Reinette Lupin: Book One


Chapter Twelve
And Into the Fire


Reinette and Harry felt miserable.

They sat in Professor McGonagall's study, waiting silently. Filch had given them a nasty smile before he left to roam the halls to find his cat. Reinette tried to think of excuses, stories, or alibis to try and get them out of this situation but she kept coming up empty. How were they supposed to explain this? How could they've forgotten the cloak? What are they going to do? She glanced at Harry's face, seeing he was just as hopeless.

Just when they thought nothing could be worse, McGonagall came in leading an anxious Neville and a dejected Hermione.

"Harry! Reinette!" Neville yelped. "Hermione tried to tell me- I'm sorry- we tried going back to Gryffindor tower but Prof-"

Harry shook his head violently to shut Neville up.

"What is going on?" McGonagall fumed. Reinette thought steam was going to pour out of her nostrils, just like Norbert.

They remained silent.

"I would have never believed it of any of you. Potter and Lupin up in the astronomy tower. Granger and Longbottom tearing through the halls? At one in the morning?"

Reinette's eyes were wide and she opened her mouth as if she wanted to try to explain, looking much like a miserable fish, but fell short and put her head in her hands. Hermione just stared at her slippers and Harry ducked his head too. Neville looked like he was ready to burst out in tears.

"I think I've got a good idea of what's going on," McGonagall said at last. "It doesn't take a genius to figure it out. You fed Draco Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. I've already caught him. I suppose you think it's funny that Miss Granger and Longbottom heard the story and believed it too?"

Reinette figured this was as good as it was going to get. They couldn't deny it. What if she figured out about Ron's bite or Hagrid's dirty hut?

"I'm disgusted," Professor McGonagall went on, "Five students out of ben in one night! Miss Lupin, Miss Granger, I thought you both have more sense. As for you, Mr Potter, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. All four of you will receive detentions. Nothing gives you the right to walk around school at night, especially these days, it's very dangerous- and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor."

"Fifty?" Harry gasped.

"Fifty points each."

Wait- what? Reinette gasped.

"Professor- please-"

"You can't-"

McGonagall fumed, "Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Potter. Now get back to bed, all of you. I've never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students."

They left, feeling worse than ever. Neville was crying.

Hermione quietly explained that she had caught Neville trying to warn Harry and Reinette because Neville had heard about Malfoy trying to get them in trouble. Hermione and Neville were almost back to the common rooms when McGonagall had found them. Harry and Reinette told them what happened with the dragon and about meeting Charlie.

When they returned to their beds, Hermione went straight to sleep, tossing and turning. Reinette stayed up, trying to compose a letter to Remus without telling him how exactly she landed herself in detention.

Two hundred points. Two hundred bloody points. This put Gryffindor in last place. All the points Harry won in his last match were gone and all the questions the girls had answered didn't matter, they completely undid all Gryffindor's hard work in one night. There was no way to win the house cup now. What is the rest of their house going to do when they found out?

-:-

It was bad but it was bearable. When the Gryffindors figured out the famous Harry Potter and his friends lost all their points by running around the castle last night they were bamboozled. They stared at the giant house hourglasses hopelessly.

Harry seemed to have the worst of it all. Everyone turned on him. Even the other houses were mad at him, except Slytherin. The Slytherins practically worshipped him, clapping and celebrating when he walked near. "Thanks, Potter, we owe you one!"

Ron, Hermione, and Reinette stood by him.

"They'll all forget this in a few weeks. Fred and George have lost loads of points in all the time they've been here, and people still like them," Ron said.

"They've never lost a hundred and fifty points in one go, though, have they?" said Harry.

"Well- no," Ron admitted.

"Good group effort, eh?" Reinette deadpanned.

Neville, Hermione, and Reinette weren't suffering as bad as Harry but still got the cold shoulder. No one would talk to them. Even the other houses were mad at them, they wanted Gryffindor to break Slytherin's winning streak. Hermione kept her head down in classes, trying to draw as little attention to herself as possible. Neville even stopped bothering to ask for help.

