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.₊̣̇.ෆ˟̑*̑˚̑𝚈𝚎𝚊𝚛❶↝𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛➀➄˚̑*̑˟̑ෆ.₊̣̇.
𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚋𝚒𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚗 𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝
┕━━━☽【❖】☾━━━┙
•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧. •̩̩͙*˚⁺‧.˚ *•̩̩͙ ✩. •̩̩͙*˚⁺‧. •̩̩͙*˚⁺‧. ˚ *•̩̩͙ ✩
✮*•̩̩͙✧•̩̩͙*˚✧*˚✮*•̩̩͙✧•̩̩͙*˚✧*˚˚*✧˚*•̩̩͙✧•̩̩͙*˚✮
.₊̣̇.ෆ˟̑**̑˟̑ෆ.₊̣̇.ෆ˟̑**̑˟̑ෆ.₊̣̇.ෆ˟̑**̑˟̑ෆ.₊̣̇.ෆ˟̑**̑˟̑ෆ.₊̣̇
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❝𝙱𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝙸 𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍. 𝙸 𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐.❞
╚ ------------------------------------ ╝
About a week before the exams were due to start, my and Harry's new resolution not to interfere in anything that didn't concern us was put to an unexpected test.
Walking back from the library on our own one afternoon, we heard somebody whimpering from a classroom up ahead. As we drew closer, we heard Quirrell's voice.
"No -- no -- not again, please --" It sounded as though someone was threatening him. We moved closer. "All right -- all right --" We heard Quirrell sob. 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; I didn't think Quirrell had even noticed us. We waited until Quirrell's footsteps had disappeared, then peered into the classroom. It was empty, but a door stood ajar at the other end.
We were halfway toward it before we remembered what we'd promised each other about not meddling. All the same, we'd have gambled twelve Philosopher's Stones that Snape had just left the room, and from what we had just heard, Snape would be walking with a new spring in his step -- Quirrell seemed to have given in at last.
Harry and I went back to the library, where Hermione was testing Ron on Astronomy. We told them what we'd heard.
"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 Ron, 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, Y/n?" The light of adventure was kindling again in Ron's eyes, but Hermione answered before anyone 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 --"
"No," I said flatly, "we've done enough poking around." I pulled a map of Jupiter toward me and started to learn the names of its moons.
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The following morning, notes were delivered to Harry, 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 McGonagall'
I had forgotten we still had detentions to do in the furore over the points we'd lost. At eleven o'clock that night, we said goodbye to Ron and Hermione in the common room and went down to the entrance hall with Neville. Filch was already there -- and so was Malfoy. I had also forgotten that Malfoy had gotten a detention, too.
"Y/n? What're you doing here?" Malfoy questioned.
"I got detention, you little shit,"
"What?! Wasn't it just Potter that night!?"
"No, you dimwitted bastard, I was there too," Malfoy looked confused,
"But- I didn't see you in the hut?"
"I was standing next to the window you were looking through you bloody weasel." Malfoy smacked his head a little and we saw Filch.
"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 us. "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."
"How are you even allowed near children?" I asked Filch.
"I have my ways," He said, eerily with a creepy tone.
"Creepy motherfucker," I whispered to Harry,
We marched off across the dark grounds. Neville kept sniffing. I wondered what our 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." My heart rose; if we were going to be working with Hagrid it wouldn't be so bad. My relief must have showed on my -face, because Filch said,
"I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, girl -- 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?" he 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 my 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?" Hagrid came striding toward us out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying his 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?"
"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 Harry 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 yehve 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. 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 there 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, an' Y/n'll go one way an' Draco, Neville, an' Fang'll go the other."
"No! I want Y/n to come too!" Draco suddenly said, hagrid sighed.
"Fine, Draco, Fang, an' Y/n go one way and Harry, me, an' Neville 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."
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The forest was black and silent. A little way into it we reached a fork in the earth's path, and Harry, Neville, and Hagrid took the left path while Malfoy, I, and Fang took the right. We walked in silence, our eyes on the ground. 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 Malfoy looked very worried.
"Could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?" Malfoy asked.
"Not fast enough," I said. "It's not easy to catch a unicorn, they're powerful magic creatures. I never knew one to be hurt before, but then again, I never really knew unicorns existed at all." We walked past a mossy tree stump. I 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, Malfoy?" I whispered. He continued to look down. I walked to him, I could see his hand shaking slightly, and took his hand into mine. At once, his hand stopped shivering and he looked at me.
"I'm not scared, you know." I could tell he was trying to put up a brave.
"Sure, well since you're not scared, I guess I'll just-" As I was about to let go of his hand, he quickly tightened it to hold on,
"But I am cold," he added, looking away, most likely to make sure I didn't see his red face. I smiled at this.
