"We'll have to hide in here," said Hermione, who looked very shaken. "We need to wait until they've gone back to the castle. Then we wait until it's safe to fly Buckbeak up to Sirius's window. He won't be there for another couple of hours.... Oh, this is going to be difficult...." 
She looked nervously over her shoulder into the depths of the forest. The sun was setting now. 
"We're going to have to move," said Harry, thinking hard. "We've got to be able to see the Whomping Willow, or we won't know what's going on." 

“Okay," I said, getting a firmer grip on Buckbeak's rope. "But we've got to keep out of sight”

We moved around the edge of the forest, darkness falling thickly around us, until we were hidden behind a clump of trees through which we could make out the Willow. The other Willow. Not me. I mean the tree. No not me Willow Tree. The other one. Not the me from the past. The actual tree. Wait, what tree? I can see what? What’s going on?

I CAN SEE THE WHOMPING WILLOW!

Okay. I’m satisfied.
"There's Ron!" said Harry suddenly. 
A dark figure was sprinting across the lawn and its shout echoed through the still night air. 
"Get away from him -- get away -- Scabbers, come here --" 
And then we saw three more figures materialize out of nowhere. I watched Harry and Hermione chasing after Ron. Then I saw Ron dive. 
"Gotcha! Get off, you stinking cat --" 
"There's Sirius!" said Harry. The great shape of the dog had bounded out from the roots of the Willow. (Not me) I saw him bowl Harry over, then seize on.... 
"Looks even worse from here, doesn't it?" said Harry, watching the dog pulling Ron into the roots. "Ouch -- look, I just got walloped by the tree -- and so did you -- this is weird" 
The Whomping Willow was creaking and lashing out with its lower branches; we could see ourselves darting here and there, trying to reach the trunk. Actually, I couldn’t see me. I could only see Harry and Hermione, but I mustn’t have been looking properly.

The tree froze. 
"That was Crookshanks pressing the knot," said Hermione. 
"And there we go..." Harry muttered. "We're in." 
The moment they/we disappeared, the tree began to move again. Seconds later, I heard footsteps quite close by. Dumbledore, Macnair, Fudge, and the old Committee member were making their way up to the castle. 
"Right after we'd gone down into the passage!" said Hermione. "If only Dumbledore had come with us..." 
"Macnair and Fudge would've come too," said Harry bitterly. "I bet you anything Fudge would've told Macnair to murder Sirius on the spot...." 
We watched the four men climb the castle steps and disappear from view. For a few minutes the scene was deserted. Then -- 
"Here comes Lupin!" said Harry as we saw another figure sprinting down the stone steps and halting toward the Willow. Not me. The tree, not me Willow t- I need to stop doing this. I think it is some form of insanity.

I looked up at the sky. Clouds were obscuring the moon completely. 
We watched Lupin seize a broken branch from the ground and prod the knot on the trunk. The tree stopped fighting, and Lupin, too, disappeared into the gap in its roots. 
"If he'd only grabbed the cloak," said Harry. "It's just lying there...." 
He turned to Hermione and I.
"If I just dashed out now and grabbed it, Snape'd never be able to get it and --" 
"Harry, we mustn't be seen!" 
"How can you stand this?" he asked Hermione fiercely. "Just standing here and watching it happen?" He hesitated. "I'm going to grab the cloak!" 
"Harry, no!" 
I seized the back of Harry’s robes not a moment too soon. Just then, we heard a burst of song. It was Hagrid, making his way up to the castle, singing at the top of his voice, and weaving slightly as he walked. A large bottle was swinging from his hands. 
“Are you deliberately obtuse?” I snapped. “We’re here to save Sirius! If you stuff things up, he could die. They would kill Lupin too. Alright! Get it? Do you freaking understand?”

Wow. I didn’t realise I was that touchy.

“I get it.” Harry said glumly.

Must be all that pent up emotion.

Ha, I make it sound like I know what is going on in my head.

