UNVEIL | D.M (UNRAVEL BOOK 2)

[ 27 ]

Slowly, the other footsteps started to fade away. There was only Harry, Hermione and Aine left, hidden and crouching behind the wooden bridge's cobbled wall. They sighed, before Harry asks once more, "So... What happened?"

Hermione grabs her necklace out, displaying it to her friends, "This is a Time-turner, Harry... McGonagall gave it to me first term. This is how I've been getting to my lessons all year!" she explains and Aine raised a brow, and her friend went on, "I'm sorry I didn't tell any of you. I made a promise not to say a word." 

"Well, you had to keep a promise. And I'm pretty sure Professor McGonagall would have hissed at you if you broke it!" So what now?" Aine tells her, reassuring her guilty friend. Harry glances at the Time-turner, "Wait. Wait, so... You mean we've gone back in time?"

"Yes."

Hermione continued, "Dumbledore obviously wanted us to return to this moment. Clearly, something happened he wants us to change." She pauses, looking ahead, their past selves were already gone. She looks back to her friends, "Come on. We should be at Hagrid's!"

The three of them quickly went down to their friend's house. However, as much as they were excited about their little mission, it was still a better idea to keep themselves concealed so that they don't get seen by others. Hermione leads her friends to the massive Stone Circle, looking ahead at the rest of their selves, hurriedly rushing to Hagrid's place. "Look! Buckbeak's still alive!" Aine beamed, catching the eyes of the Hippogriff who looked in their direction. 

Hermione ponders, "Of course. Remember what Dumbledore said?" she exchanged gazes to her friends, "If we succeed, more than one innocent life could be spared!"

"Then let's go," Aine replies, determined. If they managed to set it free, perhaps it'll have more time to explore the wonders of the world. She casts a small smile at the creature, perhaps he'll even soar through the brilliant skies, I think he'll like that very much, feeling the smooth wind across his feathers as he rides above, free.

"Hey, Buck!" Aine whispers to the creature who blinked at her slowly, acknowledging her greeting. The three of them quickly hid behind the pile of gigantic pumpkins, their heads peeking out from the sides, glancing towards the hut. They watched through the small wooden window, as their past selves talked to Hagrid, it was like seeing a little puppet show. Although, the only thing they know was what was going to happen. The crows soon started cawing, alarming them all before they glanced at the chattering sounds of people. 

"Here they come, I better hurry," Harry says to the girls, watching the ministry committee and Professor Dumbledore slowly approaching towards Hagrid's house, he stood up, preparing to free Buckbeak, but Hermione quickly grabs his hand and pull him back down, "No! Fudge has to see Buckbeak before we steal him. Otherwise, he'll think Hagrid set him free!" Hermione explains and Aine nodded, as heart-wrecking, it is stay put and wait, they had to do it. 

Aine rolls her eyes at Harry who pressed his lips into a line, "Of course! Jeez, we almost busted this time-travel mission!" she fakes a gasp as the boy looks to his friend with a hardened gaze. She was right, but Harry was still feeling impatient, unable to voice his urges, he started tapping his fingers on the pumpkin to count the seconds while waiting.

"Look!" Hermione says and the other two turned their attention back to the little window, watching saw Hagrid pulling a familiar rat from a jar, handing it to Ron who beamed, "Scabbers! You're alive!" 

Aine stifled, eyes narrowing at the rat, Harry growled, "It's Pettigrew..!" Sensing Harry's discomfort and agitation, Hermione quickly stops him from doing something stupid, "Harry, No. You can't."

"That's the person who killed my parents." Harry retorted as softly as he can, clenching his fists and anger soon grew ahead of him. "You don't expect me to just sit here!" Harry quickly stands up again, but Aine firmly grabs his wrists, "Harry, please, sit right down." she shakes her head, begging him to stay. Although she was fine with him leaving,  the time-heist operation would be ruined and they'll be forced to stay with the consequences. That, Aine was definitely not fine with since she'll miss the people that was from her time.