Chapter Fifty Three

"He's got what?!" Daphne gasped, "I… I..."

Harry nodded, that was all he could do. Hermione and Neville had summoned them to a meeting, Umbridge was so distracted with the school rebelling at every turn all six of them had managed to slip away to the lake the Saturday before O.W.L.s began.

"I don't understand." Draco said, "How did he get his brother into the forest? He must be huge!"

"Oh easily twelve foot." Hermione said, wrapping her arms around her, "And not even half as well mannered at Hagrid is, even if they are brothers."

"And he took you both to see him? During the Quidditch match?" Harry asked.

"Apparently Hagrid found his brother while they were away for Dumbledore during the summer, and he was having a hard time of it so he, some how, smuggled his giant brother back into the country and up to Scotland." Hermione said, throwing her hands in the air in exasperation.

"I… I…" Pansy sat there, shaking her head.

"I don't understand why he didn't tell me." Harry said, "Sorry, that sounds awfully self centred."

"He was looking for you." Neville assured him, "You just weren't at the match."

Harry nodded, he hadn't attended any Quidditch matches that year, not being able to play had just left them making him sad rather than happy or excited. The cup was worth next to nothing this year as well, Umbridge had messed up all of the teams and house points so much.

"It was the only time he could slip away without out anyone spotting him." Hermione explained further.

"There is still the fact there is a wild, aggressive giant running around the forest!" Draco hissed, "What are we supposed to do about that?"

"He just wants us to keep him company, if Umbridge gets rid of him." Neville sighed, "And he's not running around he's tied up… for the moment."

"What?" Daphne laughed, "I mean… Hagrid got beaten half to death by that thing! He could kill us."

Harry laughed, he couldn't help it.

"Are you all right?" Pansy asked.

Harry nodded and struggled to calm himself, "Yeah… yeah… it's just…" he clutched at his aching side, "Out of everything we've been through, Cedric, Voldemort, Dementors, Umbridge, Dad leaving, O. … there's now a giant! You couldn't make this stuff up!"

"Why are you all together?" Rodolphus asked, skulking over, "Tut tut, no more than three allowed together without permission."

Harry forced himself to stop his hysterical laughter and dragged himself up, along with Draco and Neville and they moved back towards the castle, ignoring whatever comments Rodolphus was spitting at his back.

It was fine, O. started in less than two days and then Harry would be so busy he wouldn't have time to worry about Umbridge or her Inquisitorial Squad; he couldn't believe he was excited about that.

The Monday was bright and clear, Harry managed to force down a few mouthfuls of toast before the butterflies in his stomach made him feel too sick to continue.

Draco was as white as a sheet, he snapped at several younger students who happened to be sitting too close to them and was generally panicking. Daphne and Pansy managed to eat, and spent their entire breakfast whispering facts to one another from various text books, glaring or hissing at anyone that interrupted.

"Best of luck." Gemini said, sarcastically as she walked passed on her way to class, "I do hope you don't forget everything."

"Piss off Gemini." Pansy and Daphne snapped, not even bothering to look up from their book.

Harry smirked and Gemini stalked from the hall. It wasn't long before it was only seventh and fifth years left in the hall.

That week passed in a blur, the weekend filled with sleep, studying and the occasional meal before it all began again on Monday.

"I can't even remember which exams we've done." said an exhausted Draco as they climbed up to their Astronomy practical that Wednesday.

They had had the theory that morning, along with a disastrous Divination where Harry had managed to predict the examiner was due to die yesterday.

"At least it's only one more day, there's only History of Magic tomorrow and then we're free and clear. This is a good thing!" Pansy laughed.

"I don't understand how they think we can do our best work with so many exams crammed in together." Neville sighed.

"I read that muggles often have only one exam a week, sometimes two. It seems far more civilised." Pansy sighed.

Harry smirked at how involved Pansy had gotten in learning about muggles and the differences between the way they did things and the magical community did. She rarely stopped moaning about how awful the Muggle Studies syllabus was when the topic was brought up these days.

Hermione hadn't stopped picking at her nails for nearly two weeks. Harry caught her hand and swung it between them playfully, "It'll be OK."

Hermione smiled, "I know. I just also know how important these exams are. Everyone has such high expectations and I would hate to disappoint Professor McGonagall, especially after she was so nice in my careers meeting."

Harry nodded and grinned, letting go of her hand as they filed into the balcony at the top of the Astronomy tower. It was just before eleven as Harry set up his telescope, the sky crisp and clear, perfect for stargazing, which was very annoying in some ways as they had no excuse for any mistakes they might make.

Professor Marchbanks and the examiner waited until everyone was ready before handing out blank star charts.

