Harry didn't think things could get any worse as Filch led them to McGonagall's study. Excuses, alibis and cover-up stories were chasing each other around in his head, each more feeble and unbelievable than the last.
There was no reason that McGonagall would let them off the hook this time. They were caught in the school in the dead of night, as well as coming back from being out on the grounds. Add Norberta and the Invisibility Cloak and they should both be packing already.
Did Harry think things couldn't get worse? He was very wrong, because when McGonagall appeared at last, she was followed by Neville.
"Harry!" Neville burst out, the moment he saw the other two. "I was trying to find you to warn you! I heard Malfoy saying he was gonna catch you! He said you have a drag-" Harry shakes his head violently at Neville to get him to shut up, but McGonagall had seen it.
"I would never have believed that any of you would do this. Mr Filch said he found you entering from the grounds. It's one in the morning. Explain yourselves." McGonagall demands. Harry froze as Alucard simply didn't answer and sat back in his seat.
"I think I have a good idea of what's happened." McGonagall says. "It doesn't take a genius to work it out. Juvatich had arranged to hand over an item to his parents, which created the perfect scenario to feed Draco Malfoy a cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him in trouble. I already caught him, as you two probably know. I suppose it's funny to you that Longbottom heard and believed the story, too?"
Harry glances at Neville in a silent attempt to tell him that wasn't true.
'Poor Neville, what it must of taken for him to come and try and find us.' Alucard thinks. 'How brave and Gryffindor-like.' Alucard nearly smiles at that thought.
"I'm disgusted!" McGonagall says. "Four students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before."
"That can't be true, Professor." Alucard says as McGonagall takes a deep breath.
"What can't be true, Juvatich?" McGonagall asks, annoyance clear.
"In all your time at Hogwarts, as a teacher and student, you've never heard of four students out of bed at night? I have to doubt that." Alucard says with a shrug. McGonagall breathes out a sigh.
"Well it is true this has been heard of, it does not excuse you from your actions!" McGonagall informs them. "I thought Gryffindor meant more to than this, Mr Potter. And I thought you had more sense, Mr Juvatich. All Three of you shall receive detentions - yes, you too Mr Longbottom, nothing gives you the right to around the school at night - and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor."
"Fifty?" Harry asks with a gasp, they would lose the lead they won in the last Quidditch match.
"Fifty points each." McGonagall says severely.
"Professor, please - you can't - " Harry tries to say.
"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Potter. Now get back to bed, you'll receive your detentions' time and place in the mail." McGonagall dismisses them.
A hundred and fifty points lost in one night, that put Gryffindor in last place and basically erasd any chance of them winning the House Cup. Harry felt as though the bottom of his stomach had disappeared.
Harry didn't sleep all night, he heard Neville sobbing into his pillow until he passed out, Alucard was sitting in the common room stuck in his thoughts. Harry was dreading dawn, when the rest of the house would awaken and find out what had happened.
Initially, Gryffindors passing the giant hour-glasses that recorded house points thought there was a mistake. How could they suddenly be so many points less than yesterday? Then the story spread: Harry Potter, the famous Harry Potter, one of the Quidditch heroes, and Alucard Juvatich, the vampire of Hogwarts, and second Quidditch hero, had lost the points, them and another stupid first-year.
Harry and Alucard suddenly went from being some of the most popular people in the school to the most hated. Even most Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs turned on them, everyone had wanted to finally see Slytherin lose the House Cup. Everywhere Harry went people didn't bother to lower their voices as they insulted him, Alucard was spared this but no-one would speak to him. Slytherins, though, would cheer them on as they passed.
"They'll all forget this in a few weeks. Fred and George have lost loads of points in all their time being here, and people still like them." Ron tells Harry in an attempt to cheer him up.
"Though they've never lost a hundred and fifty points in one go, though, have they?" Harry replies.
"Then you just need to earn the points back." Alucard says, appearing at Ron's side. "I've already earned 13 points today in class."
"How'd you do that?" Ron asks in surprise.
"Answered questions and did the spells properly." Alucard replies easily. "Easy way to earn points."
Harry, though, believed it was too late to repair the damage he caused. He swore to himself that he would not meddle in things that weren't his business anymore. He felt so guilty that he even offered to resign from the Quidditch team.
