Forbidden Forest

Sometimes Harry thought killing Draco wasn't such a bad idea. Really. Who would miss him? Okay other than perhaps his parents, maybe Crabbe or Goyle, possibly Pansy, but that was a stretch. Draco Malfoy was a pure and utter git according to Harry and possibly Jason and Neville. Harry was even willing to bet Hagrid wasn't overly fond of the blond boy right about then.

For detention Harry, Jason, Neville and Draco were sent into the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid and Fang. There was a foul creature lurking within the forest that was killing unicorns and spooking the other inhabitants. The children weren't expected to hunt down the predator, they were sent out to search for an injured unicorn.

When they entered the Forbidden Forest the small group had noted signs of an injured animal. Small silver puddles of unicorn blood were found throughout the forest therefore the creature was either suffering or dead.

Jason and Harry had been walking with Hagrid while Draco and Neville were sent to walk along a second path with Fang. While Hagrid's group had little to no luck in finding the unicorn or whatever had attacked it, they did meet up with a couple of centaurs. Ronan was a fiery red, while Bane was black as coal and they both were more fascinated with the current position of Mars and how bright it currently was… unusually so. The centaurs both agreed upon the oddities of the night sky. With long suffering sighs, they offered slow response times to Hagrid's questions about creatures that went bump in the night.

It wasn't long after that discussion, that Hagrid left Jason and Harry on the path they were traveling on in order to see to the other students. Red sparks were seen dancing in the night sky and Hagrid ran off in a panic. Jason and Harry stood as quietly as possible, exchanging whispered thoughts while awaiting Hagrid's return.

Hagrid huffed as he returned with Fang, Draco and Neville. Apparently Draco just couldn't resist scaring Neville into casting the panicked red sparks, which was what had prompted Harry's not so pleasant thoughts towards Draco's untimely demise. Hagrid decided to change tactics, "Neville, you're wit' me an' Jason. Harry, you go wif Fang an' tha' one."

Harry stifled a groan and simply nodded. "Okay, Hagrid."

"Mars is bright tonight." Jason commented before Harry walked away. The Slytherin boy stared up at the sky feigning a faraway look.

"Unusually bright," Harry instantly responded. He couldn't help but prod Jason in the ribs with his elbow before leaving with Fang and Draco.

Draco held the lantern high as they walked. Harry plodded along the path with Fang at his side. Draco poked fun at Harry while gingerly stepping over roots, between branches and nervously glancing around them. "Mars? Is that some code for 'I'm a moron'?"

Harry had grown accustomed to Draco's barbs and that one was rather tame for the blonde boy. Fang nudged Harry's leg, giving him what could only be a sheepish grin in his slobbery way. Harry smirked at the cowardly dog and patted him on the head as the three went deeper into the forest. Listening to Draco's whining, insults and utter nonsense usually annoyed Harry, but the small waiver of fear in the other boy's voice made whatever was said tolerable.

They had made it to the point where there wasn't much more of a path before Harry stopped walking. With his hand at Fang's nape to keep the hound from moving forward, Harry stared wide eyed. His voice was a harsh whisper that cracked at the last word. "I think we found it."

Draco tentatively stepped forward and held the lantern high as he could manage. The blonde peered in the moonlight at the white shimmering form lying on the forest floor. That time when Draco curled his lip it was more of a sneer of disgust. "It stinks."

Harry sniffed and groaned. He waved his hand in front of his face as he hissed, "I think that was Fang."

Fang huffed, shook his huge head and backed away slowly, whimpering. Draco and Harry watched Fang's behavior when movement caught their attention. Something very large slithered along at an alarming speed and loomed over the shimmering form in order to feed. Draco was following Fang's example, only the boy was backing away much quicker, muttering. "Wha-wha-what is THAT?"

"Shh!" Harry tried to warn, but it was too late. The creature that was feeding on the unicorn blood had stopped to turn its attention to them. Harry's heart was hammering in his chest, beating against his ribs to the point he was sure it would burst right through his ribs and onto the forest floor for the beast to feed on next. With his wand in hand, Harry pointed it at the creature while backing away along with Draco. "Run, Malfoy!"

Harry looked over his shoulder to move the blonde along, noting he was alone. When had that happened? "Bloody Malfoy!"

