Sirius Black's Daughter

Chapter Twelve: The Quidditch Final

Song: Mademoiselle Noir (French version)
Posted: November 19th, 2020
Edited:
Major editing: July 31st, 2021
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"He sent me this," Hermione said, holding out the letter.
Natalia took it. The parchment was damp, and enormous teardrops had smudged the ink so badly in places that it was very difficult to read.

"'Dear Hermione,
We lost.
I'm allowed to bring him back to Hogwarts. Execution date to be fixed. Beaky has enjoyed London. I won't forget all the help you gave us.

Hagrid.'"

"They can't do this," said Harry. "They can't. Buckbeak isn't dangerous."
"Malfoy's dad's frightened the Committee into it," said Hermione, wiping her eyes. "You know what he's like. They're a bunch of doddery old fools, and they were scared. There'll be an appeal, though, there always is. Only I can't see any hope...Nothing will have changed."
"Yeah, it will," said Ron fiercely. "You won't have to do all the work alone this time, Hermione. I'll help."
  "Oh, Ron!"
Hermione flung her arms around Ron's neck and broke down completely. Ron, looking quite terrified, patted her very awkwardly on the top of the head. Finally, Hermione drew away.
   "Ron, I'm really, really sorry about Scabbers..." she sobbed.
  "Oh -- well -- he was old," said Ron, looking thoroughly relieved that she had let go of him. "And he was a bit useless. You never know, Mum and Dad might get me an owl now."

  The safety measures imposed on the students since Black's second break-in made it impossible for Harry, Natalia, Ron, and Hermione to go and visit Hagrid in the evenings. Their only chance of talking to him was during Care of Magical Creatures lessons. He seemed numb with shock at the verdict.
Also with the tighter safety mesures, Natalia can't leave the common room or go in the common room late, otherwise a portrait would tell Professor McGonagall. Natalia had found that out the hard way.
   "S'all my fault. Got all tongue-tied. They was all sittin' there in black robes an' I kep' droppin' me notes and forgettin' all them dates yeh looked up fer me, Hermione. An' then Lucius Malfoy stood up an' said his bit, and the Committee jus' did exac'ly what he told 'em..."
   "There's still the appeal!" said Ron fiercely. "Don't give up yet, we're working on it!"
  They were walking back up to the castle with the rest of the class. Ahead they could see Malfoy, who was walking with Crabbe and Goyle, and kept looking back, laughing derisively.
  "S'no good, Ron," said Hagrid sadly as they reached the castle steps. "That Committee's in Lucius Malfoy's pocket. I'm jus' gonna make sure the rest o' Beaky's time is the happiest he's ever had. I owe him that...."

Hagrid turned around and hurried back toward his cabin, his face buried in his handkerchief.
  "Look at him blubber!"
  Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had been standing just inside the castle doors, listening.
"Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic?" said Malfoy. "And he's supposed to be our teacher!"
Harry, Hermione and Ron both made furious moves toward Malfoy, but Natalia got there first -- SMACK!
She had slapped Malfoy across the face with all the strength she could muster.
Malfoy staggered.
Harry, Hermione, Ron, Crabbe, and Goyle stood flabbergasted as Natalia raised her hand again.
  "Ne smey nazyvat' Hagrid zhalkim, gryaznym— zlym—"
(Translation: Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic, you dirty, evil-)
"Natalia!" said Ron weakly, and he tried to grab her hand as she swung it back.
  "Get off, Ron!" Natalia shouted, but instead of an Scottish accent, it sounds more... Russian. Somehow that made the other afraid of her.

Natalia pulled out her wand and Malfoy stepped backward.
Crabbe and Goyle looked at him for instructions, thoroughly bewildered.
  "C'mon." Malfoy muttered, and in a moment, all three of them had disappeared into the passageway to the dungeons.
"Natalia!" Ron said again, sounding both stunned and impressed.
"Harry, you'd better beat him in the Quidditch final!" Hermione said shrilly, going over to Natalia who is panting heavily. "You just better had, because I can't stand it if Slytherin wins!"
  "We're due in Charms," said Ron, still goggling at Natalia. "We'd better go."
 
They hurried up the marble staircase toward Professor Flitwick's classroom.
  "You're late, boys!" said Professor Flitwick reprovingly as Harry opened the classroom door. "And, girl," he added awkwardly seeing Natalia come in last. "Come along, quickly, wands out, we're experimenting with Cheering Charms today, we've already divided into pairs --"
  Harry and Ron hurried to a desk at the back and opened their bags and Natalia hurried over to Jae. Ron looked behind him.
  "Where's Hermione gone?"
Harry looked around too. Hermione hadn't entered the classroom, yet Harry knew she had been right next to him when he had opened the door.
"That's weird," said Harry, staring at Ron. "Maybe -- maybe she went to the bathroom or something?"
But Hermione didn't turn up all lesson.
  "She could've done with a Cheering Charm on her too," said Ron as the class left for lunch, all grinning broadly -- the Cheering Charms had left them with a feeling of great contentment.