Things couldn't have been worse. I thought
Filch took Harry and Hermione down to Professor McGonagall's study on the first floor, where they sat and waited without saying a word to each other. Hermione was trembling. I didn't know what to do. How could they have been so stupid as to forget the cloak? There was no reason on earth that Professor McGonagall would accept for their being out of bed and creeping around the school in the dead of night, let alone being up the tallest astronomy tower, which was out-of-bounds except for classes. Add Norbert and the invisibility cloak, and they might as well be packing their bags already. shit! I know this was a stupid idea, but I walked out of the room and slipped out the invisibility cloak while walking back inside the room.
I thought that things couldn't have been worse? I was fucking wrong. When Professor McGonagall appeared, she was leading Neville.
"Harry!" Neville burst out, the moment he saw the other two. "I was trying to find you and warn you that I heard Malfoy saying he was going to catch you, he said you had a drag -"
Harry and I shook our heads violently to shut Neville up, but Professor McGonagall saw. She looked more likely to breathe fire than Norbert as she towered over the four of us.
"I would never have believed it of any of you. Mr. Filch says you were up in the astronomy tower. It's one o'clock in the morning. Explain yourselves."
It was the first time Hermione had ever failed to answer a teacher's question. She was staring at her slippers, as still as a statue. I was still coming up with a stupid lie when McGonagall started talking.
"I think I've got a good idea of what's been going on," said Professor McGonagall. "It doesn't take a genius to work it out. You fed Draco Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. I've already caught him. I suppose you think it's funny that Longbottom here heard the story and believed it, too?"
Harry caught Neville's eyes and tried to tell him without words that this wasn't true because Neville was looking stunned and hurt. Poor, blundering Neville – I knew what it must have cost him to try and find us in the dark, to warn us.
"I'm disgusted," said Professor McGonagall. "Five students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before! You, Miss Granger, I thought you had more sense. As for you, Mr. Potter, and Mr.L/N, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. All four of you will receive detentions – yes, you too, Mr. Longbottom, nothing gives you the right to walk around school at night, especially these days, it's very dangerous – and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor."
"Fifty?" Harry gasped – we would lose the lead, the lead Harry won in the last Quidditch match.
"Fifty points each," said Professor McGonagall, breathing heavily through her long, pointed nose.
"Professor – please –"
"You can't –"
"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Potter. Now get back to bed, all of you. I've never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students."
Two hundred points lost. That put Gryffindor in last place. In one night, we ruined any chance Gryffindor had had for the house cup. How could we ever make up for this?
At first, Gryffindors passing the giant hourglasses that recorded the house points the next day thought there'd been a mistake. How could they suddenly have two hundred points fewer than yesterday? And then the story started to spread.
From being one of the most popular and admired people at the school, Harry was suddenly the most hated. Even Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs turned on him, because everyone had been longing to see Slytherin lose the house cup, Everywhere Harry went, people pointed and didn't trouble to lower their voices as they insulted him. Slytherins, on the other hand, clapped as he walked past them, whistling and cheering, "Thanks Potter, we owe you one!"
Only me and Ron stood by Harry.
"They'll all forget this in a few weeks. Fred and George have lost loads of points in all the time they've been here, and people still like them."
"They've never lost a hundred and fifty points in one go, though, have they?" said Harry miserably.
"Well – no," Ron admitted..
Hermione and Neville were suffering, too. They didn't have as bad a time as Harry, because they weren't as well-known, but nobody would speak to them, either. Hermione had stopped drawing attention to herself in class, keeping her head down and working in silence.
I didn't really mind what people said about me. I always got hate comments in the muggle world, why care now?
Harry's POV:
Then, about a week before the exams were due to start, Harry's new resolution not to interfere in anything that didn't concern him was put to an unexpected test. Walking back from the library on his own one afternoon, he heard somebody whimpering from a classroom up ahead. As he drew closer, he heard Quirrell's voice.
