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𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐀'𝐒 𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐄 at finally winning the Quidditch Cup lasted at least a week. Even the weather seemed to be celebrating too; as June approached, the days became cloudless and sultry, and all anybody felt like doing was strolling onto the grounds and flopping down on the grass with several pints of iced pumpkin juice, perhaps playing a casual game of Gobstones or watching the giant squid propel itself dreamily across the surface of the lake.

But they couldn't. Exams were nearly upon them, and instead of lazing around outside, the students were forced to remain inside the castle, trying to bully their brains into concentrating while enticing wafts of summer air drifted in through the windows. Even Fred and George Weasley had been spotted working; they were about to take their O.W.L.s (Ordinary Wizarding Levels). Percy was getting ready to take his N.E.W.T.s (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests), the highest qualification Hogwarts offered. As Percy hoped to enter the Ministry of Magic, he needed top grades. He was becoming increasingly edgy, and gave very severe punishments to anybody who disturbed the quiet of the common room in the evenings. In fact, the only person who seemed more anxious than Percy was Hermione.

As Marina had finished her longs hours of studying with Hermione and Lavender, then looked over at Hermione's exam schedule. The first column read:

Monday
9 o'clock, Arithmancy
9 o'clock, Transfiguration
Lunch
1 o'clock, Charms
1 o'clock, Ancient Runes

"Hermione?" Lavender said cautiously, because she was liable to explode when interrupted these days. "Are you sure you've copied down these times right?"

"What?" snapped Hermione, picking up the exam schedule and examining it. "Yes, of course I have."

"Is there any point asking how you're going to sit for two exams at once? Unless your using a time turner, I read about those last summer." said Marina.

Hermione looked up, pale. "No, have either of you seen my copy of Numerology and Gramatica?"

"Oh, yeah, I borrowed it for a bit of bedtime reading, Trelawney said she said I would pass Arithmancy with an excellent!" giggled Lavender, but very quietly.

Hermione started shifting heaps of parchment. The three, along with Pavarti had plenty of opportunity to speak to Hagrid, unfortunately the boys couldn't come along as they were "studying" themselves.

"Beaky's gettin' a bit depressed," Hagrid told them, bending low on the pretense of checking that Pavarti's flobberworm was still alive. "Bin cooped up too long. But still... we'll know day after tomorrow — one way or the other —"

They had Potions that afternoon, which was an unqualified disaster for Harry. But a success for Marina, like usual. Try as Harry might, couldn't get his Confusing Concoction to thicken, and Snape, standing watch with an air of vindictive pleasure, scribbled something that looked suspiciously like a zero onto his notes before moving away.

Then came Astronomy at midnight, up on the tallest tower; History of Magic on Wednesday morning, in which Marina scribbled everything Florean Fortescue had ever told him about medieval witch-hunts, while wishing he could have had one of Fortescue's choconut sundaes with him in the hot classroom.

Wednesday afternoon meant Herbology, in the greenhouses under a baking-hot sun; luckily Marina had brought some iced pumpkin tea with her. then back to the common room once more, with sunburnt necks, thinking longingly of this time next day, when it would all be over.

Their second to last exam, on Thursday morning, was Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor Lupin had compiled the most unusual exam any of them had ever taken; a sort of obstacle course outside in the sun, where they had to wade across a deep paddling pool containing a Grindylow, cross a series of potholes full of Red Caps, squish their way across a patch of marsh while ignoring misleading directions from a Hinkypunk, then climb into an old trunk and battle with a new Boggart.

"Excellent, Marina," Lupin muttered as Marina climbed out of the trunk, grinning. "Full marks, nothing new."

She had learned that maybe pain was a good thing...even if her professor was a werewolf. She definitely didn't hate him.

Flushed with her success, Marina hung around to watch Lavender and Pavarti.

Lavender did very well until she reached the Hinkypunk, which successfully confused him into sinking waist-high into the quagmire.

Pavarti did everything well until she reached the trunk with the Boggart in it. (Luckily, Marina hadn't flinched when she saw her parents dead bodies, strangely, she was now also seeing Pavarti's and Lavender's as well.)

After about a minute inside the Boggart, Pavarti burst out again, screaming.

"Pavarti!" said Lupin, startled. "What's the matter?"

"P-P-Professor Trelawney!" Pavarti gasped, hugging Marina. "She said I would be the worst future divination teacher!"

It took a little while to calm Pavarti down. When at last she had regained a grip on herself, it was Hermione's turn. Who also screamed as she saw McGonagall telling her she had failed everything.

As she, Lavender, and Pavarti went back to the castle. Marina was still slightly inclined to laugh at Pavarti's Boggart, but an argument was averted by the sight that met them on the top of the steps.

Cornelius Fudge, sweating slightly in his pinstriped cloak, was standing there staring out at the grounds. He started at the sight of Harry.

"Hello there, Weasley!" he said. "Just had an exam, I expect? Nearly finished?"

"Yes..?" Marina nodded awkwardly. She had never been on speaking terms with the Minister of Magic before, they only knew each other from her father working at the ministry.

"Lovely day," said Fudge, casting an eye over the lake. "Pity... pity..." He sighed deeply and looked down at Marina.