Barely two minutes later, the castle doors flew open – yet again – and Snape came charging out of them, running toward the Willow. The tree – I’ve been over this haven’t I?
Snape seized the branch Lupin had used to freeze the tree, prodded the knot, and vanished from view as he put on the cloak.
"So that's it," said Hermione quietly. "We're all down there... and now we've just got to wait until we come back up again...." 
“So now we wait.” I said dramatically.

“Now we wait.” Harry said.

She took the end of Buckbeak's rope and tied it securely around the nearest tree, then sat down on the dry ground, arms around her knees. 
"Guys, there's something I don't understand.... Why didn't the Dementors get Sirius? I remember them coming, and then I think I passed out... there were so many of them...." 
We sat down too.

I explained my failed patronus, and how they were going to suck out my soul. Then Harry said he saw a patronus from across the lake.

Hermione's mouth was slightly open by the time Harry had finished. 
"But what was it?" 
"There's only one thing it could have been, to make the Dementors go," said Harry. "A real Patronus. A powerful one." 
"But who conjured it?" 
Harry didn't say anything.

"Didn't you see what they looked like?" said Hermione eagerly. "Was it one of the teachers?" 
"No," said Harry. "He wasn't a teacher." 
"But it must have been a really powerful wizard, to drive all those Dementors away... If the Patronus was shining so brightly, didn't it light him up? Couldn't you see --?" 
"Yeah, I saw him," said Harry slowly. "But... maybe I imagined it... I wasn't thinking straight... I passed out right afterward...." 
"Who did you think it was?" I prodded. 
"I think --" Harry swallowed. "I think it was my dad." 

Hermione’s mouth was fully open now. She was gazing at harry with a mixture of alarm and pity. 
"Harry, your dad's -- well -- dead," she said quietly. 
"I know that," said Harry quickly. 
"You think you saw his ghost?" 
"I don't know... no... he looked solid...." 
"But then --" 
"Maybe I was seeing things," said Harry. "But... from what I could see... it looked like him.... I've got photos of him...." 
There was a long silence.

“Harry,” I said after some time. “What memories did you see?”

Harry looked at me thoughtfully.

“I was holding you. I was tiny, you were tinier. My...Our parents were talking about stuff. Lupin and Sirius were there too...” He paused a moment. “What did you see?”

“Lots of stuff. How the Malfoy’s found me. Sirius did a spell to protect me. But I couldn’t remember anything. Oh, and Lupin is my Godfather...” I said sounding tired. I was tired I guess. Tired of thinking; of life.

That’s a bit deep and meaningful isn’t it?

There was another silence.

“Willow.” Harry said abruptly.

“Yeah?”

“Do you – No don’t worry it’s stupid.” He stopped and looked away blushing.

“What is it?” Harry turned back and sighed.

“I was...It’s been bugging me...Do...umm...” he seemed to be trying to find the right words. “Would you rather not be related to me?” he said. “No. I said that wrong...”

“Of course I wanted to be your little sister – I mean, it’s not like I’ve been hoping I would suddenly become your sister... But I couldn’t have asked for a better brother. And I know what you’re trying to say. It’s uncertainty. Like I wouldn’t want you, but I do. I love you Harry.” I said sounding really weird and emotional. It really doesn’t suit me. Harry smiled and kind of dive hugged me.

I noticed Hermione smiling at us, a cute smile.

We sat in silence staring at the Willow - not me. I’m not doing this again! 
And then, at last, after over an hour... 
"Here we come!" Hermione whispered. 
We got to our feet. Buckbeak raised his head. We saw Lupin, Ron, and Pettigrew clambering awkwardly out of the hole in the roots. Then came Hermione... then the unconscious Snape, drifting weirdly upward. Next came Harry followed by Sirius.

“Is it just me, or is there like – no past Willow?” I asked the air.