Reinette, however, was attempting to retain her composure. She knew she should feel ashamed, but how could she? They helped Hagrid stay out of trouble with the Ministry of Magic. The fact that they were caught and lost points was devastating but it could have been worse. Reinette was determined to do her best to get back some of the points they've lost, though she only had gotten five by the end of the Monday.

"Chin up," Reinette told Hermione. "We need to do what we can."

Exams were inching closer and closer. Despite how wild the week had started out, they were back to their intense study sessions. The group went back to staying up late into the night to learn all their spells, potion ingredients, and everything they're responsible to study by heart.

It was almost a week away from exams when Hermione, Ron, and Reinette were hiding in their favourite corner of the library. Hermione was testing them on their astronomy when Harry found them.

"I think Quirrell has given up," Harry hissed quietly.

Reinette gasped, "What?"

"That's just great," Ron muttered sarcastically.

"What happened?" Hermione asked.

Harry began to tell them what he had just witnessed. "I heard Professor Quirrell in a classroom just outside the library, talking to Snape. Well- Snape was threatening him, more like it. Professor Quirrell ran out practically crying."

"Snape's done it then!" said Ron. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark force spell-"

Hermione interrupted, "There's still Fluffy though."

"Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid," Ron pointed out. He looked at the tons of books surrounding them, "I bet there's a book somewhere in here telling you how to get passed a three-headed dog. So what do we do, Harry?"

Reinette and Ron were ready for a new adventure, but before Harry could answer them, Hermione did.

"Go to Dumbledore. That's what we should have done ages ago. If we try anything ourselves we'll be thrown out for sure."

"But we've got no proof!" said Harry. "Quirrell's too scared to back us up. Snape's only got to say he doesn't know how the troll got in at Halloween and that he was nowhere near the third floor- who do you think they'll believe, him or us? It's not exactly a secret we hate him, Dumbledore'll think we made it up to get him sacked. Filch wouldn't help us if his life depended on it, he's too friendly with Snape, and the more students get thrown out, the better, he'll think. And don't forget, we're not supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy. That'll take a lot of explaining."

Hermione looked convinced, Ron didn't.

"If we just do a bit of poking around-"

"No," Harry said flatly, "we've done enough poking around."

Reinette sighed dejectedly and stole Hermione's answer key.

-:-

The next morning, notes were delivered to Harry, Hermione, Reinette, and Neville at the breakfast table. They had said the same thing:

Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight.

Meet Mr Filch in the entrance hall.

Professor M. McGonagall.

Reinette groaned. She had already forgotten that they still had detentions.

Eleven o'clock came quicker that Reinette thought it would. The group of Gryffindor's left Ron alone in the common room and went down to the entrance hall. When they arrived they saw that Filch was already there, and so was Malfoy. Reinette scowled, already irritated by Malfoy's very existence.

Filch lit the lamp he was holding in his hand, "Follow me."

He led them outside, rambling the entire time, "I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh? Oh yes… hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me… It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out… hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em oiled in case they're ever needed… Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do."

They emerged outside, into the darkness. Reinette looked up at the waning moon that was bright behind the inky clouds and breathed in the cool air deeply, she listened to Filch's monologue with a deaf ear. They continued out until they could see Hagrid's lighted hut, like a beacon in the darkness.

"Is that you, Filch?" Hagrid boomed from the distance, "Hurry up, I want ter get started."

They were working with Hagrid? Of all the detentions they could have made this had to be the best outcome! Working with Hagrid couldn't turn out too bad. Even Harry seemed to realize this, his face showed evident relief.

"I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf?" Filch leered at them, "Well, think again- it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll come out in one piece."

Neville did not like the sound of that, his eyes went wide and he squeaked. Malfoy halted all at once and looked appalled.

