The Forbidden Forest
Professor McGonagall looked at the students in front of her desk as she decided what punishment was needed for breaking school rules. The three Gryffindors stood to one side of the desk looking guilty; Malfoy was on the other side leaning against the desk; looking smug.
“I can’t say how much on how disappointed I am with members of my own house breaking school rules.” The three Gryffindors were wise not to interrupt, “ Therefore fifty points will be taken”
“Fifty!?” screeched Ron.
“Each. And you four will be serving detention” she finished. Hermione and Harry paled looking dumbfounded at the number of points taken from Gryffindor alone. 150 points, that puts them dead last for the end of the year’s house cup.
“Excuse me, Professor. But I believed I heard you say the “four of us”?” Asked Malfoy as he straightened up from the desk.
“You heard me correctly Mr. Malfoy; as noble as your intentions where, you too were out of bounds after hours. You will receive the same point reduction and will be serving the detention tomorrow after dinner.”
Malfoy remained silent as Weasley looked like he was about to burst.
“Now, off to bed. All of you.” McGonagall chided.
Harry feared going into the Main Hall the next morning. Together he, Ron and Hermione lost the largest number of points in Hogwarts history. Gryffindor showed their dislike by forcing them to the end of the long table. Harry stared at his food picking at it.
Dumbledore sat at the teachers table his head turning for how to sped his plans up. He received word from Hagrid that something was killing off some unicorns in the forest and drinking their blood. He had a hunch that it was Voldemort using that method until he could get his hands on the stone. Then an idea came to him, an awful idea to test Harry, and get the boy’s attention on the stone. After breakfast he went to his office to change the detention of Malfoy, Potter, Weasley and Granger. They originally had it with Filtch but he changed it to Hagrid, then summoned Hagrid and told him that he needed to find the injured unicorn. Hagrid was reluctant about taking children into the forest at night. But in the end he didn’t question it.
Harry, Ron and Hermione muddled through classes. After dinner they went to meet up by the front doors of the Main Hall. Malfoy was already there, “ Of course Malfoy is already here.” Murmured Ron, Malfoy heard him and was about to retort until the old Caretaker came sauntering in “A’right you lot, follow me.” He gruffs. They walked behind him and Headed out the doors of the castle, stopping momentarily when Filtch grabbed a lantern. They walked down the dirt path, “Excuse me, Mr. Filtch ? I thought we had detention with you?” asks Hermione timidly.
“ Naw, if it were me I’d have you strung up to the ceiling by your thumbs” Filtch answered, all four of the first years looked appalled. “ But pity, they let old punishments die. No, you lot will be serving your detention with Hagrid.” They continued down the path to Hagrid’s Hut; where Hagrid and his dog Fang stood there. Hagrid stood there with a crossbow looking both forlorn and grim. “Alright Hagrid, here’s the lot.” Hagrid lets out a loud sniff.
“ Good God, you’re not still on about that dragon are you” Filtch scoffed. Harry looked both the men confused, “Professor Dumbledore arranged for Charlie Weasley to come and take Norbert to Romania.” Hagrid choked out. “That’s good isn’t it? At least he’ll be with his kind” Hermione tried to console the bearded man. “ Well, wha’ if he don’ like Romania? Wha’ if the other dragons are mean to him?” Hagrid bit back. Filtch rolled his eyes, “ Get yourself together men, you’re going into the forest after all”.
“The forest?” shouted Malfoy everyone seems to agree, were they insane? “ is that some sort of a joke, students aren’t allowed. And there might be …” a howl was heard in the far distance, “Werewolves”. If werewolves were real they wouldn’t have to worry about that tonight, not a full moon out; even Harry knew that. But going into a forest which they were told was out of bounds, at night the question is why???
He didn’t notice the caretaker leave, when Hagrid slung the crossbow over his shoulder, “Alright, if you all follow me and Fang. Stay close.” And they all went into the dark woods.
