Chapter 27

June rolled in and the high of the Quidditch Cup had settled to a simmer. People would still congratulate Atlas in the halls as she passed, complimenting her for certain tricks she had pulled off, saying the jump-shot she’d made had them all on the edges of their seats and the Flinbourgh Flick had been spectacular. A few had even asked her about her comment to Lee Jordan, ‘what is your type?’ she’d always respond with a simple smile and then leave, never really letting anything on.

The only person that hadn’t mentioned anything to do with the Quidditch match had been Hermione, only ever offering her congratulations if that. Atlas didn’t know what was worse, being scolded by the girl for pulling out one of the dangerous stunts from the book Oliver had given her, or,  the fact that she hadn’t been acknowledging the match at all. She couldn’t dwell on it though, there were more important things to worry about – practical wise.

Exam season was upon the school and so, instead of enjoying the heat June had brung, everyone was stuck inside studying for their assessments. Even Fred and George had been taking the whole situation a little more seriously. They were taking their O.W.L.s and Atlas certainly didn’t envy them. Percy had it even worse as he was taking his N.E.W.T.s, the highest and hardest qualifications Hogwarts could give. The pressure was certainly getting to his head and it was starting to show. He had given Atlas many punishments for things ranging from breathing too loud to running after Crookshanks who’d tried to escape the common rooms way too many times. Atlas didn’t appreciate the number of errands she’d had to run as a result.

What’s worse is Hermione had completely shut herself off from everything, drowning herself in her studies even more so than she had before. Atlas didn’t even bother trying to talk her out of it anymore, which had at least saved her from having books lobbed at her stomach. It was alright though because Atlas herself had knuckled down on her own studying, locking herself up in her dorm room most nights with Kalo perched on her shoulder and pruning against her.

Every exam she’d done so far she was sure she’d passed. Transfiguration wasn’t particularly easy, Minerva telling the class to turn a tea-pot into a tortoise but she’d done it with only slight difficulty. Professor Flitwick had tested them on their Cheering Charms and Freezing spells. Hagrid had tasked them to keep their Flobberworms alive for an hour which was easy and Atlas actually became pretty attached to her assignment. Potions called for a student to brew a Confusing Concoction and she was sure she’d done that perfectly by the look of utter disdain on Snape’s face. 

Astronomy had been easier than she’d thought it’d be, she only had to align certain stars on a chart. History of Magic had been on the medieval witch-hunts and Atlas was pretty sure she’d nailed that considering Postmaster Gasper had archives upon archives of books on it and she used to read them all the time. Herbology had gone surprisingly well, Professor Sprout had personally approached her to give her a pat on the back for how well she’d apparently done. The woman knew Atlas wasn’t too well-endowed in the knowledge of the subject.

And now Defense Against the Dark Arts on a Thursday morning. Professor Lupin had arranged an obstacle course out in the sun, where Atlas had gotten past the pool containing a Grindylow, a field of potholes containing Red Caps and a marsh home to a trickster Hinkypunk and was now faced with the one thing she had been dreading facing that entire exam. A Boggart. Professor Lupin eyed her warily.

“It’s quite alright if you don’t go in, Atlas,” he spoke and she tensed, “It’s only one mark.”

“Right…” Atlas nodded, mind flashing back to the Quidditch match. She traced her fingertips over her rehealed wound, feeling the grooves of the scars she’d had carved into her face as a baby. Thinking back to the feeling she had felt in the sky that supposedly joyous day, Atlas took a subconscious step away from the trunk and looked down to the side of her, not wanting to feel that nightmarish cold washing over her again, or the itch that plague her face.

“Don’t be disappointed, Atlas, you finished the other tasks quicker than anyone in the class,” Professor Lupin tried, clapping his hand over her shoulder. Atlas smiled slightly and nodded in thanks at the attempt. “Will you be waiting for the others to finish?”

