This is quite literally the longest chapter I've uploaded to date. it is one of my favorites. Same rules as last time, no reviews means the story stops. More reviews = faster uploads and bonus content. (I'm already deciding how to give a bonus chapter to one of the last five reviewers.)


My eyes flew open when he slipped from his bed. Tonight was the night.

It became apparent several days ago that we wouldn't be able to spy on Marvolo from my dads room in the Hero's Beacon. So it was, with visible and quite vocal distaste on Scor's part, that the two of us had resumed the quotidian banality of life in the dark dungeons. Tonight however was the night and we were ready. At once my idiot flung the covers off of us as I snatched the silky cloak from its resting place on the stand next to the bed. In a flash of fabric and movement we were gone, covered by nyx's veil. It was a painted world of starlight and mist.

As I made to leave I heard a soft mewling from behind us and realized what it was. "Ion, Mercury. Stay here. Its not safe where we're going." Scor shot over his shoulder to the two furry creatures when they moved to follow us. "We'll be back soon. Don't worry." Our two companions looked curiously at us with almost pleading expressions. "They don't want us to go."

"Come on Scor we can't wait."

"Bye Mercury, I promise we'll be back safe and sound Ok?" the idiot was being unusually sentimental. The chesshires could fend for themselves in the forest. We might have very well used their magic in case we got into trouble.

without waiting we rushed through the dormitories, dodging stray piles of clothing and leaping over trunks and books in an attempt to catch up to Marvolo. The common room was empty and quiet save for the crackling green fire. The beautiful flames bathed the couches and chairs in a shifting tapestry of emerald light. It was easier to navigate the empty space, even from under the silken cloak.

"Dammit Scor, you were too slow, I couldn't catch which way he went" I spat as we exited the dungeons and the stone bricks sealed themselves back into a seamless wall behind us. Marvolo had already slipped away. I doubt very much my father would have failed so quickly...

"Its alright Al, cool your tits. We can find him with this."

"Cool my what?!" I huffed at him indignantly, watching as he unfolded the enchanted parchment. He whispered then the words I already knew so well, the words I knew would reveal an inky replica of the castle and all of it's inhabitants onto its yellowed worn surface. "I solemnly swear that i am up to no good." I blinked wildly in the darkness, completely astounded by what Scor had in his hands. It was unthinkable.

"How on earth did you convince James to lend you his map?" I asked incredulously. "When I asked him for it earlier he told me to bugger off. Besides he hates you."

"I don't know. I guess he doesn't hate me as much as that." I'm certain James had his reasons for letting Scor use it. Then again he mistrusted Scor more than anyone alive with a few possible exceptions. What could possess him to let a Malfoy use it?

"So where is he?" I asked looking curiously over Scor's shoulder and ignoring the evasive answer hed given me. I could find out later what Scor had said or done to convince James but right now we had to find Marvolo.

Suddenly he froze and tried to pull the parchment away from me before stopping to consider what he'd seen. Scor paused thoughtfully a moment before speaking. "Well apparently Voldemort and I are old friends" Scor chuckled cryptically. It was a weird enough statement on its own, but given what he held in his hands...

"What on earth are you on about?" He shifted so that i could again see the inky magic of the ancient map. My eyes widened when I saw the name next to mine. Tom Riddle. I scanned the parchment over and over reading the name on the worn surface as though I expected it to shift or burst into flame. I realized what it was when in Gryffendor tower, next to Lily Potter stood another floating label with the name Tom Riddle hovering beside her bed.

"So its true then. About you and your sister." Scor shot solemnly. I looked up at him before shame caused me to blink and turn away. I couldn't deal with this right now.

"Yeah, but blast we don't have time for that. Where is the evil shit?" I cursed under my breath. I redoubled my efforts, my eyes working furiously over the map in search of Volo's name."There! Marvolo…" I started confused. My fear at Scors resentment vanished when I realized it was missing. "That's odd, why doesn't he have a last name?" I turned to look at Scorpius in the hopes that he might be able to explain. Marvolo... Lestrange, that's what it should read.

