A/N: To Wolfs child: I'm glad that you love it.

To Ghostwriter: I'm glad that you love their friendship, I was a bit worried that people wouldn't like it. Hagrid is a bit childish, now that you mention it. Yeah, Cassia won't let Ron and Harry push her around. She simply sees that arguing with them will be a lost cause since she sees that their stubborn in their beliefs and she won't change their minds. She's just withholding information since they're not asking and she knows that Harry will hate it if she told them.

Chapter 18: Detention. Again.

To lessen the worry over Hagrid and the dragon egg, Cassia ordered a yellow-and-black tartan blanket so she can study outside with Lily and Sally-Anne. For extra measure she got a yellow-and-black quilt so she can have something nice with her when she got back to Privet Drive.

Privet Drive…she hadn't really thought about that place since she got to Hogwarts, except that one day when Adrian brought her sweets. It was like how she never really thought of her parents, which she still felt guilty of. Her parents were nonentities in her life, so it made sense for her not to really think about them, even though she may have wondered a little about what her parents were like.

The thought of going back to Privet Drive filled Cassia with a bit of dread. She shouldn't focus on that.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione kept going back to Hagrid's hut to talk to him about getting rid of the dragon, now named Norbert. Cassia thought it would be less suspicious if she stayed behind to study with Lily and Sally-Anne. She did get the blanket so she studied with them outside, which was a nice and welcoming change of pace.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron came back up from the hut. The three Gryffindors sat down on the blanket with the Hufflepuffs.

"Hagrid agreed to send Norbert off to Romania," Harry told her.

Cassia offered him a Chocoball, which Harry took. Ron took some Jelly Slugs.

"We have to owl Charlie about taking Norbert and see what he'll say about it," said Ron as he chewed the Jelly Slugs. Lily made a disgusted face at that, but focused on reading her book.

"Right," said Cassia. "We just have to hurry."

"Norbert's getting big," said Hermione. "Hagrid wants us to help him feed Norbert until it's time to send him away."

"How are we going to do that? We all can't hang out down there," said Cassia.

"I have an idea," said Harry.

Harry's idea was that they take turns going down to the hut with the Invisibility Cloak to help.

On Tuesday, Cassia wasn't much of a fan of Norbert. One of her robes had gotten burnt by Norbert because she accidentally bumped into a chair and startled him, causing him to blow out a bit of fire. Hagrid told her off for frightening it.

After school on Thursday, Harry dragged Cassia down to the infirmary where Ron had gone to. Apparently he got bit by Norbert because Ron startled it as well and had gotten told off by Hagrid.

When Cassia noticed Ron, she said, "Are you okay? You look terrible."

"It's not just my hand, although it that feels like it's about to fall off. Malfoy told Madam Pomfrey he wanted to borrow one of my books, but it was just so he can come and laugh at me."

"He's a jerk," muttered Cassia.

"He also kept threatening to tell Madam Pomfrey what really bit me – I've told her it was a dog but I don't think she believes me – I shouldn't have hit him at the Quidditch match, that's why he's doing this," said Ron.

"I doubt it's because you hit him," said Cassia. "I think it's because we didn't accept his friendship, which bruised his ego so he's just looking for 'revenge' if you can call it that. I know that he hates you because of your status as a blood-traitor and he hates Hermione because she's Muggleborn, but according to Terence and Adrian, that's not the word that he uses."

"Wait, what word does he use?" asked Harry.

Cassia grimaced, "I don't want to use it. It's bad."

"Was Malfoy saying Mudblood?" asked Ron, looking furious.

Cassia nodded and Hermione looked bewildered at that.

"What's that?" asked Harry.

"It means dirty blood." Ron explained, "Someone like Hermione, who's a Muggleborn."

"When is Charlie supposed to come anyway?" asked Cassia, looking at Ron's bandaged hand.

"Midnight on Saturday," replied Hermione.

"Oh no – oh no," replied Ron. "Charlie's letter was in that book that Malfoy took, he's going to know that we're getting rid of Norbert."

Madam Pomfrey came over and said, "You three need to leave, Ron needs his rest. You can come back tomorrow."

They left.

"This isn't good," replied Hermione.

"We'll be fine as long as Malfoy doesn't see us," said Cassia.

"'We?'" questioned Harry.