"Resign?" Wood yelled at him. "What good'll that do? How are we going to get the points back if we can't win in Quidditch!"
But Quidditch had lost its fun. No-one on the team would speak to him or Alucard, and if they had to speak about them, they were called 'the Seeker' and 'the Chaser'.
Neville was also suffering, but on a lesser scale than Harry and Alucard, because he wasn't as well known.
Hermione had made it her mission to earn as many points as possible, using the same method as Alucard, to try and earn back the points Harry and Neville lost.
Harry was happy that they were trying so hard in what he believes is a worthless endeavour. He was almost glad the exams weren't far away, what with all the revision he had to do keeping his mind off his misery. He, Ron and Hermione kept to themselves, working late into the night with Alucard to memorise as much of their work they could.
Then, about a week before the exams were to start, Harry's resolution to not interfere in anything tat didn't concern him was put to an unexpected test. Walking back to the common room from the library with Alucard one afternoon, they heard someone whimpering from a classroom up ahead. They drew closer to suddenly hear Quirrell's voice.
"No - no - not again, please!" Quirrell pleaded. Alucard frowned slightly, he hadn't heard anyone else say anything to Quirrell. They moved closer. "All right - all right -" Quirrell sobbed, causing Alucard's frown to deepen, he was sure no-one else had spoken.
A second later, Quirrell came out of the classroom in a hurry, straightening his turban. He looked as if he was about to cry. He quickly strode out of sight without noticing the two students. They waited until they were sure Quirrell had left before peeking into the classroom, it was empty but a door stood open at the other end. They were halfway to it when Harry suddenly stopped, Alucard though ignored him and continued before looking out of the door.
"No-one's here." Alucard says, not sounding too surprised. "And there is no way they left fast enough for me not to see them."
Alucard then seemed to keep a closer eye on Quirrell than before, while the first-years kept a close watch on Snape, still believing him to be guilty.
The next morning, notes were delivered to Harry, Alucard, Neville and Malfoy at breakfast. They were all the same:
Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. Meet Mr Filch in the Entrance Hall.
Prof. M. McGonagall
Alucard looked down at the words with a blank face, having been waiting for the letter to arrive at some point. The only problem he had with it was that he would lose time to go through some of the books he was studying, but what could he do.
At eleven o'clock Alucard, Neville and Harry made their way from Gryffindor Tower to the entrance hall, where they were met by Filch and Malfoy. The three Gryffindors keep quite as Filch starts speaking before leading them out into the grounds. A faint smile passes over Alucard's lips when he realises they were heading to the Forest, that was Hagrid's territory which means no more Filch.
"Is that you, Filch?" Hagrid's voice booms from his hut. "Hurry up, I want ter get started." Harry's face lights up in relief, which is caught by Filch.
"I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? 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." Filch tells them with a sneer, delight in his voice.
"That's codswallop." Alucard says bluntly. "The Forest ain't so bad, trust me." Alucard adds turning to reassure Harry and Neville. "Just stick with me or Hagrid and you'll be fine." Malfoy however froze and seemingly ignored Alucard's words.
"The Forest?" Malfoy asks in fear. "We can't go in there at night - there's all sorts of things in there - werewolves and vampires I've heard."
"There aren't any werewolves. Though there is a vampire that goes in there sometimes, but you don't have to worry about him, he's a cool dude." Alucard says, pointing his thumbs to his chest.
"There's still other things you've got to worry about, though, ain't there?" Filch says, sounding annoyed with Alucard. "Should've thought of them creatures before making trouble."
Hagrid came striding out of the dark towards them, Fang at his heels. He was carrying a large crossbow with a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder.
"Abou' time." Hagrid grumbles at Filch. "I've been waitin' fer half and hour already. All right, Harry, Alucard?"
"Yeah, no problems as far as I can tell." Alucard replies happily. Harry relaxes a little at seeing Alucard being so calm.
"I wouldn't be too friendly with them, Hagrid." Filch says, glaring at Alucard. "They are here to be punished."
"Is that what you've been doin'?" Hagrid asks. "Lecturin' 'em, eh? Snot your place ter do that. You've done yer bit, I'll take it from here."