"Don't worry, it can't've gone far if it's this badly hurt, and then we'll be able to-" Though the middle of my sentence, Draco suddenly roughly pulled me close,
"-- GET BEHIND THAT TREE!" He seized my hand at once and dragged me off the path behind a towering oak. He pulled out his wand and held it straight in his hand, raising it, ready to fire. The two of us listened. Something was slithering over dead leaves nearby: it sounded like a cloak trailing along the ground. I was squinting up the dark path, but after a few seconds, the sound faded away.
"I knew it, " I murmured. "I knew Hagrid was right."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"He told me something. That- There's something in here that shouldn't be."
"A werewolf?" Malfoy cowered.
"Oh, get over it," I said, gently rubbing my thumb over his hand to ease his fright. "That wasn't a werewolf. And it wasn't a unicorn." I said, grimly. Hearing that it wasn't a werewolf, malfoy got his prideful ego back and puffed his chest.
"Right, follow me, but careful, now." he added, slipping his wand back, and leading me down the path by holding my hand. We walked more slowly, ears straining for the faintest sound. Suddenly, in a clearing ahead, something definitely moved. I and Draco both instantly pulled out our wands.
"Who's there?" I called. "Show yourself -- we're armed!" I looked over to Draco.
"Walk back down the path, but just a bit, I think someone might be here," I cautiously moved forward, and out of the bushes came- "Harry?" it was Harry and Hagrid.
"Oh, Y/n-"
"Where's Neville?" I quickly asked, noticing Neville's absence.
"Neville?" Harry thought for a moment before he quickly looked at Hagrid. "I think we've left him behind!"
hagrid looked calm.
"Not ter worry, Harry, Y/n, Neville said he forgot something in the castle and told us to go ahead and that he would catch up."
"I told Malfoy to go back since I saw that someone was here, I think he and Neville would be meeting right about now," I added, looking down at my watch. Then- another sound. The bushes rustled, and we knew there was something there.
And into the clearing came -- was it a man, or a horse? To the waist, was a man, with red hair and a beard, but below that was a horse's gleaming chestnut body with a long, reddish tail. Harry and my 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 an' Y/n Darlington, by the way. Students up at the school. An' this is Ronan, you two. He's a centaur." Hagrid added an emphasis on my name.
"We'd noticed," said Harry faintly.
"Good lord, is she really?" Ronan asked, looking at my face.
"As real as can be," Hagrid said, Ronan looked at my scar, and instantly got down to his hindlegs, doing what I assumed, was a bow.
"Madame High Mistress Darlington, it truly is my pleasure to see you. I have only ever heard of tales and stories regarding your glorious existence, and I am so honoured to have been alive to experience it with my own eyes."
"Hi?" I wasn't sure what to say to that. Ronan got lower at once. "You can get up, you know?" I said,
"Of course not, my lady, for that would disrespect you,"
"Uh, I- Rise," I said suddenly in a completely different tone than usual. I clasped my hands to my mouth and the centaur got up immediately, he then turned to Harry.
"Good evening," said Ronan. "Students, are you? And do you learn much, up at the school?"
"Erm --"
"A bit," I said timidly.
"A bit. Well, that's something." Ronan sighed. He flung back his head and stared at the sky. "Mars is bright tonight."
"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." 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 and I followed him out of the clearing, staring over our shoulders at Ronan and Bane until the trees blocked our 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."
"Are there many of them in here?" asked Harry.
"Oh, a fair few... Keep themselves to themselves mostly, but they're good enough about turnin' up if ever I want a word. They're deep, mind, centaurs... they know things... jus' don' let on much."
"D'you think 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."
"You heard that too?"
"'Course."
We walked on through the dense, dark trees. I kept looking nervously over my shoulder. I had the nasty feeling we were being watched. I was very glad we had Hagrid and his crossbow with us. We had just passed a bend in the path when Harry 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, very scared, until we couldn't hear anything but the rustling of leaves around us.
"You don't think they've been hurt, do you?" I whispered. Harry held my hand closely, just like I had with Draco.
"I don't care if Malfoy has, but if something's got Neville... it's our fault he's here in the first place." The minutes dragged by.
Our ears seemed sharper than usual. I 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.
"You bloody idiot," I scolded Malfoy, "We'll be lucky to catch anything with the racket you made,"
"Right, we're changin' groups back -- Neville, you stay with me an' Harry, Y/n, you go back with Fang an' this idiot. I'm sorry," Hagrid added in a whisper to me and Harry, "but he'll have a harder time frightenin' you two, an' we've gotta get this done." So I set off into the heart of the forest with Malfoy and Fang once again, but with Harry as well this time.
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. I thought 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 arms 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 its mane was spread pearly-white on the dark leaves.
"Oh, you poor thing," Malfoy and Harry stared at me as I watched the innocent creature.
Malfoy had taken one step toward it when a slithering sound made him freeze where he stood. I got up at once. 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. I, Harry, Malfoy, and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood.
"AAAAAAAAAARGH!" Malfoy let out a terrible scream, clasped my hand in his and bolted -- so did Fang. I quickly shook my hand out of his and stayed in my spot next to Harry, thinking I was running with him, while he was holding my hand, Malfoy ran far.
