Authors Note: I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, names, places, things, etc. All of this belongs to the ever legendary J.K Rowling.

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I bit my lip and allowed my legs to swing back and forth, tapping absentmindedly on the desk before me.

"Would you cut that out?!" Ron asked me agitatedly.

"Sorry." I mumbled, clasping my hands in my lap.

How could we have been so stupid!? We forgot the damned cloak!

As we both sat there in McGonagall's office, feeble excuses and cover stories flew around in our heads. I groaned helplessly, there was no way out of this. We were out after curfew and up in the Astronomy tower, add in the dragon and the Cloak and we might as well accept our years' detention now.

Ron and I both tensed when the door knob jiggled and our eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when McGonagall walked in with none other than Neville Longbottom trailing behind her.

"Hope!" Neville burst as soon as he saw us. "I was trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoy say he was going to catch you, said you had a dra–"

I coughed violently, staring at him with wide eyes.

McGonagall seethed, looking as if steam would burst out of her ears at any moment. "I never would have believed it any of you. Mr. Filch said you were up in the Astronomy Tower, it's one o'clock in the morning. Explain yourselves."

Ron looked over and caught my eye, we both just stared, unable to come up with a suitable excuse.

"I think I've got a good idea on what's going on. It doesn't take a genius to figure it out. You fed Mr. 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 Longbottom heard the story and believed it, too?" She stared us down, practically livid.

I tried to convey to Neville that that wasn't true, but without words I just ended up looking guilty. That hurt look in Neville's eyes stung.

"I'm disgusted." She began. "Four students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before! I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. All three of you will receive detention– yes, you too, Mr. Longbottom, 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."

A stunned silence filled the room. "Fifty?" Ron finally choked out.

"Fifty points each." By now McGonagall was breathing heavily through her nose.

"Professor– please–"

"You can't–"

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

Stunned and guilty we all walked back to Gryffindor Tower in complete silence. In one night we had lost a hundred and fifty points, terminating any chances Gryffindor may have had at winning the House cup.

CcCcCc

That morning I stayed in bed as long as Hermione would let me, though she was growing agitated at the fact that class would soon be starting and because I still hadn't told her about last night. I slipped my bag over my shoulder. "Let's get Ron and then I'll tell you, 'kay?"

Hermione sighed heavily. "Alright."

Down in the common room, sitting in one of the armchairs was Ron. He stood up as we came down the stairs. "Hey."

"Hello Ronald."

"Hi…"

"Okay, spit it out right now! The both of you!" Hermione glared at us with hands on her hips, a frown upon her face.

With identical sighs Ron and I began to describe what had occurred last night. Hermione was quiet for a moment after we had finished, her lips pursed. Finally, after a moment, did Hermione speak. "Well… I hadn't expected that to happen."

"Neither did we."

CcCcCc

As we entered the Great Hall multiple heads turned towards us, a majority of the students scowled. Apparently the rumor of Hope Potter and a bunch of other first years had spread around the school, them being the reason for the one hundred and fifty decrease in Gryffindor's house points. I turned to give Ron a look. He simply sighed and shook his head.

We took a seat, waving away the Slytherins who were yelling things like 'Thanks Potter, we own you one'."

"Damn straight." I mumbled halfheartedly, not even noticing Hermione's mouth moving wordlessly as she talked to Harry and Daphne from across the room.

I felt someone chuckle and soon Fred and George were sitting across the table from us. Ron's eyes narrowed immediately.

"I thought you loved us Ronnie." Fred pouted at his younger brother.

"I can't believe you didn't deal us in." George frowned at us disapprovingly.

"What are you two on about?" I grumbled, clearly not in the mood to deal with their antics.

"About last night,"

"you lost us one hundred and fifty points,"

"something must have went down last night."

I flittered my head between the two as they spoke. I rolled my eyes. "This is hardly something to be proud of."

"You should be,"

"it's clearly a new record."

"Awe thanks, means a lot." Dry sarcasm.

"You're welcome." Fred grinned at me.

"Ok, so have you two ever lost one hundred and fifty points in one day?" I challenged.

Their smiles dropped slightly.

"Well no…" George trailed off. "But that's the reason it's so cool you two did."

"You do realize we are making this our personal mission to beat losing one hundred and fifty points in one night, right?" Fred titled his head, a serious expression covering his freckled face.

I sighed. "At least no one going to hate you two for doing so. We just crushed everyone's dreams of Slytherin NOT winning the house cup."

