Chapter Fifteen: The Forbidden Forest

*This can't be happening, this really can't be happening. My father would never put me in harm's way.* Harry thought to himself before Hagrid came out of his cabin and it looked like he had been crying.

"Oh come on you're not still on about that rutty dragon are you?" Filch questioned him and that's when Harry, Ron, and Hermione realized what he was talking about before Hagrid even opened up his mouth.

"Norbert's gone, Dumbledore sent him away to Romania to live in a colony." He explained.

"Well that's good isn't it? He'll be with his own kind then." Hermione pointed out.

"Well what if he don't like Romania? What if all of the other dragons are mean to him? He's only a baby after all." He said as Filch rolled his eyes.

"Come on pull yourself together man, you know that you have a job to do inside the forest." He reminded him and that's when Draco looked completely astounded.

"The forest!? I thought that was a joke! We can't go in there! Students aren't allowed! And there are werewolves in there!" He cried.

"Oh there are more than werewolves in there. You can be sure of that." Filch told him and Harry did his best not to burst into laughter after he saw how nervous Malfoy was. Hiding his smirk he reluctantly followed Hagrid and Fang into the forest and Ron and Hermione trailed along behind him and eventually Malfoy followed as well.

That's when suddenly Hagrid and Fang both stopped. Hagrid turned around to face the group and then bent over to pick up a crystal liquid substance that ran through his fingers. "Ya see that? That's unicorn blood that is." He began.

"So? What's your point?" Draco wondered.

"It's what we're here for." Hagrid began. "Something's been killing them off. I found one dead a couple of weeks ago." He explained. "Now there's one that's severely injured and I don't think that werewolves are doing it since unicorns are much faster than they are. So our job is go out and find the poor beast. Ron, Hermione, you're with me and sorry Harry but you're with Malfoy." He told him as Harry reluctantly nodded.

"Okay." He replied since there was nothing else that he could do and Ron and Hermione both nodded in agreement as well.

"Alright, then I get Fang!" Malfoy snapped.

"Fine, but just so you know he's a coward. Harry's dog is braver than him." Hagrid told him and Fang just simply whimpered in response before they took off in their separate directions.

"Just wait until my father hears about this!" Draco exclaimed.

"If I didn't know better Draco I'd say that you were scared." Harry told him.

"Who me!? Scared!? Really Snape don't be ridiculous." Draco told him.

"I was just making an observation is all." Harry replied with a shrug and that's when suddenly Fang stopped and turned his head and looked off into the distance. "Come on Fang." Harry told him and after a few moments had passed Fang started following along behind them again. However, that's when suddenly Harry noticed that his scar began to burn, and he placed a hand to his forehead and began to rub it as it seared with pain.

Before Harry could question why he saw the answer unfolding in front of them. For there was a dead unicorn and a shadowy figure drinking its blood with menacing devilish red eyes and now it was coming straight towards Harry and Draco. Draco quickly ran away screaming but Harry just simply gulped as he couldn't find the courage to scream while he slowly backed away from it silently praying that it wouldn't kill him, and silently wishing that his father was here to protect him.

That's when all of a sudden out of nowhere he heard the sound of his dog barking and saw Patches running towards him and then protectively blocked him and continued yapping and snarling at the figure showing him his angry teeth. The figure seemed dazed and confused for a few moments before a centaur galloped in and kicked him far away from Harry and Patches.

Harry bent over and scooped up his dog inside his arms. "Harry Snape, are you alright?" The centaur questioned him.

"Yes, thanks to Patches." Harry began with a nod. "Who are you though? And what was that thing that you just saved me from?" he wondered.

"My name is Firenze and that was a most awful and despised creature. He would very well have to be though for when you slaughter God's most innocent and purest creature, even though the blood will keep you alive even if you're an inch from death, from the moment the blood touches your lips you will live a harsh life, a cruel life." He told him.

"But who would choose such a life?" Harry asked him.

"Can you think of no one that would be willing to take that risk?" Firenze questioned him back.

"Do you mean to say, that thing that killed the unicorn, that was drinking its blood, that was Voldemort?" Harry inquired while Firenze leaned his head in towards him.

"Do you realize what is hidden in the school right now at this very moment Mr. Snape?" He whispered as Harry's eyes suddenly grew wide with astonishment.

"The Sorcerer's Stone." He whispered back in shock.

..…

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Patches all went back to the Gryffindor common room together. Harry sat in a chair while Ron and Hermione sat on the couch and Ron started scratching Patches behind the ears. "Don't you see? We had it wrong! Nobody from the school is trying to steal the sone, Voldemort is." Harry said as Ron winced when he had said his name.

"He's weak, that's why he's living with the unicorns and drink their blood to stay alive until he gets his hands on the stone. Once he does and drinks the elixir, he'll be strong again and come back." Harry explained when suddenly Ron gulped.

"But if he comes back you don't think he'll try to kill you do you?" He questioned his friend nervously.

"If it wasn't for Patches and Firenze he probably would have tried to kill me tonight." Harry replied before Ron gulped again.

"And to think that I've been worried about my potions final." He said.

"Hold on one second we're forgetting two things. One,.. Voldemort is terrified of Dumbledore,.. and two,.. there's no way that your father is going to let him hurt you Harry. He's probably fully aware of him being at the castle by now anyways." She told him as Harry just simply nodded at her.

"I sure hope that you're right." He told her before he stood up and started heading towards the boy's dormitory so that he could get ready for bed. A few moments later Patches hopped off the couch and started following him upstairs.