"The forest? We can't go in there at night- there's all sorts of things in there- werewolves, I heard."

If Reinette had hated Malfoy before, she loathed him now. Neville grabbed Reinette's sleeve and made a choking noise.

"That's your problem, isn't it?" Filch said with a cruel smile. "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?"

Hagrid came out from the dark then, striding towards them with Fang by his side. He held a crossbow and a quiver of arrows was thrown over his shoulder.

"Abou' time, I've been waitin' fer half an hour already," Hagrid said. He looked over the group of students, "All right there?"

"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," Filch said coldly, "they're here to be punished, after all."

"That's why yer late, is it?" Hagrid frowned. "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place to do that. Yeh've done your bit, I'll take over from here.

"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch. He turned but added nastily, "For what's left of them." He hobbled back to the castle, his lamp-light slowly fading.

"I'm not going in that forest," Malfoy said, dread clear in his tone.

"Yeh are if yer want ter stay at Hogwarts," Hagrid told him. "Yeh've done wrong and now yeh've got ter pay fer it."

Malfoy's rotten face screwed up into a pinched look, "But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this, he'd-"

"-tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Copyin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on!"

Draco Malfoy didn't go back to the castle. He stood looking furiously at Hagrid before dropping his gaze.

"Right then," Hagrid nodded. "Now listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, 'an I don't want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."

They all trekked out to the very edge of the forest. Hagrid held his lamp high and pointed down to a patch. It was an earth track that was narrow and twisted through the thick trees. A breeze drifted through, chilling them all.

"Look there," Hagrid pointed, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time this week. I found one dead Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."

"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" Malfoy asked, fearful.

"There's nothin' in this forest that that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," Hagrid said. "An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."

"I want Fang!" Malfoy declared. He was looking at Fang's long teeth confidently.

"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," Hagrid said. "So, me, Harry, an' Hermione'll go one way, an' Draco, Neville, an' Reinette'll go the other way with Fang. Now, if any of us find the unicorn, we'll send up sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now- that's it- an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come find yeh- so, be careful- let's go."

They all set off down the path silently until they reached a fork in the road. Harry, Hermione, and Hagrid went left while Malfoy, Neville, and Reinette took the right, Fang at Reinette's heels.

As Reinette's eyes scanned the twigs and leaves on the path, Malfoy kept up a steady stream of commentary.

"I can't believe that oaf is forcing us to do this," Draco scoffed, "and in the Forbidden Forest, no less."

Reinette couldn't really see anything out of the ordinary, there was a little bit of blood earlier when they were with Hagrid but there wasn't any on this right path. Neville was close behind her, sticking close to Fang.

"We're going to end up eaten by Werewolves because of that savage," said Malfoy.

Neville squeaked.

Reinette had enough. She turned and faced Draco, eyes flashing. "Don't talk about Hagrid that way, he's our friend. Though you probably don't know what friends are, seeing as your father pays for yours. And do you not realize that Werewolves only change during a full moon? Look up! It's a waning crescent. Pay attention in your bloody astronomy class!"

Malfoy glared and drew his wand, "Think you're smart, do you, Lupin?"

"Put your wand down and fight me like a man, Malfoy." Reinette pushed her sleeves up, ready to finally smack some sense into this boy.

Before anything could happen a stream red sparks shot into the sky. Reinette turned to see Neville looking sheepish, wand in the air.

"Neville-" Reinette gasped, "I could've handled this."

Neville shifted awkwardly, "I didn't want you to get in more trouble."

"Of course," Malfoy sneered, "Longbottom squeals to save his girlfriend."

Hagrid burst through the underbrush, crossbow loaded and ready.

"What's goin' on!?"

Draco scowled, "Lupin threatened me-"

"Draco wouldn't shut up-" Reinette countered.

"Be quiet," Hagrid snapped angrily. "It's dangerous out here. Yeh shouldn't be playin' games!"

Reinette hung her head. Malfoy just stood there, chin up.

