Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to Harry Potter and this does not (to my knowledge) contain any spoilers to Harry Potter 6 or 7. I also apologize to those readers how are able to look at the chapter titles of DVDs they've never seen and predict the whole plot; you may realize most of the plot before it happens but it's still worth reading.
A Forest Full of Truths: Chapter 4: The First Black/Padfoot
(Midnight, the Hollow)
He woke with a start, his face sweaty. He looked around the room no one else was seemed to be awake. Slowly he got out of bed and walked to the door, when he noticed that one of the beds was empty. He turned, looking out the window he saw the shadow of his brother on the outer wall, very solemnly he left to join him.
"What are you doing up this late," his brother asked, still looking over the wall into the forest.
"I just woke up is all," stupid, he knows your lying.
"It's time isn't it, you have to go, don't you?"
"Yes tonight, I don't know why yet, but I know I must."
"Will you come back?"
"Of course, but I must finish something first."
"This isn't you duty, so why does it call you?"
"Because I must be the guide, to find the one who must finish it. I won't be far or long so keep out of trouble."
"Ya, we'll see you at full, right?"
"Of course, can you explain to Nim for me?" His brother nodded, "right then I'll be off, take care while I'm gone and be ready when I return, I have a feeling." Without another word he turned and walked out of the hold, he looked back for a moment making sure he wouldn't forget his home, for he had made a promise and now, yet again, it was time to keep to it.
It was just before dawn when he woke her, at first she was reluctant, she kept saying "five more minutes" but after a moment Harry gave her a firm kiss, just next to her lips and she shot strait up.
"What? What was that..."
"To get you up, and it appears it worked." Harry laughed as Hermione threw a pillow at him but then she to started laughing.
By dawn they had packed, eaten and were on their way. After five days of following the river north, the started to see small patches of snow. They had fallen into a kind of routine, Harry would led at a quick pace for a bit, checking for any sign of them being followed then, once he was sure they were safe, he'd slow his pace, walking beside Hermione, occasionally holding her hand to make sure she was still there, around noon they would stop have a very small meal and drink from the river. While Hermione's ankle was slowly healing it did give trouble at times, she would often lean on Harry for support, by then end of the day Harry was carrying her on him back. Every night they slept next to one another often to tired to care how close they were.
On the sixth day they woke, ate and packed as usual, at noon the day seemed normal. Harry and Hermione talked and laughed about Hogwarts and what they thought everyone was doing, if they even knew Harry and Hermione were lost. They crossed a small ravine and as Harry helped push Hermione out he felt something rap around his waist and pull him backward. It was a giant plant vine with sharp thorns, Harry fell backward onto the ground and was being dragged away when Hermione cast a spell it stunned the vine for a split second, long enough for Harry to pull his wand cut himself free. The wounded vine pulled back but four more took its place, three grabbed Harry the final one went for Hermione. These vines to soon retreated but now eight took their place, soon Harry and Hermione were both rapped in the vines being pulled into the forest. After a few moments the entered a small clearing covered in the vines, they were being dragged to the center were a gigantic flower sat, but this was no ordinary flower, it had sharp teeth and acid saliva. The vines turned Harry and Hermione up side down and shook them until their bags and wands fell to the ground. Now totally defenseless the two began to struggle madly, all hope appeared lost as the flower raised the two over it mouth, until a huge black dog came running from the forest and pounced upon the flower. As the two beasts fought Harry and Hermione managed to find their wands, throwing ever spell they knew at the beast they slowly wore it down until it to retreated deeper in the forest. Thinking they were safe the two lowered their wands and turned to the dog but one vine remained and as it drew back it let out one whip, hitting Hermione across her shoulder with its sharp thorns. Harry ran to her side as the dog jumped in front of them protectively and chased the after the vine. Only moments later the dog returned he lay down and motioned, with his head, that Harry and Hermione should get on. Harry quickly did so, once they returned to the river he dismounted, Hermione lay, eyes closed with a look of pain on her face.
"What can I do," he turned to the dog but found a young boy in its place.
"First you must take her shirt off so we may look at the wound," too worried to question Harry did as he was told and removed Hermione shirt so she had only a thin undershirt that kept her decent. She had a large wound across her back. The boy quickly examined it then pulled out a handful of leaves from one of his side pockets. "Chew this quickly," he commanded, Harry did, the boy then rubbed it over Hermione's wound. Harry could see Hermione wince in pain, he took her hand and told her everything would be all right. "That will heal her but we can not stay here, get on quickly." The boy transformed into the large dog, Harry got on with Hermione in his arms. The dog took them across and up the river Harry spotted a large crack on the side of the river bank, the dog stopped and transformed again together the carried Hermione inside, one wouldn't have guessed the size of the cavern form the entrance. It was huge twice as large as the common room and dormitories together.
