There was no way things could get any worse.
Feltch took Henry and Esmani down to Professor Garspatuon's study all the way on the first floor. They stood together without saying a single world to each other. Henry chanced a glance at Esmani and she was physically trembling. Her bottom lip shook the worst of all. In Henry's mind, excuses, alibis, cover-up stories, and diversions all danced and whizzed around but the more he thought up, it seemed like each one was weaker than the last. Getting out of trouble seemed to have a chance of zero. Henry felt like a cornered rat. How could he have been so stupid to not have put on the Debugging Hat? Professor Garspatuon would have to be daft to accept the story of them being out and creeping around the school in the dead of night. Add to it they were in the Astronomy Tower which is strictly off limits unless during school hours. Pair that with the Debugging Hat and Gertrude, Henry could see himself packing his trunk back to Newcrest already.
Things got worse.
When Professor Garspatuon entered, she was leading Taryn.
"Henry!" Taryn exclaimed the moment she saw him. "I was trying to find you and warn you! I overheard Kimmi saying she was going to catch you! Something about you having a drag…"
Henry started coughing very loudly to try and shut Taryn up and to his utter delight, she seemed to have taken the hint. Looking into Garspatuon's eyes, he had a feeling he knew what was up. In fact, he looked like he could be even more dangerous than Gertrude as he stood over the children.
"It is one o'clock in the morning," he said plainly and flatly. "Mr. Feltch says you were up in the Astronomy Tower. I cannot believe this! Explain!" he squinted his eyes and crossed his arms. For the first time since he's known her, Henry watched Esmani not answer a teacher's question. She was just staring at her slippers and worrying about her bottom lip. Just as Henry was about to speak up Garspatuon took a breath.
"I know what is going on," he said and Henry waited for the ultimate punishment. "You have always had a thing with Ms. Slymer and I do believe it has gone too far. You invented some preposterous story about a dragon that would entice her to get out of bed and into trouble. I've already caught her!" He took a breath and then appraised Taryn. "I suppose you think it's clever to drag poor Ms. Goodfellow into the mix as well. She must have heard the story and believed it too, yes?"
Henry could see Taryn react with shock and hurt while Henry tried to plead with her with his eyes that this was not the case at all. If they got out of this, he swore he would set it right and make it up to her. He really admired how she risked her own House's credits to come and warn them in the dark about Kimmi.
"I'm disgusted, quite frankly," Professor Garspatuon continued. "I have never heard in my whole time at this castle of four students out of bed in one night. First years to boot! Ms. Ghadjer?" Esmani looked as if the professor had slapped her. "I thought someone like you would have more sense." Tears were welling up in the corners of Esmani's eyes. "Mr. Puffer?" This was it. He was off the Grilled Cheese Duelling team and probably on the trolley first thing before breakfast. "I would have thought Alpaggard was more important to you than the peacocking you and Ms. Slymer have been doing since your arrival. Shape up!" Henry felt himself begin to breathe again but he knew the professor wasn't finished.
"Detentions for all of you. All four of you! Even for you Ms. Goodfellow. Nothing gives you the right to walk around school at night in these types of times! Unless someone is seriously hurt or an unpreventable occurrence your House Princeps or Lead Boys and Girls cannot handle!" His eyes narrowed even further. "Fifty credits."
"Fifty?" Henry gasped. The lead he had secured in the Grilled Cheese duel was lost!
"Fifty credits...each," Garspatuon was breathing through his nose in irritation.
That was one hundred credits lost to Alpaggard, fifty credits lost for Owlenmoon, and...whatever Snabes did to discipline Ivybell. Most likely...ten or so. The House Championship looked pretty bleak for Alpaggard and it wretched Henry's stomach.
"Please…" Esmani began.
"You can't," Henry had a spurt of defiance. Garspatuon looked taken aback.
"Don't," he began and it sliced Henry like a knife, "tell me what I can and can't do, Puffer. I have never before been more ashamed of my fellow Alpaggard students. You will get back to bed. Each of you."
On the way to Alpaggard common room, Esmani and Henry hopelessly looked at House Credit containers. They pretty much looked like huge hour glasses with red, blue, green, or yellow beads. The House Crest was at each base and the number of credits overall was at the top. Just in time, he watched what he knew to be one hundred red beads float up and out of the bottom of the Alpaggard container. Henry and Esmani's house was in dead last place for this year's House Championship. The bottom of his stomach felt like it had been blown away. Taryn was sobbing as she realized she made Owlenmoon come in third when they had been neck and neck with Leetlfloof for second place for the longest time. Luckily, he was able to tell her what really happened and when he laid in his bed that night he realized that he, Taryn, and Esmani were probably all thinking the same thing. What was the rest of their House members going to think when they saw the House Credit Containers?
