This chapter became so long I had to cut it, so this is sort of the first part ... So, their adventures in the Forbidden Forest will end next chapter ! And I'll work hard these weeks, I'll try to write as much chapters as I can in order to have them corrected before my editor (the girl who's kindly correcting my English) moved to Quebec city ... (university ...)

oh and thanks to burningstar14, my second reviewer I'm sorry to tell you, you'll be even more pissed offat Lily if you were already "

disclaimer : I do no own any Harry Potter characters

9. The Forbidden Forest

That Friday had been a dull one for Marpessa and she was somehow glad when the evening came. After hearing Lily complaining about James (he was now the big-headed jerk with a brainless girl) every minutes of the day, it was now more clear than ever that the Head Girl actually liked it when the Marauder asked her to go out. Yes, it was Friday, the last Friday of the month, and James had planned to spend the evening with Euphrosyna. And the Grace would be making sure her boyfriend would forget all about that also red-head Evans. According to Remus's recordings, it was the second time James was missing his Friday, last Friday of the month one-way rendezvous. The first time, he had been attacked by Snape and a third eye erupted on his face. Still he had tried to find Lily, but Madam Pomfrey had bound him on his hospital bed. This evening, he was retained by two arms and a pulpy mouth.

Marpessa, Rose and Alice had a hard time with a very likely Lily who was giving detention to all the students who seemed to be happy. She seemed determined to ignore the fact that detentions concerned her as well. Finally, Alice got out her wand and sent a Petrificus Totalus Curse to Lily, while the Head Girl was shouting after a couple of fifth-year. Marpessa and Rose had to carry their friend to the Entrance Hall. They decided to exit the Gryffindor Common Room very discreetly, in order to avoid the Marauders stupid jokes about Stunned Filch and Stunned Mrs Norris. Rose had Disilused Marpessa and Lily and had tried to do so on herself, but still she was not able. So, wearing an ugly old-fashionned brown cloak, Rose passed through the Fat Lady Portrait, relieved that neither James, Sirius, Remus or Peter were no where to be seen. They probably had better things to do, like trying to drown Snape in the Vanishing Toilets. The three girls kept hiding themselves until they reached the Great Hall, in case they would have an encounter with the Caretaker. He had probably nothing else to do than torment students ...

Argus Filch, Rubeus Hagrid and three identical Hufflepuffs boys were waiting near the gigantic oak doors of Hogwarts. The Caretaker's left eye kept twitching and he had a weird twisted grin when he saw Rose, Lily and Marpessa coming. He said absolutely nothing, but the girls could hear him groaning.

"I wonder if some of them'll come back in one piece ..." he murmured, before leaving Hagrid and the students, Mrs Norris following him.

Hagrid glanced at thim, raising his enormous shoulders. He was carrying teapots, as if they were going to take tea in the Forest.

"Ah now, we can go", he growled, smiling at the six students, "They'll be waitin' fer us ..."

"They ?" repeated one of the Hufflepuff boy, his face suddenly growing paler.

"Yeh've not been told, have yeh ? The Thestrals need a little er ... extra-care these times."

The students swallowed their saliva with great difficulty. The Thestrals were not dangerous - unless someone really wanted to be hurt - but, considering the fact that in daylight they were slightly frightening (seen or not), at night their skeletons silhouettes would become rather creepy. But Hagrid was acting just like they were on a pleasant walk to get some fresh air.

Hogwarts grounds were forming strange dark and curved shapes, only lighten up by the pale shine of the moon. Looking at it, a bright silver ball, Marpessa felt relieved that it was not the full moon. The Forbidden Forest was unwelcoming enough, there was no need of a werewolf and its mocking friends. Hagrid was leading Marpessa, Rose, Lily and the three Hufflepuff boys towards an obscure and narrow path which ended in a small clearing. Between the trees' branches, shaped like hooked fingers, a few stars could be seen.

