AN: Second chapter of the update. Again, hope you enjoy.


Chapter 16

The next morning, training was cancelled since Harry, Minerva, and Samena had an early flight to catch. Instead, everyone who didn't live at the manor came over at around seven to send the trio off. The house-elves and Molly had even prepared some meals they could take with them so they could focus completely on their task. Everyone else wished them luck and said their goodbyes.

The trio apparated to the parking lot of the airport after they left the manor. They were flying from Glasgow International in Scotland instead of Heathrow in London to avoid the aurors that were posted there as they didn't want to be recognized. After checking in, they made it through security with no problems and found the seating area by their gate number easily enough. There was a bit of a delay though so they would have to wait for almost two hours until they could board.

"Is this normal," Harry asked.

"It happens from time to time," Samena replied.

Sensing Harry's nervousness, Minerva took him around for a walk to take his mind off of it. They looked in some of the shops near their gate, picking up a few snacks as they went. As they walked, they stood close enough to each other without holding hands showing that they were very comfortable around each other. They talked quietly to each other as they went. Minerva wasn't wearing her glamour either, since they were unlikely to run into anyone they knew in the airport. While they were in one of the clothing stores, and older woman noticed this.

"If you want the hoodie, I'll get it for you," Harry offered when he noticed Minerva's gaze lingering on a particular item.

"It does look comfortable, but I don't know where I would wear it," Minerva countered. She didn't usually wear things like it but was starting to see the appeal in muggle clothes after spending so much time around the younger witches in the group.

Harry shrugged, not seeing the problem. "Whenever you want to. It's okay to get things just because you like it sometimes."

"I don't want you to waste your money on me."

"You want it and I'm more than willing to get it for you. That's not a waste." When Minerva tried to argue against that, Harry shook his head at her and pulled the hoodie off of the shelf. He checked to make sure it was the right size before handing it to her. "See anything else you like?"

Minerva sighed lightly and gave him a small smile. "No. This is all."

"Alright let's go pay for it then."

The two of them walked toward the register but were stopped on their way by the woman who'd been watching them.

"Sorry, but I couldn't help but comment on how well the two of you fit together. You make a good couple."

"I…" We're not…"

"It's okay, your secret is safe with me," the woman said knowingly. "But may I give you both a bit of advice." Harry and Minerva nodded. "Age does not always determine compatibility or incompatibility. Sometimes people just connect on another level. That connection does not care for the standards of the world and that is just fine. Anyway, you two enjoy your trip, wherever it takes you." Then she walked away without another word.

Harry and Minerva took a moment to recover from the unexpected, yet thought-provoking talk. Then Harry went to pay for their purchase and they both silently agreed it was time to return back to their gate. If Samena noticed anything off about them, she didn't mention it, only thanking them for the snacks they brought back to her. Nor did she comment on Minerva's new hoodie.

Shortly afterward the plane began boarding. They were part of the first call due to them flying first-class.

"So, this is what first-class looks," Harry remarked as they sat down in their seats. He was sitting beside Minerva with Samena in the row in front of them.

"I told you it was nice," Samena said as they got settled.

It took thirty minutes for the plane to be completely boarded. Then the flight attendants went through the safety information and the plane started moving shortly afterwards. The weather was a bit stormy outside and the plane shook a little as it started to move. Minerva noticed Harry tensing up beside her because of this. She placed her hand over his clenched fist to soothe him and eventually he started to relax a little.

"It's okay to be nervous, Harry," she whispered so only he could hear her.

"After all of the things I've seen and faced, I shouldn't be afraid of this."

"This is something you've never done before and you have no control over. It's not like flying on your broom. You don't have to rely on someone else then. That is a good reason to be nervous."

"If you say so."

Minerva shook her head at him, muttering about men and their pride issues. Harry ignored her, trying to focus on his breathing as the plane began to take off. As it started lifting into the air, Harry clenched his hand again, keeping them that way until it leveled off. Then he chanced a glance out of the window and was a bit amazed at the view. It, combined with Minerva's ministrations, calmed him down and he was finally able to fully relax.

He enjoyed the rest of the flight, especially after Minerva cast a charm to release the pressure in his ears so they stopped popping. The in-flight meal they got actually tasted pretty good and the movie he and Minera picked, called "Die Hard," had enough action in it to entertain both of them. Overall, it wasn't as great as flying on a broom, but it was worth doing again.

