Erin grabbed a handful each of Fred and George's robes and yanked. The twins yelped as they were jerked backwards and fell to the floor. Around them, the students in the hall stared.

"Hey, what was that for?" demanded George, rubbing his sore rear.

"I need to talk to you guys," said Erin.

"All right, all right," grumbled Fred, gathering up his scattered books. "But not right now, okay?"

"Yeah, we're about to be late for our Potions lesson," said George.

"I don't suppose you could talk to Snape for us, could you?" asked Fred hopefully. "He gave us detention last lesson."

"After you blew up six cauldrons with a firework," said Erin with a grin.

"Aw, it was just a joke."

"I'll meet you guys at seven by the statue of Wendelin the Weird," said Erin firmly.

"Fine, fine," said George. The bell rang.

"Oh, no," groaned Fred, and without a further word the twins scampered off. Erin looked after them for a few minutes, then turned back to the Great Hall. Dumbledore had given her two days off of lessons, for which Erin was grateful. Bad enough being stared at in the halls; class would have been torture.

The students of Hogwarts, excepting her closest friends, left her alone - avoided her, actually. Erin knew what the Bloody Baron must feel like. Half-invisible, half-feared. And she didn't dare pick up the Daily Prophet.

Draco had taken to haunting her path. Erin didn't know what to make of him. He seemed to be constantly at her side, somebody to lean on. There was something almost - servile - about his manner. The quiet and faithful butler. It creeped Erin out.

It was a long time until seven, but finally Erin met Fred and George at the statue. It was dark and quiet, since most of the other students were doing homework.

"Okay, I presume there's an explanation coming," said George as he leaned against the statue.

"I need to know about the Dark Forest," said Erin.

The twins exchanged looks.

"You mean, you're going to go in there?" asked George.

Erin nodded.

"Don't think you should," said Fred hesitantly. "He might be waiting for you." Erin needed no explanation of who "he" was.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, you sound like Percy," she snapped, exasperated. George laughed at his twin. "Besides," she added, "that's why I need your help."

Fred rubbed his chin and grinned. "Well, I suppose we could give you a few tips - "



At twelve, Erin decided to go. She slipped out of her bed and pulled on, not her robes, but her Muggle jeans. They would be easier to walk in.

Polaris, her kitten, yawned and stretched on her pillow. The black cat jumped off her bed and padded after her as Erin put on her cloak and crept out of the common room. Erin scooped up the purring kitten and cradled him against her. He might be able to give her warning if anything threatened her - and besides, it was nice to have company.

Ten minutes later, Erin was running silently across the grass to the Dark Forest.

She stood in a clearing lit only by a pool of moonlight. Putting Polaris down, she sat and waited. A breeze murmured eerily through the trees, and Erin shivered.

"Bryan?" she whispered. "Wind-Runner?"

Only the breeze answered, but Erin somehow knew that they were nearby.

Thoughtfully Erin stood. With sudden decision, she turned around and pretended to twist her ankle. She fell to the ground and gasped in mock pain. A concerned Polaris bounded up and meowed in her ear, but nothing else happened.

Then, suddenly, they were there. Out of the corner of her eye, Erin could see the glimmering shape of Wind-Runner. Polaris, startled, leaped away and hissed as a hand gripped Erin's arm and pulled her up. Erin, still faking her sprained ankle, fell against the man. He caught her and held her gently in his arms. Erin's hand caught the rim of his hood and pushed. The cloth slid away from his face.

Bryan's face was thin and white. His eyes were a bright blue, shimmering like a unicorns, and wide open with shock. But Erin hardly noticed this. What she noticed were the scars - dark, smooth scars, like none she had ever seen before. They criscrossed around his eyes and over his nose, concentrating on his left cheek and right temple. They almost looked like handprints -

Bryan dropped her and turned to run, but Erin grabbed his ankle. He fell ungracefully to the ground. Wind-Runner reared in agitation as Bryan struggled to be free.

"Oh no you don't," Erin panted, standing up and pointing her wand at Bryan, who was still on the ground.

"What do you want?" he asked quietly. His voice was as smooth and rich as it had been in her dream. He sat up carefully. Wind-Runner pranced nervously.

"Peace, brother," Bryan told the unicorn softly.

"Who are you?" Erin demanded.

Bryan looked up, his shimmering blue eyes sad. "Do you really want to know?" he whispered.

"Yes," said Erin stubbornly. In one fluid movement, Bryan rose to his feet and stood by her side.

"I am a friend," he said, touching her cheek with one white finger. "And an enemy of your enemy. That is all you need to know."

"No, it isn't," whispered Erin.

Gently, Bryan tilted her head up and kissed her on the forehead. "Don't worry. I will be here for you."

Then, just as suddenly, he was gone. Erin stood dazed for a minute, then turned and pounded the tree next to her in frustration.

"Please don't tell us you came out here, in the middle of the night, to hit a tree," said George behind her. Erin whipped around, startled.

"Yeah, I always thought of you as the tree-hugger type," said Fred, stepping out from behind his brother. "I don't suppose there's any point in asking what you're doing here."

"No," said Erin truthfully.

"Come on," said George, offering her his arm. "Let's go home."