The walk to Hagrid's hut was a tad uncomfortable, I didn't know what to say to this boy, I know he wanted to talk about the argument but he thought it best not to.

Hagrid was waiting at his hut, standing tall above his boarhound, Fang

'Hello, Mara.' said Hagrid 'Who's your friend?'

'I'm here to watch over the lesson.' said Oscar

'O'course,' said Hagrid 'well, we'll get on with the lesson when the others arrive, we're studying Glumbumble's today!' he beamed, and I frowned, I highly doubted anyone was proceeding onto NEWT level, and I was right, no one turned up.

Hagrid sighed heavily after twenty minutes of waiting, looking rather agitated.

'No one's comin'' Hagrid growled 'Alrigh' then, might as well come in and have a cup o' tea, eh? Or you can go back to yer common room, no use starting a lesson with just one person.'

'I'd like a cup of tea, Professor.' Hagrid turned towards his hut and noticed the Auror again

'Yeh can come in too if yeh want.' he said to Oscar 'Or go back to the castle.'

'Oh, uh, sure.' he looked uncertain, but followed us into the hut.

'Can't believe no one's come!' said Hagrid, as he slammed things around whilst preparing tea

'I'm sure there were reasons, Professor,' I said sympathetically 'schedules too full, too many classes to fit.' but I knew deep down no one wanted to take Hagrid's sometimes dangerous classes again.

'Bloody ungrateful little-' sneered Hagrid, who it appears wasn't listening to me at all, I shook my head and took a rock cake off the plate that Hagrid placed down. I bit into the rock cake, and I could swear I chipped a tooth on it, I shook my head at Oscar as he reached for one, and he thought better of it. Hagrid slammed three, bucket sized mugs of tea on the table moments later.

'So, er, Professor, I'm sure if the students could take the subject, they would, it's just that other classes take priority in what career we take-we will have loads of homework, too.'

Hagrid huffed

'You still have your third year and fourth year classes.'

'Yeh righ'' he growled, and drank a hearty swig of tea, which prompted me and Oscar to sip at ours too.

'So, an Auror, eh,' said Hagrid, changing the subject 'I've been seeing you, getting real chatty with Mara 'ere, yeh ought to be careful.' I felt my skin burn in embarrassment, Oscar looked affronted.

'I'm just being friendly.' said Oscar, frowning.

'Just warning yeh,' said Hagrid 'Not a great idea, fraternising with students, people will think yer after something.'

'Ridiculous!' snapped Oscar 'I would never.'

'Not worth riskin' yer job over,' said Hagrid 'tha's all.'

'I didn't come here to be interrogated,' sneered Oscar, rising to his feet 'thank you for the tea, I'm leaving.'

'Oscar, wait, he didn't mean to-' but he rushed out, and I hurried after him, however, I paused, upon seeing a man, dressed in grey rags, his hair black and matted around his head, lingering by a tree, watching us.

'Who is that.'

Oscar froze and turned, he, too, saw the man lingering, but in a blink, he was gone.

'Did you see that man?' asked Mara 'Just there.' I pointed towards the tree, and Oscar's lips pursed.

'I uh-no, I didn't see anyone,' said Oscar 'I'm going.'

I frowned and watched the Auror march away, wondering why he lied, I knew he had seen that strange man too.

I knew I had to tell someone 'Sir,' I began 'something happened at Hagrids earlier,' I twisted my hands around one another nervously 'I-I think I saw someone, in the forest! He wasn't there too long and disappeared after a glance.'

'You saw someone, in the forest?' asked Snape, his eyes lowered 'Miss Morris, we have the best anti-intruder jinxes around the school and it's land, no one is able to penetrate them.'

'But I saw him!' I snapped 'You don't believe me?!'

'I believe...' Snape began, with a short, disconcerting pause 'I believe, with what happened with Fenrir you are...perhaps, seeing things that aren't there...'

Outrage coursed through my body 'You WHAT,' I roared 'I AM NOT CRAZY. I SAW SOMEONE! If you would just ask the aurors to look-'

'Calm yourself,' Snape ordered 'I suggest you get yourself some more sleep, it looks as if you have not been doing so.'

'Oscar saw him too! Not just me, he can vouch for me!'

'Oscar?' asked Snape with a risen eyebrow

'The Auror you instructed me not to speak to! He was with me when I saw him!'

Snape glowered

'Very well,' he replied 'I will have him sent here, and he will either confirm or deny your statement.'

Minutes later, Oscar arrived in the office.

'You wanted to see me?' he asked, looking rather wary.

'Miss Morris claims she saw a man in the forest,' said Snape 'can you either confirm or deny her claims?'

Oscar shot me a guilty look

'Uh, I...' he hung his head 'no, I didn't see anyone.'

I was aghast.

'Miss Morris, get some more sleep,' said Snape 'you should head to lunch.'

I stormed out of the room before Oscar could say anything more...

'Mara! Mara, wait!' Oscar called as I made my way to the Great Hall at a march

'What do you want.'

'Just listen, please, I swear I didn't see anything,' his expression didn't reassure me 'look, I got you something.' He pulled out a small box 'Take it.'

'Should you be jeopardizing your position in giving students presents?' I snapped

'Uh, probably not,' said Oscar, frowning 'but, please, it'll make me feel better.'

Glaring, I took the box and opened it.

'A sneakoscope?' I said, twisting it around in my hands

'You should keep it, it'll come in handy.'

'Handy? Handy for what! Why should I accept anything from you after throwing me under the bus!' I threw the box down on the ground and stomped on it with my foot, Oscar looked offended as I marched by him, but I didn't care, I was more offended for him not backing me up!

I pressed my head into my hands as I sat down at the long table, how could Snape think I was lying? Did he think I was making it up for attention or something? Or..or maybe I really was going crazy after what happened at the manor, what if I was just seeing things?

No, I wasn't crazy, I KNOW I saw someone, but how did they get through security? I knew I couldn't rely on Oscar or Snape for help, I had to do something about it myself.