°°°
"How on earth did you get detention?"
Amelia sat in the courtyard of Hogwarts. The early time of spring had arrived as the weather began to clear up. She sat with Justin, Mandy, and Marceline. All who had their books out since first-year exams were just 5 weeks away.
As they took a small break, Amelia decided to tell them about the situation that Draco dragged her in that resulted in her receiving detention.
" We really wanted to see a Dragon." Amelia shrugged. She was still disappointed that she has never gotten a glimpse of the creature.
" That's not a sustainable reason." Marceline piped up. Although she couldn't help but giggle slightly at Amelia's logic. " Maybe that's why you weren't sorted in Ravenclaw."
The three of them laughed at Marceline's comment. Amelia had to bite back a smile. She sensed some truth in Marceline's words. But she would never admit it.
" Very funny. " Amelia said. " I was just caught up with the idea of seeing an actual dragon that I didn't think of McGonagall." Amelia sighed. She was dreading having to spend detention with Draco.
" She is very strict too," Mandy mumbled.
" Ugh, I should have cast an invisible charm or something. " Amelia mumbled. She just then realized the missed opportunity to practice some magic on Draco.
" That's advanced magic, Ames," Justin commented from beside her.
" Sure, but it wouldn't have hurt to at least try," Amelia said. She had read up on the spell over winter break.
" True. Still can't believe you willingly hang out with Malfoy. " Said, Justin. The Hufflepuff boy hated Draco Malfoy. He hated the fact that his blood status was enough for pure-bloods, who majority so happen to be in Slytherin, to bully or pick on him because he was 'filthy.'
" Well I have all my classes with him and I see him every day in the common room and Great Hall. I'm bound to at least be acquainted with him." Amelia shrugged. She knew that Draco wasn't the best person, especially toward muggle-borns. But, Amelia had no choice but to at least try to be friendly and maybe even try to expand his information on muggle-born.
" Still stupid." Mandy pointed out.
" Uh, Aries said the same thing."
Later that day Amelia and Draco left the dungeons and made their way toward the entrance hall where Flinch stood. The two stood in awkward silence as they waited for the others. After a minute Harry, Hermione, and Ron finally arrived.
Amelia averted her eyes away from them not wanting to start anything with Ron. Draco sensed Amelia getting uncomfortable as her shoulders tensed up and her head hung low. He looked at the girl confused then glanced at Ron who seemed to be sending glares her way.
" I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" Filch 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."
Amelia's eye's widened at the words that left Filche's mouth. She looked toward Draco who simply looked as shocked at her. Absentmindedly, Amelia wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to ease her nerves as she wondered what their punishment was going to be.
They continued to walk across the dark grounds, the moon above them was bright but it failed to provide light as clouds blocked it. Ahead of them, Amelia noticed they were walking toward the gamekeeper's hut. Then they heard a distant shout.
" Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want to get startled."
Amelia heard the voice of Rubeus Hagrid and relaxed a little bit. Considering the tone of delight that came from Filch's voice Amelia presumed the punishment would involve them being chained up in the forbidden forest. But seeing Hagrid, who was known as a friendly giant, she perceived that he wouldn't let anything truly dangerous happen to them. Well, at least not to Harry and his friends.
" You'll be serving detention with Hagrid tonight. He got a little job to do inside the dark forest." Filch said in a pleasing tone. At that, Amelia and Draco both stopped in their tracks. Amelia stiffed at the mention of the forest while Draco tried to seem unbothered by Filch's words.
"The forest?" Draco repeated, his voice sounding small, "We can't go in there at night - there are all sorts of things in there - werewolves, I heard." Filch flashed a gleeful smile at Draco's frightened state as he started to taunt him about the werewolves.
They soon came in contact with Hagrid who stood in front of them with a large dog and a massive crossbow and a quiver of arrows that hang over his shoulder. Amelia's heart sank as she came to the conclusion that their punishment might be worse than she thought.
" Abou' time," Hagrid said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Harry, Hermione, Ron?" Filch sowled at Hagrid as he told him to be nice to them considering the fact they are being punished. Filch soon left announcing that he would be back around dawn to gather them.
Amelia simply sighed in frustration realizing just how much time she was going to be spending in a forest that was supposedly off-limits. She began to regret wanting to see a dragon.
Once Filch was out of earshot Draco turned toward Hagrid.
" I'm not going in there!" Draco announced sternly. Amelia noted the panic in his voice. The girl couldn't comprehend the logical reason why first years were going into the dark forest as a form of punishment considering how dangerous it was.
"Well, I did read somewhere that Dumbledore was a Gryffindor..." Amelia thought.
" - 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- " Before Draco could even finish Hagrid interrupted him. Amelia glanced over at her brother and his friends and noted their amused looks at Draco's frightened state.
"Copyin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or yeh'll get out. If yeh thinks yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on!" Draco looked at Hagrid furiously but dropped his gaze. Amelia sighed as Hagrid announced for them to follow him.
As the group walked deeper into the forest Hagrid stopped abruptly. He held his lamp up high as he pointed toward a narrow path. A glimpse of a shiny substance caught Ameli's attention as she stood on her tippy toes to see what it could be.
" Hagrid what is that?" Harry asked.
" What we're here for. See that? That's unicorn's blood, that is. I found one dead a few weeks ago. Now, this one's been injured badly by something. So, it's our job to find the poor beast. Ron, Hermione, you'll come with me." Hagrid said as he pointed at them.