The group began to walk toward the castle. 
"Harry," Hermione muttered. "we've got to stay put. We mustn't be seen. There's nothing we can do...." 
"So we're just going to let Pettigrew escape all over again..." said Harry quietly. 
"How do you expect to find a rat in the dark?" snapped Hermione. "There's nothing we can do! We came back to help Sirius; we're not supposed to be doing anything else!" 
"All right!" 
The moon slid out from behind its cloud. We saw the tiny figures across the grounds stop. Then we saw movement -- 
"There goes Lupin," Hermione whispered. "He's transforming." 
"Hermione!" said Harry suddenly. "We've got to move!" 
"We mustn't, we keep telling you --" I started but I cut myself off and said what Harry was about to. "Not to interfere! Lupin's going to run into the forest, right at us!" 

Bipolar much.
Hermione gasped. 
"Quick!" she moaned, dashing to untie Buckbeak. "Quick! Where are we going to go? Where are we going to hide? The Dementors will be coming any moment --" 
"Back to Hagrid's!" Harry said. "It's empty now -- come on!" 
We ran as fast as we could, Buckbeak cantering along behind us. I could hear the werewolf howling behind us... 
The cabin was in sight; Harry skidded to the door, wrenched it open, and the rest of us flashed past him; Harry threw himself in after bolted the door. Fang the boarhound barked loudly. 
"Shh, Fang, it's us!" said Hermione, hurrying over and scratching his ears to quieten him.

“That was really close!" she said to Harry. 

"Yeah..." 
I was practically passing out.

“I-don’t-run-because-I’m-really-unfit.” I wheezed.

Wheeze.

What a cool word.

Store that in your memory bank.

“You’d be the worst companion.” Hermione was muttering. “All the Doctor does is run.”

"I think I'd better go outside again, you know," said Harry slowly. "I can't see what's going on -- we won't know when it's time --" 
Hermione looked up. Her expression was suspicious. 
"I'm not going to try and interfere," said Harry quickly. Hippogriff turd! That’s a lie if I ever heard one. "But if we don't see what's going on, how're we going to know when it's time to rescue Sirius?" 
"Well... okay, then... I'll wait here with Buckbeak... but Harry, be careful -- there's a werewolf out there -- and the Dementors."
Time passed and Harry had been gone for a while. Hermione and I looked anxiously out of the window. The Dementors were descending on the scene we were watching ourselves dying. Well, I still couldn’t see me – but I saw my patronus.

Then something from Harry’s head pushed into mine. He hadn't seen his father he had seen himself -
Harry flung himself out from behind a bush and pulled out his wand. 
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" he yelled. 
And out of the end of his wand burst, not a shapeless cloud of mist, but a blinding, dazzling, silver animal. It looked like a horse. It was galloping silently away from him, across the black surface of the lake. I saw it lower its head and charge at the swarming Dementors.... Now it was galloping around and around the black shapes on the ground, and the Dementors were falling back, scattering, retreating into the darkness.... They were gone. 
The Patronus turned. It was cantering back toward Harry across the still surface of the water. It wasn't a horse. It wasn't a unicorn, either. It was a stag. It was shining brightly as the moon above ... it was coming back to him.... 
It stopped on the bank. Its hooves made no mark on the soft ground as it stared at Harry with its large, silver eyes. Slowly, it bowed its antlered head.

Another one of Harry’s thoughts. 

It was Prongs.

Wow.

Hi Dad.
The creature vanished and Hermione dragged Buckbeak and I out of the hut and toward Harry.

"What did you do?" she said fiercely. "You said you were only going to keep a lookout!" 
"I just saved all our lives..." said Harry. "Get behind here behind this bush -- I'll explain." 
Hermione listened to what had just happened with her mouth open yet again. 

