Marooned - Fred Weasley

Chapter 18: The Traitor

Sarah was counting down the days until the O.W.L. exams while walking next to Fred and George, when she heard Hermione shout "You fowl, loathsome, evil, little cockroach!"

"Hermione don't! He's not worth it" she heard Ron said loudly. They all started walking faster. Sarah saw Malfoy run in the corridor, hand covering his nose.

They went outside to find Hermione, Ron and Harry.

"That felt good" breathed out Hermione, smiling, like she just got something out of her system

Ron was ecstatic "It was bloody brilliant!"

"What happened?" asked Sarah and Ron turned to explain to her "Hermione punched Malfoy."

Sarah started grinning, ran to Hermione and gave her a high-five "Well done, Hermione!"

They were smiling until they saw Buckbeak, the Hippogriff, being led to his death. It was all Malfoy's doing, that bitter soul, if he even had one.

Causing injustice and frustration everywhere he went. His dad heard about the animal scratching Draco's arm and went into a spiral. The executioner walked to Buckbeak and lifted the axe. Sarah was staring right at it, seeing how it caught the light. Weird, how a glimmering object was mere seconds away from inducing death. From killing. This wasn't fair. She watched as it went down in an instant.

She took a step back, bumping into Fred's chest. He put an arm on her shoulder, and she took George's hand in hers. Harry, Ron and Hermione were hanging on to each other too.

They witnessed a dreadful moment, but they had each other. She thought of the Sirius Black news and her parents and how she felt darker days ahead. She thought that, as long as she had them, she could get through it.

"Ow" yelped Ron and he started running screaming after his rat. Only he was headed towards the Whomping Willow.

"Ron!" screamed Sarah after him and started running, all the others following her.

He had caught his rat and for a second they all thought it was alright. But out of nowhere came a giant black dog and it attacked Ron. The dog bit his leg and dragged him inside some hole in the ground. They all screamed and tried to go in after him but the Whomping Willow had awoken and it was merciless. Its branches started flapping and thrashing, making them jump, duck, dive and run. It had knocked out Fred and George, they were unconscious on the grass.

Hermione had found herself clinging to a tree branch that was whipping the air. After she'd made sure the twins were breathing, Sarah dragged them out of the tree's reach and made her way to the hole in the ground, ducking and jumping. She could hear Hermione scream after Harry. She jumped inside, not knowing what to expect when she finally met whatever beast took Ron. All she knew was that he was in danger and she had to get to him. She fell on the ground, and when she heard screaming coming from behind her she quickly rolled onto the side and saw Hermione and Harry fall down.

"Sorry" winced Hermione, got up and helped Harry.

"Where do you think this goes?" asked Hermione, dusting off a little dirt from her clothes. Harry and Sarah looked at each other, exchanged a worried look.

"I have a hunch" said Harry "I just hope I'm wrong"

They walked up some stairs and met a wooden floor.

"Is this-" Sarah started, Hermione nodded, "the Shrieking Shack."

They saw a trail of blood, figured it belonged to their friend so they followed it and saw Ron on a pillow, leg bleeding and holding on to his pet rat. That fool, Sarah thought but she understood. She would jump in front a moving train to save Athena. Ron was shaking and pointed to the other side of the room, whimpering "Harry, it's a trap. He's an Animagus".