Coca-Cola Internal Analysis and SWOT Analysis Essay

The legal nature of cards payment and the risk of insolvency Essay

The legitimate idea of cards installment and the danger of indebtedness - Essay Example There exists a ferocious rivalry that wins in the Visa advertise in UK as there is an elevated level of card proficiency among British customers and this has brought about the development of the market, with the quantity of cards and card exchanges are demonstrating a twofold development in ongoing periods regardless of worldwide financial downturn. Further, spending through Mastercards in UK saw an emotional increment and rose to ? 41 billion of every 1995 from only ?10 billion out of 1985 and afterward up to ? 101 billion in 2002.1 This examination paper will break down in insight concerning Mastercards, platinum cards, check cards, charge cards, and so on and the legitimate idea of the above cards and how they vary from one another and insurance to be embraced by shoppers while managing each kind of cards in a comprehensive way. Charge cards Credit cards are given dependent on the bank’s customer’s record as a consumer, his complete riches and his salary level. As fa r as possible beginnings from a couple hundred pounds to a huge number pounds. The customer utilizes these cards to purchase items and appreciate administrations or to get money from the card specialist organization. The client is relied upon to take care of his obligation inside the installment time frame and if there should be an occurrence of any default, intrigue will gather. Charge cards have a few restrictions as it couldn't be utilized for enormous or little installments. For little installments, charge cards can't be utilized as it would not legitimize the expense of utilization for the equivalent. The charge cards will consistently have a security limit and because of security issues, these Mastercards have a cutoff and can't be utilized for huge business transactions2. Made sure about Credit Cards Under collateralised or made sure about Mastercards, the quantum of credit is chosen by the quantum of fluid guarantee one ready to give and in spite of one’s past awful f inancial record, Visas are given to candidates. In this way, made sure about Visas are given to those with awful record of loan repayment, individuals with no financial record or people who don't meet all requirements for customary Visas. To be qualified for this, a client needs to make a store for the most part for a ?500 or more for one year or year and a half by method of endorsement of store with the giving investor which holds it as a security. At that point, the client has as far as possible to the estimation of the store and on the off chance that the client makes a default, at that point, the bank may utilize the store to change against the exceptional. In spite of the reality, these cards despite everything pull in yearly expenses and intrigue charges that are comparable or more noteworthy than those of customary credit cards3. Check Cards Check cards are indistinguishable by and large appearance and in size to that of charge cards and contain analogs comparable subtleties. All significant British banks and Irish banks are giving these sorts of cards. Under this classification, the bank gives a card that bears the name of the bank, its location, the customer’s example mark and his name, an uncommon check card account number and as far as possible relevant. The check card giving bank guarantees to respect the checks drawn by its client for outsiders, gave the cutoff referenced in the check card doesn't surpass the sum on each check. Before giving the check cards, the banks ought to need to build up the reliability of their customers4. It is being embraced by the check card giving bank that any check not surpassing a specific sum fixed by the bank will be respected subject

Coping With Your Partners Family When You Have BPD

Coping With Your Partners Family When You Have BPD BPD Living With BPD Print Coping With Your Partners Family When You Have BPD By Erin Johnston, LCSW Erin Johnston, LCSW is a therapist, counselor, coach, and mediator with a private practice in Chicago, Illinois. Learn about our editorial policy Erin Johnston, LCSW Updated on May 21, 2019 JodiJacobson / Getty Images More in BPD Living With BPD Diagnosis Treatment Related Conditions Joining someone’s family as a result of a serious long-term relationship is not always easy. You choose your partner, not his or her family, but you are still connected to his family after marriage whether you like it or not. Your spouse will have expectations on the continued involvement of each family member which can add pressure to your relationship. This alone can trigger uncomfortable feelings for anyone, but if you have borderline personality disorder, you may have the added difficulty of struggling to relate to these new people. It can be frustrating for you when her partner wants to have close relationships with his family members, especially if you find out your spouse was mistreated by them in the past. You may believe that your partner is making excuses and not seeing the family in a true light. You may also feel tense if you feel that your partners family rejects or judges you. These feelings of rejection may result from any number of things, including the belief that they dislike you, doubt your competency or question your parenting decisions and abilities. No matter how hard you may wish otherwise, your in-laws arent going anywhere. Its important for the sake of your own health and the health of your marriage that you learn some coping skills to better handle your partners family. Coping With the In-Laws   When you feel that your in-laws are ignoring you or are rude, it can be tempting to dwell on your feelings or lash out while hurting. Its important to take a step back to really think through the persons actions and your reaction before responding to avoid misunderstandings and unnecessarily hurt feelings.  Impulsive reactions will just come out in anger  and the real issues will not be heard or addressed. While it can be tough to make yourself take a break in these situations, here are seven tips for handling your emotions and coping:   Breathe:  At the first sign of hurt feelings, take several slow, deep breaths. Concentrate on your breathing only, consciously trying to blow out some of your emotional reaction and focusing on your breaths instead.  Get Some Distance:  If it is at all possible, get away from the offending person. You can say you need to run an errand, take a walk or simply step into the restroom for a few minutes. Getting away from the offending person can often help de-escalate the situation and allow you to gain perspective before you lash out.  Remember Your In-Laws Are Your Partners Family:  Focusing on the relationship between your partner and the person that hurt you will help keep your reactions in check. While your spouses uncle may be incredibly annoying, remembering that he was one who helped your partner pay for his first car may help you see him in a better light.  Write It Down:  Use a private journal to write down what happened and what you are feeling. Use this as a means of expressin g your hurt without having to censor your thoughts.  Identify Your Feelings:  Using what you have written, identify some feeling statements or clarify what you are experiencing and how you need to react.Talk About Your Feelings With Your PartnerYour partner is the reason that you are having a relationship with your in-laws so talking and sharing with your spouse is an important step in coping with your feelings.  Identify Your Purpose:  Before any issues are addressed, it is important to know what your purpose is before you react. What do you want the end result to be? Yelling at the annoying in-law may feel satisfying at the moment, but it may mean a very awkward holiday afterward. By focusing on what you want, such as a peaceful holiday dinner, you can better handle your reactions. Sometimes not reacting is the best thing you can do to reach your goal.   In addition to talking to your partner, it is a good idea to honestly discuss what happened and how you feel during regular sessions with your therapist. A therapist who specializes in  BPD can assist you in determining appropriate and effective methods of communicating with those who are causing you pain. A good therapist can arm you with the skills to relate to people that easily trigger hurt feelings.

