Title: Jade Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Author: Queen Serenity
Fandom: Harry Potter
Chapter: Fourteen – Detention and Centaurs
This was bad. This was very bad.
Since she was already up, it was Professor McGonagall's study to where they were taken. Hermione was absolutely trembling. Ron was white as a ghost. Jade, however, looked completely calm and collected… but she was quaking with terror inside. Her mind raced, trying to come up with a good excuse.
When Professor McGonagall came in, Jade was, needless to say, severely surprised to find the teacher leading Neville Longbottom.
"Ron!" Neville burst out, the moment he saw the other three. "I was trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoy saying he was going to catch you, he said you had a drag–"
Whilst Jade kept her face carefully blank, Ron shook his head violently to shut Neville up… but Professor McGonagall saw. Jade could honestly say that she was more frightened now then she had been when they had been up against that troll when she saw the look in the professor's eyes.
"I would never have believed it of any of you. Mr. Filch says you were up in the astronomy tower. It's one o'clock in the morning. Explain yourselves."
They were all silent for a moment. Finally, it was Jade who spoke up, her face innocent. "It's my fault, professor. I wanted to go get a good look at the stars, professor, and I thought the top of that tower would have a good view… it is, after all, the astronomy tower. My friends came along so I wouldn't be alone."
Okay. The look Professor McGonagall was now giving her was even worse than the one from before. Her voice was deathly soft. "With this weather, Miss Potter? Do you think I am foolish enough to believe that?"
Jade gulped. She'd forgotten that it was really dark and cloudy tonight.
"I think I know exactly what's going on," said Professor McGonagall. "It doesn't take a genius to figure it out. Mr. Weasley, you fed Draco Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. I've already caught him. I suppose you think it's funny that Longbottom here heard the story and believed it, too?"
Jade saw Neville looked shocked and hurt as he heard this. She'd have to tell him later that none of them thought this was funny.
"I'm disgusted," said Professor McGonagall. "Five students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before! Miss Granger, Miss Potter, I thought you had more sense. Mr. Weasley, just wait until your prefect brother hears of this! All four of you will receive detentions – yes, you, too, Mr. Longbottom, nothing gives you the right to walk around the school at night, especially these days, it's very dangerous – and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor."
Neville and Ron both gasped audibly.
"Fifty points each," McGonagall continued, breathing heavily through her long, pointed nose. She looked over to Jade and Hermione. "The same for both of you with Ravenclaw."
A hundred points lost to each of their houses. This put Gryffindor in last place and Ravenclaw in third… behind Hufflepuff.
Jade felt her heart sink and she swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.
Over the next few weeks, the four point-losers went through a lot of crud as they went through classes each day.
Ron and Neville had it the worst. With how fiercely competitive their house was against Slytherin, and with the fact that they were now in last place, their house was practically showing loathing for them. Meanwhile, the Slytherins cheered for them, saying they owed them one.
Jade and Hermione went through a different kind of torture. Most of their house was giving them the cold shoulder, the silent treatment… it was like they were disappointed in them. The biggest insult to them was that they were behind… of all the houses to be behind… Hufflepuff.
Jade, meanwhile, was purposely giving someone else the cold shoulder. Malfoy. She was royally pissed at him, and, whenever she saw him or he tried to get her attention in any way, she acted as though she could not see him.
Still, both girls forced themselves to tough it out and they went back to their studying, knowing the exams were approaching ever faster. Once more, Jade was secluding herself to her bed.
One morning, at breakfast, the detention-receivers each received a note, each one identical:
Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight,
Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall.
Professor M. McGonagall
Jade had been expecting this; she didn't think McGonagall had forgotten the detentions… the teacher had probably just been really busy in preparation for the upcoming exams.
And so, at eleven o'clock that night, Jade and Hermione bid goodbye to Lisa and, with Solluna following Jade (Snape had already turned in for the night, it seemed), headed down to the entrance hall where they then met up with Neville, who was pale and nervous-looking. Filch was already there… as was Malfoy. Jade had known that he had a detention, but hadn't really expected it to be with them. Still, she expected it made it easier for McGonagall.
