"He sent me this," Hermione said, holding out the letter.

Johnny 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 and Johnny,

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 and Johnny 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.

"I'm not," Johnny said bluntly. "You kicked my cat."

"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 Grindelwald's second break-in made it impossible for Johnny, Harry, 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.

"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 Draco, 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!"

Draco, 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!"

Johnny, Harry and Ron both made furious moves toward Malfoy, but Hermione got there first -- SMACK!

She had slapped Malfoy across the face with all the strength she could muster. Malfoy staggered. Johnny, Harry, Ron, Crabbe, and Goyle stood flabbergasted as Hermione raised her hand again.

"Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic, you foul -- you evil --"

"Hermione!" said Ron weakly, and he tried to grab her hand as she swung it back.

"Get off, Ron!"

"Let her do it!" Johnny yelled, jumping up and down in excitement.

Hermione pulled out her wand. 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.

"That was brilliant," Johnny said supportively, letting out a gasp as Hermione pulled him into a deep and passionate kiss. Ron and Harry stood their awkwardly, rubbing the back of their necks as Johnny and Hermione snogged.

"You done yet?" Ron asked awkwardly.

"Fuck off," Johnny muttered, pulling Hermione back into him by the hips.

"We're due in Charms," said Ron. "We'd better go."

They hurried up the marble staircase toward Professor Flitwick's classroom.

"Let's go do homework," Hermione whispered to Johnny pulling out her Time-Turner and pulling Johnny into an empty broom cupboard.

When Harry and Ron entered the Common Room, it was to find Hermione sat in Johnny's lap, both of them fast asleep, an open Arithmancy book in her hand. They went to sit down on either side of them. Harry prodded them awake.

"Fuck, I'm horny," Johnny said with a yawn, then realised he had company. He had blushed a deep red and buried his head in Hermione's shoulder, not daring to look at Harry or Ron.

"Is it time to go? W -- which lesson have we got now?" Asked Hermione.

"Divination, but it's not for another twenty minutes," said Harry. "Hermione, Johnny, why didn't you come to Charms?"

"What? Oh no!" Hermione squeaked. "We forgot to go to Charms!"

"But how could you forget?" said Harry. "You were with us till we were right outside the classroom!"

"I don't believe it!" Hermione wailed. "Was Professor Flitwick angry? Oh, it was Malfoy, I was thinking about him and I lost track of things!"

"You know what, Hermione?" said Ron, looking down at the enormous Arithmancy book. "I reckon you and Johnny are cracking up. You're both trying to do too much."

"No, we're not!" said Hermione, brushing her hair out of her eyes and staring hopelessly around for her bag. "We just made a mistake, that's all! Johnny, we'd better go and see Professor Flitwick and say sorry... we'll see you in Divination!"

Hermione and Johnny joined them at the foot of the ladder to Professor Trelawney's classroom twenty minutes later, looking extremely harassed.

"I can't believe we missed Cheering Charms! And I bet they come up in our exams; Professor Flitwick hinted they might!"

"Babe, come on," Johnny said, rubbing her arm reassuringly. "Everyone knows we're going to get top marks in everything."

Together they climbed the ladder into the dim, stifling tower room. Glowing on every little table was a crystal ball full of pearly white mist. Johnny, Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat down together at the same rickety table.

"I thought we weren't starting crystal balls until next term," Ron muttered, casting a wary eye around for Professor Trelawney, in case she was lurking nearby.

"Don't complain, this means we've finished palmistry," Harry muttered back. "I was getting sick of her flinching every time she looked at my hands."

"She'll just flinch every time she looks into your Crystal Balls," Johnny said, bursting out laughing with Ron. The two boys high fived as Harry tried to shush them and Hermione tried to stifle her giggles at Johnny's dirty joke.

"Good day to you!" said the familiar, misty voice, and Professor Trelawney made her usual dramatic entrance out of the shadows. Parvati and Lavender quivered with excitement, their faces lit by the milky glow of their crystal ball.

"I have decided to introduce the crystal ball a little earlier than I had planned," said Professor Trelawney, sitting with her back to the fire and gazing around. "The fates have informed me that your examination in June will concern the Orb, and I am anxious to give you sufficient practice."

Hermione and Johnny snorted.

"Well, honestly...'the fates have informed her'. Who sets the exam? She does! What an amazing prediction!" Hermione said, not troubling to keep her voice low. Johnny, Harry and Ron choked back laughs.

It was hard to tell whether Professor Trelawney had heard them as her face was hidden in shadow. She continued, however, as though she had not.

