Rory Potter, the Girl Who Lived

Unicorn Blood

          Things can't be worse.
          Filch takes us to McGonagall's study, where we sit and wait without a word. We're all terrified out of our wits, trembling. My heart pounds frantically against my chest, and my breathing is quick and shallow.
          When Professor McGonagall appeards, she's leading Neville. When he sees us, he bursts out, "Harry, Rory, I heard you had a drag - "
          Harry shakes his head violently, and Professor McGonagall looks more likely to breathe fire than Norberta as she towers over the five of us.
          "I wouldn't have though it of any of you. Its one in the morning. Explain yourselves."
          When we remain silent, she says, "I get it. You fed Malfoy some crazy story about a dragon hoping to get him out of bed and in detention. I suppose you think IRS funny that Long bottom here heard it and believed it, too?"
          Neville looks deeply hurt, and I look at him, trying to send the thought to him through my eyes: It's not true, Neville, it's not true.
          My necklace emits a pale pink glow and I quickly civer it with my hand.
          Rory!? a shocked voice says in my mind.
          Neville!? I say back, equally shocked.
          Bloody hell, Rory, you're telepathic!
          Oh, Merlin! I knew it!
          What? Neville asks in my mind.
          It's the necklace! I explain. I've used it before to talk to animals, but never other people. Apparently it's really powerful.
          And that's why it glowed! Neville finishes.
          "Potter! Longbottom! Kindly pay attention. The lot of you will receive detention, and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor."
          "Fifty!?" Harry sputters.
          "Fifty points each, Mr Potter," McGonagall says.

         The next morning none of us are in a good mood. Gryffindor is now in last place, and that's thanks to us. The only one who will talk to Harry, Hermione, Neville and I is Ron and the Slytherins who congratulate us. We pretty much guaranteed them the House Cup.
          "No - no - not again, please," a voice says in a classroom to our left. Harry grabs my arm and stops me. We press our ears to the door to listen. It's Quirrel, and it sounds like someone is threatening him.
           "All right - all right - " we hear Quirrel sob. Next secnd he comes hurrying from the classroom straightening his turban. He ignores us and hurries out of sight. We run as fast as we can back to the common room.
          "So you mean Quirrel gave in?" Ron gasps. I nod. "Go to Dumbledore, Rory!"
          "We've got no proof, that's the point!" Harry snaps.
          An owl taps on the window. I run over to check and see that it's from McGonagall.
          "Our detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. We've got to meet Filch in the entrance hall," I say. "Neville! Did you hear that?"
          "Yeah," he says gloomily.

          At eleven o'clock night, Hermione and I bundle up and meet the Harry and Neville in the entrance hall. To my surprise, Malfoy is there as well. He gives me a weak smile in greeting and I return it. I get another shock when Filch leads Hagrid's hut. He waits outside with Fang. I grin and sink to the ground, hugging Fang.
          "Have fun in the forest, students," says Filch evily. I gasp and hug Fang harder. Hermione sinks to the ground next to me, grabbing my hand. Neville clings to Harry's sleeve and Malfoy's blue eyes stretch wide.
          "The forest? But there's werewolves in there!" he says shakily.
          "There's more than werewolves in there, Mafloy," grins Filch. He laughs then wanders off.
          "Righ' then," Hagrid says, "see this silvery stuff? Unicorn blood. Reckon one's been hurt. We're tryin' ter find it."
          "I get Fang, then," Malfoy says quickly.
          "Alrigh' but I warn yeh, he's a bloody coward. Rory, Harry you go with him. Hermione an' Neville, come with me."
          We set off into the forest, and I stick close to Fang as we follow the silvery unicorn blood deeper into the forest. We walk for nearly half an hour, and the blood seems to be getting thicker. Suddenly Harry sticks his arm out to stop Malfoy. I run into him and nearly fall over, but the blond boy grabs my arm to keep me upright. 
          "Look - " my brother says, pointing to a silvery white blob on the ground. The unicorn. Its dead, obviously, but something moves suddenly behind it. I gasp and nearly scream, grabbing onto Draco's arm with both hands. He slips an arm around my shoulders.
          "Harry, we should get Hagrid, there was something there," I say. "We should send up sparks so he can find us. I've got a bad feeling about this, do you want me to send up sparks - "
          "Not yet, let's go see it," my brother says.
          "Harry, I - " I start, by he cuts in, saying, "It's fine, Rory."
          I press my lips together and try not to burst into tears. Draco puts an arm around my waist and pulls me close. For a moment, I forget we're supposed to be enemies and bury my face in his shoulder.
          "It's gonna be okay, Rory," he whispers into my hair so only I can hear. He told me he loved the scent of my hair. He said it smelled like lemons, I remember vaguely. Another slithering sound makes me gasp. Out of the bushes comes a figure in black. It reaches the unicorn and bends over it, drinking it's blood. My scar sears with pain like I've never felt before, like my hand is on fire. I let out a scream and clutch it to my chest.
          "Run, Rory!" Harry yells. "The both of you, run!"
          "No, Harry," I manage, but Draco doesn't need to be told twice. He grabs my arm and bolts, yelling the whole way. Fang bounds after us.
          Despite the searing pain in my hand, I struggle against the blue-eyed boys hands, screaming, "Let go of me, Draco! I can't leave him, I can't. Let me go back for Harry, please! Please, Draco . . . "
          I burst into choking sobs, partially due to the pain and partially for other reasons.
          "I can't, Rory, you've got to stay here," he says. Finally we stop running and he shoves me behind a tree. I give up on struggling and just sob. I nearly collapse, and Draco catches me, caging me in his arms. We sink to the forest floor, and I sob until I have a pounding headache. Finally, I untangle myself from him and just sit there, trying to figure out what to say.
          "Should we send up red sparks?" I ask weakly.
          "In a moment, I'll let you compose yourself first," he says. "I know you won't want anyone to see you like this."
          I nearly burst into tears again at such a kind remark from a not-so-kind-seeming person. After a while, I manage to say, "Thank you. And I'm sorry you've got to see me like this."
          "It's no big deal. We all have our days," Draco says. His blue eyes have lost their icy look and it's been replaced by genuine concern. I smile tentively as I pull my glasses off and wipe my tears away. Then I run a hand over my face, feeling weak and sick. My scar still prickles and my head pounds.
          "Are you alright?" Draco says quickly. His voice echoes loudly in my super-stressed mind. All I manage is a small whimper. "Rory, look at me, are you alright?"
          My vision fades in and out quickly and repeatedly. I manage another noise, and squeak this time.
          "Rory!?" 
          "Unngghh," I groan, then my vision goes black. The last thing I remember seeing is a pair of panicked blue eyes.

          My eyes flutter open to see a bunch of blurry people bent over me. I can guess that I'm in the hospital wing. I gasp and sit up, groping for my glasses.
          All at once, a bunch of voices say my name, "Rory!?"
          I shove my glasses on to see Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco, Hagrid, and Madam Pomphrey bent over me. My head hurts. Badly.
          "Mmm," I groan, "what happened?'
          "You blacked out on me," Draco says, "I don't know why, but you just kind of stopped functioning and slumped onto Fang."
          "Good thing Malfoy had dragged you out. I have a feeling it would have been much worse if you stayed with me," Harry says. "Never thought I'd be saying this, but: Thank you, Malfoy."
         "No problem, Potter," Draco responds.