- H.M. –

Once they had landed and made it through customs, which thankfully didn't take long they headed out of the airport. Samena led them toward a secluded area in one of the parking lots where they wouldn't be noticed. There she gave them the coordinates for their destination so they could apparate to the forest. A few seconds later, they arrived in a small clearing with a river to the west of them.

"So how are we going to find the unicorns and how exactly am I going to get one to trust me enough?" Harry asked after surveying his surroundings.

"Unicorns tend to stay by sources of water, so we'll follow the river until we come across them. As for getting one to trust you, I can only give you the same advice from earlier: Trust your instincts," Samena replied.

"There's no other advice you can give me," Harry pleaded.

"Only to not force it. They will come to you when they're ready," Samena said.

"But we're a bit short on time right now," Harry pointed out.

"You have to trust Luna's ability as a seer. If she says you have enough time, then you have enough time," Samena countered.

Harry groaned and turned to Minerva, but she stopped him before he could complain. "Don't look at me. I didn't even know you could get blood from a unicorn willingly until Samena told us. You're just going to have to trust what she says."

Harry sighed in exasperation. "Is there anything else I should know before we start this journey into the unknown of ours?"

"Just that unicorns aren't the only magical creatures in the forest so we should remain on our guard," Samena replied.

"Brilliant, knowing my luck, I'll run into the most dangerous creature here," Harry muttered. Then he started walking toward the west to reach the river. After taking 15 paces, he turned around to face the witches. "Are you two coming?"

Minerva and Samena looked at each other and shook their heads at him before following after him. He turned around and kept walking, though his pace slowed to give them time to catch up.

"Did he not enjoy the flight?" Samena asked wondering what was causing his grumpiness.

"No, he enjoyed it once he got over his nerves. I think he's just worried about getting everything ready for the ritual. He may not talk about it, but I can tell it gets to him sometimes. Plus, he has the habit of running into trouble without trying to and he expects that to happen now."

"Ah, that explains it."

"Don't worry, he'll apologize later once he calms down."

"I'm sure he will." Then Samena got a mischievous expression on her face. "Though it might help if you did something to assuage those worries of his." Minerva ignored the innuendo.

When they reached the river, Harry flipped a galleon to decide which way to go. It landed on heads, so they turned to the north and followed the river that way. The path along the river was filled with boulders, cliffs, and pits making it hard to walk on. To make the going easier, Harry and Minerva changed into their animagus forms. Harry even made his form larger and crouched down so Samena could ride him. As gratitude for his actions, Samena cast a spell to mask both animagi's scent and silence their footfalls to avoid being detected by other creatures.

It took them about two hours of travel before they finally caught sight of the unicorns. Several of them were gathered together on the opposite side of the river. From what the trio could see, there were 25 adults standing around and 16 foals playing by the water.

Samena hopped off of Harry and held up her hand for both animagi to stop. "We have to be very quiet now," she said as they transformed back. The river was very narrow where they were and only a few meters separated them from the other side.

"How should we approach them?" Minerva asked.

"Very slowly. We should stay on this side of the river until they notice us and deem us non-threatening," Samena instructed.

"Should we try and find another way across the river to the north or south of them?" Harry asked.

"No, once we're in their sight, we should stay that way. Leaving and reappearing behind them would only spook them even more. I doubt you fancy trying to chase after them and that won't win us any points with them," Samena explained.

With Samena's points made, the trio slowly moved forward until they reached the edge of the riverbank. They sat down in clear sight of the unicorns, drinking some water while they waited to be noticed. It took about ten minutes for a unicorn to notice their presence. When it looked up, its ears were perked and alert. Its reaction started off a domino effect and soon the entire herd was looking at them with the foals shepherded behind what were likely their mothers.

On the other side of the river, the trio remained completely still, their eyes trained on the herd. A tense silence formed over both groups for several minutes with the sound of the river fading in the background. Then, as if a spell was spontaneously broken, the unicorns returned to their previous activities. Only a few kept glancing at them periodically, but for the most part they were no longer seen as a threat.

"What now?" Harry asked.

"We should stay here for a while, eat lunch, and keep watch over them. If they don't move from there, we can try and cross the river to see how they'll react," Samena replied. Seeing no problem with that, they set things up so they could eat and rest.

"Umm I want to apologize for being short with you both earlier. You didn't deserve that," Harry spoke up.

"It's okay Harry. I can appreciate the tremendous amount of stress you're under right now. The fact that you haven't truly gone off on anyone yet shows your restraint," Samena said.