SPOV

Thank god for whatever magic shielded us from Marvolo's name. I did not want to explain that one to Al right now. It was imperative that we find out what he was up to without Al finding out who he actually was. "He's a bastard, he doesn't have a real last name" I offered in the way of answer. Although it was a good explanation I wasn't sure it would hold up to the scrutiny of Al's razor sharp mind. I watched the name on the marauders map vanish and understood almost immediately what had happened.

"He's headed for the forest." Al offered leading the way.

"I know." I returned with a smirk, following swiftly behind.

"Sometimes I forget that you're as smart as me." The only way Volo's presence could vanish was if he'd entered a part of the castle that hadn't existed when the map had been made. Judging by where he'd been, there was only one place he could be headed now. The Forest Observatory. It was refreshing to be able to calculate so quickly and not have to explain or justify myself. At night his green eyes are so distracting though. It's a miracle I was able to calculate or deduce anything at all. Then again Al's eyes were always maddening.

"Come, I know a short cut" Al offered flying inhumanly down the corridors of the castle. Without knowing where Als shortcut was it was all i could do to keep up with his erratic lead. We raced faster and faster turning down hallway upon hallway until we finally emerged at the boathouse. So that was the shortcut i realized smugly. We were going to catch up to Marvolo by walking right across the lake itself.

"This is not a shortcut. If he emerges from one of the exits before entering the forest-"

"-then at least we'll be able to see him from here. Think Scor, if we had followed him inside the passageway and he emerged closer to Hagrids hut on the southeastern edge of the forest we'd never know. This way we can cut a direct line to the observatory and change course if we see him exit the path early. The point isn't to catch up to him it's to make sure we can follow him all the way to his destination."

"Fine, but we may lose him altogether like this if he walks directly to the Observatory. Hed be a league from us across the water. There was a risk."

"You're right Scor" he offered softly to me, placing his hand on my shoulder. "But there was a risk either way. And if we are wrong then at least we can take the cliff side stair up into the observatory."

I merely pulled the cloak back over us so nobody still awake in the castle could spy two lone figures walking across the black lake. I pulled the magic into my feet like Al had taught me and stepped directly onto the rippling surface of the water. I didn't like Al's plan. It was risky. At least it had been a calculated risk. Besides the twit was right.

"Let's go" I pulled on Al's arm dragging him quickly over the water. Every few minutes I glanced towards the shore in the hopes that Volo would emerge from the walkways and tunnels. Eventually I gave up, knowing that he had taken a direct line to the observatory. I sighed deeply, taking in the cold bristling air. For the first time I noticed how beautiful it all was. if I had had the time I would have simply sat and watched the moon all night. The moon always had a strange effect on me.

As things stood we couldn't afford to even pause and consider the time. We ran and ran, all the while making our way around the bend in the lake and towards the winding stairs that had been carved into the cliff face. This was the first time i had actually been to this side of the lake or seen the cliff side steps that had been built after the war. They were magnificent.

"it's going to take us forever to get up there." I offered with a sigh.

"not if we try that thing we've been practicing" I turned to look at him then as though he were insane.

"I'm sorry Al I don't think we are ready for that just yet. We could just call for our brooms."

"it will take just as long to wait for them to come. I say we do our thing."

"you and i haven't figured out the flight thing and I am certain even together with magic we wont be able to jump that." He rolled his eyes walked up to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

"Oops I triped." Al shot sarcastically before bending down and expelling a jet of magical energy through our feet. We soared like a rocket into the air and directly towards the side of the rocky cliff. He knew we couldn't make it the entire way so he sent us two thirds the way up the stairs.

"Clever if not also extremely painful" I said, wiping the blood from my hands. He'd sent us smashing against hard rocks. He should have shielded us from the impact... That really hurt. It took Al a moment to recover from the draining effect of the spell. It took us under ten minutes to climb the rest of the way up. We came off the stairs and for the first time i was actually curious.

Before us stood the forest path. A beautiful walkway of pillars and archways carving a way directly into the darkened woods.

