Chapter 21

Danger

Later that night, Harry pulled on his father's cloak and activated the silencing pin once again, too energized to sleep. Slipping out of Ravenclaw tower the same as before, he headed for Gryffindor house, following another student through the portrait door rather than risk saying the password from beneath his invisibility cloak. He found Hermione still up as well, reading another book in the far corner, just like he imagined she would. One leg curled up beneath her while she leaned over an arm of the chair, the book dangling from her fingertips. Harry yearned to go surprise her, to tickle her or whisper in her ear, yet he struggled to hold back, keeping the promise he made to not to scare her. Instead he stood against a wall and watched her for a minute or two, unafraid of being caught staring for once. Eventually he summoned out some parchment and the new raven quill from his mokeskin pouch, writing her a note underneath the cloak.

'Not trying to scare you, but would you like to come visit the Slytherin dungeon with me - H?' Letting it drop onto the pages of her book, he enjoyed her reaction none the less.

She sat up quickly, attempting to hide any awkwardness as her eyes darted around the room hunting for him, but of course couldn't find him. Seeing no one else close by she whispered forcefully. "You really are mad! I thought you were going to sneak me into Ravenclaw tower during the day, not break into the Slytherin dungeons at night!"

Harry was about to write another response but decided sending a thought would be much quicker now that she wouldn't be surprised. 'I will, but we can do that anytime. We should probably visit other houses late at night, so we're less likely to bump into many people. And I want to see every house anyway.'

"I suppose it's worth a look... but I'm not sure Harry. It's really late and what if we get caught? How do you plan on making me disappear in the middle of the common room anyway? Because you can't come to my room." She pretended to read her book while talking softly.

'Hide behind the chair and no one will even notice. Only Fay will know your not in your room, and we'll come back before second curfew ends. If not, you know the password so you can always say you were sleepwalking. If you really don't want to, that's fine too, but I'm still going.'

"You've thought about this a little too much you know..." Hermione chewed at the inside of her lip, weighing the risks but not wanting to be left out. "Fine, but let's not make a habit of it." She glanced around the room wearily, then quietly slid off the chair and sat down behind it, waiting.

Harry knelt down beside her and threw the cloak around her, hugging her close. He sent another thought, 'We have to move together and hold hands for the silencing pin to work. If you need to tell me something shake my hand and I'll let go of yours if it's safe, don't do it yourself. Or I can read your thoughts if needed.' She shook her head at the last bit, but stood up with him, taking his hand. Walking out the door together he felt Hermione shiver. Real rule breaking, she must be scared, or maybe excited.

Falling into step beside each other felt natural, hand in hand they enjoyed the walk, even as Harry led them down the haunted corridors at night, towards the disappearing room. Hermione looked to him with a question on her face, asking, 'Why aren't we going downstairs?'

'The room can create a door for us right outside their common room, makes it much easier to get there, but we have to walk back. Be ready though, last time I fell through the door rather than opening it.' She nodded in acknowledgement.

They entered the disappearing room and Harry conjured a new green door with a thought. Testing it out, they somehow floated through it to appear outside plain brick walls, somewhere in the dungeons. It was cold and dimly lit, but holding close to Hermione let them share her warming charm. Harry sensed people beyond the brick wall, a little ways away, so he told Hermione, 'The entrance is probably right in front of us, now we simply have to wait a minute for someone to enter. Didn't take but a second or two for the other houses.'

Harry hugged his arms around her to keep warm as they stood there letting the minutes pass. Hermione took out a book and lit her wand in between the pages, reading under the cloak. She could feel him laughing silently behind her but ignored it, being bored by this new adventure, but not adverse to waiting with him. After fifteen minutes of wasted time, there wasn't a much left before curfew, so Harry tried to think of a way to speed things up instead of simply enjoying the warmth. It was too obvious and he thumped his head against the wall for not thinking of it sooner. Although he forgave himself readily due to the substantial distraction that was still between his arms.

Shaking that thought off, he endeavored to reach out through the wall and send a kind of intuition to someone inside. It was much harder than his first attempt with Hermione on another floor, but after the fourth try he could feel it reach someone. 'Someone's stuck outside, waiting to get in,' he sent, and then again to another person, just in case the first wasn't feeling helpful. As he sensed someone coming towards the door Hermione grabbed his hand and shook it. He sent her another thought, 'Someone's coming from inside, we might have to sneak in fast.'

Grabbing her other hand and disentangling himself from around her, they crept up next to the entrance. The stone slid back like a regular door, only five times as thick. An older girl stepped out and looked back and forth down the hallway as Harry and Hermione glided past her before the door closed again. They walked down a plain passageway which was slightly better lit but had the same look as the rest of the dungeons. At the end it opened up into a grandiose sitting room, lit with a green tinge to everything and filled with dark colours. The far green windows drew the eye as a large, ugly fish swam past, revealing it as a view from underneath the lake. Harry was instantly reminded of the smell of an aquarium, or that certain part of a pet store that housed fish and reptiles, yet not nearly as strong. The whole place gave off a chilly impersonal feeling, like no one lived there but simply passed through.