Filch told them to follow him, and they did. As he led them outside, carrying a lamp, he said things that he was obviously trying to scare them with. Privately, Jade wondered why exactly he hated the students so very much. What he said wasn't really affecting Jade that much, but, as they walked, Neville kept sniffling. Jade noticed that Malfoy kept shooting her guilt-laced sidelong glances. Good, she thought privately to herself. The prat should be guilty.
The overhead moon was bright, like a giant silvery orb, but dark clouds kept making their ways across it every now and then, shading out its cool silver light. For Jade, it would have been a pretty night… if it weren't for the circumstances.
Finally, they heard a distant shout:
"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."
At the sound of Hargid's voice, Jade blinked in surprise. They were having detention with Hagrid? Well, at least that meant he would be fair; he wouldn't give special treatment, probably, but at least he would be fair.
Ron and Hermione must have been thinking something along the same lines, because relief showed on their faces. Filch spotted it. "I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourselves with that oaf? Well, think again. It's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."
As Neville let out a small whimper, a shadow darted from behind all of them and placed itself in Filch's path, glaring up at him with red eyes. At the sight of Solluna, Filch stopped dead in his tracks. "What's this beast doing here!"
Jade cocked her head, listening to something that only she could hear. "My companion goes where I go, Mr. Filch. You have a problem with it, you can take it up with Professor Dumbledore. Also, she has a message for you."
"Oh?" Filch asked, his yellowed teeth showing as he spoke. "And what might the little beast have to say to me?"
Jade repressed the smirk, keeping her face carefully blank as she spoke. "She says that you should mind your own business and just get us to Hagrid, so that you can return to the castle to tend to your highly important duties."
Filch reddened, about to say something, but just then Hagrid came striding toward them out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder.
"Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Jade, Hermione, Ron?"
"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," Filch advised coldly, "they're here to be punished, after all."
"That's why yer late, is it?" Hagrid said, frowning his disapproval at Filch. "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."
"I'll be back at dawn," Filch said, "for what's left of them," he added nastily, and he turned and started back toward the castle, his lamp bobbling away in the darkness like one of those Will 'o' the Wisps that Jade had read about.
Malfoy argued with Hagrid a couple of minutes about going into the forest, but Hagrid won the argument. Then, he explained to them that they were trying to find a wounded unicorn to help it, that something had been attacking unicorns in the forest. To cover more ground, they were to split into two parties.
"I want Fang," Malfoy said quickly, looking at Fang's long teeth.
"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid. "So me, Jade, Hermione, an' Solluna'll go one way an Draco, Ron, Neville, an' Fang'll go the other. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now – that's it – an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh – so be careful – let's go."
The forest was black and silent. Too silent, Jade thought. I think… the animals are frightened of whatever hurt the unicorn.
Not far into the forest, they reached a fork in the path, and Jade's group went to the left, and Draco's group to the right, Ron looking very, very ticked at having to be with Draco.
They walked mostly in silence, barely talking along the way. At one point, Hagrid made Jade and the others hide as he aimed his crossbow towards a noise like a cloak rustling over leaves, but the sound disappeared before the big man could track it. He told them that there was something there that shouldn't be.
They kept walking, and ended up meeting up with two centaurs, one at a time, one named Ronan, the other Bane. They were very civil-acting, and Hagrid tried to question them on what was going on in the forest, but they both acted very cryptic, only commenting on how bright Mars was that night.
Hagrid and his group ended up bidding the centaurs goodbye and continuing on their way, Hagrid answering a couple of Jade and Hermione's questions about centaurs. Out of nowhere, they spotted red sparks in the air, signifying the others were in trouble.
Hagrid told them to wait there and he went quickly to help the others.
When Hagrid came back, the others were with him. Hagrid was fuming. Turned out that Malfoy had spooked Neville, who had panicked and sent up the sparks. Hagrid had come up on Ron and Malfoy rolling around on the ground, as Ron had jumped on Malfoy when he had done that, but Hagrid had come up on them before much damage could be done to either.
"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you two were makin'. Right, we're changin' groups – Neville, Ron, you two stay with me an' Hermione. Jade, you and Solluna go with Fang an' this idiot."
So Jade and Solluna set off into the forest with Malfoy and Fang.
They walked for about ten minutes, Malfoy finally broke the silence. "Jade."