"I'm here on an unpleasant mission, Weasley. The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures required a witness to the execution of a mad Hippogriff. As I needed to visit Hogwarts to check on the Black situation, I was asked to step in."

"Does that mean the appeal's already happened?" Lavender interrupted, stepping forward. "No, no, it's scheduled for this afternoon," said Fudge, looking curiously at Lavender.

"Then you might not have to witness an execution at all!" said Marina stoutly. "The Hippogriff might get off!"

Before Fudge could answer, two wizards came through the castle doors behind him. One was so ancient he appeared to be withering before their very eyes; the other was tall and strapping, with a thin back mustache. Marina gathered that they were representatives of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, because the very old wizard squinted toward Hagrid's cabin and said in a feeble voice, "Dear, dear, I'm getting too old for this... Two o'clock, isn't it, Fudge?"

The black-mustached man was fingering something in his belt; Marina looked and saw that he was running one broad thumb along the blade of a shining axe. Marina opened green mouth to say something, but Lavender covered her mouth.

"Why'd you stop me?" said Marina angrily as they entered the Great Hall for lunch. "Did you see them? They've even got the axe ready! This isn't justice!"

"Marina, your dad works for the Ministry, you can't go saying things like that to his boss!" said Lavender, but she too looked very upset. "As long as Hagrid keeps his head this time, and argues his case properly, they can't possibly execute Buckbeak..."

But Harry could tell Hermione didn't really believe what she was saying.

All around them, people were talking excitedly as they ate their lunch, happily anticipating the end of the exams that afternoon, but Marina, Lavender, and Pavarti, (along with Ron, Hermione, and Harold) lost in worry about Hagrid and Buckbeak, didn't join in.

Lastly, the last exam of the day was Divination. Something Marina knew she was going to fail at; while her friends would get flying colors at.

As they walked up the marble staircase together; the three proceeded all the way up to the seventh, where many of their classmates were sitting on the spiral staircase to Professor Trelawney's classroom, trying to cram in a bit of last-minute studying.

"She's seeing us all separately," Neville informed them as they went to sit down next to him. He had his copy of Unfogging the Future open on his lap at the pages devoted to crystal gazing. "Have either of you ever seen anything in a crystal ball?" he asked them unhappily.

"Nope, only fog." Marina mumbled.

"I have. I saw the red headed man again." shivered Pavarti.

The line of people outside the classroom shortened very slowly. As each person climbed back down the silver ladder, the rest of the class hissed, "What did she ask? Was it okay?"

But they all refused to say.

"She says the crystal ball's told her that if I tell you, I'll have a horrible accident!" squeaked Neville as he clambered back down the ladder toward Marina and Pavarti, who had now reached the landing.

"That's convenient," snorted Marina. "I'm excited to fail this class."

Parvati came back down the ladder glowing with pride.

"She says I've got all the makings of a true Seer," she informed Lavender and Marina. "I saw loads of stuff... Well, good luck!"

She hurried off down the spiral staircase toward Lavender.

"Marina Weasley," said the familiar, misty voice from over their heads.

The tower room was hotter than ever before; the curtains were closed, the fire was alight, and the usual sickly scent made her cough as she stumbled through the clutter of chairs and table to where Professor Trelawney sat waiting for her before a large crystal ball.

"Good day, my dear," she said softly. "If you would kindly gaze into the Orb... Take your time, now... then tell me what you see within it..."

Marina scoffed as bent over the crystal ball and stared, stared as hard as she could, willing it to show her something other than swirling white fog, but nothing happened.

"Well?" Professor Trelawney prompted delicately. "What do you see?"

The heat was overpowering and his nostrils were stinging with the perfumed smoke wafting from the fire beside them. She then thought of what Ron had just said.

Just pretend. That's what I did.

"Er —" said Marina, "a round shape... um..."

"What does it resemble?" whispered Professor Trelawney. "Think, now..."

Marina then remembered something.

"A hummingbird," she said firmly.

"Indeed!" whispered Professor Trelawney, scribbling keenly on the parchment perched upon her knees. "My girl, you may well seeing something of your past. A hummingbird represents new beginnings to life. Do you see any trees?"

"Yes," lied Marina firmly.

"Interesting" Professor Trelawney urged her. "From your past lessons this year, you don't have the urge to be a seer like your dear friend. But it will be passing."

Relieved, Marina got up, picked up her bag and turned to go. She climbed back down the ladder and the spiral staircase, and walked up a giggling Pavarti and Lavender.

Five minutes later she and her friends was dashing past the security trolls outside the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, happy that she had passed Divination. People were striding past him in the opposite direction, laughing and joking, heading for the grounds and a bit of long-awaited freedom; by the time he had reached the portrait hole and entered the common room, it was almost deserted. Over in the corner, however, sat Ron and Hermione.

"I'm going to get some pumpkin fizz with Lav. Meet us in the dormitory later?" Pavarti asked.

"Yeah." Marina said waving goodbye to them and walked over to the trio, "Hey losers. Why the frowns?"

"Professor Trelawney," Harry panting as he ran over to them , "just told me —"

But he stopped abruptly at the sight of their faces.