"Hold her a minute, do you have any padding?"
"Yes, in our bags there," he pointed to his bag that lay on the floor. The boy took out the two sleeping bags any lay them on the ground one on top of the other.
"Lay her here, but on her stomach, the wound must heal." Harry obeyed once again, the boy ran to the back of the cave, when he returned he had another small bag, he pulled out a bundle of small twigs. The boy sat down near Hermione, he placed the twigs in a small stone bowl, then tit them with a stone fire starter, the twigs melted like ice leaving a brown liquid in the bowl. "you will have to hold her down this will hurt."
"No, what are you going to do to her?"
"If I don't heal her quickly she will die, you care deeply for her, I understand you don't want her to suffer but trust me boy if I don't do this her fate will be far worse. You must trust me or you wouldn't have come with me."
"If anything, I mean anything happens to her, you will wish her fate."
"I understand, sit where she can see you, hold her hands tight." Harry wrapped her fingers in his and moved so she looked strait at him. Her hands clenched and she was on the verge of tears, until suddenly she released her grip and her eyes closed. Harry shot strait up wand out. "Hold it there boy, she's fine, look she's breathing, the herbs I used just put her to sleep so she heals faster." Harry bent down, wand still drawn, he was right she was breathing and looked at peace. "See she's fine, can you put the stick away now?"
"How do I know I can trust you?"
"You don't, until I prove it, and I can't if held at stick point. But you trusted me enough to let me heal her, with as much as you care for her that took a lot of trust."
"Who, what are you, a wizard?"
"Hey no need to be passing insults I just saved your friends life no need to be so rude as to call me a wizard."
"I meant no offense, but if your not a wizard then what are you?" Harry lowered his wand slightly and looked at him side ways.
"I am something far older, and more powerful than a weak wizard. I am a creature of the forest, a child of pure magic and a soldier of the clan." He sat down and poured a drink from a flask.
"What do you mean? A creature of the forest?" Harry said as he sat down next to Hermione.
"I am part of the forest as it is part of me and unlike a wizard I need no wand to use the magic that flows in my veins."
"Okay, so what are you called?"
"I am called many things, son, brother, friend, love."
"No, what is your name."
"Oh, why didn't you say so, my name, well I doubt you could pronounce it in my tongue but I can tell you what it would be in yours." He paused to think, then took a small sip of his drink.
"Well..." Harry was getting impatient.
"As this is my home, should you not tell me your name first."
"All right, my name is Harry Potter."
"And hers?"
"Her name is Hermione Granger."
"Very well young Harry Potter my name means one who treads upon pads, or Padded foot."
"Your name is Padfoot?"
"Well I guess you could call me that. Where is it you are going?"
"We are trying to get back to our school, Hogwarts." At the mention of Hogwarts he nearly spit out his drink and shot straight up. "What is it?"
"You, are from the Stone Hollow?"
"Stone Hollow, what?"
"The Stone Hollow, built by the magiclings to keep their young safe from those without their powers."
"You mean built by wizard so they could be away from muggles?" Padfoot nodded. "Yes, I'm in my sixth year, is something wrong?"
"No, but had I known I would have been more polite and I would have given you their name. The name that their lords gave me so long ago when I was but a child."
"But a child you don't look a day over eleven."
"That may be how it looks but I have seen many turns of this world, indeed I have seen many things."
"Okay, what was the name these lords gave you and who are they?"
"The lords of Hogwarts named me and my brothers while the ladies name my sisters. Surely you must know them, the lords of lion and serpent and their sisters the ladies of hawk and badger."
"You mean the founders of Hogwarts."
"Yes, those who built the Stone Hollow, it is they who named me and the rest of my family, they gave us two names one that we pass on the other is ours alone."
"And what names did they give you?" Harry said inquisitively, though in his heart he knew the answer.
"The first, Black for my hair, the second was the name of one of Orion's hounds, for the black dog is my souls form, oh what was it again, it been so long, oh yes I remember Sirius. They say I must pass on the name of Black to my children, for I am the first Black, in our people we have only one name but you wizard are so odd, one must have two names." Harry leaned back confused, Sirius Black how was it possible. "Are you all right young Potter." Harry could only nod. "Well I'm going to take off for a bit to make sure no one finds our trail. You should sleep boy tomorrow we will go." Harry looked up at him.
"Go where?"
"You do not belong here, as one sworn to service I must take you back to the Stone Hollow where you will be safe. Sleep boy but stay alert," he pointed toward Hermione, "she could wake at anytime, I expect you will have to explain something's to her."
After a few hours sleep Hermione awoke to find Harry's sleeping head only inches from hers. She shook him slightly, once she had a drink of water and a cloak Harry explained what had happened. He had only just finished when Padfoot came running it soaking wet and out of breath.