A/N: As usual, Super MKatR keeps doing an excellent work as a beta. Thank you!

Chapter 20 – The Forbidden Forest

After they finally reached the common room, Ron didn't waste even a single second to interrogate Harry. 'What tale was that one with Scabbers? Why are you saying my pet is a criminal?'

Before anything, Harry checked the Marauder's Map once more. No sign of Pettigrew. 'Speak lower, Ron!' Harry scolded. 'No one can hear about this. If Pettigrew suspects that I'm after him, he might run away and will never show up again. It's not made up!'

'Do you think I'll believe you?'

'Why do you think I ran like that? I saw his name on the map and I tried to catch him.' Harry sighed, tired. 'Do you want to hear the whole story, or not?'

The relationship between the three friends became more bearable after that night. Ron and Hermione were still upset they had detentions because of Harry, but they understood his side. If an innocent man could have been sentenced to prison, it was fair that Harry would try to help him. Ron and Hermione kept his secret and even started looking more attentively while walking through the corridors, searching for any sign of Scabbers. The trust vote of Ron and Hermione stimulated Harry to trust more in his new friend. When Neville left the hospital wing two days later, Harry decided to tell him the whole story about the dragon and Peter.

'So that was what you're really looking for on that day?' Neville asked after hearing the whole story.

'Yes.'

'I understand you. He betrayed your parents, he deserved to be in jail.'

'That's what I'm trying to do.'

'You know, you can count with me. I know I'm not a big help…'

'Thank you, Neville.' Harry interrupted him. 'You are a big help. The more people looking for that rat the better. But what it is imperative that he doesn't realize that we're after him.

On the Friday, Harry, Ron and Hermione received three identical notes during breakfast that said: "Your detention will begin at 11pm. Await for Mr Filch at the Front Hall. – Prof. Minerva McGonagall."

At 10:30pm, the three children left the common room and went to the Front Hall, where Filch was already waiting for them.

'Follow me.' Filch said, lighting a lantern and guiding them to the grounds. 'A special punishment is awaiting you today.' He provoked. 'I bet from now on you'll think twice before wandering around and making a mess. I know your type.' He kept talking, staring at Harry. 'Your father lived for causing trouble, he and his bunch of friends. He had many detentions, but they never prevented him from breaking the rules... Then, the brothers of yours arrived.' Filch pointed at Ron. 'All equally a bunch of troublemakers. The detentions are too soft nowadays. I miss the good days when the students spent days chained in the dungeons. Indeed, they learned their lesson.'

They were walking through the dark grounds, but from afar, they could see Hagrid's hut with little windows shining in the dark. They were going in there. Harry smiled.

'Don't think you'll have fun with that stupid big guy.' Filch commented when he saw the hopeful expressions on the faces of the three children. 'You're going to the Forbidden Forest and I doubt that any of you will come from there intact.'

The three Gryffindors stayed silent the whole way to Hagrid's hut, but that didn't stop them from contemplating their terrible fate. They were brave Gryffindors, but who knows what kind of creatures were in the forest.

'Hey, how are you, kids?' Hagrid greeted when they arrived. 'Have you made peace already?'

The three children looked at each other. Harry did a "whatever" with his shoulders and Ron just faced his shoes in interest. Hermione made a face of impatience. 'We're almost there, Hagrid.' She informed.

Hagrid seemed concerned, but said, 'So, let's go… In my opinion, it's silly for three good friends such as yourselves to stay mad at each other.' He couldn't resist saying. 'Friends are precious, especially in hard times.'

The children agreed with their heads down.

'Now, pay attention.' The half giant continued. 'I want you to be very careful tonight. I don't want anyone in danger. Come with me!'

Fang, Hagrid's huge dog, went with them and Harry noticed Hagrid had a big bow and a quiver of arrows with him. 'Why are you armed, Hagrid?' He asked, curious.

'Something is killing unicorns in the forest. We don't know what it is, but it must be very dangerous if it's killing unicorns. Unicorns are very powerful creatures and very fast, their magic protects them. It isn't easy to get close to one of them.'

'Are we going hunting?' Ron asked, scared.

'No.' Hagrid answered. 'Today, we're just looking for an injured unicorn. The poor creature must be close. We're almost there… Can you see that silvery trail? That's unicorn's blood. Now, we'll have to separate to find the poor one faster.'

'Are you sure that it's safe, Hagrid?' Hermione asked, uncertain.

'Yes… If you stay on the trail, you won't be in danger.' Hagrid stated with a confidence that the children couldn't feel.

'Let's see… Harry and Ron, you take Fang and go that way. Hermione and I will go this way.' Hagrid instructed. 'If you find the unicorn send green sparks with your wands, if you have any problem send red sparks. Do you understand? Very good! Let's go.'

The forest was dark and silent, Harry and Ron walked in silence and bring mindful of the tree trunks and the roots on their way. Fang was quiet on their side, apparently the dog was used to going into the forest. Occasionally, a distant noise frightened the boys, but none of them appeared to be anything dangerous. They had been walking for almost half an hour when they saw something. A few feet away, in the middle of a glade illuminated by the moon was the unicorn lying on the ground.

'Is it dead?' Ron asked.

'I don't know. Let's check it out.'