At first, many Alpaggards that passed the giant hourglasses the next day thought there was some sort of mistake or prank being pulled. What in the world could have happened to have made them have one hundred credits fewer than yesterday? Pretty soon, like wildfire, the story started to spread:
Henry Puffer, the famous Henry Puffer...the hero of two Grilled Cheese Duels had lost all of those points along with some other stupid first years over a stupid bet to get an Ivybell into trouble. Of course...no one but Henry, Esmani, Taryn, Jon, and Kimmi knew the real truth but that was neither here nor there.
It was like a switch. Henry had gone from one of the most popular and admired people at the school to suddenly being hated by everyone. Owlenmoons were angry that they were now in third place, Leetlefloofs were mad because the credit distance between them and Ivybell was way too high to do much, and Ivybells were mad that Kimmi Slymer would stoop low enough to let Henry Puffer sway her to do something so stupid. I guess Snabes did come through and took fifty credits from Ivybell which was the teeniest silver lining to this. But the worst...the worst was the Alpaggards. Everywhere Henry went, they pointed and didn't try to lower their voices as they insulted him. Some Ivybells were cheeky enough to walk past him, clap, and cheer saying, "Thank ya Puffer, that was rather kind!" It was all sarcasm and it made Henry feel even worse than whatever his own House member would dish out.
At least he had Jon and Esmani who stood by him.
"Matt and Jack constantly lose credits for their Houses and it gets blown over. They'll forget in no time, mate. People still like Matt and Jack."
"But I doubt even combined Matt and Jack hadn't lost one hundred credits in one go, have they?" Henry sighed miserably. Unfortunately, Jon couldn't say anything to that.
Even though it was a bit late to clean up this mess, Henry swore to himself not to meddle in things that were not his business from now on. He was going to cool it with Slymer, cool it with Flannel, cool it with Hagish, and just simply cool it. He had to! Shame and pity made his feet sadly walk right up to Switch one day and offer to resign from the Grilled Cheese Duelling team.
"Are you mad? What is that gonna do?" Switch all but yelled. "We need you to win more credits! We can't get any back if you're not there to play and win us some!" It made him feel a tiny bit better, but even Grilled Cheese Duelling had lost some of its fun. Most of the team (except Matt) wouldn't speak to him during practice and if they really needed to address him they'd just say, "Hey Flipper!" He felt like a dolphin...and it was breaking his spirit further.
Esmani and Taryn were suffering for it too. Even though they may not have been as well-known as Henry it was easy to observe no one really spoke to them in class or in the halls anymore. Esmani didn't really answer any more questions and stopped drawing attention to herself in class. She could be seen with her head down and working in complete silence.
Days ago Henry was dreading exams but now this torture was making him glad that they weren't as far away. All of the studying gave him something to do to take his mind off of the misery and isolation. Like a sorry flock of outcasts, Henry, Jon, and Esmani kept to themselves, working late into the night at the library. Some nights it was trying to remember the recipes to complicated potions, others it was learning charms and spells by heart, one night they spent memorizing the dates of magical historical and Normie figures, and on a very stressful evening they scrapped the magical classes and hunkered down to learn how to long divide and recite a book report for Language Arts.
About a week before exams were due to start, Henry's new decree not to interfere or meddle was put to the test in the most unexpected way. He was innocently walking back from the library on his own one afternoon when he heard somebody whispering from a classroom just up ahead. He quickened his pace and as he drew closer, he heard Querkle's unmistakable voice.
"No...no...p-p-please not again...I don't like it…"
It sounded like someone was threatening her! Henry moved closer.
"Okay! Okay! F-f-f-fine…" Henry could hear her begin to sob.
He didn't hear Snabe's voice...or any other voice for that matter. But when he saw Querkle round the corner and hurtle out of the classroom with two hands on her extremely pregnant belly he could tell she was in distress. Maybe she was talking to the baby? She could be due at any time, logically. Still, Henry did not like how pale she looked and the tears in her eyes. When she was out of sight, Henry walked forward and peered into the classroom she had come out of. It was empty, but a door stood open at the other end. Interesting. Henry had just put it into his brain to walk over and have a peek until like a ton of bricks it hit him that he had promised and what he was doing was absolutely meddling. Uncle Vincent and Aunt Daisy had taught him better than this! This was an adult woman's business!
