HARRY POTTER and the Prisoner of Azkaban CHAPTER 16

Chapter 16

TRELAWNEY’S PREDICTION

Harry feels very happy and excited after winning the Quidditch Cup. But that feeling does not last long. After one week, exams are about to begin! The children do not have time to rest or enjoy the good weather. They must study hard for their exams.

Hermione studies more than anyone. She has two exams on Monday morning – Arithmancy and Transfiguration – at the same time! Ron is too scared to ask her how she plans to take both of the exams. One day, while they are in the Gryffindor common room, Hedwig the owl flies in with a letter for Harry. 

“It’s from Hagrid,” says Harry. “It’s about Buckbeak. The appeal is on Friday.” “That’s the same day we finish our exams,” says Hermione. “And they are coming here to give the answer. Someone from the Ministry of Magic... and an executioner!” says Harry sadly.

“An executioner?” Hermione shouts. “That means they already want to kill Buckbeak!” “That’s not fair,” says Harry. “They can’t do that!” says Ron. “I found a lot of information to help Hagrid. They can’t ignore it!” But Harry feels that the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures has already made their decision. Lucius Malfoy is very powerful. There is nothing they can do.

The exams begin. They have been studying very hard to take their exams. They are tired, anxious and worried, all at the same time. They study all day and all night. They do not sleep much. In Transfiguration, to pass their exam they must change a teapot into a turtle. Some turtles have teapot tails. Others blow steam!

In Charms class with Professor Flitwick, they must use a Cheering Charm on a partner. Harry uses too much magic on Ron. Ron laughs for almost one hour and cannot stop! After dinner, they return to the common room to study for the next exams: Care of Magical Creatures, Potions, and Astronomy. Hagrid is very worried about Buckbeak. So, for his exam, he makes it very easy. The students only have to take care of a flobberworm. Harry thinks it is the easiest exam ever.

But Potions class is a problem. It is a disaster! Harry cannot make his potion turn green. Snape watches him and writes something down in a small notebook. Harry thinks Snape gives him a “zero”.

On Thursday, they have their Defense Against the Dark Arts exam. Professor Lupin makes an obstacle course with many creatures. The students must fight each one: grindylows, Red Caps, hinkypunks, and then a boggart. Harry does very well. “Excellent, Harry!” says Lupin. “You passed with a high score!”

Harry watches Ron and Hermione do their tests. They are good too, but Hermione’s boggart is strange. It turns into Professor McGonagall. “She said I failed all my exams!” Hermione cries. She is very stressed and cannot calm down.

When they return to the castle, they see Cornelius Fudge. “Oh, hello, Harry,” says Fudge. “Are you finishing your exams?” “Yes,” says Harry. “I’m sorry I have to see you in such a difficult situation,” says Fudge. “I’m here because of the hippogriff. The Committee needs a witness for the execution.” “So the appeal is finished?” asks Ron. 

“No, not yet,” says Fudge. “The appeal is this afternoon.” “So maybe they won’t kill Buckbeak?” asks Ron, still hopeful. But before Fudge can answer, two men come out of the hall. One is old, and one is younger with a black mustache. He has a big, shiny axe on his belt. Before Ron can speak again, they walk back into the castle.

Harry’s last exam is Divination. This exam is one-on-one with Professor Trelawney. Neville leaves the room looking confused and worried. “Have you ever seen anything in a crystal ball, Harry?” he asks. “No, never,” says Harry. “What did she ask you to do, Neville?” “I can’t tell you, Harry,” says Neville. “Trelawney says I will have a bad accident if I tell anyone about the exam!” says Neville. 

“That’s convenient,” says Ron in a sarcastic way. Neville runs away quickly, almost white with fear. Ron goes next. When he comes back, he says, “I didn’t see anything in the crystal ball. I made up a story. I don’t think she believed me.” Finally, Trelawney calls Harry. Harry goes up the ladder into the hot, red room. Professor Trelawney is waiting.

“Good day, my dear,” she says quietly. “Please look into the crystal ball. Take your time. Tell me what you see.” Harry looks. He sees nothing – only smoke. But he wants to leave quickly, so he pretends. “Er... I see a dark shape,” says Harry.

