The Girl Who Fought | h.p |

Rescuing the Depressed Hippogriff

"Guys, what-?" Harry began to ask before Nova pulled him into a broom closet, Hermione not far behind. 

"We've gone back in time," Hermione whispered urgently. 

"Three hours . . ." Nova said. "To be more specific."

"But-" Harry began to question loudly. 

Nova placed her hand over his mouth, silencing him. The air coming from Harry's nose tickled Nova's skin. 

"Shh! Listen! Someone's coming! I think — I think it might be us!" Hermione shushed. She either ignored the position her friends were in or completely ignored it.

"Footsteps across the hall . . . yes, I think it's us going down to Hagrid's!" 

"Are you telling me," Harry whispered as Nova slowly removed her hand from his face. "that we're here in this cupboard and we're out there too?" 

"Yes, Darlin," Nova whispered back. "That's how time travel works. Get with it, Potter."

"I'm sure it's us," Hermione stated with her ear pressed against the door.  It doesn't sound like more than three people . . .and we're walking slowly because we're under the Invisibility Cloak —"

Hermione paused, turning to face her friends. 

"We've gone down the front steps. . . ."

Hermione sat down on an upturned bucket, looking desperately anxious, but Harry wanted a few questions answered. 

"Where did you get that hourglass thing?" 

"It's a Time-Turner, darlin," Nova corrected, leaning against the wall with her leg propped up. 

Harry gazed at her intently for a moment before turning back to Hermione. 

"I got it from Professor McGonagall on our first day back. I've been using it all year to get to all my lessons. Professor McGonagall made me swear I wouldn't tell anyone. She had to write all sorts of letters to the Ministry of Magic so I could have one. She had to tell them that I was a model student and that I'd never, ever use it for anything except my studies. . . . I've been turning it back so I could do hours over again, that's how I've been doing several lessons at once, see? But . . . 

"Harry, Nova, I don't understand what Dumbledore wants us to do. Why did he tell us to go back for three hours? How's that going to help Sirius?"

"Maybe, we can just stroll into Hagrid's grab Pettigrew. Kill the scum, and be on our merry way," Nova suggested. 

"That'll mess with the timeline too much," Hermione said sadly. 

"But Barry Allen messed it up many times!" Nova object, but Hermione didn't respond. 

"Well . . ." Harry began. "You said we were going to Hagrid's . . .We went to Hagrid's because of Buckbeak."

"Maybe we have to save Buckbeak," Nova finished Harry's thought. 

"Of course!" Hermione exclaimed in a hushed whisper. "He said 'more than one innocent life'. Buckbeak is innocent! We've been trying to prove it!"

"But who will that help my dad?" Nova questioned. 

"Dumbledore said Sirius is on the thirteenth floor and can be accessed through a window," Harry stated. "We can use Buckbeak to get us there!"

"Then Sirius can use him as a getaway train!" Nova said a smile forming on her face. 

"If we manage that without being seen, it'll be a miracle!" Hermione quivered, looking pale.

"Well, we've got to try, haven't we?" said Harry. He stood up and pressed his ear against the door.