Together they walked down the steps and stood off to the side as the concerned girl came back in a huff, shivering and plopping down in front of the fireplace, wrapping a nearby blanket around herself. Above the fire held many odd animal skulls on the mantelpiece with a large emblem of Slytherin's snake hanging over it all. Another scent came through after he got used to the first, a mixture of leather and metal, which was partially obvious from all the low black leather furniture around the room, but he couldn't discern where the flavor of metal came from. That was until he looked back at the soft sound of a breeze and saw large iron grates letting air in from outside.

There were less people here than any other house, or seemed to be as they were nearly all spread out from each other around the room. It was awkward trying to take pictures with one hand attached to Hermione but she tried to help when possible. Other than her clenched jaw, she seemed to be having fun as well, considering how many rules they were breaking.

A younger girl walked up beside them and tapped her wand against one of the green lamps on the wall to turn it on. With it came the sound of a trickling fountain beside it, which she used to splash water on her face before heading to one of the dorm room doors. She touched her wand to a strange looking lock on one and it opened, then quickly closed behind her to keep anyone else out.

Hermione pulled him far away from the still running fountain and towards some dark wooden bookshelves near similarly styled writing tables. Harry looked around more while she knelt down to study the titles. He noticed the walls were lined with more dark and finely crafted cupboards filled with stylish odds and ends, similar to a few cabinets in Dumbledore's office. Ivory pillars held up the intricate vaulted ceiling and the cold stone floor was only covered with a few carpets, spaced far apart. Large black and white chess boards sat between green armchairs where a couple boys played, while every tapestry held only people on adventures, all Slytherins by the look of them. Off to one side of the room was a shadowy Christmas tree, looking neglected and extraneous, a token memento to the holidays.

His hand shook again, insistently this time as Hermione looked directly at him trying to mouth out the word to him. Sensing someone behind them, he looked around to see a slender boy coming to put a book away. He pulled Hermione out of the way and in front of the bulletin board, where they posted their password as well, 'Merlin'. He pointed towards it with a humorous smile, but received only a painted expression in return. He pulled her over to a large chair and sat together with her, which she tried to resist. She kept trying to mouth the words to him, but he held up a finger, 'I'll let go for one second so whisper it to me then.'

When he let her hand go, she said it in a pained whisper next to his ear, "Bathroom!" He grabbed her hand again while looking her in the eyes.

'Right now?' He asked, to which she nodded while biting her lower lip. 'Okay, just hold on.'

She cringed while getting up, squeezing his hand tightly without meaning to. They rather to the entryway when Harry stopped, pulling her to a halt. 'Damn, all the older Slytherins are coming in right now. Can you wait?'

Scrunching up her face, she nodded again as they hid beside the exit and student after student passed through. Five of them all together, and worst of all, the last two stood talking to each other right in front of the doorway, not letting them past. Hermione kept her knees locked together and her eyes closed while Harry tried to push the boy's thoughts in another direction. Eventually they walked away. He squeezed Hermione's hand in readiness, and they left, pushing out the stone doorway, passing Snape in the hallway. As swiftly as she was able to walk, they made it to a nearby bathroom. Not even thinking, Harry followed her in and directed her to a stall. She let go of his crushed hand and entered on her own, quickly closing the door and sighing heavily as Harry finally realized where he was.

He froze in embarrassment, not sure what to do or how to respond. Thankfully, the stalls were charmed with their own silencing spells when locked so no sound could torment him further. As his face grew beat red from that idea, he reminded himself that he should have exited out the bathroom and waited for her to knock or something, like any proper gentleman, which he kept forgetting to pretend at. In almost no time the stall door opened again and he cringed, hoping she wouldn't take it too badly. Only she didn't scream or yell, but called out gently, "Harry?"

I'm still not thinking clearly, she can't see or hear me. I'll just pretend like I was outside the whole time, and send her a thought asking if she's done. He backed slowly away, towards the door where he sent her the thought, 'Done yet? It's cold.'

"Almost!" She called out in a relieved murmur. "Just wait outside for a minute, and keep a lookout."

Rolling his eyes Harry watched her wash her hands, look around again, then readjust her skirt, shirt, and everything else she had on. He inspected his empty hands while trying to look away but didn't succeed for long, fascinated at how she could keep tucking her shirt in and pulling it out again too much one way or another. After nearly another minute of this she finally was satisfied and came towards the door.

Pulling it open before she got there, he pretended to come in, deactivated the pin and pulled back his hood, "So, do you want to visit anywhere else tonight? Because we're already past last curfew, it shouldn't matter much when you get back."

"That's so creepy with your head just floating there, - and I think I'm done for the night, unless... is Fluffy's room very close?"

Harry threw the cloak back over her with his own mischievous smile, "On our way up, third floor corridor, the one Dumbledore warned everyone about."

Checking in on Fluffy was a little too exciting, as Hermione let go of Harry's hand and gasped at the sight of the enormous beast. To which he responded with three deafening barks all at once. Slamming the door closed and securing the lock, shut out any more noise, but they ran for the seventh floor to avoid anyone coming to check. When they arrived Hermione stepped out from the invisibility cloak to speak the password and had no trouble with the portrait like they were expecting. The Fat Lady just nodded sleepily and opened up. Harry whispered goodnight to Hermione and left back to his own dorm, finally feeling a little tired. Like before, the eagle knocker gave a slightly harder riddle this late at night, but Harry quickly answered it to be greeted by a irritated professor Flitwick.