"Well, with Potter on the Quidditch team and the fact that they keep winning, Gryffindor wouldn't have won anyway." George gave me a soft smile, attempting to lighten the mood somewhat.

A smile I couldn't help but mirror onto my own face, if ever so slightly.

George grinned triumphantly. "Aha! See, she smiles. I made you smile, you're welcome."

I laughed. "That you did George, thanks."

CcCcCc

"It can't be that bad."

"That bad? Everyone hates us." My voice came out raspy and muffled due to the fact that my face was smashed against my arm.

"At least Malfoy has detention." Daphne reminded me.

It was Ron who groaned. "Ah man, we're gonna have detention with him, aren't we?"

I gave a fake sob. I pulled on Hermione's sleeve, pouting. "Kill me. Please Mon, just end my misery."

"Stop being so overly dramatic, you're life's not over." She slapped my hand off her arm.

"But a hundred and fifty points in one day!" Theodore muttered, astonished.

"Theodore!" Everyone yelled at him.

"What?!"

Ron and I groaned, burying our heads into our arms. Our lives were officially ruined.

CcCcCc

How sad is it that I'm glad exams weren't far away? Let me answer that for you. Very. Very, very, very sad.

You know how hard it is to remember potion ingredients to various potions, to memorize important historical discoveries and goblin rebellions or to remember spells and charms? Very.

Ever since the 'incident' Hermione, Harry, Daphne, Theodore, Ron and I have spent all out free time filling Ron in on Snape's attempts to get the Stone and to cram our brains with as much information as we possibly could.

I was on my way towards the library, shocking I know, when I had heard the whimpering. That stupid curiosity had gotten the better of me, again. I pressed myself into the wall, listening. "No, no, not again– please–"

That was defiantly Quirrell.

"Alright– alright–" The man sorta sobbed. Someone must have been threatening him.

I had just enough time to jump out of Quirrell's way as he came barreling out of the classroom, clutching onto his turban. He was pale and looked as if he was about to cry.

I peered into the darkened classroom, the door on the other end was slightly ajar. I looked back in the direction of Quirrell, betting everything I had that Snape was on the other side of the door and walking with a new spring in his step. It appeared that Quirrell had given in.

I hurried the few corridors to the library, running over to our 'honorary' table. Hermione and Daphne were attempting to help Ron with Astronomy while Theodore and Harry were doing a potions essay.

I quickly gained their attention and told them about what had just happened.

"Snape's done it then!" Theodore threw his hands up into the air. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spells…"

"There's still Fluffy, though, right?" Ron asked.

"Maybe Snape's already found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid." Harry suggested.

"I bet there's gotta be a book somewhere in here telling you how to past a three-headed dog." Daphne gazed at all the books that littered our table and all the ones that sat on shelves throughout the library.

"So what do we do?" Theodore asked aloud.

"Go to Dumbledore. We should have done that ages ago. If we try anything ourselves we'll be thrown out for sure!" Hermione told us firmly, Daphne nodding her head in agreement.

"We hadn't been thrown out yet." I told her in a teasing tone. "And look at all we've done so far."

"We've got no proof though!" Harry said exasperatedly. "Quirrell's to scared to back us up. All Snape has to say is he has no idea how the troll had gotten in Halloween day and he was no where near the third floor– who do you think they'll believe, him or us? I mean, it's not exactly a secret we hate him, Dumble's will think we've made it up to get him sacked. Filch wouldn't help us if his life depended on it, he's too friendly with Snape, the more students thrown out the better, he'll say. Besides, we aren't supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy. That'll take some explaining."

Welp, that pretty much convinced all of us, save Theodore.

"If we just did a bit of poking around…"

"We've done enough poking around."

And I couldn't agree more.

CcCcCc

You're detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall.

Professor M. McGonagall

"Damn, I had hoped she'd forgotten." I admitted that morning at breakfast when this note had been delivered to Ron, Neville and I.

At eleven o'clock that night I bid goodbye to the twins and Hermione, heading down the stairs with Neville and Ron. We met Filch and Malfoy in the entrance hall, following Filch out the large doors.

Filch's lantern burned bright in the dark of the night, illuminating Filch's disgusting leering face. "I bet you'll think twice about breaking rules again, don't yeh, eh? Oh yes, pain and hard work 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 well 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."

Not that any of us were even thinking of running, we were all too busy exchanging creeped out glances, even with Malfoy. I can't believe Filch hasn't been sacked yet, then again, why hasn't Snape?

As we marched across the grounds, Neville sniffling as we walked along, we wondered how bad our punishment was. I mean, Filch was practically smiling.