"I'm going with you, right?" asked Cassia confused.

"No," replied Harry. "It'll be quicker if you don't come."

"You have a point there," Cassia admitted. "But please be careful."

It was Saturday evening when Malfoy seemed brave enough coming across Adrian, Terence, and Cassia in the library. Of course he had Crabbe and Goyle with him.

"Aren't you worried, Potter?" sneered Malfoy.

Cassia gave Malfoy a side-look. "I don't know what you're talking about Malfoy."

"You know damn well about the dragon that oaf is hiding in his cabin." sneered Malfoy, "And you're going to get in trouble for it."

Cassia made fists and tried to keep calm. Of course Malfoy would think it would be hilarious to blab about that in front of her friends who didn't know about the dragon. "I am not worried about anything, because it isn't true. If you think that you're pulling one over us, think again, Malfoy."

Malfoy just kept sneering, "Just you watch, Potter, you and your dumb brother—"

Whatever Malfoy was going to say was interrupted by Cassia hitting him with a book.

"Shut up! Just shut up, Malfoy! Never insult my brother again! Do you hear me?" Cassia shouted.

Hands started grabbing at Cassia, trying to pull her back.

"That's two detentions, Miss Potter!" came Madam Pince's shrill voice. "You too, Mr Malfoy, Mr Higgs, and Mr Pucey."

"We didn't do anything," countered Terence.

"The both of you didn't try hard enough to break it up," snapped Madam Pince, yanking the book out of Cassia's hands. "Ten points each from Hufflepuff and Slytherin."

"I didn't do anything," countered Malfoy.

"I heard you spreading lies about the Gamekeeper keeping an illegal dragon in his home and insulting someone," snapped Madam Pince. "Get out, all of you."

All of them gathered their belongings and walked out of the library in silence.

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle went in one direction, while the others went in the other direction.

"Does Hagrid have a dragon in his hut?" asked Adrian, sounding confused. "You really didn't deny it."

Cassia tried putting her arms around her friends' shoulders, "Boys…don't I have a story for you both."

Needless to say that they were mad that she didn't tell them about the dragon, but they understood where she was coming from about not wanting more people to know.

The first detention was with Snape. Again. Snape had Cassia and Adrian alphabetize the potion ingredients, this time from A to Z, while Snape made Terence scrape gum out from underneath the tables. Again.

"Who keeps putting chewing gum under the tables? I ought to hex the person for it," grumbled Terence.

It was a few days later when Cassia noticed how much points that Gryffindor had lost. She had to do a double-take. Gryffindor had lost one-hundred fifty points.

It wasn't until later that Harry had explained that he, Hermione, and Neville had been caught out of bed on Saturday; along with Malfoy which probably explained why they were down fifty points.

It wouldn't be long until the whole school figured out who the culprits were of Gryffindor being dead last. At least Ravenclaw was ahead, which was better than Slytherin, since the points that Terence, Adrian, and Malfoy had lost had taken a bit of a hit. Then Malfoy lost fifty points, which put him out of favour with the Slytherins.

Cassia was glad that she didn't go with Harry and Hermione.

It seemed like torture for Harry and Hermione. Hermione had stopped drawing attention to herself in class.

The exams were drawing closer and Cassia hadn't gotten a detention slip yet. Coming from Adrian and Terence, they hadn't gotten detention slips either. Cassia was wondering if Snape hadn't figured out what to do with them yet.

Cassia was surprised that one week before the exams she got a detention slip from Madam Pomfrey.

Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight.
Meet Mr Filch in the Entrance Hall.
Prof. P. Sprout

"Why so late?" Sally-Anne asked. "That's so bloody late!"

Cassia shrugged and from the Slytherin table, she saw Terence and Adrian talking over something with their heads low. She had forgotten that they still had to serve detention since she was studying either with Terence and Adrian or Lily and Sally-Anne.

"I don't know," muttered Cassia. "This is weird."

She looked over at the Slytherin table to see Adrian and Terence were looking in her direction, in a questioning way. She nodded, showing that she had gotten the same detention as them.

At a little past ten-fifty, she waited in the Entrance Hall, where Terence and Adrian met up with her. She had taken a few sweets from the kitchens as an energy booster. Five minutes later, Filch came down the hallway with a lantern.