"I'll be back at dawn." Filch tells Hagrid. "Or at least what's left of 'em." Filch adds before hobbling back into the darkness towards the school. Mafoy turned towards Hagrid.
"I'm not going into that Forest." He declares, Alucard and Harry are pleased to hear panic in his voice.
"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts." Hagrid tells him fiercly. "You've done wrong, now yeh need to be punished."
"But, this is servant stuff, I thought we'd be writing lines or something -" Malfoy is then cut off by Alucard.
"This is how it is at Hogwarts." Alucard tells him. "If you have to serve a punishment, you should at least do something useful, right? Normally people get stuff like sorting the potions storage, or cleaning a classroom, but they also normally don't get caught wandering around at night." Malfoy shuts up, though he is still visibly shaking.
"Thank yeh for that, Alucard, but I could've done it myself." Hagrid says, before continuing. "Now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous wat we're gonna do tonight an' I don' want no one takin' risks." He gestures for them to follow him and he leads them to the edge of the Forest. He holds his lamp up high and points down to a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black leaves.
"Look there." Hagrid says, gesturing to a shiny liquid that is splattered lightly in some areas. Alucard squats down next to it and puts his finger into it and brings his coated finger to his mouth to taste. "That stuff Alucard's next ter? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in here that's been hurt by summat. How old is the blood?"
"Twelve hours old tops. The unicorns magic will keep it alive for a little longer, but there is a high chance it's already dead." Alucard says, looking sadly into the forest. "Horrible thing to attack a unicorn."
"That's the second one this week. Found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try and find it, maybe have ter put it outta its misery." Hagrid says.
"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" Malfoy asks, the fear evident in his voice.
"There's nothin' that lives in the Forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me, Alucard or Fang." Hagrid tells him. "An' keep ter the path. We're gonna split into two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've been staggering around the whole time."
"I want Fang." Malfoy says instantly, looking at Fang's long teeth.
"All right, but then Alucard's going with yeh, Fang's a coward." Hagrid says. "So, me an' Harry'll go one way an' Draco, Neville, Fang and Alucard go the other. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out and practise now - that's it - an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll come and find yeh - so be careful - let's go."
The Forest was dark and nearly silent, which wasn't a problem for Alucard who used his superior senses to look into the darkness and listen for any other sounds. A little way into the Forest and they came across a fork in the path. Harry and Hagrid took the left path while the rest took the right path.
Every once in awhile Alucard spotted a spot of silver blood littering the ground, leaves or tree bark. Alucard had nearly zoned out the presence of the others, only focusing enough on them to tell they were still with him.
"C-could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?" Neville asks Alucard quietly. Alucard shakes his head.
"Not fast enough." Alucard explains. "Unicorns and werewolves are both magical creatures, but unicorns are a lot faster, and a werewolf wouldn't be able to attack twice in a week, anyway, not enough full moons. Also the next full moon is only next week Thursday. The times don't line up."
They fall back into silence as they trekked through the Forest when suddenly Alucard drags Neville and Draco behind a tree as he watches something go past, his hands covering there mouths. The sound of a cloak slithering over the floor is heard up ahead. Soon the sound fades and Alucard releases the other boys.
"What was that?" Malfoy asks, panic obvious, not that he cared.
"That's what is killing the unicorns." Alucard says. "That wasn't any creature I've seen before." 'It's also heading towards the others.' "Let's keep going."
They walked in silence for awhile, the trees got denser so Neville, Malfoy and Fang stuck closer to Alucard as he lit his wand to help them see. Suddenly, Malfoy lunges at Neville and scares him, causing him to release a wave of red sparks in fright.
Alucard turns to Malfoy, anger sculpted into his features. "What the hell do you think you're doing!" Alucard demands. "If there is something hunting other creatures in here, what do you think you just did by revealing our location?" Alucard questions, making Malfoy shrink in on himself, Fang and Neville backing off a little also.
"And what if the unicorn was nearby? It probably bolted, making it bleed out faster! That would kill it at this stage." Alucard finishes, his eyes flashing red in anger. "Do that again, and I'm leaving you out here."
