Chapter 14:
Things couldn't have been worse.
Filch took them down to Professor McGonagall's study on the first floor, where they sat and waited without saying a word to each other. Hermione was trembling. Alicia just sat annoyed, two minutes and they could have avoided Filch all together. She couldn't see how they were going to get out of trouble this time.
There was no reason on earth that Professor McGonagall would accept for their being out of bed and creeping around the school in the dead of night, let alone being up the tallest Astronomy Tower, which was out-of-bounds except for classes. Add Norbert and the Invisibility Cloak, and they might as well be packing their bags already.
You wouldn't think anything could get worse, until Professor McGonagall appeared leading Neville.
"Harry!" Neville burst out, the moment he saw the other three. "I was trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoy saying he was going to catch you, he said you had a drag —"
Harry shook his head violently to shut Neville up, but Professor McGonagall had seen. She looked more likely to breathe fire than Norbert as she towered over the four of them. Alicia ground her teeth in annoyance
"I would never have believed it of any of you. Mr. Filch says you were up in the Astronomy Tower. It's one o'clock in the morning. Explain yourselves."
It was the first time Hermione had ever failed to answer a teacher's question. She was staring at her slippers, as still as a statue.
"I think I've got a good idea of what's been going on," said Professor McGonagall.
"You have no idea." Alicia breathed
"It doesn't take a genius to work 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 Longbottom here heard the story and believed it, too?"
Harry caught Neville's eye and tried to tell him without words that this wasn't true, because Neville was looking stunned and hurt. Poor, blundering Neville — They all knew what it must have cost him to try and find them in the dark, to warn them.
Alicia dropped her head onto the table before her in frustration, now Neville was going to hate them.
"I'm disgusted," said Professor McGonagall. "Five students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before! You, Miss Granger, Ms Evans I thought you had more sense." Alicia raised an eyebrow and looked a her like she was stupid, Hermione yes, but Alicia's broken the rules plenty of times already. "As for you, Mr. Potter, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. All four of you will receive detentions — 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."
Alicia gapped but glared at Harry when he opened his mouth and made it worse.
"Fifty?" he gasped — they would lose the lead, the lead he'd won in the last Quidditch match.
"Fifty points each," said Professor McGonagall, breathing heavily through her long, pointed nose.
"Professor — please —"
"You can't —"
"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."
Two hundred points lost. That put Gryffindor in last place. In one night, they'd ruined any chance Gryffindor had had for the House Cup.
As they entered the common room Alicia held out Harry's cloak which she'd stuffed into her pocket the second she saw Filch. He put it in his trunk and it wasn't touched again.
At first, Gryffindors passing the giant hourglasses that recorded the House points the next day thought there'd been a mistake. How could they suddenly have a two hundred points fewer than yesterday? And then the story started to spread: Harry Potter, the famous Harry Potter, their hero of two Quidditch matches, had lost them all those points, him and a couple of other stupid first years.
From being one of the most popular and admired people at the school, Harry was suddenly the most hated. Even Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs turned on him, because everyone had been longing to see Slytherin lose the House Cup. Everywhere Harry went, people pointed and didn't trouble to lower their voices as they insulted him. Slytherins, on the other hand, clapped as he walked past them, whistling and cheering, "Thanks Potter, we owe you one!"
Alicia had just ignored everyone irritated, she could have stopped all of it if she'd spoken up to the other two and told them to wait while she got the cloak, then Filch would have never caught them.
"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."
"They've never lost two hundred points in one go, though, have they?" said Harry miserably.
"Well — no," Ron admitted.
"You're not the only one who lost the house points." Alicia reminded him
It was a bit late to repair the damage, but Harry swore to himself not to meddle in things that weren't his business from now on. He'd had it with sneaking around and spying. He felt so ashamed of himself that he went to Wood and offered to resign from the Quidditch team.
"Resign?" Wood thundered. "What good'll that do? How are we going to get any points back if we can't win at Quidditch?"