“No…I think I’ll wait in the halls,” she cast a withering look to the trunk and Lupin immediately understood. “Thank you, Uncle Remus.”

“Not at all, little-star, go on, you did amazingly, your mother would be proud.”

Would she? Atlas smiled instead of replying and walked out of the class, sighing. Then, when she was far enough away and tucked quietly down an abandoned hall, she slid down the wall and hugged her knees to her chest, burying her face in her arms.

Divination was next after Lunch but she remained sat, even when she noticed other’s bustling their ways toward the Great Hall and further exiting after Merlin knew how long. Atlas stared at the tip of her wand as she swirled it around, little swirls of gold coming out of its tip. She was thinking back to the Quidditch match and the monster in the stands, then the man beside it. Short and stubby, he looked familiar, like she’d seen him before, perhaps in a passing news article or one of her mother’s many photos, she didn’t know.

“Atlas, what are you doing! You should be taking your Divinations exam!” That voice. Atlas’s wand movements stopped and she turned her head to gaze up at the girl, “Atlas, I’m serious, you can’t truant an exam! No matter how silly the subject is.”

“Can I get a hug?”

“Wha — I have an exam as well, Atlas, I can’t stay for too–” Hermione stopped a moment and then sighed, “Alright, quickly. Then get to your exam, I don’t necessarily like Divination–” Atlas had pulled her into a firm hug, holding her like she’d slip between her fingers at any moment, “…was it the Boggart?”

“Mhmm…” Atlas hummed and Hermione relaxed, her arms snaking around Atlas’s back. “I…I didn’t face it…it was just…too much, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to face it…”

“I’m sorry, Atty…”

“…it’s fine,” Atlas pulled away and flattened out a few strands of Hermione’s hair, “you look frazzled.”

“Oh!” Hermione went red and ducked her head, “well, I didn’t get past the Boggart…” Atlas furrowed her brows worriedly and Hermione quickly waved her hands around, “It wasn’t bad…well, at the time it was…my Boggart was Professor McGonagall telling me I failed everything…”

Silence and then, after a second, a snort followed by a hearty round of laughter, Atlas was grinning like a madwoman, leaning against Hermione as her support. Hermione should have been mad, should have stormed off by now but she didn’t and instead smiled through her embarrassed blushes, waiting for Atlas to calm herself.

“Oh go ahead and laugh at my worst fear.”

“No! No, I’m sorry!” Atlas grinned, her laughs dying down to soft chuckles, “It’s just so…it’s really you,” she smiled softly, placing a hand on the girls head, “Merlin you’re amazing…” That was a slip-up. Atlas flushed as Hermione went wide-eyed, “Uh, don’t you have a class to get to?”

“R-right…” Hermione breathed and then really snapped out of it, looking down to her watch, her face going pale, “Right! I’m almost late! I’ll see you later, Atty!”

“Yeah.” Hermione rushed past her and Atlas raised her hand, waving after her figure, “Bye Mione…”

With that, she turned, dazedly like, heading off to her Divination exam. It took a bit considering the class was on the top-most floor of the school but unlike Ron, the stairs weren’t too hard on her and she made it in time to see Harry the only one left outside. She grinned over at him and nudged his shoulder, startling the boy from whatever daydreaming he had been in.

“Hey, Harry.”

“Atlas! I didn’t see you at lunch,” he smiled, bringing her into a hug, Atlas returned it quickly and patted his back all chummy-like. “Where were you?”

“Well, the halls of Hogwarts are pretty nice to hang about in,” Atlas grinned, “Anyway, have you been in yet?”

“Ah, no, Ron is–” 

Before he could finish, Ron came climbing down the ladder, skipping the last few steps to land beside them, looking fairly disgruntled, “How’d it go?” Harry asked.

“Rubbish,” Ron muttered. “Couldn’t see a thing, so I made some stuff up. Don’t think she was convinced, though…oh, hey Atlas!”

“Hi Ronald,” Atlas smiled.

