36. Pain
"Are you going to be alright, mate?" Ron questioned again. He stood beside Hermione as he prepared to leave.
It was a Hogsmeade weekend trip. His relatives had refused to sign the permission slip, especially his aunt. Perhaps he had been pushing it when he had gleefully left her in the care of Vernon's sister.
Misgivings aside, he was not allowed to go to this Hogsmeade trip. Professor McGonagall had been strict about the conditions of going on the trip. Sure he could deal with nearly annual Voldemort death attempts, but going to Hogsmeade was out of the question.
Harry was sure that the threat of the escaped convict, Sirius Black, was just an excuse at this point. The man could be right in the castle and the staff probably wouldn't know until Harry told them. That was unfair, but he was a bit disappointed at not being able to go.
"There's nothing you guys can do about it. Just enjoy the trip for me and bring something nice back, alright?" He said to assure them. Disappointment wasn't exactly a fresh experience for him. Besides, just because he was stuck didn't mean they had to suffer as well.
"I'm sure there's something you can do to fill your time. Try the library, there is surely something worth reading", Hermione said oh so helpfully as she hugged him.
When they left, he kicked a stone a little petulantly. It annoyed him that the Dursleys were effecting his time in the magical world. Whining wouldn't do him any good now, instead he decided to meet up with Hagrid.
"Good to see you here, Harry. I could use the help. I need to feed some of the other animals, can you take care of the Thestrals?" Hagrid requested.
Harry nodded. Helping Hagrid was always a bit of a chore, but it was relatively mindless work. Thestrals were skeleton like winged horses that only those that had experiences with death could perceive. Hermione and Ron were incapable of seeing it, but he could.
Thestrals were rather friendly with him. Bizarre and misshapen, they were a sight to behold. Harry held the reins so he could begin to loosen them.
This was when everything went wrong.
Something spooked the creatures so badly that they raced towards the Forbidden Forest. To escalate matters, Harry's arm was tangled with the reins. Dirt and mud splattered on his body as the skeletal equine raced past the edge of the forest.
Seeing his dilemma, the dog gave chase and attempted to herd the Thestral, but it only doubled the equine's panic. The dog then raced to his side and Harry reached for it. Getting some form of grip, Harry pulled his body up and yanked the reins, thus allowing him to just barely get into the saddle.
No matter how much he pulled, the Thestral continued to run. Hallow and high pitched laughter erupted behind them. Turning his neck, he saw a number of the fair folk on small birds chasing after them. The horde rose their weapons and fired off magical blasts.
Over roots, and around trunks, Harry maneuvered away from the blasts. The dog was suffering injury but it didn't stop running. Harry hadn't been this deep in the forest since the first year and he didn't like where this was going. Ahead of them, he saw another group flying at them.
Gritting his teeth, he pulled the Thestral to the side. As they traveled further into the dark depths of the forest, the surroundings grew more dreary and ominous. Throughout the whole chase, the fairies wouldn't cease their mocking, childlike laughter. Their faces matched the forest, their teeth growing sharp and their eyes rabid. Beauty and cuteness crumbled from their faces like cheap masks.
He looked below and worried for the dog. It couldn't keep this up. Pulling his wand and carefully holding the reins, he chanted, "Glacius!" The freezing spell emitted a blue light from his wand as it slammed into the leading fairy, encasing it in ice.
That was a mistake.
The fairies seized the opportunity. As he was preoccupied with the spell and holding on to his temporary steed, they struck with their own spells and arrows. In an explosion of color and pain, all three fleers were tossed like puppets.
As they fell, Harry felt a disturbance in the atmosphere. It was like an insect buzzing in his ears, annoying but bearable. Harry struggled to get up, but vines and roots burst from the ground and held him in a kneeing position. Each plant biting into his skin, causing him to hiss. Looking at his side, he saw his ride getting up with little difficulty, but the dog seemed to be in great pain.
"So Harry Potter has finally answered my summons. It is in poor taste to keep your betters waiting." The woman who spoke sat on a shining throne seemingly made of gold branches. She sat above them all with a look of vainly hidden amusement.
"So the boy has arrived. He doesn't look nearly as impressive as the wizards boast about. He looks a little scrawny", a well-dressed man floated behind Harry and rose to the empty throne beside the woman. In his hand were large spider legs that were being burned.
As the man sat, a crown was brought to his head by more bird riding fairies. "Do try not to bore me, little man", the man said with a sneer.