All the same, he would bet on his Debugging Hat that Snabes had just left the room threatening and badgering poor Professor Querkle. He made a point to just observe Snabes to see if she was walking with a pep in her step. It would confirm that Querkle had given in at the very least. It wasn't meddling to simply observe one's teacher, right?
Henry met his friends in the library where Esmani was helping Ron study for Language Arts. It was his worst class. When he sat down and got their attention, he shared what he had heard. The fallen faces of his friends told Henry they felt as conflicted as he did.
"Snabes' has really done it, then," said Jon. "If Querkle had told him how to break her Anti-Untamed Magic spell…"
"There's still Smooches, though," Esmani pointed out.
"Maybe Snabes cracked that code too," Henry theorized. "Found out how to get past her without asking Hagish? Jon looked around at all of the books neatly shelved around them.
"Maybe there's a book in here telling you how to get past a giant three-headed dog."
Henry recognized the light of adventure sparking in his friend's dark eyes.
"Go to Simbledore," Esmani replied coolly. "That's what we should have done from the very beginning. If we try anything more ourselves we will be thrown out for good." In hindsight, Henry was surprised Esmani was still even Henry and Jon's friend after all that has happened. Henry really began to see her truer self and knew that she was not reverting to the little girl on the trolley in September, she was just being careful and a bit reasonably scared.
"We have no proof to do that, Esmani," Henry pointed out. "Querkle is too scared to back us up and you know that. Snabes has only got to say she doesn't know how the zombie got into the bathroom on Spooky Day and she was nowhere near the out-of-bounds corridor. Do you really think Simbledore will believe kids over one of her staff members? It's not a secret that we despise her. Simbledore probably will deduce we're making it up to get her fired. Then there's Feltch...he's a dead end that wouldn't help someone even if they were drowning. And the cherry on top...no student is supposed to know about the Elixir or Smooches so...there goes all the hope in that plan, I'm afraid."
Esmani lowered her eyes, completely convinced by what Henry had said. Jon wasn't.
"If we just do a bit of prodding here and there…"
"No," Henry said curtly, "we've done enough poking and prodding around."
To end the conversation, he pulled out his own stack of homework and got to work.
The following morning at breakfast, notes were delivered to Henry and Esmani at the Alpaggard table. Looking up, he saw Taryn get one at Owlenmoon and Kimmi get one over at Ivybell. They were all the same.
Detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight.
Promptly meet Mr. Feltch at the entrance hall.
Any tardiness will be additional credits taken from your House.
- Professor Mono Garspatuon
Henry couldn't believe he had forgotten all about the detentions they had to serve! He was already beaten down by the loss of credits and social shame from the rest of the Harnocks student body! Henry looked over at Esmani and could tell that she felt they deserved whatever they got from this detention. She did have one comment though.
"That's...past our bedtime."
At eleven o'clock that night when 90% of the school was asleep, they said good-bye to Jon in the common room and Jon said good luck. Taryn was outside of the Owlenmoon common room and they all met up to walk down together to the entrance hall. Feltch was already there and so was Slymer. Henry kept his face neutral as he looked at her. He had to admit she looked a bit nervous and it was an interesting change to the smug and nasty smirk she normally wore.
"Follow me," said Feltch as he lit a lamp and led them outside. Luckily, it was pretty warm if not a bit muggy. "I bet you'll think twice about breaking school rules again after this detention, believe you me!" He chuckled lowly. "Oh yes...hard words and a bit of pain makes the best punishments if you ask me...it's just a pity they let the old ways die out. In my day and prime, they'd hang you by your wrists from the ceiling rafters for a few days. I've got the chains still in my office like an old relic. I still keep them well oiled in case it comes back in style, you know." Kimmi's normally pale face went practically translucent, as she listened to Feltch go on and on. "Don't think to run off or it'll be even worse. I can tell you that one for free."
Like solemn worker ants, they marched across the dark grounds. Taryn was already starting to sniffle. Henry's mind was buzzing on what sort of punishment could be all the way out here. It must be something truly nasty if it was giving Feltch some sort of sick glee.
The moon was bright but the clouds made it go in and out of shadow which enhanced the late hour and how desolate the Harnocks grounds could truly look. Ahead, Henry could see Hagish's hut and he called out to Feltch. Maybe things were going to be okay once Henry heard Hagish's voice.
"Bring em' here, Feltch, bring them here. I want them to serve and get off to bed as quick as possible." Henry's heart rose. He always felt safer with Hagish. This might not be as bad as he had thought. His face probably gave him away because Feltch turned to him and sneered.
"Don't be thinking you'll be enjoying yourself. Into the forest you're going. Maybe you won't even come out in one piece. If it were up to me you wouldn't."