"No – no – not again, please –"
It sounded as though someone was threatening him. Harry moved closer.
"All right – all right –" he heard Quirrell sob.
The next second, Quirrell came hurrying out of the classroom straightening his turban. He was pale and looked as though he was about to cry. He strode out of sight; Harry didn't think Quirrell had even noticed him. He waited until Quirrell's footsteps had disappeared, then peered into the classroom. It was empty, but a door stood ajar at the other end. Harry was halfway toward it before he remembered what he'd promised himself about not meddling.
All the same, he'd have gambled twelve Sorcerer's Stones that Snape had just left the room, and from what Harry had just heard, Snape would be walking with a new spring in his step – Quirrell seemed to have given in at last.
Harry suddenly came back to the library, where Hermione was testing Ron and me on Astronomy. Harry told us what he'd heard.
Y/N POV:
"Snape's done it, then!" said Ron. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spell –"
"There's still Fluffy, though," said Hermione.
"Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid," said Hermione, looking up at the thousands of books surrounding them. "I bet there's a book somewhere in here telling you how to get past a giant three-headed dog. So what do we do, Harry?"
The light of adventure was kindling again in Ron's eyes, but Hermione answered before Harry could.
"Go to Dumbledore. That's what we should have done ages ago. If we try anything ourselves we'll be thrown out for sure."
"But we've got no proof!" said Harry. "Quirrell's too scared to back us up. Snape's only got to say he doesn't know how the troll got in at Halloween and that he was nowhere near the third floor – who do you think they'll believe him or us? It's not exactly a secret we hate him, Dumbledore'll think we made it up to get him sacked. Filch wouldn't help us if his life depended on it, he's too friendly with Snape, and the more students get thrown out, the better, he'll think. And don't forget, we're not supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy. That'll take a lot of explaining."
Hermione looked convinced, but Ron didn't.
"If we just do a bit of poking around –"
"Where's your sense of adventure, Harry?" I asked, agreeing with Ron.
"No," said Harry flatly, "we've done enough poking around."
"Hey, 'Mione, What time is it?" I asked.
"10 AM why?"
"Shit. Um... guys I have to go meet Lynn somewhere. See you around," I grabbed my books shoving them in my bag and ran out of the library.
I ran down to the corner of the forest once again. Lynn was there looking around impatiently for me.
"Hey! Sorry, I'm late. I got caught up on studying," I said while giving her a side hug.
"It's okay. Come on! Just follow the light," she said while winking playfully at me.
I grabbed her hand and we followed the light. Trough the forest and in front of the door. That magnificent door that had an outline covered with beautiful black roses. Once again my hand goes around the doorknob. I twist and pull.
We look all around us take a deep breath and step forward.
We walk towards the small rowing boat docked in front of us. We climb in and push out the little boat to the other side of the lake. As beautiful as ever sitting down in that shiny grass was my mother.
"I thought you wouldn't come," Said mum
"Y/N got caught up with studying, sorry about that," Said Lynn, while getting out of the boat. I followed shortly after.
Mum looked up at one of the moons and said. "We have two hours to talk today. Come here and sit with me, I'm going to tell you your story."
Me and Lynn both sat down and two bags of Doritos appeared in front of us.
"Now let's go all the way back to when I met your father. It was 1974, I was walking inside the Great Hall to have my dinner feast when a boy with black hair bumped into me. We were both very reserved and didn't have many friends, I think that's what sparked the start of our friendship. Well if I told the story detailed we will never get to the end of it today. So in 1976, we both confessed our feelings towards each other and started a relationship. After we graduated in 1978, we got married. In May of 1979, I gave birth to two beautiful children Y/N and Lynn. Your father was really happy, I have never seen him that excited before. When you were both one year old, in 1980 he was brutally killed." Mum gave a pause. "After that, I was left alone to raise two kids. It was a hard task. I knew you would both be wizards. Your father wasn't a very liked man in the wizarding world, and there was a legend saying your father had twins and that the twins were dangerous, I was scared. So I decided to separate the both of you, but I made sure to keep you close to each other. That is when I met Lukas L/N a muggle. We fell in love and after a while had Jose and Anna. And after a couple of years well you both know what happened then."
