Chapter 7
The Unicorn and His Blood
As soon as students started to come back to Hogwarts their was less time to fool around since teachers were giving out more homework the usual. Percy was working extremely hard since he was in his 5th year and it was O.W.L.S. he was studying for.
"I want to work for the Ministry." He told us one night during dinner.
"Maybe he'll fall down the stairs like Fudge and come to his senses that he's a git." Fred said making George cough up his Butterbeer. Percy though was giving Fred and George a hard time now. Percy was taking away points because of their behavior which caused Ron to attack Percy one night in the common room.
"Stupid Git. He's trying to make us lose!" Ron said angrily while Hermione was trying to bandage up a scratch Percy gave Ron on his arm.
"Hey Ron you think they make a spell that makes someone's head grow big? Cause I think that's what happened to Percy." George said telling his brother. Percy didn't find it funny and took 5 points from Gryffindor. Slytherin was now winning by 50 house points which made Gryffindor tense and ready to attack them at any moment. Ron pounced on Draco the other day when Draco was making fun of Professor McGonagall.
"She's the greatest witch I've ever met! She has more power then you'll ever had you dumb blonde!" Ron shouted across the hallway after Transfiguration. As you can see Hogwarts was coming close to finals which caused everyone to study at least 4 hours a day. Harry on the other hand was to busy finding out who Nicolas Flamel was. Ever since Hagrid let out who made whatever was past the three dogs Harry was always at the library. All through Christmas break he was missing from the common room and bringing back books about inventors. He didn't seem to get anywhere since Hermione was keeping me updated.
"No he hasn't found anything but I think were getting close." Hermione said during Potions. I sighed and took a sample from my potion and handed it to Snape.
"Aeris I'm proud your excellent at potions. Better than Potter at least. You should look into becoming a healer." Snape said taking my Potion and adding the 50 points as usual to Gryffindor.
"Your a lifesaver Aeris. Your the only reason why Gryffindor still has points. Damn I hate Slytherin." Ron said as I made my way back to my cauldron. Draco turned and gave a nasty look at Ron.
"What? Don't like losing Weasley? You too Potter? Sad. Then again your poor and your a spotlight stealer so it makes it fair that Slytherin wins the house cup." Draco said and turned back to finish up his potion. Ron turned a bright red but Harry looked really mad. After class he threw his book at Draco who in turn gave Potter a taste of the leg locking curse. Harry's legs were bounded until he stepped into the common room.
"We got to get Malfoy expel." Ron said sitting in one of the squishy armchairs. Hermione was too busy looking over her Potions essay to pay any attention to Ron. After Ron and Harry made a plan to get Draco expel (which will never work) they stormed downstairs for dinner.
"Hard not to yell at them huh?" Hermione said as we both walked down to dinner.
"No. I'm used to it." I told her. Not far behind us Fred and George were laughing at the Daily Prophet.
"Look what Lee did." George said handing us the paper. On the front cover was a moving picture of Percy falling down the stairs dropping all his books and denting his prefect badge.
Big Head Git Percy Weasly Falls Down Stairs After Seeing He Failed All His O.W.L.S
Percy Weasley (Brother to the all awesome Fred and George Weasley) has fallen down the stairs and broke his leg after finding out he failed all his O.W.L.S.
"I felt bad for him. Even though he was on the side of Slytherin. He wanted them to win the House Cup." Said a laughing Ron Weasley who was standing outside the Hospital Wing. Aeris Evans (the beautiful and talented first year) found Percy at the bottom on the staircase rushed to find a teacher after her 10 minute laughing fit at Percy.
"We can all hope Draco Malfoy falls down the stairs and into a cauldron of boiling rat poop." Harry said laughing at his own joke. As we all indeed hope that happens to Mr. Draco Malfoy.
We all started laughing at the article.
"He bewitched it. Look theirs another article he did." Fred said opening the paper to page 3.
Draco Malfoy. A Lover or Hater?
It has been rumored that Draco Malfoy (11 years old and a Git) has fallen in love with Aeris Evans (Little Miss. Beautiful with her Silver Bow and Scary but Cute Owl Lynn).
"I hope he knows Aeris hates him with a passion. Only Aeris can love one person. She love Lee Jorden." Neville Longbottom told the press during dinner one day.
"Well if she loved me I wouldn't say no to her. She's just too awesome. What can I say? I'm a perfect man." Lee Jorden told press giving us his most perfect smile. Does Draco really love Aeris? It seemed like he didn't but it was reported that he talked to her on the train on the way to Hogwarts.
"He totally fancy's her. I saw him check her out." Fred Weasley (Brother to big head Percy)
We'll keep in touch about this story but it's a forbidden love story! No Slytherin has ever fallen in love with a Gryffindor!
Fred and George started laughing really hard at this article. Hermione tried to smile but it was no use. The two twins walked away still laughing leaving us behind.
"Aeris..."