Taryn truly began to cry and Kimmi stopped dead in her tracks.
"The...forest?" She repeated. "We...we can't go in there," she tried to steady her voice in that cool, calculating voice she normally uses but it was flat. "There's...all sorts of things in there. Werewolves could even be lurking about," she looked up at the full moon.
"That sounds like a you problem, girlie," Feltch snickered. "Should have thought of that before you got up to no good, eh?" Henry watched Kimmi swallow hard. He wanted to take a bit of happiness in seeing such a person looking like this but it was strange. Out here, Kimmi looked like any other scared, eleven year old girl. Hagish came and met them along with Chomper at his side. He had a quiver on his back and a large bow.
"You alright, kids?"
"Don't get all friendly with the delinquents," Feltch said coldly. "This is a punishment after all," he actually pushed Taryn and Esmani ahead a bit rough. "I'll be back at dawn...if there's anything to retrieve." As Feltch strode away his cackles filled the nighttime air.
Kimmi turned to Hagish.
"I'm not going into that forest," she said and Henry noted how terrified she sounded.
"Feltch is just trying to scare you. Ain't nobody about to make eleven year olds stay out in a forest for six hours with no sleep." Kimmi looked around and straightened up a bit. "But that doesn't mean you can be telling me what you are and not going to do," Hagish said more fiercely. "Feltch did get one thing right and that is that this here is your punishment time." His eyes fell on each of them until they were back on Kimmi's. "You've done wrong and now you have to pay for it. That's the facts and the rules if you want to stay at Harnocks."
"But...we're students, sir," Henry was floored that Kimmi was showing so much respect. "Copying lines, sure. That's a punishment for a student. But this...this is servant stuff and," some of her normal Kimmi-ish voice could begin to be heard again. "If my father knew what I was doing he…"
"...He would have to hear how his precious little girl was up at one in the morning after lights out and in a forbidden tower just to impress some boy!" Kimmi's whole face turned beat red and Henry saw her eyes flicker towards Henry.
"That's not…" she began.
"Copying lines! What a line, Slymer! What good would that teach ya? The punishment has got to fit the crime. So you do something useful or you get out. You think your father would rather you get expelled then get, go and...and get packing!"
Slymer stood her ground and looked furious. Remembering her respect, she dropped her gaze and looked at her perfectly polished shoes.
"Any other things to get off your chest?" No one said a word. "Right then! Listen up and listen good. It's dangerous what we're gonna be doing tonight and no one's gonna take any risks. You have to follow me over here for a second."
Hagish led the group to the very edge of the forest where it met the Harnocks grounds. He had with him a lamp and held it up high. With a long finger, he pointed to a dirt path that looked long and winding until it disappeared within the thick of the black trees. A light breeze that seemingly came from the trees themselves ruffled each of the kids' hair.
"The crime. Out past hours up to no good. The consequence? You sorry lot are going to be out past hours doing something good. And that is...helping someone."
"Like...a rescue?" Asked Taryn.
"Of sorts," Hagish replied. "See that shiny liquid on the ground? Shimmering there, yes...right there! That, lads and lasses...is unicorn plasma." Henry's heart felt heavy. "There has been a unicorn in this forest that has been badly hurt by something. This is the second time in a week. I even found one dead last Tuesday! We are going to work together to find the poor thing and give it some help. Crime. You sorry bunch can't seem to put differences aside. Consequence. We are working together. GOT it?"
"What if whatever got the unicorn finds us?" Kimmi asked in a wavering voice. Henry hated to admit it but it was a pretty decent question.
"Nothing can hurt ya as long as you're with me and Chomper," Hagish answered and Chomper responded by licking Kimmi's fingers. She responded by scratching his head with trembling fingers. "I'm afraid though...if the poor bugger is hurt beyond repair...we may have to put it out of its misery." Hagish gestures towards his bow and Taryn let out a whimper. "Staying on the path will also keep you safe Ms. Slymer. So. We shall split into two groups. One goes with me, one goes with Chomper."
"I want Chomper," Kimmi said quickly. She was comforted by the dog's long teeth. Chomper was just keen on the head scratches from somebody his own size.
"That's settled. But I warn you he's a bit of a coward." Kimmi's face fell. "So Esmani, me, and Henry will take that fork in the path and Chomper, Kimmi, and Taryn will take that fork. If anyone sees a unicorn you will shoot up green sparks, okay? You shoulda learned that from Flitnit's class." Hagish allowed each kid to give a couple of practice shots. "If anyone gets hurt or gets into trouble you shoot up red sparks and we will come and find you. Be careful, and get going! We have two hours."