"Exactly, so all is forgiven," Minerva added.

Satisfied that his apology was accepted and that they were not cross with him, he handed out some of the sandwiches packed in their bags.

- H.M. –

Three hours later, the herd still hadn't left, so Samena told them they should try and cross the river. Minerva found a small clearing near where the unicorns were, so they aimed for it. With Harry in the front, they slowly waded through the water, watching for any reactions. It took them about fifteen minutes to cross the few meters of water as they had to stop and wait anytime the unicorns got skittish.

Once in the clearing, which had a clear view of the herd, the trio started setting up camp. Minerva and Samena put up wards around their clearing and the magical tent while Harry fetched water and firewood. Some of the unicorns watched their actions curiously, but none seemed overtly threatened by them.

Harry joined them inside the tent once he had everything situated outside. The inside of the tent was more spacious than the one he'd been in with the Weasleys for the Quidditch World Cup. It had a living room, a kitchen, and three doors leading to the bedrooms. Samena informed him that each bedroom had its own bathroom when he asked about it.

After getting his stuff situated in the room designated as his and taking a quick shower to wash the day off of him, Harry offered to heat up some of the stew they had. Getting their agreement, he went outside and started a small fire, placing the pot full of stew over it. While he waited and stirred the pot occasionally, he watched the unicorns, keeping an eye on them in case they decided to leave. In the calm, everything else that was on his mind came to the forefront and he got lost in those thoughts.

"You know you could have done that on the stove inside," Minerva remarked as she came to sit beside him.

"I wanted to watch the unicorns, see if it would help me figure out how to gain their trust," Harry replied. He'd jumped a bit at her arrival, having not sensed her coming.

"Anything come to you yet?"

"Not really, but I haven't been at it for too long yet."

Minerva turned to look at him, studying his expression. "You seem like you're too busy thinking about something else."

"I am."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Harry took a deep breath. "I should have asked you this the moment Samena told us about the ritual, but will you be my anchor?"

Minerva was a bit surprised. When he hadn't asked her to do it within the first few days after they learned about the ritual, she'd assumed he wanted to pick someone else. "You want me to be your anchor?"

Harry chuckled lightly. "There's no on in this world I trust more to do this for me than you. I didn't ask before because I was worried about the side effects of the bond. I didn't want to put you in an uncomfortable situation."

"Harry, I promised you I would do whatever I could to help you get that thing out of your head and survive this war and I meant it. We can deal with the side effects as long as you're free of Riddle's presence." She also was concerned about the bond and what it might entail but refused to let that stop her from helping him.

"Well that was easier than I thought it would be. Thank you."

Minerva shook her head at him. "You really have to stop overthinking things."

"I know. I'll try and work on it some more. Anyway, the stew is done so let's go eat."

They both got up then with Harry levitating the stew behind him. He thought about admitting his feelings to her but decided to wait for now. It didn't feel like the right time just yet. He did tell Samena that he had picked Minerva as his anchor, once they were inside of the tent. When she did the compatibility spell, the two of them glowed a bright gold. She simply explained it meant that Minerva would have no problem being Harry's anchor, though there was a mischievous smirk on her face.

- H.M. –

For the next three days, Harry, Minerva, and Samena followed the herd around wherever it went. They travelled all throughout the forest, running into a few harmless creatures, magical and muggle, as they went. At night, they would take turns keeping watch just in case the unicorns were forced to leave as they slept. Every day the trio were able to get closer and closer to them, though they still hadn't made direct contact.

The fourth day of their trip started out just like the others, with the trio waking up and exercising before they went to make contact with the unicorns. To their surprise, this morning Harry was greeted by one of the foals who had trotted over to their campsite as they were putting everything away. It was a particularly small one, yet very brave as it had come over here all on its own. He stopped what he was doing and knelt down slowly, trying not to startle it. Minerva and Samena also noticed what was going on and stopped to watch the interaction.

"Hey there little one. What are you doing over here?" he greeted, his voice gentle. The foal neighed in response, moving closer to him. Harry slowly reached out his hand, giving it plenty of time to move away. Noticing what he was doing, the foal moved even closer so he could pet it. Happy about this change of events, Harry gently pet the little unicorn for a few minutes, enjoying the moment. While he did that, Harry examined it more closely and found out that the foal was female.

"This was fun little one, but you should probably get back to your mommy. You don't want to worry her," Harry said.

