Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me. However, the crazy forest does. Yay, I own something!

A/N: So, yes. A new chapter. I'm sorry, but it's kind of short. However, I have already written the next chapter, and that should be out tonight. Sweet, eh? And that one's longer too. And scarier. o-o; At least, it scared me while I was writing it.

But back to this chapter. It's odd. And, because I like to take up space, I shall reply to your reviews. Er, well...Not all of them. Only the ones that I feel like replying too. If you say something that doesn't need replying to, then I won't. .o;

Kaaera: You review a lot. That is neat. I haven't had physics yet. It sounds hard and I am frightened of it.

Strega: It was actually supposed to be a cookie-cutter Beauty and the Beast story. XD But this plot just kind of attacked me. I think it's neato that you adore me for it, though. I adore you for reviewing. /makes adoring eyes at you/

TexasRose: You know, you people never say what you're commenting about. What do you mean I changed the story around? Explain!

And now that that's over...

Harry didn't know how long he had been in the forest, but he felt confident in guessing that at least two hours had passed. But he wasn't even sure of that, because he couldn't see the sun to determine the time of day.

The overhanging branches—which had seemed so kind and welcoming when he first stepped into the forest—now appeared to leer at him, the twigs breaking off to cling to his clothes and hair, and large, oddly malevolent thorns kept catching on his skin, and staying lodged there, too.

He'd tried pulling them out, but there were so many, and more kept appearing. And he was so tired.

But how could that be? Two hours was not a long time to walk—even if it was spent wading through a sea of pine needles—and especially not for someone as accustomed to manual labor as Harry was.

Harry shook off his weariness and trudged on, stumbling as he tried to walk faster, then jog; he felt unaccountably claustrophobic, as though the very trees were pushing in on him.

Jerking to a stop, Harry was surprised when he burst through the foliage and into a meadow. It was quite a nice meadow, with grass and flowers and even a little stream. Harry sighed with relief when he looked up and encountered pure blue skies and bright sunshine.

He sat down next to the stream, running his fingers through the cool, crystal-spun water before closing his eyes and listening to the birdsong.

That was when he knew something was wrong.

There was no birdsong. And, now that he was thinking about it, he realized he hadn't seen any animals, at all. Not even a gnat.

And he was still so exhausted. Harry looked down at his arm, covered in scratches and thorns. The thorns seemed to exude evil. Harry pulled his hand out of the water to pick out the thorns.

But his hand wouldn't come.

Harry stared down at the stream. What had but a few moments ago been a gurgling, giggling little stream was now a slick, oil-filled Styx, ready to drag him down to Hell.

Glancing up at the sky, Harry was unsurprised to realize that the glorious blue sky was now replaced by a roiling, raging black sky, filled with blood-red clouds.

Glaring back down at the stream, Harry gave a tremendous pull and wrenched his fingers free.

Stumbling to his feet, Harry gasped as he rushed into the dark arms of the waiting forest.

A/N: Rawr. That chapter sucks. I think the next one is better though. It has scary trees in it. Yeah, weird, eh? Anywho...I've got to do math homework and write a sonnet--and I suck at poety, so that should be fun!--so I shall update later. Laaaaaater.