could now hear what was happening inside the cabin through the back door.

 "Where is the beast?" came the cold voice of Macnair.

 "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. 

"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 --"

 Macnair's face vanished from the window. It was now or never.

 "Wait here," Harry whispered to Hermione and Amelia. "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. 

"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 --

" 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.

 "... sentenced to execution by beheading, to be carried out by the Committee's appointed executioner, Walden Macnai..."

 "Come on, Buckbeak," Harry murmured, "come on, we're going to help you. Quietly... quietly..."

 "... as witnessed below. Hagrid, you sign here..." 

Harry threw all his weight onto the rope, but Buckbeak had dug in his front feet.