Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback
Professor Scamander was leading us to the Forbidden Forest. I don't see why though! It's called the Forbidden Forest for a reason! I flipped my red hair back as I watched my Care of Magical Creatures teacher and Godmother, "Aunt" Luna Scamander, talk about the many beasts she was going to show us.
"I can't wait to see what kind of creatures we're going to see!" Mackeena Higgs, my best female friend, told me. She was too hyper so early in the morning. Care of Magical Creatures was a double period and it had rained last night, making the ground muddy. I could hear the sinking of my shoes! Mackeena didn't seem to mind though.
"Why are you so chirpy?" I asked her. We were 5th year Gryffindors. We shouldn't be excited for school! Only Ravenclaws are excited. Then again, Mackeena's mother was a Ravenclaw...
"I just want to see the magical creatures! Apparently she's going to show us Thestrals, Dragons, Merpeople, and more!" I still didn't see what the big deal was though. Just then, luckily, Frank Longbottom II came over to us. He took long strides to get to us.
Had he not been on the Quidditch team, he would have been panting by now. "What are we going to do today?" Frank asked. That's us. I'm Lily Luna Potter, the "leader" of this little group. Mackeena is the bookworm and Frank is the one with every quality known to wizard and muggle kind! All of us are in Gryffindor, which I'm glad about.
"Gather around class!" Aunt Luna told us. We all gathered around, wanting to see what kind of creatures she was going to show us. "Now, as you know, the Forbidden Forest is forbidden sadly." She had a frown that was on her beautiful face. Her dreamy blue eyes were now sad and a bit hazy. As if lost in a good memory. Shaking her head she started to talk again. "Anyways, Headmistress Hermione Lupin had let us use the creatures of the woods for this class!" The students shouted in happiness, even I was excited to see all the creatures.
"We are first going to look at the Merpeople. The dragons, centaurs, Thestrals, and werewolves!" Luna clapped her hands and started to lead us to the Black Lake when a nosy 5th year Ravenclaw piped up. Sadly, Care of Magical Creatures was one of the classes that held all houses together.
"We can't see werewolves!" The Ravenclaw stubbornly told her in her know- it- all voice. "They only come out at night when the full moon in up!" Whispers about how the Ravenclaw was right swept through the entire class. I wondered it myself too. The Ravenclaw was right and a full moon wasn't going to come in another three weeks!
Luna shouted loudly, "Quiet down!" The class looked at her, shocked. She almost never screamed at the class. "I know about the facts of a werewolf Miss Stone, but I know a Werewolf that can transform anytime they want to." Miss Stone, which is Allison Stone, nodded stiffly, hating to be shown up. She was after all, the "smartest Ravenclaw in her year."
We looked at the Merpeople and June Daily, Hufflepuff, almost fell into the Black Lake when the Merpeople tugged at her. Luckily, Luna was there to grab her. I liked to study the dragons! They were absolutely fascinating! My favorite was a baby Hungarian Horntail! I remembered that dad told me he fought a grown sized once!
"Now, let's see the centaurs! Be very careful," Luna warned us. "Ever since the Battle of Hogwarts, they haven't trusted any magical being, other than other centaurs, since. They will be wary about most of you, but not me. I've met them before and I want everyone to be careful! They will attack if you present a threat. No loud footsteps!"
We walked deep into the Forbidden Forest and I was feeling light- headed. I was felt my hairs stand up from the back of my neck and my body shook with fright. Frank and Mackeena were shaking beside me, holding onto each other tightly. They weren't dating yet, but I knew they would soon. Maybe this year or the next, who knows.
I hate to admit it, but I was always kind of jealous of them. They were perfect for each other. I shook my head, now was not the time.
"This is boring!" Serena Malfoy, 5th year Slytherin, complained. She stopped her feet loudly in the process, making the mud splash loudly. We heard a rustling sound, but Serena just kept on going, not even paying attention to what was going on.