We followed the enchanted archways for half a mile until the trees grew thick and the light of the moon was drowned out completely by the dark leaves of the forest. It was an eerie path, not quite wild, and not quite tame. The arches were designed to keep the trail clear with magic, yet the forest had a will of its own. The greenery struggled and fought to reclaim the land that it had had stolen. Finally we reached the observatory. A beautiful dome shaped structure, built in the image of the muggle observatories across the world. Magical astronomers could not but agree that the muggles and their technology had finally progressed to a point where they did a few things even better than us. More than that though this structure served as a green house and lab for the older students and their more advanced work. Strange plants and creatures were kept under lock and key in the enormous glass gardens. It was truly a magical place.

I pulled Al forward, unlocking the back door with wordless wave of my hand-I barely needed to think the spell in my head anymore. Alohamora. Magic came much too easily to us. Sometimes I wondered if we really weren't freaks.

"Come on we don't have time to dawdle." Al said rushing through the tangled mess of rooms that served as labs. He knew his way around?

"Sorry al but I've never been here and you've obliviously lost Volo. What harm is there in exploring the Observatory?"

"We havent lost him just yet" Al shot over his shoulder as he punched a code into the main forest entrance. The electronic doors slid open, revealing the gnarled knotted mess that was the Forbiden forest. Why was this place running on electricity? There was something off about this place.

"How are we going to follow him in there? The map barely worked inside the castle, and the forest most certainly doesn't apply as part of Hogwarts."

"We'll worry about updating the piece of shit when we get back. Just be quiet and let me concentrate because I have an idea."

"Oh great, another idea. The shortcut didn't work, what shining gem of a plan can you hatch up now?" I asked, watching Al twirl his hand dramatically in the air near his temple.

"Shut up!" He snapped turning back to me with a hiss. His eyes had changed completely. They'd become a ghastly red and his pupils had elongated snakelike into sharp tipped ovals. The slitted pupils expanded and contracted like Lily's had last week at Al's house-as though focusing on some imperceptible clue. I could see his tongue slipping in and out of the air as he shifted back towards the forest. "I'm trying to concentrate." The words came out more hiss than regular speech.

"S-sorry Al."

i was too afraid to interrupt again, so i stood there in complete silence. My mind was racing. I couldn't comprehend what Al was doing. It was sickeningly alien. Our connection, which was frail and unusual at best felt even stranger and more distorted to me now. I put my hand inside my robes and let it rest against my chest. I tried feeling for Al but all I could sense through our link was a swirling mass of confusion.

"Wow Scor. This is really cool. I can see, smell and taste everything. It's all so clear to me. Is like a veil has been lifted from the world."

"Great Al, now which way?" I asked, concealing my fear at his power. I shivered hoping beyond hope that he couldn't taste my unease in the air. I didn't want to know what kind of magic this was. I hated that his eyes were no longer Al's. They were no longer the eyes I loved so much. Amidst the panic, I felt a jolt of sudden amusement. Al seemed to at least be enjoying his new skills. I wonder if he had practiced this during our time apart?

"This way. I can see his tracks where the prints are still warm. This is exhausting though, i can tell you that much. I don't know how long i'll be able to keep it up."

"Then lets go. We cannot linger here, we might lose the trail if we wait any longer." I was about to create a light with my wand to guide the way, then thought better of it. Not only did we not want to draw attention to ourselves, but I figured the light might blind Al with his heightened senses. He tilted his head upwards towards the branches and I knew his mind before he had a chance to move his body. We both leapt inhumanly into the trees, disappearing behind the leaves and into the gloom. I was glad Al remembered the spells for this. I tought him them during our first excursion into the forest. We were both extraordinarily nimble but without the magic to give us strength and keep us rooted to the branches we wouldn't have been able to perform such acrobatics.

Al raced forward, leading the way through the thick forest. We past all manner of alien creatures sniffing around on the forest floor. Creautres indigenous to only the darkest recesses of the ancient woods. I was almost glad there wasn't enough light to see what evils lurked below us. Up here in the branches all we really had to worry about were Acromantulae, which I was confident we could avoid by staying clear of the webs that ran through the northwestern section of the forest. Blood crows stared and cawed at us in the darkness, their bloody eyes reminiscent of Al's snakelike slits. They were eerie animals and dangerous if you were weak enough to succumb to their hypnoticly maddening shrieking. The blood crows had migrated to the forest after the battle of Hogwarts. They'd come to feast on the countless dead and hadn't left once they'd eaten their fill. I was so lost in thought that I nearly collided with Al as he paused to lean against the side of a trunk. We'd only been going for an hour. Why was Al...