Ambiguity in OConnor - 1203 Words

Ambiguity in ‘A Good Man is Hard to Find In most short stories ambiguity is used to some extent. The level of ambiguity in each story varies, however the importance and value of that vagueness does not. Ambiguity often leads to elevating the thought put into reading the text, as well as numerous interpretations. In Flannery O Connor s short story, ‘A Good Man is Hard to Find , the ambiguous theme causes both deeper thought and different opinions about the text. Through the characters in the story, the reader can reflect on the recurring theme which poses the question of what makes a person good. Ambiguity in short stories is common and can be used in many different ways by the author. Flannery O Connor uses ambiguity in†¦show more content†¦While it may seem peculiar that O Connor would make the theme an ambiguous one it clearly is essential to the story. The ambiguous theme makes the story more intriguing. Had O Connor written the story with a clear set of c haracteristics for a good man and stated them in the text, the story would lose much of its meaning. The intent of the story is to inspire the reader to reflect on the meaning of a good man. The title, ‘A Good Man is Hard to Find alludes to this point. After reading the text, it can be assumed that a good man is difficult to find because no one is universally considered to be good. Each person has peers that have differing opinions of him. By the theme being an ambiguous one, O Connor initiates her readers to contemplate the diversity of ideas and values that individuals may have on the same subject. This makes the story more intriguing and valuable. Instead of ‘A Good Man is Hard to Find simply being a story about a family crossing paths with a murderer, it also inspires various opinions about the theme itself. This makes the story one that will pass the test of time and be relevant for all eras. The ambiguous approach to developing the theme not only makes the story, it also adds to the reading experience. As the story progresses the reader begins to discover the values of the characters based on the dialogue between characters about the notion of a good man. The reader canShow MoreRelatedHow Cultural Evaluators Filter, Interpret, And Relinquish1352 Words   |  6 Pagesreclassification of red meat and processed meat as cancer risks brought about a small storm of furious and frustrated readers and writers. Many took the report as another piece of evidence buttressing vegetarianism, while some others warned of the ambiguities and limits of the IARC report. The comment sections of various news reports, in particular, contain a varied and oftentimes contradictory set of conclusions somehow derived from the same report, as well as an occasional commenter trying to clarifyRead MoreEssay about Chartism: Womens Suffrage and National Political Movement996 Words   |  4 Pagesreform as essential if the living and working conditions of working people were to be improved. The power of the spoken and written word played a central role in Chartism and the foremost demagogue of the movement was Feargus O’Connor, whose rhetoric in all its ambiguity and exaggeration was published in his newspaper, The Northern Star. His speech at York, reported in the Star on 6 July 1839, was in favour of a motion that: â€Å"every male adult of the kingdom ought to have a voice in making theRead MoreGood Country People Analysis Essay1139 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Good Country People† by Flannery O’Connor is a short story told in third person omniscient point of view. The story contains a lot of irony, symbolism, imagery, and many more literary devices. Flannery O’Connor’s purpose was to demonstrate how â€Å"good country people† are not so â€Å"good.† Instead, they were categorized as â€Å"trash† and â€Å"good.† The short story interprets how the characters are contradict ory and how women are portrayed in 1955 as well as today’s society. One of the characters inRead MoreThe Effect Of Resistance Training On Anxiety, Depression, Fatigue, And Sleep944 Words   |  4 PagesAlso, we know anxiety and depression are viewed as underlying causes of low self-esteem. Those who suffer from low self-esteem tend to experience some type of fear and anxiety. O’connor, Herring, and Caravalho (2010) systematically review evidence that supports resistance training influencing anxiety, depression, fatigue, self-esteem, and sleep. Nevermore, many of the outcomes seem to share a biological influence. The neural mechanisms that underlie and regulate our health outcomes are largely discreteRead MoreEssay on A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery OConnor1564 Words   |  7 PagesA Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery OConnor A Good Man is Hard to Find is an extremely powerful commentary that elucidates Flannery OConnors opinions about religion and society. Like the majority of her other works, A Good Man is Hard to Find has attracted many interpretations based on Christian dogma (Bandy 1). These Christian explications are justified because Miss OConnor is notorious for expressing Catholic doctrines through her fiction. Once she even remarked I see fromRead MoreThroughout The Beginning Of The Course We Have Read A Wide1487 Words   |  6 PagesFind has the Grandmother going on this journey with her family out of necessity but even this is different from the young boys necessity. â€Å"She wouldn’t stay at home for a million bucks... Afraid she’d miss something. She Has to go everywhere we go† (O’Connor 277). June Starr comes to this conclusion, but I get the feeling that she goes with the family on this journey because she doesn’t want to be left out. The family al ready doesn’t listen to her and the children are cruel brats, but the fear of beingRead MoreA Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery OConnor645 Words   |  3 Pagesthe Misfit is a bad guy he still believes in Jesus. He just doesn’t believe that Jesus did everything people said he did. â€Å"The Misfit sometimes maunders into a quagmire of ambiguity and contradiction. His putative agnostic sentiments are enigmatic because he also declares his belief† (Sloan) The working of Flannery O’Connor seems to be a bit morbid but she succeeds in painting a vivid picture with her words. The religious aspects to her story help to keep the faith alive and send a good messageRead MoreWise Blood, by Flannery OConnor1510 Words   |  7 PagesWise Blood, by Flannery O’Connor, is an fascinating yet disturbing novel. Wise Blood is a story of Hazel Motes, a twenty-two-year-old soldier who comes home from World War Two and gets trapped in a fight between faith and disbelief. He becomes captivated by a preacher named Asa Hawks and his bastard fifteen-year-old daughter, Lily Sabbath. In a way to prove how much of a pessimist Motes is, he founds The Church of God Without Christ, but is still frustrated that he is unable to lose his faith inRead MoreAnalysis Of International Nurses1622 Words   |  7 Pagesexacerbated this shortage (Stankiewicz O’Connor, 2014). This shortage compounded with the increased consumer demands of care due to hi gher prevalence of chronic diseases and longer life expectancy may jeopardise the provision of quality care and patient safety. Hence, countries such as Australia, United Kingdom (UK), United States (US) and Canada have addressed and solved this issue by recruiting highly skilled international nurses (Stankiewicz O’Connor, 2014). However, it comes with ethical costsRead MoreThe Grotesque Pursue Of Goodness2189 Words   |  9 Pages2016 The Grotesque Pursue of Goodness in A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor â€Å"The great advantage of being a Southern writer is that we don’t have to go anywhere to look for manners; bad or good, we’ve got them in abundance. We in the South live in a society that is rich in contradiction, rich in irony, rich in contrast, and particularly rich in its speech† (Flannery O’Connor). Mary Flannery O’Connor was born in 1925 in a Catholic family in the south of the United States, particularly

Is Fashion Art (Information and Interpretation) - 1651 Words