"Well, are we going or not?" asked Adrian a little harshly.

"No need to be so eager, Mr Pucey, we're waiting for the others to show up," said Filch with a sneer. "I hope this teaches you not to break more school rules, Potter. It surely didn't teach your dad a lesson. He gladly broke more school rules."

Cassia frowned at that. Her dad used to get detention a lot? She needed to talk to Professor McGonagall about that.

Terence and Adrian looked at her questioningly and she shrugged.

Malfoy came up and looked at the three. He seemed surprised, "You three as well?"

That was probably the most civil he had been to them.

"Yeah," muttered Cassia.

Harry, Hermione, and Neville came down the steps.

"You have detention too?" asked Harry surprised.

"We got two detentions from Madam Pince," said Cassia.

Harry noticed Terence and Adrian, and looked at Cassia, "I'm not surprised." He pushed himself to stand in between Cassia and Terence.

"Follow me," said Filch lighting a lantern. "I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?"

Cassia was sure that he was talking to the newcomers this time. "Oh yes…hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me… It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out…hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed…"

Cassia looked at Adrian and Terence. They didn't even look shocked at what Filch said. She looked at Harry, who looked bewildered at that.

Cassia guessed that it was a good thing this guy wasn't a professor then. She'd hate to see what he would've done if someone got a poor mark.

"Right, off we go," said Filch.

Cassia noticed how terrified Neville looked as he was now clutching at Harry's robe.

"Don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do," sneered Filch.

They walked across the grounds and Neville was now sniffing.

The moon was oddly bright, but clouds moving in front of it kept putting them in darkness.

Up ahead, Cassia was glad to see Hagrid's lit up hut.

"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started," Hagrid called.

Cassia felt relieved and she could've sworn she heard Malfoy groan a little.

"I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourselves with that oaf? Well, think again, you two – it's into the Forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."

Neville moaned. Cassia noticed how Terence and Adrian glanced uneasily at each other. They didn't seem to enjoy the idea of going in the forest.

Malfoy stopped walking.

"The Forest?" repeated Malfoy.

"Yes, Malfoy, didn't you hear him? He was speaking quite clearly," said Terence in a bored tone.

Malfoy ignored him, "We can't go in there at night – there's all sorts of things in there – werewolves, I heard."

Neville made a choking noise and Cassia looked at him. Neville was looking pale.

"That's your lookout, isn't it?" said Filch gleefully. "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?"

Hagrid came walking to them, with Fang at his heel. Fang bounded forward and licked Cassia's face.

"Abou' time, I bin waitin' fer half an hour already," said Hagrid. "All right, Harry, Cassia, Hermione?"

"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," replied Filch in a cold tone. "They're here to be punished, after all." He sneered at Cassia.

"That's why yer late, is it?" asked Hagrid. "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," said Filch. In a nasty tone, he added, "For what's left of them."

Cassia jerked back a little, almost knocking Harry's glasses off.

"Cassy," hissed Harry.

"Sorry," whispered Cassia.

Filch turned and walked towards the castle.

"I'm not going in that Forest," said Malfoy sounding panicked.

Hermione, Terence, and Adrian were oddly quiet.

"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts. Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got to pay fer it," Hagrid said.

"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do," said Malfoy. "I thought we'd writing lines or something."

"At eleven at night?" replied Adrian incredulously.

"Shut up, Pucey," snapped Malfoy. "If my father knew I was doing this, he'd—"

"—tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," growled Hagrid. "Writin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on!"

Malfoy stayed put.

"Right then, now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight," said Hagrid.

"Dangerous how?" asked Terence.

"Follow me over here a moment," said Hagrid. He led them to the edge of the Forest.

He held his lantern high and pointed down a narrow, winding earth path that disappeared into the trees. A light breeze came and Cassia felt her hair blow back.

"Look there, see that stuff shinin' on the ground?" asked Hagrid pointing at something silvery on the ground.

"That's unicorn blood," said Adrian.

"Right," said Hagrid. "There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."

"I thought it was bad to kill a unicorn," said Terence.

"Forget that, what if what's killing the unicorns finds us first?" said Malfoy.

"There's nothin' that lives in the Forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid. "And keep ter the path. Right, now we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least," said Hagrid.

"I want Fang," said Malfoy quickly.