But even Quidditch had lost its fun. The rest of the team wouldn't speak to Harry during practice, and if they had to speak about him, they called him "the Seeker." Alicia had snapped at them all for it but they weren't happy with her either.
Alicia, Hermione and Neville were suffering, too. They didn't have as bad a time as Harry, because they weren't as well-known, but nobody would speak to them, either. Hermione had stopped drawing attention to herself in class, keeping her head down and working in silence.
Alicia had refused to do so, she answered every and any question possible to receive points for the house, using very educated words to help answer and make them more impressive.
They were glad that exams were fast approaching. All the studying they had to do kept their mind off everybody else's hatred for them. Harry, Ron, Alicia, and Hermione kept to themselves, working late into the night, trying to remember the ingredients in complicated potions, learn charms and spells by heart, memorise the dates of magical discoveries and goblin rebellions…
Then, about a week before the exams were due to start, Harry and Alicia were walking back from the library one afternoon. They suddenly heard somebody whimpering from a classroom up ahead and paused, looking at one another to check they'd both heard it. As they drew closer, they heard Quirrell's voice.
"No — no — not again, please —"
It sounded as though someone was threatening him. Harry and Alicia moved closer.
"All right — all right —" he heard Quirrell sob.
Next second, Quirrell came hurrying out of the classroom straightening his turban. He was pale and looked as though he was about to cry. He strode out of sight; Harry didn't think Quirrell had even noticed them. He waited until Quirrell's footsteps had disappeared, then peered into the classroom. It was empty, another door opposite them ajar. Alicia was glancing between Quirrell and the empty classroom in confusion, she hadn't heard any other footsteps or anyone else speak… so who'd he been talking too?
Harry was halfway toward it before he remembered what he'd promised himself about not meddling. Alicia however hadn't and walked straight past and to the door. There was no one in sight.
"He cracked." Harry muttered
"I guess so." Alicia sighed "Now I know you made a resolution but I didn't." and she turned to head back to Ron and Hermione in the library, Harry quickly followed. Hermione was testing Ron on Astronomy when Alicia interrupted and told them what they'd heard.
"Snape's done it, then!" said Ron. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spell —"
"There's still Fluffy, though," said Hermione.
"Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid," said Ron, looking up at the thousands of books surrounding them. "I bet there's a book somewhere in here telling you how to get past a giant three-headed dog. So what do we do, Harry?"
The light of adventure was kindling again in Ron's eyes, but Hermione answered before Harry could.
"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." Harry said
"Maybe he wouldn't think that far, and he might actually comprehend what we've told him, but he'll doubt Snape has anything to do with it." Alicia sighed
"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." Harry explained
Hermione looked convinced, but Ron didn't.
"If we just do a bit of poking around —"
"No," said Harry flatly, "we've done enough poking around." He pulled a map of Jupiter toward him and started to learn the names of its moons.
Alicia rolled her eyes at Harry.
The following morning, notes were delivered to Harry, Alicia, Hermione, and Neville at the breakfast table. They were all the same:
Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall.
"Great, detention with Filch." Alicia muttered. But that was all the complaining that was heard, even Hermione didn't say anything about missing a whole night of studying.
At eleven o'clock that night, they said good-bye to Ron in the common room and went down to the entrance hall with Neville. Filch was already there — and so was Malfoy. Alicia smirked slightly, she had also forgotten that Malfoy had gotten a detention, too.
"Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside.
"I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" he said, leering at them. "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 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."
They marched off across the dark grounds. Neville kept sniffing. Alicia was acting rather carefree, she just wanted this over, what ever is was though it had Filch in good spirits.
The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it kept throwing them into darkness. Ahead, Harry could see the lighted windows of Hagrid's hut. Then they heard a distant shout.
"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."