A high pitched voice squeaked out in annoyance, "I know it's you Harry. You weren't in your room when I had to come check, and you're the only one out of bed. I don't know how you could manage a disillusionment charm by yourself, but remove it this instant!"

Harry's heart fell in disappointment, of no longer being able to go exploring at night, and possibly even losing his cloak. But quick thinking saved him, he jumped back out of sight and removed the cloak, putting it in his pouch, along with his pin, and walked back into view.

"I'm disappointed in you Harry Potter. Whatever you were doing is no reason to be out of bed at night. Even if you are learning extremely advanced magic, way ahead of your time." The last bit carried an edge of pride behind the seriousness.

Nodding in acknowledgement Harry hung his head, "I'm sorry, I was exploring the castle since I couldn't get to sleep after such a late morning. I didn't mean to cause any harm."

Flitwick almost looked sympathetic but shook his head, "That's still not an excuse, twenty points from Ravenclaw, and you shall serve a detention tomorrow. Now go to bed, and think on why your actions were wrong."

Hiding his amusement with anxiety, Harry hurried up to his room. That was easier than I thought it would be. I hope Hermione didn't get caught too.

After closing the door, he called her name and whispered into the communication mirror, "Just got confronted by Flitwick as I entered the tower. Only got twenty points off and a detention, but it's okay. If McGonagall asks, don't mention the cloak, they think it was disillusionment somehow. Sorry..."

She only groaned in response, probably not wanting to make more noise.

Harry went to sleep that night not giving one thought to the points, but wondering what kind of detention there could be during the holidays, and if Hermione would have to spend it with him.

oOoOo

Arriving at breakfast in the morning, Harry was greeted with a downcast expression from Hermione. Even her hair looked in a similar state of tormented disappointment. She was sitting slightly apart from the others, with Ron giving her dirty looks, so he sat down between them. "You too, huh? I don't know how they knew we were gone, especially so close to curfew. Was McGonagall there when you entered your common room?"

"No... she confronted me in the morning. Saying she got a note telling her that I was out of bed last night. She didn't believe it so she asked me personally. I - I didn't know what to say to her, so I just, - told her the truth."

"I see... well, at least it's only one detention, maybe we'll get to spend it together." He nudged her playfully, trying to cheer her up.

"But I lost fifty points from Gryffindor! Everyone but Fred and George are furious with me, saying I ruined our chances at the house cup. The rest will be too, when they get back."

"You know house points are just a tool to manipulate students into following the rules. The house cup is only for bragging rights, and it's not surprising that McGonagall is strict about it either. But if the rules were that important, they wouldn't make a game out of it. So don't sweat the small stuff, especially if peer pressure is why it matters."

Hermione looked at him with a half smile, trying to show she understood, but got distracted by something at the other end of the table and turned away in shame.

Wondering what caused it, Harry turned to see a scowling first year who avoided his eyes. It was Ron again. The urge to smash his face into a plate of food was great, but Harry closed his eyes for a few seconds to calm himself and came up with one of his more traditional responses.

"Hey Ron, are you feeling okay? That funny look on your face resembles Malfoy, I hope whatever causes it isn't catching. Wouldn't want to see you end up like him." Ron's scowl turned to anger, then quickly changed to confusion and finally unease. He looked down at his food, eating nervously.

Harry got an elbow in the ribs for that, but saw a hint of a smirk on his tormentor's face as well. He stabbed a scone off her plate that already had jam and cream on it, to receive wide eyed indignation and a jaw drop. He cracked up laughing, enjoying the day already.

oOoOo

Their detention came after lunch in the form of a journey outside in the winter weather, following Filch down to Hagrid's cabin for some reason. Luckily Harry was wearing his warming cap, and it wasn't snowing, yet. Hermione seemed optimistic for her first ever detention since the weather didn't bother her at all, while Filch cursed the cold and rapped on the large knotted door. Hagrid came around from the back of his house bundled up in his thick moleskin coat, carrying his enormous crossbow and followed close behind by fang. He nodded to them all and spoke seriously, "Got a tough job today. Goin' in ter the forest. Yeh two are followin' me in, gonna help search."

Before Harry could wonder at the staff's sanity, sending children into a forest even seventh years weren't allowed in, Hagrid gave him a small wink. That held his tongue while he nudged Hermione before she could say the same. 'Looks like Hagrid is getting us out of detention. Probably have us help him check the traps or something.' Sending the thought made her look back at him in puzzlement, wondering if he was right and if that might get them in further trouble.

"Now you're in for i-it." Filch sneered at them, but was shivering too much to say more.

As he left cursing the snow on his thin boots, Harry turned back to Hagrid, "Thanks for that, so what are we really going to do?"

"Huh? Goin' in ter the forest o' course, somethin's bin spookin' the unicorns. Even found a bit o' blood the other day."