Is Fashion Art? Everybody questions art. You would think art is merely created for admiration, but its not. The average person would describe art as a drawing on a piece of paper, and this quote by Clement Greenberg (1909-1991) suggests why: The task of self-criticism became to eliminate from the effects of each art, any and every effect that might conceivably be borrowed from or by the medium of any other art. Thereby, each art would be rendered ‘pureÂ… Painting is not sculpture Ââ€" it is two-dimensional; Painting is not photography Ââ€" it should not reproduce appearance; Painting is not literature Ââ€" it should not tell stories; Painting is not music Ââ€" it is silent. But if we did believe that art was purely a drawing created by the†¦show more content†¦But then again, is that Monet poster on your wall not art? It may be a reproduction of the painting, but it is still art, isnt it? And what about your Topshop dress. Is that art? Well, perhaps a reproduction of it. After all, clothes are designed, created, and displayed on the catwalk in a series of stages comparable to that of the production of a work of art. What about Tracy Emins ‘My Bed, is it art? Is Marcel Duchamps Fountain (a urinal which he signed with a pseudonym) art? Well if you disagree then you may have to reconsider your decision as it was voted the most influential 20th century artwork in 2004. These works are both acclaimed and slated, and yet there is probably less actual artistic work in them than in a Stella McCartney outfit. Perhaps fashion is just craftsmanship? But then, surely so is painting, sculpture and architecture, requiring specific skills to produce, and yet few people would argue that they do not constitute an artistic endeavour. Fortunys tiny pleats of the 1920s (practically unwearable but certainly beautiful) were like Grecian sculptures: detailed, handmade pieces that represented a lifes work. In the 1970s, Jean Muirs flowing silk jersey dresses gave women the chance to look like Pre-Raphaelite heroines. The eclecticism of Bibas lifestyle/fashion emporium gave the women of the 60s and 70s theShow MoreRelatedThe Main Problems Facing Art Students Through Feedback Obtained Through Questionnaires, Interviews And Sales Data1282 Words   |  6 Pagesalso will assess the reliability of the study and summarise its limits. 3.1 Research Purpose The purpose of this research is to analyse and assess the main problems facing art students’ through feedback obtained through questionnaires, interviews and sales data. The issue is concerned mainly with the difficulties that art students might encountered in the entrepreneurial process. 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This explains that my interpretation may be different from others as they know other information that I may not know, which can change the interpretation of the painting. Others may say Queen Victoria was quite close to her children and may have possibly been a controlling parent. However, it is not fully known if she was close to her childrenRead MoreJohn Berger and History1537 Words   |  7 Pagesall power, authority, and meaning that was once held by an original work of art has been lost through the mass reproduction of these works that has occurred in recent years. He writes of an entirely bogus religios ity (116-117) that surrounds these art objects and that the meaning of the original work no longer lies in what it uniquely says but in what it uniquely is (117). He claims that because of reproduction, the art of the past no longer exists as it once did (127). Obviously, something createdRead More The Artists Tina Barney and Elliott Erwitt1133 Words   |  5 Pagestheir art is simple and meaningful but, meaning is what an observer makes of it. What does this indicate one might ask? It means that although they both have very distinct ways of taking a photograph their common goal is to evoke emotion in their observers. Elliott Erwitt put it in the simplest terms when he said, â€Å"I think you should just look at the stuff and if it enriches you in some way or knocks you out, that’s all you need† (Danziger 89). The most effective source of information thatRead MoreExplain the Purpose of Hermeneutics1564 Words   |  7 Pagesof Hermeneutics is to bridge the gap between our minds and the minds of the Biblical writers through a thorough knowledge of the original languages, ancient history and the comparison of Scripture with Scripture. 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Chapter 21 Hermione’s Secret Free Essays

â€Å"Shocking business†¦ shocking†¦ miracle none of them died†¦ never heard the like†¦ by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Thank you, Minister.† â€Å"Order of Merlin, Second Class, I’d say. First Class, if I can wangle it!† â€Å"Thank you very much indeed, Minister. We will write a custom essay sample on Chapter 21 Hermione’s Secret or any similar topic only for you Order Now † â€Å"Nasty cut you’ve got there†¦ Black’s work, I suppose?† â€Å"As a matter of fact, it was Potter, Weasley, and Granger, Minister†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No!† â€Å"Black had bewitched them, I saw it immediately. A Confundus Charm, to judge by their behavior. They seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent. They weren’t responsible for their actions. On the other hand, their interference might have permitted Black to escape†¦ They obviously thought they were going to catch Black single-handed. They’ve got away with a great deal before now†¦ I’m afraid it’s given them a rather high opinion of themselves†¦ and of course Potter has always been allowed an extraordinary amount of license by the headmaster –â€Å" â€Å"Ah, well, Snape†¦ Harry Potter, you know†¦ we’ve all got a bit of a blind spot where he’s concerned.† â€Å"And yet — is it good for him to be given so much special treatment? Personally, I try and treat him like any other student. And any other student would be suspended — at the very least — for leading his friends into such danger. Consider, Minister — against all school rules — after all the precautions put in place for his protection — out-of-bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer — and I have reason to believe he has been visiting Hogsmeade illegally too –â€Å" â€Å"Well, well†¦ we shall see, Snape, we shall see†¦ The boy has undoubtedly been foolish†¦.† Harry lay listening with his eyes tight shut. He felt very groggy. The words he was hearing seemed to be traveling very slowly from his ears to his brain, so that it was difficult to understand†¦. His limbs felt like lead; his eyelids too heavy to lift†¦. He wanted to lie here, on this comfortable bed, forever†¦. â€Å"What amazes me most is the behavior of the Dementors†¦ you’ve really no idea what made them retreat, Snape?† â€Å"No, Minister†¦ by the time I had come ’round they were heading back to their positions at the entrances†¦.† â€Å"Extraordinary. And yet Black, and Harry, and the girl –â€Å" â€Å"All unconscious by the time I reached them. I bound and gagged Black, naturally, conjured stretchers, and brought them all straight back to the castle.† There was a pause. Harry’s brain seemed to be moving a little faster, and as it did, a gnawing sensation grew in the pit of his stomach†¦. He opened his eyes. Everything was slightly blurred. Somebody had removed his glasses. He was lying in the dark hospital wing. At the very end of the ward, he could make out Madam Pomfrey with her back to him, bending over a bed. Harry squinted. Ron’s red hair was visible beneath Madam Pomfrey’s arm. Harry moved his head over on the pillow. In the bed to his right lay Hermione. Moonlight was falling across her bed. Her eyes were open too. She looked petrified, and when she saw that Harry was awake, pressed a finger to her lips, then pointed to the hospital wing door. It was ajar, and the voices of Cornelius Fudge and Snape were coming through it from the corridor outside. Madam Pomfrey now came walking briskly up the dark ward to Harry’s bed. He turned to took at her. She was carrying the largest block of chocolate he had ever seen in his life. It looked like a small boulder. â€Å"Ah, you’re awake!† she said briskly. She placed the chocolate on Harry’s bedside table and began breaking it apart with a small hammer. â€Å"How’s Ron?† said Harry and Hermione together. â€Å"He’ll live,† said Madam Pomfrey grimly. â€Å"As for you two, you’ll be staying here until I’m satisfied you’re — Potter, what do you think you’re doing?† Harry was sitting up, putting his glasses back on, and picking up his wand. â€Å"I need to see the headmaster,† he said. â€Å"Potter,† said Madam Pomfrey soothingly, â€Å"it’s all right. They’ve got Black. He’s locked away upstairs. The Dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now –â€Å" â€Å"WHAT?† Harry jumped up out of bed; Hermione had done the same. But his shout had been heard in the corridor outside; next second, Cornelius Fudge and Snape had entered the ward. â€Å"Harry, Harry, what’s this?† said Fudge, looking agitated. â€Å"You should be in bed — has he had any chocolate?