AN: Sorry for the pause in updates. I went back to work fulltime last week and couldn't find the time or energy to fit this in. I finally finished this chapter after doing everything possible to avoid this even though I want to do it. Some times it's just hard to write. Oh well, I hope anyone who reads this enjoys it.
The Forbidden Forest
Draco Malfoy pleaded with Professor McGonagall all the way to her office but it was no use. He would be penalized for being caught out of bed no matter what the reason. Once inside, the transfiguration teacher scoffed at Draco's version of events. "Mr. Malfoy, that is quite the tale you've just told. Do you want to know what I think happened?" She paused. Neither of them dared to speak a word. "Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger fed you some cock and bull story about a dragon to get you out of bed after curfew. Now, Ms. Potter, I can only assume that you knew and were overcome by guilt. So you decided to try and stop him. Is that correct?"
Selena looked over at Malfoy. He was scowling at her murderously. She bit down hard on the inside of her cheeks. Tears began to well up in her eyes. She nodded slowly.
Professor McGonagall sighed and pinched at the bridge of her nose, "Right then, 50 points from Ravenclaw and 50 points from Slytherin. You will both receive detentions as well. Now the two of you head off to bed."
Malfoy hung back to protest but Selena did not hesitate. She jogged all the way back to the common room.
With exams approaching, she and Terry set out for the library their book bags stuffed to the brim. They plopped into their usual seats and carelessly tossed their books onto the table. Selena had already revised quite a bit with Hermione, but it couldn't possibly hurt to go over the material again with Terry. They started by quizzing each other on Professor Sinistra's star charts. "Hello, Terry! Hello, Selena!" The cheery voice of Sue Li called. "Would you mind if we joined you?" She asked, gesturing to the Ravenclaw students around her.
"Course not," Selena responded.
"The more the merrier," Terry said rather unenthusiastically as Sue, Anthony, Michael, and Padma sat around them.
After about a half an hour Harry, Ron, and Hermione came shuffling into the library. The atmosphere became thick with tension. The students around her glared at them. Harry, Hermione, and Neville had lost 150 points. They had swiftly lost their place in the house cup giving Slytherin the lead. Everyone was so excited by the prospect of Slytherin losing that Gryffindor's set back angered the other houses. Naturally, they blamed Harry as they saw him as the leader. Selena grimaced and waved softly at them.
Hermione waved back, but Harry and Ron ignored her. She felt a pang of sadness. They must have felt betrayed by her associating with students who resented them. Shame ran rampantly through her veins. She told herself that they just must not have seen her and stuffed her nose back in the books. They carried on studying for the rest of the evening.
The next morning in the Great Hall an owl swooped down and delivered a note.
Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. Meet Mr. Filch in the Entrance Hall. Prof. M. McGonagall
Selena chewed nervously on her bottom lip staring at the piece of parchment in her hand. Terry was leaning over her shoulder trying to get a look at it.
"Eleven o'clock? That's after curfew." Terry acknowledged.
"It is," Selena responded shakily.
"With Filch?"
"Yes."
Terry grimaced.
Later that night a few minutes before eleven o'clock, Selena said goodbye to Terry and Bastet and headed out to the entrance hall. Her lonely trek through the dark corridors felt more anxious than her feverish run back to the common room from a few nights ago. Pale ghosts glided in and out of her way. They seemed to glitter in the dim moonlight.
When she had almost reached the entrance hall she heard a familiar voice call out to her, "Selena, wait!" It was Harry. She turned around and stopped. He jogged to where she stood. Neville and Hermione followed at a much slower pace. "I'd forgotten you had detention."
"Yeah, I got caught chasing Malfoy."
"We heard on our way up to the Astronomy Tower," Harry explained. They walked a few paces in silence.
"Terry thinks we'll be hung by our ankles." Selena quietly joked as they headed on their way. No one laughed. Hermione and Neville wore grave expressions. Even Harry looked a bit sick.
When they arrived, Filch and Malfoy were already standing there. Malfoy's eyes flitted across the group. They hardened when he reached hers.
His impassive expression morphed into a sneer. Selena felt very uncomfortable under his gaze. She quickly tore her eyes away and stared solemnly at the floor.
"Follow me," Filch wheezed. Lantern in hand he led them outside, "I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?' he continued, 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 shuffled behind him. The moon and stars shone brightly in the sky. Selena would have admired the twinkling under normal circumstances but between Filch's dubious smile, Malfoy's scowl, and Neville's whimpering she could not calm down. She could not tell if she was shaking from nervousness or the cool night breeze. It didn't really matter. She was still shaking.