She killed herself that's what happened.
"I can understand that you were trying to protect us, Mum," Said Lynn
After an hour of us telling her about our school year, we were leaving our secret spot. I turn around and ask "What was our father's name?"
My mum smiled and said "Matthew Riddle."
The following morning, notes were delivered to Harry, Hermione, me, and Neville at the breakfast table. They were all the same:
Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight.
Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall.
Professor M. McGonagall
At eleven o'clock that night, we said goodbye to Ron in the common room and went down to the entrance hall with Neville. Filch was already there – and so was Malfoy.
"Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading us outside.
"I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" he said, leering at them. "Oh yes...hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me... It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out...hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed... Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do."
"Oh for fuck sake, shut the fuck up," I said annoyed with this grown-ass man annoying kids. Harry let out a snort and Hermione nudged me.
We marched across the dark grounds. Neville kept sniffing. I wondered what the punishment was going to be. It must be something really horrible, or Filch wouldn't be sounding so delighted.
The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it kept throwing us into darkness. Ahead, I could see the lighted windows of Hagrid's hut. Then we heard a distant shout.
"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."
If they were going to be working with Hagrid it wouldn't be so bad. Harry's relief showed in his face. noticing that Filch said, "I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, boy – it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."
At this, Neville let out a little moan, and Malfoy stopped dead in his tracks.
"The forest is not bad," I said.
"The forest?" Malfoy repeated, and he didn't sound quite as cool as usual. "We can't go in there at night – there's all sorts of things in there – werewolves, I heard."
Neville clutched the sleeve of Harry's robe and made a choking noise.
"That's your problem, isn't it?" said Filch, his voice cracking with glee. "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?"
"Didn't I tell you to shut the fuck up?" I repeated.
Hagrid came striding toward us out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying a large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder.
"Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Harry, Y/N, Hermione?"
"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," said Filch coldly, "they're here to be punished, after all."
"That's why yer late, is it?" said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."
"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch, "for what's left of them," he added nastily, and he turned and started back toward the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.
Malfoy now turned to Hagrid.
"I'm not going in that forest," he said, and I was pleased to hear the note of panic in his voice.
"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely. "Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got ter pay fer it."
"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this, he'd –"
"- tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Copyin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on!"
Malfoy didn't move. He looked at Hagrid furiously but then dropped his gaze.
"Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."
He led us to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. I have been here before. I thought smiling. A light breeze lifted our hair as we looked into the forest.
"Look there," said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in their bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."
"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" said Malfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.
"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid. "An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."
"I want Fang," said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang's long teeth.
"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid. "So me, Harry, Y/N, an' Hermione'll go one way an' Draco, Neville, an' Fang'll go the other. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now – that's it – an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh – so, be careful – let's go."
The forest was black and silent. A little way into it we reached a fork in the earth path, and Harry, Hermione, me, and Hagrid took the left path while Malfoy, Neville, and Fang took the right.
We walked in silence, Harry, Hermione, and Hagrid's eyes were on the ground. I was looking around at the trees. Every now and then a ray of moonlight through the branches above lit a spot of silver-blue blood on the fallen leaves.
I saw that Hagrid looked very worried.
"Could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?" Harry asked.
"Not fast enough," said Hagrid. "It's not easy ter catch a unicorn, they're powerful magic creatures. I never knew one ter be hurt before."
That made Hermione hold my hand. I squeezed her hand to tell her it will be alright.
We walked past a mossy tree stump. Harry could hear running water; there must be a stream somewhere close by. There were still spots of unicorn blood here and there along the winding path.
