Chapter Thirteen: Detention

There are several dialogue quotes taken from JK Rowling's Sorcerer's Stone in this book. This is to convey the same story she wrote, but from another character's POV. The quotes taken directly from the book have three quotation marks (instead of two) around them to signify she wrote them and that I am citing them. Because I am transforming pieces of her work into something new this falls under the Fair Use Act. Additionally, JK Rowling has stated that she is okay with noncommercial fan fiction. All direct quotes, the Harry Potter storyline, and the characters all belong to JK Rowling.

As Draco walked down to breakfast the next morning, he knew that everyone would be buzzing about the night before. "Don't even start with me," said Draco flashing a warning look, as he sat down with his friends.

Blaise just shook his head and said, "Wasn't gonna, mate."

Pansy grimaced, and gave him a sympathetic look. Daphne used all her strength to hold back telling Draco that she told him so. The only thing that made Draco feel better, was finding out that Harry, Hermione, and Neville had been caught out of bed as well. Between the three of them, they had managed to lose one hundred and fifty house points, and they would also be serving detention.

The Gryffindors were relentless on Harry, Hermione, and Neville for losing them so many house points. However, aside from Draco's friends, who gave him "I told you so," looks for days, he did not receive any backlash from Slytherins for losing house points. Even if he had lost a good twenty, the Slytherins saw him as the reason Gryffindor lost a hundred and fifty points. The Gryffindors were their biggest contender for the House Cup, so they saw Draco's actions as a net gain.

Marcus Flint had even patted Draco on the back. "You practically made up for our loss against Gryffindor," he laughed. "I never thought I'd be so impressed." Although this was a compliment, Draco did not feel good about his actions. Not because he regretted them, but because he still came off looking foolish, regardless of the fact it had helped Slytherin.

About a week before exams, Niklaus delivered a letter to Draco addressed from Professor McGonagall. "What would she want from you?" Asked Pansy nosily.

"Ah hah, I was wondering when punishment time would be," teased Blaise.

Draco glared back at him and turned to the letter.

"'Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall.

Professor McGonagall'"

"I wonder what you'll have to do with Filch," Pansy said worriedly.

"I'm sure it will just be scrubbing floors, or polishing artifacts," Daphne said dismissively.

Draco groaned loudly. He wasn't used to cleaning or chores. In fact, he hadn't scrubbed or polished a single thing in all his life. "Servant stuff, " he moaned. "I was hoping it would just be lines."

"The real issue is that you're going to miss a whole night of studying," Daphne pointed out.

"It doesn't matter," Draco muttered. "Granger won't be studying either so we are even."

"It shouldn't be about that," contested Daphne. "It should be about being the best you can be. Back me up Blaise."

"Well... it shouldn't be about Granger." Blaise agreed.

"Thank you," Daphne said a little too early.

Blaise cut in again, "It's really about finding the job that will pay you the most money."

Daphne rolled her eyes. "That's not... okay, whatever," she said.

"Or you can marry just marry rich like Pansy here plans to," said Blaise with a falsely innocent tone.

"That's not what I plan to do Blaise!" Pansy spit out in a shrill voice.

The three of them turned to her completely surprised. None of them had really seen her get so upset before. She got up quickly, and left the hall, trying not to draw much attention to herself.

"It was a joke Pans!" Blaise called out to her, but she was gone.

Blaise turned to Daphne and Draco, "I didn't know that would upset her so much," he said genuinely.

"She's self conscious of her ranking," Daphne answered quietly. "We are all fighting over first place, mad that we ranked in the top ten, when she ranked in the bottom fifty percent of the class. She has actually been taking our incessant complaining very well."

Blaise got up and went after her. "Don't you think space would b-" Daphne called

"She is my best friend Daph," Blaise said, and then went after her.

Draco went down to the entrance hall at 10:45pm, and waited for Filch. He showed up around 10:50, and finally Harry, Hermione, and Neville came slumping down the stairs right at 11:00pm.

"'Follow me,'" said Filch gleefully. He lit his lamp, and then took them outside.

"'I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?'" Said Filch. "'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. . . . Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do.'"

Draco rolled his eyes as the four of them marched down the grounds to Hagrid's hut. Neville sobbed pitifully. The idea of Neville crying over something as trivial as detention, made Draco want to slug him in the face, but instead he clenched his fists and focused on the cool night air.

"'Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started.'" Hagrid called, as they made their way to his hut.

Now Draco was even more pissed, having to spend time with Hagrid, the school's servant or whatever he was supposed to be. However, Harry must have been pleased to see him, as Filch turned to him and muttered with a big grin, "'I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, boy — it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece.'"

