Ch 10. Detention
The next morning proved to be something out of one of Neville's nightmares. Somehow the entire story had gotten out that a couple of first years had lost Gryffindor two hundred points overnight. The fact that their once Quidditch hero, The-Boy-Who-Caught-Snitches-Like-It-Was-Going-Out-Of-Style, had single-handedly cost them points won from two Quidditch matches had thrust all three of them, but especially Harry, into a very dark place in their housemate's minds.
The plump boy looked over at his friend. It seemed strange, but Neville supposed Harry was his friend, to see him reading a letter as though without a care in the world. He wished he could be that carefree. All the confidence Harry had instilled in him the night before vanished like the mist on the moor replaced with the feelings of failure and inadequacy. Even the other houses seemed angry. For the first time in eight years Gryffindor was poised to overtake Slytherin for the house cup and Neville realized he had helped destroy those hopes. Neville wondered what his parents would say; he certainly didn't want to think about his Gran.
Harry's smile was more than genuine that morning. Not even the malicious stares from three-quarters of the school, the carefully whispered threats or the dark muttering from his own team mates could dampen his spirits as he read the piece of parchment he gripped tightly in his hand.
Dear Harry,
Mum says you might be able to visit! She had to talk with Daddy first, but I think it will be good. How are things? Have you gotten rid of the dragon yet? I hope that went ok, my brother Charlie will be over the moon! There are so few Ridgebacks left in the wild it would be a shame to try and keep one out of its natural habitat. I don't know if I told you, but when we went to Romania Charlie let me see the hatchlings. Mum was concerned about letting me near them, but I thought they were cute in a scaly, melt-your- face kind of way.
I hope lessons are going well, when's your next Quidditch match? If you win this one you'll be in for the Cup right? Mum told me Gryffindor hasn't won the Quidditch Cup since Charlie left...
Harry's eyes moistened slightly as he read the rest of the letter. He missed her so much it was like a near constant ache. The presence of his human had been something he'd always taken for granted, but now with her far away, the unicorns being particularly evasive and the local pride having just given birth to a new batch of kittens he felt alone for the first time since arriving.
"Hey mate, you all right?" Ron's loud voice cut through Harry's mental haze.
Well, not completely alone. He still had his bipedal Pride.
"Yeah Ron, I'm doing okay, I think." Any letter from Ginny made it a good day. Harry's grin on any other day would have been wildly infectious. The sky was blue for the first time in months and the end of term was rapidly approaching signalling with them the promise of sweet summer freedom. Today though his smile only served to increase the depth of the scowls he received from all those in the common room not directly associated with smuggling an illegally hatched dragon out of the country and losing two hundred points in the process.
"Well all right then. They're starting to think you might be a bit mental though," Ron said gesturing with his still-bandaged hand at the surrounding groups of students. "Really, Harry, what do we have to be smiling about at the moment? We lost two hundred points. Hermione told me what you said to McGonagall; you've got more stones than I thought. I think I'd crap bricks if I spoke to her like that."
"Ron, while I appreciate your use of the plural why do you say 'we'? You were, in fact, firmly ensconced in a hospital bed recovering from a particularly nasty bite. You didn't lose anything. This day should still be grand for you."
Ron made an intensely uncomfortable face. "Harry, they kind of just lump me in with you. Us being best mates an' all. I figured you'd need the company, too."
Harry smiled at the surprising thoughtfulness of his friend. "Thanks Ron." Harry stood and walked briskly to the window, leaning his head far out to the breeze and inhaled deeply. "Ron, let's go to lunch. It'll be early today. Steak and kidney pie and green beans, I think. I'll grab Neville, too. See if Hermione's about, yeah?" Ron stood dumbfounded at the carefree nature of his friend. If he didn't know better he'd think Harry really wasn't bothered at all with the loss of so many House Points and the prospect of most of the school hating him. Harry was weird, but maybe Hermione was right. It must have something to do with his home life; orphanages weren't known for their individualised attention.
Their way down to the Great Hall saw sneers, coughed comments and open hostility from everyone but the Slytherins. The other three bundled tightly around Harry and his seemingly impervious shield of I-don't-give-a-damn. Maybe it was a charm he could teach them. Harry was quite pleased to ignore the threats and taunts until a very familiar voice sailed across the corridor.
"Thanks a bunch, Potter! Pretty pathetic when you need a Weasel, Squib and a suck-up to be your body guards." Malfoy taunted. Harry flashed a dazzlingly brilliant smile and made quite the rude gesture and motioned for his friends to follow to the hopefully early lunch. Malfoy never did know how to read people. "Nothing to say, Potty? What about you, Butterbottom? Are they taking you out to say your farewells? Did Gryffindor finally have enough of a Squib like you?" Harry looked back and saw Neville on the edge of tears. Emotion wasn't what was required here, force might be. Though that seemed to sum up most situations Harry could think of.