"SERENA!" Luna shouted again. But she was too late. About 20 centaurs came rushing towards Serena, letting out a battle cry. They had bows and loaded arrows in their hands, about to lodge them into Serena's body. Serena shook with fear and almost burst into tears. It would have been funny to see Serena in tears (she always tormented me.) Sadly, she was a Malfoy and Malfoy's don't cry like babies.
"Stupid human child," a centaur muttered. He seemed to be the leader, one of the eldest and strongest.
"Hello Firenze," Luna told him dreamily. He looked startled, then smiled fondly at Luna.
"Hello Luna," he nodded his head in agreement. Then, ordered the rest of the centaurs to put their bows and arrows away. "What are you doing here Luna?" He questioned her, slightly curious about why we were probably here.
"I'm taking my class out to see centaurs, Thestrals, and werewolves. It's nice that you and your tribe are here," Luna smiled happily at him. She seemed to not be exactly focused on him, maybe a memory of some sorts.
"Wonderful Luna! Come around children! Sorry we scared you," he apologized. I didn't understand why he would apologize when it should be Serena that should apologize. Luna warned us about not being so bloody loud!
No one was wanted to go near them since they saw how scary they were, even without attacking! After a getting irritated by the fear of my classmates, I walked over and hugged him. He seemed shocked, but then looked into my emerald green eyes.
"Your eyes look like those of Harry Potter," Firenze told me. I smiled to myself. My father's eyes was my favorite part about him.
"He's my father," I shyly told him. Firenze nodded and closed his eyes, reminiscing of a memory, like Luna had done earlier.
"He was a good man," Firenze told me. He didn't open his eyes, but hugged me tighter. I didn't understand why he did this though. After my conversation with Firenze, more students came and talked to the centaurs, some even hugged them!
"We must go to the Thestrals soon! Goodbye Firenze! Keep the Nargles away!" Luna smiled dreamily. He just nodded and waved back, his tribe and him left, deeper into the woods. "Now, we must visit the Thestrals and I know the perfect place to be!" She skipped happily to the so called, "Perfect Place." When we got there, it was perfect!
The trees had large trunks and thick leaves. The branches spread out widely, making the place covered with little sunlight. A large circle, maybe with a 100 meter diameter, was in the middle. I saw black winged horses that had no meat in them! I could see the ribs as the skin tightly clung to the bones. Most of the students were looking around the forest, trying to find something. Other had wide eyes with curiosity and wonder.
"Who can see black horses with wings that are very skinny?" Luna asked. I raised my hand along with four other people. Luna nodded happily. What did that mean? Out of 30 students, only 6 could see the horses. "I'm sorry for those who can't see the Thestrals, but can anyone tell why only 4 can see them?" Luna asked curiously.
Allison shot her hand up high, but Luna ignored her. Mackeena, surprisingly, raised her hand. She wasn't one of those people that usually raised her hand in class (she was one of the students that could see the Thestrals.) "Yes Miss Higgs?"
"Most of the students can't see them because they never saw someone die," Mackeena whispered. "Lily, three others, and I can see them because we saw someone who was dead."
"That is correct," Luna told us sadly. "10 points to Gryffindor. To gain twenty points for your house, tell me who was the first being you saw die. I'll start first." She took a shaky breath, trying to gain some bravery. "I saw my mother die when I was only 9 years- old, but I saw other die as well." Her eyes were now closed, but they still produced a waterfall of salty tears. When her tears were gone, Luna asked, "Who wants to tell the class?"
Laramie Hayden, 5th year Hufflepuff, raised her hand. Luna picked her. "I saw my younger cousin die." A single tear fell and she kept her eyes closed. "He was only 11 years- old and got his Hogwarts letter." Licking her, now moist, tears, told us, "He was killed by some stupid Muggle that ran over him on his way to a friend's house." She asked Luna to excuse her and she left.
Donna Thomas, 5th year Ravenclaw, raised her hand. "I saw my father's half- sister die." Her emotion was flat, as if she didn't care for her father's half- sister. "She was a cruel magical female that always hated my father and told him to f off." Donna told Luna simply when she looked at her with wonder. Luna nodded her head.