"Crystal gazing is a particularly refined art," she said dreamily. "I do not expect any of you to See when first you peer into the Orb's infinite depths. We shall start by practicing relaxing the conscious mind and external eyes --" Ron began to snigger uncontrollably and had to stuff his fist in his mouth to stifle the noise -- "so as to clear the Inner Eye and the superconscious. Perhaps, if we are lucky, some of you will see before the end of the class."

And so they began. Johnny, at least, felt extremely foolish, staring blankly at the crystal ball, trying to keep his mind empty when thoughts such as "this is stupid" kept drifting across it. It didn't help that Ron kept breaking into silent giggles and Hermione kept tutting.

"Seen anything yet?" Harry asked them after a quarter of an hour's quiet crystal gazing.

Suddenly, Johnny gasped, his eyes turning completely white.

"He's seeing something!" Professor Trelawney said excitedly, placing her hands on Johnny's shoulders. "What is it boy?"

"You stand, Harry Potter, upon the remains of my late father," Johnny hissed softly, gripping the edges of the table. "A Muggle and a fool... very like your dear mother. But they both had their uses, did they not? Your mother died to defend you as a child...and I killed my father, and see how useful he has proved himself, in death...."

"What the bloody fuck!?" Ron yelled, staring at Johnny who's lips turned into a smirk.

Johnny's laugh was low and dangerous. Johnny stood up, making the class move away from him in fear as his white eyes stared blankly ahead. Up and down he paced, looking all around him as he walked,.

"You see that house upon the hillside, Potter? My father lived there. My mother, a witch who lived here in this village, fell in love with him. But he abandoned her when she told him what she was....He didn't like magic, my father... He left her and returned to his Muggle parents before I was even born. Potter, and she died giving birth to me, leaving me to be raised in a Muggle orphanage... but I vowed to find him... I revenged myself upon him, that fool who gave me his name... Tom Riddle...."

Still he paced, his white eyes darting from seat to seat.

"Listen to me, reliving family history..." Johnny said quietly, "why, I am growing quite sentimental.... But look, Harry! My true family returns...."

Johnny suddenly gasped, his blue eyes returning as he collapsed to the floor. Hermione, Harry, Ron and Professor Trelawney rushed to his side, heaving Johnny back into his seat.

"Very good, my boy, very good," Professor Trelawney said happily, pulling a handkerchief out of thin air and wiping the sweat off his forehead, be0fre bustling away to Lavender and Parvarti's table.

"What did you see?" Harry asked, staring at Johnny. "It was obviously something about Voldemort, you sounded exactly like him, and mentioned Tom Riddle!"

"I didn't see anything," Johnny said shakily, gripping Hermione's hand tightly. "I just heard it."

The four went back to working in silence.

"D-do you see anything?" Johnny asked.

"Yeah, there's a burn on this table," said Ron, pointing. "Someone's spilled their candle."

"This is such a waste of time," Hermione hissed. "Im no good at this! I could be practicing something useful. I could be catching up on Cheering Charms --"

Professor Trelawney rustled past.

"Would anyone like me to help them interpret the shadowy portents within their Orb?" she murmured over the clinking of her bangles.

"I don't need help," Ron whispered. "It's obvious what this means. There's going to be loads of fog tonight."

Both Harry and Hermione burst out laughing, Johnny letting out a weak laugh.

"Now, really!" said Professor Trelawney as everyone's heads turned in their direction. Parvati and Lavender were looking scandalised. "You are disturbing the clairvoyant vibrations!" She approached their table and peered into their crystal ball.

"There is something else here!" Professor Trelawney whispered, lowering her face to the ball, so that it was reflected twice in her huge glasses. "Something moving... but what is it?"

Johnny was prepared to bet everything he owned, that it wasn't good news, whatever it was. And sure enough --

"My dear," Professor Trelawney breathed, gazing up at Harry. "It is here, plainer than ever before... my dear, stalking toward you, growing ever closer... the Ra --"

"Oh, for goodness' sake!" said Hermione loudly. "Not that ridiculous Raven again!"

Professor Trelawney raised her enormous eyes to Hermione's face. Parvati whispered something to Lavender, and they both glared at Hermione too. Professor Trelawney stood up, surveying Hermione with unmistakable anger.

"I am sorry to say that from the moment you have arrived in this class my dear, it has been apparent that you do not have what the noble art of Divination requires. Indeed, I don't remember ever meeting a student whose mind was so hopelessly mundane."