He strode calmly over to his blond opponent who for once was not flanked by his two body guards. Draco seemed to feel that the crowded corridor would be enough deterrent to avoid a physical altercation. "Malfoy, if you don't leave my friends alone I'm going to slam your head into the wall and knock out your front teeth. Try having magic repair that."
Malfoy's returning sneer held far more fear than contempt. "You wouldn't dare, Potter. Even you're not stupid enough to start something in a crowded hallway."
"Aren't I? I've already lost a hundred points, and Gryffindor's in last place. What's a hundred more? Now, I say again walk away or I'm going to send you to the hospital wing." The calm green eyes left no doubt as to his sincerity. Draco quavered and with a final sneer strode off in search of easier prey.
"Harry, would you really have sent him to the hospital? Just for saying that about me," Neville asked timidly.
"Yes, I would have. I don't really understand everything, but if it upsets my friends then I'm going to thrash him."
"Why?" Neville responded.
"Because you're worth it."
At lunch Professor McGonagall finally assigned them detention. "It'll be with Hagrid this Thursday evening at eight. If you wish to remain students here I suggest you not be late."
That wasn't so bad if it was with Hagrid. Maybe he would have something exciting for them to do in the forest. Harry could dream. All his other more recent detentions were something pointless like shining trophies or scrubbing cauldrons. Nothing so fun as exploring the forest with Hagrid and Fang. Harry had to admit that for a dog Fang was downright tolerable.
That night saw Harry's entrance back into the forest after an extended absence. He needed to check on the unicorns and make sure they were still unharmed. The local Pride had warned him off once their kittens were born, but he'd have to take that risk.
Slinking in the shadows he was careful to stay away from any known den sites and out of his traditional hunting grounds. Harry had an idea where the Unicorns might be hiding and acting on a hunch he moved as quickly as stealth would allow. A loud caterwauling alerted everyone in the vicinity to an intruder into Kneazle territory and Harry had the unpleasant feeling the intruder was him.
Breaking into a full run wasn't enough as larger and faster Kneazles surrounded him, fur up, ears back and eyes fixed on his throat.
'Why did you come, cousin? You were warned to stay ou,.' the Father intoned.
'My charges are here and I don't want to hurt the kittens. All kittens should be protected.'
'Charges? You've offered Kneazle protection to someone in the forest? You never told us.'
'Not someone, the herd. Ferd and his band are under my watch. I make sure nothing will happen to them, but I haven't seen them for a long time. I need to know they're still alive.'
All surrounding Kneazles looked at Harry as though he'd sprouted a second head. Then a loud symphony of mewling began. They were laughing at him...
'Cousin, the herd doesn't need your protection. There are far deadlier things in this forest than your young claws,' a big grey one said.
'I've offered it and it is my responsibility while I'm here. I've helped them before and you as well. It's what I do.'
Harry felt rather than heard a presence behind him and his nerves already stretched were pushed to the breaking point. Whirling on his back paws he came face to face with... the Unicorns. They were safe and sound! Even the foal had nearly grown into its brilliant white coat. Only a trace of the gold still lingered.
'The little one speaks true,' one of the mares said. They were always so stuffy.
'Indeed. Well our apologies honored dwellers. We meant to protect our young only,' the pride Father responded, bowing low with the rest of the Pride following suit.
'We are safe little one. Thank you for your concern, but it is unnecessary. We will be fine. We believe the evil has left our forest. Go home and rest. You should not be out tonight.'
'I needed to find you.' Harry said. 'Thank you for your concern.' With that Harry turned and headed out with a fully armed Kneazle escort.
oOo
The following days flew by in a dreary haze. The stares and angry whispers were finally starting to get on Harry's nerves and had long since pushed Hermione to the breaking point. It was only her friends' constant companionship that saved her sanity. Soon enough, though, it was the long-dreaded Thursday night and with it the promise of an interesting night with Hagrid. Neville, Hermione and Harry met Filch down in the Entrance Hall as they had been told and were met with a rather unpleasant surprise. Malfoy had also been assigned detention with them. Harry's dreams of it being something pleasant like helping Hagrid weed out flesh-eating slugs were dashed. Likely they would be assigned something boring to satisfy the requirements and keep the nancy blond-haired ponce from getting his fur dirty.