As if she understood what Harry was saying, the foal bowed her head once before trotting away. When she saw that Harry wasn't following her, she turned around as if to tell him to come on. He looked back at Samena and Minerva who silently ushered him along. Properly encouraged, he followed after the filly (a female foal) as she led him back to the rest of the herd.

One of the unicorns appeared agitated as he and the filly reached the herd, making Harry think it was his little friend's mother. He was proven correct when the filly trotted over to it, prancing happily around its feet to show that she was okay. Then she walked back over to Harry, guiding her mother to him as if to introduce the two. The mare (female horse) sized him up once she was a few feet in front of him, trying to see if he was a threat. When the filly moved to his side and started butting her head against his hand so he would pet her, the mare decided he was safe and bowed her own head so he could pet her too.

This is the scene Minerva and Samena walked in to once they finished packing everything back up. They stood back to watch, not wanting to spook any of the other unicorns and mess up the progress he was making. After he finally noticed them, Harry gestured for them to join him.

When they reached him, Harry turned to the two unicorns in front of him to make introductions. "Guys, these are my friends Minerva and Samena. I promise they won't hurt you just like I won't hurt you." His tone was soft as he spoke.

The unicorns seemed to understand what he was saying as they moved to allow the witches to pet them. The other unicorns in the herd looked up at the display, their curiosity piqued. Slowly they started to gather around the humans in a circle to get a closer look. Still they kept some distance between them as they were unsure what to make of the trio. Then a large stallion with a huge horn who was obviously the leader of the herd, walked straight for Harry. The herd moved to the side to give him passage. Once he was less than two feet away from Harry, he stopped and stared at him intently. Everyone was quiet during this moment and Harry felt like his entire existence was being examined. He remained steady though, not daring to look away from the stallion's intense gaze. It felt like an eternity passed as the exchange occurred, though in reality it was only a few minutes. Just when Harry thought he was going to be rejected, the leader moved closer and bowed his head to allow Harry to pet him.

"Nice to meet you too," Harry spoke as he cautiously stroked the large unicorn's coat.

After this breakthrough, Harry, Minerva, and Samena were allowed to spend the rest of their day among the herd. Instead of following them around from a distance, they were right in the thick of them. The foals, colts and fillies alike, especially flocked to Harry, vying for his attention anytime they could get it. He was glad to oblige and had a great time playing around with them. The filly who had come to him first was glued to his side though, not getting more than a couple feet away from him the entire day. She was the only foal of the herd still retaining her golden coat which characteristic of unicorns still under the age of 2 years. Harry considered her the bravest since she had approached him on her own, taking that leap of faith before any of the rest. He became very fond of her and even nicknamed her Aurelia after throwing out several names to her until she approved that one. Minerva and Samena spent their time with the mares of the herd for the most part, though they kept their eyes on Harry when they could. By the time they all stopped for the night, Harry was thinking that nothing would happen to ruin the great day he'd had.

- H.M. –

Eventually, the group found a large clearing near the river to stop for the day. The unicorns were settling down for the night and the trio had already set up their tent and eaten dinner. Harry and Minerva were sitting down by the fire, Aurelia laying by Harry's side as he petted her while Samena was in the tent. The night sky was clear, and the stars were shining brightly. Feeling a high after his successful day, he decided it was time he embraced his Gryffindor side and finally talked to Minerva.

"Hey Minerva," he called out softly.

She turned her gaze from sky to look at him. "Yes."

Looking at her, he realized there was no way he could get over his feelings for her. "There's something I need to tell you. I don't know how you're going to take it, but well… you deserve to know. I just ask that you keep an open mind and let me finish before you respond."

Minerva had a hunch what he was going to say and didn't know if she should stop him or let him finish. In the end, she knew they needed to talk about it. "Okay."

"It didn't take long for me to see you as my favorite professor at Hogwarts. Part of it was because of my interest in Transfiguration, but most of it was due to who you were. The way you defended me during the Chamber of Secrets chaos only solidified that opinion. Then in my third year, I realized I'd developed a crush on you. It happened after you sat me down and talked to me about Sirius and what he'd been accused of doing. Instead of talking down to me or acting like I couldn't handle the information, you explained it all out to me like the normal human being I am, not once belittling me. You even voiced your own doubts about it. At the time, I could count on three fingers the number of people who've treated me with pure honesty the way you did."