Calamity Forest was as black and silent from the ground as it was in the air when Henry had spied on Snabes and Querkle. They walked in silence all except the crunching of last autumn's leaves and some fallen twigs. Esmani was watching her footing. Every now and again a ray of moonlight would shine through the branches above and silver-blue plasma would be lit and visible on the mossy ground.
Hagish looked very worried.
"Could a werewolf be killing a unicorn?" Henry asked.
"They're not the type to, no. Unicorns are extremely fast and the meat is too lean for a werewolf to get any sustenance. Unicorns are also extremely powerful and magical. It bothers me terribly because I've not known one to be hurt before."
They walked past a tree stump covered in moss and Henry could hear running water. There must be some sort of river or stream somewhere close by. Following the dribbles and puddles of unicorn blood along the winding path proved to be not as scary as Henry would have thought. It was a bit sad, sure, but not very dangerous or scary unless they also found the culprit who was responsible for…
"GET BEHIND THIS TREE!" Hagrid easily grabbed Henry and Esmani and lifted them up by their shirt collars. Behind a towering oak tree he loaded one of his arrows along his bow and was ready to pull the string. He raised it, ready to fire. Henry and Esmani perked up their ears to listen to whatever Hagish had been alerted by. It sounded like a slithering creature. Henry hoped it wasn't snakes. The dead leaves crinkled and crunched like a cloak trailing along the ground. It sounded close. Hagish was surveying and focused on the dark path. Soon, the sound faded away.
"What did I tell ya," he mumbled. "There's something in this forest that ought not to be."
"A werewolf?" Henry suggested.
"That wasn't no werewolf, kiddo. And we ain't come across no unicorn, neither," he sounded grim. "Right! Follow me close and be careful, now." Their pace slowed and it was very nerve wracking for Henry to keep his ears strained for the littlest of sounds. Suddenly, in a clearing up ahead, something most definitely moved.
"Oy! I'm making myself known!" Hagish called. "I'm armed. Show yourself if you mean no harm," he raised his bow with the arrow ready to fire.
Into the clearing came...a half man half horse. From the waist up, it was a man. He had no shirt on and his hair was dark red and long. He had a bushy beard of the same color. Below the waist was a horse's muscular body with deep chestnut fur. The tail swished in the same color as the hair on top of his head. Esmani's jaw dropped and Henry could feel his doing the same. Like many things he had learned in Harnocks, a centaur was something Henry only knew from Fairy Tales and fiction. But here was one in the flesh right before his eyes.
"Oh," Hagish gasped and lowered his bow to put a hand on his chest. "You startled me Gondan," Hagish said in relief. "How have you been? Henry watched Hagish walk forward and shake the centaur's hand.
"Good evening to you, Hagish," said Gondan in a silky but deep voice. He sounded very sad. "I'm doing well...until I saw your bow. Were you really going to shoot me?"
"Can't be too careful tonight, friend," said Hagish as he gently stroked his bow and placed the arrow back into the quiver. "There is something bad loose in this forest. Killing unicorns. Oy! Where are my manners? This here; is Henry Puffer and Esmani Ghadjer. We also have Taryn Goodfellow and Kimberly Slymer with my dog. They're first years at the school. Kids. This is Gondan. He's a centaur."
"We...can see that," Esmani said quietly.
"Good evening to you, children," Gondan said. "Students, you say? Do you learn much, up there at the school?" Were they supposed to lie or tell the truth. Henry looked to Hagish for answers but his face didn't give anything away.
"Um…" Henry trailed off stupidly.
"Y-Yes…?" Esmani all but asked.
"Well...I guess that's something." Gondan sighed. When he threw his head back, his long hair caught the wind in a very majestecal manner. "You can learn so much just by being out here." The silence was getting a bit uncomfortable as Gondan just stared with unblinking eyes up at the sky. Hagish put his large hand over his mouth and coughed be it real or fake Henry did not know. Gondan seemed to snap out of it and circled back to the first thing Hagish had mentioned.
"It seems to me...always the innocent are the first to fall," he spoke very sorrowfully. "Since the dawnings of time...to the seconds ticking presently."
"So have...you seen anything unusual, then?" Hagish sounded impatient.
"...I can see Venus. Very bright tonight. Very bright."
"I mean...on our planet. This forest, you know. Anything strange?"
"...Calamity Forest has many secrets to discover."
A movement in the trees behind Gondan made Hagish extract an arrow from a quiver and load it into his bow at inhuman speed. When it showed itself, it was revealed only as a second centaur, hair black as coal and wilder looking than Gondan. She was female and had her human chest covered modestly with the ends of her hair that grew from her head.