The otherwise bright moon was currently obscured by clouds, wrapping us all in a blanket of darkness.

"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."

Hagrid. We all seemed to relax, if only slightly. Even Malfoy relaxed marginally, but I guess being in the presence of a six foot giant with a crossbow would do that to a person.

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

Neville moaned, Ron paled, I deflated a bit and Malfoy stopped in his tracks. "The forest? We can't do in there at night– there's all sorts of things in there, (cue wolf howl) werewolves I heard."

Neville clutched onto my robes, making a choking sound.

"But that's your problem, isn't it." Filch sounds more mad than usual when he's happy. "Should have thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't yeh?"

I patted Neville's arm consolingly, looking over at a pale Ron.

A bark nearly had us all jumping out of our skins, except Filch of course. Fang came running up the hill towards up, Hagrid following behind. "About time. I bin waitin' fer half an hour already."

Filch ignored him, giving us all a nasty grin. "I'll be back at dawn, for what's left of them."

"I'm not going in that forest." Malfoy told Hagrid firmly.

"Yer are if yer want to stay at Hogwarts. Yeh've done wrong an now yeh've got ter pay for it." Hagrid replied fiercely.

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

Malfoy glared at Hagrid with as much venom as he could muster, but eventually dropped his gaze.

"Right then," Hagrid clapped his hands. "Now listen carefully, cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."

Hagrid brought us towards the edge of the forest, pointing down an earthen track covered in thick bushes that swayed from the breeze.

"Look there, you see that stuff on the ground?" Hagrid pointed.

Ron squinted his eyes. "That silvery stuff?"

"Yea, that's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second one this week, found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna go in there an try an find the poor thing, we might have ter put it outta its misery." Hagrid explained, beard moving along with the wind.

"And what happens if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" Malfoy's voice was trickled with fear, but I knew we had all been thinking the same thing.

"There's nothing in that forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang. Keep ter the path, right, now we're gonna split into two parties and follow the trail in different directions. There's blood all over the place, musta been staggering since last night."

I felt bad for the poor thing, it was pretty sad.

"I want Fang." Malfoy said quickly, eyeing Fang's teeth.

"Alright, but I warn yeh, he's a big coward." Hagrid jostled the quiver of arrows on his shoulder. "So me, Ron, and Hope'll go one way an Draco, Neville, an Fang'll go the other. Now, if any of us find the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get your wand out an practice now– that's it. An if anyone gets in trouble send up red sparks, an we'll all come and find yeh, so be careful, let's go."

We walked into the pitch black, Hagrid, Ron and I taking the left road while Malfoy, Neville and Fang took the right. Every once in awhile a patch of moonlight would seep through the leaves, casting an eerie glow upon the blood.

"Could a werewolf be killing the unicorn?" Ron asked.

"Not fast enough, it's hard ter catch a unicorn, they're powerful magic creatures. I've never heard of one been hurt before."

Well that was comforting.

I trailed my fingers against the fungus that was growing on a tree stump, turning down another winding path.

"You alright Hope?" Hagrid whispered to me. "Don' worry, it can't've gotten far if it's this badly hurt, an' then we'll be able ter– GET BEHIND THAT TREE!"

I squealed loudly, having gotten my eardrums blasted out by Hagrid's loud volume. I felt Ron's hand on my waist and he was pulling me behind a nearby tree, we both stood there petrified, faces pale.

Hagrid pulled out an arrow, aiming. The distinct sound of something slithering could be heard, sounding much like a cloak trailing over dead leaves. We stood there with baited breathe, listening. Eventually it faded.

"Knew it. Knew summat was in here that shouldn't be." Hagrid muttered, putting away his arrow.

"Werewolf?" Ron suggested, still standing beside me. I let out a gush of breathe.

"That wasn't no werewolf, an it wasn't no unicorn neither. Right, follow me, be careful, now."

Ron and I climbed over a bundle of fallen twigs, standing once again on the path. We walked a few steps more, ears straining, when something up ahead moved.

"Who's there? Show yourself, I'm armed." Hagrid yelled thunderously.

Ron and I took a step behind Hagrid, watching as a creature came forward. Our jaws dropped. From the torso up it was a man with red hair and a beard, but from the waist down was that of a chestnut horse with a long red tail.

"Oh, it's just you Ronan." Hagrid lowered his crossbow. "How are you?"

"Good evening to you Hagrid." His voice was rather sad. "Were you going to shoot me?"