"You all right, Hermione?" Hagrid whispered. "Don' worry, it can't've gone far if it's this badly hurt, an' then we'll be able ter – GET BEHIND THAT TREE!"
Hagrid seized Harry, me, and Hermione and hoisted us off the path behind a towering oak. He pulled out an arrow and fitted it into his crossbow, raising it, ready to fire. The four of them listened. Something was slithering over dead leaves nearby: it sounded like a cloak trailing along the ground. Hagrid was squinting up the dark path, but after a few seconds, the sound faded away.
Hermione was hugging me for dear life.
"I knew it," he murmured. "There's summat in here that shouldn't be."
"A werewolf?" Harry suggested.
"That wasn' no werewolf an' it wasn' no unicorn, neither," said Hagrid grimly. "Right, follow me, but careful, now."
We walked more slowly, ears straining for the faintest sound. Suddenly, in a clearing ahead, something definitely moved.
"Who's there?" Hagrid called. "Show yerself – I'm armed!"
And into the clearing came Ronan. Lynn and I had met him while going to our secret spot one day. To the waist, a man, with red hair and beard, but below that was a horse's gleaming chestnut body with a long, reddish tail. Harry and Hermione's jaws dropped.
"Oh, it's you, Ronan," said Hagrid in relief. "How are yeh?"
He walked forward and shook the centaur's hand.
"Good evening to you, Hagrid," said Ronan. He had a deep, sorrowful voice. "Were you going to shoot me?"
"Can't be too careful, Ronan," said Hagrid, patting his crossbow. "There's summat bad loose in this forest. This is Harry Potter, Y/N L/N an' Hermione Granger, by the way. Students up at the school. An' this is Ronan, you two. He's a centaur."
"We'd noticed," said Hermione faintly.
"Nice to see you again Y/N. Good evening," said Ronan. "Students, are you? And do you learn much, up at the school?"
"Erm –"
"A bit," said Hermione timidly.
"A bit. Well, that's something." Ronan sighed. He flung back his head and stared at the sky. "Mars is bright tonight."
"It looks pretty," I told him.
"Yeah," said Hagrid, glancing up, too. "Listen, I'm glad we've run inter yeh, Ronan, 'cause there's a unicorn bin hurt – you seen anythin'?"
Ronan didn't answer immediately. He stared unblinkingly upward then sighed again.
"Always the innocent are the first victims," he said. "So it has been for ages past, so it is now."
"Yeah," said Hagrid, "but have yeh seen anythin', Ronan? Anythin' unusual?"
"Mars is bright tonight," Ronan repeated, while Hagrid watched him impatiently. "Unusually bright."
"Yeah, but I was meanin' anythin' unusual a bit nearer home," said Hagrid. "So yeh haven't noticed anythin' strange?"
Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer. At last, he said, "The forest hides many secrets." He walked towards me and said, "You know that very well right Y/N?"
A movement in the trees behind Ronan made Hagrid raise his bow again, but it was only a second centaur, black-haired and –bodied and wilder-looking than Ronan.
"Hullo, Bane," said Hagrid. "All right?"
"Good evening, Hagrid, I hope you are well?"
"Well enough. Look, I've jus' bin askin' Ronan, you seen anythin' odd in here lately? There's a unicorn bin injured – would yeh know anythin' about it?"
Bane walked over to stand next to Ronan. He looked skyward.
"Mars is bright tonight," he said simply.
"We've heard," said Hagrid grumpily. "Well, if either of you do see anythin', let me know, won't yeh? We'll be off, then."
Harry, me, and Hermione followed him out of the clearing, staring over our shoulders at Ronan and Bane until the trees blocked the view.
"Never," said Hagrid irritably, "try an' get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anythin' closer'n the moon. How did you 'now 'im Y/N?"
"Long story Hagrid."
"Are there many of them in here?" asked Hermione.