There was a moment's silence. Then --

"Fine!" said Hermione suddenly, getting up and cramming Unfogging the Future back into her bag. "Fine!" she repeated, swinging the bag over her shoulder and almost knocking Ron off his chair. "I give up! I'm leaving!"

"Y-you know what?" Johnny said, packing his bag as well. He stood up weakly, leaning on Hermione for support. "I believe all this Inner Eye bullshit after what just happened, but nobody insults me girlfriend! Her mind is not mundane! Her mind, like everything else about her, is perfect!"

And to the whole class's amazement, Johnny strode over to the trapdoor, kicked it open, and climbed down the ladder out of sight, Hermione following with a bright red blush on her face.

"You think I'm perfect?" Hermione asked, catching up with Johnny who was sat at the bottom of the stairs to the North Tower.

"Of course I do," Johnny smiled, pulling Hermione by the waist so she was stood between his legs. Hermione wrapped her arms loosely around Johnny's head, running a hand through his hair.

"I love you," Hermione whispered, leaning down to kiss Johnny lovingly.

"I love you too."

The Easter holidays were not exactly relaxing. The third years had never had so much homework. Neville seemed close to a nervous collapse, and he wasn't the only one.

"Call this a holiday!" Crabbe roared at the common room one afternoon. "The exams are ages away, what're they playing at?"

But nobody had as much to do as Hermione. Even without Divination, she was taking more subjects than anybody else. She was usually last to leave the common room at night, first to arrive at the library the next morning; she had shadows like Lupin's under her eyes, and seemed constantly close to tears. Johnny however, was practically attached to her hip, always helping and reassuring her.

Johnny had also taken over responsibility for Buckbeak's appeal. When he wasn't doing his own work, he was poring over enormously thick volumes with names like The Handbook of Hippogriff Psychology and Fowl or Foul? A Study of Hippogriff Brutality. While still doing Quidditch practice.

"You can catch it whenever you like," Marcus told Draco constantly.

"I KNOW!" Draco yelled.

"Yeah, well you've got a shit track record against Potter," Marcus told him, causing Draco to blush in embarrassment. "Don't bottle this for us, Draco."

Never, in anyone's memory, had a match approached in such a highly charged atmosphere. By the time the holidays were over, tension between the two teams and their Houses was at the breaking point. A number of small scuffles broke out in the corridors, culminating in a nasty incident in which a Gryffindor fourth year and a Slytherin sixth year ended up in the hospital wing with leeks sprouting out of their ears.

The Slytherin's walked out onto the field to a tidal wave of noise. Three quarters of the crowd was wearing scarlet rosettes, waving scarlet flags with the Gryffindor lion upon them, or brandishing banners with slogans like "GO GRYFFINDOR!" and "LIONS FOR THE CUP" Behind the Slytherin goal posts, however, two hundred people were wearing green; the silver serpent of Slytherin glittered on their flags, and Professor Snape sat in the very front row, wearing green like everyone else, and a very grim smile.

"And here come the Slytherin team, led by Captain Flint. He's made some changes in the lineup and seems to be going for size rather than skill --"

"Captains, shake hands!" said Madam Hooch.

Flint and Wood approached each other and grasped each other's hand very tightly; it looked as though each was trying to break the other's fingers.

"Co-Captains, shake hands!"

Johnny approached Angelina Johnson, a good friend.

"May the best team win," Angelina said to him, causing Johnny's smirk to widen.

"For your sake, I hope you don't mean yourselves."

"Mount your brooms!" said Madam Hooch. "Three...two...one..."

The sound of her whistle was lost in the roar from the crowd as fourteen brooms rose into the air. Johnny felt his hair fly back off his forehead; his nerves left him in the thrill of the flight.

"And it's Gryffindor in possession, Alicia Spinner of Gryffindor with the Quaffle, heading straight for the Slytherin goal posts, looking good, Alicia! Argh, no -- Quaffle intercepted by Warrington, Warrington of Slytherin tearing UP the field -- WHAM! -- nice Bludger work there by George Weasley, Warrington drops the Quaffle, it's caught by -- Johnson, Gryffindor back in possession, come on, Angelina -- nice swerve around Montague -- duck, Angelina, that's a Bludger! SHE SCORES! TEN-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

Angelina punched the air as she soared around the end of the field; the sea of scarlet below was screaming its delight

"OUCH!"

Angelina was nearly thrown from her broom as Marcus Flint went smashing into her.

