Part Fifteen

It was a week later when they all received notes at the breakfast table.

Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight.

Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall.

Professor M. McGonagall

At eleven o'clock they all went down to the entrance hall. Filch was already there…with Malfoy. Filch told the five kids to follow him. He led them outside into the courtyard and past the bridge to Hagrid's hut. Filch had been talking all through it, but most of the kids had tuned him out. "Is that you, Filch?" Hagrid called. "Hurry up, I want to get started."

Erin wasn't paying much attention until she heard Malfoy's voice; he sounded like he was going to wet himself. "The forest? We can't go in there. Students aren't allowed. I've heard there's werewolves."

"Oh, there's more than werewolves in there boy." Filch turned to Hagrid. "I'll be back at dawn, for what's left of them."

Filch left and Malfoy turned to Hagrid. "I'm not going in that forest."

Erin stifled a laugh. Hagrid gave him a look. "Yeh are if yeh want to stay at Hogwarts."

"But that's servant stuff! Wait till my father hears about this he'll—"

"—Tell yeh that's how it is at Hogwarts." Hagrid paused to see if Malfoy was going to retaliate and then, "Right then, now listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment." Hagrid moved off and Erin felt Hagrid's boarhound Fang next to her. Fang leaned against the girl's leg, staying with her as Hagrid them to the very edge of the forest. He held his lamp high and Erin saw some shiny stuff on the ground. "Look there," Hagrid said to those who hadn't noticed, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? That's unicorn blood…There's a unicorn in there been hurt bad by summat. This is the second one in a week. I found one dead a few nights ago. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing and if necessary put it out of its misery."

"And what if whatever hurts the unicorn finds us first?" Malfoy asked.

"Your such a wuss without Crabbe and Goyle." Erin said.

Hagrid didn't comment on the girls' remark. "There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang. An' keep ter the path. Right, now we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."

"All right," Malfoy said. "Then I want Fang."

"All right." Hagrid said. "But I warn yeh, he's a bloody coward."

Fang moved closer to Erin's leg, if that were possible and whined. "I'll go with the little scared boys, Hagrid." Erin said.

He nodded. "Ok, Harry you go with them too." Harry nodded. "Ron, Hermione, you'll come with me."

Ron said, "Ok," in a very frightened and strangled voice. Erin shook my head; there wasn't anything to be afraid of.

"Come on, boys." Erin said handing Draco the lantern.

"This is going to be a long night." Harry said.

"Yeah, and I have to baby-sit these two." The girl sighed.

"Fang and Malfoy?"

"Well, someone has to make sure Malfoy doesn't get killed."

"Do you really think he'd do something stupid?" Harry asked in low voice.

"Think about his track record." Erin shook her head. "It seems all he does is something stupid."

They set off into the heart of the forest with Malfoy tagging along behind them. Fang was still practically glued to Erin's side. She didn't know how long they walked, following the trail of blood spatterings; they just went deeper and deeper into the forest until the path was about non-existent. "Harry, there's more blood…"

"Look!" He whispered. Erin looked to where he was pointing and sure enough something bright was on the ground. Erin felt the bile start to rise in her throat. She turned and threw up into the bushes. "You ok?" Harry asked.

"Yeah." Erin nodded. "Just hate to see dead things like that." She stopped and her eyes widened. "Harry…"

Harry turned. Malfoy was right behind the two with Fang. Something was slithering along the ground. Erin couldn't make out what it was in the dark…until she saw whatever it was bend over the unicorn…and then she knew. "No…" Erin whispered. The thing was drinking the unicorn's blood.

It raised its head and Malfoy took off screaming with Fang at his heels. Harry and Erin stepped back as the thing came toward them. Erin's shoulder and neck were burning. She had her hand on Harry's arm. Harry had his other hand over his own scar wincing in pain. Erin tripped falling over backward. Harry landed beside her and put his arm across the girl pushing her backward as the thing came nearer and nearer to them, hissing. Their scars were burning so badly that they could hardly stand it.

The sound of hoof beats and a shape appeared above them. They couldn't see what it was until the pain in their scars lessened. By then they could see a centaur coming toward them through the bushes. "Harry Potter, the forest isn't safe at this time, especially for you—" The centaur paused when he saw Erin. "Ah, yes, the woman-child." He murmured.

"What was that thing you saved us from?" Harry asked.

"A monstrous creature, to drink the blood of a unicorn will keep you alive even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something so pure, so innocent, the moment the blood touches your lips you will have a half-life, a cursed life."

"But who would choose such a life?" Harry asked.

"Can you think of no one?"

"Do you mean that that thing that killed the unicorn, that was drinking its blood, that was Voldemort?"

"Do you know what is hidden at the castle this very moment?" He asked.

"The Sorcerer's Stone." Harry breathed.

"Harry? Erin!" Hermione's voice cut through the stillness and they turned to see Hagrid with a crossbow.

"Hello there, Firenze." Hagrid said. "I see you've met Mr. Potter and Miss Lyancomp."

Harry Potter, Miss—Lyancomp, here is where I leave you, you're safe now."

Once the four were back in the Common Room Harry and Erin told what had happened to them in the forest. "Don't you see?" Harry said. "We had it wrong. Snape doesn't want the stone for himself, he wants the stone for Voldemort."

"You don't think he'll try to kill you do you?" Ron asked.

"I think that if he'd had the chance he'd of tried to kill me tonight." Harry said. "And not just me, he would have killed Erin too." Erin didn't look up.

"Harry, you're forgetting one thing." Hermione said. "Who is the only wizard You-Know-Who was ever afraid of?"

Harry and Ron both shrugged. "Dumbledore." The other girl said still not looking up.

"That's right." Hermione said. "As long as Dumbledore is here, Harry, you're safe. As long as Dumbledore is here, you can't be touched."

"And Harry, we'll be here, he'll have to go through us to get to you." Erin said.

"You know," Ron said. "If it was anyone else saying that I would say you were crazy, but since it's Erin, you know."

"Yeah." Harry smiled. "Since it's Erin."

Erin looked up. "Since it's Erin what?" She asked.

"Since it's you," Ron said. "I just believe you could actually do something to protect Harry from Him." Erin wished I could tell them the truth…her hand went up and rubbed the scar hidden underneath her blouse.