"Oh, a fair few...Keep to themselves mostly, but they're good enough about turnin' up if I ever want a word. They're deep, mind, centaurs...they know things...jus' don' let on much."
"D'you that was a centaur we heard earlier?" said Harry.
"Did that sound like hooves to you? Nah, if yeh ask me, that was what's bin killin' the unicorns – never heard anythin' like it before."
We walked on through the dense, dark trees. I kept looking nervously over my shoulder. I noticed the blue light following me from afar. We had just passed a bend in the path when Hermione grabbed Hagrid's arm.
"Hagrid! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!"
"You two wait here!" Hagrid shouted. "Stay on the path, I'll come back for yeh"
We heard him crashing away through the undergrowth and stood looking at each other until we couldn't hear anything but the rustling of leaves around us.
"You don't think they've been hurt, do you?" whispered Hermione.
"I don't care if Malfoy has, but if something's got Neville...it's our fault he's here in the first place," I said.
Hermione looked at Harry and suddenly they both looked at me. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Hermione started walking towards me slowly. To say I was scared was an understatement I was terrified. I started walking backwards until my back hit a tree. Hermione was right in front of me. She got on her tiptoes and asked "How did you know about Ronan?"
I started blushing because she was really close to me. I simply looked at her and got closer to her face then went towards her ear and whispered "I have my ways 'mione." Harry cleared his throat and we backed away from each other.
The minutes dragged by. Our ears seemed sharper than usual. My ears seemed to be picking up every sigh of the wind, every cracking twig. What was going on? Where were the others?
At last, a great crunching noise announced Hagrid's return. Malfoy, Neville, and Fang were with him. Hagrid was fuming. Malfoy, it seemed, had sneaked up behind Neville and grabbed him as a joke. Neville had panicked and sent up the sparks.
"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you two were makin'. Right, we're changin' groups – Neville, you stay with me an' Hermione, Harry, Y/N, you go with Fang an' this idiot. I'm sorry," Hagrid added in a whisper to Harry and me, "but he'll have a harder time frightenin' you, an' we've gotta get this done."
Hemione hugged me and told me to be careful.
So Harry and I set off into the heart of the forest with Malfoy and Fang. We walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper into the forest, until the path became almost impossible to follow because the trees were so thick. The blood seemed to be getting thicker. There were splashes on the roots of a tree, as though the poor creature had been thrashing around in pain close by. I could see a clearing ahead, through the tangled branches of an ancient oak.
"Look –" I murmured, holding out my arm to stop Malfoy and Harry.
Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. We inched closer.
It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead. I had never seen anything so beautiful and sad. Its long, slender legs were stuck out at odd angles where it had fallen and it's mane was spread pearly-white on the dark leaves.
Harry had taken one step toward it when a slithering sound made him freeze where he stood. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered... Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Harry, Malfoy, and Fang stood transfixed. I pushed Harry behind me. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood.
"AAAAAAAAAAARGH!"
Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted – so did Fang. The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at us – unicorn blood was dribbling down its front. It got to its feet and came swiftly toward us – Harry couldn't move in fear.
Then a pain like I'd never felt before pierced the back of my neck. Harry staggered backward holding his scar. I heard hooves behind us, galloping, and something jumped clean over us, charging at the figure.
The pain in my neck was so bad I fell to his knees and so did Harry. It took a minute or two to pass. When we looked up, the figure had gone. A centaur was standing over us.
"Hello Firenze," I said.
"Are you all right?" said the centaur, pulling me and Harry to our feet.
"Yes – thank you – what was that?" Asked Harry
The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishingly blue eyes, like pale sapphires. He looked carefully at Harry, his eyes lingering on the scar that stood out, livid, on Harry's forehead.
"You are the Potter boy," he said. "You had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time – especially for you. Can you ride? It will be quicker this way.
"My name is Firenze, " he added, as he lowered himself onto his front legs so that Harry and I could clamber onto his back.
