"So you're saying you've gotten permission to enter the Forbidden Forest?"
I nodded as the twins walked me towards Hagrid's.
"Wicked" they chimed simultaneously and I recognised the all too familiar glint of mischief in their eyes.
"Hagrid's chased us away from there more times than we can count"
"I heard there are all sorts of things in there"
"Werewolves even"
"Oh no you don't, I know what you two are trying to do. I am not helping you into the Forest"
"All you have to do is cover for us, though you'd hardly need to"
"Yea, you'd barely notice we were there"
"We can be discreet when we want to, you know"
"And earn myself more detention? Not to mention you two have probably gotten enough detentions to last you till NEWTs. I still get the chills remembering your mother's last Howler. I mean, did you really have to send her that toilet seat?"
"You'll get used to them"
"She always comes around"
"Loves us too much"
"And it was her brilliant idea"
"We had to show our appreciation"
"Besides, as I recall you were in on that one too"
"Well, how was I to know you'd actually send it to her?" I retorted hotly.
We had arrived at Hagrid's by now. I was early, but seeing the smoke rising from his chimney I knew he was in so I knocked on the door.
"Ah, Ari, 'yer a wee early" he greeted, letting me in pass him jovially before he spotted the twins behind me.
"Fred, George" he nodded cordially but continued to eye them warily. "Appreciate 'yer walkin' Ari ere' but 'yer best be gettin' back now"
"Oh come on, Hagrid"
"We came all this way"
"And we could use a warm fire"
"Or some tea"
"And your rock cakes, if you've got any"
"Just until the rest arrive"
I saw Hagrid hesitate. He was fond of the twins and their jokes as most Professors were though they usually caused loads of trouble that it would be a crime not to hand them detentions.
"You may be able to sweet-talk your way past Hagrid but that won't work on me" I intervened, coming to his rescue. He looked somewhat relieved and I gave him a reassuring smile. "Go on now" I shooed them off.
"And to think we walked you all the way"
"A load of good that did us"
"Oh stop your whining, you walked me out here to try your luck sneaking into the Forest and you know it"
"You can be a real witch sometimes, you know. Get it, Fred?" They nudged each other and started laughing, slapping high-fives as I rolled my eyes and fought the smile that threatened to creep onto my face.
"Oh come on, Ari"
"You know it was funny"
I groaned in defeat, unable to keep a straight face any longer. "Get out of here you two before I show you what a witch I really can be" I said laughingly.
They grinned cheekily before bidding me goodbye.
"Spent half me life chasin' those two away from the Forest" Hagrid spoke up after they had gone.
"Sometimes I can't decide whether they're very brave or just extremely reckless" I commented, unable to hide the affectionate smile that surfaced. I didn't have to wait long before the others arrived and Hagrid gathered us just beyond the Forest.
"The Forest? We can't go in there at night! There's all sorts of things in there, werewolves I've hear" Malfoy protested and I heard the hint of fear in his voice.
"So there are things that a Malfoy is scared of" I teased. "Other than ghosts" I continued in a lower voice so only he heard.
"Shut up" he snapped.
Hagrid explained that there was a wounded unicorn in the Forest and our job was to help find the poor creature. We split up – Hermione and Harry were with Hagrid while I went with Malfoy, Neville and Fang. I walked ahead, lighting the way and we trudged along uneventfully until Malfoy decided to sneak up behind Neville and grab him as a joke. Neville had been so startled that he sent up red sparks immediately. Within moments Hagrid appeared and upon finding out what had happened reprimanded Malfoy sharply. He then switched Harry with Neville instead.
We set off, walking deeper and deeper into the Forest with Harry walking ahead, Malfoy and I side-by-side while Fang brought up the rear. We followed a trail of unicorn blood until we saw something bright pearly white gleaming on the ground – a unicorn, dead.
"Be careful, Harry" I said as he passed me the light and I held it up as he took a step towards the unicorn. A rustling sound in the bushes made us all freeze. A hooded figure emerged out of the shadows, crawling across the ground towards the unicorn and began to drink its blood. I could almost feel evil radiating off it and the hairs on the back of my neck prickled in fear.
"AAAARGH!" Malfoy screamed and bolted, dragging me by the hand along with him and Fang on our heels.
"Wait!" I shouted as we crashed noisily through the Forest. "We can't just leave him there!"
"Potter can take care of himself!" Malfoy argued, his voice laced with fear.
"Malfoy!" I protested before tripping over a tree root and bringing him to a halt. Fang ran ahead into the Forest without even a backward glance at us.
"You go back then. Go on. I'm getting the hell out of here"
"You're asking me to go back there by myself?" I blinked at him incredulously.
"If you are so keen on dying be my guest but don't expect me go along with you"
"Fine, you coward, see how you like making your way out by yourself!" I spat and ran off.
…
He stood frozen in his spot as she disappeared out of sight. The trees seemed to rustle eerily around him and he felt himself shiver as panic set in with the realisation that he was alone in the Forest. A twig snapped somewhere behind him and he whirled around staring into the darkness, seeing nothing.
"Wa… wait for me!" he yelled, running in the direction that she had gone.
…
She ran through the Forest instinctually with her wand illuminating the way, calling Harry's name until she spotted him with Hermione and Hagrid from a distance. Just as she made her way towards them, she heard footsteps behind her and someone grabbed onto her robes. She caught a flash of blonde hair in the darkness.
"So, decided to come along huh?"
"Shut up"
…
Ariana sat at the Slytherin table between Theo and Daphne during the end-of-year feast. The Great Hall was already decked out with Slytherin colours to celebrate their winning the House Cup for the seventh year in a row.
She gave Harry an encouraging smile as he walked in and slipped into a seat between Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table. She had also gone to visit him at the hospital wing with others and he had told them everything about Quirrell, Voldemort and the Stone.
When the points were announced, her table exploded in cheers and somewhere to her right Malfoy banged his goblet. Until of course, Professor Dumbledore awarded some late points to Gryffindor. After the speech was over, she went over to congratulate her Gryffindor friends, ignoring several dirty looks from her House.
…
She watched as the fleet of boats carrying the other students sailed across the lake, hoping none of the others would notice her absence. She would miss them dearly but it filled her with a sense of purpose to look forward to the next year; being a student in Hogwarts had been everything she had ever hoped it would be and more, so much more.
She turned at a sound behind her and smiled at the familiar tabby cat by the door.
"So do I get to call you Aunt Minerva now?"