Yay! A new chapter!!! WEEEEEE!!!!! Oh, the things you do when you're hyper . . .

Chapter 3: Into The Forest

"So . . . what are we to do now?" George said as he slowly stood up.

"Well, we've obviously got to save him," a voice from behind them said.

They turned to find their friends Lily Thatcher, with whom they had gotten separated with in the Great Hall. She leaned casually against the cold, stonewall and smiled slightly.

"Where the hell did you go?" Fred inquired.

"Had to make sure the other students got back alright."

"Is that the truth?"

"No, but it's my cover story."

"For what?" Harry asked.

"The little traps I left for Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle, and also one for Craft."

"You're going to prank a professor?" Hermione stammered uneasily.

"Well, I think it's brilliant!" George piped in.

"Me too," replied Fred.

Ginny continued to look uncomfortable, and moved to the fetal position. The others stopped and stared at her for a moment, then continued their conversation with the details of the simple traps that had been set.

"The traps were simple little charms that were set off by the movement of the desired prey. Once the person would walk by it, the ameba-shaped object would float behind its prey, and taunt it, but when the person would turn to see who's mocking them, it would become invisible. After about twenty-four hours the ameba will explode, leaving the victim stained a vivacious pink that is terribly difficult to get off."

"Wicked!" Fred, George, and Harry said in unison. Hermione on the other hand, was much less enthusiastic, and Ginny was still curled up on the floor.

"I-I don't think I can help you guys save Ron," Ginny said after a long silence. "I really don't think that I'm up to it."

"Well, that's okay Gin, I'll fill in for ya."

"Thanks, Lily. You're brave like that." She smiled and stood next to the girl. Lily put her hand on the youngest Weasley's shoulder. "I must be off then, many things to do, yes indeed." She then quickly turned and ran back into the school.

"What was that all about?" Harry questioned.

"Who knows."

"She's always like that."

"Well, let's get ready to got then." Hermione stated. "We can get supplies then set off into the forest."

The others nodded, and divided up what needed to be collected before they could depart, and then set off to find their part of the list. In half an hour, everyone had gone down to Hagrid's hut. "If everyone's ready, let's go then!"

Harry was first to head into the forest, followed him in this sequence: Fred, George, Lily, and then Hermione; who was muttering how much she disliked the forest. They moved quickly deep into the darkness, traveling with little conversation. They were all too nervous of what they might find in the woods and what might happen to Ron if they failed. Such things really do dampen one's mood.

After two hours of walking in silence, Hermione whispered, "The ruins of that blasted castle shouldn't be too far off now. But I really don't think that we're going to find a stupid 'forbidden' cheese wheel. It's probably all rotten and eaten by now. Cheese doesn't have a very long shelf life, ya know."

"Yeah, but it's the 'Forbidden Cheese Wheel,' so it might be different." Lily suggested.

"I won't believe it until I see it."

"Well, I guess that shouldn't be that long from now seeing there's a clearing ahead."

And, indeed, there was a clearing ahead of them, even though Lily was the only one able to see it. You see Lily isn't like other girls. In fact she is quite different. Her senses are greatly magnified so that she can she great distances, she can hear things being whispered a mile away, she can smell things from ten miles away, and when she takes a bit of something, she can taste the minerals and such things in it, like iron, calcium, that sort of stuff. She has a few other tricks too, but now isn't the time to get into that.

The band of friends walked for fifteen minutes before they could see the clearing Lily spoke of. They quickened their pace and came into the clearing twenty minutes later. In the clearing were the remains of an old castle. Most definitely the one they were looking for. It fit Craft's brief description fairly well.

"Let's go in, shall we?"

"Yeah . . ." The others replied halfhearted.

The students made their way into what was left of the castle and began search for their query. From what they could see, no one would want to leave anything almost anywhere they searched. It was after and hour of searching when Harry walked over a hidden underground tunnel and fell into it. The others quickly ran over to where he had fallen.

"Are you alright, mate?" Fred asked.

Harry moaned quietly, and replied, "I think so." After pausing for a moment, he said, "guys . . . I think there's something down here."

Hmmm. . . I wonder what Harry saw? And what of Ron? Is he all right? Is he dead? I guess you'll have to see what happens next . . .