"Yeah I'm fine. Lee was just trying to have a laugh." I said smiling. We both walked into the Great Hall when we saw Fred and George take apart and pocket the article about Draco Malfoy. They passed around the article about Percy when Malfoy came up to them.
"What's this all about Weasley?" Malfoy said taking the paper away reading the article. After a few seconds he tried to hide a laugh but after he looked at the picture he gave the paper back to Fred and burst out laughing causing the Hufflepuff table to turn and look at him.
"Weasley I give you credit. That was pretty funny." Draco said and walked back to his table.
"What was that all about?" Ron said sitting next to George." Fred handed him the paper and pointed at Percy's picture.
"He read the article. Lee changed the story around about Fudge and put in Percy." Fred said. Ron watched the picture moved to show Percy fall down the stairs. He too burst out laughing and slammed his face onto the table.
"WEASLEYS! WHY ARE YOU CAUSING SO MUCH NOISE?" Professor McGonagall said storming over to our table. Hermione and I took our seats next to Lavender who was giggling at the Percy story. McGonagall snatched the paper from Ron and looked at the cover. Her lips became very thin.
"Weasley... this is no way to make fun of your brother. I'll have to take this." McGonagall said and walked back to the teacher's table. She gave the paper to Dumbledore who read it and chuckled.
"YES!" Fred said who clanked his goblet with George's.
"What?" Ron said taking some chicken and corn bread and began eating.
"We made Dumbledore laugh." George said grabbing bread.
"So? That was your only copy of the bewitch paper." Ron said with his mouth full of chicken.
"Nope. Lee made at least 60 copies. He knew McGonagall would take a few so theirs a stash up in his trunk back at the common room. He's hoping to pass them out tomorrow." Fred said grabbing the salad dressing.
Harry came in bursting through the doors and told Ron and Hermione to follow him.
"Harry?" Hermione asked.
"Not now. We have to go!" Harry said holding a cloak and looking red in the face. Hermione and Ron grabbed some bread and hurried out of the Hall leaving us confused.
"Harry probably saw Percy fall down the stairs." Fred said and we all laughed at his joke.
"What did you saw?" Percy said standing behind Fred. Fred dropped his fork and turned around to see Percy looking at him with his evil eye.
"10 Points from Gryffindor!" Percy said and walked over to the other side of the table and helped himself to corn bread.
"Damn." Fred said.
Saturday came faster then Fred and George could get themselves into trouble. Percy was now up to 8 hours of studying and 2 hours of yelling at Fred and George to act like more responsible. During the day since Hermione, Ron, and Harry were too busy worrying about something called Norbert I spent the day with Draco skipping stones in the lake.
"He's got a dragon. Hagrid. Their giving it to Ron's brother tonight at midnight." Draco said tossing a stone. I sat on a rock working on another Potions essay and looked up.
"How could they keep a dragon?" I asked. Draco just smiled and sat next to me.
"It's a baby. I saw it hatch. I don't know where Hagrid found it but I'm sure he got it from the Hog's Head.
"Draco... When did you see the dragon?" I asked looking serious. Draco would normally try to get Harry and Ron in trouble but this was going to far.
"Last week when they rushed out of the Great Hall. I followed them. Thought Harry might have wanted to sneak out and get the stone." Draco said. I looked at him confused.
"Why would he want it now?" I asked putting my homework away. I could never finish homework when Draco was talking crazy.
"The stone leaves next Tuesday." He said. I paused. Next Tuesday? That's when the last day of school is.
"Draco... We gotta get that stone!"
That evening Hermione looked nervous and scared.
"What's wrong?" I asked her.
"Draco." She said
"What about him?"
Hermione grabbed my sleeve.
"He knows about the dragon. We gotta let him go tonight. I know Draco is going to rat us out. Aeris stall him!" She said all in one breath.
"Ugh fine I'll try but I won't be happy." I told her. After all three of them left I rushed downstairs to find Draco snooping around.
"Draco... Let them get rid of the dragon. Rat them out when their going to see the stone." I told him. He paused and turned.
"Aeris? How come you don't have that cloak that makes you invisible like Potter? You'll get caught!" Draco said looking scared. I crossed my arms and raised my eyebrow.
"Do you really think I'll get caught?" I asked. He looked at me for a second and sighed. We went up to the tower Hermione told me where Charlie would come pick up the dragon. When we were a hallway away I saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione sneak up the tower but I heard footsteps coming.
"Aeris! Hide in here!" Draco hissed and opened a closet door filled with brooms. He slammed the door and started talking.
"Professor I saw Potter! He has a dragon!" Draco said.
"That's enough out of you! 20 points from Slytherin and Detention! When Snape hears about this he'll give you additional punishment. Follow me Malfoy!" Professor McGonagall said. When I heard them leave I opened up the door and ran up the steps only to see Charlie fly away with the Dragon. I hid behind a curtain and watched Hermione, Ron, and Harry hurry down the stairs. When they were gone I walked out of the curtain to see Harry left his cloak. It was a odd cloak. It was really ugly one thing but I tried it on anyway. My whole body vanished. I panicked and took it off. It was a invisibility cloak! Dumbledore had one but this looked like the one he had. I heard footsteps coming up the stairs and threw on the cloak. McGonagall came up the stairs with Flinch and his nasty cat.