Jack Zabini, 5th year Slytherin, raised his hand. "My mother's best friend died. Her name was Daphne Greengrass. A raid, from some old Death Eaters, had killed her. I was on the bottom staircase and watched her die from the Killing Curse." His voice was sad, but he refused to let any tears out. "Head Aurors Hermione and Harry came and helped out my parents." He finally let a single tear slip from his eyes. "Daphne was my Godmother." He left class, but probably wouldn't wander too far.
Mackeena raised her hand. "I saw three magical beings die at once." She told our class. I gasped, shocked that she never told me this, judging by Franks' expression, he hasn't heard of this either. "There were two beings that at least saved five more. There was a total of about 15- 20 Death Eaters. The three I knew before, were Jackson Miller, Kellen Muller, and Kyle Morgan, friend's of my Godmother. They were all magical. The other two were Fred and George. But they wouldn't tell me their last names. They had red hair, lots of freckles, pale blue eyes, milky white skin, very tall, and had tons of scars all over their bodies! Their scars were very noticeable, not little tiny ones. I watched them battle and it was amazing!"
I wondered who Fred and George were. They had the same name as my late Uncle Fred and my Uncle George, who was alive now. Both Freds and Georges had similar personalities. Oh well, I'll probably ask her about them later.
"What about you Lily?" My Godmother asked.
"Um..." I fidgeted nervously. If I told anyone this, then I would be in big trouble.
"What is it?" Luna asked me, frowning.
Rubbing the back of my neck, I answered, "I didn't exactly see someone die." She raised her blonde eyebrow and I continued, all eyes were on me. "I saw the Mirror of Erised and saw a whole bunch of dead magical beings. I saw Uncle Fred and Uncle George! I was in between them and there were a whole lot of other people! You were there along with, Aunt Hermione, Daddy (Harry), Headmaster Flint, some Hufflepuff around Uncle Fred and George's age, and also the famous retire Puddlemere United Captain and Keeper, Oliver Wood!" With each name or description I told to her, Luna flinched in pain and agony.
"Th- Th- That's interesting," she muttered. "Twenty points to Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Forty points to Gryffindor." She quickly left and told the class to follow her. I was still confused about her stuttering. She led us to another open clearing.
"Come out you old female!" Luna called to the right side of the clearing. I heard rustling, along with everyone, even the students who had returned upon hearing Luna's footsteps.
A large werewolf came, baring its fangs. The eyes were a dark amber color, piercing into our eyes. They were filled with pain, agony, sadness, but it all seemed dull compared to the dead look. It was as if its soul was sucked out by a Dementor. The fur was disheveled, probably from running around the forest, it was also a wondrous golden brown color. The werewolf was kind of short, but had power that was told through the eyes of the werewolf.
"This is a werewolf friend of mine," Luna told us, tearing our eyes away from the werewolf towards her. "She's a very good female, but has a very bad past." Luna knelt down to eye level to the werewolf. Unlike what everyone had thought, the werewolf didn't attack her. "She's special." Luna grabbed the furry head and nuzzled her nose into her, letting tears flow down her sad blue eyes. Luna's eyes were just like the werewolf's. They were sad and in pain, but had the strong will to live, no matter what.
"You have no homework and I think all of you should head back. It's getting late. I'm sure that you can get out of the forest safely, Firenze will always be watching familiar students, protecting them." With that said, we left. We headed back to see Headmaster Flint there.
"Where's Luna?" He asked, running a hand through his black hair, brown eyes filled with worry.
"She's with some kind of werewolf with golden brown hair, wanted to stay back there and sent us back to get to our next class," Laramie told him. Headmaster Flint nodded then quickly left.
I stood there, looking at him with curiosity. Maybe, just maybe, I should follow him. Right when I was about to follow him, Mackeena grabbed my arm.
"Let's go Lily!" She smiled and then we left. For some reason, the Forbidden Forest kept calling me back. Why? This was very interesting.