Alicia grinned slightly; if they were going to be working with Hagrid it wouldn't be so bad. She wasn't the only one who felt better by this, Harry's face had lightened up
"I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf?" Filch noticed their change in mood "Well, think again, boy — it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece." At this, Neville let out a little moan, and Malfoy stopped dead in his tracks.
"The forest?" he repeated, and he didn't sound quite as cool as usual. "We can't go in there at night — there's all sorts of things in there — werewolves, I heard."
Neville clutched the sleeve of Harry's robe and made a choking noise.
"That's your problem, isn't it?" said Filch, his voice cracking with glee. "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?"
"Scared Malfoy?" Alicia asked cockily, though the forest was forbidden for a reason, they wouldn't be going in there if they weren't to survive, the teachers weren't nearly as harsh as that, no matter how badly they broke the rules.
Hagrid came striding toward them out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder.
"Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Harry, Alicia, Hermione?"
"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," said Filch coldly, "they're here to be punished, after all."
"That's why yer late, is it?" said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."
"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch, "for what's left of them," he added nastily, and he turned and started back toward the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.
Malfoy now turned to Hagrid.
"I'm not going in that forest," he said, and Harry was pleased to hear the note of panic in his voice.
"Oh yes you are." Alicia smirked "I'll quite happily drag you in by your robe."
"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely. "Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got ter pay fer it."
"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!"
Malfoy didn't move. He looked at Hagrid furiously, but then dropped his gaze.
"Right then," said Hagrid, "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."
He led them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the forest.
"Look there," said Hagrid, "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 in a week. I found one dead last 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?" said Malfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.
"You've got a wand don't you?" Alicia asked with a roll of her eyes.
"We're first years." Malfoy reminded her
"You shouldn't let that stop you." Alicia shrugged
"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid. "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," said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang's long teeth.
"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid. "So me, Harry, an' Hermione'll go one way an' Alicia, Draco, Neville, an' Fang'll go the other." Hagrid gave Alicia and apologising glance but she just sighed and nodded, understanding. "Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green 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 an' find yeh — so, be careful — let's go."
The forest was black and silent. A little way into it they reached a fork in the earth path, and Harry, Hermione, and Hagrid took the left path while Alicia, Malfoy, Neville, and Fang took the right.
Neville clung to Alicia's arm, whimpering slightly as she walked in front of them all, Malfoy sticking close to Fang.
"Alicia… is something…" Neville trembled
"You heard Hagrid, as long as we have Fang the usual creatures of the forest wont hurt us." Alicia said, her eyes scanning the trees "The thing that attacked the unicorn however is another story." she said, eying some more blood on the path.
Neville's grip on her tightened and Alicia sighed. She pulled out her wand.
"Lumos." a light sprung from the end of her wand and light up the area around them. Neville's cling loosened ever so slightly now that he could see.
"You're ever so confident…" Malfoy sneered
"Its cause I know how to trust people." Alicia said simply.
There was a snap of a twig and Neville gasped as Alicia stopped and turned to where it had come. Out of the trees walked a centaur.
"Hello," Alicia said politely as Malfoy stepped subtly behind her
"What are you doing out here so late?" he asked. He had blonde hair and a palomino horse body.
"We're looking for a unicorn." Alicia answered politely "Have you seen one?" she wondered. The centaur answered by looking up at the sky.
"Mars is bright tonight." he said, Alicia raised an eyebrow and glanced at Neville, who through his fear, looked confused.
"What does that mean?" Alicia wondered "Does Mar's symbol something?" the centaur looked at her but didn't give an answer. Alicia sighed, apparently it was useless to ask.
"Thanks for your help then." Alicia muttered and walked around him, further down the path. "Useless," Malfoy muttered.
"Just like you." Alicia grinned at him before rolling her eyes and they continued in silence.
Then suddenly Malfoy spoke for the first time. He jumped and grabbed Neville from behind. Neville released Alicia, screamed and sent sparks up with his wand.
Alicia ground her teeth and spun around to Malfoy who was laughing.