The sudden instruction of Hagrid splitting up caused Amelia to get alarmed. It was one thing to have a group of students walk around the dark forest with a guardian, but now dividing the group seemed reckless, "And Harry you'll go with Malfoy and Amelia"
Amelia rolled her eyes as she knew she was going to have to hear them bicker at each other.
"Okay. Then I get fang" Draco said looking at Hagrid's dog's sharp and long teeth.
" Fine. Just so you know, he's a bloody coward." Hagrid informed him as Draco took the dog's leash. Soon the two parties went their separate ways. Hagrid, Hermione, and Ron went toward the left while Amelia, Draco, and Harry went toward the right path.
The three of them walked in silence for a while. Amelia's arm immediately linked with Draco's in an attempt to calm herself as they explored the forest. She walked between the two boys while Jarry held up the lamp.
Occasionally they would walk past the silvery substance, that Amelia has now gathered was unicorn blood, but couldn't spot the injured animal. Her heart sunk a little as she wondered what could be harming them.
" You wait till my father hears about this." Draco huffed as they continued to walk. Amelia rolled her eyes as she pulled out her wand in case anything happens.
" If I didn't know better, Draco, I'd say you were scared," Harry said in a teasing tone. Amelia felt Draco tense up and she looked up toward him and noticed Draco glaring at Harry.
" Oh, Merlin. Do not argue right now." Amelia said sternly as she looked between the two boys.
Draco and Harry simply glared at each other before they glanced back toward the path.
Amelia averted her attention back onto the path as she tried to spot the unicorn. The three continued to walk in silence before Harry spoke up once they saw another trail of Unicorn blood.
" Could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?" Harry asked out loud. Amelia pondered his question before she remembered what she read about unicorns.
" Doubtful. Werewolves aren't fast enough. It's basically impossible to catch a unicorn. They are powerful magical creatures. Besides I never heard of one ever being hurt... until now of course." Amelia told him. She still didn't understand why anyone, or thing, would harm a unicorn since they were one of the most harmless creatures.
Fang suddenly stopped walking and began to growl.
" What is it, Fang," Harry asked the dog as he looked in the direction the dog was growling at.
" like the dog is gonna ta-" Draco commented. Amelia bent down slightly as she patted Fang to calm him down. She looked back up toward Draco and noticed his pale face. She followed his eyesight and Amelia quickly covered her mouth to prevent any sound to come out.
Ahead of the three first years hoovered a dark-cloaked figure as it sucked the blood from a dead unicorn. It then raised its head, silver-blue blood dripping from its front as it hissed at them.
Amelia quickly grabbed onto Draco's wrist as she pulled him away from the scene and ran in the other direction as they started to yell for Hagrid.
"DO YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN" Draco yelled as the two ran through the dark forest.
" HAGRID!" Amelia yelled completely ignoring Draco's comment. Amelia felt her eyes getting glossy as the image of the dead unicorn haunted her mind.
" HAGRID!"
Amelia quickly spotted Hagrid's lamp and ran toward it. Amelia's legs felt like jelly as she finally reached Hagrid and the others as she tried to catch her breath.
" What is it?" Hagrid asked worriedly. His concern only increased when he didn't see Harry with him.
" There's. a. cloaked. figure. drinking. unicorns. blood." Amelia panted out as she recollected herself. Draco accidentally bumped into Amelia once he caught up to her.
" and Harry?" Hagrid asked. Amelia looked at the gamekeeper confused when she turned around and didn't see Harry behind her.
" That idiot." Amelia huffed as she looked back toward Hagrid who immediately started to walk toward where Harry was.
"Don't call Harry that!" Ron said sternly as he glared at his sister. Amelia scoffed at him as she crossed her arms across her chest.
" Well, he is Ron! Why on earth would he stay with that thing that was killing that poor animal? Unless Harry wanted to be heroic again" Amelia told him as they continued to briskly walk in Harry's direction.
When the group finally reached him, they spotted a Centaur near him.
Amelia's jaw dropped as she admired the creature in front of her. Centaurs always memorized the girl ever since she read about them. She never respected seeing one in person.
" Harry!" Hermione yelled catching Harry's attention.
" Hello there, Firenze. I see you've met our young Mr. Potter. You all right there, Harry" Hagrid asked the shaken boy who only nodded.
" Harry Potter, this is where I leave you. You're safe now. Good luck" Firenze told the young boy before he left them.
" Okay let's all go back to the castle," Hagrid announced as he gathered all the students and walked back toward the direction of Hogwarts.
Amelia kept a firm grasp on Draco's hand until they reached the entrance of the Castle. The two walked silently beside each other until they made it to the dungeons and got safely into their common rooms. Amelia turned to Draco and sighed.
" Sorry if was clenching on your arm," Amelia mumbled. Her heart still racing from the things she saw in the forest.
"It's fine. Understandable even. I was freaked out too." Draco assured her.
The two stood in silence for a moment before Amelia spoke up again.
" Can't believe I saw a dead unicorn."
" Yeah, what was that thing drinking its blood?" Draco asked although he knew she didn't have an answer. But Amelia did think about it. It was not a dementor, nor could she pinpoint any other magical creature that looked like the cloaked figure.
" No Idea."