"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid. He looked at the students. There were more students that he expected. He looked at Neville and Malfoy. "All right, I, Harry, Hermione, and Adrian'll go one way, an' Draco, Neville, Cassia, and Terence will go the other way. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practise now…" They took out their wands and sent up green sparks. "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."

Cassia took out her wand out, casting the wand lighting charm for extra light. The Forest was black and eerily silent. They walked and reached a fork in the path.

"Be careful," Adrian said to Terence and Cassia, sounding a little worried.

"You too," replied Cassia.

Terence nodded. Harry eyed Terence warily, while his group took the left path, while the others took the other path.

Terence cast Lumos and Cassia could see that Neville kept looking at Terence and Malfoy warily.

"This is so stupid," said Malfoy. "Why did Dumbledore allow that oaf to give us this kind of detention? Merlin, this place is going to the dogs."

Cassia felt on edge, noticing how Malfoy kept looking at Neville.

"Is it true that killing a unicorn is a bad thing?" Cassia asked Terence.

Terence looked like he was thinking about it, before answering, "It is. I think my mother told me that it's horrible killing a unicorn, since killing something pure and defenceless to drink it's blood will give you a cursed life. Something like that." He looked behind him. "Where did Malfoy go?"

Cassia turned around and Fang sat down on the ground. Cassia smiled, "With luck, maybe he got taken by the werewolves that he's so scared of."

Terence snickered at that. "Hopefully." He sounded happy at the thought.

Neville was looking behind him.

"Did you hear anything, Neville?" asked Terence.

Neville shook his head, "No. He was behind me." He was shaking in terror.

Cassia turned around to look at the ground. Terence did the same, "I think I see a little bit of unicorn blood."

Cassia crouched down, holding her wand to the droplets. "Yeah. It came by."

She stood up and heard a scream. She turned around and saw Malfoy laughing. She yelled, "Petrificus Totalus!" She pointed her wand at Malfoy and then Malfoy was silent and falling on the ground. Fang ran over to Malfoy and slobbered on him.

Neville had shot red sparks in the air with his wand.

"Malfoy, you idiot!" Cassia snarled. She noticed how Terence looked impressed. She walked over to Malfoy's body. "When will you ever learn to leave my friends and brother alone when I'm around? Merlin, Malfoy, you're such an idiot! How were you not killed as a baby by doing stupid things?"

Neville looked like he wasn't sure of whom he should be more afraid of: Cassia, Terence, or Malfoy.

Meanwhile:

Adrian noticed how Harry kept looking at the sky in a nervous manner and then over his shoulder at him.

Adrian wasn't an idiot; he knew that Harry didn't like him or his friendship with Cassia.

At first, Adrian didn't understand why Terence befriended Cassia, furthermore, a Potter at that, even worse a Hufflepuff. He kind of expected their friendship to end quickly, but he was surprised that their friendship lasted this long, especially when Harry disapproved.

Apparently it was the Hufflepuff loyalty.

That was one of the reasons why Adrian didn't want to formally meet Cassia. Of course, after the holidays, Adrian finally met Cassia, to see what was about her that captivated Terence.

She was an interesting creature, to be honest. She didn't fear or dislike him, despite him being a Slytherin. In a way, it was nice to be treated like a person instead.

Of course, he couldn't help but wonder if Cassia really was that stupid to like them. She was a first-year of course. Maybe she hadn't heard of their reputation, but she didn't care that they were in Slytherin.

Harry did.

Cassia didn't.

Cassia smiled and waved at him and Terence in the hall, with no fear or avoidance, or looks of disgust or wariness. Terence would smile and wave back.

Adrian was beginning to treasure his friendship with the younger girl. She liked him despite him being in Slytherin and her brother not liking him or Terence. It was interesting.

He began noticing how a few Slytherins started branching out and talking to other people in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. He wondered if that was because of his and Terence's friendship with Cassia that did it.

So, here he was now, walking through a bloody forest in the dead of night looking for unicorn blood and getting glared at by a boy two years younger than him. He had met two centaurs, who were unhelpful. He had learned that werewolves weren't fast enough to kill unicorns, which was actually kind of fascinating.

Hermione…was interesting. She didn't seem wary of him despite him being in Slytherin. Adrian supposed the know-it-all, (he heard Malfoy complaining about her in the common room many times) liked him because Cassia did.