"Buckbeak lost," said Ron weakly. "Hagrid's just sent this."

Hagrid's note was dry this time, no tears had splattered it, yet his hand seemed to have shaken so much as he wrote that it was hardly legible.

Lost appeal. They're going to execute at sunset. Nothing you can do. Don't come down. I don't want you to see it.
Hagrid

"We've got to go," said Harry at once. "He can't just sit there on his own, waiting for the executioner!"

"He's right...not that he is that much, but he is. We should at least be with him!" Marina shrieked.

"Sunset, though," said Ron, who was staring out the window ill a glazed sort of way. "We'd never be allowed... 'specially you, Harry..."

Harry sank his head into his hands, thinking.

"If we only had the Invisibility Cloak..."

"Where is it?" said Hermione.

Harry and Marina told them about leaving it in the passageway under the one-eyed witch.

"... if Snape sees me anywhere near there again, I'm in serious trouble," he finished.

"That's true," said Hermione, getting to her feet. "If he sees you... How do you open the witch's hump again?"

"You — you tap it and say, 'Dissendium,'" said Harry. "But —"

Hermione didn't wait for the rest of his sentence; she strode across the room, pushed open the Fat Lady's portrait and vanished from sight.

"She hasn't gone to get it?" Ron said, staring after her.

"I'm really starting to like how lose she's becoming. I taught her well." Marina said.

She had. Hermione returned a quarter of an hour later with the silvery cloak folded carefully under her robes.

"Hermione, I don't know what's gotten, into you lately!" said Ron, astounded. "First you hit Malfoy, then you walk out on Professor Trelawney —"

Hermione looked rather flattered.

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𝐀𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐀 𝐇𝐀𝐃 her pumpkin fizz in her dorm with Lav and Pav, then dinner with them later, she or Ron, Hermione, and Harry did not return to Gryffindor Tower afterward. Harry had the cloak hidden down the front of his robes; he had to keep his arms folded to hide the lump. As they skulked in an empty chamber off the entrance hall, listening, until they were sure it was deserted. They heard a last pair of people hurrying across the hall and a door slamming. Marina poked her head around the door.

"Good," she whispered, "no one there — cloak on —"

Walking very close together so that nobody would see them, they crossed the hall on tiptoe beneath the cloak, then walked down the stone front steps into the grounds. The sun was already sinking behind the Forbidden Forest, gilding the top branches of the trees.

They reached Hagrid's cabin and knocked. He was a minute in answering, and when he did, he looked all around for his visitor, pale-faced and trembling.

"It's us," Harry hissed. "We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off."

"Yeh shouldn've come!" Hagrid whispered, but he stood back, and they stepped inside. Hagrid shut the door quickly and Harry pulled off the cloak.

Hagrid was not crying, nor did he throw himself upon their necks. He looked like a man who did not know where he was or what to do. This helplessness was worse to watch than tears. Marina gave her a light side hug.

"Wan' some tea?" he said. His great hands were shaking as he reached for the kettle.

"Where's Buckbeak, Hagrid?" said Hermione hesitantly.

"I — I took him outside," said Hagrid, spilling milk all over the table as he filled up the jug. "He's tethered in me pumpkin patch. Thought he oughta see the trees an' — an' smell fresh air — before —"

"It's alright Hagrid. The hippogriff lasted a good life." Marina told him.

Hagrid's hand trembled so violently that the milk jug slipped from his grasp and shattered all over the floor.

"I'll do it, Hagrid," said Hermione quickly, hurrying over and starting to clean up the mess.

"There's another one in the cupboard,"
Hagrid said, sitting down and wiping his forehead on his sleeve.

Harry glanced at Marina, who looked back hopelessly.

"Isn't there anything anyone can do, Hagrid?" Harry asked fiercely, sitting down next to him. "Dumbledore —"

"He's tried," said Hagrid. "He's got no power ter overrule the Committee. He told 'em Buckbeak's all right, but they're scared... Yeh know what Lucius Malfoy's like... threatened 'em, I expect... an' the executioner, Macnair, he's an old pal o' Malfoy's... but it'll be quick an' clean... an' I'll be beside him..."

Hagrid swallowed. His eyes were darting all over the cabin as though looking for some shred of hope or comfort.

"Dumbledore's gonna come down while it — while it happens. Wrote me this mornin'. Said he wants ter — ter be with me. Great man, Dumbledore..."

Hermione, who had been rummaging in Hagrid's cupboard for another milk jug, let out a small, quickly stifled sob. She straightened up with the new jug in her hands, fighting back tears.

"We'll stay with you too, Hagrid," she began, but Hagrid shook his shaggy head.

"Yeh're ter go back up ter the castle. I told yeh, I don' wan' yeh watchin'. An' yeh shouldn' be down here anyway... If Fudge an' Dumbledore catch yeh out without permission, Harry, yeh'll be in big trouble."

Silent tears were now streaming down Hermione's face, but she hid them from Hagrid, bustling around making tea. Then, as she picked up the milk bottle to pour some into the jug, suddenly, Marina let out a shriek.

"Holy crap, I don't believe it — it's bloody Scabbers!"