***

Astrid sat on a log with her back to the forest as Hagrid was skipping large flat rocks. He was standing calf deep in the lake water with his pant legs rolled up. She didn't understand as to why he was dressed so fancy. The half giant was wearing a brown fur coat with matching pants and a little yellow tie with white polkadots. He hadn't told her what happened but she could practically feel the sadness and anxiousness radiating off of him, so she didn't ask.

Hearing footsteps come up to them, she turning her head and gave them a small smile before turning back to the mesmerizing motions of the skipping stones. "How did it go Hagrid? The hearing?" Hermione asked as Astrid gave her a confused face. Hearing? What hearing?

"Well, first off, the Committee members took turns in telling why we were there. Then I got up and did my piece, saying Buckbeak's a good Hippogriff, always cleaned his feathers. And then Lucius Malfoy got up, and well you can imagine what he said, Buckbeak was a deadly and dangerous creature who would kill you soon as he looked at you." He scoffed as he continued to skip rocks.

"And then?" Astrid asked, very confused about what had happened with Buckbeak and who Lucius Malfoy was. Maybe Draco's brother or father? "Their not sacking you, are they?" Ron asked next.

"No, they aren't sacking me...Buckbeaks been sentence to death!" He yelled as he sniffed a little. Astrid hand flew up to her mouth as she muffled a gasp.

'What?! No no no, they're had to be some kind of mistake. Buckbeak didn't do anything to deserve this!'

She followed the Golden trio as they walked to the castle, going through it to get to Hagrid's hut. As they walked through the school, they heard crows cawing and soaring up ahead. The group walked through the corridor, hearing the terrible sound of metal being sharpen. They turned to see a man wearing all black clothes and a hooded black cloak covering his face. He continued to sharpen the large rounded axe as Astrid was pulled along by Hermione.

They walked over the wooden bridge and to the exit of the castle, the one that went out to Hagrid's hut and the forbidden forest. As they walked closer to the entrance/exit, the Hufflepuff could hear a familiar voice, Draco's to be exact but, she can't tell what he was saying from so far away.

When they got closer, Hermione ahead of the other three, he finally noticed them but not Astrid. She was stood behind Ron and Harry, not that she was trying to hide, it was just the height difference between her and the boys.

Draco chuckled and said, "Come to enjoy the show?" As the boys behind him chuckled.

Hermione was furious. She marched right up to him and yelled, "You, you vile, lonesome, little cockroach!" She whipped her wand out, pointing straight at Draco's neck, close to the underside of his chin. He was whimpering like a whiny puppy as the tip of the wand pressed to his neck. Astrids expression was darkening by the second.

"Hermione no! He's not worth it." Ron's voice got quieter as he talked, sad about Buckbeak and what was going to happen to him.

Hermiones wand stayed were it was, unwavering as the only thing that could be heard was the Slytherins whimpering. Astrid step out and around the two boys and walked to Hermione. Pulling down her arm and pushing her slightly back to the boys, her other girl gave her a questioning look as the wag she did that. Draco was looking at her in shock as he didn't know that she was hear.

Then she did something that surprised all of them. She punched him straight in the nose. The back of his head hit the large stone rock but Astrid couldn't care less. She was to pissed.

Only a few people had seen her like this before. Daisy had when they lived next to eachother and one of the group of boys where making fun of Daisy for being African-American. Astrid has snapped and kneed him in the crotch. That's how they become friends.

They looked at her in shock but she just stared at Draco. He was kneeling on the ground because of the impact and looking up at her. Her eyes were filled with tears but she refused to let them, him, see her cry. She would not let him have the satisfaction.

"Don't talk to me. Don't come near me. Just....don't." As Astrid said those last few words, she walked away before tanning into the castle, away from all of them.

Draco has attempted to get up but couldn't for the pounding in his nose and his head so his 'friends' had to hoist him up before he ran into the castle, looking the white haired Hufflepuff girl that he had hurt.

He had to fix this.