Hagrid turned his gaze to Neville, "What happened?"

Neville looked between the other two quickly, "Uh-"

"Me and Malfoy were fighting," Reinette answered quickly. "And Neville stopped us."

Hagrid was still angry as he dragged them all back to were Hermione and Harry were. Hermione and Harry looked relieved to see them all.

"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you three were makin'. Right, we're changing groups- Neville, you stay with me and Hermione, Harry you go with these two." He bent low to Harry, "Sorry, but you'll be able to keep them from fighting. An' we gotta get this done."

Reinette doubted that Harry would stop her and Malfoy from fighting, he'd jump in and beat him up too.

Harry and Reinette walked ahead of Draco and Fang, walking deep into the forest. Now Reinette could see the unicorn blood. It was getting thicker and thicker. They walked for almost half an hour before Harry stopped and pointed at a small clearing up ahead.

"Look-" Harry said quietly. Something was on the ground, white and glistening in the clearing, just out of view through the tree's thick branches. They went forward, cautiously.

Laying on the ground was a unicorn, dead. It was spread at awkward angles, as it had thrashed wildly before dying. It's beautiful white mane splashed against the earth, painting gleaming streams against the dark leaves. A wound on its side spilling silver with its blood. It was the most beautiful creature to ever see, tragically fallen, and so very sad.

Reinette covered her mouth with her hand, holding back a sob. Harry went to step toward the poor creature when he stopped suddenly, halting in his step to listen to an odd sort of sound. Reinette could hear it too.

A slithering emitted from a bush sitting just on the edge of the clearing, making it tremble shakily. Then, from the blanket of shadows, emerged a hooded figure. It crawled along the ground, slinking towards the unicorn like a predator to its prey. It lowered its cloaked head to the animal's wound and began to drink its blood.

"AAAAAAAAAAARGH!"

Malfoy screamed, like any sane person would, and ran- fang following close behind. Paralyzed with fear, Reinette and Harry stared at the hooded figure as it reared its head up to gaze at them. Unicorn's blood dripped down its cloak as it stood to its feet and began to come straight at them.

Reinette didn't see Harry stagger away or hear the sudden sound of hooves, she was trapped in the cold feeling of fear. Only when something managed to jump clear over her and head, did she realize that Harry had fallen to his knees. Reinette fell to her own beside him, holding his shoulders and shouting, "Harry! Harry! Did it hurt you? Harry!"

Reinette looked up in time to see the hooded figure flee, bolting away in the darkness, leaving behind a man- or a horse? The upper half, waist up, was a young man with white-blond hair, but the lower half was a palomino body. A centaur, Reinette suddenly realized, a centaur saved us.

He turned his face towards them and came to stand in front of them, his sapphire blue eyes looking at them both. He held his arms out to them and pulled them up.

"Are you alright?" he asked Harry.

"Yes- thank you- what was that?"

The centaur didn't answer, he looked at Harry carefully, assessing him. His blue eyes lingered on his lightning-shaped scar standing out on his forehead.

"You are the Potter boy," he said. He looked over to Reinette, "and you are a student. You both had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time-, especially for Harry Potter. Can you ride? It will be quicker this way."

Reinette and Harry looked at each other dumbly.

"My name is Firenze," said the centaur as he lowered himself onto his front legs. The pair of kids clambered onto his back, Harry in front of Reinette.

The sound of hooves once again sounded in the clearing, and two more centaurs galloped through the trees. They were sweaty and out of breath.

"Firenze!" the one with the black body and hair yelled, "What are you doing? You have humans on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?"

"Do you realize who this boy is, Bane?" Firenze said. "This is the Potter boy. The quicker he leaves this forest, the better."

"What have you been telling him?" Bane growled. "Remember, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?"

The other centaur was chestnut coloured, with red hair and a red beard. He pawed at the ground, nervously. "I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting in the best." His voice was morose.