Harry paused for a moment before continuing. "Then the next year and the tournament came, and you started teaching me in secret to make sure I was prepared for whatever I would face. It gave me the opportunity to really get to know you. I got to see your humor, your intelligence, your passion, your fiery temper that entertains me when I'm not the recipient of it. But most importantly, I learned how big your heart really is and how strong your devotion is to those you care about. That transformed my crush into something much stronger and the past year only increased those feelings. Spending time with me over the summer whenever you could get away with it. Getting me clothes that fit me, so I no longer had to wear Dudley's old stuff. Defending me against Umbridge several times throughout the year. Continuing to train me. Listening to me when I needed to vent and helping me to remain calm in spite of all the pressure I was dealing with."

Harry chuckled as he kept going, unable to stop now that he had said so much. "Then, after I pushed you away and threw every single thing you'd done for me in your face, you didn't abandon me or stop caring. The moment I appeared in front of you, you got me the help I needed and stayed right by my side as I healed. Then you talked to me. You didn't throw what I did and said in my face though. No, you forgave me without hesitation. You listened to me as I told you my worries and fears. Even after telling you about the horcruxes, you stood beside me and promised to do any and everything you could to help me. How could I not fall in love with you after that? Now, with the scar from Greyback and becoming an animagus, I can't ignore how I feel anymore."

Minerva's heart beat rapidly at his declaration. While she knew he was attracted to her, she hadn't been sure of how deep his feelings were. Harry wasn't done yet though.

"And before you respond, I know there's an age difference and I know most wouldn't approve of us, but I don't care anymore. I've decided to take what the woman in the airport told us to heart. If you don't feel the same way, then I promise this will be the last time I say anything about it to you. I value your friendship way too much to ruin it. But if you do care about me the way I care about you, I ask you to give us a chance. I know we'll have a lot we'll need to get through, but if it means a chance at happiness, true happiness, then it's worth it."

"Harry, I'm supposed to be your professor," Minerva pointed out.

"Technically I'm no longer a student. I'm a professor now."

"Then I'm your boss…"

"And there's no rule stating a relationship between us is illegal. Besides, it's not like we're going to go around broadcasting it for the world to see."

"You're still a teenager. You should be with someone closer to your age."

"But I don't want that. I want you. And before you bring it up, I'm emancipated and considered of age according to the law. Legally, there's nothing stopping us."

Minerva sighed as Harry countered every argument she tried to bring up. To be honest, she wasn't trying very hard because despite everything she wanted him. Badly. "I…"

Harry cut her off before she could give him another excuse. "Do you love me?"

"It's not that simple."

"Just answer the question, Minerva. Do you love me? And don't try and lie to me because I don't deserve it."

Minerva looked away for a moment. She knew that once she admitted her feelings to him there would be no way to take them back. She couldn't lie to him either because he knew her well enough to be able to tell whether she was telling him the truth.

Just when she was about to answer him though, a large boom sounded out around them.

Harry jumped up to his feet, wand drawn. "What was that?"

Minerva stood as well, wand in her hand. "I don't know but it came from over there." She pointed toward the forest in the northwesterly direction.

The unicorns were afraid, turning their heads in all directions as they tried to determine where the threat was coming from. Several more booms sounded out, coming from too many different directions. Aurelia had woken up from her sleep and was hiding behind Harry's legs in fright. Samena dashed out of the tent in alarm, armed and ready to fight whatever was the source of that noise. She was about to ask what was going on when several black cloaks spilled out of the trees into the clearing from all sides

"Are those what I think they are?" Harry asked, worry in his tone.

"Yes, they are lethifolds," Minerva confirmed.

"And they're not supposed to be here. They're not native to Greece because it isn't a tropical climate," Samena added.

"Let's worry about how they got here later. Right now, we need to make sure they don't try and kill us or the unicorns," Harry said.

Nodding to each other, the three of them began casting their patronuses at the threat surrounding them, both Harry and Minerva ignoring the fact that theirs resembled each other's animagi forms. The trio made sure to try and point the creatures away from the unicorns as much as possible, moving as much as they could to stand in front of the herd. Their efforts pushed the lethifolds back, but for some reason they weren't fleeing.

"I thought they reacted to the Patronus the same way dementors do," Harry remarked.

"They're supposed to," Minerva confirmed.

"Something isn't right here," Samena warned.