"Tarantallegra" Alicia snapped and Malfoy suddenly began to dance uncontrollably. He groaned and gasped, whimpering slightly.
"You stupid idiot! What the hell is wrong with you!?" Alicia snapped "Not only have you frightened Neville even more then he is, you made him shoot red sparks into the air, which means Hagrid's running down here thinking we're in trouble and you've probably bloody scared the entire forest!" She accused.
She was right, a minute later Hagrid came bursting through the trees, his cross bow raised. Neville was curled into a ball by Alicia's legs who was calling Malfoy all sorts of names.
"What happened?" Hagrid demanded
"Malfoy scared Neville and Neville sent sparks up." Alicia said angrily "So I jinxed him." she crossed her arms as they watched Malfoy.
"Alicia," Hagrid said, she looked annoyed but waved her wand and Malfoy stopped, she then turned to Neville.
"It's alright, Neville." she rubbed his back and then helped him to his feet.
"Come on. We're changing groups." Hagrid demanded glaring down at Malfoy. They followed closely behind Hagrid as he left the path, Neville clinging to Alicia sobbing.
Eventually Harry and Hermione came into view, standing on the path in the darkness, Hagrid's lamp and Alicia's wand lighting up the two.
Hagrid was fuming.
"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you two were makin'. Right, we're changin' groups — Neville, you stay with me an' Hermione, Harry, you go with Fang, Alicia an' this idiot. I'm sorry," Hagrid added in a whisper to Harry, "but he'll have a harder time frightenin' you, an' we've gotta get this done."
Alicia glared at Malfoy.
"Don't worry, he wont be trying again." Alicia assured.
So Harry set off into the heart of the forest with Alicia, Malfoy and Fang. They walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper into the forest, until the path became almost impossible to follow because the trees were so thick. The blood seemed to get thicker and it occurred more frequently. There were splashes on the roots of a tree, as though the poor creature had been thrashing around in pain close by. A clearing ahead began to form ahead of them through the tangled branches of an ancient oak.
"Look —" Harry murmured as Alicia came to a halt, he held out his arm to stop Malfoy.
Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They inched closer.
It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead. It was so beautiful and yet so sad all at once. Its long, slender legs were stuck out at odd angles where it had fallen and its mane was spread pearly-white on the dark leaves.
Harry had taken one step toward it before Alicia grabbed and stopped him, having heard something. They were all silent other then Fang's breathing and then a slithering sound reached all their ears.
A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered… Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Harry, Alicia, Malfoy, and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animals side, and began to drink its blood.
"AAAAAAAAAAARGH!"
Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted — so did Fang. The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at Harry and Alicia — unicorn blood was dribbling down its front. It got to its feet and came swiftly toward Harry — he couldn't move for fear while Alicia just stared, her mouth open in shock.
Harry suddenly staggered backward, his hand on his head, while Alicia kept him from falling over, ignoring the sudden sting that went through her neck. She watched the figure advance on them before she heard hooves behind them, galloping, and something jumped clean over Harry and Alicia, charging at the figure.
Harry suddenly he fell to his knees, a couple of groans escaping his lips and he sucked in a heap of air through his teeth, as though he was in pain. Alicia however watched as the figure turned away from the centaur and then fled through the trees, leaving the pour dead unicorn with blood dripping from it's neck.
The centaur stopped and turned to them, walking until he was standing over them. This one was not the one Alicia had run in to, he had white-blond hair and a palomino body.
"Are you all right?" said the centaur.
"Yes — thank you — what was that?"
"Or who was that?" Alicia muttered
The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishingly blue eyes, like pale sapphires. He looked carefully at Harry, his eyes lingering on the scar that stood out, livid, on Harry's forehead.
"You are the Potter boy," he said. "You had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time — especially for you. Can you ride? It will be quicker this way."
Alicia looked at Harry before she nodded.
"My name is Firenze," he added, as he lowered himself on to his front legs so that Alicia and Harry could clamber onto his back.
