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 –“
We slipped back inside the hospital wing. It was empty except for Ron, who was lying motionless in bed. I went back to my bed, and so did Harry and Hermione. A moment later Madam Pomfrey came striding back out of her office.
“Did I hear the Headmaster leaving? Am I allowed to look after my patients now?”
Oh. She’s touchy. I accepted my chocolate quietly, glancing at Ron every now and then. I was happily eating my chocolate and thinking about unicorns when… oh who am I kidding, I was trying not to snap at Madam Pomfrey who didn’t recognize the spell that ripped my arm and so she was trying stuff that didn’t quite work, but they did hurt a lot. So anyways, as I tried not to snap at Madam Pomfrey I heard a distant roar of fury echoing from somewhere above us…
“What was that?” Madam Pomfrey said in alarm, and since she was applying some weird potion in the cut she accidentally dropped more than necessary making me hiss in pain.
“I’m so sorry dear!” she said as she magically removed all of the potion.
The angry voices were growing louder and louder. Madam Pomfrey was staring at the door.
“Really – they’ll wake everybody up! What do they think they’re doing?”
I really was not interested at all. My arm hurts like hell!
“He must have Disapparated, Severus. We should have left somebody in the room with him. When he gets out –”
“HE DIDN’T DISAPPARATE!” Snape roared, now very close and so impossible to ignore. “YOU CAN’T APPARATE OR DISAPPARATE INSIDE THIS CASTLE! THIS – HAS – SOMETHING – TO – DO – WITH – POTTER!”
“Severus – be reasonable – Harry has been locked up -”
BAM.
The door of the hospital wing burst open.
The Minister, Snape, and Dumbledore came striding into the ward. Dumbledore looked calm. The Minister was angry. Snape was ugly – I mean furious.
“OUT WITH IT, POTTER” he bellowed. “WHAT DID YOU DO?”
The Minister discussed with him, I just tried to ignore them as best as I could, until Dumbledore spoke and I listened because I respect Dumbledore. He is just so cool!
“That will do Severus,” Dumbledore said quietly. “Think about what you’re saying. This door has been locked since I left the ward ten minutes ago. Madam Pomfrey, have the students left their beds?”
“Of course not!” said Madam Pomfrey, bristling. “I would have heard them!”
“Well, there you have it Severus,” said Dumbledore calmly. “Unless you are suggesting that Harry, Ashley, and Hermione are able to be in two places at once, I’m afraid I don’t see any point in troubling them further.”
Snape stood there, seething, and of course I was laughing… in my head. Snape whirled around.
“Before you go Severus,” Dumbledore said, as Snape stopped. “Miss Febray has a rather large cut that I think you might know. Could you please heal it, Severus?”
Snape without saying a word came and analyzed my arm. I saw shock in his face but he soon covered it.
“Vulnera Sanentur” He muttered, and I watched as the blood disappeared. “Vulnera Sanentur” he repeated, this time the wound knitted. “Vulnera Sanentur” He finished, and the wound almost disappeared, but a scar was visible, and it was still big. “I could’ve removed the scar if they had come to me instantly, now the dittany will not work.” He said coldly.
And with that he left.
“Fellow seems quite unbalanced,” said the Minister, staring after Snape. “I’d watch out for him if I were you, Dumbledore.”
“Oh, he’s not unbalanced,” Dumbledore said, as I resisted the urge to scoff. “He’s just suffered a severe disappointment.”
“He’s not the only one!” puffed the Minister. “The Daily Prophet’s going to have a field day! We had Black cornered and he slipped through our fingers yet again! All it needs now is for the story of that Hippogriff’s escape to get out, and I’ll be a laughingstock! Well… I’d better go and notify the Ministry…”
“And the Dementors?” said Dumbledore. “They’ll be removed from the school, I trust?”
“Oh, yes, they’ll have to go,” said the Minister… blah blah blah.
Suddenly I realized that Dumbledore and the Minister left. There was a low moan from beside me and I instantly stood up and went to Ron.
“What – what happened?” he groaned. I sat up beside him. “Harry? Why are we here? Where’s Sirius? Where’s Lupin? What’s going on?”
“You explain.” Said Harry looking at Hermione.
When Harry, Hermione, Ron and I left the hospital wing at noon next day I could hardly wait to see Cedric. Because of course with the exams we hadn’t much time. Good news is that we have a Hogsmeade trip so I’m going with him. For a weird reason the ‘Golden Trio’ didn’t go.
“CEDRIC!!” I yelled as I ran towards him in my way to the carriages. He saw me and smiled as he hugged me tightly and we had this totally cliché moment when he spun around.
“ASHLEY!” he said while laughing. “What are you so excited about?”
“Well… don’t know… I’m just happy.” I said smiling.
“We can see.” Kevin said smirking.
“Dudes!” I yelled as I did an epic group hug. “I missed you all!”
“Okay… this is not normal… you’re not the hugging type!” exclaimed Scott looking at me like I was mad.
