Kassandra Bauer and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3)

Chapter 25: Wrap it up in a bow.

"Guys!" 

Hermione had stared at her watch. "We've got exactly ten minutes to get back down to the Hospital Wing without anybody seeing us- before Dumbledore locks the door-" 

"Plenty of time. Let's go." I said.

The hard part was over. Now we just needed to get back to the Hospital Wing, not raise any alarms and without anyone noticing.

We slipped through the doorway behind us and down a tightly spiraling stone staircase. Or more accurately Harry fell down. All the way down. "Who's brilliant idea was it to wax these stone stairs anyway?" He asked.

I agreed. They should get those stairs carpeted.

I pulled Harry up from the bottom, and we all heard a couple of voices set off. It sounded like Fudge and Snape. We flattened ourselves against the wall just to listen. They sounded like they were walking very quickly along the corridor at the foot of the staircase.

"...only hope Dumbledore's not going to make difficulties." Snape was saying. "The Kiss will be performed immediately?"

"As soon as McNair returns with the Dementors." Fudge answered. "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 Potter is back in his right mind, and Kassandra Bauer will stop her whining, I expect they'll want to tell the Prophet how you saved Harry..." 

"Stop my whining?" I asked myself. 

But then I saw Snape's smirk as he passed our hiding place. Their footsteps soon died away. And I couldn't help but smile at it. 

"He is going to be PISSED when he finds out Black got away." I commented.

"He's going to kill us, Kassie." Harry chuckled.

We then began to run in the opposite direction of Fudge and Snape, hurdled down two staircases, and turning to a new corridor. Then we heard a crackling ahead. 

It was Peeves.

"Peeves!" Harry muttered. "In here!" 

We tore through a deserted classroom to our left just in time. Peeves bounced past us, laughing his head off.

"Oh, he's horrible." Hermione whispered, her ear to the door. "I bet he's all excited because the Dementors are going to finish Sirius..." She checked her watch again. "Three minutes!" 

We waited until Peeves disappeared down the corridor before we broke into a sprint again.

"Um... Hermione. Just at a curiosity... what'll happen if we don't get back in-" I stopped myself. "Nevermind. We'll get there in time." 

We reached the end of the corridor, and the door opened and Dumbledore's back appeared. And Ethan was there.

"I am going to lock you in." We heard him say. Back to the present. "It is five minutes to midnight, Miss. Granger. Three turns should do it." 

"Good luck." Ethan replied.

Dumbledore backed out of the room, closed the door and took out his wand to lock. We're too late. Move it or lose it!

"You think they did it?" Ethan asked.

Dumbledore turned and there was a wide smile on his face. "I believe they did." He answered. 

"Did you do it?" Ethan asked us as his back turn. 

"Sure did." Harry said breathlessly. "Sirius has gone, on Buckbeak..."