Their way down to Hagrid's hut was punctuated with Filch's droning about 'old punishments' and chains, whips and likely tight bound leather if Harry's mind had been a few years older. As they approached the hut, Harry's night vision was obscured by a lantern held aloft by one meaty hand. "Tha' you lot, then?" The booming voice of Hagrid called out.
"It's the troublemakers all right. Don't be going to soft on them, Hagrid. I was just reminding them of the old punishments. Pity we let them die out..." Filch continued.
"Tha's what took you so long? Trying to frighten first years. Tha's not your job Filch. Best get along with you and leave this lot to me." With a clearly derisive noise in his throat Filch cast the groundskeeper one last glance and hobbled off to his bed and cat.
"What'll we be doing tonight, Hagrid? Hunting Acromantula, subduing a werewolf, cleaning out a nest of flesh eating slugs, saving a baby unicorn from certain and almost unavoidable personal peril at great risk to life and limb?" Both of Harry's friends shared a troubled glance. Was this what their friend did on his long absences from their presence? They would need to keep a closer eye on this boy next year.
A slow smile came across Hagrid's face but formed into more of a grimace at the boy's enthusiasm for what was likely going to be a painful night for the lot of them. "No, Harry, sommat's been hunting unicorns in there. Injured one tonight. I'm going in to put the poor thing out of its misery. You all are going to help. You'll be travelling in groups wi' me or Fang. Not a thing in the world that'll hurt you with us there. Malfoy, you and Neville'll take Fang here. Hermione an' Harry'll come with me," Hagrid concluded, looking at each one of the students in turn. "You need to understand, there's some bad things in there that'll be like to 'arm ye if ye wander off so stay close, an' if ye find anythin' shoot red sparks up in the air."
As Hagrid's eyes rounded on Malfoy it was plain to see his face was paler than normal and he had none of his usual swagger. "Into the forest!" He squeaked. "I didn't think we'd be going in there! If my father find's out..."
"He'll tell ye that's what its like at Hogwarts! If yeh can't stomach the punishment, don't break the rules! Unless you feel more comfortable packin' up an going home? Now that's cleared up, wait where's 'Arry?" Everyone stopped and looked around. "'Arry?" Hagrid bellowed. "Where'd the little bugger run off to?" Hagrid muttered to himself.
"Got scared most likely. And they said Gryffindors were for the brave." Malfoy smirked.
"Shut it, Malfoy. Harry's worth twelve of you!" Neville said timidly.
"What's that mean about you then, Squib?"
"Shut it, both of you!" Hermione exclaimed. She held her wand low to the ground, a point of light originating from the tip. "Size sevens... Hagrid! Over here. I think Harry went into the forest by himself. Why would he do that?" She exclaimed.
Hagrid's bushy face bent low and peered at the freshly disturbed earth. "I think yer right Hermione. A right clever witch you are. Right you lot, change of plans then. Neville you an' Draco'll stay here in case 'Arry returns. If he does shoot up red sparks. Hermione and I'll go into the forest to find the boy." Hagrid turned and picked up his mammoth crossbow, motioning Hermione to follow. "Cor, I wonder why he'd do somthin' so foolish. Don' no firs' year have the knowhow to go sneakin' off into the Forbidden Forest on his own." The mammoth man shook his head sadly, wondering if there'd be enough pieces of the boy to bury.
The 'foolish boy' in question had no real intention of taking off anywhere that night until the fact that they were looking for an injured unicorn had escaped Hagrid's lips. Harry had felt his stomach drop to his knees and tears of impotent rage sprung to his eyes. They were his to protect dammit! Now who knows what had been stalking his herd for days maybe months! It wasn't easy to sneak up a unicorn, Harry knew that and harder still to kill one but something had. If Harry could get there in time maybe he could save it? Unwarranted hope swelled in his chest as he prayed to Isis that the favour she bestowed on Kneazles be shared just a little tonight with the herd he'd become so attached to.
Faster and faster his paws carried him into the black tangled abyss of the forest. The briars and brambles pulled at his fur and whipped his ears. He never remembered to change from two legs to four, and never felt the tell tale tremor that accompanied the change, so focused was he. The only thing that kept going through the small Kneazle brain was the urge to find his hurt unicorn. They had told him the evil had left! Why had they lied? He needed to be there to protect them!
The scent was becoming clearer and he stopped only briefly to investigate a small puddle of a silvery blue liquid almost undetectable with the human eye. It was blood... An involuntary shiver went up his spine and fear like he'd known only once briefly replaced the rage that had been simmering beneath his furry surface. He saw another slightly larger drop ahead and Harry was off again.