“We’ll meet you in the common room,” Harry said just as Professor Trelawney called out his name. Atlas waved him off as he climbed the ladder, turning to Ron who seemed to linger for a second. 

“What’s on your mind, Ron?” She asked and he turned to look at her, she was only slightly shorter, maybe by a couple of inches to his 6’0 (and still growing), so it wasn’t too drastic. He was one of the rare few Atlas knew to be taller than her.

“We bumped into the Minister before lunch…” He began and Atlas’s expression dropped, “Yeah…” he nodded, noticing the change, “He seems certain Hagrid will lose the appeal, was here with the executioner.”

“That utter wanker,” Atlas gritted, taking a breath through her nose and exhaling slowly through her mouth, “swear, one of these days I’ll take his stupid bowler hat and fling it into the middle of the bloody Black Lake. M’sure the Giant Squid is looking for a new cap these days.”

“I’d pay to see that,” Ron grinned and Atlas smirked with him, ruffling his hair good-naturedly so it became messier than it had been. Honestly, what was it with Harry, Ron and Hermione and their beyond messy hair? “I’ll get going then.”

“Yeah, say hi to Hermione for me if she’s back from her exam before I am,” Atlas waved and he waved back, nodding silently as he descended the stairs. She turned back to stare up at the trapdoor, mind wandering to the appeal and wondering how it was going. Though there was a little thought at the back of her mind already telling her just how ‘well’ it had gone, which she promptly pushed away, wanting to think of the good outcome that could – miraculously – be.

It didn’t take long for Harry to be done and soon, he was climbing down the ladder, though Atlas noticed he was quite pale, shaking slightly and his eyes were blown wide. She immediately stood and eyed him cautiously. He looked as if he’d seen a ghost. “Harry…?”

He spun around to face her and the look on his face was nothing short of terrified, “Atlas, Professor Trelawny she — she just told me–!”

“Atlas Black!” Professor Trelawney’s voice came and Atlas startled, looking up and at the trapdoor and then to Harry. She showed no signs of climbing up to meet her professor.

“Y-you should go, I-I’ll tell you later,” Harry smiled and before Atlas could say anything, he left, leaving her at the top of the stairs, back to the ladder and trapdoor.

“Atlas Black!” The woman called again and Atlas turned, rolling her eyes as she climbed into the stuffy incense clouded room, she saw the woman, sat a table with a crystal ball. “There you are, my dear. Come, come. The examination must begin.”

Tentatively, she walked over and sat cross-legged at the desk, leaning forward and peering into the crystal ball, not needing any guide or instruction on what she needed to do for her exam. Like all the other times she had stared into the foggy ball, Atlas saw nothing, just the swirling shapes of clouds mingling within like a pocket storm.

“Yes, take your time…take your time, a very delicate art, yes…tell me what you see within it,” Professor Trelawney urged and Atlas furrowed her brows. What would Trelawney want to hear? She seemed particularly fond of grim news or well The Grim in general, but she couldn’t bring the churchyard dog up, that was Harry’s thing. Then, she thought back to her DADA exam, specifically, her Boggart.

“I see…a dark shape…claws and…white eyes…”

“Mhmm and what is it dear?” Trelawney whispered, urging her on, “Think, now…”

“The monster, in my dreams…the one that haunts me,” Atlas muttered and Trelawney became engrossed, clearly enamoured by Atlas’s vision, or rather – not that she knew – Atlas’s storytelling capabilities. It wasn’t like it was really a lie. The only remotely dishonest thing is the fact that Atlas may have been seeing it in her nights but not in the useless crystal ball before her. 

“Indeed!” The woman nodded, scribbling down on her piece of parchment. Atlas took that as a good sign and forced her mind to stop thinking about the beast, “Is that all you see?”

“Yes.”

“Surely you see more! Perhaps a bloody scene? A violent death? Look closer! Does the monster seem to be approaching something? Someone?”

