Snape and Lily's daughter

Buckpeak

Grace was with Ella when she saw Hermione, Ron, and Harry with sad faces. She went to them.

"What happened?" she asked them.

"Buckbeak lost," Ron said. "Hagrid's just sent this."

Grace took the note from Ron's hand and read it out loud.

"Lost appeal. They're going to execute at sunset. Nothing you can do. Don't come down. I don't want you to see it. Hagrid."

"We've got to go," Harry said. "He can't just sit there on his own, waiting for the executioner!"

"Sunset, though," Grace said. "We'd never be allowed... especially you, Harry."

""If we only had the Invisibility Cloak..." Harry said.

"Where is it?" Hermione asked.

Harry then told them how he had left it in the passageway under the one-eyed witch.

"... if Snape sees me anywhere near there again, I'm in serious trouble," he said.

"That's true," Grace said. "If he sees you... How do you open the witch's hump again?"

"You — you tap it and say, 'Dissendium," Harry said. "But —"

Grace didn't wait for Harry to finish what he had to say. Ella and her went to the passageway to retrieve his cloak. When she had it, she asked Ella to go back to the Common Room. She went back to where the golden trio was.

"Grace, I don't know what's up with you," Ron said. "stealing from your father last year, lying, making Crabbe and Goyle fall asleep..."

Grace had a proud look.

The four of them went to dinner, but they didn't go back to their Common Rooms. They got in an empty room, waiting for the hall to be empty as well. When it did, they got under the Invisibility Cloak. They ran straight to Hagrid's cabin and knocked. Hagrid opened the door, searching for whoever had knocked on his door.

"It's us," Harry hissed. "We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off."

"Yeh shouldn've come!" Hagrid said.

Hagrid stepped aside to let the four of them in, then closed the door and Harry pulled off the cloak.

"Wan' some tea?" Hagrid asked.

His great hands were shaking as he reached for the kettle.

"Where's Buckbeak, Hagrid?" Hermione asked.

"I — I took him outside," Hagrid said. "He's tethered in me pumpkin patch. Thought he oughta see the trees an' — an' smell fresh air — before —"

Hagrid's hand trembled so violently that the milk jug slipped from his grasp and shattered all over the floor.

"I'll do it, Hagrid," Grace told him, hurrying over and starting to clean up the mess.

"There's another one in the cupboard," Hagrid said.

"Isn't there anything anyone can do, Hagrid?" Harry asked. "Dumbledore —"

"He's tried," Hagrid said. "He's got no power ter overrule the Committee. He told 'em Buckbeak's all right, but they're scared... Yeh know what Lucius Malfoy's like... threatened 'em, I expect... an' the executioner, Macnair, he's an old pal o' Malfoy's... but it'll be quick an' clean... an' I'll be beside him..."

Hagrid swallowed.

"Dumbledore's gonna come down while it — while it happens. Wrote me this mornin'. Said he wants ter — ter be with me. Great man, Dumbledore..."

"We'll stay with you too, Hagrid," Hermione said.

"Yeh're ter go back up ter the castle. I told yeh, I don' wan' yeh watchin'. An' yeh shouldn' be down here anyway... If Fudge an' Dumbledore catch yeh out without permission, Harry, yeh'll be in big trouble."

Hermione, who was crying sliently while preparing the tea, let out a shriek.

"Ron, I don't believe it — it's Scabbers!" she said.

"What are you talking about?" Ron asked.

Hermione carried the milk jug over to the table and turned it upside down. Scabbers had been inside the jug.

"Scabbers!" Ron said. "Scabbers, what are you doing here?"

He grabbed the struggling rat and held him up to the light. Scabbers looked dreadful.

"It's okay, Scabbers!" Ron said. "No cats! There's nothing here to hurt you!"

Hagrid suddenly stood up, his eyes were fixed on the window.

"They're comin'..."

Harry, Ron, Grace, and Hermione whipped around. A group of men was walking down the distant castle steps. In front was Albus Dumbledore, his silver beard gleaming in the dying sun. Next to him trotted Cornelius Fudge. Behind them came the feeble old Committee member and the executioner, Macnair.

"Yeh gotta go," Hagrid said. "They mustn' find yeh here... Go now..."

Ron stuffed Scabbers into his pocket and Hermione picked up the cloak. "I'll let yeh out the back way," Hagrid said.

The four of them left through the back door while Dumbledore and the others walked in through the front door.