There was suddenly a sound of more galloping from the other side of the clearing. Ronan and Bane came bursting through the trees, their flanks heaving and sweating.
"Firenze!" Bane thundered. "What are you doing? You have humans on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?"
"Do you realize who this is?" said Firenze. "This is the Potter boy and Y/N. The quicker they leave this forest, the better."
"What have you been telling him?" growled Bane. "Remember, Firenze, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?"
Ronan pawed the ground nervously. "I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best," he said in his gloomy voice.
Bane kicked his back legs in anger.
"For the best! What is that to do with us? Centaurs are concerned with what has been foretold! It is not our business to run around like donkeys after stray humans in our forest!"
"Do you not see that unicorn?" Firenze bellowed at Bane. "Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must."
And Firenze whisked around; with me and Harry clutching on as best we could, we plunged off into the trees, leaving Ronan and Bane behind them.
Harry didn't have a clue what was going on.
"Why's Bane so angry?" he asked. "What was that thing you saved me from, anyway?"
Firenze slowed to a walk, warned us to keep our head bowed in case of low-hanging branches, but did not answer Harry's question. We made our way through the trees in silence for so long that I thought Firenze didn't want to talk to us anymore. We were passing through a particularly dense patch of trees, however, when Firenze suddenly stopped.
"Harry Potter and Y/N, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?"
"No," said Harry, startled by the odd question. "We've only used the horn and tail hair in Potions."
"Yeah. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenseless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips." I said then it suddenly hit me. "Holy shit!"
Harry stared at me confused.
"But who'd be that desperate?" he wondered aloud. "If you're going to be cursed forever, death's better, isn't it?"
"It is," Firenze agreed, "unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else – something that will bring you back to full strength and power – something that will mean you can never die. Mr. Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?"
"The Sorcerer's Stone! Of course – the Elixir of Life! But I don't understand who –"
"Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?"
"Do you mean," Harry croaked, "that was Voldemort?"
"Yes, Harry that was Vol-" I started.
"Y/N! Harry, are you all right?"
Hermione was running toward us down the path, Hagrid puffing along behind her.
"I'm fine," said Harry. "The unicorn's dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there."
"This is where I leave you," Firenze murmured as Hagrid hurried off to examine the unicorn. "You are safe now."
Me and Harry slid off his back.
"Good luck, Harry Potter and Y/N," said Firenze. "The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times."
He turned and cantered back into the depths of the forest, leaving us shivering behind him.
Ron had fallen asleep in their armchairs in the dark common room, waiting for us to return. Ron shouted something about Quidditch fouls when Harry, me, and Hermione shook him awake. In a matter of seconds, though, they were wide-eyed as me and Harry began to tell Ron and Hermione what had happened in the forest.
Harry couldn't sit down. He paced up and down in front of the fire. He was still shaking.
"Snape wants the Stone for Voldemort...and Voldemort's waiting in the forest...and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich...."
"Stop saying the name!" said Ron in a terrified whisper, as if he thought Voldemort could hear us.
Harry wasn't listening. "Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done so...Bane was furious...he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen.... They must show that Voldemort's coming back...Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me.... I suppose that's written in the stars as well."
"Will you stop saying the name!" Ron hissed.
"So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone," Harry went on feverishly, "then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off... Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy."
"Harry, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of. With Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right?" Hermione said, deep in thought.
"But why would Voldemort be after me?" I asked.
Hermione hugged me tightly.
The sky had turned light before we had stopped talking. We went to bed exhausted, our throats sore. But the night's surprises weren't over.
When Harry pulled back his sheets, he found his invisibility cloak folded neatly underneath them. There was a note pinned to it:
Just in case.
He showed it to me and just like that we both fell asleep.
˜˜˜˜****˜˜˜˜
Sorry for taking long to update a new chapter. My classes just ended. I am finally on break. So more updates coming this week. 🤍🖤🤍🖤