Jade kept walking, pretending she hadn't heard him.
"Jade, look… I'm sorry." As he said this, Malfoy's voice was strained, as though he wasn't used to apologizing, or something.
"Apology not accepted, Malfoy." She deliberately called him by his last name. "It's because of you that we both are here."
"I don't think you understand. I never meant to get you into trouble. When I looked through the window, I didn't see you. All I saw was that oaf, Granger, and Weasley. I was only trying to get them into trouble, especially Weasley!"
Jade bit her lip, remembering now where she and Solluna had been sitting. There would have been no way for him to see them from where he was. "That's no excuse, Draco," she said, not even looking at him as she spoke. "I'm not saying be nice to Ron. It's not up to me in that area. But I am saying this… you could have gotten him… all three of us… expelled if we had been caught with Norbert. Even if I hadn't been there, did you really think I would have forgiven you for getting not one, but two of my best friends expelled? And even putting that aside, would you really want Ron expelled? Look at it this way, if he was gone, then you wouldn't have him around to torture anymore."
Out of the corner of her, she saw him shrug, and noticed him turn slightly red. "That's not really what I was thinking about…"
"Then what were you thinking about?"
"I admit I was having fun anticipating the look on Weasley's face when he was caught, but I was mainly thinking that with those two gone… you'd have a bit more free time on your hands."
Jade stopped in her tracks. When she spoke, finally looking at the now severely embarrassed Draco, her voice was tinged with surprise. "are you telling me that you tried to get my friends expelled… because you wanted me all to yourself?"
Draco shrugged, now avoiding her gaze. "You're always so busy, Jade, with all the people and things you have to divide your time with. I barely get to see you outside of classes."
Jade smiled. "If you want us to hang out more, then all you have to do is ask me, and I'll try to make time."
"…Alright."
They started walking again. After a few minutes of silence, it was Jade that spoke.
"Hey, Draco?"
"Yeah?"
"Apology accepted… just don't ever do anything like that again."
As they had been walking, Jade had noticed the unicorn blood getting thicker. Ahead, Jade could see a clearing. She put out a hand to stop Malfoy.
Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They inched closer.
It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead. Jade had never seen anything so beautiful and sad. Its long, slender legs were stuck out at odd angles where it had fallen and its mane was spread pearly-white on the dark leaves.
Before Jade could move toward it, Solluna surprised her.
Jade, stop! Go no further!
What? Solluna, what's wrong? Looking down, Jade could see that the werecat's hackles were raised.
There is something… something here… something very, very evil and dangerous. I can sense it! Come on, let us leave this place now!
Before Jade could move an inch, however, she heard a slithering sound, confirming that something was there. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered . . . Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Jade, Malfoy, Fang, and even Solluna stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood.
"AAAAAAAAAAARGH!"
Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted – so did Fang. The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at Jade, unicorn blood dribbling down its front like liquid moonlight.
Staring, Jade felt terror quivering throughout her entire being. She couldn't move because of it, not even to lift her wand. Solluna! Go through the shadows! Get Hagrid!
No! I promised that I would not leave you like that again!
I am not asking you to be a coward, I need Hagrid! GO!
Hesitating only slightly, the werecat melted into the shadows and disappeared.
The dreaded figure made its way to its feet and moved swiftly towards the paralyzed Jade. In that moment, she was sure that she was to die. There was no way that Hagrid would make it in time…
Then a pain like Jade had never felt before pierced her head. It was as though lava had been poured on her scar, it was burning so bad. Red and white spots swimming before her eyes, Jade fell to her knees from the pain. Dimly, she was aware of the sound of hooves galloping, and something jumped clean over her, charging the figure.
Jade stayed kneeling on the ground, the intense pain preventing her from doing much else; she was going to die, she knew it. A minute or two later, the pain had finally passed. It had felt more like one or two hours. When she looked up, the figure was gone. A centaur was standing over her, not Ronan or Bane; this one looked younger; he had white-blond hair and a palomino body.
"Are you all right?" asked the centaur as it pulled Jade to her feet.
Jade nodded numbly. "Thank you. What… what was that creature?"
The centaur didn't answer. He had amazing blue eyes, like pale sapphires. He looked carefully at Jade, his eyes lingering on the scar that stood out, livid, on her forehead.
