Olivia Potter *UNDER MAJOR EDITING*

Chapter 61

Hermione’s POV

We ran through the forest, me right behind Harry, considering he was the only one who knew where the lake was, and we got there a few seconds before Past Harry got there. I watched as he bent down and said something to Sirius, but quickly got up as the dementors came.

After a minute or two of watching him, Buckbeak came up with Olivia. She had regained consciousness, but she looked like she would pass out again at any moment. She was sickly pale and had sweat on her forehead, altogether looking terrible. She noticed me looking, and didn’t even attempt to say or do anything. I know she knew how she looked.

I turned back to see that Present Harry had gotten closer, and he was now behind a bush a few feet away from the lake. He looked back at me with a frustrated expression. “He was supposed to come!” he whispered angrily and turned back around.

When we were running along, trying to get here, he had explained how he saw his father. I was doubtful. I tried to tell him in the nicest way possible that it wasn’t possible, but he had snapped at me and ran a little faster.

“Harry, you’re dying out there. Someone has to do something. Now.” I said quietly. He sighed and got a little closer. When a few more seconds passed, he stood up and raised his wand before I could do anything.

“Expecto Patronum.” he said and I watched in amazement as a stag came from the bottom of his wand. As it slowly moved across the lake, the dementors fled, and Past Harry fell to the ground, unconscious. Present Harry sat down, but after a few minutes, we heard someone coming, and we ran off further in to forest.

When we stopped, Harry turned to me with a smile. “Earlier I saw me! I thought it was my dad, but I really saw myself. And since I didn’t know about going back in time or any of that, I would never have thought that it was me! Does that make sense?” he asked. I only shook my head.

Buckbeak walked over to us, and Harry only then seemed to notice the state Olivia was in. He rushed forward, and I noticed she was struggling to stay conscious. I really did feel bad for her. We have no idea what she’s going through. “Come on, Hermione.” Harry gestured to the front dip in Buckbeak’s back. “Get on, and we can go help Sirius. I’m sure they’ve taken him to the tower already.”

Slowly I walked over and got on. Harry got on the back, with Olivia in between us. Harry helped her move her arms around my waist, and then we were off, Buckbeak somehow knowing exactly where we needed to go.

Harry’s POV

It took us ten minutes to fly around to the front of the castle. Another five to get to the tower without being seen. By the time we found it, Olivia had passed out again.

I felt terrible. I couldn’t do anything to help her, and it was killing me. We were lucky there were so many clouds, so now the moon won’t be coming out any time soon.

As soon as we landed, Hermione jumped off and rushed toward the locked door. “Bombarda!” she yelled and the door blasted open. I gently moved Olivia forward on Buckbeak’s back so I could get off.

When I got off and was moving Olivia, she coughed and opened her eyes. It took a few seconds, but finally her eyes focused on me. She looked so confused and so hurt, I almost couldn’t stand it.

I was about to say something, when Sirius came up from behind me. “What’s wro- Oh no.” He turned to me, and I could tell he knew. Olivia looked at him, and when he saw the look in her eyes, he had to step back.

Sirius turned to me. “Thank you, Harry. You have no idea how much you have helped me.” I nodded and he continued. “I’ll write soon. Just take care of yourself. And watch over Olivia. Please.” He looked over at her again, but she wasn’t paying attention. Her eyes were wondering around, and she had sweat on her forehead again.

Sirius stepped forward and gave her a hug. She looked really frightened at first, but after a few seconds she relaxed a little. But she didn’t hug back. He let go and whispered something to her, but I couldn’t hear what he said.

He turned back to us and smiled. He came forward and gave me and Hermione a hug. He pulled back and looked at us. “In my letters, I can’t write as Sirius, because the Ministry will be looking for me. I’ll go by Snuffles, and if you ever need me, sign my name as that. Alright?” When Hermione and I nodded, he smiled again. “Once again, thank you.”

As he was turning around, Hermione stopped him. “You can keep the Hippogriff. You need to get out of here, fast. All we ask is that you take us to the courtyard.”

Sirius nodded with another smile. “Of course.”