Draco stopped walking and stared into Filch's eyes for any sign that this was some cruel joke. When he found none, he was in complete disbelief. "'The forest?'" He asked, overwhelmed with fear. "'We can't go in there at night — there's all sorts of things in there — werewolves, I heard.'"

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

"'Abou' time,'" said Hagrid, as he made his way over to them with a large crossbow and his dog, Fang, by his side. "'I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Harry, Hermione?'"

"'I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid,'" Filch answered, "'they're here to be punished, after all.'"

Draco could hear them talking in the background, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. He was too focused on the looming forest standing before him like a barrier of darkness. Draco was never fond of the dark. The fear started when he was very young and Lucius locked him out of the house one night for disobeying him. Draco had spent the night banging on the door until his fists were bruised and bleeding. He did not sleep for a single moment that night. In the dark, the small garden animals may have well been terrifying beasts ready to pounce, the shrubbery was basically twine and rope, ready to ensnare Draco in a trap.

Suddenly, Draco snapped back into reality, but he was still standing in front of the large threatening forest. At this moment Draco wasn't even concerned about how he looked or sounded to the others, he was in panic mode.

"'I'm not going in that forest,'" Draco pleaded desperately.

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

"'But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this, he'd —'" Draco started, but he knew he would never tell his father. Lucius would have been furious at Hogwarts for putting the Malfoy heir in danger, but Draco would then be greatly punished by his father for his foolish actions.

"'— tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts,'" Hagrid roared. "'Copyin' 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!'"

Although Draco was quite certain Lucius, one of the school governors, would never allow Draco's expulsion, he still did not want to face his father's punishment. Draco may have feared the dark enchanted forest, but nothing scared him more than his father's own hand when he was angry.

"'Right then,'" said Hagrid, "'now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment.'"

Hagrid lead them into the forest and slowly waved his lantern back and forth as if he was looking for something. "'Look there,'" said Hagrid, "'see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. 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.'"

"'And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?'" Draco managed to choke out, despite the fact he felt suffocated and weak.

"'There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang. An' keep ter the path.'" Hagrid said, rolling his eyes and gesturing to the long winding clearing. "'Right, now, we're gonna splitinter 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.'"

Draco felt Fang pressed up against him, as if ready to protect him against any threatening creatures. He felt a sense of calming as he stroked Fang along his back. "'I want Fang,'" said Malfoy.

"'All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward,''' said Hagrid. "'So me, Harry, an' Hermione'll go one way an' Draco, 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.'"

Neville looked at Draco as if he would have rather gone off on his own then gone with Draco. It annoyed Draco thoroughly, and he thought to himself that any fear Neville held about him was his own doing, getting in his way all the time.

Draco nervously walked along the trail with Fang leading in front, and Neville walking a few paces behind. At every crack of a branch, at every hoot of an owl Neville gasped in fear causing Draco to jolt, only to see that there was no danger.

As time went on and Neville continued to jump at every little thing, Draco became less and less afraid, but more and more annoyed. Instead of thanking Neville for taking his mind off of the danger they were in, he decided to mess with him.

Draco looked backed at Neville, then looked at "something" behind him. "Neville, look!" Draco shouted, and when he turned around wildly, Draco grabbed him and shouted "Boo!" in his ear.

Neville was in such a state of panic, he sent up red sparks with his wand without even thinking. Draco rolled on the ground in laughter, but was admittedly impressed that someone as dimwitted as Neville could muster up enough magic to send up sparks.

"Magic?" Draco asked sarcastically. "Here you had me thinking you were a squib." And Draco laughed even harder at his own joke.

Neville... adjusted his robes in such a way that Draco had a suspicion he may have wet his pants. However, before Draco could say anything about this, he saw Hagrid racing towards them.

"What the devil's goin' on 'ere?" Hagrid shouted angrily, as he made his way to the two boys.

Neville just sobbed and pointed a trembling finger to Draco. Draco crossed his arms and scoffed. "Yeh two prolly scared the unicorn off!" Hagrid roared. "Now we'll prolly never find it. Come with me NOW."

They made their way back along the path until they found Hermione and Harry waiting anxiously for their return. "'We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now,'" said Hagrid, still fuming. "'with the racket you two were makin'. Right, we're changin' groups — Neville, you stay with me an' Hermione, Harry, you go with Fang an' this idiot.'"

Draco would have never admitted it, not even if his life depended on it, but Harry made a much better partner than Neville. He was able to reasonably contain his fear, and did not make Draco jump every other moment with gasps and screams at every little noise. Draco did not like to be alone with Harry, but considering the compromising position they were in, he felt it best to not make the situation worse.