“N-no…it’s just…standing and watching,” Atlas tried and Trelawney frowned, tapping the feather of her quill to her chin. “Honest professor…there’s nothing else.”

“You’re sure? Quite sure you do not see any bodies writhing on the ground? Do not see any motionless figures?”

“Yes, miss…” Atlas mumbled, ducking her head. Maybe it hadn’t been a good idea to think of the white-eyed demon for her crystal ball reading because now Trelawney was going to hold it over her head forever and she really just wanted to drop the subject before too many repressed memories came flooding back.

“Well, dear, I think we’ll leave it here,” Professor Trelawney sighed and Atlas stood at once, eager to exit the exam, her heart was pounding and her ears, ringing, “A little disappointing, I did expect more from you but I’m sure you are just tired from the exams previous. Though I did foresee this would happen and had asked to have my exam rescheduled but alas, I was denied. I didn’t try again after that, who am I to try to challenge fate?”

“Of course, professor,” Atlas nodded, backing to the trapdoor, “I’ll be going then.”

“Oh yes, ta-ra!” The lady called and Atlas flung open the trapdoor, jumping down the ladder and bolting down the stairs to the common rooms completely smashing into someone completely unseen in the process.

“Ah!” A shocked shriek sounded and Atlas steadied herself and a roaming Hermione Granger, Harry and Ron standing just behind her, draped in a transparent cloak, “Atlas, no running in the halls!”

“S-sorry!” Atlas panted, eyes blown wide and breathing rather erratic, “Sh-she kept on asking — kept on saying if I saw blood — with the — with the white-eyes, an-and I just, I wanted to get out. Quickly. As quick as I could.”

“Woah, Atty, honey, calm down,” Hermione soothed, pulling her into a quick hug. Atlas immediately melted into it and sighed.

“I’m ok…I think exam season is catching up to me…” Atlas mumbled and pulled away, Hermione still looking up at her worriedly and then it became even graver when it looked like something flickered on at the back of her head, “Mione? What is it? And what are you doing?”

“We’re going to see Hagrid, Atlas…we were just looking for you,” Harry said with a small sad smile.

“…why are we going to see Hagrid…?” She asked.

“Oh well…Atlas, well…” a few tears pooled in Hermione’s eyes, “Hagrid…Hagrid lost his appeal.”

“Oh.”

“Atlas?”

“I…I sort of figured…” Atlas smiled, rubbing the back of her neck. Hermione looked at her as if she was the most complicated question, the clogs at the back of her head ticking and turning. Harry and Ron equally as startled, Harry was just eyeing her strangely while Ron was completely dumbfounded, “It’s alright, so are we going to see them? One last time?”

“Atlas, are you — are you sure you’re alright?” Hermione asked slowly and Atlas nodded.

“Yeah, m’fine, are we going then?”

“Atlas, mate–” Ron began but Atlas quickly covered his mouth, glancing over her shoulder to see Filch climbing up the stairs. She quickly pulled Hermione against her and sheltered beneath Harry’s cloak. They waited as the man passed, Atlas stood beside Ron with Hermione in front of her and Harry in front of Weasley.

“Right, we should get going,” Atlas whispered, leaving no room for the other three to get in a word as she soon started walking, forcing them to follow with that authoritative air she sometimes exuded.

Walking very close together so that nobody would see them, they crossed the school beneath the cloak, then walked down the stone front steps into the grounds. The sun was already fading behind the Forbidden Forest, flitting across the top branches of the trees. No words were exchanged between them and the air beneath the cloak was starting to become quite suffocating, the tension thick. 

Hagrid’s cabin was lit well, signifying the man was awake. Why wouldn’t he be? His friend Hippogriff was about to be murdered on a stupid accusation. Buckbeak was no more dangerous than a first-year who accidentally set off a spell at a bully. The first-year wouldn’t get executed so why should Buckbeak? Atlas knew for a fact Buckbeak was much more intelligent than any first-year she knew, so the logic was flawed.