The droplets began to form small puddles that turned into larger pools still. Harry didn't know how much blood a unicorn had, but the one he was tracking couldn't have very much more left. Harry thought he heard his name being bellowed somewhere in the distance, but he was getting close and he couldn't stop. He was nearly there when he saw three familiar figures. Three of the largest Kneazles from the local pride were standing in his way, blocking his path.
'Do you know what this is Cousin?' The first asked.
'Unicorn blood. Please move! I have to find her... she's dying.'
'We know, we're coming with you.'
'You were waiting?' Harry's forehead creased with confusion. 'I don't understand. Why aren't you trying to save her if you know?'
'They don't trust us like they do you little cousin. We need you to guide us in.'
Harry stopped in his tracks and looked at them seriously. 'Why are you helping them.'
'They're part of our forest too. We watch our own cousin, and you've extended them Kneazle protection. Understand?'
'Let's go.'
Harry, now accompanied by three others, left at a breakneck pace hurtling through the undergrowth praying to arrive on time. Unfortunately travelling at high velocity in a forest is never a good idea when your brain has a sudden inclination to feel like it's on fire. The screaming pain lanced through the black Kneazle causing him to lose focus and crash headfirst into a large oak. The pain, apart from the splitting headache he now had, suddenly vanished and focusing through the tears forming Harry saw a beautiful silver form, covered in blood and lying all too still on the ground. He and his furry companions began to approach slowly, sniffing the air for foreign scents and any sign of the forest intruder.
Harry's brain was once again assaulted with the near-blinding pain lancing through his white stripe over his eye. Through it all he could make out a tall shadowy cloaked figure gliding silently (at least for human standards) towards the body of the slain unicorn. Harry recognized him; it was Ferd the band stallion. Someone had slain the band stallion and was coming to eat him! This was no Acromantula and the magic radiating off the cloaked figure was far too evil for a simple forest creature. No, this figure had a purpose and though his head was burning with an unrivalled intensity Harry's fur went up and his fury once again resurfaced. He was a furry volcano ready to explode with giant claws and huge teeth to rend this offender limb from limb!
All the furry onlookers watched in abject horror as the two-legged creature bent to the pure carcass of the unicorn and dipped his hand into its stomach drawing out a handful of the silvery blue blood. Slowly he raised his hand to his lips and a sickly sucking sound could be heard. Harry understood. This creature had killed a pure and innocent animal under his protection for a handful of blood... The pent up anger, frustration and pure rage exploded into action.
Ignoring the pain Harry burst forth from his hiding place like a bullet from a gun. Once again, Father's words came to aid him 'Go for the throat, always the throat.'
'Cousin, WAIT!' Harry heard dimly in the background, but his quest for blood and vengeance would not be delayed any longer. He leapt at the still crouched man who, unfortunately for him, had turned his head slightly exposing the open front of the cloak. Harry's vicious little claws sunk into the man's neck and his teeth latched onto the windpipe struggling to crush the vital organ in his powerful jaws.
Harry's rage had overtaken him so completely it was almost a full three seconds before he felt the blinding pain that seemed to surge through his whole body and a distinct heat underneath his paws. The smell of burned flesh was pungent and Harry could feel blisters forming underneath his paws. Yet he hung on gamely digging his claws deeper into the man's rapidly deteriorating flesh and forcing his jaws closed over the offender's trachea. Harry's head felt like it was going to explode in two and everything was a blur.
Finally with his last great effort he felt his jaws slam shut and the residual resistance of the man's flesh give way. The cloaked perpetrator made a gurgling sound and slumped backwards, his burnt flesh soaked in his own blood as the feeling of an evil spirit evaporated from the forest floor. Harry released his jaws and felt the distinct sensation of rough tongues cleaning his now blood-soaked fur. A low rumbling purr helped soothe the pain before unconsciousness claimed him.
'Well done cousin, well done. Your friends will sleep safely tonight.' With that the large grey male began calling for help defending their weakened champion.
oOo
Hagrid heard the hooves before he saw the centaurs. They were frustrating creatures, especially for Hagrid who was far more grounded than most, but it was worth the aggravation if they had seen Harry.
"Ronan, good teh see you. This is Hermione Granger by the way, a student up at the school. This is Ronan, a centaur."
"So I'd noticed," Hermione whispered.
"Hello to you, Miss Granger. A student you say? Do you learn much up at the school?"
"A fair bit I suppose," she replied faintly.
"That's something then, isn't it?" The centaur's sombre baritone marveled.