“I told her, but she never listens to me.” I whined. “Oh my god. I’m the whiny younger sister. Someone kill me.” I said bashing my head against a tree.
"Willow stop that -- Look at Snape!" Hermione said quietly.
Together we peered around the bush at the other bank. Snape had regained consciousness. He was conjuring stretchers and lifting the limp forms of Harry, Hermione, Black and the air that I was assuming was me onto them. (Okay, I know that sounds weird, but it was an empty stretcher.) A fifth stretcher, no doubt bearing Ron, was already floating at his side. Then, wand held out in front of him, he moved us away toward the castle. 
"Right, it's nearly time," said Hermione tensely, looking at her watch. "We've got about forty-five minutes until Dumbledore locks the door to the hospital wing. We've got to rescue Sirius and get back into the ward before anybody realizes we're missing...." 
We waited, watching the moving clouds reflected in the lake, while the bush next to us whispered in the breeze. Buckbeak, bored, was ferreting for worms.
"Do you reckon he's up there yet?" said Harry, checking his watch. I looked up at the castle and began counting the windows to the right of the West Tower. 
"Look!" Hermione whispered. "Who's that? Someone's coming back out of the castle!" 
I stared through the darkness. The man was hurrying across the grounds, toward one of the entrances. Something shiny glinted in his belt. 
"Macnair!" said Harry. "The executioner! He's gone to get the Dementors! This is it--" 
Hermione put her hands on Buckbeak's back and Harry gave her a leg up, before he helped me on. Then he placed his foot on one of the lower branches of the bush and climbed up in front of us. He pulled Buckbeak's rope back over his neck and tied it to the other side of his collar like reins. 
"Ready?" he whispered to us. "You'd better hold on to me --" 
I wrapped my arms around Harry’s waist and Hermione grabbed me
Buckbeak soared straight into the dark air. I felt the great wings rising powerfully beneath us. Hermione was holding me very tight around the waist; I could hear her muttering, "Oh, no -- I don't like this oh, I really don't like this --" 
Harry urged Buckbeak forward. We were gliding quietly toward the upper floors of the castle.... "Whoa!" Harry said, pulling backward as hard as he could. 
Buckbeak slowed down and we found ourselves at a stop, unless you counted the fact that we kept rising up and down several feet as the Hippogriff beat his wings to remain airborne. 
"He's there!" Harry said, spotting Sirius as we rose up beside the window. He reached out, and as Buckbeak's wings fell, was able to tap sharply on the glass. 
Sirius looked up. I saw his jaw drop. He leapt from his chair, hurried to the window and tried to open it, but it was locked. 
"Stand back!" Hermione called to him, and she took out her wand, still gripping the back of my robes with her left hand. 
"Alohomora!" 
The window sprang open. 
"How -- how --?" said Sirius weakly, staring at the Hippogriff. 
"Get on -- there's not much time," said Harry. "You've got to get out of here -the Dementors are coming -- Macnair's gone to get them." 
Sirius placed a hand on either side of the window frame and heaved his head and shoulders out of it. It was very lucky he was so thin. In seconds, he had managed to fling one leg over Buckbeak's back and pull himself onto the Hippogriff behind Hermione. 
"Okay, Buckbeak, up!" said Harry, shaking the rope. "Up to the tower -- come on." 
The Hippogriff gave one sweep of its mighty wings and we were soaring upward again, high as the top of the West Tower. Buckbeak landed with a clatter on the battlements, and Harry, Hermione and I slid off him at once. 
"Sirius, you'd better go, quick," Harry panted. "They'll reach Flitwick's office any moment, they'll find out you're gone." 
Buckbeak pawed the ground, tossing his sharp head. 
"What happened to the other boy? Ron?" croaked Sirius. 
"He's going to be okay. He's still out of it, but Madam Pomfrey says she'll be able to make him better. Quick -- go --" 
But Sirius was still staring down at Harry. 
"How can I ever thank --?"

"GO!" Hermione and I shouted together. 
Sirius wheeled Buckbeak around, facing the open sky. 
"We'll see each other again," he said. "You are -- truly your father's son, Harry... And you’re your mother’s daughter." 
He squeezed Buckbeak's sides with his heels. The Hippogriff took off into the air... He and his rider became smaller and smaller as I gazed after them... then a cloud drifted across the moon.... They were gone.