"Remember ? You stick with me and there'll be no problems", said Hagrid, loudly. Indeed, the giant Gatekeeper was acting like if he was on a romantic trip. The shadows and the proximity of a wide monsters bestiaries did not affect him at all.

"Why do we have to er ... check the Thestrals at night ?" asked one of the Hufflepuff boys. A tone of panic disturbed his voice.

"They're nocturnal ... Don' really appreciate to be wakin' up durin' the day !"

"Er ... What do they need ? you said 'little extra-care' ?" said Rose, admiring the scenery timidly.

"Two of them are havin' arthritis, we'll have to er ... relieve them a bit."

What could relieve a Thestral suffering from arthritis ? Marpessa and Rose never found out. At this very moment, a flight of owls and bats dived above their heads, in a swirl of feathers and couinements. The three Hufflepuffs boys yelled, panicing like if they were attacked by wild beasts, and they just ran in three different directions, ignoring Hagrid shouting at them to come back. For a few seconds, Hagrid, Rose, Marpessa and Lily could see the tall shadows of the Hufflepuffs moving away, until they faded among the trees.

"Don' leave me ! You'll get lost !" still cried Hagrid.

He seemed clearly taken aback for a while and, when he finally regained confidence, he said :

"Wait fer me here, girls. I'll go and get them. Lily, you come with me"

"But er -"

"Hagrid, you -"

"No worries, I'll come back soon with the lads."

He and Lily walked throughout the bushes and branches and disapeared as quickly as the Hufflepuffs did.

"Rose, we'll need to remember our Defense against ... Er ... Rose ?"

Marpessa turned around : Rose had vanished.

"Rose, if you're hiding, it's not funny at all ... " muttered Marpessa.

As a Gryffindor, Marpessa had no lack of courage, but it did not mean she did not feel fear. This time, panick seized her, as she remembered the few times she'd been in the Forbidden Forest.

"Rose ?" she tried again, but a very feeble voice.

The Forbidden Forest was surrounding her and she just couldn't figure out how many beasts could be lurking among the trees ...Once, she had visited (though, this was not exactly the correct word to use) the Forest with the Marauders, to prove she could keep their many secrets. It has been like an initiation and all she could recall from this night was that Giant Spiders did not like being disturbed in their sleep ... Marpessa hoped Rose had not met one these creatures ... Finally, she steadied herself, wand out and high. But suddenly, she heard a sound behind her and, when she turned around, ready to face a dragon, she let out a yell. A huge, dark shadow, that seemed almost unreal, jumped on her and made her fall and roll over the ground. Screaming as loudly as she could, she forgot all about magic and started hitting her attacker in a very Muggle-like way. Then, she recognized him.

"Sirius ! It's you, I'm so glad, I er ...", she mumbled, breathing heavily.

The shaggy black dog was licking conscientiously her face.

"So you followed us, didn't you ?" added Marpessa, patting the dog. "Good thing, 'cause we're all lost ... Rose disappeared, I fear she might have encountered some of those giant spiders ... We'll have to find her ..."

"You're talking to a dog ?" asked Rose, suddenly appearing in Marpessa's vision field. "Where does it come from ? It's so huge ..."

"Er dunno ..." replied Marpessa, standing up slowly. "Where were you ? You really freaked me out ... thought something grabbed you !"

"Oh er, I thought I saw a Crumple-Horned Snorkack", said Rose, looking thoughtfully at the jet-black dog.

"A what ?"

Sirius barked and it sounded just like he was having a good laugh.

"A Crumple-Horned Snorkack. Thomas Lovegood told me about them" explained Rose, twisting some of her hair absent-mindly.

She was still staring at Sirius.

"He looks like the Grim ... But I don't think the Grim would lick you like that" said Rose, somehow she seemed disappointed no to have meet the Grim " ... Anyway, shall we follow him ?"

Marpessa leaned at Sirius, scratching hard the back of his ears.

"Could you bring us back to the castle ?" she asked.

The dog's half-closed eyes seemed to answer "Just a little bit more scratching and it'll be OK".