"Nell, Hello," said Hagish. "All right this evening?"
"Good evening, Hagish. I hope you are as well?"
"I'd be better if I could sort out a bit of a mess. A unicorn has been hurt in this forest. One was found dead. I've just been asking Gondan if there's been anything odd around. Know anything?"
Nell trotted over to stand next to Gondan. She matched Gondan's gaze.
"Venus is extremely bright tonight."
"So it is," Hagish said grumpily through clenched teeth. "Well...if either of you do or see anything do let me know, won't you? We should be off, then."
Henry and Esmani followed Hagish out of the clearing and back on the path. Henry couldn't help but take a quick sneak peek back at Gondan and Nell until the trees blocked his view altogether.
"Serves me right for trying to get a straight answer from a centaur. Full of riddles and always got their heads in the clouds," Hagish ranted irritably.
"Are there...a lot of centaurs in this forest, Hagish?" Asked Esmani.
"Oh...quite a few, quite a few. They keep to themselves most often. Though they're good on their word and can turn up for aid from time to time. They're deep, they are. They know a lot but don't let on to a lot, you follow?" Esmani nodded.
"That couldn't have been a centaur we heard earlier," Henry stammered.
"Not exactly hoove like in nature, no. If you ask me, that is probably our biggest suspect." As Hagish spoke, Henry compulsively looked over his shoulder every few seconds. He had the worst feeling like someone was watching them. It made him very glad they had Hagish and his bow and arrows with them. They were just passing a bend in the path when Esmani grabbed Hagish's forearm.
"Hagish! Oh NO! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!"
"You two wait here," Hagish exclaimed. "Stay on the path and get behind that tree. I'll come back for you with the others. Chomper will protect them until I reach them don't you worry a single hair about that." Then he was gone and his retreating figure was matched by crashing and thrashing through the undergrowth of the forest. Henry and Esmani stood silently looking at each other, very scared, until they couldn't hear anything but the rustling of leaves and hooting of owls around them.
"You don't think they've been hurt, do you?" Whispered Esmani.
"I…" Henry couldn't finish and decided just to keep quiet.
The minutes seemed to tick on like hours. Henry's ears seemed fine tuned and sharper than normal. He could hear every sigh of the wind, every crack of a twig. What was taking Hagish so long? Where were Taryn and Kimmi? Where was Hagish and Chomper?
Finally, a great crunching noise announced that Hagish was returning. Kimmi, Taryn, and Chomper were with him. Hagish was fuming and had Kimmi by her bicep. She looked angry and flushed.
"I didn't mean to, Hagish," she sounded like she had been babbling a lot.
"Kimmi stuck her foot out and tripped me. I...got scared when I fell and shot up some red sparks," Taryn's voice was low and ashamed. Henry glared at Kimmi in what he hoped was his most angriest.
"I lost my footing! I told you, Taryn! You were walking so close to me you just happened to go down as I was regaining my balance," Kimmi had crossed her arms once she was let go by Hagish. In all honesty, Henry couldn't tell if she was lying or not. She most likely was...because it was Kimmi Slymer.
"You may have compromised the entire mission!" Hagish was truly mad. "We'll be lucky to catch anything now with the racket that you two caused! To settle that, we're changing groups! Taryn? You will stay with Esmani and me," Taryn looked the most relieved that she had ever looked since coming into the forest. "Henry, go with Slymer." It was Henry's turn to feel angry. By Hagish's face, Henry could tell that he was not happy about the choice either but Henry understood that if they wanted to be in bed by sunrise this whole thing had to get moving along.
Back on the path and away from Hagish, Esmani, and Taryn, Henry set off into the heart of the forest with Kimmi while Chomper sniffed along. It may have been a half an hour, Henry wasn't sure. He only knew that the forest went on, and on, and on. The path was getting harder and harder to follow and the trees were getting thicker. Roots were bubbling up everywhere and Henry had a change of heart that maybe Kimmi really did lose her balance.
"The plasma is getting thicker," Henry pointed out a puddle to Kimmi. She didn't seem to be in the mischievous mood. Would she really have done something that mean to Taryn while in detention? With his attention back on the plasma, Henry saw it splashed along the paths and some roots. The poor animal must have been thrashing around.
"Look," he whispered and held out his arm to stop Kimmi. She walked right into it and tripped. Maybe she really was just clumsy?
Something shimmering and white was gleaming upon the ground.
They moved a bit closer. Henry noticed Kimmi was clutching his arm. He shook it away and she gave him a very angry look.
