foggy tomorrow." he could almost hear his conscience say 'You idiot'

"I also see me. I'm bleeding, I've just been attacked by a manticore. Oh and now a chimera is eating my body. Okay that's just gross, a hippogriff has just used me as a toilet."

Harry suppressed a giggle as Trelawneys eyes widened and she scribbled down her notes.

"Anything else my dear?" said Trelawney.

Harry pretended to peer into the ball "Yes! You will stub your toe tomorrow."

"Very well dear, that will be all."

Relieved, Harry picked up his bag and threw it over his shoulder.

"It will happen tonight!"

Harry whirled around, hand poised on the doorknob. Trelawney eyes had gone foggy and she had lost her dreamy voice, to be replaced by a harsh, hoarse voice.

"The Dark Lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followers. His servant has been chained these twelve years. Tonight, before midnight... the servant will break free and set out to rejoin his master. The Dark Lord will rise again with his servant's aid, greater and more terrible than ever he was. Tonight... before midnight... the servant... will set out... to rejoin... his master..."

Harry stared horrified at Professor Trelawney as she seemed to come out of her gaze.

"What did you just say?" said Harry, heart thumping madly.

"I said nothing dear." she said, looking utterly confused.

Harry said nothing, just gave her one more horrified look and bolted from the room.

He ran all the way to the Gryffindor common room, hoping to find Ron and Hermione. As luck would have it, they were crouched in a corner; chatting animatedly. He edged over to them, twisting his fingers anxiously.

"Hey Harry, how did your exam go?" said Hermione, smiling at Harry.

"It went fine. Listen I was just in my exam when Trelawney-" he was cut off however when a tawny owl soared through the window and dropped a letter on his head.

Recognising Hagrid's untidy scrawl, Harry ripped the letter open and Ron and Hermione gathered closer so as to read it.

Harry, Ron and Hermione.

It's going to happen tonight. Don't come down.

Hagrid.

Harry's heart sank, he'd completely forgotten about Buckbeaks execution.

"We have to go and support Hagrid!" Harry exclaimed.

"Of course we do! Lets go." said Hermione, tucking her book down the side of the sofa.

Almost at once they ran out of the common room, out of the castle and towards Hagrid's cabin. Harry knocked loudly on the door.

"Whose there?" came Hagrids voice, thick with emotion.

"Hagrid it's us. Let us in." said Harry loudly.

The door flew open to reveal Hagrid looking a right state. His face was swollen and red with tears and his hair was a tangled mess.

"I told yer' not ter come." said Hagrid hoarsely, standing back to allow them entrance.

Harry and Ron sat down at the table, while Hermione sat opposite them.

"Hagrid they can't do this, they simply can't!" said Hermione, who had tears in her eyes.

"Yer well ol' Lucius Malfoy stuck 'is oar in." said Hagrid bitterly.

"We'll stay, we'll tell them that Malfoy insulted Buckbeak." said Harry, jumping up from his seat.

Hagrid shook his head "Yer will do no suc' thing. It's bad 'nough withou' you lot getting' yerselves in trouble." said Hagrid firmly.

"You can't just let them win!" exclaimed Hermione.

Hagrid just shook his head sadly.

"Oh Ron I think yer missin' somethin'." said Hagrid, opening a small box and handing Ron Scabbers.

"Scabbers! I thought I'd lost you." said Ron, stroking the thin rat.

"I think you owe someone an apology!" said Hermione, scowling at Ron.

"Fine! When I find Crookshanks, I'll let him know." argued Ron.

"I meant me!" snapped Hermione.

Ron opened his mouth to reply, but at that moment a stone soared through the window and smashed the sugar pot. Hagrid walked over to the window and peered out. He paled when he saw Dumbledore, the ministry official, Fudge and what was obviously the executioner approaching.

"Yer' nee' to go." said Hagrid desperately.

Harry, Ron and Hermione jumped to their feet and headed for the back-door, Ron clutching a struggling Scabbers.

"Hagrid!" said Harry desperately "It's okay, everything will be fine."

"I know, I know jus' go." said Hagrid, shooing them from the backdoor.

Harry, Ron and Hermione, ran around the side of the pumpkin patch, past a nervous Buckbeak and behind a large pumpkin. They watched as the group knocked and then entered the cabin. Harry grabbed Hermione's hand.

"Come on we need to go." he muttered.

The three ran as fast as they could, until they were at the top of a a large hill. They stopped just as they heard the unmistakable swish and thud of an axe. Hermione started sobbing quietly, wrapping her arms around Ron's neck.

"Oh no." said Harry sadly.

"OUCH!" Ron screamed. Scabbers had bit him, causing him to drop the rat.

Ron immedialey scrambled after the rat, which had bolted as soon as it left Ron's hand. He was heading straight for the Whomping Willow. They both ran after him

"Ron!" shouted Harry, coming to a stop to watch horrified, as Ron dove on Scabbers, mere feet from the violent tree.

"Harry!" Ron shouted, pointing horrified to something behind him and Hermione "It's the Grim!"

Harry whirled around and came face to face with a large black, snarling dog. The dog ran forwards and Harry threw his hands up to his face, but the dog didn't stop at him. It ran straight for Ron. Grabbing his leg, it dragged him through the flailing branches of the Whomping Willow and down a small hole.

Harry's heart raced with adrenaline, they had to get in there! The only problem was how?