An ominous hissing sound came from that slithering creature. Harry's mind was reeling with spells, charms, shields, hexes, but the only thing he could manage was to fall backwards over a root. He laid there sprawled on the forest floor with a twisted ankle and sheer white pain ripping into his mind from his scar. Harry let out a blood curdling scream of pain and gripped his head with his free hand.

"I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna-" Another movement cut off Harry's mantra and view from the attacking unicorn eating... thing. A larger creature, darker than the slithering one - only not really darker, it was just different - stood between him and the attacking unicorn killer. Harry flinched, gripping his wand and somehow in his panic he sent off green sparks.

"Harry Potter! You are not safe here." The voice was not what got Harry's attention; it was the sound of hooves scraping at the ground.

Looking up, Harry saw a hand thrust at him. Staring past the hand for a moment, Harry realized it was another centaur, blond with a palomino body. "I am Firenze, you are not safe here, Harry Potter." Firenze's warning finally seeped through Harry's fear, prompting him into action. Harry reached out to the offered hand and was yanked roughly onto the back of the centaur.

With trembling arms wrapped around Firenze's waist, Harry held on as tight as he could without appearing too rude or causing the centaur discomfort. After all, he'd never rode a horse, let alone a centaur, before. With his eyes closed tight, Harry tried not to fall. Firenze ran for a long stretch, much longer than Harry thought they would have to go. How far had they gone into the forest? Was Firenze taking him to Hagrid or was he taking Harry deeper into the forest? Did Harry just blindly trust the centaur because Ronan and Bane were nice? Sure Hagrid said they were good folk, but did that mean all centaurs were or just the few that Hagrid knew, and did Hagrid know Firenze?

"Hagrid," Firenze finally came to a stop, his body had a light sheen of sweat from his efforts. Harry was still clinging to Firenze and trembling; partly from fright, partly from the cold air.

"Firenze, good ta see ya. 'ave ya seen a boy-"

"Harry Potter, yes, I have the boy." Firenze turned his body sideways, showing Harry still clinging to his body.

"Oh, Harry. I was worried aboutcha." Hagrid helped Harry down, dusting him off, almost knocking the boy off his feet in the process.

Clutching to Hagrid's beefy arm to gain his balance, Harry finally got a better look at his savior. "Thank you, Firenze. Um, but how did you know my name?"

"Many know you. Many know your name. Not all are good. Not all are bad. The question you should be asking is not about you. It is about the creature lurking in the shadows." Firenze stooped so they were closer to eye level, peering curiously at Harry. "To kill something as pure as a unicorn tears at one's soul. So tell me Harry Potter why would a sentient being risk such a price?"

Harry looked at his friends, Jason and Neville who had stepped closer to stand at Harry's side. The boy even glanced at Malfoy wondering if he may have had an answer for the centaur. Harry met Firenze's gaze once more and shook his head in defeat. "I don't know."

"Think Harry Potter," Firenze stood straight, looking up into the starry sky before speaking again, but for once the sky did not bring words of an unusually bright Mars. "Unicorn blood can sustain a life, even one that is almost extinguished; at a price."

Scraping and stomping the ground twice with a hoofed right foot, Firenze met Harry's astonished gaze. "Do you know anyone desperate enough to risk their soul?"

"I…" Harry's eyes widened when the answer came to him. His voice was just barely a whisper, choked with fear. "Voldemort."

The look in Firenze's eyes confused Harry, a touch of fear and reverence, possibly hope. Harry's mind swam with the weight of this new knowledge. Jason tugged at his arm, "Let's go, Potter."

Neville gave a timid grin to Firenze, "Um, thanks for bringing Harry back."

"Thankee, Firenze, I must be gettin' th' boys ta safety." Hagrid quickly ushered the four boys and Fang back towards his hut and the safety of the castle.

Harry took one last look at Firenze and waved, only the centaur was already gone. The boys walked along, following Hagrid. Harry wasn't sure he could forget what he'd seen, heard and learned that evening and shuddered. Jason walked a bit closer, worried for his friend. "Alright, Harry?"

Nodding without speaking was the best the boy could do at this time. Harry was suddenly exhausted and his warm bed sounded really good.

When they reached the Entrance Hall, they stood for an awkward moment until Draco huffed impatiently and walked away without a word. Harry watched his retreating back and had a sudden urge to catch up to him and make sure he was okay. "Night Longbottom, Hagrid."

Hagrid walked with Neville towards the Gryffindor towers, leaving Jason to wave bye and catch up to Harry. "What's the hurry?"

