The Forgotten Twin

Chapter 17

Delilah's mind went blank with shock. She stood transfixed with horror. The very last rays of the setting sun were casting a bloody light over the long-shadowed grounds. Then, behind them, they heard a wild howling.

"Hagrid," Harry muttered.

"We can't," said Ron. "He'll be in worse trouble if they know we've been to see him...."

Harry, or Hermione, must have tried to turn back.

"How — could — they?" Hermione choked. "How could they?"

"Come on," said Ron through chattering teeth.

They set off back toward the castle, walking slowly so that the Cloak stayed on them. The light was fading fast now. By the time they reached open ground, darkness was settling like a spell around them.

"Scabbers, keep still," Ron hissed. "What's the matter with you, you stupid rat? Stay still — OUCH! He bit me!"

"Ron, shut up!" Delilah whispered urgently. "They'll be out here in a minute and hear us!"

"He won't — stay — put —"

Scabbers must have been terrified. Otherwise he wouldn't be fighting Ron so forcibly.

"What's the matter with him?"

But Delilah had just seen — slinking toward them, his body low to the ground, wide yellow eyes glinting eerily in the darkness — Crookshanks. Whether he could see them or was following the sound of Scabbers's squeaks, Delilah didn't know.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione moaned. "No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!"

But the cat was getting nearer —

"Scabbers — NO!"

Too late — the rat must have slipped out of his grip because he appeared from under the Cloak and started scampering away. Ron appeared a moment later and pelted away into the darkness.

"Ron!" Hermione moaned.

Harry and Hermione appeared a few meters ahead and Delilah cursed under her breath, undid her charm, and hurried after them. She chased after Ron.

"Get away from him — get away — Scabbers, come here —"

There was a loud thud.

"Gotcha! Get off, you stinking cat —"

Delilah almost ran into Harry and Hermione; she skidded to a stop right in front of them. Ron was a bit behind them, sprawled on the ground, but Scabbers was back in his pocket; he had both hands held tight over the quivering lump. "Ron — come on — back under the cloak —" Hermione panted. "Dumbledore — the Minister — they'll be coming back out in a minute —"

But before they could leave, before they could even catch their breath, they heard the soft pounding of gigantic paws.... Something was bounding toward them out of the dark — an enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black, oddly familiar dog.

Delilah reached for her wand, but too late — the dog had made an enormous leap over them.

Ron was on his feet. As the dog sprang back toward them he pushed Harry aside; the dog's jaws fastened instead around Ron's outstretched arm. Delilah raised her wand, but they were all moving too fast for her to hit accurately. Cursing, she put it away. Then, Harry lunged forward, he seized a handful of the dog's hair, but it was dragging Ron away as easily as though he were a rag doll, he did, afterall, have the brains of one.

Then, out of nowhere, something hit Delilah so hard across her face she was knocked off her feet. She heard Harry and Hermione shriek with pain and fall too.