That something showed itself when a large pack of crups burst from the trees followed by over twenty wizards. The crups didn't appear to be normal as their eyes were glowing red and they were bigger than any either of the trio had seen. A dark energy emanated from them as well. Samena also noticed that the wizards' garb looked familiar and it only took her a few seconds to understand why once she spotted the blood red 'E' on the clasps of their capes.

"Those men are part of a secret group called the Experimentalists, or E for short. They go all around the world capturing magical creatures who they perform illegal tests on in an attempt to 'enhance' their abilities. Most countries have capture orders out on them and the more prominent ones are on the most-wanted lists," Samena explained.

"Oh, that's just great," Harry groaned. "Do you think they're after the unicorns?"

"I'm sure of it," Samena confirmed.

"We have to do everything we can to stop them then," Minerva urged.

The wizard in the middle of the group stepped forward and swept his wand out in front of him. This caused both the crups and the lethifolds to freeze their movements. "I don't know who you are, and I don't care. My name is Jace and I'll give you only one chance to get out of our way or we will kill you."

Harry, angry that his conversation with Minerva had been interrupted and that the trio's and the herd's lives were in danger, had no patience for playing games. "How about I give you a counteroffer? You take yourself, your men, and your illegally modified creatures and go back to wherever the heck you came from and I won't make this a very bad night for you." Harry's cold, authoritative tone had Minerva shivering slightly with arousal, reminding her that while he was young age wise, he couldn't be considered as anything less than a man. Why are you arguing against being with him again? her mind thought incredulously.

Jace shook his head at Harry dismissively, thinking his words were an empty threat. "You should have taken my offer. There will be no others." Then he waved his wand again and the creatures continued their attack. The crups bounded after the unicorns while the lethifolds swarmed the trio. Samena moved to try and help the herd while Harry and Minerva tried to keep the lethifolds back. Some of the unicorns tried to help Samena in fighting off the unnaturally aggressive crups while the others protected the foals.

After a few minutes, the enemy wizards started firing spells at them, making all of their jobs even more difficult. When Minerva stumbled over a rock as she walked backward to dodge a dark cutting curse, one of the lethifolds surged forward to take advantage of the situation. It swooped down on her and began trying to suffocate her as she fell to the ground. Harry saw this and quickly moved to help her, his mind working on autopilot. Without conscious thought, he used his elemental abilities to form a ring of fire around him and her with a barrier of air pushing out on all sides to prevent anyone or anything from reaching them. It also happened to block the wizard's view of Samena, giving her cover from spell fire for the moment. Then he sent a Patronus at the lethifold attacking her, though this one was different. Instead of the usual bright-silver translucent appearance, it was golden and much more solid as it charged after dark creature hovered over Minerva. The golden cat launched itself at the lethifold once it was close enough. Instead of causing it to back-off or flee, it caused physical damage, the cloak-shaped figure disintegrating before their very eyes. A piercing scream like none Harry or Minerva had ever heard was emitted from it and after a several seconds the lethifold was nothing more than a pile of ashes on the ground.

Harry ignored this phenomenon for the moment, rushing down to Minerva's side. She was coughing as she tried to regain her breath. "Minerva are you okay?" he asked, panic in his voice. He pulled her into his arms as he frantically examined her for any sign of injury. His hand was on her neck to feel for any bruises.

Once she'd regained her composure, she put her hand on his chest to calm him down. "I'm okay now thanks to you. I'd ask how you did that, but right now I'm just glad it happened."

"I'm pretty sure my magic reacted to my anger. All could think of was not getting to you in time," Harry tried to explain.

Minerva sat up, mostly recovered now. "Think you could do it again?"

Harry stared into her eyes intently as he replied without hesitation. "Definitely."

"Good. You destroy the rest of the lethifold. I'll watch your back."

Plan made, both of them rose to their feet. Harry dispelled the wind and fire barrier, something Minerva planned on asking him about later, before they both turned their attention on the remaining lethifold. After a nod to each other, Harry reformed his golden patronus while Minerva readied herself to defend him. Working together, the two of them were able to successfully destroy the rest of the creatures, while preventing their shocked enemies from stopping them. By the time they had finished, some of the wizards were reconsidering the attack.

"Who are you?" Jace asked, a hint of fear in his voice.

Minerva answered for Harry. "He's dark wizards' worst fear. Unfortunately for them, some don't realize this until it's too late. I'd advise you to go before you find out what that means personally."