The further down the grounds they traveled the darker it got. Thick fluffy grey clouds quickly encompassed the night sky. Only a sliver of moonlight remained. They followed closely behind Filch whose lantern was the only thing keeping them from stumbling into each other.
They were coming up on Hagrid's hut when his thick voice boomed through the darkness. "Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."
Relief washed over Selena warmly. Filch must have noticed the flip of her expression as well as Harry's, who was now grinning because he sneered at them through the darkness. "'I suppose 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 gasped loudly and Malfoy crossed his arms across his chest. "The forest?" Draco asked in a wobbly voice. His tone was almost always smooth and even. Clearly he was afraid. "We can't go in there at night – there's all sorts of things in there – werewolves, I heard."
'That's your lookout, isn't it?' Filch replied wheezing with laughter. "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?"
Hagrid finally entered their limited field of vision. He was carrying a crossbow over his shoulder. Fang came padding up behind him. "Abou' time,' his gruff voice complained. 'I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, you all?'
'Shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid,' Filch snarled sharply, "they're here to be punished, after all."
"That's why yer late, is it?" Hagrid asked in an accusatory tone. "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," Filch said, "for what's left of them," he added for good measure hobbling out of sight.
"I'm not going into that forest!" Malfoy protested. The fear had spread from his voice to his face.
"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts. Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got ter pay fer it."
"But this is servant stuff," Malfoy protested yet again, "it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be writing lines or something. If my father knew I was doing this, he'd –"
"– tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts,' Hagrid cut him off. 'Writin' 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 shot an angry glare at the ground. He was enraged but too fearful to direct it at Hagrid.
"Right then," Hagrid said after clearing his throat, "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."
They quietly shadowed him to the entrance of the forest. 'Look there,' He whispered, "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."
Selena felt a pang of nervousness. She did not want to see a dead or injured unicorn. And she certainly did not want to see whatever killed or hurt it.
"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" Malfoy asked in a panicked voice.
"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang. An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."
"I want Fang," Malfoy called, eyeing the great boarhound.
"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a bloody coward," Hagrid replied. 'So me, Harry an' Hermione'll go one way an' Draco, Neville, Selena an' Fang'll go the other. 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."
Once they reached a fork in the path they broke up. Harry, Hermione, and Hagrid disappeared down the path to the left. "Guess we go right then, huh?" Selena said.
Malfoy said nothing but sneered at her.
"Ye-yes," Neville stuttered.
Fang brought up the lead with Neville close behind. Selena and Draco walked parallel down the dark winding path. As they walked along Selena could sense Malfoy calming beside her. His back was straighter and the devilish glint in his eyes had returned. Neville was now walking beside Fang, a hand resting on his tall back.
"Reckon it'd be easy to get him to wet himself?" Malfoy whispered to her.
"It might be but-"
"How easy? Should I build it up or just go for it?" He cut her off.
"Don't you dare!" She hissed.
"Oh come on. It'll be funny."
"No, it won't." She whispered, "We're already in detention. We shouldn't be risking any more trouble."
"What was that!" Draco whispered loudly.
Neville jumped, "What was what?" He whimpered.
"You didn't hear it?"
Neville shook his head. His round eyes welled up with tears. Selena was furious. It wouldn't have been funny in the first place, but Neville being truly afraid made it even less. "Don't worry Neville. I'm sure it was just the wind."
Malfoy shot a glare her way. She met it with one of her own. They continued on the way for a few silent minutes following slivers of silver on the forest floor before Malfoy struck again. He looked at her and held a finger to his lips signifying that she should stay quiet. He slowly approached Neville from behind.
"Don't-" She whispered loudly. But it was too late. He had lightly shoved Neville and made a growling noise. Neville let out a shriek. Malfoy laughed loudly. For someone who had been so concerned about werewolves he certainly wasn't being cautious about anything hearing them. Selena sighed heavily and pulled her wand from her pocket. She pointed the kukui wood dragon heartstring at the sky and aimed red sparks past the towering trees.
Fang in reaction to the commotion tucked his tail and began to howl. His howls were quick and loud much like the ringing of a fire alarm. At the sound of crunching leaves, they all turned to look at each other. Horror was etched across each of their faces. The little bit of color that Malfoy's face had drained. Neville's eyes were wide, his lip was quivering, and tears were sliding down his round cheeks. As the steps sounded closer they all took a defensive stance. Malfoy placed himself behind Fang who was now facing the sound with the fur on his back standing up. Neville ducked behind Selena who found herself brandishing her wand rather unconfidently. Her hand and arm were shaking.
Fang leaned back and bounded through the trees toward the noise. "Off! Off ya great lug!" A gruff voice bellowed.
Selena gasped a sigh of relief and dropped her wand arm. "Hagrid! Over here!" She called.