He was pulled out of his brooding when he heard what sounded like a robe rustling leaves. He turned to look behind him, but he didn't see anything.

"Everything okay, Adrian?" asked Hagrid.

Adrian shrugged, "I thought I heard something."

Hagrid nodded, but he looked a little uneasy.

Adrian turned around and looked the sky to see red sparks. He stopped and said, "Oh, no."

Hermione looked at him and looked at the sky. She pointed, "Hagrid, look! Red sparks! The others are in trouble!"

"You three wait here!" Hagrid shouted. "Stay on the path, I'll come back for yeh. Adrian will protect yeh."

Adrian watched him crash through the undergrowth.

Soon the sound of Hagrid going through the undergrowth disappeared.

To be honest, Adrian's line of defense would be taking Malfoy and using him as a meat-shield, but since Malfoy wasn't around, he guessed that Harry or the know-it-all would have to do, but since he liked being Cassia's friend, he guessed protecting them would have to do.

"You don't think they've been hurt, do you?" whispered Hermione.

"I don't care if Malfoy has, but it something's got Neville and Cassy…" Harry started.

"I hope nothing happened to Terence and Cass," said Adrian, not missing that Potter hadn't mentioned Terence.

Potter looked at him.

"Yes, Potter, I do care about my friends," said Adrian.

There was a bit more silence and Adrian held onto his wand a little more tightly, since Hagrid put him in charge of protecting these two.

"Admittedly, Terence is kind of bad at defense magic," Adrian said. "Neville isn't that brave and Malfoy is a coward who would most likely use Neville as a meat-shield. I think Cass would be the one that would put up a fight."

Harry and Hermione just looked at him weirdly.

"To be honest, I would use Malfoy as a meat-shield as well," said Adrian. He looked in one direction and looked in the other, keeping a look out for whatever was rustling through the forest.

"Right," said Hermione quietly. "You sound like you don't him."

"I don't," replied Adrian. "He's annoying to deal with. Some of the others don't like him either. The rest just ignores him." He shrugged. "He keeps banging on about how Terence and I are embarrassments to Slytherin since we're friends with a Hufflepuff."

"Sorry you have to deal with that," said Hermione in a soft voice.

"Its fine," replied Adrian. "It doesn't really bother me." It really didn't.

Hagrid returned with Terence, Cassia, Neville, and Malfoy. Hagrid really didn't look happy. Fang was panting happily.

Harry went to hug Cassia, who hugged him back.

"What happened?" Adrian asked.

"Malfoy snuck up Neville and grabbed him as a joke. Neville panicked and shot up red sparks," explained Cassia.

"She also used the Full-Body Bind on Malfoy for that," said Terence. "You should've seen how fast she used that."

Cassia almost blushed at that. "It wasn't that impressive."

"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket that those four were causing. Right, we're changin' groups," said Hagrid. He looked the students. "Neville, you stay with me, Hermione, and Malfoy. Harry, you go with Fang, Cassia, Terence, and Adrian." Harry looked like he was going to argue, and Hagrid said, "Harry, it'll be better this way. We don't need this idiot causing a racket." He motioned to Malfoy. "We got ter get this thing done." He motioned to Adrian and Terence, "They're older."

"What does that have to do with anything?" snapped Malfoy.

"Its fer their protection," said Hagrid. "They know more magic."

"Let's get going," said Terence.

The two older Slytherins, Harry, Cassia, and Fang set off to the heart of the Forest.

"Everything's going to be okay, Cass," Adrian said to Cassia.

"I know," said Cassia. "Thanks."

"What was Malfoy covered in?" asked Harry.

"Fang's drool," said Cassia with a smile.

"His dad will definitely hear about that," said Adrian.

They walked longer and Cassia almost tripped over a tree root, but Terence had managed to grab her arm to keep her steady.

"I think the blood is getting thicker," said Harry.

"It is," said Adrian.

Terence stopped and looked at a tree.

"What is it?" asked Harry.

"There's unicorn blood on the roots," said Terence.

They kept walking, but the path seemed to narrow as the trees thickened.

"Look, it's in the clearing," said Harry.

There was something on the ground in the clearing. It was bright white. They walked closer.

It was the unicorn and it looked dead. Its long slender legs stuck out at angles from where it fell and its mane was spread out on the dark leaves.