"Err... Ronan, I'm sorry but we're in a bit o' a hurry yeh see. I've lost one o' the students in this forest and I'd wondered if you'd seen him. Name's Harry Potter, about this high, green eyes and black hair."
"Mars has dimmed. Unusually dim. It was bright not a fortnight ago."
"Er.. yeah. I was wondering, though, if you've seen a lost boy here in these woods. Yeh know, something closer to home."
The sound of hooves preceded the arrival of Ronan's kinsman.
"Hi there Bane, we were just wondering if…"
"Mars has dimmed tonight."
"So I've heard," Hagrid replied evenly.
"Look to the Kneazles, not to the Stars Hagrid. Your answers are there." With that parting shot the centaurs sauntered off into the gloom of the night.
"Ruddy stargazers. Never try to get a straight answer out of a centaur," Hagrid sagely advised Hermione. The two trekked on for some time when a distant mewling drew their attention.
"Hagrid, is that a Kneazle? I've read about them, magical house cats, aren't they?"
Hagrid chuckled. There were some things after nearly fifty years of working with magical creatures that one found funny. Comparing Kneazles to house cats was one of them. "They migh' be a bit, Hermione, but don' tell them that. They're mighty particular 'bout their place in life. Some folk reckon they think they're just little lions waiting for their growth spurt. Nothin' to be worried about though."
"Hagrid, the centaurs told us to look to the Kneazles. We should see what's been going on!" Hermione persisted.
"Yeh might have somethin' there. Never said you were the brightest witch in yer year fur nothing,'" the giant man chuckled.
Hermione blushed at the praise, and hurried at a near run to keep up with her protector. The closer they got the more apparent it was that the noise was generated by a large number of feline vocal cords mewling in near unison as if calling for someone or mourning the dead. When they got close enough the young witch could make out the forms of nearly thirty Kneazles surrounding what looked like three bodies. The first was what she suspected caused the commotion, an all-black one of their own lay prone on the ground, his black fur was marred by a thick coat of dark red blood around his mouth and on his paws. It was like a nature show on the telly! Behind him lay the slain form of a unicorn and the form of a man... She felt woozy and the forest started to swim. Black blisters like those of burn victims marked the man's face, neck and hands. A look of terror was etched into the man's face and a large portion of his throat seemed to be missing. Looking a little closer she realized it wasn't any man, she knew him... It was Professor Quirrell their Defence professor. She emptied the contents of her stomach onto her shoes, not caring for once what became of her robes.
Hagrid fought down the same feeling as he approached the scene. Whether he liked the man or not, it was only proper that he retrieve the body for Dumbledore. Looking down at the scene before him it was difficult to tell what had happened. Three bodies, and while it was clear enough that the Kneazle had killed... that was impossible. It looked like the Kneazle had killed the professor and judging from a few flecks left on his robes the professor may well have killed the unicorn before him. That shouldn't have been possible. No underweight house cat should have been able to kill a defense professor, inept as the man was.
Hagrid gently wrapped the dead man securely in his cloak and hoisted the body over his shoulder like a sack of beans and then bent down gently to lift the still-breathing Kneazle from the forest floor; Dumbledore would certainly want to take a look at him. Two separate sets of teeth sunk deeply into his hand and the mewling turned into a much more formidable growl. Being nearly ten feet tall and with a hide as thick as many giants', Hagrid wasn't physically intimidated by much. Even he had to admit this caught him a little off guard.
Hermione spoke softly, "Please, we don't want to hurt him. He needs help. We just want to help him." After a few more promises of attention and their good intentions the Pride reluctantly parted and let her through. She gently scooped up the large feline in her arms and began to carry him much the same way one would carry a tired toddler. His breathing was shallow, but regular. Hermione had no idea if Madam Pomfrey could cure magical animals, but she hoped so. She didn't like to see any animal killed without reason. It was a long road back as they trudged in silence to the castle.
AN: Whoah! All those who saw that coming please raise their hands! I love it. I would at this point like to thank again wsbenge and his story The Natural Animagus for inspiration and several plot devices. This happens to be one of them. Now, if there are any questions I'll be happy to answer them. I am writing chapters several ahead and I am pleased with the response. I doubt I'll have another update for a week or maybe two… oohhh… so I hope this carries you over. I'd also like to say that at the end of each year (not story) I will be taking a minor hiatus two-three weeks most likely to work on more of the story and try to make sure it is going where I want. Let me know what you think and punch that review button! A final question anyone know if Harry raised by Americans has been done before? I'm curious to see how it is done. I was contemplating a story when I am done with this one but I am loathe to rehash a fandom cliché if that is indeed what it is. Let me know!