Hagrid then comes barreling through the tree-line towards them, crossbow raised, only to see them looking fine.
"What happened?" Hagrid asks Alucard, lowering his crossbow.
"Malfoy scared Neville as a joke and Neville sent up the sparks, I've already scolded him for it." Alucard explains, glaring again at Malfoy.
"Then yeh better follow me. We're gonna change the groups." Hagrid says before turning around. They follow him back to Harry, who is looking a little freaked out. "We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, what with the racket you were makin'." Hagrid says.
"Malfoy scared Neville, who sent up the sparks." Alucard mumbles to Harry, who nods back.
"Harry, you'll go with Alucard, Fang and this idiot." Hagrid says, before leaning down to talk to Harry. "Sorry 'bout this, but he'll have a harder time scaring you an' Alucard an' we need to get this done."
So, they set off back into the Forest. They walked for nearly half an hour, until the path became so filled with trees that it was almost impossible to follow. Alucard had noticed that there was more blood here than there was earlier.
"We're getting close, keep quiet." Alucard says. They arrive at a clearing where Alucard stops them. "Look." Harry and Malfoy also spot the bright white thing on the ground. "That's the unicorn, I'll check it out, you two stay here with Fang." The unicorn was a sadly beautiful sight. Pure white hair, dashed with silver blood. Long slender legs, bent and contorted painfully. A mane as white as snow spread over the dark leaves.
Alucard inches closer before stopping and staring into the Forest. A slithering sound reached their ears as a bush where Alucard was staring quivered, before revealing a hooded figure appears, crawling across the ground like a stalking beast. Alucard bares his teeth and crouches down, a low growl in his throat, arms spread wide as if to protect the others.
The figure didn't pay them any attention and made its way to the unicorn, where it dipped its head down and drank the blood from the unicorn's gaping wound.
"AAAAAAAARGH!" Malfoy yells out in disgust before bolting, along with Fang. The hooded figure looked straight at Alucard and Harry, unicorn blood dripping down its front. It got to its feet and moved towards them, Harry froze while Alucrad drew his wand.
"Stay back!" Alucard commanded. The figure seemed to hesitate before Harry let out a scream of pain, Alucard's attention jumping to Harry before returning to the figure to find them rushing him. "Bombarda Maxima!" The ground in front of the figure explodes violently. "Protego." Alucard raises an invisible shield to block he debris from hitting him and Harry.
The suddenly a spell blasts into the shield and destroys it in one move, and Alucard acts quickly to pull up is wand and respond; "Incendio!" Alucard pumped more magic into the spell to create a large blast of fire that flew at the figure. Alucard then waits for anything else to happen before he quickly checks if Harry is alright.
"Hey, Harry, are you okay?" Alucard asks, crouching down next to Harry.
"Yeah, but what was that?" Harry asks back, sitting up.
"Dunno, probably a wizard or witch." Alucard responds, looking around then noticing a centaur approach them. "Hello, may I ask your name?" The centaur was a young looking one with white-blond hair and a palomino horse body.
"I am Firenze, and that is the Potter boy. He needs to get out of this Forest, sooner rather than later." Firenze says. "Can you ride? It'll make this journey much quicker." Firenze asks, directing the question to Harry.
Firenze lowered himself onto his front legs so Harry could clamber onto his back. Suddenly the sound of more galloping came from the other side of the clearing. Ronan and Bane came bursting through the trees.
"Firenze! What are you doing?" Bane thundered. "You have a human on your back! Have you no shame! Are you a common mule?"
"This is the Potter boy." Firenze responded. "The quicker he leaves, the better."
"What have you been telling them?" Bane growls, pawing the ground with his front left hoof. "Remember, we swore to not set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is coming in the movements of the planets."
"I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best." Ronan says, trying to calm Bane down.
"For the best!" Bane yells angrily. "What is that to do with us? We are only concerned with what has been foretold! It is not our business to run after stray humans in our Forest, like donkeys!"
"Do you not see that unicorn!" Firenze bellowed at Bane, rearing onto his hind legs, making Harry have to grab his shoulders to stay on. "Do you not understand why it was killed? Or did the planets not let you in on that little secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this Forest, yes humans and others alongside me if I must." Firenze then turned around and ran out of the clearing, followed quickly by Alucard.