The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at me -- unicorn blood was dribbling down its front. It got to its feet and came swiftly toward me -- I couldn't move for fear. I started wishing I hadn't let go of Malfoy's hand. Then a pain pierced my neck; it was as though my scar were on fire. Half-blinded, I staggered backward.
I heard hooves behind me, galloping, and something jumped clean over me, charging at the figure. The pain in my neck was so bad I fell to my knees. It took a minute or two to pass. When I looked up, the figure had gone. A centaur was standing over me and Harry, not Ronan or Bane; this one looked younger; he had white-blond hair and a palomino body.
"Madame High Mistress- Lady Darlington- My lady- Are you all right?" said the centaur, pulling me to my feet and then to Harry.
"Yes -- thank you -- what was that?" The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishingly blue eyes, like pale sapphires. He looked carefully at me, his eyes lingering on the scar that stood out, livid, on my neck.
"You are the High Mistress," 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, high Madame." he added, as he lowered himself onto his front legs to bow, and then went lower so that I and Harry 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 sweaty.
"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, in a defensive tone. "It is none other than Madame High Mistress Lady Darlington who is on my back. Have you no respect for her greatness?" Bane looked awestruck. He and Ronan quickly got down to down.
"Madame High Mistress," They greeted. "You have no idea, how-" Firenze interrupted them
"The quicker Hish Mistress leaves this forest, the better."
"What have you been telling her?" 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 and the protection of the High mistress! Not other humans! It is not our business to run around like donkeys revealing all that is hidden to her greatness or cantering around and after stray humans in the forest!" Firenze suddenly reared onto his hind legs in anger, so that I had to grab his shoulders to stay on.
"I am doing my duty! Of protecting the high Mistress and her friend! 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." And Firenze whisked around; with me clutching on as best I could, we plunged off into the trees, leaving Ronan and Bane behind us.
I didn't have a clue what was going on. But then again, that's how it usually was.
"Why's Bane so angry?" I asked. "What was that thing you saved me from, anyway?"
Firenze slowed to a walk and warned Harry and me to keep our heads bowed in case of low-hanging branches, but did not answer my question.
"I apologize, high mistress, on behalf of Bane if his aggression has made you uncomfortable. He only means good to you, your highness." We made our way through the trees in silence for so long that I thought Firenze didn't want to talk to me anymore.
We were passing through a particularly dense patch of trees, however, when Firenze suddenly stopped.
"High mistress, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?"
"No," I said, startled by the odd question.
"We've only used the horn and tail hair in Potions."
"That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn," said Firenze. "Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. 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 stared at the back of Firenze's head, which was dappled silver in the moonlight.
"But who'd be that desperate?" I wondered aloud. "If you're going to be cursed forever, death 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. High mistress, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?"
"The Philosopher'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?" It was as though an iron fist had clenched suddenly around my heart. Over the rustling of the trees, I seemed to hear once more what Hagrid had told me on the night we had met:
"Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die."
"Do you mean," I croaked, "that was Vol-"
"Y/n! Y/n, are you all right?" Draco was running toward us down the path, Hagrid puffing along behind him.
"I'm fine," I said, hardly knowing what I was saying. "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." I slid off his back. Draco held my hand and helped me get off carefully,
"Thank you, Draco," I smiled, suddenly, Harry also slid down, and roughly shoved past Draco to reach me.
"Y/n are you alright?" Harry asked, worried.
"I'm fine," Firenze turned to me. He bowed.
"The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times. Lady Darlington, your journey may have only just begun, but you should be sure that every single one of the centaurs in and out of the forbidden forest of the past, present, and future will always dedicate their souls and hearts to your mercy. We have and will forever be yours to use. Good luck, Good luck, Madame High Mistress, lady Darlington," He said and cantered back into the depths of the forest, leaving me confused and shivering behind him.
Ron had fallen asleep in the dark common room, waiting for me to return. He shouted something about Quidditch fouls when I roughly shook him awake. In a matter of seconds, though, he was wide-eyed as I began to tell him, Harry, and Hermione what had happened in the forest.
I couldn't sit down. I paced up and down in front of the fire. I 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. I wasn't listening.
"Firenze saved me, and he said that it was his duty to 'Protect the High mistress or whatever those people keep calling me.... 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." Harry said,
"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." Hermione looked very frightened, but she had a word of comfort.
"Y/n, 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? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic."
The sky had turned light before we stopped talking. We went to bed exhausted, our throats sore. But the night's surprises weren't over. When I pulled back my sheets, I found my invisibility cloak folded neatly underneath them. There was a note pinned to it: Just in case.
🌖🌗🌘🌑🌒🌓🌘
A/n: Love how important Y/n is to the centaurs and Harry is literally just "High Mistress' friend" lmao and how when Y/n's cussing Draco out, instead of lashing out at her, he just goes into a sad boi mode.