Chapter twenty-four: Detention in the Forest

"Snape's just a big...BULLY!" Andy exclaimed in Herbiology as she passed her trowel to Nick, "Well, what can we do?"

Barry shrugged,

"I guess at the moment all we can do is hope Quirrell doesn't give in to Snape," Barry said as he trimmed a hideous looking plant.

"Well that sounded-"

"Andrew..." Andy said warningly.

Andrew shrugged,

"Now, she can read my bloody mind!"

Don looked from Andy and Andrew, no idea what they were on about,

"Anyway...If the safety of the rock depends on Quirrell, well then we're screwed!"

Mione's mouth dropped open,

"Don! That is so negative! You should try and have some faith in Quirrell!"

"S-sorry M-miss R-ranger, I-I-I'll t-try a-and b-be m-more p-p-positive!" Don said with Quirrell's stutter, as a pair of hands covered his eyes.
"Argh! Argh! One of those plants with hands! Their trying to strangle me! Guys, help! I can't, can't breathe!" Don squealed, convinced a plant had tried to attack him...until Jub began giggling,

"Oh it's you! Not an ugly evil plant out to get me!" Don said happily.

Jub laughed again,

"Course not Donny! Can you come give me a hand?"

"Sure!"

"C'mon on then, hi guys!" Jub said looking at Mione, Andy, Andrew, Barry, Nick and Lemo.

"Should we tell her, that Don was dead serious when he thought it was an evil plant?" Andrew said laughing.

"Yea! C'mon!" Andy said, then pretended to go after them, "Nah, it would wound his ego..."

"Barry, are you sure we were supposed to come here for our detentions?" Lemo asked nervously as they waited in the Great Hall, for whoever was going to do the detention.

"Yea, it's what the letter said..."

"Is that all of you?" Filtch asked, with a gleeful smile.

"Yea. What are we going to do for our detention?" Andrew asked.

"You'll see..." Filtch's happiness was too much to bear. They followed him out of the Great Hall and lead them towards the forest, but when they thought he was going to enter the forest, he didn't. Instead he walked up to the house on the edge of the forest. The house of Rubeus Hagrid. From the inside they could hear the growling sounds of Nose, his dog.

"'at yer Filtch?" Hagrid called after FIltch had knocked on his door.

"Yes, Hagrid. I've bought the children for their detention; I'll be back at dawn for what's left of them..."

Andrew gulped,

"What's left of us?"

"Oka' then, cya then!" Hagrid said opening his door and stepping out.

Filtch let out a laugh before turning and heading back for the Castle.

"Now, we're goin' ter look in ther fores' for an injur'd unicor'"

"W-wait, we c-can't go i-into the forest! There are monsters in there! My father-"

"Enuf Malfoy, yer fath'r will tell yer it yer own stupi' faul' fer breakin' the rules!" Hagrid said, "Now, as me was sayin' we're goin' to go put an injur'd unicor' outta it's misery...Follo' me..."

Squeezing each others hands, Barry, Lemo, Andrew and Andy followed Hagrid, with a terrified Malfoy following behind them.

"Now we're goin' to slip inta grou's...Saucepan an' Watson will go wit Nose, an' Rose, Malfoy an' Rober's will go wit me. Nose's grou' go to the lef' and we'll go to the right...If there a prob'em sen' up sparks wit yer wands..."

For what seemed like hours, Barry and Andrew followed the path with Nose panting along aside them.

"He deliberately kept us away from the girls, you know..." Barry pointed out.

"I know, but like we'd do anything in the forest. I mean how horny do they think we are!"

""Head. Gutter. Out. Andy's right, you think of the dirtiest first, I was meaning because he wanted us to enjoy ourselves less. You know, seperate us from someone we're good friends with..."

"Oh, shit, lucky Am's not here then..."

Barry shook his head,

"Andrew, how does Andy put up with you?"

"Hey! I'll have you know - ARGH!"

"Wha - FUCK!"

Ahead of them in the clearing lay the unicorn. Hovering over it a hooded figure drank its blood, blood dribbling down its chin.

"HOLY CRAP! RUN!" Andrew screamed, but they were both were frozen in fear as the figure rose and made its way over towards them. Suddenly out of nowhere a half horse, half bird thing ran into the clearing. Barry dropped to his knees, as red hot pain seared through his wishbone scar, Andrew looked on helplessly, as the half horse, and half bird attacked the figure, pushing him away from the boys. Eventually the figure left and Barry's scar became normal - painless. After doing what he needed to do, the half horse, half bird ran out of the clearing.

"Whoa, dude what happened to you?" Andrew asked concerned.

"I-I don't know..."

"Shit, well we better get Hagrid," Andrew said helping Barry up.

"BARRY!" Lemo cried running and throwing herself at him, closely followed by a rushing Hagrid, ("Slow dow' Rober's!") then Andy, and then the unconcerned - if not bored Malfoy.

"Andrew! You and Barry could've died!" Andy said sobbing into his shoulder.

The trip up to the castle was quiet, except for Andy's now ceasing sobbing, but what news waited for them wasn't much better than the hooded figure from the forest...

"WHAT!" Lemo yelled as McGonagall told her the news, "He can't Professor!"

"Miss. Roberts he can and apparently he will..."

"But why!"

"Watson, I have a vague idea why, but that can't be help. Saucepan will have to catch the Snitch early, so Professor Snape can't favour Slytherin to much..."

"But, Professor not only is he going to favor Slytherin, he will jinx Barry's broom again!"

"Shortbottom, that's nonsense!"

"No, but its true Professor! I know a jinx when I see one, you have to keep eye-contact and Snapes bug eyes weren't blinking!"

"Ranger...why would Professor Snape-"

"There's a number of reasons. But think of it this way, who else would be capable of jinxing a broom?"

"Well..."

"Professor, Snape can't referee!"

"Professor Snape, Rose. And I'm sorry but Professor Snape is refereeing and there's nothing we can do about it."

Lemo crossed her arms stubbornly across her chest, Andy soon followed suit,

"Well then, we're not playing then!"

"Enough! You both will be playing, regardless of whether Professor Snape is referee, and you'll both be happy about it! Now I recommend getting a good night sleep before the big game tomorrow morning!" And on that note, McGonagall turned on her heel and walked out of the common room.

"Well, that bloody sucks..."

Tata munchkins! Thanx to my reviewers! Make sure you review again! ;)

Luv ya,

Amber/Amba/Ambo/Andy/Anderson