† he asked Madam Pomfrey anxiously. â€Å"Minister, listen!† Harry said. â€Å"Sirius Black’s innocent! Peter Pettigrew faked his own death! We saw him tonight! You can’t let the Dementors do that thing to Sirius, he’s –â€Å" But Fudge was shaking his head with a small smile on his face. â€Å"Harry, Harry, you’re very confused, you’ve been through a dreadful ordeal, lie back down, now, we’ve got everything under control†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"YOU HAVEN’T!† Harry yelled. â€Å"YOU’VE GOT THE WRONG MAN!† â€Å"Minister, listen, please,† Hermione said; she had hurried to Harry’s side and was gazing imploringly into Fudge’s face. â€Å"I saw him too. It was Ron’s rat, he’s an Animagus, Pettigrew, I mean, and –â€Å" â€Å"You see, Minister?† said Snape. â€Å"Confunded, both of them†¦ Black’s done a very good job on them†¦.† â€Å"WE’RE NOT CONFUNDED!† Harry roared. â€Å"Minister! Professor!† said Madam Pomfrey angrily. â€Å"I must insist that you leave. Potter is my patient, and he should not be distressed!† â€Å"I’m not distressed, I’m trying to tell them what happened!† Harry said furiously. â€Å"If they’d just listen –â€Å" But Madam Pomfrey suddenly stuffed a large chunk of chocolate into Harry†s mouth; he choked, and she seized the opportunity to force him back onto the bed. â€Å"Now, please, Minister, these children need care. Please leave.† The door opened again. It was Dumbledore. Harry swallowed his mouthful of chocolate with great difficulty and got up again. â€Å"Professor Dumbledore, Sirius Black –â€Å" â€Å"For heaven’s sake!† said Madam Pomfrey hysterically. â€Å"Is this a hospital wing or not? Headmaster, I must insist –â€Å" â€Å"My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Mr. Potter and Miss Granger,† said Dumbledore calmly. â€Å"I have just been talking to Sirius Black –â€Å" â€Å"I suppose he’s told you the same fairy tale he’s planted in Potter’s mind?† spat Snape. â€Å"Something about a rat, and Pettigrew being alive –â€Å" â€Å"That, indeed, is Black’s story,† said Dumbledore, surveying Snape closely through his half-moon spectacles. â€Å"And does my evidence count for nothing?† snarled Snape. â€Å"Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see any sign of him on the grounds.† â€Å"That was because you were knocked out, Professor!† said Hermione earnestly. â€Å"You didn’t arrive in time to hear.† â€Å"Miss Granger, HOLD YOUR TONGUE!† â€Å"Now, Snape,† said Fudge, startled, â€Å"the young lady is disturbed in her mind, we must make allowances –â€Å" â€Å"I would like to speak to Harry and Hermione alone,† said Dumbledore abruptly. â€Å"Cornelius, Severus, Poppy — please leave us.† â€Å"Headmaster!† sputtered Madam Pomfrey. â€Å"They need treatment, they need rest –â€Å" â€Å"This cannot wait,† said Dumbledore. â€Å"I must insist.† Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips and strode away into her office at the end of the ward, slamming the door behind her. Fudge consulted the large gold pocket watch dangling from his waistcoat. â€Å"The Dementors should have arrived by now,† he said. â€Å"I’ll go and meet them. Dumbledore, I’ll see you upstairs.† He crossed to the door and held it open for Snape, but Snape hadn’t moved. â€Å"You surely don’t believe a word of Black’s story?† Snape whispered, his eyes fixed on Dumbledore’s face. â€Å"I wish to speak to Harry and Hermione alone,† Dumbledore repeated. Snape took a step toward Dumbledore. â€Å"Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of sixteen,† he breathed. â€Å"You haven’t forgotten that, Headmaster? You haven’t forgotten that he once tried to kill me?† â€Å"My memory is as good as it ever was, Severus,† said Dumbledore quietly. Snape turned on his heel and marched through the door Fudge was still holding. It closed behind them, and Dumbledore turned to Harry and Hermione. They both burst into speech at the same time. â€Å"Professor, Black’s telling the truth — we saw Pettigrew — he escaped when Professor Lupin turned into a werewolf –â€Å" â€Å"– he’s a rat –â€Å" â€Å"– Pettigrew’s front paw, I mean, finger, he cut it off –â€Å" â€Å"– Pettigrew attacked Ron, it wasn’t Sirius –â€Å" But Dumbledore held up his hand to stem the flood of explanations. â€Å"It is your turn to listen, and I beg you will not interrupt me, because there is very little time,† he said quietly. â€Å"There is not a shred of proof to support Black’s story, except your word — and the word of two thirteen-year-old wizards will not convince anybody. A street full of eyewitnesses swore they saw Sirius murder Pettigrew. I myself gave evidence to the Ministry that Sirius had been the Potters’ Secret-Keeper.† â€Å"Professor Lupin can tell you –† Harry said, unable to stop himself â€Å"Professor Lupin is currently deep in the forest, unable to tell anyone anything. By the time he is human again, it will be too late, Sirius will be worse than dead. I might add that werewolves are so mistrusted by most of our kind that his support will count for very little and the fact that he and Sirius are old friends –â€Å" â€Å"But –â€Å" â€Å"Listen to me, Harry. It is too late, you understand me? You must see that Professor Snape’s version of events is far more convincing than yours.† â€Å"He hates Sirius,† Hermione said desperately. â€Å"All because of some stupid trick Sirius played on him –â€Å" â€Å"Sirius has not acted like an innocent man. The attack on the Fat Lady — entering Gryffindor Tower with a knife — without Pettigrew, alive or dead, we have no chance of overturning Sirius’s sentence.† â€Å"But you believe us.† â€Å"Yes, I do,† said Dumbledore quietly. â€Å"But I have no power to make other men see the truth, or to overrule the Minister of Magic†¦.† Harry stared up into the grave face and felt as though the ground beneath him were falling sharply away. He had grown used to the idea that Dumbledore could solve anything. He had expected Dumbledore to pull some amazing solution out of the air. But no †¦ their last hope was gone. â€Å"What we need,† said Dumbledore slowly, and his light blue eyes moved from Harry to Hermione, â€Å"is more time.† â€Å"But –† Hermione began. And then her eyes became very round. â€Å"OH!† â€Å"Now, pay attention,† said Dumbledore, speaking very low, and very clearly. â€Å"Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick’s office on the seventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. But remember this, both of you: you must not be seen. Miss Granger, you know the law — you know what is at stake†¦You — must — not — be –seen.† Harry didn’t have a clue what was going on. Dumbledore had turned on his heel and looked back as he reached the door. â€Å"I am going to lock you in. It is –† he consulted his watch, â€Å"five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck.† â€Å"Good luck?† Harry repeated as the door closed behind Dumbledore. â€Å"Three turns? What’s he talking about? What are we supposed to do?† But Hermione was fumbling with the neck of her robes, pulling from beneath them a very long, very fine gold chain. â€Å"Harry, come here,† she said urgently. â€Å"Quick!† Harry moved toward her, completely bewildered. She was holding the chain out. He saw a tiny, sparkling hourglass hanging from it. â€Å"Here –â€Å" She had thrown the chain around his neck too. â€Å"Ready?† she said breathlessly. â€Å"What are we doing?† Harry said, completely lost. Hermione turned the hourglass over three times. The dark ward dissolved. Harry had the sensation that he was flying very fast, backward. A blur of colors and shapes rushed past him, his ears were pounding, he tried to yell but couldn’t hear his own voice — And then he felt solid ground beneath his feet, and everything came into focus again — He was standing next to Hermione in the deserted entrance hall and a stream of golden sunlight was falling across the paved floor from the open front doors. He looked wildly around at Hermione, the chain of the hourglass cutting into his neck. â€Å"Hermione, what –?† â€Å"In here!† Hermione seized Harry’s arm and dragged him across the hall to the door of a broom closet; she opened it, pushed him inside among the buckets and mops, then slammed the door behind them. â€Å"What — how — Hermione, what happened?† â€Å"We’ve gone back in time,† Hermione whispered, lifting the chain off Harry’s neck in the darkness. â€Å"Three hours back†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry found his own leg and gave it a very hard pinch. It hurt a lot, which seemed to rule out the possibility that he was having a very bizarre dream. â€Å"But –â€Å" â€Å"Shh! Listen! Someone’s coming! I think — I think it might be us!’ Hermione had her ear pressed against the cupboard door. â€Å"Footsteps across the hall†¦ yes, I think it’s us going down to Hagrid’s!