Chapter 9 - Detention
"Come on, we have to go meet Filch." Harry said to me while I was sat on the sofa in the common room reading my animagus book again. I sighed then trudged after him. Minutes later we were following Filch to Hagrid's hut.
"A pity they let the old punishments die. Was a time detention found you hanging by your thumbs in the dungeons. God, I'll miss the screaming." I looked up at Filch and the sinister smile on his face: quickly I moved to the other side of Harry and walked next to him. "You'll be serving detention with Hagrid tonight. He's got a little job to do inside the Dark Forest. A sorry lot, this, Hagrid. Oh good God you're not still on about that bloody dragon now are you?" Filch asked when he saw Hagrid's upset face.
"What happened to Norbert?" I asked.
"Professor Dumbledore got Norbert sent to a colony in Romania." Hagrid sniffed.
"Isn't that good?" Harry asked.
"But what if he don' like Romania? What if the other dragons are mean to 'im?" Hagrid asked.
"He'll be fine, Hagrid." I said confidently.
"Oh, for God's sake pull yourself together man. You're going into the Forest after all. Got to have your wits about you." Filch said.
"The Forest? I thought that was a joke." spat Malfoy "We can't go in there. Students aren't allowed. And there are... werewolves!"
"You sound scared Malfoy. I'm sure you'll be a tasty treat to the werewolves." I grinned evilly. Malfoy looked paler while Harry just snickered. Even Filch cracked a smile.
"Come on you three, we've got work to do." Hagrid said gruffly then started walking off with Fang. Malfoy was quick to run after him while me and Harry chuckled and followed. I could tell Harry was a bit worried about going into the forest so I held his hand. He smiled at me gratefully. I wasn't scared. We had Hagrid and Fang and I could kick butt in my panther form. Within five minutes we had stopped and Hagrid was looking at some silver liquid on a tree. "This is what we are looking for. This is unicorn blood, we're looking for the poor beast that this beast came from. We'll have to split up from here. Ash, you can go with Malfoy. Harry with me."
"Hagrid please don't make me go with Malfoy. I'll kill him. Let Harry come with me." I begged. "We'll even take Fang."
"Fine. Malfoy with me. If you find it or need help send up red sparks." Hagrid said before he walked off with Malfoy. Me and Harry walked in the opposite direction. After another five minutes of walking I found some more unicorn blood.
"Harry." I called making Harry come back to me and look at the blood.
"There's some more here." Harry said walking in the direction of the trail. I had to run to keep up with Harry. When I found him he was frozen on the spot staring at a hooded thing drinking the blood of the unicorn. Harry then grunted in pain as his hand flew to his head. The cloaked figure immediately looked at both of us. Fang took off running.
"Harry, we need to run." I said walking backwards.
"I can't." Harry grunted. "My scar."
"Oh, God." I whispered. I then changed into my panther and jumped between Harry and the other thing. Harry had fallen onto the floor and the cloaked figure was still coming towards us. I growled as much as possible and that's when he started backing up so I edged forward a bit. The next thing I knew a centaur was sailing over mine and Harry's head making the creature run away. I looked at the centaur and then Harry and decided he was okay so I ran off. I changed back just before Harry appeared on the centaur's back. I decided to be the worried friend who had no idea where he went. "Where the hell did you go?" I asked.
"I fell over then a panther and Firenze saved me from that thing." Harry explained while Firenze looked at me curiously.
"Thank you, Firenze." I smiled up at him then whispered nearer him so Harry wouldn't hear. "I couldn't do it on my own." Firenze then smiled at me with understanding.
"This is where I leave you. You are safe now." Firenze said while I helped Harry slide off his back. "Good luck, Harry Potter. The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times." He looked at both of us before he cantered off.
"We need Hagrid." I said before sending red sparks into the air.
"I'll tell you, Hermione and Ron what that thing was and what Firenze said to me when we get back." Harry whispered to me before Hagrid, Malfoy and Fang appeared.
-.-
"The hooded creature was Voldemort." Harry said dramatically.
"You're telling my You-Know-Who is in the Forbidden Forest?" Hermione asked, her voice higher than usual.
"Yes but he's weak. He's living off unicorn blood until he can get the Philosopher's Stone." Harry explained.
"It makes sense don't it. Snape getting it for You-Know-Who, he was a supporter but Dumbledore got him off." Ron told Harry.
"Does that mean he can come back?" Hermione asked quietly. Harry nodded. I whimpered.
"Do you reckon he'll try and... you know... kill you?" Ron asked.
"I reckon he would have tried tonight if I didn't get away." Harry replied. I whimpered again that's when the three of them noticed me again. "Are you okay Ash?"
"Remember what I told you on the train here in September? How you saved me?" I asked. Harry's face fell when he realized what I meant.
"He'll come after you as well and kill you, too." Harry guessed. I nodded. "And we were both out there tonight. Two people he wants to kill."
"How did you get away?" Hermione asked.
"A black panther appeared out of nowhere after Ash told me to run. Did you see the panther, Ash?" Harry asked me. I looked down and shook my head. "Anyway it growled and made Voldemort stay back then Firenze appeared and he ran off." Hermione looked at me suspiciously.
"Describe the panther, Harry." Hermione ordered. Hermione was the only one who has seen me as a panther.
"I dunno. It was quite small for a panther, I reckon. It was black except for a pink line on its side which I don't think is normal." Harry described me. My eyes grew wide as I looked at 'Mione.
"What the...? ...Between You-Know-Who? And Harry?" Hermione squealed. I hadn't actually thought about the fact I was that close to Voldemort.
"Oh my God." I said standing up. I then started walking around the common room freaking out. "Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God." I kept repeating.
"Is it sinking in now?" Hermione asked.
"But... it was Harry." I replied. "I didn't think."
"What's going on?" Harry and Ron asked at the same time.
"You might as well tell them, they won't say anything." Hermione told me.
"Okay. Remember what I said last night about that thing I can to that is illegal?" I asked then when they nodded I walked to stand infront of Harry and Ron then changed into a Panther. They both gasped as they took me in. I then changed back.
"It was you." Harry gasped. "You kept Voldemort away from me."
"Don't say his name." Ron hissed.
"Of course I did. Do you really think I'd run away and leave you?" I asked him. He just stood up and hugged me.
"Thank you." He whispered in my ear.
"It was Firenze." I replied.
"So you can change into a Panther." Ron stated. "Wow."
"Your dad could too, Harry." I told him. "He was a Stag. My godfather was a black bloodhound and my Uncle Peter was a rat. The three were completely illegal just like me. My Uncle Peter's is dead." I sighed. I then noticed Harry's sad face. "I'm going to bed but you can't say a word to anyone about what I can do." I said with my scary face on. Both Harry and Ron nodded so I went upstairs to bed. Probably to have nightmares about Voldemort killing me.