Tilting his head up in consternation, Harry began the questions, "What was the wink for then, I thought you were going to go easy on us? And isn't the forest too dangerous for first years?"

"Yeh'll be safe enough with me an' Fang around. Buh, - I thought yeh two migh' like ter see some creatures... since yeh've bin askin' about them so much."

Hermione cut in, "We would Hagrid, but from a safe distance with barricades, not in the middle of them all as bait. Are you sure this is alright? You don't even have a proper wand to protect us from everything, what if we stumble upon manticores, acromantula, o-or trolls?" A shiver went down her spine at the last.

Shifting uneasily Hagrid scratched his beard, "No manticores 'round here, bin checkin'. We ain't goin' near the colony, an' Vera here could take out'a troll or two." He shook the crossbow in reassurance as Harry sensed a bit of magic in it.

"Colony?!" Hermione almost shrieked, "The twins were right?"

Harry held up his hands, "Wait-wait, was this your idea, or Dumbledore's?"

"Er... can' tell yeh that."

Feeling the vague sensation of a person hiding to the south, Harry guessed Dumbledore had set up some new test, following along to protect them or show them something new. He sent the thought to Hermione, asking if she was okay with being protected by Dumbledore. She gave him another weak smile, trying to be brave, but obviously not enthusiastic about going into the forest.

"Okay, we'll help you look Hagrid, but what do you even think we'll find?" Harry cast some warming charms on himself while waiting for an answer.

"Tracks I'm hopin'. Migh' catch sight o' somethin', or find the injured unicorn an' help it if we're lucky."

Hermione looked concerned at that, "What could even hurt a unicorn? I read they ran in herds and were extremely fast."

"Aye, that'd be why we need ter know what's scarin' them before gettin' a huntin' party together. So be on yer guard."

They both exchanged worried glances while following Hagrid into the forest, yet were glad he didn't want to do this at night.

The air was cooler under the thick canopy, blocking out the little sunlight that only then was starting to shine, yet they didn't have to trudge through as deep of snow either. Harry focused on his vision, letting him see further into the dark shadows under limbs and fallen trees. Not much moved as they trekked through the eerily white and grey winter scene, but wands were held at the ready. Branches creaked now and then under the strain of heavy snow, as they listened for anything unusual and inspected the ground cover for tracks. Suddenly a mound of snow fell to the ground in a thud, causing them all to jump, while Fang took off running back the way they came. It took a moment or two to calm themselves again while Hagrid grumbled.

"Ruddy useless dog..."

As Harry let himself relax, he came to realize the forest wasn't especially frightening, but was more a creepy image of The Forbidden Forest that was conjured in his mind which concerned him. He tried to dismiss it, and see it for what it really was, nature. Possibly dangerous nature, but holding no malicious intent or supernatural mysteries, something that could be understood and predicted.

Casting out his senses, he felt for anything magical nearby. Instead he felt individual animals, strewn about the undergrowth, most no more than the size or rats, which he'd never been able to sense before. Practicing often in the dense magic of Hogwarts seemed to be improving what he was able to feel when he was far enough away. Hagrid halted in front of them, bringing Harry out of his tranquil reflection.

There was a fork in the barely distinguishable path, "Don' suppose yeh'd wan' ter split up, would yeh?" Hagrid looked back at their extremely skeptical faces and shrugged, "Didn't think so... now, which way ter go?"

Closing his eyes Harry reached further away, out beyond even his vision, feeling a magical presence off to the left path. "It looked like something moved off in that direction Hagrid." He pointed.

"How-? Ah, yer specs, glad ter have yeh along Harry." He scratched a small mark into a tree as they headed down the trail.

The sun peeked through the canopy now and then, as they soon came across a pleasant looking clearing, heading for the warm light. Just as Harry felt for the presence of magic again a large bush shook in front of them, altering everyone to some odd shaped creature moving out from behind it.

A real live Centaur with red hair was gazing at them with a demure expression.

Hagrid cleared his throat and lowered his crossbow as Harry and Hermione hesitated to lower their wands, "Oh, Ronan, yeh startled us. How are yeh?"

"Fair, friend Hagrid. Are you teaching the young ones to hunt?" He asked in a resigned tone.

"No, no, they're jus' helpin' me search fer what's bin causin' the unicorns ter get skittish lately. This is Hermione Granger and Harry Potter. Couple o' the best students at school. An' as yeh heard, this is Ronan." Hagrid seemed to want to say more but restrained himself.

"Nice to meet you." Hermione bowed respectfully, Harry nodded along.

Ronan came closer, inspecting them with interest, "Bright students, ready to fight, feeling of ...rare magic. Does the school teach you enough?"

"Our classes are okay, but we learn a bit more from the books there and on our own." Hermione answered a little bluntly.

"As it always is with those who tread a new path." He bent his head back to look at the cloudy sky. "The moon, it is too dark today."

Harry was confused by this last statement, "Too dark for what? It's midday and isn't it supposed to be a new moon?"

The centaur shook his head sadly, not responding. Giving Hagrid a moment to ask a question, "Yeh didn't happen ter see anythin' unusual lately, have yeh Ronan? Summat seems wrong in here?"

Ronan looked down at Harry and Hermione, then back up at the sky, "The moon is much too dark..."