"Why's Bane so angry?" Harry asks Firenze. "What was that you saved me from, anyway?"
"Wait, you know those two?" Alucard asks Harry before Firenze could respond.
"Yeah, met them with Hagrid, they only said that Mars was bright tonight." Harry responds and seeing Alucard look contemplative asks. "Do you now what it means?"
"I only learnt the basics of Centaur-stargazing, so I have an idea, but nothing more." Alucard says as Firenze slows down as they reach a dense patch of trees, where he and Alucard stop.
"Harry Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?" Firenze asks.
"No." Harry responds, startled by the random question. "We've only used the horn and tail-hair in Potions."
"That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn." Firenze explains. "Only one who has nothing to lose, but 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."
Harry stares in shock at the back of Firenze's head before his gaze snaps to Alucard.
"Didn't you drink some of the unicorns blood earlier? When we were about to enter the Forest you grabbed some from the ground and drank it." Harry says, panic entering his voice.
"Unicorn blood doesn't affect me in the same way it would affect you." Alucard tells him reassuringly. "I only get the good parts." Harry nods, brushing it off if Alucard says it's fine.
"But, who'd be that desperate?" Harry asks, thinking aloud. "If you're gonna be cursed forever, death's better, isn't it?"
"It is." Firenze states. "Unless, all you need to do is stay alive until you can drink something else - something that will bring you back to full strength and power. Mr Potter, do you know what is currently hidden in the school?"
"The Philosopher's Stone! Of course - the Elixir of Life! But, I don't understand who -" Harry says.
"Voldemort." Alucard says, slight panic in his voice. "I just fought Volde-"
"Harry, Alucard!" Hagrid yells as he runs towards them, followed by Neville. "Are yeh two all right?"
"We're fine." Harry says, noticing that Alucard wasn't responding. "The unicorn's dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there." Hagrid rushes off to examine the unicorn.
"This is where I leave you." Firenze says, Harry quickly slides off his back. "You are safe now. Good luck, Harry Potter, Alucard Juvatich, the planets have been read wrongly before, even by centaurs. I hope tis is one of those times." He finished before turning and cantering back into the Forest.
Ron had fallen asleep in the common room, waiting with Hermione for them to return. He shouted something about Quidditch fouls as Hermione roughly shook him awake. In a matter of seconds Ron and Hermione were wide-eyed as Harry relayed what had happened in the Forest to them.
"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..." Harry says, pacing in front of the fire.
"I fought Voldemort... I fought Voldemort... I fought Voldemort..." Alucard kept repeating to himself, sitting in an armchair, hunched over with wide-eyes staring at the ground.
"Stop saying the name!" Ron whisper-yells at the two, terrified. But they didn't pay him any attention.
"Firenze saved us, but he shouldn't have done... 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've let Voldemort kill me and Alucard... I suppose that's written in the stars a well."
"I fought Voldemort... And I lived... I lived after fighting Voldemort... I beat- no- I got him to retreat... I didn't beat him, but I survived... I'm awesome..." Alucard mumbles, seemingly cheering himself on.
"Will you stop saying the name!" Ron hissed at them.
"So all I've got to wait for now is for Snape to steal the Stone." Harry continues. "Then Voldemort will be back and can come finish us off... Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy." Hermione looked frightened by the prospect and glanced between Alucard and Harry.
"Harry, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of. With Dumbledore around, You-Know-ho can't touch you two. 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."
"Centaur-readings are a lot more accurate than normal Divination, only being beat out by the accuracy of an actual Seer's prophecy." Alucard tells them distractedly. "Doesn't make it infallible, it is also based off assumptions and guesswork, but accurate ones."
The mood was lowered at this pronouncement, but they continued talking until it was light out. The first-years went to bed while Alucard stayed in the common room. He was staring intensely at the fire.
'In Centaur-Divination; when Mars shines brightly, it normally acts as a signal that someone while die soon, but soon can be anywhere from tonight to a few months time, based on the person.' Alucard thinks, frowning at the fire. 'But, I have no clue who will be dying and how. So, I can't do anything about it.'