† â€Å"Are you telling me,† Harry whispered, â€Å"that we’re here in this cupboard and we’re out there too?† â€Å"Yes,† said Hermione, her ear still glued to the cupboard door. â€Å"I’m sure it’s us. It doesn’t sound like more than three people†¦ and we’re walking slowly because we’re under the Invisibility Cloak — â€Å" She broke off, still listening intently. â€Å"We’ve gone down the front steps†¦.† Hermione sat down on an upturned bucket, looking desperately anxious, but Harry wanted a few questions answered. â€Å"Where did you get that hourglass thing?† â€Å"It’s called a Time-Turner,† Hermione whispered, â€Å"and I got it from Professor McGonagall on our first day back. I’ve been using it all year to get to all my lessons. Professor McGonagall made me swear I wouldn’t tell anyone. She had to write all sorts of letters to the Ministry of Magic so I could have one. She had to tell them that I was a model student, and that I’d never, ever use it for anything except my studies†¦ I’ve been turning it back so I could do hours over again, that’s how I’ve been doing several lessons at once, see? But†¦ â€Å"Harry, I don’t understand what Dumbledore wants us to do. Why did he tell us to go back three hours? How’s that going to help Sirius?† Harry stared at her shadowy face. â€Å"There must be something that happened around now he wants us to change,† he said slowly. â€Å"What happened? We were walking down to Hagrid’s three hours ago†¦.† â€Å"This is three hours ago, and we are walking down to Hagrid’s,† said Hermione. â€Å"We just heard ourselves leaving†¦.† Harry frowned; he felt as though he were screwing up his whole brain in concentration. â€Å"Dumbledore just said — just said we could save more than one innocent life†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And then it hit him. â€Å"Hermione, we’re going to save Buckbeak!† â€Å"But — how will that help Sirius?† â€Å"Dumbledore said — he just told us where the window is — the window of Flitwick’s office! Where they’ve got Sirius locked up! We’ve got to fly Buckbeak up to the window and rescue Sirius! Sirius can escape on Buckbeak — they can escape together!† From what Harry could see of Hermione’s face, she looked terrified. â€Å"If we manage that without being seen, it’ll be a miracle!† â€Å"Well, we’ve got to try, haven’t we?† said Harry. He stood up andvpressed his ear against the door. â€Å"Doesn’t sound like anyone’s there†¦ Come on, let’s go.† Harry pushed open the closet door. The entrance hall was deserted. As quietly and quickly as they could, they darted out of the closet and down the stone steps. The shadows were already lengthening, the tops of the trees in the Forbidden Forest gilded once more with gold. â€Å"If anyone’s looking out of the window –† Hermione squeaked, looking up at the castle behind them. â€Å"We’ll run for it,† said Harry determinedly. â€Å"Straight into the forest, all right? We’ll have to hide behind a tree or something and keep a lookout –â€Å" â€Å"Okay, but we’ll go around by the greenhouses!’ said Hermione breathlessly. â€Å"We need to keep out of sight of Hagrid’s front door, or we’ll see us! We must be nearly at Hagrid’s by now!† Still working out what she meant, Harry set off at a sprint, Hermione behind him. They tore across the vegetable gardens to the greenhouses, paused for a moment behind them, then set off again, fast as they could, skirting around the Whomping Willow, tearing toward the shelter of the forest†¦. Safe in the shadows of the trees, Harry turned around; seconds later, Hermione arrived beside him, panting. â€Å"Right,† she gasped. â€Å"We need to sneak over to Hagrid’s†¦. Keep out of sight, Harry†¦.† They made their way silently through the trees, keeping to the very edge of the forest. Then, as they glimpsed the front of Hagrid’s house, they heard a knock upon his door. They moved quickly behind a wide oak trunk and peered out from either side. Hagrid had appeared in his doorway, shaking and white, looking around to see who had knocked. And Harry heard his own voice. â€Å"It’s us. We’re wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off.† â€Å"Yeh shouldn’ve come!† Hagrid whispered. He stood back, then shut the door quickly. â€Å"This is the weirdest thing we’ve ever done,† Harry said fervently. â€Å"Let’s move along a bit,† Hermione whispered. â€Å"We need to get nearer to Buckbeak!† They crept through the trees until they saw the nervous Hippogriff, tethered to the fence around Hagrid’s pumpkin patch. â€Å"Now?† Harry whispered. â€Å"No!† said Hermione. â€Å"If we steal him now, those Committee people will think Hagrid set him free! We’ve got to wait until they’ve seen he’s tied outside!† â€Å"That’s going to give us about sixty seconds,† said Harry. This was starting to seem impossible. At that moment, there was a crash of breaking china from inside Hagrid’s cabin. â€Å"That’s Hagrid breaking the milk jug,† Hermione whispered. â€Å"I’m going to find Scabbers in a moment –â€Å" Sure enough, a few minutes later, they heard Hermione’s shriek of surprise. â€Å"Hermione,† said Harry suddenly, â€Å"what if we — we just run in there and grab Pettigrew –â€Å" â€Å"No!† said Hermione in a terrified whisper. â€Å"Don’t you understand? We’re breaking one of the most important wizarding laws! Nobody’s supposed to change time, nobody! You heard Dumbledore, if we’re seen –â€Å" â€Å"We’d only be seen by ourselves and Hagrid!† â€Å"Harry, what do you think you’d do if you saw yourself bursting into Hagrid’s house?† said Hermione. â€Å"I’d — I’d think I’d gone mad,† said Harry, â€Å"or I’d think there was some Dark Magic going on –â€Å" â€Å"Exactly! You wouldn’t understand, you might even attack yourself! Don’t you see? Professor McGonagall told me what awful things have happened when wizards have meddled with time†¦ Loads of them ended up killing their past or future selves by mistake!† â€Å"Okay!† said Harry. â€Å"It was just an idea, I just thought –â€Å" But Hermione nudged him and pointed toward the castle. Harry moved his head a few inches to get a clear view of the distant front doors. Dumbledore, Fudge, the old Committee member, and Macnair the executioner were coming down the steps. â€Å"We’re about to come out!† Hermione breathed. And sure enough, moments later, Hagrid’s back door opened, and Harry saw himself, Ron, and Hermione walking out of it with Hagrid. It was, without a doubt, the strangest sensation of his life, standing behind the tree, and watching himself in the pumpkin patch. â€Å"It’s Okay, Beaky, it’s okay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Hagrid said to Buckbeak. Then he turned to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. â€Å"Go on. Get goin’.† â€Å"Hagrid, we can’t –â€Å" â€Å"We’ll tell them what really happened –â€Å" â€Å"They can’t kill him –â€Å" â€Å"Go! It’s bad enough without you lot in trouble an’ all!† Harry watched the Hermione in the pumpkin patch throw the Invisibility Cloak over him and Ron. â€Å"Go quick. Don’ listen†¦.† There was a knock on Hagrid’s front door. The execution party had arrived. Hagrid turned, around and headed back into his cabin, leaving the back door ajar. Harry watched the grass flatten in patches all around the cabin and heard three pairs of feet retreating. He, Ron, and Hermione had gone†¦ but the Harry and Hermione hidden in the trees could now hear what was happening inside the cabin through the back door. â€Å"Where is the beast?† came the cold voice of Macnair. â€Å"Out — outside,† Hagrid croaked. Harry pulled his head out of sight as Macnair’s face appeared at Hagrid’s window, staring out at Buckbeak. Then they heard Fudge. â€Å"We — er — have to read you the official notice of execution, Hagrid. I’ll make it quick. And then you and Macnair need to sign it. Macnair, You’re supposed to listen too, that’s procedure –â€Å" Macnair’s face vanished from the window. It was now or never. â€Å"Wait here,† Harry whispered to Hermione. â€Å"I’ll do it.