People Watching.

Chapter Twenty-One.

(Y/n) waited for Marietta and Cho to fall asleep. She put on tennis shoes over her fluffy socks and tied her hair out of her face. 
(Y/n) took the Marauders' Map out from under her pillow and lightly lit up her wand and checked Harry's and Ron's locations. They were growing near the tower. She quietly closed the map and erased its traces with a "Mischief Managed." She unlit her wand and hurried towards the door. Effie's mewling stopped her and she scooped up the cat before rushing down the dormitory towers and through the common room. She exited the common room right as the boys showed up.

"Quickly," Ron hissed, raising the Cloak enough for (Y/n) to duck under.
The journey through the dark and deserted castle corridors wasn't enjoyable. Harry, who had wandered the castle at night several times before, had never seen it so crowded after sunset. Teachers, prefects, and ghosts were marching the corridors in pairs, staring around for any unusual activity. Their Invisibility Cloak didn't stop them from making any noise, and there were particularly tense moments when Effie's loud purring brought alarm to those patrolling or when Ron stubbed his toe only yards from the spot where Snape stood standing guard. Thankfully, Snape sneezed at almost exactly the moment Ron swore. It was with relief that they reached the oak front doors and eased them open.

"Hurry," (Y/n) whined quietly. "My arms hurt!" Effie most certainly wasn't a heavy cat (she was overweight due to how much (Y/n) spoiled her cat, but that was another topic) but having her arms stuck in one position for so long was tiring. Effie, who adored her owner, was still loudly and happily purring.
It was a clear, starry night. They hurried toward the lit windows of Hagrid's house and pulled off the Cloak only when they were right outside his front door.

Seconds after they had knocked, Hagrid flung the door open. They found themselves face-to-face with him aiming a crossbow at them. Fang the boarhound loudly barked behind him.
"Oh," he said, lowering the weapon and staring at them. "What're you three doin' here?"

"What's that for?" Harry asked, pointing at the crossbow as they stepped inside. 
(Y/n) protested as Fang jumped up around her, trying to sniff Effie, who remained unbothered.

"Nothin'— nothin'—" Hagrid muttered. "I've bin expectin'— doesn' matter— Sit down— I'll make tea— Down, Fang—" He tugged the dog back as (Y/n) took a seat. Then Fang rushed up and started sniffing Effie and yelped when Effie hit his nose with her paw.
Hagrid hardly seemed to know what he was doing. He nearly extinguished the fire, spilling water from the kettle on it, and then smashed the teapot with a nervous jerk of his massive hand.

"Are you all right, Hagrid?" Harry asked. "Did you hear about Hermione?"

"Oh, I heard, all righ'," Hagrid confirmed, a slight break in his voice.
He kept nervously glancing at the windows. He poured them all large mugs of boiling water (he had forgotten to add tea bags) and was just putting a slab of fruitcake on a plate when there was a loud knock on the door.
Hagrid dropped the fruitcake. Harry, Ron, and (Y/n) exchanged panic-stricken looks, then threw the Invisibility Cloak back over themselves and retreated into a corner. Hagrid checked that they were hidden, seized his crossbow, and flung open his door once more.

"Good evening, Hagrid."
It was Dumbledore. He entered, looking deadly serious, and he was followed by a second, very odd-looking man.
The stranger had rumpled grey hair and an anxious expression, and was wearing a strange mixture of clothes: a pinstriped suit, a scarlet tie, a long black cloak, and pointed purple boots. Under his arm, he carried a lime-green bowler.

"That's Dad's boss!" Ron breathed. "Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic!"
Harry elbowed Ron hard to make him shut up.
Hagrid had gone pale and sweaty. He dropped into one of his chairs and looked from Dumbledore to Cornelius Fudge.