Sneakers

Dumbledore led Mika downstairs to the entry hall where they found Mr. Fudge and the axe man waiting. Dumbledore made hasty introductions then hurriedly led them out of the castle and down the path towards the thatched hut where Hagrid lived. Mika supposed that the Headmaster was attempting to distract the Minister of Magic from any intrusive questions that he might think to ask of the ‘guest’ lecturer on time. For the first time she wondered if her being at Hogwart’s was entirely ‘above board’.

As the little group approached the hut, Buckbeak who was chained up in the pumpkin patch awaiting his sentence gave a squawk. Mika looked at him and out of the corner of her eye caught a movement behind a pile of large pumpkins. Another movement in the woods just behind the hut also caught her eye. She peered into the darkness but couldn’t make anything out. Shrugging, she turned her attention back to Fudge who had a document for Hagrid and Dumbledore to sign. As she stepped into the hut, she looked back towards the pumpkin patch one last time, sure she had heard a noise and saw three figures sneaking up the pathway from their hiding place behind the pile of pumpkins. So she had heard something!

Inside the hut, Fudge seemed about ready to go back outside and conclude the matter of Buckbeak when she could hear Dumbledore attempt to stall him. Mika knew he wouldn’t do this without good reason so she casually stepped back outside the door to see Harry and Hermione, considerably more dirty and the worse for wear trying to tempt the hippogriff from his confinement with a handful of dead ferrets. She turned to help Dumbledore keep up the distraction until they could get away.

Finally, they had no choice but to let Fudge and the executioner get on with their business. They all stepped outside to find the pumpkin patch conspicuously devoid of hippgriffs.

"B…but he was right here only moments ago!" spluttered Fudge incredulously.

"Well it weren’t me," Hagrid announced matter of factly. "I was with you all the time."

Dumbledore took it all in his stride. "Oh well it seems that he has managed to escape on his own. I’m afraid we shall not need your services after all," he said to the executioner who looked distinctly disappointed. As the others started to make their way up the path back towards the castle, he raised his axe and brought it down to cleave a large pumpkin in two.

Mika held back until the others had gone out of earshot then disappeared into the woods to try to follow Hermione and Harry and find out what they were up to, besides rescuing innocent hippogriffs.