"What? Oh, nothing. Sorry, after that scare out by the dead unicorn, I don't like the idea of Draco walking alone." Harry shot a look at Jason. "Pathetic, I know."

Jason didn't reply. He simply smirked keeping his comment to himself. Then again, if he had mentioned that he agreed, maybe Harry wouldn't have felt so awkward. "You aren't pathetic."

The boys took off at a slow jog, rounding the corner in time to watch Draco reach the common room safely. Harry's pace slowed immediately with a soft sigh of relief. "What do you make of all this?"

"All what?" Jason frowned, his mind sorting through all the bits of information they'd gathered. It was all rather complicated and it was interesting until tonight. Tonight had shined a new light on things, a new possible player, but could it be? Was what Firenze said true?

The two had made their way through the common room and into the safety of their dorm room. "Nicolas Flamel's Philosopher's Stone being guarded by several staff members and a three headed, drooling hound here on school grounds. Professor Snape wants this Philosopher's Stone, but why? For Vold-" Harry paused as Jason flinched, "You-Know-Who or for himself?"

Jason sat on his bed and kicked off his shoes in great relief. Staring absently at his wiggling toes, Jason reflected on all that Harry just said. "It's all a bit crazy. If I wasn't there to witness some of this, I'd say you're nuts but you aren't."

"Bloody hell, is that what has been going on?" Blaise moved from his bed to sit next to Jason. "I'd say you're mental, but I'm wagering you aren't. So now what? We can't very well go to our Head of House, since he's being implicated. Talk to Dumbledore then? What proof do you have of any of this?"

Harry pulled off his shoes and dropped them to the floor with a small thud. "None. That's the thing. I overheard some, investigated and pieced together others and Hagrid inadvertently admitted a thing or two. It's all circumstantial and no real proof." Staring at his muddy shoes, Harry was suddenly very exhausted. "I saw a dead unicorn tonight. Its coat was still shimmering; its blood was pooled everywhere, silver and thick. It was so… sad."

Slowly undressing he didn't notice the worried looks exchanged by his roommates. "I'm sorry, mate. That had to be an odd sight." Blaise rubbed a hand across the back of his neck and moved back to his bed. "By the way, there's something weird on your bed. Soft, I've never seen it before."

Harry's eyes moved to his bed and he let out a small gasp. "My cloak! I thought for sure I'd lost it."

"It was on the tower days ago. I wonder who knew, who would return it…" Jason was standing beside him, his fingers slide along the fabric. "Someone is making sure you don't lose that."

"Zabini, I've not been entirely honest with you. At Christmas while you were off on holiday, I got this." Harry slipped his pajamas on and watched Jason lift the cloak, fascinated once again at how it shimmered so beautifully. "Try it on, mate."

Jason grinned at Harry and handed it to Blaise. "Okay…" Blaise eyed both Jason and Harry before flicking the cloak with flair and wrapping it around his shoulders. The boy was so busy watching the other two that he hadn't noticed the change immediately. Jason pointed at the mirror behind Blaise before the reality hit him.

"It's…" Blaise blinked and stared at Harry. "This is yours? Where did you get this?"

"It was my father's, it was returned to me. Honestly, I didn't know about it and I haven't a clue who sent it." Harry pulled the empty box from his trunk and handed the card to Blaise.

Blaise reluctantly returned the cloak and read the card, "Lucky bugger."

"I suppose so." Harry folded the cloak, reverently placing it back in the box and setting the card on top before closing it again. While having the invisibility cloak was indeed very lucky, having a connection to his father meant more to Harry. "We are the only ones who know of the cloak. It's better that way. Oh and Hermione, she knows too."

"As well as whoever sent it to you." Jason added as he was buttoning up his pajama shirt before crawling into his bed.

Harry set his cloak back into his trunk before crawling into bed. "Right. If the wrong people find out about it, it will be stolen or worse, used to do something bad."

"Like getting past a certain three headed dog?" Blaise crawled under his own blanket stealing a glance at Harry's trunk.

"Wouldn't work." Harry turned on his side facing his friends.

"You tried?" Jason didn't quite hide the shock and disappointment in his voice.

Harry snickered, "No, Mrs. Norris knew I was there in the library after hours. I'm assuming if she could see me while I'm under the cloak, Fluffy can too."

"Fluffy?" Blaise was stunned, "Who names a Cerberus Fluffy?"

Jason and Harry both laughed, "Hagrid, of course!"

Edited 10/03/2016