𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹, draco malfoy

˗ˋ 34

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR
✧
-: third year :-

── IN WHICH HE'S RESIGNED

. . .

Marlie's eyes remained on the spot where Sirius and Buckbeak disappeared for a little while longer, before Hermione jolted the twins back to reality. "We've got exactly ten minutes to get back down to the Hospital Wing without anybody seeing us - before Dumbledore locks the door!" Hermione sounded incredibly worried, and instantly, the three of them started back into the castle.

They slipped through the doorway behind them and down a tightly spiraling stone staircase, and as they reached the bottom of it, they heard voices. Flattening themselves against the wall and listening carefully, they could recognise the voices of Fudge and Snape. They were walking quickly along the corridor at the foot of the staircase. 

"....only hope Dumbledore's not going to make difficulties." Snape was saying. "The Kiss will be performed immediately?"

"As soon as Macnair returns with the Dementors." Fudge confirmed. "This whole Black affair has been highly embarrassing. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to informing the Daily Prophet that we've got him at last... I daresay they'll want to interview you, Snape... and once young Harry and Marlene are back in their right mind, I expect they'll want to tell the Prophet exactly how you saved them..."

"Fat chance." Marlie whispered, voice barely audible by the two either side of her but all terrified that they would be overheard, Hermione and Harry quickly shushed her. Instead of making any other comments, she clenched her teeth and continued to listen.

Fudge and Snape passed their hiding place, their footsteps fading away as they continued on. And after waiting for just a few seconds to make sure that they were really gone, Harry, Hermione and Marlie started to run in the opposite direction. Down one staircase, then another, along a new corridor - then they heard a cackling ahead. 

"Peeves!" Harry muttered, grabbing Hermione's wrist and pulling Marlie by her coat sleeve. "In here!" They tore into a deserted classroom to their left just in time. Peeves seemed to be bouncing along the corridor in boisterous good spirits, laughing his head off. Marlie slumped against a wall for just a moment, trying to catch her breath.

"Oh, he's horrible." Whispered Hermione, her ear to the door. "I bet he's all excited because the Dementors are going to finish off Sirius..." She checked her watch. "Three minutes!" They waited until Peeves's gloating voice had faded into the distance, then slid back out of the room and broke into a run again.

"Hermione - what'll happen - if we don't get back inside before Dumbledore locks the door?" Marlie panted, looking across at the Granger girl. 

"I don't want to think about it!"" Hermione replied, checking her watch again. "One minute!" They had reached the end of the corridor with the hospital wing entrance. "Okay - I can hear Dumbledore." Hermione said tensely. "Come on, you two!" They crept along the corridor. 

The door opened, Dumbledore's back appearing. "I am going to lock you in." they heard him saying. "It is five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."

 Dumbledore backed out of the room, closed the door, and took out his wand to magically lock it. Panicking, Marlie, Harry and Hermione ran forward. Dumbledore looked up, and a wide smile appeared under the long silver mustache. "Well?" he asked quietly.