† As Fudge’s voice started again, Harry darted out from behind his tree, vaulted the fence into the pumpkin patch, and approached Buckbeak. â€Å"It is the decision of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures that the Hippogriff Buckbeak, hereafter called the condemned, shall he executed on the sixth of June at sundown –â€Å" Careful not to blink, Harry stared up into Buckbeak’s fierce orange eyes once more and bowed. Buckbeak sank to his scaly knees and then stood up again. Harry began to fumble with the knot of rope tying Buckbeak to the fence. â€Å"†¦ sentenced to execution by beheading, to be carried out by the Committee’s appointed executioner, Walden Macnair†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Come on, Buckbeak,† Harry murmured, â€Å"come on, we’re going to help you. Quietly†¦ quietly†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"†¦ as witnessed below. Hagrid, you sign here†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry threw all his weight onto the rope, but Buckbeak had dug in his front feet. â€Å"Well, let’s get this over with,† said the reedy voice of the Committee member from inside Hagrid’s cabin. â€Å"Hagrid, perhaps it will be better if you stay inside –â€Å" â€Å"No, I — I wan’ ter be with him†¦. I don’ wan’ him ter be alone –â€Å" Footsteps echoed from within the cabin. â€Å"Buckbeak, move!† Harry hissed. Harry tugged harder on the rope around Buckbeak’s neck. The Hippogriff began to walk, rustling its wings irritably. They were still ten feet away from the forest, in plain view of Hagrid’s back door. â€Å"One moment, please, Macnair,† came Dumbledore’s voice. â€Å"You need to sign too.† The footsteps stopped. Harry heaved on the rope. Buckbeak snapped his beak and walked a little faster. Hermione’s white face was sticking out from behind a tree. â€Å"Harry, hurry!† she mouthed. Harry could still hear Dumbledore’s voice talking from within the cabin. He gave the rope another wrench. Buckbeak broke into a grudging trot. They had reached the trees†¦. â€Å"Quick! Quick!† Hermione moaned, darting out from behind her tree, seizing the rope too and adding her weight to make Buckbeak move faster. Harry looked over his shoulder; they were now blocked from sight; they couldn’t see Hagrid’s garden at all. â€Å"Stop!† he whispered to Hermione. â€Å"They might hear us.† Hagrid’s back door had opened with a bang. Harry, Hermione, and Buckbeak stood quite still; even the Hippogriff seemed to be listening intently. Silence†¦ then — â€Å"Where is it?† said the reedy voice of the Committee member. â€Å"Where is the beast?† â€Å"It was tied here!† said the executioner furiously. â€Å"I saw it! Just here!† â€Å"How extraordinary,† said Dumbledore. There was a note of amusement in his voice. â€Å"Beaky!† said Hagrid huskily. There was a swishing noise, and the thud of an axe. The executioner seemed to have swung it into the fence in anger. And then came the howling, and this time they could hear Hagrid’s words through his sobs. â€Å"Gone! Gone! Bless his little beak, he’s gone! Musta pulled himself free! Beaky, yeh clever boy!† Buckbeak started to strain against the rope, trying to get back to Hagrid. Harry and Hermione tightened their grip and dug their heels into the forest floor to stop him. â€Å"Someone untied him!† the executioner was snarling. â€Å"We should search the grounds, the forest.† â€Å"Macnair, if Buckbeak has indeed been stolen, do you really think the thief will have led him away on foot?† said Dumbledore, still sounding amused. â€Å"Search the skies, if you will†¦. Hagrid, I could do with a cup of tea. Or a large brandy.† â€Å"O’ — o’ course, Professor,† said Hagrid, who sounded weak with happiness. â€Å"Come in, come in†¦.† Harry and Hermione listened closely. They heard footsteps, the soft cursing of the executioner, the snap of the door, and then silence once more. â€Å"Now what?† whispered Harry, looking around. â€Å"We’ll have to hide in here,† said Hermione, who looked very shaken. â€Å"We need to wait until they’ve gone back to the castle. Then we wait until it’s safe to fly Buckbeak up to Sirius’s window. He won’t be there for another couple of hours†¦. Oh, this is going to be difficult†¦.† She looked nervously over her shoulder into the depths of the forest. The sun was setting now. â€Å"We’re going to have to move,† said Harry, thinking hard. â€Å"We’ve got to be able to see the Whomping Willow, or we won’t know what’s going on.† â€Å"Okay,† said Hermione, getting a firmer grip on Buckbeak’s rope. â€Å"But we’ve got to keep out of sight, Harry, remember†¦.† They moved around the edge of the forest, darkness falling thickly around them, until they were hidden behind a clump of trees through which they could make out the Willow. â€Å"There’s Ron!† said Harry suddenly. A dark figure was sprinting across the lawn and its shout echoed through the still night air. â€Å"Get away from him — get away — Scabbers, come here –â€Å" And then they saw two more figures materialize out of nowhere. Harry watched himself and Hermione chasing afte r Ron. Then he saw Ron dive. â€Å"Gotcha! Get off, you stinking cat –â€Å" â€Å"There’s Sirius!† said Harry. The great shape of the dog had bounded out from the roots of the Willow. They saw him bowl Harry over, then seize on†¦. â€Å"Looks even worse from here, doesn’t it?† said Harry, watching the dog pulling Ron into the roots. â€Å"Ouch — look, I just got walloped by the tree — and so did you — this is weird?C† The Whomping Willow was creaking and lashing out with its lower branches; they could see themselves darting here and there, trying to reach the trunk. And then the tree froze. â€Å"That was Crookshanks pressing the knot,† said Hermione. â€Å"And there we go†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry muttered. â€Å"We’re in.† The moment they disappeared, the tree began to move again. Seconds later, they heard footsteps quite close by. Dumbledore, Macnair, Fudge, and the old Committee member were making their way up to the castle. â€Å"Right after we’d gone down into the passage!† said Hermione. â€Å"If only Dumbledore had come with us†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Macnair and Fudge would’ve come too,† said Harry bitterly. â€Å"I bet you anything Fudge would’ve told Macnair to murder Sirius on the spot†¦.† They watched the four men climb the castle steps and disappear from view. For a few minutes the scene was deserted. Then — â€Å"Here comes Lupin!† said Harry as they saw another figure sprinting down the stone steps and halting toward the Willow. Harry looked up at the sky. Clouds were obscuring the moon completely. They watched Lupin seize a broken branch from the ground and prod the knot on the trunk. The tree stopped fighting, and Lupin, too, disappeared into the gap in its roots. â€Å"If he’d only grabbed the cloak,† said Harry. â€Å"It’s just lying there†¦.† He turned to Hermione. â€Å"If I just dashed out now and grabbed it, Snape’d never be able to get it and –â€Å" â€Å"Harry, we mustn’t be seen!† â€Å"How can you stand this?† he asked Hermione fiercely. â€Å"Just standing here and watching it happen?† He hesitated. â€Å"I’m going to grab the cloak!† â€Å"Harry, no!† Hermione seized the back of Harry’s robes not a moment too soon. Just then, they heard a burst of song. It was Hagrid, making his way up to the castle, singing at the top of his voice, and weaving slightly as he walked. A large bottle was swinging from his hands. â€Å"See?† Hermione whispered. â€Å"See what would have happened? We’ve got to keep out of sight! No, Buckbeak!† The Hippogriff was making frantic attempts to get to Hagrid again; Harry seized his rope too, straining to hold Buckbeak back. They watched Hagrid meander tipsily up to the castle. He was gone. Buckbeak stopped fighting to get away. His head drooped sadly. Barely two minutes later, the castle doors flew open yet again, and Snape came charging out of them, running toward the Willow. Harry’s fists clenched as they watched Snape skid to a halt next to the tree, looking around. He grabbed the cloak and held it up. â€Å"Get your filthy hands off it,† Harry snarled under his breath. â€Å"Shh!† Snape seized the branch Lupin had used to freeze the tree, prodded the knot, and vanished from view as he put on the cloak. â€Å"So that’s it,† said Hermione quietly. â€Å"We’re all down there†¦ and now we’ve just got to wait until we come back up again†¦.† She took the end of Buckbeak’s rope and tied it securely around the nearest tree, then sat down on the dry ground, arms around her knees. â€Å"Harry, there’s something I don’t understand†¦. Why didn’t the Dementors get Sirius? I remember them coming, and then I think I passed out†¦ there were so many of them†¦.† Harry sat down too. He explained what he’d seen; how, as the nearest Dementor had lowered its mouth to Harry’s, a large silver something had come galloping across the lake and forced the Dementors to retreat. Hermione’s mouth was slightly open by the time Harry had finished. â€Å"But what was it?† â€Å"There’s only one thing it could have been, to make the Dementors go,† said Harry. â€Å"A real Patronus. A powerful one.† â€Å"But who conjured it?† Harry didn’t say anything. He was thinking back to the person he’d seen on the other bank of the lake. He knew who he thought it had been†¦ but how could it have been? â€Å"Didn’t you see what they looked like?