“Hey, you can’t say you don’t like it.” Kevin said as he pulled me away from the group hug and hugged me instead.
“Shut up.” I said blushing a lot as I pulled away from the hug.
“Ash?” said Cedric worried, grabbing my arm. “What happened to you?”
I looked at him confused, not really knowing what he was talking about. He pointed at my arm and the others gasped as they spotted the scar.
“Oh.” I muttered, knowing I would have to lie. “I was fooling around in dog form in the forest and I fell…?”
“Okay…” Cedric answered, obviously he knew I had lied but he didn’t press to much on the matter.
Nobody at Hogwarts knew the truth of what really happened the night that Sirius, Buckbeak, and Pettigrew had vanished except the Golden Trio, Dumbledore and myself. As the end of term approached, I heard many different theories about what had 'really' happened, but none of them were close to the truth.
Professor Lupin left the day I went to Hogsmeade, so I felt guilty for not saying goodbye, but he had sent me a letter saying I need not to worry and that he’ll miss me, since he had arranged me to stay with the Weasleys… of course they, meaning Fred, George and Ron, didn’t know that since I was planning on it being a surprice.
The exam results came the last day of term. I had passed every subject with as great grades as Hermione, making me feel great. And of course, Gryffindor won the House championship, so the end of terms feast took place amid decorations of scarlet and gold, and the Gryffindor table was being noisy, so I sat down at the Hufflepuff table instead.
As the Hogwarts Express pulled out of the station the next morning, Hermione had some surprising news.
“I went to see Professor McGonagall this morning, just before breakfast. I’ve decided to drop Muggle Studies.”
“But you passed your exam with three hundred and twenty percent.” Said Ron.
“I know,” sighted Hermione, “But I can’t stand another year like this one. That Time-Turner, it was driving me mad. I’ve handed it in. Without Muggle Studied and Divination, I’ll be able to have a normal schedule again.”
“I still can’t believe you didn’t tell us about it,” grunted Ron. “We’re supposed to be your friends.”
“I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone,” Hermione said severely.
“Harry, cheer up!” I said, since he looked kind of down. He smiled a little, and they continued talking.
I then left the compartment in my search for Cedric, after a while I found him with everyone else.
In our way back we promised to write each other and to go together to Diagon Alley. Of course Scott and Kevin kept trying to piss Cedric off by using me as a target. But in the end Cedric kissed me making all of them turn away pretending to be dying or something. As they were yelling “Get a room” a little brown owl was flying near the window, so I let her in and she gave me a letter from Sirius, everyone looked at it confused so I had to explain the basics of what happened and they all surprisingly believed me without hesitation. Now they understood my scar, and they seemed uneasy.
Then I read the letter.
Dear Ashley,
Lupin has told me you’re spending the summer at the Weasley’s, I hope you take care. I was actually looking forward with you staying with me, but because of the sircumstances you can’t so I’m sorry.
Buckbeak and I are on hiding. I can’t tell you were in case this owl doesn’t reach you, but I can promise you I’m safe.
I think Dementors might still be looking for me but they won’t find me; as long as I stay here you need not to worry for my safety.
I also wanted to apologize for not being there all these years, and for you not knowing the truth. I really hope you have a great summer with the Weasleys.
Keep safe. If you ever need me, owl me instantly. I also sent your permission for Hogsmeade, look for it in the envelope.
I’ll write soon. I love you.
Sirius
P.S. Lupin also cared to mention you now have a boyfriend, so you shall tell me who it is, and mention him he’s dead if he dares to break your heart.
Everyone laughed when I read the P.S. and I saw Cedric paled a little, but he smiled aswell, promissing there wasn't any need for Sirius threat. I took out my Hogsmeade permission and guarded it securely in my trunk. The rest of the ride was practically jokes and me blushing a lot.
When we exited the train I looked around for Mrs. Weasley. It wasn’t difficult since she looked a lot like all of her kids… obviously she had red hair.
“Oh!” she said smiling as she saw me, everyone was already with her. “You must be Ashley! Hello sweetie!”
“Hello Mrs. Weasley” I replied as she hugged me tight.
“Oh dear, please call me Molly.” She said still smiling. “Well, off we go!”
“Wait…” Ron said turning to me. “You’re coming?”
“Yep!” I said exited. “I’m staying with you guys for the summer!”
There were a lot of 'whoos' and 'yeahs' as I got in a group hug from Ron and the twins. I actually saw Percy smile a little and Ginny say "I will have girl company!" excited.
Well, this ought to be an interesting summer.
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OMG!!! i have actually finished my FIRST book!! i'm so happy!!!!!!
I amd planning on doing a sequel and now i know the title, it will be named 'not losing hope' (I realized that actually suits it, not only because of Cedric but also Harry, and Voldy's return :D) that was SoJustCatchMe's idea, so thanks!
hope you liked this! love you all!!
VOTE!!! please if you would like a sequel vote. I'm posting one even if i get no votes, i just want to know who wants me to continue :)
thanks to all of you who read this :)
-pϟ