"Malfoy said they had a dragon." McGonagall said looking around the tower.
"Must have flown away." Flich said looking up at the sky.
"Well no matter. They all got detention and 50 points taken away. I wonder how Longbottom was involved in this. i thought he was only Aeris's friend not Potter's." McGonagall said and they both walked down the stairs out of sight. I sighed a relief and walked down the stairs. Flich and McGonagall were walking a the opposite way to Dumbledore's office and I quickly took a right. Still under the cloak I rushed past Hermione, Ron, and Harry.
"Did you feel something?" Hermione asked. I was too far away to hear anything else and was at Dumbledore's office in 5 minutes.
"Lemon drop!" I said and the gargoyle moved to show a small circling staircase. I ran up the steps and knock on Dumbledore's door. It opened a little and I rushed inside.
"Dumbledore! Harry stole your cloak and I found it on the tower!" I said but Dumbledore chuckled and turn to look out the window.
"That is his father's cloak. I gave it to him for Christmas. Are you also going to tell me that they let a dragon go too? Yes I saw that part. Dumbledore said still looking out the window. I put the cloak on his desk and found Fawks with her wing over her face sound asleep.
"Dumbledore the Sorcerer's Stone is past the three headed dog right?" I asked him. He turned to look at me but didn't look shocked.
"Mr. Draco found out didn't he? I always knew he was a smart kid."
"We both think Voldemort is after it."
"He is. That is why it is here but it seems Voldemort is here as well. He possessed one of the teachers."
I took a step back my mouth hung wide open.
"Why don't you stop him?" I asked.
"I can not. The man he took over is the man who guards the stone. I can not go past that door. You can though."
"Harry wants to go get the stone as well. After exams."
"Then it looks like your going to protect him. Bring Draco with you. Their is one task you can't pass with out a good sense of flying. Each task though is based on something all three of them know how to pass. You can figure then out yourself but remember Aeris. Harry gets the stone. Harry kills the teacher that Voldemort possessed. You can save him if the teacher is about to kill him. Now it's late. You need sleep and I need to get this cloak back to it's owner. Goodnight Aeris."
With that I walked down the stairs. I headed back to the common room and walked up to the 1st years girl's room and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
On Monday morning after Harry was the most hated kid in Gryffindor for losing 150 house points his detention letter from Professor McGonagall arrived along with Neville's, Hermione's, Ron's, and Draco's. Draco didn't seem to mind. He said he was just probably going to clean a bathroom or something along the lines. After dinner I said goodbye to Draco and headed off to the Common Room when I spent my night playing Wizard Chess with Fred while George tried to bewitch Percy's prefect badge. At 1 in the morning Hermione, Ron, Neville, and Harry came in shaking and scared.
"What's the matter?" I said.
"Their is something in the forest that is killing Unicorns and drinking their blood." Harry said rubbing his scar.
"It started to hurt too didn't it." I asked him. He nodded and walked up the stairs to his room. Ron and Neville followed him leaving me with a battered looking Hermione. I handed her my brush who started brushing twigs and leaves out of her hair.
"Draco was being a big baby. He demanded the dog and scared everyone half to death. He also ran and left Harry by himself with that unicorn eater." Hermione explained. She gave a nasty looked when she pulled a dead spider out of her hair.
"I talked to Dumbledore the night you guys left the tower. You are going to get the stone huh?"
"Yeah. Harry is trying to go after exams. Why?"
"Dumbledore said I'm suppose to watch you guys and make sure no one kills any of you." I told her and walked upstairs and found Lavender sleeping. I quickly put my pj's and pretended to be asleep when Hermione walked in.
"Harry thinks Snape wants the stone." She whispered and I turned and started to tear.
The next morning Draco came to tell me what happened the past night.
"Hermione told me everything." I said before he could open his mouth.
"I think it was Voldemort. I think whoever he possessed was the one who has been killing the Unicorns. Not only that but I think the same teacher sold Hagrid the dragon. Don't you get it Aeris? Voldemort is somewhere in the castle! We need to get that stone tonight!" Draco said looking scared and nervous.
"No."
"What?"
"No. Were not getting it tonight."
"AERIS!"
"Draco you listen to me. Were going the same night as Harry. Dumbledore told me we both have to protect him. Harry needs to get the stone and kill the teacher."
Draco closed his mouth. His face was full of fury.
"I won't protect Potter."
"Dumbledore said I couldn't do this alone. Theirs a task that requires flying. I'm not good at flying with a broomstick."
Draco sighed and paced up and down the hallway. He ruffled his hair and looked at me.
"Fine. I'll do it if you go to Rome with my family and Snape for the holidays."
I smiled at him. "I already sent your mother my answer. I said yes."
Draco looked at me and laughed. We both hugged each other and went into the Great Hall for some toast and bacon.