It was a unicorn.
"It's dead," Kimmi whispered.
"I don't think I've ever seen something so beautiful...and so sad," Henry sighed.
Its long, slender legs were splayed out in odd angles where it had fallen and its mane was spread out on the dark leaves perfectly contrasted by its pearly-white color. Kimmi had her wand in shaky hands ready to fire off the green sparks but this time, Henry clutched her arm to hold off. Mirroring what he had done, she shook it off and wrinkled her nose at him.
"What?" She hissed.
Henry was frozen when he heard that same slithering sound. Kimmi must have heard it too and Henry was so close to her he heard her breath stop as she held it. A thicket of weeds shook and parted to reveal a hooded figure slowly maneuvering through the shadow. It eerily crawled like a beast stalking its prey. Chomper's tail was in between his tail and he began to shake. Kimmi lightly scratched his ears that were pulled back in fright. The children were rooted in place, transfixed at the sight. The cloaked figure reached the fallen unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's neck, and began to drink its plasma.
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!"
The most shrill, girly shriek Henry had ever heard in his life emitted out of Kimmi and she bolted with Chomper hot on her heels. The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at Henry. Unicorn plasma was dribbling down the front of its mouth and down its chin. Slowly, it got up from its crouched position onto its feet. Like a shadow, it swiftly moved towards Henry. He couldn't move a muscle in fear.
Then a pain like he had never felt before in his life pierced his head where his scar was. It was like white hot fire. Half blinded from the feeling, Henry staggered backward. Off in the distance behind him, he heard hooves galloping and something jumped clean over Henry to charge at the figure.
The pain in Henry's head was so bad it brought him to his knees. He squeezed his eyes shut willing it to pass and in time, it did. When he looked up, the figure had gone and in its place a centaur was standing over him. It was not Gondan or Nell. This one looked younger. Like a centaur version of a teenager. He had platinum blonde hair and a palomino body.
"Are you alright?" He asked and helped Henry to his feet.
"Yes...I believe so. Say, what...what was that?"
The centaur didn't answer but curiously looked bashful that he couldn't. His eyes were an astonishing blue. Like pale sapphires or like the waters of Isla Paradiso. When he met Henry's eyes again, they lingered on the scar that stood out angry and red on Henry's forehead.
"You are the Puffer boy," he said. "Hagish will be coming. As your friend ran off she shot green sparks up in the sky…"
"She's NOT my friend," Henry rudely interrupted.
"Well...the forest is not safe at this time...especially for you. You have found what you are looking for." He looked off into the distance. "Hagish is still far off. We can meet up with him. It will be quicker to ride. Can you?"
"Uh…" Henry didn't have time to consider because the centaur bent low and Henry clamored on. He did not know the etiquette for this and was worried about being rude to the saddless back or touching the mane that only reached the shoulders of the sim-like body.
"My name is Ferno," he added and began to gallop. Bursting through the trees and matching Ferno's speed, Gondan and Nell were flanking the younger centaur.
"FERNO!" Nell bellowed. "What in the stars are you doing? You have a Sim on your back! Have you no respect for yourself? Are you a common pack mule or just a stupid colt?"
"Do you not realize who this is?" Defended Ferno. "This is the Puffer boy. The quicker he leaves this forest, the better he will be."
"Have you been filling his head, Gondan?" Growled Nell. "We are sworn to not meddle in matters that go against the stars. Have you not read what is to come to disruptions in the movement of the planets?" The centaurs slowed to a canter, then to a trot, and finally they were walking. When they stopped, Gondan pawed at the ground, a bit ashamed.
"Ferno was doing what he thought was best," his voice was gloomy.
Nell reared up onto her hindlegs in anger.
"You're mad! What does any of this have to do with us?! Centaurs are concerned with the fates! It is not our business to run around like donkeys to come to the aid of hopeless Sims that wander into our forest!"
"Henry?" It was Hagish's voice. "Henry?!" He sounded worried.
Ferno reared in anger as well and Henry hoped it wasn't offensive to hold on tightly to the thick waist for fear of slipping right off.
"Did you not see that unicorn! Our relatives? Near kin!" Ferno was talking very stern to Nell. "Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not given up that little secret yet? I take heed in the ways of the planets, Master Nell, but if I am alongside a Sim I will do it."
"You will be punished," was all Nell said and kicked off. Gondan followed suit and Henry was alone on Ferno's back. He was so confused and asked him why Nell was so angry. Ferno didn't answer nor answer Henry's other question as to what was that thing that was drinking that unicorn's plasma. This seemed to elicit something from the creature.
"Henry Puffer...do you know what unicorn plasma is used for?"