Bane kicked his legs back in anger. "For the best? Ronan? What is that to do with us? Centaurs are concerned with what has been foretold! It is not our business to run around like donkeys after stray humans in our forest!"

Firenze suddenly reared on his legs in anger. Harry grabbed his shoulders to try and stay on and Reinette yelped, hugging Harry tightly from behind.

"Do you not see that unicorn?" bellowed Firenze. "Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must."

With that, Firenze turned away from the other centaurs and plunged off into the trees, Harry and Reinette hanging on as best as they could.

Harry and Reinette were utterly baffled.

"Why's Bane so angry?" Harry asked. "What was that thing you saved us from anyway?"

There was no answer from the centaur. Firenze stopped running, slowing to an easy walk. "Keep your heads bowed, the branches hang low," Firenze warned them. The students did as told. They continued on like this for a while, passing through the thick trees quietly. Reinette suspected that Firenze just didn't want to answer any of the questions Harry asked. He stopped abruptly once they reached an especially wooded area.

"Harry Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?"

Harry glanced at Reinette, who also looked clueless, and said, "No… We've only used its tail hair and horn in Potions-"

Reinette joined in quietly, "The hair can be used to bind bandages because of its strength."

"It is a monstrous thing to slay a unicorn," Firenze said solemnly. "Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something so pure and defenceless to save yourself, you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."

"But who would be that desperate?" Harry wondered out loud. "If you were going to be cursed forever, death's better isn't it?"

"You would think," Reinette muttered.

"It is," Firenze agreed, "unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else- something that will bring you back to full strength and power- something that will mean you can never die. Mr Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?"

"The Philosopher's Stone!" Harry gasped, "Of course- the Elixir of life! But I don't understand who-"

"Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?"

Reinette heaved, "No! It couldn't-"

Harry rasped, "Do you mean that was Vol-"

"Harry! Reinette!" Hermione was running at them from down the path, Hagrid not too far behind, "Are you two alright?"

"We're fine," Harry said dazedly. "The unicorn is dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there."

Hagrid grunted and went to investigate the unicorn. Firenze bent low again to allow the pair to dismount. "This is where I leave you," he said, "You are safe now."

They climbed off together.

"Good luck, Harry Potter. The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times," Firenze said. He turned and began to descend into the forest again.

"Thank you!" Reinette quickly called as the centaur disappeared, She looked back at Harry, who just stood there shivering, and felt a chill run down her spine.

LINE-LINE-LINE-LINE

Ron was fast asleep in the Gryffindor common room when Harry, Reinette, and Hermione returned. Harry quickly shook him awake.

"Hey, he was Haversacking!" Ron shouted.

"What?" Hermione questioned, sitting down next to Ron, who had sat up.

Reinette threw herself into a squashy armchair, looking worried. "It's a Quidditch foul," she told Hermione, looking at Harry. Harry was pacing in front of the fire, unable to bring himself to relax or sit. He shook as he told Ron what he and Reinette witnessed in the forest. Ron went wide-eyed at the tale.

"Snape wants the Stone for Voldemort… and Voldemort's waiting in the forest… and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich…"

Ron looked around terrified, and whispered, "Stop saying the name!"

"Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done so…" Harry continued on, "Bane was furious… he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen… They must show that Voldemort's coming back… Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me… I suppose that's written in the stars as well."

"Will you stop saying the name!" Ron hissed.

Reinette's memory supplied a quick quote, "Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself."

"What?" Hermione whispered.

"Dumbledore says that "fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself." Reinette said, "At least, that's what Remus told me."

"So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone," Harry said, ignoring them all, "then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off… Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy."

Hermione chimed in, "Harry, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of. With Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that a very imprecise branch of magic."

Reinette felt loads better at Hermione's words. And they didn't stop talking until the sky outside began to lighten. They all went to bed exhausted. Reinette collapsed into bed, hoping that whatever lies ahead for her and her friends wouldn't wind up getting them in any more trouble.