"You are the Potter girl," he said. "You had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time – especially for you. Can you ride? It will be much quicker this way."
Jade stared. This wasn't some horse… this was a centaur. "Are you sure?" she asked.
The centaur nodded, lowering himself on to his front legs so that Jade could get on his back. "My name is Firenze."
There was suddenly the sound of more galloping from the other side of the clearing. Ronan and Bane came bursting through the trees, their flanks heaving and sweaty.
"Firenze!" Bane thundered. "What are you doing? You have a human on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?"
"Do you realize who this is?" Firenze demanded. "This is the Potter girl. The quicker she leaves this forest, the better."
"What have you been telling her?" growled Bane. "Remember, Firenze, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movement of the planets?"
Ronan pawed the ground nervously. "I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best," he said in his gloomy voice.
Bane kicked his hind legs in protest.
"For the best? What is that to do with us? Centaurs are concerned with what has been foretold! It is not our business to run around like donkeys after stray humans in our forest!"
Firenze suddenly reared onto his hind legs in anger, so that Jade had to grab his shoulders to stay on.
"Do you not see that unicorn?" Firenze bellowed at Bane. "Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must."
And Firenze whisked around; with Jade clutching on as best she could, they plunged off into the trees, leaving Ronan and Bane behind them.
Jade frowned. She'd read much about centaurs, and knew how proud and mysterious a race they were… that was why she'd been so hesitant in the first place to get on. Now it seemed as though other centaurs were mad at Firenze, and she felt it was mostly her fault.
"Firenze… What was that creature? Please, tell me."
Firenze slowed down, and warned Jade to watch out for low-hanging branches, but didn't answer her question. After a long while of silence, Jade thought he wasn't going to answer her. Suddenly, the centaur stopped.
"Jade Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?"
Jade thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, I do. I read about it. Unicorn blood can keep anyone from dying, no matter how badly you are wounded, or poisoned, or how close you are to death. However, this isn't really a good thing. The reason for this is because by killing the unicorn to save yourself, and drinking the unicorn's blood, will curse you. From that moment on, you won't be able to live normally… it's like you have just a half-life."
The centaur nodded. "That is correct."
Jade bit her lip slightly, thinking. "There're not many who'd be so desperate as to choose an eternal curse over death. You'd think death would be better." Her lower lip was chewed slightly as she thought. Suddenly, her face went pale. "Oh, no… no, that can't be true."
"For a human, Jade Potter, you are intelligent. Figure it out for yourself."
"Jade! Jade, are you all right?"
Solluna came running down the path, Hermione and Ron following close behind her, Hagrid puffing along behind them.
"I'm okay, everyone," Jade said, feeling cold and numb as she said this. "The unicorn's dead, Hagrid… it's in that clearing back there."
"This is where I leave you," Firenze murmured as Hagrid hurried off to examine the unicorn.
Jade slid off his back. "You have my thanks, Firenze. For… everything. And I'm sorry that the others got angry with you over my riding you."
"Good luck, Jade Potter," Firenze said. "The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times."
He turned and cantered back into the depths of the forest, leaving Jade shivering.
Back in the Ravenclaw common room, Jade and Hermione found Lisa waiting for them.
Voice deadly calm and cold, not betraying her frightened inside, she told them, and Solluna, too, all that had happened. Solluna had wanted to know, anyway, what had happened after she had left.
"Voldemort…" Hermione and Lisa both flinched at the name. "…Is in the forest. He's after what Fluffy is hiding. It's the Sorcerer's Stone. I don't know how, but I know he's most likely determined to get his hands on it, so he can have the Elixir of Life…"
Hermione gasped. "Snape is probably going to try to get the stone, so that he can get it to Voldemort! I knew he was evil!"
Jade sighed. She was too tired to bother trying to convince Hermione otherwise right now.
Lisa spoke then. "I guess, then, we'll have to keep an eye on Snape. Anyway, everyone says that Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of. With him around, You-Know-Who can't get to you. Don't worry."
That night, when Jade turned in for bed, she found her invisibility cloak folded neatly under the blankets. Attached was a note:
Just in case.
QS: Not much to say here. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.