Ch 11

Filch was leading us out of the castle the next night so we were to serve our detention. "A pity they let the old punishments die. Was a time detention found you hanging by your thumbs in the dungeons. God, I'll miss the screaming," he sighed.

Hermione and I exchanged disgusted faces as we approached Hagrid. "You'll be serving detention with Hagrid tonight. He's got a little job to do inside the Dark Forest. A sorry lot, this, Hagrid," stated Filch as he led us up to where Hagrid was with his cross-bow.

When we arrived, we saw Hagrid with a solemn look on his face. "Oh good God you're not still on about that bloody dragon now are you?" asked Filch.

Hagrid had a sad look on his face as he said, "Norbert's gone. Dumbledore sent him off to Romania to live in a colony."

"Well, that's good isn't it? He'll be with his own kind," stated Amanda.

"Yeah, but what if he don' like Romania? What if the other dragons are mean to him? He's only a baby after all."

"Oh, for God's sake pull yourself together man. You're going into the Forest after all. Got to have your wits about you," said Filch.

"The Forest? I thought that was a joke. We can't go in there. Students aren't allowed. And there are... werewolves!" whimpered Malfoy.

"Ah, there's more that werewolves in those trees, lad. You can be sure of that. Nighty- night," sneered Filch as he walked away.

After Filch had left, Hagrid said to us, "Right, let's go."

Hagrid led us into the forest where we saw a pool of silver blood. "Hagrid, what is that?" asked Harry.

"What we're here for. See that? That's unicorn blood, that is. I found one dead a few weeks ago. Now, this one's been hurt bad by something. So, it's our job to go and find the poor beast. Ron, Hermione and Amanda, you'll come with me," explained Hagrid.

"Okay..." whimpered Ron.

"And Harry, you'll go with Malfoy, Elliot and Rachel," finished Hagrid.

I wasn't too happy to have to be with Malfoy, and I could tell Malfoy wasn't either. "Okay, then I get Fang!" smiled Malfoy.

"Fine. Just so you know he's bloody coward," replied Hagrid.

Harry, Rachel and I smiled at Fang as he let out a silent whimper. After we left the group, Malfoy complained as he led Fang, "Wait till my father hears about this! This is servant stuff."

"If I didn't know better Draco, I'd say you were scared," smiled Harry.

"Scared Potter," laughed Malfoy as a sound caught us offguard. "Did you hear that?" whimpered Malfoy.

"Come on Fang!" shouted Rachel as we headed off further.

"Scared!" whispered Malfoy as Fang began to bark. "What is it Fang?" I asked when we saw a dark figure huddled over something.

The figure lifted his head to reveal two large fangs. "AH!" screamed Malfoy and Rachel as they ran off with Fang.

Harry and I backed up a bit as the figure stood up and came flying at us. A branch caught us around the ankles and sent us to the ground. The figure was practically on top of us when a large horse-like creature with the torso of a man jumped in front of us and scared the beast off. As soon as the figure was gone, Harry and I stood up and the beast said, "Harry and Elliot, you must leave. You are known to many creatures here. The Forest is not safe at this time. Especially for you two."

"But what was that thing you saved us from?" I asked.

"A monstrous creature. It is a terrible crime to slay a unicorn. Drinking the blood of a unicorn will keep you alive even if you are an inch from death. But at a terrible price. For you have slain something so pure that the moment the blood touches your lips you have a half-life, a cursed life," explained the beast.

"But who would choose such a life?" asked Harry.

"Can you think of no one?"

That's when it dawned on me. "You mean to say that thing that killed the unicorn, that was drinking its blood, that was Voldemort?" Harry asked.

"Do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment, Mr. Potter?"

"The Sorcerer's Stone!" I whispered.

I'm sure he was going to tell us more when Hagrid's voice shouted, "Harry! Elliot!"

We turned around to see the entire gang run up to us. "Hello there Firenze. See you've met our young Mr. Potter and Ms. Croft. All right there you two?" greeted Hagrid.

Harry and I nodded as Firenze said, "Harry Potter, Elliot P…Croft, this is where I leave you. You are safe now. Good luck."

And with that, Firenze galloped away into the darkness.

---oOo---

The six of us had gathered in the Common Room when we returned to the Gryffindor Tower to discuss what had happened that night. "You mean, that You- Know- Who is out there right now in the Forest?" asked Hermione.

"But he's weak. He's living off of unicorns. Don't you see? We had it wrong! Snape doesn't want the Stone for himself. He wants the Stone for Voldemort. With the Elixir of Life, Voldemort will become strong again. He, he'll come back," sighed Harry as he fell down on the couch next to me.

"But if he comes back, you don't think he'll try to kill you, do you?" asked Ron.

"I think if he had his chance he would have tried to kill us tonight," I replied.

"And to think, I've been worrying about my Potions final," sighed Rachel.

"Hang on a minute. We're forgetting one thing. Who's the one wizard Voldemort is always feared?" asked Hermione.

We all looked at each other, not knowing the answer. "Dumbledore! As long as Dumbledore's around, Harry, you're safe. As long as Dumbledore's around you can't be touched," she finished.

It was true. Now all we had to do was sit around and wait for Dumbledore to play hero and scare Voldemort away…yeah, that was DEFINITELY going to work.

