pretty girl diggory- R.Weasley

3:11

    Celeste and Hermione had just been chatting in the Gryffindor common room when an owl flew in.

    "Its a letter from Hagrid," Celeste said, taking the letter from the owl. "Oh my gosh, Hagrid lost his case."

    "What, are you sure?" Hermione asked nervously, taking the letter from Celeste. "Oh no, how could he lose? We spent so much time helping his case!"

     "Harry and Ron should know too," Hermione said, walking over to the common room portrait hole and climbing through.

  Celeste hurried out behind her. "Ron's been treating you like you killed his rat--"

     "Come to have a good gloat?" Ron said savagely when he saw the two girls stop in front of him and Hary. "Or have you just been to tell us?"

   "No," Hermione said, her lip trembling. "I -- we just thought you ought to know ... Hagrid lost his case. Buckbeak is going to be executed." 

    "He -- he sent us this," Hermione said, holding out the letter.

    "They can't do this," Harry said. "Thy can't. Buckbeak isn't dangerous."

    "Draco's dad frightened the Committee into it," Celeste said. "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," Hermione said, wiping her eyes. 

    "Yeah, it will," Ron said fiercely. "You guy won't have to do all the work alone this time, I'll help."

    Hermione flung her arms around Ron's neck and broke down completely. Ron, looking terrified, patted her very awkwardly on the top of the head. Finally, Hermione drew away.

   "It only took Buckbeak possibly dying for you two to makeup," Celeste said, rolling her eyes

    "Ron, I'm really sorry about Scabbers..." Hermione sobbed. 

    "Oh -- well -- he was old," Ron said, 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, Ron, Celeste, 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.

    "'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 exactly what he told em..."

     "There's still the appeal!" Ron said 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 Draco, who was walking with Crabbe and Goyle and kept looking back, laughing derisively.

    "'S' no good, Ron," Hagrid said sadly as they reached the castle steps. "That Committees in Lucius Malfoy's pocket. I'm jus' gonna make sure the rest o' Beaky's tie is the happiest he's ever had. I owe him that ..."

   "Hagrid turned around and hurried back towards his cabin, his face buried in his handkerchief. 

    "Look at him blubber!"

     Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle had been standing just inside the castle doors, listening.

    "Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic?" Draco said. "And he's supposed to be our teacher!"