the prisoner - f.weasley

    Hermione and Gemma were basically walking each other back to the castle.

    Both of them were in utter horror at the execution, and Hagrid's wails would forever haunt Gemma.

    Her heart shattered again as she thought about them.

    It was nearly dark as they were almost back to the school.

    "Scabbers, keep still," Ron snapped at the rat in his pocket, stopping again and trying to get the pet to stop squirming. "What's the matter with you, you stupid rat?! Stay still — OUCH! He bit me!"

    Gemma glared at the rat as Hermione shot back, "Ron, be quiet! Fudge'll be out here in a minute---"

    "He won't...stay...put..." Ron grunted. "What is wrong with him?!"

    Gemma was not sure if she was supposed to help him or not, but when Hermione started to order, "Crookshanks! No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!" The redhead became more and more worried about the whole situation.

    And she was right to be worried because not even two seconds later, Scabbers was scampering away, Crookshanks was taking after him, and Ron was after them both. Gemma shot off after them all, ignoring the fact that she was no longer hidden under the magic of the cloak.

    Crookshanks liked her; maybe she could coax the feline to come with her instead of killing the rat.

    The damp grass made it hard to run down the slope.

    Gemma was nearly caught up with Ron when she slipped and came to a harsh stop just a few feet from Crookshanks.

    She panted as she grabbed for the cat and called to Ron, "You got it?"

    "Yeah..." He wheezed.

    The footsteps of Hermione and Harry came up behind them, and the former's voice panted harshly, "Ron, Gem...come on back under the cloak--Dumbledore--the Minister--they'll be coming back out in a minute---"

    A chill raced up Gemma's spine suddenly, and she spun, Crookshanks scrambling out of her arms as she watched the dog from the night she and Harry ran away, leaping towards her best friend.

    It threw Harry onto his back before flying away from the green-eyed boy. Its growl made the hair on Gemma's neck stick up. Ron stood next to her, his eyes bulging from his head as he stared at the huge black dog.

    For some reason, Gemma could not move.

    Everything in her was telling her to pull out her wand and shoot some kind of spell at the dog, but her limbs would not move.

    Her mind was just repeating...

    Run.

    Run.

    Run.

    Run.

    But then it turned into...

    Ron.

    Ron.

    Ron.

    Ron.

    Ron's hand was latched onto her arm, and Gemma snapped from her reverie as she realised the huge dog was latched onto Ron's arm, dragging him away from her.

    Gemma yelped as she tried to pull Ron back away from the dog. He was screaming as she fumbled to grab her wand from her pocket. Something breezed by her face as the ground changed from decently smooth to bumpy and uneven.