Atlas reached out and knocked, hard, on the door, waiting only a minute before the half-giant of a man answered, face pale and trembling.

“It’s us,” Harry hissed. “We’re wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off.”

“Yeh shouldn’ve come!” Hagrid whispered, but he stood back, and they stepped inside. Hagrid shut the door quickly and Atlas pulled off the cloak, quickly engulfing the man in a hug. He wasn’t crying, nor did he seem to have any evidence of doing so beforehand but he still had an empty hopeless look about him. 

To Atlas, the look was worse than ever seeing the man cry.

“I’m sorry, Haggy…” She whispered and the man stifled something between a sob and a wet laugh. She understood why. She hadn’t called the man ‘Haggy’ since she was in the middle of teething but she felt it was appropriate because she remembered the way the man would break out into a radiant grin whenever she did. It had been her third word. Her first being ‘Ama’, the Nepalese word for ‘Mother’ and her second being ‘Kitty’ something she would call Minerva.

“Yer alrigh’ Atlas,” he smiled and patted her back, Atlas hugged him tighter for a split second and then let go, taking a singular step back to look up at him. Admiring the man who had taught her how to take care of Lyra and her siblings when she’d first found them, the kind man she knew him to be who didn’t have an ounce of bad in him. A man who deserved the world and yet he was getting his friend executed because some silly little boy went on a power trip. “Wan’ some tea?” he asked. His great hands were shaking as he reached for the kettle.

“Where’s Buckbeak, Hagrid?” Hermione said hesitantly, reaching out to take Atlas’s hand.

“I — I took him outside,” Hagrid shook, his hand jittering so badly he split the milk all over the table. “He’s tethered in me pumpkin patch. Thought he oughta see the trees an’ — an’ smell fresh air — before –“

The milk jug slipped from his grasp and shattered all over the floor.

“I’ll do it, Hagrid,” Hermione said quickly, hurrying over and starting to clean up the mess, Atlas watched her a moment before opening a cabinet and grabbing the dustpan and brush she knew the man kept, crouching down beside Hermione to help her, “Thank you, Atty…”

“There’s another one in the cupboard,” Hagrid said, sitting down with a great thump. Atlas stood up again to pull out another milk jug, she would pour for the four of them minus herself. She didn’t like tea.

“Isn’t there anything anyone can do, Hagrid?” Harry asked fiercely behind her, Atlas glanced momentarily over her shoulder, still searching for the milk, “Dumbledore –“

“He’s tried,” Hagrid interrupted. “He’s got no power ter overrule the Committee. He told ’em Buckbeak’s all right, but they’re scared…Yeh know what Lucius Malfoy’s like…threatened ’em, I expect…an’ the executioner, Macnair, he’s an old pal o’ Malfoy’s…”

“And an old Death Eater,” Atlas spat, eyes narrowed dangerously.

“Minister said he’s clear, Atlas,” Hagrid reminded as the girl scoffed and returned to her search, glancing to Hermione who was still slowly sweeping up the broken ceramic. “Dumbledore’s gonna come down while it — while it happens. Wrote to me this mornin’. Said he wants ter — ter be with me. Great man, Dumbledore….”

Hermione let out a small, quickly stifled sob, straightening immediately as she turned to Atlas to help her find the jug. Atlas didn’t really look, she was too busy staring at Hermione and before she knew it, she was reaching out and gently wiping away a tear with her thumb. The touch was tender and Hermione seemed to momentarily freeze before she snapped back to reality and swung her arms around Atlas, sniffling into her shoulder, she was fighting back tears. “It’s alright…”

“It’s not alright! It’s totally, utterly, unjust!” Hermione bellowed and the cabin fell silent, listening to the girl protest to people that weren’t even there, “they can’t kill him! He did nothing wrong! He was startled! No different from a wizard defending themselves from a hostile opponent!”