"Err right, we'll be on our way then. If yeh do see anythin', let us know." Hagrid ushered them away, mumbling something about ruddy centaurs with their heads in the clouds.

oOoOo

The trio continued on their journey, taking a side path which crisscrossed a small trickling stream, only partially frozen despite the weather. They followed along the snow covered banks, watching as small animals scurried away from Hagrid's booming footsteps, and arrived at a small pond. Hagrid stretched out his arms in warning, halting their progress before they noticed how unusual it was. The water was unusually warm looking, with no ice on the surface and green plants still growing around the edges.

"Don' get too near now, somethin's in there makin' it that way. Got ter go around, stick close." He waved one hand towards the left, staying between them and the water. When suddenly Harry's attention was drawn to something very odd hanging from a bush in the distance.

It sparkled with an almost glowing aura, like radiant white tinsel hanging from a Christmas tree, "What's that?" He pointed towards it as they heard a gurgle from the pond, almost sounding as if someone was whispering to them from underwater. They edged away, getting clear of the spooky noises. Feeling they were far enough, Harry led them towards his latest discovery. Creeping closer, neither Hermione nor Hagrid could see what he was talking about, not until he reached out carefully and plucked it from on top a clump of snow left on the branches.

The glow was dimmer yet it still twinkled in his hand, as if he held thread made of light itself. "Well done Harry! Don' know how yeh saw it, but yeh found some unicorn tail hair. Them's good for all sort o' things."

Harry looked from a delighted Hagrid to a curious Hermione, "I didn't realize unicorns sparkled so much, it must make them easy to spot." They both gave him confused expressions. "It... doesn't sparkle to you?" With two heads shaking at him in concern, he realized the mistake and relaxed his vision. The glow disappeared along with any sparkles, leaving pure white strands of hair. "Ah, just another symptom of good eyesight it seems."

"Heh, yer makin' me want specs. Don' suppose yeh could find more hair? Migh' lead ter a whole unicorn next."

"Sure, it's too bad I didn't have a chance to bring a broom. Might have made this much easier." Harry lamented as he glanced around at all the brush and tall trees, seeing another piece in the distance.

They carried on, gathering small tufts of hair now and then, building up quite a collection, but not seeing unusual tracks or hearing anything new. It started getting late and nothing was found for quite a while. They had lost the trail and wandered deep into the woods with dark clouds forming in the distance.

Getting bored and cold, Harry kept thinking of how they could find some unicorns faster, "Hmm, I might have an idea. What if I climb a tree to look around?"

"But all the branches are too high to reach Harry, and what if you slip on some ice while climbing? Even if I can cast a spell fast enough or Hagrid catches you before smacking the ground, there are a lot of limbs to hit in between..." Always at the ready with a good dose of caution, Hermione crossed her arms upon seeing his smile.

Harry could see real concern on her face, but it only made him happy to know who it was for. "I'm sure Hagrid could throw me up easy enough, but if I use a featherlight charm and a few cushioning charms on my clothes, it should be relatively safe. Wouldn't hit anything with much force when there's so little mass."

"That's just a guess! You don't know if the featherlight charm somehow reduces your mass or simply changes your gravitational attraction."

Picking up a small rock, Harry threw it at the side of a wide tree, noting the solid thwack. Then he picked up a similar rock, cast the debated charm on it, and threw again, awkwardly. It made a much softer thump, nothing like the first.

"There we go, first experiment complete. Barring any soft wood, or trick rocks, that should be enough to move onto human trials." She glared at him as he cast the charm on himself. Performing a small hop propelled him three feet into the air, landing with a soft crunch of snow under his feet. He immediately jumped with all his strength but didn't get high enough to reach the limbs above them, twenty feet in the air. He fell down clumsily to land on his bum. Chuckling at the embarrassment and soft landing, he then pushed himself off the ground to stumble into Hermione.

Catching him, she lifted him up and straightened him out, "Just because you were right doesn't make it that much safer. You could still be impaled by some random limb or who knows what lives in the treetops. Jumping let's you see high enough, let's leave it at that." Harry gave her his best puppy dog eyes, pleading mercilessly. "No." Was her final word, while wearing a serious but concerned expression.

Through that he could easily see what she wasn't saying, 'Please don't Harry, you'll get hurt.'

Feeling obligated to listen to the voice of reason and not worry her more on this possibly dangerous journey, he hung his head, "Fine... I'll just take a peak around on a lower limb." Taking a walk around he made a standing leap under the lowest branch he could find, catching it with both hands. He shivered at the cold snow underneath his fingers and climbed up easily, scanning the undergrowth beneath the heavy white canopy.

All the while they were talking, Hagrid watched their small argument in good humor, reminded fondly of another contentious couple he used to know. Although they rarely listened to each other, except near the end. He shook himself out of his thoughts and called up to Harry, "See anythin' up there?"

Harry concentrated on his vision even further, peering into shadows for the telltale twinkle of unicorn hair. When he finally thought he saw a similar sparkle off in the distance, he heard a strange crack. It swiftly cascaded into a series of alarming pops and snaps, which made him look down. The tree was breaking apart underneath him with a long disturbing creak, falling, toward Hermione.

