Unmitigated - HP Fanfiction

Chapter Twenty - Unconventional

   "I say we set him free."

Hagrid shook his head. "They'd know I did it. And tha' would only get Dumbledore in trouble. Gonna come down, yeh know. Says he wants ter be with me when it... when it happens. Great man, Dumbledore."

"Hermione walked toward Hagrid. "We'll stay with you too Hagrid."

"You'll do no such thing! Think I wan' yeh seein' a thing like that! Yeh'll drink yeh tea n' be off!" Hagrid around. "But 'fore yeh do, I want you and Ron shake hands, Harry." Harry and Ron looked at each other confused. "Thin' I haven' seen 'ow it's bin betw'n you two? Go on now..."

Harry and Ron reluctantly shook hands. "Good. Now then. Ron, I wan' ter see you give Hermione a hug."

"What?!"

"Go on! You two've been at it all year. An' I'm sick o' it." Acutely uncomfortable, Hermione and Ron step forward and perform perhaps the most awkward hug Hogwarts has ever seen.

Hagrid shook his head. "Crikey, tha's jus' abou' the most pathetic hug I e'er seen. But yeh did it, an' tha's wha' matters. There's jus' one other thing..." He's got that right.

"I'm not kissing Fang if that's what you're thinking." Ron said uncomfortably. Hearing his name, Fang (Hagrid's giant boarhound) Thumps his tail happily on the floor. Hagrid turns, takes the lid from a flour tin, a tiny head, ears flecked with powder, emerges. Hagrid picked up the small rat and handed him to Ron.

"Scabbers! You're alive!"

"yeh should keep a closer eye on yer pets Ron."

"I think you owe someone an apology" Spoke Hermione.

"Right. Next time I see Crookshanks, I let him know." Ron hugged the rat to his chest.

Hermione got angry. "I meant me."

Suddenly, the pot next to them smashed. It looked like it exploded. Hermione picked up something by the pot and studied it.

"Ow!" I looked at Harry and see him holding the back of his head. "Hagrid...." He called.

Hagrid walked to the window and froze. I walked to the window after him and looked out. "Yeh got to go! It's almost dark. Anyone sees yeh outside the castle it'll be trouble! Big trouble! 'Specially you, Harry –" There was a banging at the door.

Hagrid stiffened. "I'll be there in a minute!" He called out. "Go! Go!" He whispered shoving us out the back door.

Hiding from Dumbledore, Fudge and the executioner wasn't hard. They were pretty clueless. We ran around the pile of pumpkins out the front of Hagrid's and squatted.
There were crows everywhere.

"Shhhh!" I heard behind me. I whipped my head around and faced the tree's. I saw an orange flash, and then it was gone, and I didn't see anything after that.

"What?" Harry asked.

"I thought I saw..." Was it red hair? What was it. "Nevermind."
The clock tower went off. "Come on, let's go."

We started running up the hill and away from Hagrid's. I took one last look at Buckbeak and turned away. When we reached the top of the hill, we turned around and watched Dumbledore, Fudge, Hagrid and the executioner surround the pumpkins. I couldn't see much, but I watched the executioner raise his axe with the sunlight hitting the tip of it. Then, quickly, the axe was brought down with force. And a flock of crows scattered from the area.

Hermione started crying and hugged Ron. This one wasn't as ugly as the last. I don't even think Hermione knew she was hugging him. Harry grabbed my hand and squeezed. I looked up and smiled sadly at him. Looking back at Hagrid's hut, I let a tear slide. Buckbeak didn't deserve this.

"Ah!" I looked at Ron confused. Then saw his bleeding finger. "He bit me..." Ron turned around and chased after the retreating rat.

"Ron? Ron!" I yelled letting go of Harry's hand and chasing after him.

"Ron come back!" I heard Hermione yell, who was on my tail.

We followed him over the hill and across the school grounds. He finally stopped and dived for Scabbers. I stopped quickly when I noticed what tree Ron was in front of.

"Guys, you do realise what tree this is?"

Harry stepped forward. "That's not good. Ron run!"

Ron looked up at us confused. Then his expression changed to fear. "Harry, Ella, Hermione! Look out!" He pointed behind us.

I turned around slowly, and was faced with a black dog. A loony looking, yellow eyed, black German Shepard. Growling, it started running toward us. I was paralysed with fear and didn't move from my spot. Instead of tackling us, the dog jumped over our heads and ran for Ron instead.

"Ron!" I yelled running forward.

Harry grabbed my arm. "Ella! No!"

I watched helplessly as the dog grabbed Ron's ankle and started dragging him toward the tree. Harry let go of me and ran forward. Followed by Hermione. I ran not long after.