"Al why have you stopped?"

"Scor… I can't." Al was huffing loudly. He seemed exhausted. I'd never known him to find any magical task too tiring. It scared me beyond my mind's ability to express. "I should have brought my wand too. It was stupid of me not to. I can't stay in the trees and keep my Slytherin blood active at the same time. We are going to have to continue on foot." His Slytherin blood! How had i missed it?

"But Al… what about the creatures? We are farther into the forest than has ever been recorded by any professors at Hogwarts… I've been tracing our route… this is werewolf and chimera territory. I've read up on the forest from explorers notes… There are creatures this far in that we might not be able to deal with without your wand. I—"

"-I've read up on the inner Forest as well. I know what's said to be out here. I also know that you are strong enough to make sure we aren't killed or eaten. We have the cloak and on top of everything i will be able to sense danger before it presents itself. But i'm telling you now, I am going to faint if we don't get back to the forest floor. And if I faint... then we both will be in trouble."

"Ok. Lets go" I offered jumping down the entire way before Al could leap first. I wanted to make sure it was safe before Al came down behind me. If he was this exhausted i needed to make sure he was alright. He flew gracefully through the leaves without waiting for me to signal the all clear. His robes and cloak billowed fluidly behind him as he sailed through the thick forest air. When he landed he shot me a dangerous look that left no room for misinterpretation. I shivered again in the misted darkness.

"I was only—"

"Trying to make sure it was safe for me. I know. Don't do it again." Al interrupted tersely. His words had become sharp and bitting as his tongue slithered in and out of his mouth. His eyes were freakish like this. I couldn't tell if he was disgusted by my selflessness because he thought it was weak, or because he thought it was his job to protect me.

"I don't like you at all right now. Just thought you should know" I bit out quietly at him from behind. I wasn't even sure he'd heard me until he spun around, expressive sadness woven throughout his face. It was weird to see the snakelike features blended with his clear unrest at my words.

"Scor… don't say things like that. I… this is the only way we can follow Volo… I… I… don't mean to be different. It is taking me all my strength not to let this burning anger overflow. You are all that is keeping me from going crazy out here. Please Scor don't say something like that again." He turned away then and I thought I noticed a tear fall to the dirt as his fists clenched angrily.

Such a strange response. Anger and sadness at the same time. Revulsion, control, hate, fear, obligation. My mind was foggy from the repellent aroma in the air. Something about this place was wrong and it was affecting my mind. Al moved to continue along the brambly path, parting the forest with his magic when I stopped him with a soft movement of my hand. I pulled at his shoulder to turn him back to me.

"Sorry Al. I… I'm sorry." I offered with a small smile. The relief on his face was more disturbing that had been his sadness. I liked that I could still recognize Al's tender heart beneath this frightening exterior. He hugged me suddenly, as tight as could be, smiling beautifully at me when he pulled away. "Thanks Sc—"

"-What manner of idiocy and incompetence led you to believe that this was an acceptable course of action? You should have told us immediately that the Potter and Malfoy children had returned to Hogwarts!" Cried a harsh voice a good hundred feet away. Al's smile vanished, replaced by intense focus. He pulled me forward through the bushes until we caught sight of a cloaked figure speaking with Marvolo. We crouched low behind some bushes not wanting to draw attention by throwing the cloak over ourselves.

"Careful you stupid man. I am as dangerous as my father and like him I owe allegiance to no one. I came to tell you as soon as I could. I do an enormous amount of spying at this ridiculous school and I won't be told off by one of my many insignificant clients."

"You would be wise to do away with any others. Our lord would have your sole allegiance… or if not that than merely your talents. Exclusively-for-him."

"Does his offer still stand to accept me into his household? Teach me ancient magics and instruct me in the ways of war? As he says I would indeed make a formidable ally for the noble and ancient House V—-"

"-Yes you insolent whelp, my master's offer still stands. Don't presume to so quickly speak his name. This forest is old, and it remembers."

"Fair enough" Volo returned disdainfully with a crooked smile, as though he found his associates discomfort both amusing and annoying. "What of the Malfoy project? Does it proceed according to plan?"