Fear and worry caught in his throat as adrenaline rushed through his veins. He gripped both of his wands tightly, somehow already in his hands as time seemed to slow down again and his heart thundered in his chest. First instincts told him to push the tree out of the way, but a quick appraisal of the towering tree made him ignore that thought. A hundred ideas were conjured and discarded in an instant, attempting to find a solution yet none were plausible. Hagrid seemed to be rushing toward Hermione in slow motion, annoyingly slow as Harry plummeted towards them. Hermione looked overcome with bewilderment at the situation unfolding around her, and as if stuck in molasses she sluggishly pointed her wand up at Harry, casting a cushioning charm on him.

In confusion about her priorities, Harry was hit with the spell. He pushed down and to the side of the tree, aiming for a clearing of snow far enough away. Mid fall he watched as Hagrid started to reach toward her with his gigantic hands, but Harry could see the tree would hit them both. He knew Hagrid had tough skin, but couldn't watch Hermione get hurt again.

Desperately trying anything, Harry knew he couldn't pull her physically so he summoned her clothes, but instead was drawn towards them. The featherlight charm was working against him. With sudden realization he pointed one wand at Hermione and the other at an already fallen tree in the opposite direction. He strained in concentration and forced every bit of magic he could into his wands, giving him leverage to pluck her off the ground with such force that she sailed right into him as time sped up and they tumbled over and over in the soft snow together. At the last moment they both looked up to see the enormous pine tree crashing through countless limbs and smaller trees, falling on top of Hagrid. With an earth shaking boom they felt the ground tremble beneath them, as snow and limbs were thrown everywhere.

Picking themselves up in a rush, they ran towards the fallen tree where they last saw Hagrid. Many branches were crumpled up around the area blocking their view. They made quick work of the mess, one cutting the branches and the other moving them away. Within moments they uncovered Hagrid's moleskin coat, with him in it, luckily not crushed under the tree. He was unconscious, head face down in the snow with his hands protecting everything but a small gash on his scalp. Harry quickly healed it with Episkey and tried to wake him up with Rennervate, while Hermione continued excavating the rest of him.

A loud muffled moan escaped Hagrid's prone body, followed by him turning his head sideways, "Wat happened?"

"Erm... a tree fell on you. Are you okay?"

"Ugghhh, feels a keg of fire whisky hit me las' nigh'. An' me foot's asleep too." He padded his hands around feeling the large tree nearby. "Can yeh get this offa' me? Can't move."

"We'll try, just stay still for now." Harry glanced up at Hermione's overly distraught face, she was staring down at Hagrid's legs. Hurrying over to her, he saw it immediately. His calf was pierced through with a thick branch almost under the tree, blood was pooling up and coloring the snow red. Harry turned her away from it quickly, and looked directly into her eyes, "He'll be fine, work on clearing the rest away, I'll fix this."

She nodded, reassured a little and now determined to keep going. Harry ran through more ideas but settled on the simplest again, casting the freezing charm around the wound, slowing the blood loss and numbing the flesh, then he cut through the branch holding his leg to the ground. It twisted sideways making Hagrid cry out. He cast Glacius again on both sides, trying to numb the pain, not knowing a spell to do that specifically. Next Harry cut the wood close to his leg, making it easier to move. Hermione finished with the rest of the limbs as Hagrid was finally coming to his senses and pushing himself up slightly to look around.

"Don' seem too bad, can yeh help me up?"

"You probably shouldn't be moved, but maybe with another charm or two..." Casting the cushioning charm on Hagrid's leg, then the featherlight charm once more on the rest of him, Harry dropped to his knees in exhaustion. The increased mass seemed to require much more magic.

Harry picked himself up sluggishly and walked up beside Hagrid, reaching into his pouch for the potions Fred and George gave him. Handing him two, one for general healing and one to stop the pain. He didn't know if they worked as well on someone Hagrid's size but it was something. "There, that should help. Try not to jostle your leg." Hermione cast a splint spell around his leg as well when she finished with the branches.

They all helped pull Hagrid to a standing position on one leg. While a frightening rumble of noise could be heard getting louder, approaching from the other side of the tree. Arriving around the still upright trunk came a group of five centaurs, a black haired one in the lead.

"Hullo Bane, all right?" Croaked Hagrid.

Bane seemed angered but grew concerned when he saw Hagrid's state, "Well... and you?"

"Bin better, I can tell yeh that." He repositioned himself against the large tree, "Would yeh mind givin' us a hand back ter the castle?"

A second white haired centaur, with startling blue eyes stepped forward, "Of course Hagrid, we would never abandon an injured friend. - I shall hasten on ahead, to bring word of your injury." His eyes lingered on Harry and the scar on his forehead, giving him a nod. Glancing away Harry recognized it as an offer to join him, but old stories came to mind and he didn't want to leave Hermione alone with a group of unknown centaurs.

"Thank yeh Firenze, would appreciate it. Could yeh maybe take these two along? Should'a bin back ages ago." A few of the other centaurs came over to give Hagrid a hand and apply a healing salve to his wound.

