Disclaimer in First Part. Enjoy!
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Next evening at about nine o'clock Harry made his way down to the greenhouses for his detention. Professor Sprout was waiting for him.
"Ah, Potter good." She said brightly. "You've got your wand?" Harry pulled it out of his pocket. "Good, you'll need it in the Forest." Harry stared at her.
"We're going into the Forest?!" he asked. Professor Sprout looked surprised.
"Yes, didn't Professor Snape tell you?" Harry shook his head grimly. Professor Sprout snorted and muttered something that sounded like 'typical.' Harry suppressed a grin. Sprout regarded him.
"Well, this needs to be done," she said grimly. "Come here." She beckoned Harry over as she pulled a large book down from a shelf a flipped through it. "Here," she said at last, stopping on a page." Look at this." Harry obediently looked at the page. There were two pictures, one of a white/silver flower that resembled Muggle snowdrops, and then one of the same flower opened wide, a silver light glowing at its centre. Harry started reading the text as Sprout bustled around, collecting what they would need.
Moondrops.
Moondrops are an extremely rare flower. As they only glow where
werewolves are found, the persecution of werewolves have driven
this already rare flower to near extinction. One of the few places left in
Britain where Moondrops still grow is the Forbidden Forest, Hogwarts.
Moondrops have many valuable healing properties, and are essential
in many of the most powerful protection spells, including the Fidelius
Charm. These properties are only awakened when the moondrop opens,
which only occurs under a full moon. Because of this, moondrops
can only be harvested on the night of the full moon if you wish to retain
its powers.
Harry looked up from the book, wide eyed, to glance up at the moon, just beginning to rise over the Scottish mountains.
"Here," Professor Sprout interrupted him, thrusting a container of potion at him. "Take this, it's a Preserver Potion to keep the Moondrops-"
"Professor," Harry blurted out. "It's the full moon!" Sprout looked at him understandingly.
"Don't worry," she said. "Just keep your eyes open and your hand near your wand and you'll be all right. Natural werewolves tend to avoid humans, unlike Bitten Ones"
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, curious in spite of himself.
"Natural werewolves are born that way." Professor Sprout explained. "They're half wolf, never totally regain their human form. The only thing that happens to them on a full moon is that they transform completely into their wolf self, and they lose their minds."
"What about Bitten Ones?" Harry asked.
"Those are werewolves that are born human." Sprout replied. "They are bitten, either by a Natural werewolf or another Bitten one and are cursed. They remain in human mind and form most of the time, then at the full moon transform. They are attracted to humans, unlike naturals, probably because they were once human themselves. They're more violent than Naturals, and bite and scratch themselves if they can't get at humans." Sprout fell silent and Harry remembered Lupin, the desolate look that had been in his eyes as he told them what he did to himself during his transformations in the Shrieking Shack… "Anyway," Sprout said briskly, "You should be asking Hagrid about this, not me. I only know so much because I have to go into the Forest a lot. Pays to know what you're getting yourself into."
"Ummm, about that…" Harry began.
"Oh, we'll be OK," Sprout said cheerfully. "Just light your wand." She waited while Harry muttered 'Lumos' "And then we'll go." As Harry trudged after the Herbology Professor into the Dark Forest, he couldn't shake a bad feeling about this.
Half an hour later it still hadn't left him, though tiredness had replaced it somewhat. Half an hour of pushing through undergrowth, and the only light they had seen was that from their wands. Even the stars had been covered by heavy clouds.
Harry yawned widely, glancing around then stopped. Nestled at the foot of a small tree on the edge of a clearing just to his right were gleaming clumps of silver.
"Professor," he whispered. Sprout turned around.
"Yes, what… Oh!" She caught sight of the glowing flowers and hurried over to them, Harry trailing behind her carrying the container of Preserver Potion. She dropped to her knees to examine them. "Well down Potter," she praised, "These are unusually fine specimens, well done!"
"Great," Harry muttered, glancing around nervously as Professor Sprout bent over the softly shining moondrops, examining them closely. He couldn't shake a bad feeling. The hair on the back of his neck prickled and he resisted the urge to rub his arms. Professor Sprout was still bent over her plants as Harry set the Potion down carefully. 'You're just being paranoid,' he tried to tell himself, but his hand slipped inside his robes to touch the reassuring smoothness of his wand. He eyed the surrounding trees carefully, listening, he wasn't sure for what. Harry bit his lip, memories coming to him of his less-then-pleasant experiences in the forest.
"Potter," he jumped, startled. And looked back to Sprout. She hadn't even looked up. "Can you open the Potion?" she continued. "I think-" There was no warning before a weight suddenly bore Harry to the ground. He cried out, reaching for his wand. Snarling, and he ducked his head just in time to avoid gleaming teeth aiming for his throat. Then the weight was suddenly gone and he sprang to his feet, wand in hand, and stared in horror at the three wolves, o, werewolves, approaching them.
"Professor!" he called, throat tight as he stared at them wide-eyed.
"Right, Potter," he heard her come up behind him, not daring to take his eyes of the wolves. "On the count of three, stunning spells, ok? One-" she didn't get to finish as the three wolves lunged as one. Harry dived to one side with Seeker reflexes, avoiding them, but Professor sprout wasn't so lucky as she was knocked backwards, her head hitting a tree with a loud 'crack'
"No!" Harry shouted. He scrambled to his feet, racing to put himself between the 'wolves and Sprout. 'Not again,' he thought frantically, 'I won't let anyone else die because of me!' The lead wolf had put his head down, preparing to rip her throat out- "Incendio!" Harry shouted. A jet of fire shot out of his wand in front of the 'wolf's nose. It reared back, yelping, and turned to face Harry, growling deeply in the back of his throat as Harry placed himself between it and its intended prey.
Harry swallowed hard, gripping his wand tightly as he face the three wolves, heart pounding. He was almost supernaturally aware of his surroundings as he stared at his attackers. His mind raced, trying to find any way out of this. Then, as if at some signal, the wolves rushed at him.
"Stupefy!" he shouted. The spell hit one, it stumbled but didn't stop it, and then they were on him. Harry hit the ground again, terror in him as he tried to aim his wand, tried to think of any spell that could help him, he screamed as teeth ripped into his side. The pain spread through his body, as bad as the Cruciatus Curse. He screwed up his courage, raised his wand and shouted "Expecto Patronum!" The silver stag burst out of his wand driving the 'wolves back, he could hear their terrified yelps fading as he collapsed back onto the ground. Dimly he could see his blood soaked robes and before he slipped into unconsciousness, with a sickening feeling he realised what that meant as he fell into blessed darkness.
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Ohh, a cliffhanger! Please review!!!!!!! No flames, but constructive criticism welcome.
