HARRY POTTER FANFICTION
The Forbidden Forest (Malfoy POV)
McGonagall, I thought, as I walked down to the detention along with famous-for-nearly-being-killed Harry Potter, that Mudblood Granger and Neville Longbottom, the witless wonder, led by Argus Filch, the stupid Squib (Father let me know after he heard that I had tipped him off about Harry Potter's antics in the trophy room earlier this year; I shall have to be careful who I ally myself with. Advice, which famous as he is, Harry Potter neglected to take when I tried to be friendly with him on the train to school.) What a stupid bitch! I try to do some good for the school and I end up in detention. But, of course, famous Harry Potter can't have done anything wrong and I am the one who gets blamed for it. Admittedly, he is here on this detention too although that was simply for being out of bed. Honestly, if I had a dragon I would probably have been on the Hogwarts Express as soon as they found out about it.
As Filch came to a halt, my face fell. We were to be going in to the Forbidden Forest. All sorts of things lurk in the Forest, like werewolves and centaurs. I already hated the idea of going in to the forest when the only thing that could have made it worse happened. Actually, I suppose it's not the only thing – me dying or that Mudblood attempting to flirt with me would have been worse, but still it was pretty horrifying. That clueless oaf, Hagrid, was to be the one who would lead us in to the Forest. After exchanging a few heated words with Filch about lecturing us about our behaviour, Hagrid turned to look at us.
"I'm not going in to that forest," I said adamantly. Potter smirked at this; perhaps it sounded like I was scared. Me, scared? Draco Malfoy, scared? OK, maybe I am a little bit but I'm not going to let that on.
"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts", said Hagrid. When he addressed me, I realised that if it hadn't been for him bringing that bloody dragon in to the grounds, I wouldn't even be here. The hairy half-wit continued speaking, "Yeh've done wrong and now yeh've got ter pay fer it."
"If my father knew I was doing this..." I began, before the overly large oaf cut across.
"He'd tell yeh that's how it is at Hogwarts. If yeh think he'd rather yeh were expelled then then get back up ter the castle and pack. Go on!"
I stayed still, in shock that he had become so angry. I tried to match his anger with my gaze but that didn't seem to have any effect on Hagrid. He simply waited for me to look away before delivering his plan to us.
"Right then, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight an' I don't want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."
He pointed down a narrow path which lead somewhere where I couldn't see. It wasn't until I saw where Hagrid was pointing that I realised what had made the others gasp.
"That's unicorn blood," he was saying, "There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. We're gonna try and find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of it's misery."
"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" I asked. I attempted to sound like I was trying to mock the detention, but judging by the glances which the Gryffindors gave me I was unsuccessful in keeping the fear out of my voice.
"There's nothing in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yeh're with me or Fang," said Hagrid making it obvious that I had failed in my attempt at belittling him. I did however, tune out of what he was saying at this point and began sizing up the advantages of each of them.
On one hand, Hagrid was large and would probably frighten anything off that dared to come near them. However, it would sound kind of pathetic if he asked Hagrid if he could stay by his side. Fang, on the other hand, had huge fangs and it would not seem as pathetic asking for the canine to accompany me.
"I want Fang", I said quickly. To my surprise, Hagrid didn't object.
"All right but I warn yeh, he's a coward. So me, Harry 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. Take your wands out and practice."
At Hagrid's instruction, the three Gryffindors and I took out our wands and shot green sparks in to the sky. To my surprise, Longbottom managed to do this without causing bodily harm to anyone in the group. It's just my luck that Hagrid has placed him with me... at least I can have some fun bullying him. (Dear reader, if you are judging me for that he is a pathetic excuse for a wizard and deserves it. People like Longbottom are an embarrassment to pureblood wizards everywhere and are no better than Mudbloods or Muggles).
"Right, that's fine. An' if anyone gets in ter trouble, send up red sparks." Those were Hagrid's final instructions to us before we split up. Hagrid, Granger and Potter each took the left path leaving the right path for Fang, Longbottom and I.
"Longbottom, don't fall on your fat arse," I called out to the useless lump. Of course, that's exactly what he did.
"You useless pile of crap, that thud you made may well have scared off the unicorn," I jeered.
"Didn't think that you would care about it, Malfoy" replied Longbottom to my surprise. I wasn't aware that he possessed the brain necessary for communication.
"I," I began superiorly, "am only bothered about finding this unicorn so that we can get out of this Forest."
"Scared?" jibed Longbottom. I'll show him who's scared, I thought but as soon as Longbottom had spoken we heard Fang barking a few metres in front of us.
Immediately, I thought that Fang had seen a werewolf. Father had told me that they sometimes lurked in the Forbidden Forest and that they were a large reason as to why we students are banned from going in to the Forest.
It wasn't a werewolf. It was just Fang being a dog. He has probably ruined our chances of finding the unicorn, even more than Longbottom falling over. Longbottom was looking panicked by this point and I seized my opportunity. I might be a wizard, but sometimes the simple things in life deliver the greatest pleasure. I snuck up behind him, the unsuspecting lump, and reached out my arms. I slammed them down very quickly on his shoulders and got more than I bargained for; still it was even funnier than I thought it would be. Longbottom jumped up and immediately shot red sparks in to the sky; Hagrid arrived a few moments later and took us back to the others. He was fuming, but that didn't stop me from finding the situation hilarious.
"Right, we're changing groups," announced Hagrid. "Neville, you stay with me an' Hermione, Harry you go with Fang an' this idiot."
Father shall hear about that, I thought as he whispered something to Potter. I warned him that hanging around with riff-raff like Hagrid and the Weasley's would get him nowhere, and look at him now – in a detention because of the giant oaf. Privately, I make a vow that I won't allow Hagrid to get away with any further illegal activities; I shall just complain to father and have him sack the clueless giant. He is the head governor after all, and the other governors are all terrified of him.
Once Hagrid had finished speaking to Potter, we set off in to the heart of the forest. We walked in silence; a silent mutual agreement had passed between us that neither of us would say anything. It would just delay us, and by now I just wanted to get to my bed in the Slytherin common room. I didn't feel in the mood for teasing Potter, not least because it would probably backfire on me horribly considering his friendship with Hagrid.
We came to a clearing, and Potter spoke, putting his arm out to prevent me from going any closer. "Look," he said.
It was the unicorn. It was just as dead as Hagrid had said it would be. Potter seemed upset to see it in this state; I found it comical. What wasn't comical was what happened next.
Out of the shadows came a hooded figure. I prayed that it wouldn't attack us and mercifully, it didn't. It lowered its head towards the wound in the unicorn and began to drink its blood.
At this point, I ran. I couldn't care less what Potter thought of me. I had no urge to put myself in unnecessary danger; I think that Fang bolted as well.
I ran out of the Forest and back to my dormitory in the common room.