"You have two hours to complete your star charts." The examiner said clearly, "You may begin… now."

Harry pressed his eye to the telescope and began to mark down what he could see. A little over an hour into the exam, Harry had just finished marking the constellation of Orion on his chart when the ground below them was suddenly flooded with light.

Harry knew he should be focusing but he couldn't help but having a quick look down. The light was caused by the large front doors to the school being opened, the light from the Entrance Hall spilling out onto the dark grass.

He could see five or six people walking quickly out of the castle. Harry shook his head and focused back on his chart, he placed Venus on the smooth parchment before he couldn't help himself but look down again.

Harry was sure it was Umbridge in front of the group, leading them somewhere. She had a particular way of walking, more of a waddle as her heels caught in the grass.

He glanced over to Daphne, who had set up next to him and she gave him a small, worried nod to show she'd seen it too.

Harry tried to think about the stars and planets, tried to think about the test but he could already feel his heart racing, he didn't imagine Umbridge was just out for a nice midnight stroll.

There was a loud roar from the direction of Hagrid's cabin, over half of the students looked up, Professor Marchbanks looking around, rather worriedly.

"Try to concentrate boys and girls." Professor Marchbanks said, "Twenty-four minutes left."

Harry kept watching the darkness, towards where he knew Hagrid's cabin was. It was only a few seconds before there was a flash of light and a loud bang. The door to Hagrid's cabin flew open, illuminating what was going on.

The six people were moving around him, chucking red sparks of light from the tip of their wands at Hagrid. Harry had never seen Hagrid so angry, roaring and swinging his fists wildly.

"No!" Hermione shouted, clearly also watching the scene unfold before them.

"My dear!" the examiner called, clearly offended, "Please! This is an examination!"

No one was paying attention to the test any more, they were all watching what was going on. Harry watch the small figure of Fang jumping about, trying to get hold of one of his master's attackers. A flash of red light hit Fang at close range and he fell to the ground. The stunning spells didn't seem to work on Hagrid however, the red beams just bouncing off, seemingly having very little effect, if any.

"Come on, Hagrid! Be reasonable!" a voice echoed across the grounds.

"Reasonable be damned!" Hagrid yelled back, "Yeh ain't takin' me in like this, Dawlish!"

"Look!" Pansy said, pointing to where the castle door was opening again, and a rippling shadow was moving swiftly towards Hagrid's hut and the struggle.

"Please students!" The examiner implored, "You have seventeen, no sixteen minutes left, you must focus!"

"I think it's McGonagall." Harry said, moving a few steps closer to the edge of the balcony.

Neville nodded in agreement, looking worriedly at the unfolding scene.

"Leave him alone!" McGonagall's voice echoed over, "Leave him alone I say! Why are you attacking him? What has he done? How dare you?! He has done nothing to warrant such an..."

Harry felt the air get caught in his throat, several people around him screaming in shock, as at least four stunning spells hit McGonagall at once, slamming into her chest. She glowed red for a few moments before the full force of the spells hit, knocking her back several feet.

"Is she dead?" someone yelled.

Harry, selfishly, wasn't concerned with McGonagall at that moment, he cared of course and wanted to be able to help her but the main thought going through his head was 'this is it, I'm all alone'.

Professor McGonagall and Hagrid would both be gone by the morning, there was no way that McGonagall wasn't going to need specialist treatment after such a vicious attack. She was the last member of staff, member of the Order, that he could talk to.

"Galloping gargoyles!" shouted the examiner, "Not so much as a warning! Most outrageous behaviour!"

"COWARDS!" Hagrid bellowed, "Take some o' that!" he swung his large arms, knocking those around him to the ground.

They fell to the ground and didn't move, Harry hoped that they were dead although he suspected they were simply knocked out.

'Better yet, brain bleeds that will turn them all into vegetables' he thought bitterly to himself.

Hagrid doubled over for a moment, Harry panicked that he had finally been taken down but he straightened back up quickly and draped poor Fang over his shoulders before running off into the night; Umbridge screaming for someone to get him until he was long gone from sight.

Professor Marchbanks looked around at the frightened students, before tapping the examiner on the shoulder.

The examiner straightened his robes, "Right, well, five minutes everybody… tick tock."

Harry quickly filled in the rest of his chart, he thought it would be, at best, two thirds correct but he couldn't make himself care in that moment.

He quickly stuffed his telescope into its case and left the tower. He wanted to talk to his friends and needed the crowd to thin a little first. He could see Tracy and Millicent walking just in front of them and over heard Millicent say 'McGonagall'.

Harry could feel his blood boil with anger and didn't think twice before grabbing Tracy on the shoulder and spinning her around.