"Can't be too careful, Ronan." Hagrid finished shaking the man's hand. "There's summat bad in this forest. Oh, this is Hope Potter and Ronald Weasley, by the way. Students up at the school. This is Ronan, you two. He's a centaur."

"We've noticed." I said feebly.

"Good evening." Ronan said. "Students, are you? Do you learn much, up at the school?"

"Erm." Ron looked at me.

"A bit."

"A bit. Well that's something." Ronan sighed. He looks up at the sky. "Mars is bright tonight."

Ron and I both looked up in the direction he was looking, seeing nothing but dark leaves. We glanced at him in confusion.

"Yeah," Hagrid glanced up too. "Listen, I'm glad we ran into you, Ronan, a unicorns bin hurt, you seen anythin'?"

Ronan was silent for a moment, blinking upward. He sighed again. "The innocent are always the first victims. So it had been for ages past, so it will be now."

Umm what?

"Yeah, but have you seen anything, Ronan, anything unusual?"

"Mars is bright tonight." Ronan repeated. "Unusually bright."

"Yeah, but I was meanin' anythin' unusual a bit closer ter home." Hagrid said impatiently. "So, yeh notice anythin stranger?"

Ronan looked at us. "The forest hides many secrets."

"Yup, thanks for that." I muttered to Ron who snickered in response.

A bush shook behind Ronan, Hagrid raised his crossbow, but it was only a second centaur. This one black-haired, wider and more wild looking.

"Hullo Bane." Hagrid greeted. "All right?"

"Good evening, Hagrid, I hope all is well?"

"Well enough. Look, I just bin askin Ronan, you see anything strange here? A unicorns bin injured, you yeh know anythin about it?"

"Mars is bright tonight."

I slapped a hand over my own mouth in an effort to sustain my giggles, a impatient Hagrid was actually kinda funny.

"We've heard. Well, if either of you do see anythin, let me know, would yeh? We'll be off then." Hagrid grumpily lead us away.

"Never try an' get a straight answer outta centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anything closer than the moon." Hagrid said irritably.

"Are there many of them in here?" I asked.

"Oh, a fair few… Keep themselves to themselves mostly, but they're good enough about turning up if I ever want a word. They're deep, mind, centaurs… they know things… jus' don' let on much."

"Do you think it was a centaur we heard earlier?"

"Did that sound like hooves to you? Nah, if yeh ask me, that's what's bin killin' the unicorns– never heard anything like it before."

Again. So comforting.

We walked in silence further on, trying to peer through the murk. I glanced around a lot, having the sickening feeling of being watched. Suddenly Ron grabbed Hagrid's arm. "Hagrid! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!"

"You two wait here! Stay on the path, I'll come back fer yeh."

We watched as Hagrid cut through the foliage, running in the direction of the sparks.

Ron shuddered beside me. "I'm never coming back in here again."

And for some reason I found that hilarious, because moments later I was laughing hysterically. Ron stood there stunned until he began to laugh too. I guess all that tension had built up and we needed to let it all out somehow.

Finally the laugher ceased and we stood there listening to the rustling of the leaves and feeling the cool brush of the breeze. We both shivered.

"I'm never coming in here again, either."

Ron snorted.

A pause. "You don't think they've been hurt do you?"

Ron shrugged. "I don't care if Malfoy has, but if something's got Neville… it's our fault he's here in the first place."

I nodded.

It seemed like ages when the others had finally arrived. Apparently Malfoy had thought it would be funny to sneak up behind Neville and grab him as a joke. Neville panicked and sent up the sparks.

"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin, now, with the racket you two were makin'. Right, we're changin' groups– Neville you with me an Ron, Hope, you go with Fang an this idiot. I'm sorry," he added in a whisper. "but he'll have a harder time frightenin' you, an' we gotta get this done."

I saw Ron bristle slightly.

Malfoy and I inched deeper into the forest, following the thickening silver trail of blood. Fang kept close by, squeezing past us as the path got narrower. I narrowed my eyes, holding my hand out to stop Malfoy. "Hold up, you see that?"

Malfoy took a step closer to see. "The unicorn."

Which it was indeed. Lying in a clearing up ahead was the unicorn, alright, but dead. We slowly inched closer, peering at the beautiful white creature. It's legs were splayed out, it's mane casting a faint glow upon the ground.

A faint slithering noise could be heard, like earlier before, and a bush nearby shook. A cloaked figure emerged from the depths of the forest, crawling across the floor like a beast. My breath hitched in my throat. Malfoy and Fang froze beside me. We watched, paralyzed, as the thing crept upon the unicorn and began to drink it's blood.