“Hermione…” Atlas muttered but there were no words she could say to comfort the girl, “Merlin this is…just…” she couldn’t find anything to utter, not a single syllable.

“Yeh should go an’ say goodbye, Atlas…he’s bin wonderin’ about yeh…can’t say tha’ for sure, just had a feelin’…” Hagrid voiced and Atlas looked at him, slowly pulling away from Hermione who furiously rubbed at her eyes. “Go on…he knows you’re ‘ere.”

“Right…” Atlas nodded slowly, cast a glance to Hermione who had gone back to finding a milk jug and then left out the back door, seeing the Hippogriff amongst the patch of pumpkins Hagrid grew yearly. He was nervous, kicking at the ground like a kid would when they knew they were in trouble, difference was, Buckbeak was to get punished harsher than needed. 

Buckbeak sensed her approach and straightened, staring over at her and immediately pulling at his chains when he registered just who she was.

“Hold, Buck…I’ll come to you this time,” Atlas told and then bowed for old times sake, smiling fondly when he did it back only for her mouth to go instantly wobbly as tears began streaming down her face. “Godric I’m pathetic…” she stuttered over a breath, hugging the beasts neck tightly to convey her absolute adoration for the creature. 

A squawk of distress came from the bird as Buckbeak tried desperately to cheer the girl up, but his comforts flitted through the grim air, not reaching Atlas’s isolated and mundane human brain for translation.

“I’ll miss you, you cheeky bird,” Atlas muttered, pulling away and quickly wiping her eyes, she placed a kiss on his beak and stroked down the front of his neck, just how he liked it. “You’ll be getting all the horned rabbit meat you want from now on.”

This added a little light to the Hippogriff’s eyes and Atlas smiled, sadly, meekly, barely. A door opened behind her and she turned, seeing nothing but knowing three individuals had just left the cabin. Soon enough, a hand was reaching out to her, shaking and tentative, as if not wanting to pull her away from Buckbeak. She bid the Hippogriff a silent farewell and ducked underneath the cloak with her three friends. Hermione keeping hold of her hand, comforting herself and Atlas who cast a longing look to the bird.

“Please, let’s hurry,” Hermione whispered. “I can’t stand it, I can’t bear it…”

Atlas kept their hands connected but also brought the girl into a side hug, Hermione leaning into her as they ventured up the sloping lawn toward the castle. The sun was setting now, the sky quickly changing to dark hues of purple and gray, the west sky holding the only tinge of red colour from the sun.

Ron stopped and Atlas bumped into his back.

“Oh, please, Ron,” Hermione sniffled.

“It’s Scabbers — he won’t — stay put –“

Ron was bent over, trying to keep Scabbers in his pocket, but the rat was going berserk; squeaking madly, twisting and flailing, trying to sink his teeth into Ron’s hand. Atlas had never disliked an animal as much as she did right then, she silently wondered how Ron had even gotten it back.

“Scabbers, it’s me, you idiot, it’s Ron,” Ron hissed. A door opened behind them, followed by voices and Atlas’s heart rate picked up. She didn’t want to hear it, didn’t want to see it, she couldn’t handle watching someone she cared for dying again.

“Oh, Ron, please let’s move, they’re going to do it!” Hermione pleaded.

“Okay — Scabbers, stay put –“

They walked forward a few more steps until Ron stopped again and Atlas closed her eyes.

“I can’t hold him — Scabbers, shut up, everyone’ll hear us –“

The rat was squealing wildly, though not nearly loud enough to drown out the sounds coming from Hagrid’s garden and soon, as Atlas had feared, had not wanted to hear, not even wanted to happen. She heard the unmistakable swish and thud of an axe, though it wasn’t the type of thud she would make when she cut wood, it was squelchy, crunchy like cutting through something hollow.

“They did it!” Hermione whispered. “I’d — don’t believe it — they did it!”