Harry and Draco continued through the forest for over half an hour. The trees grew thicker and it seemed to only be getting darker. They had a little system worked out that did not even require the two of them to talk. Harry went in front shining his lamp ahead of them, and Draco trailed behind surveying the sides, and looking back every once in a while to make sure nothing was following them. Fang circled around the two of them sniffing around for, what Draco and Harry could only hope, was the injured unicorn. Had the two boys not deeply despised each other, maybe the bleak experience would have become fun.

The unicorn blood seemed to be getting thicker and thicker. It pooled on the ground making gelatinous silvery puddles. It smeared against every tree within reach. Suddenly Harry held out his arm, stopping Draco from walking any further.

Draco was about to tell Harry off for telling him what to do, when Harry pointed to something shiny on the ground. "Look," he whispered.

The two of them slowly inched their way towards it. They held out their lamps to get a good look, and there was no mistaking it, even for a muggle raised wizard like Harry, it was the unicorn. It was clearly dead with broken limbs jutting out at odd angles. It's mane tangled with leaves and dirt. Draco felt as if he was going to be sick, to see something so pure and innocent so mangled and dead.

Suddenly there was a rustling noise in a nearby bush. Some sort of creature... or man... Draco couldn't be sure, crawled its way over to the unicorn and pressed it's mouth against one of its wounds that was gushing blood.

Draco was not going to stick around to be that thing's next victim. He let out a loud scream and sprinted. He heard Harry right behind him, but did not dare to look back to see if the thing was chasing him. He pushed through the shrubbery and dodged low hanging branches. All of a sudden, who he thought to be Harry passed him, but it wasn't Harry, it was Fang.

Draco finally stopped and looked behind him. He couldn't see or hear a single thing. "Shit," he mumbled under his breath. He didn't like Harry by any stretch of the imagination, but he wasn't trying to leave him for dead. Draco let up red sparks and then started running back to where he had left Harry. He continued to let up red sparks every thirty seconds or so, so that the others could see where he was headed.

Finally he got back to where he left Harry, and to his utter surprise Harry was completely fine. He was just standing there. For a moment, Draco worried that maybe Harry had single handedly defeated the killer, making an absolute fool out of him. But then Draco caught a glimpse of what must have been Harry's savior, a centaur running back into the trees.

Draco finally felt the pain in his chest, and the burning in his lungs, that the adrenaline had kept him from noticing. He bent down with his hands on his knees and panted with complete exhaustion. Finally Harry heard him and turned around. "You came back?" He asked, incredulously.

"Nice observation skills, Potter," Draco managed to choke out. He took a minute to calm down, and then stood up again, much more composed. "I finally realized it was Fang running behind me and not you. I figured that I couldn't return to Hogwarts without the precious, saint, potter," he spit out angrily. Harry didn't answer.

"Scared of the centaurs, it was?" Asked Draco.

Harry just nodded, and the two of them waited for the others in silence.

Draco's friends had fallen asleep studying in the common room when Draco finally returned from detention. It seemed as though Pansy had forgiven Blaise, as they had fallen asleep on the same couch, flash cards strewn across them and the floor. Daphne was asleep on the couch across from them laying on stacks of books.

Pansy was the first one to wake, hearing Draco walk into the common room. She bolted upright and ran to give him a hug. Blaise and Daphne awoke at the commotion, stretching and yawning.

"What the hell were you doing to get back at six in the morning?" Daphne asked incredulously. Draco cleared a stack of books off her couch, making room for him to sit.

Draco explained everything, and even Blaise, who seemed to never be surprised by anything, was in utter shock. "That's completely barbaric!" Daphne shouted. "They can't be forcing students to complete life threatening tasks just because they were out after curfew!"

"I think there's a more pressing issue at hand here," Blaise cut in. "What the hell is drinking unicorn blood?"

"Why does that matter?" Asked Pansy. "There are many bad creatures in the forest who would drink the blood of any animal."

"Unicorn blood is different," Draco answered. "It will keep you from dying no matter how injured you are... but you will be cursed and live a sort of half life... I'm not sure what that means really, but I've read that."

"It seems like someone really wants to keep living regardless of the consequences," said Blaise.

"Oh my gosh, how could I be so stupid," said Daphne. "The sorcerer's stone, the unicorn blood. It's the same person."

Blaise nodded, "Seems so."

"The only thing I don't understand is why Professor Quirrell needs life extending substances so badly," said Draco.

"I can think of one reason," Pansy shivered.

"Tell us Pans," said Daphne.

Pansy just continued to stare at them with a look that made everyone understand. "Oh- no that's silly. He's dead," said Daphne.

However, no one, including Daphne seemed convinced... And no one, especially Draco knew how they should feel about it.