The boys slowly moved closer so they wouldn't scare the poor creature more, if it was alive that is. Harry thought it was sad to see such a beautiful creature dying. When they were almost in the middle of the glade, something moved in the bushes on the edge of the glade. Harry stopped. From the middle of the shadows, a dark figure moved in a predatory manner. It was crawling on the ground like a beast ready to pounce on its prey.

Whatever that thing was, it leaned over the unicorn and started drinking its blood. Ron choked in horror. The dark figure lifted its head and stared at them. Harry wanted to run away, but he seemed frozen to the ground. Ron and Fang didn't seem to be in a better state. The thing stood up with the unicorn's blood streaming down his chest. Only then, Harry noticed that it was a man with a hood that was doing that.

As the man began to approach, Harry felt a piercing stab of pain in his forehead. It was the scar. It felt as if his head was being split in half right there. It was so much pain that he lost his strength that he fell onto the ground. Ron turned to Harry, terrified. That man was doing something to Harry. With his heart jumping and gathering all his courage, Ron pulled his wand and pointed to the man. But he didn't know what to do, what spell he should cast.

On the ground, Harry saw, through the pain and his eyes blurred with tears, his friend trying to defend him. He had never felt so proud of Ron before. When Ron pointed his wand at the dark figure, Harry heard a cold and evil laugh that could freeze the bones. That sound brought from the deep of Harry's head an almost forgotten memory: a woman screaming, a sick green light and the same laugh…

'Voldemort…'

Ron held his wand more firmly, shaking from his head to his toes. It was You-Know-Who. Harry said it was You-Know-Who. They were going to die… A heavy sound of hooves resonated in the glade, something jumped over the dark figure, scaring it. They saw then it was a centaur and that You-Know-Who was gone. Ron breathed a sigh of relief and he helped Harry back to his feet.

'Mate, are you ok?'

'Y-yes, I guess.'

Without thinking twice, Ron sent the strongest red sparks he could. He hoped Hagrid could find them quickly.

'Are you two alright?' The centaur asked.

The boys nodded. The centaur faced them with attention and took a longer look at Harry's scar. 'You're the Potter boy!' He noted. 'We need to find Hagrid. The forest isn't safe at this hour of the night, especially for you and your friends. My name's Firenze.'

'Was that really You-Know-Who?'

Weirdly, the centaur stared at Ron. 'That was someone whom entitled himself of Dark Lord in the past and for a long time has been waiting for an opportunity to return to the power.'

'It's Voldemort.' Harry said. 'I know that.'

'Why's he here?' Ron asked, terrified.

The centaur hesitated before answering, for a while he looked at the sky as if he was asking the stars. Then, he said, 'Because in the castle, there is hidden an object of great power, an object that could help someone like him regain what he has lost.'

Harry and Ron faced each other for a while. The mystery of the vault 713 was back on their minds.

Later, when they returned to Hagrid's hut, the half-giant served generous mugs of tea to all of them. The hot liquid warmed them, but Harry and Ron were still shaking on the inside.

'I will never enter into that forest,' Ron was saying, 'never again!'

'It is not that bad.' Hagrid commented. 'You have only been a bit unlucky.'

'A bit unlucky?' Ron was about to pass out. 'It was You-Know-Who! He could have killed us.'

'Now, you see,' Hagrid mused, 'just because Firenze thought he saw that in the stars, it doesn't mean—'

'It was Voldemort, Hagrid.' Harry interrupted. 'I know... I felt…'

The other three quivered at the mention of the dark lord's name and they fell into a frightened silence.

'What's it been kept in the castle, Hagrid?' Harry seriously asked. 'I know you know what it is.'

'Huh, what? What are you talking about, Harry''

'What was that you took from the vault in Diagon Alley? I know it's the same thing that it is on the third floor.'

That helped bring back Ron and Hermione's attention.

'You-Know-Who is looking for what Fluffy is guarding?' The girl asked.

'Look here,' The half-giant scowled, 'You shouldn't meddle in this affair. That stone is none of your business!'

'Stone?' Harry asked.

Hagrid seemed horrified for letting that information slip out. 'What stone? I didn't mention any stone…' He tried to cover.

'Yes, you did!' Ron pushed. 'I heard that too.'

'What kind of stone could be used to return the power to Voldemort?' Harry asked. 'A stone of power?'

'A stone of life?' Ron tried.

'No!' Hermione said with that expression she always used when she knew the answer to a hard question from a teacher. 'It's the Philosopher's Stone.'

A/N: Hi! It's been what? Two weeks since my last update. I'm sorry I didn't post last week, but I'm very busy. And besides that, I went to the hospital and now I have to walk with crutches and let my leg rest a lot.

Anyway, here's chapter 20! Whoa! I hope you enjoyed. Because it took me this long to update, here it is the provisional names for the following chapters: Calm and Distress; The Philosopher's Stone; The Dark Lord; Magic; Lord Black; The Union; His Redhead Girl; The Soul-Bond; Family; The Talk.

See you in the next chapter!

Inês

scrappy8: Thank you so much!

Guest: Thank you. You're welcome!

Miss Millie: Hi! I'm so sorry it took me so long. I'm so glad you're enjoying it so much. Thank you for sharing it. Let's wait for the next chapters to see what is going to happen. Thanks, I also wish good luck in all you do.