"Of course." The blonde centaur bowed as a bolt of lightning was seen in the distance and the thunder rolled across the valley.

oOoOo

Night was approaching fast as they jogged after the sleek palomino centaur. Harry was able to keep up only because of the featherlight charm still cast upon him, but when that ran out he tripped over his own feet, toppling to the earth. Hermione rushed over and kneeled beside him, checking if he was hurt and to cast the charm again, along with more warming charms. Firenze stood over top of them, observing.

"Might you tell me why Hagrid brought you into the forest today?"

Lying there for a moment to catch his breath, Harry looked up in a daze, "We were looking for signs of what was chasing the unicorns, apparently Hagrid noticed one was slightly injured. Do you know what would attack them?"

Firenze's expression darkened, not answering right away. He regarded Harry and Hermione with an intent frown, pawing the ground with his front hoof. A slithering noise distracted him as he swiftly strung his bow and notched an arrow, surveying the forest. Hermione pulled Harry up with little resistance, and brushed off the snow stuck to him, while Firenze circled them in alarm. His jumpiness was infectious as another strange noise made them all scrutinize the forest in worry.

"What was that?" Hermione whispered.

With great mental effort Harry tried to sense the surrounding area. Feeling bile rise up in the back of his throat from the vague feeling of hatred nearby, he hissed the words out, "We need to run, now!" He cast the featherlight charm on Hermione, ignoring his complete exhaustion and pulling her along with renewed adrenaline.

Trotting alongside them Firenze kept on alert, quietly he urged, "You should both ride, you cannot outrun anything in your condition Harry Potter." They glanced up at him and nodded, then got lifted up on his back. He began to sprint, causing Hermione to hold onto Firenze as Harry wrapped his arms around her waist, trying to stay upright while watching for anything suspicious.

After a while of running with no new sounds the centaur slowed to a canter, speaking over his shoulder, "Do either of you know what unicorn blood is used for?"

Hermione answered in a hushed tone, "I've never heard of it being used in any books, does something actually hunt unicorns for it?"

"Only the most desperate of creatures with nothing to lose. For to slay a unicorn is an abhorrent crime. To drink the blood of such a pure and innocent creature will sustain you even at the brink of death, and curse you as well."

Confused and still in a daze, Harry paused his mental searching because he couldn't help but ask a few blatantly obvious questions, "How are unicorns so much more pure and innocent than any other creature? What if you killed a unicorn without drinking it's blood, or gave it to someone else in their food? And don't people kill unicorns for their horns anyway? I wouldn't think they would give them up willingly, but if they do, why would taking a little of their blood be any different?"

Firenze continued his trot, mumbling something about unanswerable questions before he responded, "Unicorn horns and hair are harvested by young witches. A repugnant practice, but they cause no permanent harm. Their horns grow back, like their hair, but their blood does not. It absorbs magic, allowing a unicorn to never need food, even the grass under its feet. That is why it is viewed as such a pure creature, never harming even the plants they tread upon. When one consumes this blood, it allows you to absorb magic to stay alive, yet it destroys your ability to stay alive by any other means, except one."

"Makes sense I guess," Harry began to recognize how drained and dizzy he felt, and pulled another potion out of his pouch to drink. The last drops of the yellow restorative draught tasted like ginger on his tongue. He looked up at the dimming sunset through the trees and the storm that loomed over it, wondering where Dumbledore was as his fatigue slowly started to lift, "So what's this special way to stay alive?" He asked to break the unusual silence.

"A special elixir, that can restore even the most damaged being, and let them live forever. Harry Potter, do you know-" Just then a black blur flew across their path, causing Firenze to rear up on his hind legs and shoot an arrow as it passed by. They nearly fell off his back, though Hermione caught onto his quiver strap at the last moment. As Firenze's front hooves pawed the air, he took out another arrow and shot again when they hit the ground. The next second they were dashing away again, Harry and Hermione being jostled uncomfortably on his back while holding tight in fear.

Harry had little time to enjoy how close he was clinging to Hermione, when his gaze flicked to the side, into the burning red eyes of a cloaked figure, causing an explosion of pain to ignite in his scar. He threw himself away in unconscious reflex and fell, into the boiling agony that was now his mind. Into darkness he fell, further and deeper than ever before, while something stabbed at his mind again and again. It pierced through the pitiful barriers he thought he controlled. Rending into dust any hope of release and replacing it with fear and all consuming hate. Then he hit the ground.

The freezing snow against his neck awoke a realization in him, he knew how to fight back. Mentally straining against the overwhelming agony, he pushed the pain away and felt for its source. Finding the same hatred and vile feelings as the times before, yet this time it felt solid, stronger, and more determined. Taking a cue from his occlumency training and recent memories he conjured the image of a burning red kris to match the demon's eyes. He stabbed at it but it dodged, laughing at him with an eerie familiarity. Conjuring a dozen copies of himself around the creature, it hesitated. He stabbed again with the others coping him, plunging the kris deep into the hate filled shadow haunting his mind and wrenched it sideways to break the blade off inside.

Blood curdling screams ricocheted in his ears, both mental and physical as the hate fled from his mind.

