Danger in the Forbidden Forest
Anna was rather quiet for the weeks following the incident with Pansy. The other girls were worried about her, but didn't quite know what to say to make her feel better. They spoke in hushed tones around her, as if someone had just died, which made Anna only feel worse. They had even cancelled the meeting for May, something that none of them had ever dreamed of before. Anna just didn't care. She shut herself up behind her bed curtains often, reading Ophelia's books, one after the other, by the light of her wand. Each night following dinner, she would go up to the room in silence and go to bed. However, even sleep gave her no peace.
She was being pulled down, farther and farther. There was screaming, and a terrible, cold laugh that froze Anna's blood. She couldn't breathe. The darkness was swallowing her, engulfing her, turning her into nothing but blackness.
Anna awoke from the horrible dream, shaking and covered in a cold sweat. She shuddered, and wrapped her blankets tightly around her neck. She had managed to kick them off during the dream, and the spring air was still chilly at night. Drawing back the curtains that surrounded her bed with a shaky hand, she looked at the room around her, distorted by the shadows of night. A friendly beam of moonlight was cast upon the floor, through the closed window, a pattern formed on the stones by the swirls of the glass. The four other beds stood solemnly around the edges of the circular room, not a sound from any of them. Anna had a sudden sense of déjà vu… this felt just like the night in late November that she had been enticed to sneak out of the castle to meet Aurora for the first time.
In her sleepiness, she mused a bit about the unicorn and the strangeness of their relationship. Why Aurora called to her – for called was the only way to put it – rather than say, Lisa, or Susan Bones? What did it find in her that was special? Or perhaps it was all a grand accident. She couldn't say. The after-effects of the nightmare were already beginning to wear off, she could hardly remember the dream now. Perhaps she would sneak out, just once, to see Aurora. It couldn't hurt – she had done it many times before, and had only been caught once. Silently, she got out of bed, and slipped her cloak on over her nightgown. Sliding her feet into her loafers, she tiptoed out of the room, and down the stairs to the revolving bookcase.
The Forest seemed darker than ever this night, though the light of an almost full moon cast its beams eerily on the blackened trees. Anna shuddered, and gathered her cloak around her closer. She had worn a small path over the period of the past few weeks, through the brush and brambles that covered the forest floor.
She stopped to gaze up at the moon. It was lovely – lighting up the sky with its pale beams. She sighed as she returned her gaze to the path in front of her. Her eyes narrowed as she spotted a glimpse of silver. Could it be? Quickly, she stooped down, her fingers reaching toward the silver.
She stopped, frowning, and lifted her hand. Her finger had not come in contact with anything solid – like her locket, as she had hoped. Instead, the silver now clung to her fingers. It was a rather thick liquid. Anna racked her brain for any potions ingredient that looked as this did, wishing she had paid more attention in class. Very curious. She stared at her fingertips, now glittering in the moonlight. A branch snapped nearby. Anna glanced around nervously. She better be going along. It was never a good idea to stand in one place in the Forbidden Forest.
She continued along the trail, squinting her eyes at the drops of silver that seemed to be growing thicker along the path, like small lakes. Her curiosity grew with each step, and soon she found herself jogging, then running along with a sudden sense of urgency. A dark heaviness pressed on her heart. She had to discover the source of the silver – and soon. It came now in large pools. Anna raced through the black trees, her heart pounding. Finally she reached a clearing – and stopped dead.
There, in the light of the moon, lay a gleaming white figure, totally still. Anna took a shaking step toward it, looking for the rise and fall of the creature's sides, but it was as if the unicorn had been carved out a gleaming piece of perfect marble. Then she saw the thin line of silver across its neck.
"Aurora?" she whispered, her voice trembling. She took a few faltering steps to the unicorns side before falling to her knees. She touched her friend's once warm nose. It was as smooth as ever, but very cold. A shuddering gasp escaped Anna's lips. She turned and ran.
Anna flew back out through the forest, her mind set on one thing, and one thing alone. She had to get help. Aurora couldn't be allowed to die. She arrived at the edge of the forest, breaking free of the darkness of the thick trees. The sudden brightness of the grounds in the moonlight startled her – she had not realized she had gone so far. But she collected herself once more, sprinting to the hut where she knew Hagrid, the grounds keeper lived. She pounded on the door, and cried out loud.
"Hagrid, come quick! It's Aurora, she's hurt!"