"No, um…" Henry felt it a bit rude for him to be able to ask a question and not answer any of Henry's but he continued, "we've only used the horn and some tail hair in Potions class."
"It is the cruelest of things to slay a unicorn, that's why," said Ferno solemnly. "One so evil, so soulless...nothing to lose...and much to gain would commit such a crime. The plasma of a unicorn can keep you alive. Even if you are but a blink away from death...but it costs a terrible price. Unicorns do not give their blood willingly. They have to be slain. And to slay something so pure, innocent, and defenseless to save your own life is treachery in the most selfish of ways. You are left but half-life...a cursed life. The moment the plasma touches your lips you are all but doomed."
"Who could be that desperate...who could be that...evil?" Henry's mind was whizzing as he stared at the back of Ferno's head bathed in pale moonlight. "If you're going to be cursed forever, wouldn't you think death would be better?"
"It would be, yes," Ferno agreed, "Unless…" when he trailed off Henry stayed focused. "Unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else...something more powerful to bring you back to full strength and full powers. Something that will mean you can never die. Mr. Puffer...do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?"
"The Elixir of Life!" Henry nearly fell off of Ferno's back. "But who…?"
"Can you think of a single soul who has waited for many years to return to his full power...who has clung to life...who has waited for their chance to reclaim their power?"
Henry felt as if an iron fist punched him straight in the gut. He could faintly hear Hagish calling out again and Chomper barking. Was that Esmani's voice? Taryn's?
"You don't mean…" Henry choked "Mor…"
"HENRY! ARE YOU ALRIGHT!?"
Two large hands were under Henry's shoulders and gently pulling him off of Ferno. Esmani was not far behind with her hand clasped tightly in Taryn's. Kimmi was shuffling along too. Ferno backed away from the growing number of people but looked too curious to just bolt off.
"I'm fine," said Henry awkwardly. He didn't know what to say. "The unicorn's dead, Hagish. Its body is in the clearing back there."
"I shall leave you now," Ferno mumbled. "You are safe now."
Henry nodded, Esmani was transfixed, Taryn was gawking, and Kimmi looked mad.
"Good luck, Henry Puffer," said Ferno. "The planets have been read wrongly before. I give my hope that this is one of those times." He then turned and catered back into the deepest parts of the forest.
"Dead as a doorknob," Hagish inspected with tears in his eyes. "That's all for now, punishment served. I hope you've all learned something."
Jon had fallen asleep in the Alpaggard common room most likely waiting for his friends to return. Henry roughly shook him awake and in seconds he was wide-eyed and alert as Henry began to tell him and Esmani what had happened in the forest with the plasma sucking creature and the centaurs. He couldn't sit down as he spoke and paced up and down the floors wildly. In fact, he was still shaking.
"So Snabes wants the Elixir for Mormobius...and Mormobius waits in the forest...and all this time we thought Snabes just wanted to get rich…"
"Please stop saying his name, Henry," Jon whispered in fright. As if Mormobius could hear them talking about him. Henry ignored him.
"Ferno saved me, but he shouldn't have...that was clear. Maybe some centaur code or culture? Nell was furious...she talked about meddling and planets and bad things happening...Nell thinks Ferno should just let Mormobius just up and kill me probably...I suppose that's what may be written in the stars, huh?"
"Stop saying his name. Please," Jon hissed.
"So now all I've got to do is wait for Snabes to steal the Elixir, really," Henry rattled along feverishly, "then Mormobius will be able to come and finish me off...I guess that'll make Nell all right and happy."
Esmani looked horrified but her features softened.
"Henry, everyone says Simbledore is the only one the Unmentionable One was ever afraid of. With Simbledore around, the Unmentionable One won't lay a finger on you. Who says centaurs are right? It sounds like phony fortune-telling to me. Professor Garspatuon said on our fifth day of class, remember? That fortune-telling is a very imprecise branch of magic. Like a pseudo-magic?" Esmani peered towards the window. "My gosh...it's almost light out. We've been up for nearly twenty four hours."
The boys bid Esmani good-night as she went to the girl's dorms and Henry and Jon went to the boys.' Their throats were raw from chatting and they were a type of tired that could be felt within their bones. The night was not done throwing them surprises though.
Henry hadn't just forgotten to put on the Debugging Hat that night with Gertrude. He had left it up on the tower and figured it was as good as stolen by an upperclassman the next day in Astronomy Class. You can imagine Henry's surprise when he pulled back his sheets to climb into bed and sitting on his mattress was the Debugging Hat. There was a note pinned to it:
Should the need arise.