"It's sad," said Cassia.

Harry took one step forward.

Adrian grabbed Harry's arm to stop him, "Potter, what are you doing?"

Harry shook Adrian's arm off. "Let go of me, Pucey."

There was a slithering sound and a shrub started shaking.

A hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beat. The students stood transfixed as the cloaked figure reached the unicorn and lowered its head over the wound on the unicorn's side to drink its blood.

Cassia screamed and Fang bolted. Adrian and Terence watched Fang run off.

"He was not joking," muttered Terence.

The hooded figure raised its head and looked at the four. The figure got to its feet and started coming towards them.

Harry walked backwards, knocking into Terence, nearly sending them to the floor. Adrian held up his wand ready, but hooves hitting the ground from behind them. Something jumped over them and charged at the figure.

Cassia grabbed at Harry's arms, trying to pull him up. "Come on, get up!" Terence and Adrian grabbed at Harry's arms, trying to pull him up.

"Get up, Potter," ordered Adrian. The figure was gone, but a centaur was now focusing on the four of them. The centaur had white-blond hair and a palomino body.

"Are you four all right?" asked the centaur.

Harry managed to get to his feet.

"Yes – thank you – what was that?" Harry asked.

The centaur didn't answer that, but stared at Harry. "You are the Potter boy." He looked at Cassia and looked closer. "You're the Potter girl." Cassia looked at Terence and Adrian.

"You four better get back to Hagrid. The Forest is not safe at this time – especially for you both. Can all four of you ride? It will be quicker this way," the centaur said.

"Isn't that against the rules against the colony?" asked Adrian.

"Yes, but this is more important," said the centaur. He lowered himself onto his front legs so that they could get on his back, but Cassia, Adrian, and Terence stayed put, while Harry got on.

More galloping came from the other side of the clearing. Two more centaurs emerged.

"Firenze! What are you doing? You have a human on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?" one centaur demanded.

"Do you realise who they are? This is the Potter boy and she's his sister! The quicker they leave this Forest, the better," said Firenze.

"What have you been telling them?" growled the other centaur. "Remember, Firenze, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?"

The red one pawed the ground nervously. "I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best."

The dark one kicked at the red one's back legs. "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 reared back on his back legs. "Do you not see that unicorn? 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."

Cassia wondered if Firenze would be able to carry four people.

Firenze whisked around, and allowed the three others to get on his back. Cassia got on first, then Terence, and then Adrian. Adrian kept a hold on Terence's shoulders.

Then Firenze plunged into the trees leaving the other two behind.

"Why's Bane so angry? What was that thing you saved me from, anyway?" asked Harry.

Firenze slowed down to a walk, "Keep your heads down in case of low-hanging branches." Firenze stopped suddenly to ask, "Harry and Cassia Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?"

"It gives you a cursed life," said Adrian in a quiet tone.

"That is right," said Firenze. "Only one who has nothing to lose and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenseless to save yourself and you will have but a half life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."

"The question is who's that desperate? Who's killing the unicorns?" asked Terence.

"Death's better, isn't it?" asked Harry.

"It is, unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else – something that will bring you back to full strength and power – something that will mean you can never die," Firenze explained. "Do either of you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?"

"No," replied Terence and Adrian.

"The Philosopher's Stone!" exclaimed Harry, "Of course – the Elixir of Life! But we don't understand who—"

"Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?" asked Firenze.

"The Dark Lord," whispered Adrian. "My parents refused to believe he was truly gone. But how is he still alive?"

"That, I do not know the answer," said Firenze.

"Are you all right?" yelled Hermione.

Hermione was running towards them. Down the path, Hagrid was puffing alongside her. Neville, Malfoy, and Fang were running too.

"We're fine," said Harry. He helped Cassia down from Firenze.

"The unicorn's dead," said Terence, getting down. "It was the clearing down there." He pointed.

"This is where I leave you," Firenze murmured as Hagrid took off. "You four are safe now. Good luck, Harry and Cassia Potter. The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times."

He turned and cantered by into the depths of the Forest.

"I hope that his colony could forgive him for what he did," said Adrian.

A/N: Admittedly them getting detention was a really massive reach, but I didn't know how to get them there, or at least Cassia, but Terence and Adrian getting detention was a bonus to.