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!" Malfoy and Fang bolted, running and screaming in the opposite direction.

The creature lifted its head, blood slowly dripping from its chin, looking straight at me. I made a choking noise, taking a step backwards. The creature straightened, stalking towards me. I felt my arm blaze like it was on fire. I hit a tree root and fell backwards.

I heard galloping and felt something jump over my head, charging the creature. It was centaur, though younger than either Bane or Ronan. This one has blonde-white hair and a palomino body.

He offered me his hand, helping me up. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," I paused, breathing deeply. "What was that thing?!"

The centaur didn't answer, he gazed at me with brilliant blue eyes. "Who are you?" He asked me finally.

"Hope Potter." I focused my gaze on his face.

"Well, you had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time. Can you ride? It would be faster."

"My name is Firenze." He informed me, lowering himself so I could climb onto his back.

More thundering and soon Bane and Ronan were standing in the clearing with us. Bane glowered. "Firenze! What are you doing? You have a human on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?"

Bane looked at me. "What have you been telling her? Remember, Firenze, we have sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?"

Ronan pawed the earth nervously. "I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best."

"For the best? 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!" Bane slashed back angrily.

Firenze reared up on his hind legs in anger. I clutched at his mane tightly, lacing my fingers through the coarse hair.

"Do you not see that unicorn? 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 the forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must." Firenze bellowed.

Firenze turned around swiftly, nearly unseating me in the process. We plunged into the forest, leaving the other two behind.

To say I was confused was an understatement. I had no clue as to what had just happened.

"Why's Bane so angry?" I finally asked. "Also, what was that thing? You know, the thing you saved me from."

Firenze didn't answer, warning me to lower my head when we passed underneath a low hanging branch. I wrinkled my nose when a few strands of hair had gotten snagged, but otherwise stayed quiet.

We carried on for quite a while in silence, so I assumed that Firenze was done talking. Finally. "Hope Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?"

I frowned, racking my brain for any sort of information along those lines. "Um, no. We only use the horn and tail hair in Potions…"

"That is because it is a monstrous thing, to kill a unicorn. Only one who has nothing to lose and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of the unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenseless to safe yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment that blood touches your lips."

I shook my head as I thought it over. "But who would be that desperate? If your going to be cursed forever, deaths better, right?"

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

"The Sorcerer's Stone! Of course, the Elixir of Life!" I replied immediately, having reached that conclusion near the end of Firenze's speech. "But I don't understand who–"

"Can you think of anybody who has waited many years to return to power. Someone who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?"

I sat there in silence, thinking. It was then that I remembered Hagrid's words, the ones he had told me the day we had met: 'Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion, dunno if he had enough human left in him to die'. I felt my stomach drop. "So you mean, you think, that Vold–"

"Hope!" A figure was running towards us, a redheaded figure. Ron.

"I'm alright." I said hurriedly. "Oh, Hagrid, the unicorns dead. It's in that clearing over there."

I pointed in the general direction, watching as Hagrid slowly reached us, but then set off again.

"This is were I leave you." Firenze lowered down so I could jump off. God my legs were sore. "You are safe now."

"Good luck, Hope Potter. The planets have been read wrong before now, even by centaurs. I hope now is one of those times." He turned and cantered off, back into the forest.

"Thank you." I half-yelled, hoping he had heard me, though he gave no indication if he did.

Ron looked at me, a hand plastered to his side, panting. "What the bloody hell happened?!"

CcCcCc

As it turns out Hermione had waited out in the common room for us to return, but eventually had given into the alluring sensation of sleep. Which sounded pretty good right about now.

I tapped her on the shoulder, collapsing into a nearby armchair. She woke with a start, mumbling something about charms.

Once she was awake, or sorta awake, I began to tell them both about what had happened in the forest.

"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…"

"Stop saying the name!" Ron whispered fiercely.

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

"Will you stop saying the name?" Ron hissed.
"So all we gotta do is wait for Snape to steal the Stone. Then Voldemort will be able to come and finish Harry… me…us, whatever, finish us off." I continued hotly.

Hermione's face was pale, but ever the voice of reason. "Hope, everyone says that Dumbledore was the only think You-Know-Who was afraid of. With Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch anybody. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic."

By the time we had finally finished talking, all of us tired and dark-eyed, the sun was starting to come up. Hermione and I said goodbye to Ron, heading up to the dormitory to finally welcome sleep.