Hagrid appeared at the cottage door, his dark eyes almost as wild as his hair, looking in every direction for the source of the noise. He was holding his crossbow, and his large boarhound was at his side. Finally his eyes cast on Anna's small shape, and he squinted into the darkness. "Anna?"
"Hagrid!" she cried, rushing forward into the doorway and tugging on his arm. "You've got to come and help – Aurora is injured! She's bleeding, Hagrid, oh, you've got to come and help!" With this Anna took off toward the forest, Hagrid lumbering after her. He caught up with her at the forest edge, his long strides overtaking her shorter ones.
"Yeh listen to me, Anna. Yeh go back to my hut, now, an' bolt the door." Anna began to protest, but he shook his head and looked at her with such a serious expression that she faltered. "No arguin'. If a unicorn's bin hurt, somethin's not right…"
The next thirty minutes were the longest half-hour of Anna's life. She kept hopping up to the window, gasping at every sound that came from outside the hut. Her fingers were red from twisting them in her robes, but Anna did not notice. She sat on the edge of Hagrid's gigantic armchair, trying to hold back the tears. Finally, after what seemed like hours, she heard a dog's bark outside the hut. She ran to the door, and flung it open, unable to wait for the news.
"Hagrid!" she cried. "Where's Aurora – she's alright, isn't she? She has to be… did you find her? Did you help her?"
Hagrid lowered his shaggy head, and Anna's heart sunk. Still, she refused to accept it.
"Hagrid – she is alright?" she asked, this time in a whisper.
Hagrid shook his head, and Anna stood there staring at him, at a complete loss for words.
"I'm sorry Anna. There wasn' anything to do – she's gone."
Anna felt nothing as Hagrid walked her back to the front door of the castle. She was completely numb. Aurora, dead? It couldn't be true. She turned back toward the forest, as if to run toward it, but Hagrid clapped a hand on her shoulder, making her stumble.
"There are dangerous creatures in those woods. If they can kill a unicorn, they could kill you too."
Anna could barely remember the rest of that horrible night in the weeks to come. She supposed that Hagrid had led her up to the castle. She must have climbed up the stairs to the Ravenclaw dorm, where she fell into bed, completely exhausted and unable to cry. The rest of May went by in a blur. Anna didn't pay much attention in her lessons. Her friends worried about her, but supposed she was still feeling badly about her locket. Anna, meanwhile, gazed out the windows during class, her sad eyes fixed on the Forbidden Forest.
Somehow, the forest hadn't felt quite right since Aurora's death. Perhaps it was just Anna's imagination, or maybe Hagrid was right, and evil was afoot. Anna would've thought it impossible for the Forbidden Forest to feel welcoming at any time, but she looked back fondly on those relatively innocuous days when she had been able to walk into the woods and find Aurora. Not that she was gone, an air of protection that had seemed to float over Anna was gone. But Anna must continue to visit Perseus. It was her duty to Aurora, she thought, a tear sliding down her cheek.
"Anna?" Mandy questioning tone and concerned face tore her from her reverie. Anna attempted a smile.
"Just thinking." She turned her face down to her transfiguration notes. She'd never been a very good liar.
Her eyes flitted to the window again. Tonight she thought. I'll go tonight.
Hours after the dorm had darkened, and the girls had all said their 'goodnights', one person was still wide awake. Anna sat in the darkness behind her curtains, shivering a bit. She'd been sitting in the same position for the past few hours, and her arms and legs were starting to ache. Her head hurt from listening to every little noise. She listened to the other girls even breathing and wondered what they were dreaming of.
Silently, she slid out of bed. The movements had become natural by now, and even if someone had had their ear pressed against the door, they would not have heard Anna slip on her cloak and slippers and pad quietly to the door. The common room seemed larger than ever as she descended the stairs; the stars on the ceiling glowed like tiny warnings. Anna was relieved when she got out into the hall, away from their brightness.
The halls were silent, and seemed to lean in toward her like unfriendly stone faces. She hurried down the passages, hardly having to think about where she was going or what she was doing. It was something that had to be done; rules and warnings no longer mattered.
Then, she was outside, facing the woods. She took one deep breath, closing her eyes. Then Anna rushed across the lawn, deep into the woods.
She found Perseus not far from the waterfall. She brightened as he snorted at her, as if to say well, it's about time. She ran to his side and threw her arms around his neck. His wings rustled as he nuzzled her back. She ran her hands through his mane, which was badly matted and full of burrs.
