The evening drew near, and the sky dimmed. The sun cast its last rays into the Forbidden Forest, where the undulating clearings appeared unusually cold under the magnificent amber glow of twilight.
Hagrid suddenly stood up, his gaze fixed on the window. His normally ruddy complexion now radiated a sense of contentment under the fading sunlight. "They've arrived..." he murmured. Augustus rose, his eyes scanning beyond the window frame. In the distance, a group of men descended the stone steps of the castle. At the forefront was Dumbledore, his silver beard shimmering in the twilight. Beside him was Cornelius Fudge, with elderly committee members trailing behind.
"Why is Professor Dumbledore here as well?" Hermione asked, surprised as she gazed into the distance.
Hagrid chuckled softly. "The Headmaster has always been concerned about this case. He insisted on attending the final review. You should leave through the back door now. If the Headmaster finds you outside at this hour, it might not go over well."
"That's right. Technically, students shouldn't be out at this time," Augustus agreed, nodding slightly. "We'll take our leave for now."
Hagrid escorted them to the door leading to the backyard. In the pumpkin patch behind Hagrid's hut, Buckbeak was tied to a tree. The hippogriff seemed irritated by the constant examinations and pawed restlessly at the ground.
Hagrid waved them off and returned to his hut, where knocking could already be heard at the door. Augustus and the others began quietly circling around the hut. When they reached the far side, the sound of the front door closing echoed behind them.
"Let's go. If nothing unexpected happens, Buckbeak should be fine. It's best we hurry back to the castle now. If Filch catches us outside, we might end up with detention," Augustus urged, glancing back at the hut.
The group moved up the sloping lawn toward the castle. The sun sank quickly, leaving the sky clear and dusky, tinged with violet and streaked with a faint red glow in the west.
Suddenly, Ron froze in place. "Oh, come on, Ron," Hermione started to say. "Is it Scabbers? He won't... stay still?"
Ron bent down, trying to keep Scabbers in his pocket, but the rat had become frenzied, screeching, twisting, and kicking as though desperate to escape Ron's grasp. "Scabbers, it's me, you fool. It's Ron!" he muttered.
Augustus's sharp gaze fixed on the rat struggling in Ron's hands. An Animagus... A wizard would not succumb to animal instincts. Why this sudden outburst? It seemed that the castle was no longer safe for the rat—likely why it had stayed hidden in Hagrid's hut for so long.
As they trudged onward, the fading light left them shrouded in darkness by the time they reached the open grounds.
"Scabbers, stop struggling," Ron murmured, clutching the rat against his chest. But the creature thrashed harder, its terror evident. Then Harry noticed something—Crookshanks was stealthily approaching them, low to the ground, its yellow eyes glowing eerily in the dark. Whether it saw them or had followed Scabbers' frantic squeals, Harry couldn't tell.
"Crookshanks!" Hermione cried. "No! Go away! Shoo!" But the cat crept closer.
"Scabbers, no!" But it was too late—the rat slipped through Ron's fingers, fell to the ground, and bolted. Crookshanks sprang after it in one leap. Harry and Hermione were too slow to stop the chase.
Augustus frowned slightly and drew his wand. A massive hand of light materialized mid-air, grabbing the fleeing rat before it could vanish into the shadows. Scabbers struggled desperately, suspended in the air, while Crookshanks leaped repeatedly, trying to reach the rat.
Ron exhaled in relief and stepped forward. "Thank you, Mr. Augustus. If you hadn't acted, we might never have found him in this darkness."
Augustus waved dismissively and handed the rat back to Ron. "No problem. But you'd better keep a closer eye on him—it seems he has no desire to return to the castle."
Ron nodded, placing Scabbers back into his pocket.
Hermione, panting, said, "We need to hurry back. Dumbledore... the Minister... they'll be coming out any moment..."
But they had no time to hide—or even catch their breath—before hearing soft, deliberate footsteps. Something was approaching from the darkness. A massive, black-furred dog with pale eyes stepped into view.
Harry reached for his wand, but the dog lunged too quickly. Its paws slammed into his chest, knocking him backward. The force sent Harry sprawling, his ribs aching. The dog whirled, growling as it prepared to strike again.
Ron stood, trying to shield Harry, but the beast leaped again, sinking its teeth into Ron's outstretched arm. Harry lunged forward, grabbing a handful of fur, but the dog easily dragged Ron as if he weighed nothing at all.
Augustus stood unmoving, his expression unreadable. His long figure cast fragmented shadows under the dim moonlight. He watched silently as the black dog dragged Ron into the darkness, his slender fingers lightly tapping his robe.
Harry, his face stricken with panic, turned to speak but froze. Augustus's wand was pointed directly at him. A dangerous light flickered at its tip.
Harry stared in disbelief, his mind blank, his lips trembling as he paled. A flash of brilliant red light followed, reflected in Harry's emerald eyes, now tinged with fear.
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