† said Hermione eagerly. â€Å"Was it one of the teachers?† â€Å"No,† said Harry. â€Å"He wasn’t a teacher.† â€Å"But it must have been a really powerful wizard, to drive all those Dementors away†¦ If the Patronus was shining so brightly, didn’t it light him up? Couldn’t you see –?† â€Å"Yeah, I saw him,† said Harry slowly. â€Å"But†¦ maybe I imagined it†¦ I wasn’t thinking straight†¦ I passed out right afterward†¦.† â€Å"Who did you think it was?† â€Å"I think –† Harry swallowed, knowing how strange this was going to sound. â€Å"I think it was my dad.† Harry glanced up at Hermione and saw that her mouth was fully open now. She was gazing at him with a mixture of alarm and pity. â€Å"Harry, your dad’s — well — dead,† she said quietly. â€Å"I know that,† said Harry quickly. â€Å"You think you saw his ghost?† â€Å"I don’t know†¦ no†¦ he looked solid†¦.† â€Å"But then –â€Å" â€Å"Maybe I was seeing things,† said Harry. â€Å"But†¦ from what I could see†¦ it looked like him†¦. I’ve got photos of him†¦.† Hermione was still looking at him as though worried about his sanity. â€Å"I know it sounds crazy,† said Harry flatly. He turned to took at Buckbeak, who was digging his beak into the ground, apparently searching for worms. But he wasn’t really watching Buckbeak. He was thinking about his father and about his father’s three oldest friends†¦ Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs†¦. Had all four of them been out on the grounds tonight? Wormtail had reappeared this evening when everyone had thought he was dead†¦ Was it so impossible his father had done the same? Had he been seeing things across the take? The figure had been too far away to see distinctly†¦ yet he had felt sure, for a moment, before he’d lost consciousness†¦. The leaves overhead rustled faintly in the breeze. The moon drifted in and out of sight behind the shifting clouds. Hermione sat with her face turned toward the Willow, waiting. And then, at last, after over an hour†¦ â€Å"Here we come!† Hermione whispered. She and Harry got to their feet. Buckbeak raised his head. They saw Lupin, Ron, and Pettigrew clambering awkwardly out of the hole in the roots. Then came Hermione†¦ then the unconscious Snape, drifting weirdly upward. Next came Harry and Black. They all began to walk toward the castle. Harry’s heart was starting to beat very fast. He glanced up at the sky. Any moment now, that cloud was going to move aside and show the moon†¦ â€Å"Harry,† Hermione muttered as though she knew exactly what he was thinking, â€Å"we’ve got to stay put. We mustn’t be seen. There’s nothing we can do†¦.† â€Å"So we’re just going to let Pettigrew escape all over again†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Harry quietly. â€Å"How do you expect to find a rat in the dark?† snapped Hermione. â€Å"There’s nothing we can do! We came back to help Sirius; we’re not supposed to be doing anything else!† â€Å"All right!† The moon slid out from behind its cloud. They saw the tiny figures across the grounds stop. Then they saw movement — â€Å"There goes Lupin,† Hermione whispered. â€Å"He’s transforming.† â€Å"Hermione!† said Harry suddenly. â€Å"We’ve got to move!† â€Å"We mustn’t, I keep telling you –â€Å" â€Å"Not to interfere! Lupin’s going to run into the forest, right at us!† Hermione gasped. â€Å"Quick!† she moaned, dashing to untie Buckbeak. â€Å"Quick! Where are we going to go? Where are we going to hide? The Dementors will be coming any moment –â€Å" â€Å"Back to Hagrid’s!† Harry said. â€Å"It’s empty now — come on!† They ran as fast as they could, Buckbeak cantering along behind them. They could hear the werewolf howling behind them†¦. The cabin was in sight; Harry skidded to the door, wrenched it open, and Hermione and Buckbeak flashed past him; Harry threw himself in after them and bolted the door. Fang the boarhound barked loudly. â€Å"Shh, Fang, it’s us!† said Hermione, hurrying over and scratching his ears to quieten him. â€Å"That was really close!† she said to Harry. â€Å"Yeah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry was looking out of the window. It was much harder to see what was going on from here. Buckbeak seemed very happy to find himself back inside Hagrid’s house. He lay down in front of the fire, folded his wings contentedly, and seemed ready for a good nap. â€Å"I think I’d better go outside again, you know,† said Harry slowly. â€Å"I can’t see what’s going on — we won’t know when it’s time –â€Å" Hermione looked up. Her expression was suspicious. â€Å"I’m not going to try and interfere,† said Harry quickly. â€Å"But if we don’t see what’s going on, how’re we going to know when it’s time to rescue Sirius?† â€Å"Well†¦ okay, then†¦ I’ll wait here with Buckbeak†¦ but Harry, be careful — there’s a werewolf out there — and the Dementors.† Harry stepped outside again and edged around the cabin. He could hear yelping in the distance. That meant the Dementors were closing in on Sirius†¦. He and Hermione would be running to him any moment†¦. Harry stared out toward the lake, his heart doing a kind of drumroll in his chest†¦. Whoever had sent that Patronus would be appearing at any moment†¦. For a fraction of a second he stood, irresolute, in front of Hagrid’s door. You must not be seen. But he didn’t want to be seen. He wanted to do the seeing†¦. He had to know†¦ And there were the Dementors. They were emerging out of the darkness from every direction, gliding around the edges of the lake†¦. They were moving away from where Harry stood, to the opposite bank†¦. He wouldn’t have to get near them†¦. Harry began to run. He had no thought in his head except his father†¦ If it was him†¦ if it really was him†¦ he had to know, had to find out†¦. The lake was coming nearer and nearer, but there was no sign of anybody. On the opposite bank, he could see tiny glimmers of silver — his own attempts at a Patronus — There was a bush at the very edge of the water. Harry threw himself behind it, peering desperately through the leaves. On the opposite bank, the glimmers of silver were suddenly extinguished. A terrified excitement shot through him — any moment now — â€Å"Come on!† he muttered, staring about. â€Å"Where are you? Dad, come on –â€Å" But no one came. Harry raised his head to look at the circle of Dementors across the lake. One of them was lowering its hood. It was time for the rescuer to appear — but no one was coming to help this time — And then it hit him — he understood. He hadn’t seen his father he had seen himself — Harry flung himself out from behind the bush and pulled out his wand. â€Å"EXPECTO PATRONUM! † he yelled. And out of the end of his wand burst, not a shapeless cloud of mist, but a blinding, dazzling, silver animal. He screwed up his eyes, trying to see what it was. It looked like a horse. It was galloping silently away from him, across the black surface of the lake. He saw it lower its head and charge at the swarming Dementors†¦. Now it was galloping around and around the black shapes on the ground, and the Dementors were falling back, scattering, retreating into the darkness†¦. They were gone. The Patronus turned. It was cantering back toward Harry across the still surface of the water. It wasn’t a horse. It wasn’t a unicorn, either. It was a stag. It was shining brightly as the moon above †¦ it was coming back to him†¦. It stopped on the bank. Its hooves made no mark on the soft ground as it stared at Harry with its large, silver eyes. Slowly, it bowed its antlered head. And Harry realized†¦ â€Å"Prongs,† he whispered. But as his trembling fingertips stretched toward the creature, it vanished. Harry stood there, hand still outstretched. Then, with a great leap of his heart, he heard hooves behind him. He whirled around and saw Hermione dashing toward him, dragging Buckbeak behind her. â€Å"What did you do?† she said fiercely. â€Å"You said you were only going to keep a lookout!† â€Å"I just saved all our lives†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Harry. â€Å"Get behind here behind this bush — I’ll explain.† Hermione listened to what had just happened with her mouth open yet again. â€Å"Did anyone see you?† â€Å"Yes, haven’t you been listening? I saw me but I thought I was my dad! It’s okay!† â€Å"Harry, I can’t believe it†¦ You conjured up a Patronus that drove away all those Dementors! That’s very, very advanced magic.† â€Å"I knew I could do it this time,† said Harry, â€Å"because I’d already done it†¦ Does that make sense?† â€Å"I don’t know — Harry, look at Snape!