Defying the Stars

An Unfortunate Prediction

   "Oh Am, I'm so sorry," Annaleigh exclaims as she pulls me into a hug when I finally leave the dorm the next morning to come down for breakfast, not even bothering to get dressed.

"It's fine, it just-well, sucks I suppose." I say.

"Of course it does, it's not bloody fair that they won't give custody to your family." OJ says.

"I told you guys, it's the Bonavichs' influence in the ministry. Anything they want, they get, no questions asked." I respond with a sigh.

"Has Harry found out yet? Merlin I can't wait for that reaction. Granted, you can't tell him about your Dad so he won't know that Dumbledore knows that he's innocent, but refuses to get him a trial to clear his name so you can move in with him and your Pop." Reg says while eating a piece of toast.

"Speaking of," Le chuckles, "here he comes."

"Morning Niff," Harry says, sitting next to me, and does a double take when he sees me. "What's wrong? I haven't seen you since the end of the game yesterday, is everything okay?"

I sigh and chuckle, "it depends on which side of the party you're on."

"What do you mean?" Ron asks, sitting next to OJ.

"She means that she has to go back to the Bonavich's, the ministry refused to give her Pop any custody over her." Reg says angrily while stabbing her eggs.

"You're kidding." Harry says with wide eyes.

"He can't even visit me unless we're both on the school grounds," I sigh and say quietly, holding back the tears that threaten to spill.

"But that-that's-"

"Tell me about it, Miss. Granger, it seems as if Professor Dumbledore isn't in the best mindset at the moment," Professor McGonagall cuts her off, handing us each a piece of paper, "these are your time-tables for your end of the year exams. Good luck." And without another word, she walks away.

"Uhm Hermione," Ron said after looking at her timetable, "are you sure that these times are right? They're all at the same time."

".What? Yes Ronald, of course I have."

"So does that mean that there's no point in asking how you're going to sit down for two exams at the same time?" Harry asks nervously, afraid to be the straw that broke Hermione's back.

"Have any of you seen my copy of Numerology and Grammatica?" Hermione asks shortly, ignoring the boys.

"Oh yeah, I've just borrowed it for a bit of bedtime reading," Ron scoffs and mumbles.

In the middle of the four of us searching-Reg, Le, OJ, and the twins left to do some last minute things before their exams-Hedwig showed up at the window, followed by a crying Ron seconds later.

"What is it? What's wrong?" I asked, quickly getting up from my spot on the ground.

"It's from Hagrid," Harry answers, "it's about Buckbeak's appeal-it's set for the sixth, which is-."

"-This afternoon. Of course they set it for the day we finish our exams," Hermione grunts, still endlessly searching for her book.

"They're coming up here to do it-someone from the Ministry of Magic and-and a executioner." Harry finishes, looking up at me instead of the letter.

"B-but that makes it sound like they've already decided.." I murmur, white hot anger mixed with sadness boiling up from within me at the similarities between my custody trial and Buckbeak's.