HARRY POTTER and the Prisoner of Azkaban CHAPTER 17
Chapter 17
CAT, RAT AND DOG
Harry cannot believe what just happened. He, Ron, and Hermione feel very sad. Buckbeak is dead. Then, they hear a loud cry, like an animal in pain. “Hagrid!” says Harry in a low voice. He starts to run back to Hagrid’s house, but Ron and Hermione stop him.
“We can’t go,” says Ron. His face is white with shock. “If we go now, Hagrid will be in even more trouble. They will know we were there.” “How could they kill him?” cries Hermione. Ron puts his arm around her. “Come on,” he says. “Let’s go back to the castle.”
They walk slowly under the Invisibility Cloak. Scabbers keeps making noise and tries to run away. “Scabbers, be quiet!” yells Ron. “What’s wrong with you? Stay still - OUCH! He bit me!” Just then, Harry sees something in the grass. It has big yellow eyes. It is Crookshanks! “Hermione,” says Harry, “it’s Crookshanks!”
“Oh no, not now!” says Hermione. “Go away, Crookshanks!” But the cat walks closer and closer. “Scabbers, NO!” Ron yells. Scabbers jumps from Ron’s pocket and runs away. Crookshanks chases him. Ron throws off the cloak and runs after them. Harry and Hermione look at each other, then run after Ron. The cloak flies behind them like a flag.
It is hard to see in the dark. They follow Ron’s voice. “Get away from him, you orange monster!” he yells. “Scabbers, come here!” Then - THUD! “I got you! Go away, you smelly cat!” Harry and Hermione almost fall on top of Ron. He is on the ground. But Scabbers is back in his pocket.
“Ron, come on, under the cloak!” says Hermione. “Dumbledore and Fudge will be back soon!” But before they can do anything, they hear something big running toward them. Something very big! It is an enormous, black dog. Harry tries to take out his wand, but too late! The dog jumps high into the air and puts its front legs on Harry’s chest. Harry falls back.
But the dog falls over Harry. It stands up quickly and turns around. The dog growls deeply and shows its big teeth. It jumps again! But Ron steps in front of Harry and pushes him away. The dog bites Ron’s arm! The dog begins to run away, pulling Ron by his arm. Harry and Hermione follow them into the darkness. Suddenly - SMACK! Something hard hits them and knocks them down. Harry lights his wand. “LUMOS!” In the light, they see the Whomping Willow tree.
Its big branches move like arms, stopping anyone from coming close. The dog is pulling Ron into a hole at the bottom of the tree. Ron tries to fight, but his head and body disappear. “Ron!” yells Harry. He tries to help, but the tree moves too fast. He can’t get any closer.
Before he disappears under the tree, Ron uses his leg to grab a tree root - but then there is a terrible sound “CRACK!” Ron’s leg breaks! And a moment later, he disappears completely down the hole. “We have to help him!” says Hermione. “But the tree - how do we get past it?” asks Harry. Then Crookshanks runs in front of the tree. He puts his paws on the trunk. The tree stops moving!
“How did he know?” asks Hermione. “He’s friends with that dog,” says Harry. “I’ve seen them together before.” Crookshanks goes into the hole. Harry and Hermione follow. They slide down into a tunnel. It is cold and dark. They walk for a long time.
“Where does this go?” asks Hermione. “I think it goes to Hogsmeade,” says Harry. “It’s on the Mischief Maker’s Map. Fred and George say no one uses this way.” Soon, they see a light. They find stairs and go up carefully. They enter an old room. The walls are broken. The windows are covered. It is the old haunted house near Hogsmeade.
Harry looks around. There is a chair. It is broken and ripped apart. Like an animal destroyed it. “Ghosts didn’t break this chair,” says Harry, pointing to broken furniture. Suddenly, they hear a noise above them. They find some old stairs and go up them. “Nox,” they whisper to turn off their lights.
At the top of the stairs, they find a door. There are noises coming from behind the door. They hear someone in pain. And they hear the sound of a cat purring. Harry takes out his wand. Then he kicks the door open! In the room there is a large bed. Crookshanks is on the bed. Ron is on the floor, his leg broken and twisted.
“Ron! Are you okay?” asks Harry. “Where’s the dog?” “It’s not a dog,” Ron says. “It’s a trap!” Then the door shuts behind them. A man is standing there. He looks dirty and sick. His hair is long and messy. His eyes are dark. His smile is scary. His face looks like the face of a skull. It is Sirius Black.
“Expelliarmus!” yells Black. Harry and Hermione’s wands fly out of their hands and into Black’s hand. “I knew you would come,” Black says. “Your father would have come too. You’re brave, Harry, to come without the help of a teacher. That makes things easier.” Harry feels a deep sense of hatred for Black. For the first time in his life, Harry wants to use his magic to hurt someone. He wants to kill Sirius Black.
Harry moves forward to attack Black, but Hermione and Ron hold him. “If you want to kill Harry,” says Ron, “you’ll have to kill us first!” “Lie down, boy” says Black, “or your leg will get worse.” “I don’t think you heard me,” says Ron. “You will have to kill all three of us!” “There will only be one death tonight,” responds Black…