† Together they peered around the bush at the other bank. Snape had regained consciousness. He was conjuring stretchers and lifting the limp forms of Harry, Hermione, and Black onto them. A fourth stretcher, no doubt bearing Ron, was already floating at his side. Then, wand held out in front of him, he moved them away toward the castle. â€Å"Right, it’s nearly time,† said Hermione tensely, looking at her watch. â€Å"We’ve got about forty-five minutes until Dumbledore locks the door to the hospital wing. We’ve got to rescue Sirius and get back into the ward before anybody realizes we’re missing†¦.† They waited, watching the moving clouds reflected in the lake, while the bush next to them whispered in the breeze. Buckbeak, bored, was ferreting for worms again. â€Å"Do you reckon he’s up there yet?† said Harry, checking his watch. He looked up at the castle and began counting the windows to the right of the West Tower. â€Å"Look!† Hermione whispered. â€Å"Who’s that? Someone’s coming back out of the castle!† Harry stared through the darkness. The man was hurrying across the grounds, toward one of the entrances. Something shiny glinted in his belt. â€Å"Macnair!† said Harry. â€Å"The executioner! He’s gone to get the Dementors! This is it, Hermione –â€Å" Hermione put her hands on Buckbeak’s back and Harry gave her a leg up. Then he placed his foot on one of the lower branches of the bush and climbed up in front of her. He pulled Buckbeak’s rope back over his neck and tied it to the other side of his collar like reins. â€Å"Ready?† he whispered to Hermione. â€Å"You’d better hold on to me –â€Å" He nudged Buckbeak’s sides with his heels. Buckbeak soared straight into the dark air. Harry gripped his flanks with his knees, feeling the great wings rising powerfully beneath them. Hermione was holding Harry very tight around the waist; he could hear her muttering, â€Å"Oh, no — I don’t like this oh, I really don’t like this –â€Å" Harry urged Buckbeak forward. They were gliding quietly toward the upper floors of the castle†¦. Harry pulled hard on the left-hand side of the rope, and Buckbeak turned. Harry was trying to count the windows flashing past — â€Å"Whoa!† he said, pulling backward as hard as he could. Buckbeak slowed down and they found themselves at a stop, unless you counted the fact that they kept rising up and down several feet as the Hippogriff beat his wings to remain airborne. â€Å"He’s there!† Harry said, spotting Sirius as they rose up beside the window. He reached out, and as Buckbeak’s wings fell, was able to tap sharply on the glass. Black looked up. Harry saw his jaw drop. He leapt from his chair, hurried to the window and tried to open it, but it was locked. â€Å"Stand back!† Hermione called to him, and she took out her wand, still gripping the back of Harry’s robes with her left hand. â€Å"Alohomora!† The window sprang open. â€Å"How — how –?† said Black weakly, staring at the Hippogriff. â€Å"Get on — there’s not much time,† said Harry, gripping Buckbeak firmly on either side of his sleek neck to hold him steady. â€Å"You’ve got to get out of here -the Dementors are coming — Macnair’s gone to get them.† Black placed a hand on either side of the window frame and heaved his head and shoulders out of it. It was very lucky he was so thin. In seconds, he had managed to fling one leg over Buckbeak’s back and pull himself onto the Hippogriff behind Hermione. â€Å"Okay, Buckbeak, up!† said Harry, shaking the rope. â€Å"Up to the tower — come on.† The Hippogriff gave one sweep of its mighty wings and they were soaring upward again, high as the top of the West Tower. Buckbeak landed with a clatter on the battlements, and Harry and Hermione slid off him at once. â€Å"Sirius, you’d better go, quick,† Harry panted. â€Å"They’ll reach Flitwick’s office any moment, they’ll find out you’re gone.† Buckbeak pawed the ground, tossing his sharp head. â€Å"What happened to the other boy? Ron?† croaked Sirius. â€Å"He’s going to be okay. He’s still out of it, but Madam Pomfrey says she’ll be able to make him better. Quick — go –â€Å" But Black was still staring down at Harry. â€Å"How can I ever thank –â€Å" â€Å"GO!† Harry and Hermione shouted together. Black wheeled Buckbeak around, facing the open sky. â€Å"We’ll see each other again,† he said. â€Å"You are — truly your father’s son, Harry†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He squeezed Buckbeak’s sides with his heels. Harry and Hermione jumped back as the enormous wings rose once more†¦ The Hippogriff took off into the air†¦ He and his rider became smaller and smaller as Harry gazed after them†¦ then a cloud drifted across the moon†¦. They were gone. How to cite Chapter 21 Hermione’s Secret, Essay examples

Tennessee Williams Essays - A Streetcar Named Desire, Amanda

Tennessee Williams The playwright, Tennessee Williams, allows the main characters in the plays A Streetcar Named Desire and The Glass Menagerie to live miserable lives which they try to deny and later change. The downfall and denial of the Southern gentlewoman is a common theme in both plays. The characters, Blanche from A.S.N.D. and Amanda from T.G.M., are prime examples of this concept. Both Blanche and Amanda have had many struggles in their lives and go through even more through out the rest of the plays. The problem is that Williams never lets the two women work through and move on from these problems. The two ladies are allowed to destroy themselves and he invites us to watch them in the process(Stine and Marowski 474). The downfall, denial, and need to change of the two women is quite evident in these two plays. First the troubles of Blanche and Amanda need to be recognized. Blanche hides her drinking problem so well when she arrives and sneaks a shot of whiskey (William A Streetcar Named Desire, ,Scene1. Page 18. Lines 12-17) that when she is later offered a drink, she acts as though she has no idea where they keep them (Williams, A.S.N.D. 1.19.12-15). Amanda cannot accept that no gentlemen callers are coming for Laura,herdaughter, thus making it harder for Laura to accept it (Williams,The Glass Menagerie, 1.28.1-5). Blanche and Amanda both do not allow themselves to accept their problems and work them out. They deny these problems which feeds them making them larger and even more complicated. When Stella offered Blanche a second drink she stated, ?One's my limit.? (Williams, A.S.N.D., 1.21.14-15) Blanche is very ?self-destructive? (Hassan 326). She is her own worst enemy because of how she handles her problems. Amanda comments at the end of the play that Tom shouldn't think about his poor mother and sister in a very sarcastic way (Williams, T.G.M., 9.114.1-3). She tries to push her problems off on him and not deal with them herself. By pushing the blame off on Tom, she feels as though she did nothing wrong and it is everyone else's fault. If the two women had just accepted that they were at fault too and not just everyone else they could have moved on with their lives. Both Blanche and Amanda's biggest problem is that they deny the truth. Blanche denies her drinking problem. She also denies the fact that she was a prostitute. She even made such an unbelievable comment that, ?I take for granted that you still have sufficient memeory of Belle Reve to find this place and these poker players impossible to live with.? (Williams, A.S.N.D., 4.70.1-3) She denies that she ever sunk lower than Stella when in truth, she was much worse. She was the one who lost her job for sleeping with a seventeen year old and was kicked out of the town for being a slut by the mayor. She had the gall to lecture Stella on her choice of men. ?You can't have forgotten that much of our up bringing, Stella, that you just suppose that any part of a gentlemen in his nature!? (Williams, A.S.N.D., 4.71.13-18) Blanche speaks to Stella as though it is absolutely terrible that she married Stanley, of all people, when she slept with more people than she could even remember. She shows the ?do as I say, not as I do? philosophy while though at first, Stella is not even aware of her sister's past. Amanda on the other hand, just shrinks poor Laura's self-esteem and confidence more than it already is by bragging about how she had seventeen gentlemen callers over one evening when she was Laura's age. Amanda also refers to her husband's leaving her and her childeren as, ?he fell in love with long distances...? (Williams, T.G.M., 1.23.28). She sannot admit the truth that he just left them. She cannot even admit to herself that Laura is crippled, she only refers to her as different. Also, when Amanda looks back at her past, she tends to only remember the good things that happened. She has blocked out the things that she did not enjoy and has exaggerated the past to an extent. At one point