Gryffindor/Hufflepuff game…

“Oh, that had to hurt.”

“Galloping ghosts, when did the ‘Puff’s get so good?”

“Watch out, Angelina!”

“There’s the Snitch!  There’s the Snitch!”

“Damn, he’s fast!”

“Who should we root for?”

“I’d say Diggory.”

“Alright.  C’mon, Diggory!”

“Go, Cedric!”

“He got it!  Hufflepuff beat Gryffindor!”

“Ha!  Look at Ron!”

“Serves him right!”

Niamh, Harry, Mika, and Ginny mingled into the crowd leaving the stands and managed to end up beside Hermione, who was talking to Neville.  The shorter boy convulsed when he saw Harry and his eyes bugged out.  Niamh arched an eyebrow at him while Harry smiled warmly at him and said, “S’alright, Nev.  I doan bite.”

Neville nodded rather shakily, still looking a bit jumpy.  Hermione patted his shoulder and whispered something in his ear.

Niamh looked from Neville to Harry in confusion then hissed at the boy, “You know?!”

Harry placed a restraining hand on her shoulder and growled, “It’s alright, Ni.  Neville’s got everything under control, don’t ye, Nev?”

Neville nodded and inched behind Hermione, eying Niamh warily.

Mika chuckled and said, “And if he didn’t, he’d be facing the lovely Lady Hex!”

“You two ought to make yourselves t-shirt’s,” said Ginny with a grin.

Niamh laughed and Harry let go of her shoulder as the girl relaxed.  Neville smile weakly and took a step out from behind Hermione.  His eyes widened when the girl leaned down to say, “I couldn’t have offered much protection anyway.”

Harry caught this and laughed before catching Niamh about the shoulders and saying, “Lets go see ‘Agrid.”

“Alright!” chorused three other voices.

“See you, Nev!”

“Ta, Neville.”

“Don’t get in trouble now!”

Neville waved after them, smiling slightly.  Once you got to know them, the Slytherin Four – as the inseparable four were called – they were really very nice.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Hey, Hagrid!”

“What’s…going on.”

The five halted in the door, while the two figures inside looked up in surprise.  Hagrid looked from Ron to Harry, the former of which was glaring and the latter was looking unperturbed.  Niamh and Ginny on the other hand were returning Ron’s glare inch for inch.

“Well, erm…” said Hagrid.  “Ah, sit down, all o’ yeh.”

The five sat, Hermione by Ron while the other four took seats on Hagrid side of the table.  Niamh started off the conversation.

“Were you at the match, Hagrid?”

“Na.  I missed it.  Yeh all want some tea?”

“Sure,” said Mika.

“I’ll help you, Hagrid,” said Hermione, giving the five at the table a meaningful look.  Niamh rolled her eyes then turned to Ron with a smirk.

“So, Ron, two loses in a row, eh?”

Ron growled, “Sod off, O’Feir.”

“Ouch.”

“Y’know,” said Mika, “that’s no way to talk to a lady.”

“The only lady she is is Lady Hex.”

“Oh, and you’re the perfect picture of a gentleman, aren’t you?”

“Sure.  Why not?” said Ron with a tilt of his head.

“Oh, sure you are.”

“Of course I am.”

“Then why did you make an assumption about your best friend?” spat Ginny bitterly, brown eyes blazing at her brother.

Ron blinked at her and gaped.

“I…  I…”

“You don’t have an answer do you?  Well, I suggest you not make assumptions, big brother.  Especially not about things you know nothing about!!”

Ginny gave a huff and crossed her arms over her chest.  A smile twitched at Harry’s lips as he thought of how much like Mrs. Weasley she was.

Ron simply gaped at her, jaw dropped.  He stayed that way for a few moments until Hermione let out a shriek and all of them leapt out of their chairs.

“What is it, Mione?” asked Mika.

Hermione gasped, “It’s…  It’s…”  She turned around and they could see a gray lump in her hands.  “It’s Scabbers.”

“Scabbers!” cried Ron, grabbing the rat, which immediately began to writhe in his hands at the sound of a bark outside.

“Easy, Scabbers, easy.”

“Apparently your rat is scared of my dog,” stated Niamh.

“No kidding,” spat Ron.  “Ow!  He bit me!”

“Hope he’s not rabid,” deadpanned Mika, earning a box on the ear from Hermione.

Another bark sounded from outside and Niamh went to look.  Harry followed her and the rest trailed him.  Ron stuffed Scabbers into his pocket as they got outside and found themselves in semi-darkness.

“Can’t see a ruddy thing,” muttered Mika.  “Where’s that dog of yours, Ni?”

Niamh shrugged and replied, “Can’t tell.  Sirius!  Here, boy!”

Another bark came from somewhere behind them and suddenly Ron got pulled to the ground by something.

“OY!”

“RON!” hissed Hermione and grabbed for his foot but missed.  Mika saw a flash of blue in the dark and let out a growl.

“Its Sirius!”

“What?” exclaimed Niamh.

“I always knew that dog was a no good mongrel!”

“Nevermind that!” spat Ginny.  “He’s getting away!”

Harry sprang after the dog, Niamh right behind mine and the other three trailing them.

“Where’s…he…going?” panted Niamh.

Harry peered into the dark and saw branches flailing in a flash of light from the moon above.

“The Willow!”

“WHAT?  WE CAN’T GO NEAR THAT THING!”

“No choice!  C’mon!”

The five of them arrived at the willow just in time to see that branches still and the dog drag Ron down through a hole in the base.  The ginger-haired boy yelled at them then vanished down the hole.  Harry dove at it with a yell but got thrown back as the willow’s branches began to move again.  He lay on the ground for a moment, dazed, as Niamh leaned over him.

“You okay, mate?”

“Yeh,” said Harry, sitting up and poking his cheek where the branch had hit.  It sent back a retort of pain and he winced.  That was going to be a bruise in the morning.

Rising to his feet, Harry turned to Mika and Ginny and said, “Go get my Da.  Tell him what happened.”

“What about the teachers?”

“Filch!”

Harry dug the Marauder’s Map out of his pocket and shoved it into Mika’s hands.

“Ye know how to work it.  Now go!”

“Harry…” began Ginny.

“Go!”

“Be careful,” said the girl then she and Mika set off towards the castle.  Harry turned back to the tree and eyed the flailing branches.

Hermione asked, “How are we going to get past those?”

Just as she asked, Crookshanks appeared at the base of the tree, yellow eyes glowing.

“Crookshanks!” exclaimed Hermione.  “Get away from there!”

The cat ignored her and bounded over to where Sirius and Ron had disappeared, batting his paw at a knot on the tree.  Instantly the willow froze and Harry grinned.

“Let’s go!”

The three of them ran forward and slid through the hole down into the tunnel under the tree, the ginger cat bounding down after them.

None of them noticed the figure slinking across the lawn behind them.