"I'm Alicia," she said as she placed her hands around the centaur's waist.
There was suddenly a sound of more galloping from the other side of the clearing. Ronan and Bane came bursting through the trees, their flanks heaving and sweaty.
"Firenze!" Bane thundered. "What are you doing? You have humans on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?"
"Do you realise who this is?" said Firenze. "This is the Potter boy. The quicker he leaves this forest, the better."
"What have you been telling him?" growled Bane. "Remember, Firenze, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?"
Alicia's eyebrows furrowed in confusion… what was to come…?
Ronan pawed the ground nervously.
"I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best," he said in his gloomy voice.
Bane kicked his back legs in anger.
"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!"
Firenze suddenly reared on to his hind legs in anger, so that Harry grabbed tightly to Alicia and Alicia tightened her grip on Firenze to stay on.
"Do you not see that unicorn?" Firenze bellowed at Bane. "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."
And Firenze whisked around; with Alicia and Harry clutching on as best they could, they plunged off into the trees, leaving Ronan and Bane behind them.
Neither Alicia or Harry had a clue what was going on.
"Why's Bane so angry?" Harry asked. "What was that thing you saved me from, anyway?"
Firenze slowed to a walk, warned the two first years to keep their heads bowed in case of low-hanging branches, but did not answer Harry's question. Then, they were passing through a particularly dense patch of trees, however, when Firenze suddenly stopped.
"Harry Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?"
"No," said Harry, startled by the odd question. "We've only used the horn and tail hair in Potions."
"Yes." Alicia muttered and Harry looked at her "And I'm ashamed anyone would even think of doing such a thing." she muttered
"That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn," said Firenze. "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 pure and defenceless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."
"But who'd be that desperate?" Harry wondered aloud. "If you're going to be cursed forever, death's better, isn't it?"
"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."
"Like an elixir of life." Alicia whispered. Harry looked at her
"Mr. Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?"
"The Philosopher's Stone! 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?"
"Do you mean," Harry croaked, "that was…"
"Voldemort." Alicia hissed in shock
"Harry! Alicia! Harry, are you all right?"
Hermione was running toward them down the path, Hagrid puffing along behind her.
"I'm fine," said Harry, hardly knowing what he was saying.
"It's alright Hermione, we aren't harmed." Alicia said truthfully.
"The unicorns dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there."
"This is where I leave you," Firenze murmured as Hagrid hurried off to examine the unicorn. "You are safe now."
Harry slid off his back followed by Alicia.
"Thank you." she said
"Good luck, Harry Potter," said Firenze. "The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times."
He turned and cantered back into the depths of the forest, leaving Harry shivering behind him.
Having found the unicorn the detention was now over. Alicia and Harry were both deathly silent as they walked back to the castle. Hagrid left them at the entrance hall and Hermione, Harry, Neville and Alicia made their way to the Gryffindor common room. When they got inside, Neville immediately went up to bed.
Ron had fallen asleep in the dark common room, waiting for them to return. He shouted something about Quidditch fouls when Harry roughly shook him awake. In a matter of seconds, though, he was wide-eyed as Harry began to tell him and Hermione what had happened in the forest.
Harry couldn't sit down. He paced up and down in front of the fire. He was still shaking. Alicia was just staring at the fire, not adding in as her thoughts rushed over it.
"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!" said Ron in a terrified whisper, as if he thought Voldemort could hear them.
Harry wasn't listening.
"Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done so… 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.
"So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone," Harry went on feverishly, "then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off… Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy."
"What the hell's wrong with you!" Alicia spoke up "I can't believe you just said that! Do you want Voldemort to kill you? Or try again!?" she snapped
Hermione looked very frightened, but she had a word of comfort.
"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's a very imprecise branch of magic."
"We don't even know what they said, remember Firenze refused to answer that." Alicia sighed as she stood up.
"I'm going to bed, my minds racing too much," she muttered "See you in the morning." and she left.