155 The workings of Red

During the day of the Hogsmeade visit, Arth and Hermione both got ready quickly and headed out.

They brought with them their school bags and decided to go to a different place then The Three Broomsticks as it was constantly loud and distracting there.

They discovered a was a small tea shop located on a side road off the High Street in Hogsmeade Village called, Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop.

Since it was early, there seemed to be no one there and Hermione and Arth sat at one of the tables and started to work.

Soon, more and more people started to enter and Arth and Hermione realized with a sudden start that people were kissing all around them. They seemed to have entered a love hotspot.

Obviously, Arth and Hermione left the shop immediately as they couldn't concentrate with a bunch of people eating each other's faces right next to them.

Did they have any romantic feelings while watching the couples? No, homework and studying was more important to them at the moment.

There was no room for anything else, only work and sleep.

When they came back, a gray owl dropped a letter at Hermione who opened it absentmindedly.

However, upon reading the contents, Hermione went pale and froze on the spot.

Frowning, Arth took the letter from her trembling hands and read the letter.

He too, froze upon reading it.

The parchment was damp, and enormous teardrops had smudged the ink so badly in places that it was very difficult to read.

Dear Hermione and Arth,

We lost. I'm allowed to bring him back to Hogwarts. Execution date to be fixed.

Beaky has enjoyed London.

I won't forget all the help you gave us.

Hagrid

"Oh no..." mumbled Arth with a dark look. "Not Buckbeak..."

Hermione and Arthur heard a few familiar loud voices down the hallway and turned their heads to look.

"It's my fault," Ron was saying to Harry. "I persuaded you to go. Lupin's right, it was stupid, we shouldn't've done it —"

He broke off as he saw that Hermione and Arth was walking toward them.

"Come to have a good gloat?" said Ron savagely as she stopped in front of them. "Or have you just been to tell on us?"

"No," said Hermione. She was holding a letter in her hands and her lip was trembling. "I just thought you ought to know... Hagrid lost his case. Buckbeak is going to be executed. He — he sent me this," Hermione said, holding out the letter.

Harry and Ron read over the letters with dark looks.

"They can't do this," said Harry. "They can't. Buckbeak isn't dangerous."

"Malfoy's dad's frightened the Committee into it," said Arth. "Probably threatening them and using Blackmail."

Hermione, wiped her eyes. "You know what he's like. They're a bunch of doddery old fools, and they were scared. There'll be an appeal, though, there always is. Only I can't see any hope... Nothing will have changed."

"Yeah, it will," said Ron fiercely. "You won't have to do all the work alone this time, Hermione. I'll help."

Arth gave Ron a good state.

"...ceasefire Ron?"

"...sure, why not. At least until we help Hagrid."

"Oh, Ron!"

Hermione broke down completely. Ron, looking quite terrified, awkwardly stood there watching Hermione.

"Ron, I'm really, really sorry about Scabbers...," she sobbed.

"Oh — well — he was old," said Ron, looking thoroughly relieved. "And he was a bit useless. You never know, Mum and Dad might get me an owl now."

Arth watched this with an indecipherable look.

Harry, who saw this, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"What's wrong Arth? Jealous?"

Arth shook his head.

"Far from it actually. Just thinking about something."

"What?"

Arth unblinkingly stared at the mellow Ron.

Ron is angry and sassy and unreasonable. Ron gets fame from Sirius Black attack. Ron seems to be more sensible.

"Hmmm..." said Arth. "I might have figured out how Ron works."