"That's really, really weird."
Harry had just finished telling Hermione about what had happened in Lupin's office. "Isn't it though? Ron will have a heyday. I can't wait until everyone comes back tomorrow. I'm so bored. No offence or anything." He added quickly.
Hermione smiled wryly. "I'm sorry my liege, what can I do to make your stay more comfortable?"
"Stop talking in that bored monotone for one, it makes me feel unimportant."
"And that's the very last thing we'd want." Hermione said, rolling her eyes.
Just then Snape burst into the comon room. "POTTER! GRANGER! COME! NOW!"
"What?"
"DON'T ASK QUESTIONS! JUST RUN!"
Hermione glanced at Harry for reassurance but he was not looking at her. They followed Snape through the corridors and out into the courtyard. They went past Hagrid's hut and didn't stop until they reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
"We don't have much time." Snape said. "Harry, you take this lamp and this bag. It has a change of robes and some food. Just walk, Harry. Walk until you reach the center of the forest."
"How do I know when I've reached the center?"
"You'll know." Snape said urgently. "Miss Granger, you'll come with me."
Harry looked at Snape and then at Hermione but no further commands were issued.
He took his lamp and his bag, and, feeling more alone than he had in his entire life Harry started walking. There was the possibility that this was a trap and Snape was intending to kill him but Harry knew that if Snape wanted him dead that bad he would have killed him with any means possible. He struggled over tree roots and around animals. He had no idea if he was going in the right direction. All he knew was that it was very dark and very cold. And that he was scared.
He wrapped his arms around his body and walked along, shivering with cold and fear. The first creature he made contact with was a centaur. It walked right up to him and he nearly fell over with shock and fear.
"We have been waiting for you, Harry Potter."
"Great, well I imagine my flesh will be kind of tough and don't let anyone eat my lungs, I'm very possesive about them."
The centaur, who Harry knew was quite young, was startled into silence for a moment. "We do not intend to-eat-you Harry Potter, we wish to help you."
"Great, give me directions to the centre of this forest and I'll be indebted to you forever." Harry said sourly.
"Harry Potter," the centaur said, completely ignoring him. "You are in grave danger here."
"Go figure." Harry muttered.
"You must journey to the center of this forest where you will find a safe place and further instruction."
"Thanks for the help." Harry said dryly.
He did not make contact with any more creatures for almost half an hour. The second creature was an imp and it pushed him over, chuckled heartily and scurried away before he could wring it's neck. The next creature, however, Harry recognised.
"Fawkes?" Harry said softly. But as the Phoenix flew closer Harry realised it was too small to be Fawkes, yet it seemed strangely familiar, like he had seen it many times before. "Penny." He said, unsure of why this name sounded so right. He put his arm up into the air and the bird flew down and landed gracefully. "Penny." He said again. "Where have I heard that before?" he wondered out loud.
Suddenly his eyes flew open. He let the bird off and dug around in his pockets, searching for the photo album he always kept with him. He flipped through the pagesof the album and found the picture he had been looking for. He pulled it out and flipped it over. HARRY & PENNY OCT.15
Harry looked at the phoenix. "Hey Penny, you going to help me out here or what?"
The phoenix let out a quavering note and Harry stood and continued his journey, satisfied. The phoenix flew ahead, never straying too far from Harry. The last creature Harry saw on his journey through the forest was a unicorn. "Reckon we should go after it Penny?" Harry asked. They bird sang. "Alright." Harry said, "if you insist."
Harry ran after the unicorn, weaving in and out of trees, the phoenix song lulling him, giving him strength as he ran. And as he followed the unicorn he found the forest growing brighter and lighter and suddenly the unicorn stopped and Harry caught up with it. The center of the forest.
"Mum?" Harry said, "Dad?"
Harry had just finished telling Hermione about what had happened in Lupin's office. "Isn't it though? Ron will have a heyday. I can't wait until everyone comes back tomorrow. I'm so bored. No offence or anything." He added quickly.
Hermione smiled wryly. "I'm sorry my liege, what can I do to make your stay more comfortable?"
"Stop talking in that bored monotone for one, it makes me feel unimportant."
"And that's the very last thing we'd want." Hermione said, rolling her eyes.
Just then Snape burst into the comon room. "POTTER! GRANGER! COME! NOW!"
"What?"
"DON'T ASK QUESTIONS! JUST RUN!"
Hermione glanced at Harry for reassurance but he was not looking at her. They followed Snape through the corridors and out into the courtyard. They went past Hagrid's hut and didn't stop until they reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
"We don't have much time." Snape said. "Harry, you take this lamp and this bag. It has a change of robes and some food. Just walk, Harry. Walk until you reach the center of the forest."
"How do I know when I've reached the center?"
"You'll know." Snape said urgently. "Miss Granger, you'll come with me."
Harry looked at Snape and then at Hermione but no further commands were issued.
He took his lamp and his bag, and, feeling more alone than he had in his entire life Harry started walking. There was the possibility that this was a trap and Snape was intending to kill him but Harry knew that if Snape wanted him dead that bad he would have killed him with any means possible. He struggled over tree roots and around animals. He had no idea if he was going in the right direction. All he knew was that it was very dark and very cold. And that he was scared.
He wrapped his arms around his body and walked along, shivering with cold and fear. The first creature he made contact with was a centaur. It walked right up to him and he nearly fell over with shock and fear.
"We have been waiting for you, Harry Potter."
"Great, well I imagine my flesh will be kind of tough and don't let anyone eat my lungs, I'm very possesive about them."
The centaur, who Harry knew was quite young, was startled into silence for a moment. "We do not intend to-eat-you Harry Potter, we wish to help you."
"Great, give me directions to the centre of this forest and I'll be indebted to you forever." Harry said sourly.
"Harry Potter," the centaur said, completely ignoring him. "You are in grave danger here."
"Go figure." Harry muttered.
"You must journey to the center of this forest where you will find a safe place and further instruction."
"Thanks for the help." Harry said dryly.
He did not make contact with any more creatures for almost half an hour. The second creature was an imp and it pushed him over, chuckled heartily and scurried away before he could wring it's neck. The next creature, however, Harry recognised.
"Fawkes?" Harry said softly. But as the Phoenix flew closer Harry realised it was too small to be Fawkes, yet it seemed strangely familiar, like he had seen it many times before. "Penny." He said, unsure of why this name sounded so right. He put his arm up into the air and the bird flew down and landed gracefully. "Penny." He said again. "Where have I heard that before?" he wondered out loud.
Suddenly his eyes flew open. He let the bird off and dug around in his pockets, searching for the photo album he always kept with him. He flipped through the pagesof the album and found the picture he had been looking for. He pulled it out and flipped it over. HARRY & PENNY OCT.15
Harry looked at the phoenix. "Hey Penny, you going to help me out here or what?"
The phoenix let out a quavering note and Harry stood and continued his journey, satisfied. The phoenix flew ahead, never straying too far from Harry. The last creature Harry saw on his journey through the forest was a unicorn. "Reckon we should go after it Penny?" Harry asked. They bird sang. "Alright." Harry said, "if you insist."
Harry ran after the unicorn, weaving in and out of trees, the phoenix song lulling him, giving him strength as he ran. And as he followed the unicorn he found the forest growing brighter and lighter and suddenly the unicorn stopped and Harry caught up with it. The center of the forest.
"Mum?" Harry said, "Dad?"