Chapter 19: Detention

We were told to meet Mr Filch at eleven o'clock on Saturday night to do our detentions. So I reluctantly got up, met up with Harry in the common room in my cloak and walked down to the Entrance Hall, where the wheezy, balding scrawny figure of Argus Filch was waiting for us, along with Malfoy, Crystal, Ron, and Hermione.

"So, you decided to show." he wheezed "Come along then. You're going to be helping Hagrid this evening."

I brightened a little. If I was going to be outside with Hagrid, then detention wouldn't be so bad.

"You're getting off easy." Filch drawled "In the olden days, you would have been hung upside down by the Great Hall rafters for a day or two. I keep the shackles nice and oiled, in case Dumbledore comes to his senses."

We walked down to Hagrid's hut in silence, listening to Filch drone on and one about the olden punishments.

"But no, Dumbledore has you going into the Forest." Filch finished.

Malfoy's head shot up "What?" he whispered.

"You're going into the Forest." Filch said, an ugly grin spreading across his face. "Ah, here's Hagrid." "Hey, Hagrid." Harry, Ron, Hermione, Crystal and I said together.

"Hey, Harry, Ron, Crystal, Hermione, Harley." Hagrid said eyes twinkling at the five of us, then nodding courteously at Malfoy "Ready to go into the Forest?"

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

There was another howl. "Werewolves?" I squeaked.

Malfoy nodded.

"There's more than werewolves in those trees lad." Filch sneered, setting off towards the castle "Goodnight."

My heart started to race.

"All right, here's what we're going to do. You see this?" Hagrid asked, holding up a leaf with a metallic silvery substance.

"Unicorn blood." Hagrid said "Something's been hurting them. Found one dead last week. So we're going to find this one. We might have to put it out of it's misery. So we're going to split up into two groups." Hagrid pointed to Ron, Hermione, and Crystal "Ron, Hermione and Crystal, you'll be going with me."

Then he pointed to me, Harry and Malfoy "Harley, since you're older, you are going with Harry and Malfoy."

"Ok," Malfoy said, not really sounding all that scared now "but we get Fang!" he pointed to the boarhound at my feet.

"Fine." Hagrid said "But fair warning, he's a bloody coward."

I glanced at Malfoy, then at Harry. Those two are like fire and ice. I thought This should end perfectly well.

After Hagrid supplied us with a lantern and Fang, Harry, Malfoy and I were walking tight nit to each other. Harry on my left, Malfoy on my right, holding the lantern.

"Wait till my father hears about this." Draco griped. "this is servants' stuff!"

"Quit your complaining, Malfoy. It's your fault we have to do this." I said to the first year.

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

"Malfoy scoffed "Scared Potter! Please! I'm just…

Before Malfoy could finish his sentence,There was a snap to my left. Malfoy screamed and ducked behind me.

"Not scared huh"

Did you hear that?" Malfoy said, poking his head out from behind me .

Harry scoffed "Slytherins." he mumbled.

"Bunch of scared little babies"

"I'm not scared!" Malfoy said, drawing himself up and coming out from behind me.

Really, Draco?" Harry asked "Then why did you scream like a girl?"

"I wasn't screaming!" Malfoy said defensively "I was…cheering from the thrill, yeah, that's it. I like the thrill."

"Or," Harry accused, taking the lantern from Malfoy "you were screaming like a girl. Hell, I'd say you were screaming higher than Harley."

"SHUT UP, POTTER!" Malfoy yelled "Now let's find this unicorn and get the hell out of-"

Malfoy cut himself off with a gasp, as did Harry and I.

We found the unicorn all right, and it was dead. It's legs were sprawled out at very odd angles.

Harry and I glanced at each other, both telepathically agreeing this was the most beautiful, and the most sad thing we've seen in our lives.

Just as I was set to pull out my wand and send up sparks to signal Hagrid that we found the unicorn, a cloaked person swept up towards the body and leaned in at the neck wound. He put his lips to it and drank.

I made a strangled cry of disgust. Big mistake, the figure looked up and looked Harry, then me in the eye.

My scar burned. And apparently so did Harry's.

Malfoy gave a scream like a little girl and booked it. Harry and I not far from him.

We started back to find Hagrid so he could help find the unicorn.

"That…was…way…too close!" I panted, taking out Slytherin's dagger and cutting through a vine.

"Yeah, although I'm more worried about that thing coming after us" Harry said.

"Harley, Harry!" Hermione yelled coming out of a bush.

"You two alright?" Ron asked us

"Yeah, we're fine. We found the unicorn, Hagrid. It's dead." I explained.

"Oh." Hagrid said, crestfallen "I guess detention's over. So, you can all go back to the castle."

As I walked back to the castle, I couldn't help but thinking about that thing that killed the unicorn. Or how it started coming after Harry and I, and the way our scars burned when it got close.

Stella, Amelia, and Lucy were shocked to hear that I almost died by some random thing. Percy had a fit when I told him but he calmed down when I told him I was fine. I just can't win, can I