Fang came jogging back onto the path with Hagrid by his side. Lantern light illuminated his grizzly face. He looked unhappy. "Right then, what's the danger?" He asked. Although he didn't specify who should explain, all eyes went to Selena. Hagrid knew her best.
She sighed dejectedly, "Draco snuck up behind Neville and scared him. They were making too much noise. I was scared something would come after us so I shot up the sparks."
Hagrid angrily dragged them back down the path and to the left where Harry and Hermione were waiting. Neville who was sniffling shuffled behind Hagrid. Malfoy looked far too pleased with himself for Selena's liking.
"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 Selena, Fang, an' this idiot. I'm sorry."
They headed off down the left pathway. Malfoy didn't dare try anything. Harry and Selena weren't so easy to scare as Neville. They trekked deep into the heart of the forest. They didn't speak. They followed the trail of liquid silver through the thickening trees. As their path shrunk narrower the pools of blood grew wider. The trail became messier. Silver splattered the tree trunks and jagged rocks. Every smear they passed built up Selena's nerves.
The Unicorn most likely had begun to bleed more profusely as it made its escape. It probably wobbled along banging into trees and falling into rocks painting them with its mercury colored blood. Selena looked over at Malfoy. He was pale and his upper lip was quivering. In contrast, Harry looked unafraid and focused.
They came upon a clearing. The opening was nestled between the thick roots of a pair of great oak trees. "Look…" Harry whispered. He held out an arm to signify that they should stop. In the center, something white and gleaming laid limp on the ground. It was the unicorn. Slowly they began to inch closer. Tears formed in Selena's eyes. Even in death with its limbs stuck out at odd angles and its pearlescent mane strewn across the leaves, it looked beautiful. What kind of heartless creature would dare defile something so perfect?
Selena paused when she heard slithering. Every hair on her body stood straight up. A shiver ran down her spine. A bush on the edge of the clearing rustle and a shadowy hooded figure approached the unicorn. It crept carefully on its hands and knees looking like a tiger stalking its prey. They all watched in stunned silence as it crawled to the unicorn's corpse. It pressed its sleeves against a gash on the leg. It inclined its head toward the wound and began to drink. "AAAAAAAAAAARGH!' Malfoy screamed and took off running tearing through the trees. Fang followed barking loudly. The thing disturbed by the noise look right at them. Selena shook her head trying to expel whatever fear she could and fired green and red sparks into the air. She swiftly took off running.
As she exited the clearing she realized Harry was not there. She paused horrified for a moment but then realized she was better off getting Hagrid's help. Selena ran faster than she ever had down the winding path shouting Hagrid's name the whole way.
"Hagrid!" She cheered at the sight of him. "Oh Hagrid, we've got to go back that way. There was this thing in a cloak drinking the unicorn's blood. I ran off and I thought Harry was right behind me but he wasn't. Oh Hagrid, please we've got to find him." Selena couldn't help it. The words flew out of her mouth at light speed in a whiny tone.
Hagrid's expression was rife with worry which did nothing to calm Selena. Hermione, Neville- and even Malfoy- seemed sick with concern. "All right, you lot stay here," Hagrid gruffly instructed, taking off down the pathway.
She and Hermione looked at each other and nodded. They didn't need to speak. They both took off running following Hagrid. "I thought I told you lot ter stay put!" He reprimanded.
"We can't!" Hermione cried. "We're too worried."
"Just stay close."
They didn't dare disobey. There was a monster lurking in the darkness. Selena's heart was beating in her ears. Dark thoughts raced through her head. What if they didn't find him? What if they did find him and- About thirty paces down the path stood a creature with the body of a horse and the torso and head of a human. Mounted atop its back was a boy with untidy black hair and round-rimmed glasses.
"Harry!" She called racing through the leaves which crunched loudly beneath her feet. She no longer cared about the noise. He was safe and within reach.
"Harry!" Hermione echoed cheerfully. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," He called out. "The unicorn's dead, Hagrid. It's back in the clearing."
Harry slid off the centaur's back. It took off running into the depths of the forest. When Selena reached him she embraced him with all the force of a battering ram. He awkwardly patted her back and she released him.
Once she was safely back in the Ravenclaw common room Selena rushed up the stairs and got into bed. She didn't sleep. She laid wide awake, staring at the ceiling, thoughts of the night swirling around in her head. Firenze, the centaur that had rescued Harry, gave them the missing piece of the puzzle: Why someone was after the Philosopher's Stone. Whoever it was was keeping themselves alive by drinking unicorn blood. They would use the stone to return to their former glory. The stone wasn't for Snape's use after all. It was for Voldemort.