Damaged (A Marauders Era story)

First Year, Part 9 (The Forbidden Forest)

It was a Thursday evening, and I sat in the library with Aileen, playing a game of Wizarding Chess.

It would be Christmas in only two more days. Professor McGonagall had come around a few days ago making a list of who would be staying at Hogwarts for Christmas. Most of the students had gone home for the Holidays, but I had opted to stay here. I decided it would be better remain at Hogwarts than to have to go back to Aunt Cora. Aileen was staying too, although I didn't know what her reason was. Maybe, like me, she didn't have the best people in the world waiting for her back home.

Hogwarts seemed so empty with so many of its students gone. I had the dormitory all to myself. The meals were quiet and uneventful, especially with the lack of a certain group of boys who were anything but quiet and well behaved.

The great hall looked so magical, more so than usual, that is. Holly and Mistletoe hung everywhere throughout Hogwarts, and there were more than ten decorated Christmas trees in the Great Hall.
The grounds of Hogwarts were coved in a sparkling white snow, and some of the students who had remained at Hogwarts were out there right now having snowball fights.

We had finished all the classes for today and Aileen, and I had been sitting in the library playing chess for about an hour.

"Checkmate," Aileen said smirking.

"You cheat," I said, pouting. "How do you manage to win every time?"

"Simple," She responded, tossing her blond hair behind her shoulder. "You see an opportunity, and you seize it, without making sure it's not a trap first. Killing off all your pieces is easy. You need to learn to strategize, Alexa."

"I suppose I don't have the patience required for winning chess," I said, standing up. "Do you wanna go explore the castle?" I asked as we put the chess away. "Since most of the students are away, we have the whole castle to ourselves."

Aileen was quiet for a moment, chewing on her lip thoughtfully.

"I have a better idea," She said slowly, "Since most of the students are gone, it would be easy for us to enter the Forbidden Forest unseen."

I looked up at her, shocked.

"But Dumbledore said-" I started,

"What Dumbledore doesn't know won't kill him," she said rolling her eyes.

"Yeah," I agreed, "But it very well might kill us. You heard what Dumbledore said, Aileen. There are dangerous creatures in the Forbidden Forest. There's a reason it's forbidden, you know."

"Come on Alexa," she said, "we won't go very far. It's light out, and nothing's ever happened before."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise.
"Before? Have you been there before Aileen?" My voice had begun to rise, and Aileen shushed me, glancing around.
Madam Pince, the very strict librarian, was glaring disapprovingly at us and held a finger to her mouth in warning.

"Look, if you're too afraid then we don't have to go," Aileen reassured me quietly. "But, I thought Gryffindors were supposed to be brave."

"Fine," I said, sighing. "But we'll need to dress warmly. It's freezing outside."

Aileen smiled, knowing she had won the argument.

"Great," she said, "I'll go get dressed and meet you down here in 10 minutes."

"Okay," I agreed, and we both went to our separate Dormitories to get dressed into warm outfits.

As we walked towards the forest, I glanced at me nervously. I knew we were breaking the rules, and it felt like at any moment someone would catch us. I had become used to sneaking out past curfew, and even going outside at night, as it was the only time that people weren't all around the castle, their horrified or disgusted stairs piercing me. But we would be in more trouble if we were caught in the Forbidden Forest than if we were caught wondering Hogwarts past hours. Aileen didn't seem worried at all.