Against Time (a harry potter fanfic) *EDITING*

CHAPTER 20

Departure

 “Well…” I said after a few seconds. “We have little time left, we should leave.”

“You’re right, we only have ten minutes to get back down to the hospital wing without anybody seeing us. Harry – before Dumbledore locks the door –”

“Okay,” Harry said finally, still watching the sky. “let’s go…”

We slipped through a door behind us and went down a tightly spiraling stone staircase. As we reached the bottom of it though, we heard voices.

“…only hope Dumbledore won’t make difficulties,” Snape was saying. “The Kiss will be performed immediately?”

“As soon as Macnair returns with the Dementors. This whole Black affair has been highly embarrassing. I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to informing the Daily Prophet that we’ve got him at last… I daresay they’ll want to interview you, Snape… and once young Harry’s back in his right mind, I expect he’ll want to tell the Prophet exactly how you saved him…”

Ugh. I. Hate. Snape. Stupid. Snape. I caught a glimpse of Snape’s annoying smirk as they walked by our hiding place. Their footsteps died away. Harry and Hermione insisted on waiting a few moments to make sure they’d already gone; I thought they were being stupid… I mean, we have little time left! So anyway, after we waited we ran in the opposite direction Snape and the Minister were heading. Down one staircase, then another, along a new corridor – then we heard the cackling ahead… or at least I did.

“Peeves!” Harry muttered, grabbing me by the hand and Hermione by her wrist, since she was a little behind.

We entered a deserted classroom to our left just in time. My. Arm. Is. Freaking. Killing. Me. I clenched my teeth, trying not to scream in pain. Peeves was laughing outside.

“Oh, he’s horrible,” whispered Hermione. “I bet he’s all exited because the Dementors are going to finish off Sirius…” she checked her watch. “Three minutes!”

We waited until Peeves’s voice had faded to the distance, then slid back out of the room and broke into a run again.

“Hermione – what will happen – if we don’t get back inside before Dumbledore locks the door?” Harry panted.

“I don’t even want to think about it!” Hermione moaned, checking her watch. “One minute!”

“Ugh,” I said as I grabbed Hermione and Harry’s hands and wandlessmagicked the air to push us, while I also wandlessmagicked me to go faster. It was so cool!

We reached the end of the corridor with the hospital wing entrance and I slowed down a bit. “Okay – I can hear Dumbledore,” Hermione said tensely as I released her and she almost fell. “Come on!”

We crept along the corridor. The door opened. Dumbledore’s back appeared.

“I am going to lock you in,” We heard Dumbledore say. “it is five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck.”

Dumbledore backed out of the room, closed the door, and took out his wand to magically lock it. Panicking I grabbed Harry and Hermione again and sped forward. Dumbledore looked up, and a wide smile appeared under the long silver mustache. “Well?” he said quietly.

“We did it!” Harry said breathlessly. “Sirius has gone, on Buckbeak…”

Dumbledore beamed at us.

“Well done. I think –” He listened intently for sound within the hospital wing. “Yes. I think you’ve gone too – get inside – I’ll lock you in –“