Magic? || Years 1-5

Beneath The Whomping Willow: Year 3

Amisty felt as if she couldn't breath. They all stood stock still under the cloak, and she felt her heart stop at the wild howling behind them. Hermione was shaking, her breathing sporadic.

"Hagrid," Harry whispered, turning to go and head back to Hagrid's cabin when Hermione and Ron grabbed his arms.

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

"How -- could -- they? How could they?" Hermione whispered.

Amisty pressed her flank against the trembling girl's leg comfortingly.

"Come on," Ron's teeth were chattering slightly. They grudgingly headed back up to the castle.

"Scabbers, keep still. What's the matter with you, you stupid rat? Stay still -- OUCH! He bit me!" Ron exclaimed, clutching Scabbers with one hand and rubbing his red finger.

"Ron, be quiet! Fudge'll be out here in a minute -- " Hermione whispered, eyes panicked.

"He won't -- stay -- put -- " Ron grunted, struggling to keep hold of the squirming rat. "What's the matter with him?"

Crookshanks! No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!" Hermione hissed, drawing Amisty's attention right toward the ginger cat slinking toward them.

He didn't listen, still inching closer.

"Scabbers -- NO!" Ron hadn't even bothered to keep his voice quiet, and Scabbers escaped from his ground and went streaking across the ground with Crookshanks bounding after him.

Before any of them could do anything, Ron threw off the Invisibility Cloak and raced after the animals.

"Ron!" Hermione groaned, and after exchanging a glance with Harry, followed all of them, Amisty at their heels.

Soon enough, they had thrown away the Cloak so they could run properly, listening to Ron's shouts.

"Get away from him -- get away -- Scabbers, come here -- " He growled, his words followed by a loud thud. "Gotcha! Get off, you sticking cat -- "

Amisty barely stopped in time, stumbling over her paws so she didn't land on top of Ron. He was lying on the ground, hands clamped over his pocket to keep Scabbers from escaping again.

"Ron -- come on -- back under the cloak -- Dumbledore -- the Minister -- they'll be coming back out in a minute -- " Hermione panted, breathless.

Amisty froze, her ears pricked. There was the faint sound of pawsteps, but they weren't her own, far too loud, not to mention she wasn't moving.

She didn't even have the time to bark when a massive, jet-black dog with very pale eyes emerged from the darkness that had fallen. The dog leaped forward, hitting Harry straight in the chest and knocking him down with a loud thump. It was growling lowly, rolling off Harry and whirling around to Ron instead.

She leaped in front of him, her growl soft and high compared to the dog facing her. It just swatted her aside after a brief moment of hesitation, no claws surprisingly, and sunk its teeth into Ron's lower arm and dragged him away.

Harry, who had struggled to his feet once more, fell to the ground with a loud shout. Hermione soon followed, her shriek shrill and surprised. The harsh metallic tang of blood attacked her senses as Amisty barely rolled out of the way of what was giving the attacks, her eyes glowing and wide in the darkness.

"Lumos!" Harry whispered, the tip of his wand illuminating the ground where they were. It was the Whomping Willow, branches creaking and whipping around trying to guard its territory. At the base of the trunk was the dog, dragging Ron through the roots.