Butterfly Effect ; H. Potter

14. the shrieking shack.

Antheia felt as if her feet were planted into the ground below her. Her mind was kept picturing Buckbeak as the four of them stood transfixed with horror under the Invisibility Cloak. The very last rays of the setting sun were casting a bloody light over the long-shadowed grounds. Then, behind them, they heard a wild howling.

"Hagrid," Harry muttered. He made to turn back, but Ron seized his arm.

"We can't," said Ron, who was paper white. "He'll be in worse trouble if they know we've been to see him ..."

Hermione's breathing was shallow and uneven.

'How - could - they?" she choked. "How could they?"

"Come on," said Ron, whose teeth seemed to be chattering.

They set off back towards the castle, walking slowly to keep themselves hidden under the Cloak. Silent tears were running down Antheia's face and the light was fading fast now. By the time they reached open ground, darkness was settling like a spell around them.

"Scabbers, keep still," Ron hissed, clamping his hand over his chest. The rat was wriggling madly. Ron came to a sudden halt, trying to force Scabbers deeper into his pocket. "What's the matter with you, you stupid rat? Stay still - OUCH! He bit me!"

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

"He won't - stay - put -"

Scabbers was plainly terrified. He was writhing with all his might, trying to break free of Ron's grip.

"What's the matter with him?"

Antheia looked around and saw Crookshanks slinking towards them, his body low to the ground, wide yellow eyes glinting eerily in the darkness. Whether he could see them or was following the sound of Scabber's squeaks, it was impossible to tell.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione moaned. "No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!"

But the cat was getting nearer -

"Scabbers - NO!"

Too late - the rat had slipped between Ron's clutching fingers, hit the ground, and scampered away. In one bound, Crookshanks sprang after him, and before Harry, Antheia, or Hermione could stop him, Ron had thrown the Invisibility Cloak off himself and pelted away into the darkness.

"Ron!" Hermione moaned.

Hermione, Harry, and Antheia followed him at a print; it was impossible to run full out under the Cloak; they pulled it off and it streamed behind them like a banner as they hurtled after Ron; they could hear his feet thundering along ahead, and his shouts at Crookshanks.

"Get away from him - get away - Scabbers, come here -"

There was a loud thud.

"Gotcha! Get off, you stinking cat -"

Harry, Antheia, and Hermione almost fell over Ron; they skidded to a stop right in front of him. He was sprawled on the ground, but Scabbers was back in his pocket; he had both hands held tight over the quivering lump.

"Ron - get back under the Cloak -" Antheia insisted, panting. "Dumbledore - the Minister - they'll be coming back out in a minute -"

But before they could cover themselves again, before they could even catch their breath, they heard the soft pounding of gigantic paws. Something was bounding towards thm=em out of the dark - an enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black dog.

Harry reached for his wand, but too late - the dog had made an enormous leap and its front paws hit him on the chest. He keeled over backwards in a whirl of hair; he felt its hot breath, saw inch-long teeth -