They walked along the windy paths what seemed like miles before Hagrid stopped by a bush. He inspected it and when he turned around he had some clear iridescent liquid on his fingers. “ Hagrid, what’s that” Harry asks trying not to be grossed out. “ This Harry is why we’re in here; see this is unicorn blood, found two dead weeks ago, this one is badly injured. We need to find it and put it out of its misery,” Hagrid explained, “Now, we need to temporarily split up. Ron, Hermione with me; Harry you’re with Malfoy.” The students looked at Hagrid like he lost his mind. “Fine,” Malfoy spoke voice shaking, “Then I get Fang”. “Alright. Just so you know he’s a bloody coward” Hagrid answered. Then the groups split off.
Harry, Malfoy and Fang walked down one of the windy paths in the forest. Malfoy was complaining that “This is servant stuff”; Harry who has been doing everything for the Dursleys since he was four didn’t think nothing by how this detention was served out. He did quip “ If I didn’t know better Malfoy, I’d say you’re scared”, Malfoy made a face and adamantly states “ a Malfoy is never scared”. That’s when they say a horrific sight. There a few yards ahead of them lay the unicorn. It was dead, and something was latched to its neck. The cloaked figure looked up in their direction, unicorn blood dripping from its mouth.
Harry gasped in pain, his scar throbbed and itched. He barley registered Malfoy screaming and ran away; Fang along with him. Harry began to panic as the dark figure began creeping towards him; he fell and began to scramble backwards until he ran into a gnarled tree root.
Then suddenly a horse, no a half-man half horse came charging in flying over the boy landing between him and the mysterious figure. The rescuer gave a few kicks at the dark figure which fled and flew up into the night. Harry was still in shock, as the horse-man turned and walk towards him. If Harry remembered correctly it was centaur, like in Greek mythology.
“ A young one such as yourself should not be wondering the forest” spoke the centaur in front of him, “Especially in these growing dark times”.
“What was that thing?” stammered Harry recovering from the fright he just had. “That was a monster. To slay a unicorn is one of the most atrocious acts one can do. Drinking the blood of a unicorn can keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death; but it will be a cursed life, to slay something so pure, you become less of the person you once were from the moment the blood touches your lips.” Spoke the centaur sadly.
“Who would want that?” questions Harry. “Can you think of none? Do you know what’s hidden deep inside the castle?” the Centaur answers back, looking at the sky “ hmm, Mars is bright tonight.”
Harry didn’t know what the last part meant, but he suddenly had an idea who wanted the stone. He got up and hissed. His ankle hurt; he must have hurt it when he fell.
“Come young one,” the centaur said softly, lifting Harry onto his back “let’s get you out the forest safely”. Harry immediately held on to the man’s shoulders as he took off in the direction of the castle. Harry heard voices in the distance, and some lights. “HARRY!!!!” came Hermione’s, Ron’s and Hagrid’s voices.
Charging up to the group, with Harry still upon his back. The two students on the ground gave gasps and backed away. “ Harry thar’ you are.” Spoke Hagrid with relief, “ Hello, Firenze.”
There was more rustling and two more centaurs came through the brush, one of them was dragging Malfoy by the elbow; Fang of course trotted up to Hagrid like nothing happened. “Firenze! What do you think you’re doing?! Having a human on your back like you’re a common mule”.
One of them shouts“ Do you even know who this child is?” banters Firenze, “You watch the stars as much as I, Bane. This child needs to be protected.”
Bane huffs, Harry was unsure what to do, was having him on his back a bad thing for centaurs? Even so he decided to try to ease the situation, “ Excuse me, Mr. Bane?” the centaur named Bane turned his head, still slightly angry but also surprised that a young wizard addressed him in a polite manner. “ Please don’t be angry with Mr. Firenze. I hurt my ankle when searching for the hurt unicorn. I wouldn’t have made it out of the forest without his help.”
Bane’s hoof pawed the ground, “Even so, the council will be notified.”
Firenze, gently placed Harry on the ground and bade them farewell; and the three centaurs took off into the forest.