---oOo---

After another vigorous session with Dumbledore, I sat in the chair in front of his desk like I always do so he can tell me what I was supposed to have learn that night and I asked him, "Who were Rachel and Amanda's parents?"

Dumbledore stared at me oddly as he pushed his glasses further up his nose. "Why do you ask?"

"I was just curious. We each hold similarities, but I can't help noticing some traits we share with other people."

"Well, since you asked. Amanda's parents were Muggles. After some strange things happened around Amanda, the Muggles planned to kill her. I quickly sent Hagrid to fetch her and take her somewhere safe."

"So, Amanda's a Muggle-born like Hermione?"

Dumbledore nodded. "And…what about Rachel?"

"Rachel's parents were both wizards. However, her father turned dark and her mother took her away into hiding. Her mother gave Rachel to me until things got safe. However, her father killed her mother. So, I sent Rachel off to the orphanage as well. But I'm curious, Elliot. Why ask about your friend's past and not your own?"

Ah, another Dumbledore question. One to make you think. Before I knew it, I found myself answering, "I don't know. Maybe I'm afraid to find out who my parents were. Maybe because if I found out there was something wrong with them…something dark or miserable or dangerous about them, I may have it too. Maybe because I never knew them and if I finally find out who they were, I begin to feel as if part of my life I will never know it."

"And you don't feel that way now?" asked Dumbledore.

I shrugged my shoulders as I stared down at my feet. Dumbledore leaned forward in his chair and said, "Sometimes, Elliot, we fear the truth. We're afraid to know things that we never knew about ourselves because that means someone knows us. But you can't let that stop you."

Dumbledore was right…again. Score one for Dumbledore. After thinking about it for a moment, I asked, "So…are you going to tell me about my parents then?"

Dumbledore smiled at me. "Your mother and father were both wizards. Very talented. Their death came as a shock to all. On Halloween night, the Dark Lord, Lord Voldemort, came and murdered your parents. It's amazing how much you look like your mother, but act like your father."

What Dumbledore told me was so heart-wrenching. I could feel tears fall down my face. "Now, now Elliot. It is high-time you headed to bed. I think you've had enough for one night."

---oOo---

The school year had been going by fast. Every Saturday, I continued to meet Dumbledore for magical lessons and I had to admit, I was getting better. The topic of the Sorcerer's Stone was dropped for a while…that is, until we were walking from Transfiguration to Potions. "I'd heard Hogwarts' final exams were frightful, but I found they're rather enjoyable."

"Speak for yourself. All right there you two?" asked Ron, noticing that Harry and I were clutching our heads.

"My scar. It keeps burning," replied Harry.

"Speak for yourself, I have a headache."

"It's happened before," said Hermione, ignoring my statement.

"Not like this," replied Harry.

"Perhaps you should see the nurse," laughed Rachel.

"I think it's a warning. It means danger's coming," stated Harry when we saw Hagrid playing a recorder on his doorstep. "Ah. Oh, of course!" I stated, noticing what we hadn't noticed before.

"What is it?" asked Amanda.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd that what Hagrid want more than anything is a dragon and a stranger turns up and just happens to have one? I mean, how many people wander around with dragon eggs in their pockets? Why didn't I see it before?" I stated.

When we reached Hagrid, I asked, "Hagrid, who gave you that dragon egg? What did he look like?"

"I dunno. I never saw his face. He kept his hood up."

"This stranger though, you and he must have talked," replied Hermione.

"Well, he wanted to know what sort of creatures I looked after. And I told him, after Fluffy a dragon's gonna be no problem."

"Did he seem interested in Fluffy?" asked Rachel.

"Well of course he was interested in Fluffy! How often do you come across three headed dogs do you come across even if you're in the trade? But I told him, I said, I said, 'The trick with any beast is to know how to calm him.' Take Fluffy for example, just play him a bit of music and he falls straight asleep." We all looked at each other, knowing what Hagrid just said was going to help the man get the stone. Hagrid realized what he said and mumbled, "I shouldn't 'ave told you tha'."

Quickly, we ran back up the castle as Hagrid shouted, "Where are you going? Where are you…?"

We ran back into the Transfiguration classroom where we saw Professor McGonagall at her desk grading some papers. "We have to see Professor Dumbledore immediately!" shouted Harry.

"I'm afraid Professor Dumbledore's not here. He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and left immediately for London," replied McGonagall.

"He's gone! But this is important! This is about the Sorcerer's Stone!" I stated.

"How did you know…?" began McGonagall, completely puzzled.

"Someone's going to try to steal it!" finished Amanda.

McGonagall looked around and whispered to us, "I don't know how you six found out about the Stone but I assure you it is perfectly well protected. Now would you go back to your dormitories quietly."

We slowly left the room and grouped outsider her door. "That was no stranger Hagrid met. It was Snape. Which means that he knows how to get past Fluffy," said Harry.

"And with Dumbledore gone…" began Hermione when a voice behind her said, "Good afternoon."

We turned around to see it was Snape standing behind us. Busted! "Now, what would six young Gryffindors, such as yourselves be doing inside on a day like this?"

We turned around as Amanda stuttered, "We were...we were just…"

"You'd ought to be careful. People will think you're up to something," said Snape as he looked at us. Then, he began to limp away. "Now what are we do?" asked Ron.

"We go down the trap door, tonight," I stated a matter-of-factly. That's when they all realized what we had to do.

TBC…