“What kind of shape?” she asks. Harry thinks about Buckbeak. “It looks like a hippogriff,” he says. “Oh! Is the hippogriff alive?” she asks. “Yes,” says Harry. “Are you sure? No blood?” she asks. “No. He’s flying away,” says Harry.

“Well, dear, we will stop now. You did your best.” Harry stands up to leave. He is happy. But then her voice changes. “It will happen tonight,” she says in a strange, aggressive voice. “What?” says Harry. He looks at Trelawney, frightened. Her head is leaning back. Her eyes are rolled up, white. She does not answer. She looks very sick. 

Harry wants to run to the hospital building to get help. Then she speaks again in a deep voice: “The Dark Lord is alone. His servant has been in prison for twelve years. Tonight, before midnight, the servant will escape. He will return to his master. The Dark Lord will become strong again... tonight... before midnight.”

Then her head falls forward. She makes a strange sound. When she looks up, she is back to normal. “Oh! I think I fell asleep,” she says. “Did something happen?” Harry is shocked. “You said something about the Dark Lord…” “Oh no, I would never say that!” says Trelawney. “You must be tired too. You can go now.”

Harry leaves the room. He runs back to Gryffindor Tower to tell Ron and Hermione what happened. But when he arrives, he sees their sad faces. “Buckbeak lost,” says Ron. He is holding a letter from Hagrid. Buckbeak will be killed at sunset. Hagrid says the children should not come.

“But we have to go,” says Harry. “We can’t let Hagrid suffer alone.” “But we can’t leave the castle at night,” says Ron. “We can use the Invisibility Cloak!” says Harry. “Where is it?” asks Hermione. Harry tells her where he left it in the secret tunnel. “If Snape sees me near the statue, I’ll be in serious trouble.” 

“Don’t worry,” says Hermione. “I’ll get it. How do you open the door to the tunnel?” she asks. “You tap it and say, ‘Dissendium,” says Harry. Hermione nods her head and leaves quickly. Ron and Harry are surprised. Hermione has been acting very strange lately.

She returns after fifteen minutes with the cloak. They go to dinner with the others. When dinner is over, they leave and go into an empty room. They use the cloak and walk out of the castle. They knock on Hagrid’s door. He opens it but he sees no one. “It’s us, Hagrid,” says Harry. “We’re under the cloak.” 

Hagrid is surprised. “You shouldn’t be here!” he says. He lets them in. Hagrid has been crying. “There’s nothing we can do now,” he says. “Lucius Malfoy made this happen.” Buckbeak is outside. Hagrid says, “I don’t think he knows what is going to happen.”

“We’ll stay with you,” says Hermione, crying. “Thank you,” says Hagrid. “But if they find you here, you’ll be in big trouble!”  Hermione turns away. She walks into the kitchen so no one can see her tears. Then she shouts, “Ron! It’s Scabbers!” “What?” says Ron. Hermione picks up a bottle. Inside is Ron’s old rat. “Scabbers!” says Ron. Scabbars looks very sick. Ron picks him up but he tries to escape. “It’s okay! There are no cats here!” Suddenly Hagrid stands up. “They’re coming,” he says. They look outside. A group of men is walking toward the house.

“Go now!” says Hagrid. Ron puts Scabbers in his pocket. Hermione takes the cloak. They leave through the back door. Buckbeak is there, tied up. They feel sad and angry. “Go!” Hagrid says. He goes inside and closes the door. Harry, Ron, and Hermione go around to the front. They can hear voices. The door opens and the men go inside Hagrid’s house.

“We must hurry!” says Hermione. But Ron stops. “Scabbers won’t stay in my pocket!” he says. Scabbers is fighting and squeaking loudly. “I can’t hold him,” cries Ron. The rat is squeaking loudly. The back door of Hagrid’s house opens. There is the loud sound of voices again, then silence. 

Then there is a sound they all recognize: the sound of an axe swinging through the air and hitting the ground. Hermione almost faints. “They did it!” she whispers to Harry. “I d-don’t believe it. They killed Buckbeak!”