"Come on," said Anna, tugging at his neck. "Let's get you cleaned up."
She led him toward the sound of running water, stopping at the base of the falls. She sighed, remembering the first night Aurora had led her here. The glade was empty now. She kneeled down at the edge of the pool, cupping her hands full of water to rub away the black stains that marred Perseus's golden coat. She stopped in mid-motion as the pool before her began to change in color, darkening and swirling.
The water twisted, contorted into faces and patterns. Anna watched it, mesmerized. She reached a hand out toward the surface, ignoring the wary snuffs of Perseus from behind her. The little winged unicorn stamped his front feet nervously, watching his mistress as she bent closer to the water, her face only inches from the surface.
Anna felt safe enough, her arm was wrapped around a branch behind her so that she would not fall in. She bent so that her nose was almost even with the undulating surface. A familiar face was formed out of the water. Anna gasped. "Mother?" She reached her free hand out, her fingers grazing the surface of the water.
Just then the face changed, to one that was cold and cruel and mocking. It laughed, and watery arms grabbed Anna, yanking her support hand free of the tree branch. She was pulled down below the surface before she had a chance to react. The water pushed her round and round in it's funnel, sucking her down. She tried to grab at her wand, but it was no use. The edges of her vision began to fade from the lack of oxygen as the darkness pulled her down, down… It was swallowing her. Screams rang in her ears, along with a cold laugh. It was going to be the last sound she heard. The blackness was swallowing her.
But just then, when she had lost all hope, a pair of arms grabbed her. They were not remotely cold or watery, as the others had been, but solid, flesh and bone. The arms clasped her around the waist, pulling her up to the surface. With a sudden jolt, she was out. The water jumped at her, trying to pull her back down. But a female voice uttered a spell, and the water fell onto the suddenly flat surface, sparkling benignly in the moonlight. Anna gasped for breath as she stared down on the surface. Air poured into her lungs; she had never been so aware of breathing, never so happy for it, in her entire life. The earth below shook up and down. It was then Anna realized she was suspended in mid-air, hovering up and down. She looked up, and was met with a great flurry of silvery wings. The creature flew over to the bank, and deposited her gently. Perseus ran over to greet her, nuzzling her face with his warm nose. She sat up, clasping his neck with her arms. There was a great wind, and the creature took off, settling at the top of the waterfall. It was only then that Anna was able to look up and see what had rescued her.
A great white winged horse stood there, glowing like a unicorn. And indeed, from his head grew a single silver spiral. And on his back rode a slender young lady that Anna did not recognize. She had long auburn hair, and wore a serious expression. But as Anna gazed on her, she smiled.
"I envy you, Anna," she cried out. "You have so many adventures ahead of you."
"Who are you?" asked Anna, her choked voice echoing in the clearing.
The lady only smiled. "You will know. In time." And with that, she tugged at the winged unicorn's golden bridle, and dove into the pool below the waterfall. For a moment, Anna gaped, then she stood, rushing forward to the water. But they were gone, horse and rider. Perseus trotted over to her side, looking intently to where the great creature had disappeared.
Anna sat there for some time, not knowing what to think. She leaned over cautiously and looked at the water again. She could see her own reflection in its still, clear surface. Shaking slightly, she turned away. Perseus nudged her, and she clung to him for support. "What was that?" she asked him. He silently looked back at her with his large eyes. She hugged him tightly, then began picking the burrs out of his mane and dusting off the dark patches. She was not going near that water again.
After a long while of just sitting there beside her, Perseus stood up. He began to trot off toward the path. Anna jogged to catch up with him, and they walked side by side, the small golden creature and the pale, wet girl. It was several minutes before Anna realized that he was walking her home, just as Aurora used to do. Tears pricked Anna's eyes and slowly slid down her cheeks. As they reached the edge of the forest, Perseus stopped. Anna knew this would be their last meeting for quite some time. She stroked his soft nose gently.
"Thank you, Perseus," she whispered.
Authors Note: I'm sorry this chapter wasn't very long, but I hoped you enjoyed it. I really wasn't planning on finishing 'Anna', so I want to thank those of you who made me reconsider, especially Amaya. It's great to have reviewers like you guys! I am going to finish year one of 'Anna', as there's just one chapter left. I'll try to start on year two, but no guarantees there, as once school starts I know I'll be swamped with work. In any case, thanks for inspiring me and please stick in there!