"You won't be taking your dogs with you though since I've managed to round them all up," Samena added, moving to stand beside Minerva. Behind her all of the mutated crups were round up and enclosed in a magical barrier on all four sides.

Jace glared hatefully at both of them. "I don't care what you think or say. I'm still going to kill you and we're going to get the prize we came here for."

Emboldened by their leader's words, the wizards started attacking the trio again. Even though they were a bit tired and outnumbered, the three of them fought back fiercely, giving their enemies a hard time. Harry and Minerva incorporated their elemental abilities while Samena showed her knowledge of ancient and arcane magic, using spells her friends had never heard of before. Jace ran straight for Harry, backed up by two others who seemed to be some of the better duelers in the group. Harry had his hands full, but took the challenge head-on, showing why he had received his two masteries.

Seeing that some of the others were trying to sneak up on Harry as he fought his three opponents, Minerva took on as many of the wizards as she could. Her wand and other hand were blurs as she fought like a one-woman army, proving why she had gained her reputation. Her spells were powered by anger, yet she managed to remain in control the entire time.

Samena noticed the movements of the enemies as well and helped to distract as many as she could. She also worked to protect the unicorns from any stray spell fire, casting shield charms or finding makeshift barriers to throw in the way of it.

Within twenty minutes, only two of the enemy remained standing, the others incapacitated in one form or another. Harry had managed to knock out his three opponents and send them flying, including Jace. He saw none of them get back up. The remaining two surrendered, seeing that it was all over. Harry moved to take count of the unicorns who had calmed down once they realized the danger had passed. He took stock of their injuries, healing the ones he could and taking note of the ones that needed more experienced hands. Samena and Minerva rounded up the wizards tying them up together and destroying their wands. Once they finished, they realized Jace was not among their captures. At around the same time, Harry noticed movement out of the corner of his eye and turned his head toward it. Jace had snuck up on the herd during the battle after he realized he was outclassed and now he was standing dangerously close to Aurelia, whom Harry had lost track of. Before he could react fast enough, the leader snatched up the little, golden unicorn and sprinted toward the forest.

With no hesitation, Harry chased after him. Since he couldn't take a clear shot without risking hitting Aurelia, he had to pursue him on foot. He didn't even think to change into his animagus form until Minerva came bounding up behind him in hers. Lightly chastising himself, he transformed as well. Within a few minutes, the two had almost overtaken Jace. In front of them, there was a cliff and they could hear the sound of a waterfall nearby. It got louder as they ran.

Feeling cornered, Jace turned around when he was a less than four meters from the edge, his wand drawn and Aurelia in his other arm. There was a wild look in his eyes and his clothes were torn and bloody as he desperately searched for a way out of his situation.

"Stay back!" he shouted, waving his wand wildly.

"Just put the unicorn down and we'll let you go," Harry tried, his voice calm though his emotions were racing.

"NO! NO! I'm in charge here, not you. You'll do what I say or one of you will die,"

"Be reasonable! You have no way out of here," Minerva said.

"I'm getting out of here, with this unicorn, and you're going to let me!" Jace argued.

Harry looked at Minerva, both silently agreeing that Jace wasn't going to listen to reason. Their actions caused Jace to panic even more and he started casting curses at them, causing them to have to shield and duck out of the way. He was outnumbered though, and Harry and Minerva were able to gain ground on him soon enough even without being able to fire any spells back at him. Jace was unable to focus much on Aurelia as he tried to fend of the duo and when she got her chance, the little unicorn squirmed her way out of his arms. Harry reacted quickly to this, dashing forward to get her as Aurelia ran toward him. Unfortunately, Jace noticed this sent a curse of unknown origin at Harry to try and stop him. It hit Harry just as he managed to wrap Aurelia in his arms, sending both of them in the air in the direction of the cliff edge. Before Minerva could react, they were flying over the edge and into the unknown.

"Harry!"


AN: Hope you enjoyed the cliffhanger. I'll try not to keep you waiting for too long.

League of Hoods Members:

Harry – Alpha

Minerva – Lioness

Hermione – Scholar

Tonks – Shifter

Andromeda – Barrister

Amelia – Monarch

Hestia – Sleuth

Fleur – Aphrodite

Luna – Oracle

Ron – Tactician

Neville – Terran (means earth)

Fred – Thing 1

George – Thing 2

Ginny – Firecracker

Charlie – Bear

Samena – Mystique

Matthew – Eagle

Arthur – Humphrey (means calm)

Molly – Matron