"Of course. It was flawlessly constructed. My Master is a brilliant tactician."

Marvolo huffed derisively at that. "And nobody suspects the girl?"

"We have taken great care in keeping her secret. In a few years she will be put to use for the war. With the both of you by our side the Ministry will fall. All the world will fall—" The cloaked figure's head spun towards us as a fallen branch cracked to our left. I heard a faint growling and turned slowly towards the source of the noise. The speakers abrupt interruption had left me panicking. He paused and spun quickly towards his left.

"We are being watched! The nundu smell something. Guards release the animals! Hunt down the spies!" Cried the cloaked figure angrily. I heard chains snap and leopard like roars thunder as the enormous Nundu bounded forward into the bushes.

"Run!" Al screamed turning on his heels. I shot a spell into the brambles causing a thick matted mass of thorns and knotted nettles to grow behind us. The spell barely finished as a set of powerful jaws snapped closed in the space that had just contained my leg. The animal released a yowl as it collided head long into the sharp mess, retreating slowly to nurse its wounds. I ran, pushing Al forward without looking back, until i heard two loud thuds as something landed behind me. The other beasts had merely leapt over the tangled barrier and were gaining on us with inhuman speed. The spell had barely won us ten yards of distance before I heard their snapping jaws again.

"Al!" I shrieked as the Nundu overtook me, pouncing on me with its massive claws and powerful legs. Al turned around with an expression of sickening anger, leaping furiously at the monsters face with a shriek that rent the night. He landed animal like on the creatures enormous head, beating his tiny fists maddeningly against its snout and eyes. The wild nundu forgot me momentarily to shake its assailant violently from itself. Al was thrown a few yards away, recovering just in time to see the enormous cats jaws opening in preparation to bite at me. Everything seemed to slow as the jagged teeth gleamed in the moonlight.

Als hands moved intricately then in preparation for wandless magic and i watched helplessly as his crazed eyes gave serpentine life to the branches and vines of the nearby trees. Al looked more frightening than id ever seen him. The forest seemed to uproot itself viciously from the rock and soil in response to Als anger. The roots and leafy tendrils coiled and slithered snakelike, launching themselves malevolently at the beast's neck to choke and strangle the horrible thing that lay on top of me. The nundu fought frantically to free itself as the gnarled bark dragged it unyieldingly backwards beneath the writhing nest at the trees base. It clawed innefectively at the earth in front of it as the ground itself swallowed the last glimpse of its mottled spotted pelt. Suddenly the nundu was gone And we were blessed a with brief moment of silence.

Al nearly collapsed at the strain the magic had exerted. The toll it had taken must have been immense, but we didn't have time to rest or recover. There was howling again, coming from every direction this time, and I didn't have time to contemplate whether the new beasts belonged to the strange figure or the forest itself. Als eyes opened when I reached him and they were their usual green again. Somehow that small fact had given me hope.

"My strange powers are gone Scor. Im exhausted... I don't know if I'll be able to save us again."

I didn't answer him. I merely grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet, ignoring the stinging in my eyes as hot thick blood dripped down into them from a gash I'd received on my forehead. Everything after that was a frenzied messy blur of movement and fear. We ran and ran wildly through the trees, through the bushes, through the vines and wicked twisted branches. I cast a few spells to close up the path behind us but aside from that our race had been too frantic to recall. We barreled forward without pause or forethought. All we could think was of escaping. Twice I pulled at Als limp arm, begging, pleading for him to get back up. Every step we took led us farther into the forest. Here the trees grew older and blacker and the moss lay thicker, ocean like over the floor. We had vaulted over twisted roots and into a small clearing when another Nundu exploded out from the bushes behind us. We had both spun around too quickly to notice the ancient well that stood enigmatically in front of us. I slipped unable to stop myself and fell backwards into its depths. Al's hand shot outwards to grab me, fighting furiously not to lose purchase as a finger escaped his grip.

"Al let go! Leave me! Run!"

He ignored me, all the while straining to pull me up as the beast flew forward. Al's foot finally shifted as a stone gave way and we both flew downwards, swallowed, disappearing into the darkness.