"Sorry!" said Flint as the crowd below booed. "Sorry, didn't see her!"

A moment later, Fred chucked his Beater's club at the back of Flint's head. Flint's nose smashed into the handle of his broom and began to bleed.

"That will do!" shrieked Madam Hooch, zooming between then. "Penalty shot to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack on their Chaser! Penalty shot to Slytherin for deliberate damage to their Chaser!"

"Come off it, Miss!" howled Fred, but Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Alicia flew forward to take the penalty.

"Come on, Alicia!" yelled Lee into the silence that had descended on the crowd. "NO! She's missed! Gryffindor 10 Slytherin 0."

Johnny stepped up to take Slytherin's penalty. He faked a shot left and threw the Quaffle right.

"So it's all square. Slytherin ten, Gryffindor ten," Lee said dejectedly.

"Gryffindor in possession, no, Slytherin in possession -- no! Gryffindor back in possession and it's Katie Bell, Katie Bell for Gryffindor with the Quaffle, she's streaking up the field -- THAT WAS DELIBERATE!"

Johnny had swerved in front of Katie, and instead of seizing the Quaffle had grabbed her head. Katie cart-wheeled in the air, managed to stay on her broom, but dropped the Quaffle.

Madam Hooch's whistle rang out again as she soared over to Johnny and began shouting at him.

"Sorry Ma'am," said Johnny in fake surrender. "I missed the Quaffle!"

A minute later, Katie had put another penalty past the Slytherin Seeker.

"TWENTY-TEN! TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING --"

"Jordan, if you can't commentate in an unbiased way --"

"I'm telling it like it is, Professor!"

WHOOSH.

One of the Bludgers came streaking past Harry's right ear, hit by the gigantic Slytherin Beater, Derrick. Then again...

WHOOSH.

The second Bludger grazed Harry's elbow. The other Beater, Bole, was closing in.

"Ha haaa!" yelled Lee Jordan as the Slytherin Beaters lurched away from each other, clutching their heads. "Too bad, boys! You'll need to get up earlier than that to beat a Firebolt! And it's Gryffindor in possession again, as Johnson takes the Quaffle -- Flint alongside her -- poke him in the eye, Angelina! -- it was a joke, Professor, it was a joke -- oh no -- Flint in possession, Flint flying toward the Gryffindor goal posts, come on now, Wood, save --!"

But Johnny had scored again; there was an eruption of cheers from the Slytherin end, and Lee swore so badly that Professor McGonagall tried to tug the magical megaphone away from him.

"Sorry, Professor, sorry! Won't happen again! So, it's all tied, twenty points to twenty, and Gryffindor in possession --"

It was still tied twenty minutes later.

Fifty-fifty.

Harry was suddenly slowing down as he chased the snitch. Malfoy had thrown himself forward, grabbed hold of the Firebolt's tail, and was pulling it back.

"You --"

Harry was angry enough to hit Malfoy, but couldn't reach, but --

"I've got it! I've got it!" Draco yelled, his fist holding up the Golden Snitch. The Slytherin's burst into cheers, Snape smirking triumphantly over at McGonagall.

Then Draco was speeding toward Johnny, half-blinded by tears; he seized Johnny around the neck and sobbed unrestrainedly into his shoulder.

"You did it, Draco!" Johnny yelled excitedly, his mud covered robes clinging to him.

"No, we did it!" Draco yelled excitedly as the Slytherin team came into one big hug.

"We've won the Cup! We've won the Cup!" Tangled together in a many-armed hug, the Slytherin team sank, yelling hoarsely, back to earth.

Wave upon wave of green and silver supporters was pouring over the barriers onto the field. Hands were raining down on their backs.

"Well done, Johnny!" Hagrid yelled happily, hoisting Johnny onto his shoulders. "I might not av' wanted yer' to win, but I'm happy for yer! Wait until I tell Beaky!"

Professor McGonagall was sobbing harder even than Oliver Wood, wiping her eyes with an enormous Gryffindor flag. The Gryffindor's, Ravenclaw's and Hufflepuff's (minus a few) were making their way back to the castle. Hermione however, was the only person left in the Gryffindor stand, smiling widely as she watched Draco hand Johnny the Quidditch Cup.

Johnny handed the Cup to Professor Snape, and flying up to Hermione.

"I don't think you're the most popular person ever," Johnny smirked, looking at the green and silver Quidditch jersey Hermione was wearing.

"Maybe not," Hermione laughed, wrapping Johnny in a tight hug. "I'm so proud of you!"