"What?! It's not enough she might be dead, you have to insult her as well?" Harry snapped.

Tracy slapped his hand away from her, leaving his skin red and stinging.

"No." Tracy hissed, "If you must know, listening in to our conversation as you were, we were just saying that good, pure-blooded families have a way of doing things, an honourable way. And that wasn't it. I hope Professor McGonagall is all right, I truly do, because that was disgraceful."

"I'd be ashamed if Umbridge was my family." Millicent added.

"Well people don't tend to follow the rules in a war." Harry informed them, feeling a little guilty for snapping.

"This isn't a war." Tracy snapped, "It's a school, and you would do well to remember that. Come along Millie."

Harry took several deep breaths, he would of said something else but Daphne had put a calming hand on his shoulder and gave him a warning shake of the head. Harry followed his friends until they were tucked under the stairs.

"The… trying to sneak Hagrid away in the middle of the night like that!" Hermione said shaking her head, "That's low, even for her."

"I suppose she didn't want a scene, like there was with Trelawney." Neville shrugged.

Draco gave out a snort of laughter, "Don't be so stupid."

"What?" Hermione asked, frowning in confusion.

"He means, do you really think that the cow didn't know there was an exam that just so happened to look over Hagrid's hut tonight?" Daphne asked, "She could of just done it tomorrow or yesterday when there would have been no one about but…"

"She wanted us to see it." Hermione finished.

"Why?" Neville asked, barely more than a whisper.

"To show me that no one is on my side." Harry said, "McGonagall was giving me lessons and she knew Hagrid was my friend, our friend. She sent away Dad, and then Dumbledore. She needs us to know that she has total control over us."

They stood, tucked under the stairs for several minutes, trying to take in what had been said. Harry knew it before of course, he'd been the one to say it, but it felt like a knife to his heart hearing the words out loud.

"We'd better head to our rooms." Hermione said, shaking her head and wiping her eyes, "There will be hell to pay if we're caught, and we have another exam tomorrow."

Harry nodded as the group split, half heading to the Gryffindor tower and the other the Slytherin dungeons. He changed, Crabbe and Goyle already snoring away, although Blaise was looking less than happy and quickly drew the curtains around his bed.

Harry climbed into his soft sheets and closed his eyes, but no sleep would come. Every time he closed his eyes all he could see was McGonagall being thrown backwards, the bright red light throbbing around her for several seconds before fading, or Fang being hit as well, or Hagrid running to goodness knows where. Harry just wanted to go home.

The next morning, after very little sleep, Harry dressed and crept out of the dorm at just passed six in the morning. The common room was empty as he slipped out, only putting on his shoes after he'd left the entrance to the common room.

He walked the sleeping corridors to the hospital wing, and with a shaking hand, knocked quietly on the door.

It didn't take long for Madam Pomfrey to open it, wrapped in her dressing gown with wisps of hair sticking out from under her cap.

"Mr Potter?" she said, "It's very early, is everything all right?"

Harry left out a laugh and shook his head, "No. But nothing you can do about that."

Madam Pomfrey looked concernedly up and down him, stepping out of the hospital wing and letting the door close soundlessly behind her, "What's wrong?"

"Everything, right now. But that's not why I'm here." Harry said, forcing a smile, "I'll be fine."

Madam Pomfrey gave him a nod, "Very well, why are you here then?"

"I was wondering if Professor McGonagall is OK? And if I could maybe see her?" Harry said, his mouth was so dry the words barely left him, he was terrified she was dead.

Madam Pomfrey looked sadly at him, "I'm sorry Mr Potter, she was transferred to St Mungo's a few hours ago."

Harry felt himself panic, "She's… she's gone?"

Madam Pomfrey looked at him sadly, "I had no choice but to transfer her, Mr Potter. I'm good but I'm not that good. And four strong stunning spells? At close range? And in a woman her age? Frankly it's lucky they didn't kill her."

Harry looked her and took several fast breaths, "She's not dead?"

"No, of course not!" Madam Pomfrey gasped, "Whatever gave you that idea?"

Harry shook his head, "I… I saw her go down, I was part of the exam."

Madam Pomfrey smiled and squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, "I'm sure she'll be just fine with a few weeks of good care. And should you wish to talk, you know where I am. Nothing you say to be would ever be repeated to anyone else, let alone another member of staff."

Harry nodded and forced another smile, "Thank you Madam Pomfrey."

"I suggest you run along for an early breakfast and have a nap this morning before you last exam this afternoon." Madam Pomfrey suggested, "And try not to worry."

Harry nodded and walked back down the corridor, his legs felt so heavy. Professor McGonagall was alive, which was good news but that didn't make him feel any less alone.