Bab 55: Time Turner
After the practice game with Ireland team's reserve players are over and they returned to London, Kylan somehow found out their address and personally visited their home along with Steve.
After apologizing again, he said, "Neal's ability is no doubt the main player quality but we also can't change the rules and let him participate in games. Instead, we can put him on the reserve players list for now and let him practice with the team until he's 14. How about it?".
As Neal and the rest agreed to it, he and Steve returned to the association. Later, they called the Daily Prophet for an interview to publish the news of recruiting the youngest chaser in their history.
Seeing the news made Ron certainly unhappy and as for Harry, he didn't care about it as he was already unhappy on Hermoine who told Prof. McGonagall about him getting a Firebolt. She confiscated the broomstick to check if there are any jinxes.
After the vacation is over, Hagrid requested Neal just like Hermoine asked him to do. After hearing everything, Neal thought for a while and said, "no, it won't work, Hagrid because Draco's father hates Dumbledore more than he loves his son.
Since Dumbledore protected you from going to Azkaban, even though it's only for a week or two at most, he'll at least make sure to kill Buckbeak to satisfy his ego. But I can't let an innocent magical creature die too.
Hmm, say, how about this. I shall take Buckbeak with me. Inform them that it ran away. Since the hearing about it hasn't been concluded, they'll think that you helped it escape and will try to punish by firing you. But I think, I can write a letter to Mr. Lucius and request him to reduce your punishment a little bit".
Hagrid grabbed his hands, "thank you, Neal. As long as I don't end up in Azkaban, I will accept any kind of punishment". Neal replied, "relax, they won't fire a teacher in the middle of a term and also I'm not doing it for free.
I want twice the amount of monthly supplies as a fee and every month you should also add food supplies for Buckbeak with the usual I buy. You should know how I should also feed Buckbeak from now onwards".
Hagrid nodded, "sure, as long as Buckbeak stays alive". The next day, both of them walked towards the place where Buckbeak is being guarded by two guards who seemed very muscular like trolls. Although comparing to Hagrid, they are still cute to look at. While Hagrid distracted them by telling things like Buckbeak's food habits, Neal slowly flew and landed behind it with his flying shoes. He stroked its beak, "I'm here to free you, buddy".
After untying it, he opened the suitcase and sucked it inside and slowly flew up in the air. After he disappeared from there, Hagrid said that he wanted to see the Hippogriff once but as they went back with him, the guards found it is missing.
Soon, as the matter reached the Ministry in a couple of hours, Hagrid thanked Neal for rescuing Buckbeak. Neal then said, "I'll write a letter to Lucius Malfoy about it today. Don't worry, if worst happens, I can just bring back Buckbeak at any time".
As he returned to his hut, Hagrid saw the trio began waiting for him. When they saw him in high spirits, they asked, "what happened, Hagrid?". He replied, "I followed your advice, Hermoine. I asked Neal about it. He accepted my request.
He just sent Buckbeak to a safe place and promised me that he would write a letter to Malfoy. As they felt suspicious about it, Ron asked, "where did Neal send it?". Hagrid replied, "I'm not sure exactly but I'm certain that it is a safe place".
Then, Harry questioned him, "but how do you know whether Buckbeak will be safe there?".
Hagrid then slipped his tongue, "of course he will be. There ain't a no better place to hide it than Neal's magical suitcase. Oops. I shouldn't have said that". "A what?". When the trio asked him, Hagrid shook his head, "nothing. Don't ask about it. You should return now. I have work to do".
As the trio returning, Ron asked, "did he say something about some magical suitcase?". Hermoine nodded, "yes. He implied that Buckbeak is hiding inside Neal's magical suitcase". Harry then stopped, "wait a second".
As both of them turned back, Harry looked at them and said, "did you remember that during one of Prof. McGonagall's lessons, she said something about Chamber of Secrets?". Hermoine replied, "yes, she said that they have gone to the chamber with Neal's help and found no monster in it and the legend is false. You mean..."
Ron nodded, "exactly. Neal must have opened the chamber and took the monster with him and hid it in his suitcase". Hermoine looked at him, "don't you realize how foolish you are looking right now".
Harry then said, "but, you heard what Hagrid just said, Hermoine. He clearly said that Neal hid Buckbeak in his magical suitcase. Maybe his suitcase is an enchanted one like Ron family's car or like our trunk where it can hold living beings".
Hermoine thought about it and replied, "now that I think about it, I read somewhere in the library last year about Newton Scamander, a famous Magizoologist, the author of Fantastic Beasts and where to find them.
It is said that he also used to possess a suitcase with some variation of undetectable extension charm applied to store various magical creatures. I think Neal also possessed a similar thing?". Ron then said, "isn't extension charm heavily controlled by the Ministry? Even if he's the heir of Slytherin, I don't think they would allow him to use it".
As Ron grinned, "it will be very fun to bring the so-called perfect student Neal, down". Hermione replied, "first, we don't have any conclusive evidence to support the claim and even if we expose it, then what happens to Buckbeak? Anyone thought about it?".
Harry nodded, "yeah, I forgot about Buckbeak for a second. Let's just mind our business, Ron". Ron replied, "c'mon guys. Hermoine, don't you ever feel vexed with how every teacher except Prof. McGonagall always praises Neal's name in front of you, every time?
And you Harry, don't you feel angry on Neal who is always making your effort of catching the golden snitch go waste always? Think about last winter cup finals. Didn't Gryffindor got humiliated by Slytherin? Not to mention, think about Malfoy who keeps bothering us right from the start".
As Harry got reminded of bitter experiences in the only thing which brings joy to him, "Quidditch", he said, "yes, I agree with Ron. Even if we can't expose him for Buckbeak, we can at least let him keep Malfoy in check by holding his secret".
Hermoine replied, "you forgot the most important part. We still lack evidence to confirm it". Ron then said, "we can use your time-turner". Hermoine screamed, "no, absolutely not. It is given to me only to attend the extra lectures, not for personal use".
Harry tried to convince her, "c'mon Hermoine, it isn't like we are breaking the rules for the first time. Not to mention, I'm also excited to time travel". As both of them convinced her finally, she replied, "ok, fine. But only this time".
As they followed her to a place in the forbidden forest, she pulled out the chain and threw it around their necks too, making it a bit cramped with all of their faces sticking to each other. She then spoke, "well, we don't know the exact time. So, let's go for the safest maximum time, five hours".
As she turned the hourglass on it five times, Ron and Harry got the feeling that they were flying very fast, backward. After it stopped, they took out the chain from their necks, freeing themselves while looking around.
As Ron asked excitedly, "are we in the past now?". Hermoine nodded, "yes, check the sun, it is still noon. We're five hours in the past. Now, let's go and confirm it. Now, we have to go to the place where Buckbeak is being held captive and wait until Neal arrives. I hope, the incident hasn't been passed already".
Meanwhile, Back to the present, at the exact moment they disappeared from one of the edges of the forbidden forest, they appeared somewhere in the middle of the forest all of a sudden being unconscious.
One hour later, as they were woken up by Hagrid, "Harry, Ron, Hermoine, are you alright?", Ron and Harry screamed in their heads in confusion, "why are we here? Didn't we just use time turner somewhere?" and Hermoine screamed out loud, "My time turner, where is it?". Hagrid looked at them and asked, "Time-Turner?".
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