Opening his eyes revealed an extremely skittish Firenze scanning the woods with anger and fear written across his face, while a terrified Hermione with tears in her eyes reached down a hand urging him to get up. Harry felt better than ever though. He wiped the blood off the side of his face and grabbed her outstretched hand to hop up behind her. He held on tight, sharing her warmth as they raced away once more.

oOoOo

Reaching the edge of the forest, relief flooded through them, and even Firenze seemed to relax some. Finally slowing on the hill up to the castle, he spoke once more. "I shall leave you to notify the teachers, but remember what I have told you, and think on who would risk everything to stay alive at such a cost." Harry and Hermione hopped down outside the main doors, thanking him for everything, and quickly entering to find a teacher.

They raced toward the staff room, hand in hand, not wanting to leave each others side for a second. Professor McGonagall was just exiting as they screeched to a halt in front of her. She gawked in astonishment at their disheveled appearance with bits of forest everywhere, and a thin line of blood trailing down Harry's scar, "What in Merlin's name happened to you two?"

They told her. Explaining the entire story in alternating voices, adding details when needed and support for when disbelief crossed McGonagall's face. Near the end she seemed to be choking back her own fear and alarm, not wanting to show it to children. "Well, you certainly had an ordeal. Go to the hospital and explain a simplified version to Madam Pomfrey, while I gather the rest of the teachers."

Waiting in the nearly empty hospital for the teachers to bring Hagrid back, Harry and Hermione sat next to each other on a bed, talking about the bizarre day. "Next time I get detention, I want to spend it cleaning like Fred and George usually do."

"Next time I listen to your reassurances I'm going to have my head checked. - 'We won't get caught sneaking out at night' - 'Hagrid is going to get us out of detention' - 'Dumbledore is following behind to protect us' - You must be the most overly optimistic and unlucky person I know."

"I think I had good reasons for those suspicions, and I don't know about luck but it can't be too bad, take the unicorn hair." He replied feeling a little defensive, but wasn't even convincing himself.

She gave him a dubious look, "Harry, a tree fell over right after you touched it. If you have any luck at all it's bipolar."

He sighed, "Sadly, the rest of my life might back you up on that point. I wonder what the moon has to say about it..." They chuckled together for a moment.

"I'm afraid we have to take that seriously now Harry. Magic and divination class... but how could the continually changing orbits of planets actually affect us? Or predict future events? - Can the random alignment of stars billions of miles away really have anything to do with our personalities or how things happen by magic?"

Harry shook his head, "I doubt it. Even McGonagall seemed to think divination is rubbish, and superstitions run rampant around here. How it became a subject is anyone's guess. - But I'm still wondering why Hogwarts teaches astronomy. Not that I mind, it's fun learning about all the planets and moons I've read about in science fiction books, but why teach it here? Just to prepare us for divination that we don't need to take? We don't have specific classes in English, Maths, Geography, or any number of useful subjects, yet somehow astronomy is still taught when wizards don't even go to space. I even asked Professor Sinistra why, but she stared at me like the idea had never even crossed her mind. Imagine, living your entire life learning about and teaching a subject that is wasted on people who will never make use of it. But maybe we can..."

"Have you got your head in the clouds again like Ronan?" Nudging him with a smile, she slowly grew downcast, "Harry... what was that thing? It almost looked like drawings of a Lethifold but nothing else about it matched the description. Could it have been what was scaring the unicorns?"

He reached a comforting arm around her shoulder, "Something... or someone with a great deal of hate for me. It's tried to enter my mind before, but I've never actually seen it until now. At first I thought it was a part of me, or some curse from my past. Now I know it's alive... "

"Your mind? But, why would it be after you? What could it want?"

"Revenge."

"You're not suggesting that... it's him, are you?" She shivered again. "I thought he died?"

Shrugging, he held her closer, "Hagrid says that's a load of codswallop. He might be wrong, except, there's only one thing I'm known for, only one reason why anyone could hate me that much. And whatever happened that night, stopped him and his reign of terror. If it is him, he might need unicorn blood to stay alive, or maybe it's one of his crazy monsters or followers that likes hunting innocent things. Whatever it is, it needs to be stopped."

"Don't say you're going to go looking for it, please, that's a really, really, really stupid idea. And you better not lie to me either, because I'll never be able to trust you again if you do." Looking directly in his eyes, she tried to make sure he couldn't avoid the issue.

A small grin crept over his face, "Who do you take me for? Some idiotic hero that wants to face his foes head on in the heat of battle?" He shook his head and grabbed her hand in his, "No, I plan to stay hidden away studying with you to learn so much powerful magic that we won't even need to be afraid anymore. The adults can keep us protected until then."

Hermione gave a cute snort at that, shaking her head in exasperation. "I guess that will do."

The teachers eventually came back with Hagrid in tow, he waved to them in woozy cheer with a large potion bottle in his hand, as McGonagall transfigured four beds into one for him to fit. They were ushered out to dinner, thankful none of the students had heard about the events yet, even though some asked what their punishment was.

Deciding to relax in their own library for the rest of the night and hopefully the rest of the week until school started again, they read and practiced a few more practical healing charms. Determined not to find any more danger, but to be ready for it anyway.