Hey guys, just a reminder:
Classes for Uni/College are starting this week. The last two weeks were orientation so it wasn't that bad in writing. So please do not get mad if I don't update once a week! I will try as hard as I can, but for now my studies come first.
Sorry for any inconveniences.
Enjoy!
Everyone followed Hagrid in silence, hollow whispers bouncing in the air, and the crunch of twigs and leaves under their feet. They continued for a while, until they came across a tree with twisted, naked branches. A sweet, but death like smell emerged from the base of the tree. Natsu gagged a bit, as his sense of smell was being overpowered.
Draco looked behind him, making sure that nothing was behind, as the other three followed with caution. Hagrid kneeled by the tree, and placed his fingers in what looked like a rich mix of silver liquid. He rubbed his fingers together, humming. "Hagrid? What is that?" Harry asked, a bit queasy. "What we're here for. See that?" Hagrid lifted his fingers and thumb in front of his face. "That's Unicorn Blood it is. I found one dead a few weeks ago." Everyone looked around, avoiding to see the gore. "Now this one's been hurt bad by something."
Natsu jolted his head up, sniffing the air. Even though there were a few new smells, there was a strong one moving around. At the same time, Harry noticed a ghast shadow, moving between the trees. He gulped and looked back at Hagrid, who looked like he noticed the same thing. "So it's our job to find the poor creature." He continued.
"Ron and Hermione, you're with me."
"Ok..." Ron squeaked.
"Harry, Natsu and Draco, you're the other group."
Draco looked at Harry and Natsu, Natsu and Harry looking at him back. "I would rather burn my own face off than be with them!" Draco growled, pointing at the Gryffindor students. "That can be arranged." Natsu sneered back, cracking his knuckles and stepping towards Malfoy. "Natsu, calm down!" Harry gritted, holding him back. "Mister Malfoy. These are my rules. You will go with Harry and Natsu, and that is final." Hagrid commanded.
Draco tightened his mouth together, then snapped his head to Hagrid. "Fine. Then I get Fang." Draco demanded. "Fine. But just to let you know. He's a bloody coward." Hagrid shot back, quite sourly. The three students blinked, and slowly turned their attention to the saggy skinned dog, panting and wheezing. "Great…" Natsu sighed.
"Wait till my father hears about this! This is servant stuff!" Draco whined, marching through the forest with his partners for the night. "Oh shut up! Is all you ever do complain?" Natsu groaned, not wanting to take this complaining anymore. "In fact, if I didn't know better Draco, I'd say you're scared!" Natsu teased. "I am NOT scared Dragneel!" Draco snarled.
AWOOOOOO!
The three students looked around them, panting. "Did you hear that?" Draco panted, switching his visions between Natsu and Harry. "Uh-huh. Not scared at all…." Natsu muttered, going on a head. Draco gave Natsu a taunting look then a look of terror on his face as he followed, Harry trying not to laugh. "Come on Fang." Harry encouraged, walking beside the dog. "Scared…" Draco scoffed.
The three continued to walk around trying to find the poor creature. Fang continued to lead the trio, sniffing the ground. Natsu kicked the dirt beneath him, clearly bored of getting no results. Harry constantly looked behind them, making sure there was nothing following behind them and Draco holding the lantern up to light the way.
"Grr…."
"What is it Fang?" Harry asked, the three students crowded around Fang to see what he was growling at. Natsu jolted his head up, sniffing the air with Fang. There was that same smell of unicorn blood, but there was a stronger sense of death and danger. Natsu slowly turned around and took a slow deep breath in. "What is it Natsu?" Harry asked. Draco and Harry turned their heads to where Natsu was looking. There they saw a dark cloaked figure, feeding on a deceased silver horse.
Draco and Harry began to back off with Natsu, scared of making a sound. Harry could feel his scar burning. Suddenly, the figure stopped munching on the carcass and looked up at the three boys. He whispered a growl, blood dripping from his mouth.
That's it. Draco couldn't take it anymore. He screamed as loud as he could and fled the other way, Fang following behind him. "Draco! Where are you going?!" Natsu shouted, before turning back to the cloaked figure. He slithered towards the boys, gasping and tilting his head from side to side. "Oh no you don't!" Natsu pulled out his wand and pointed it at the dark figure. The figure just stared at the wand, and snapped its fingers.
"What the…!" Natsu's wand flew out of his hands into the bushes. He shot back at the figure, he and Harry backing up slowly as the creature crept up to them.
"What should I do? I can't perform magic without a wand. I might need to fight him off physically or without my wand. But after that I'll be exposed! What should I do?!"
Natsu and Harry tripped back, falling onto the tree root behind them. The figure loomed over them, his draped arms opened above them. Natsu tisked and tightened his fists, grabbing a bit of dirt beneath him. The figure was about to scream in their faces, until Natsu heard something unusual.
Klip Klop!
Klip Klop!
Klip Klop!
Klip Klop!
Harry and Natsu looked up and gasped. A horse glided over them and stomped in front of the figure, kicking the figure away. The figure jumped back suddenly, and twirled away, flying into the cloudy fog. Harry and Natsu panted sharply as they stood up and walked slowly towards the creature. The thing turned around, Natsu stepping back a bit wide eyed.
"Is that….?" Natsu gasped, pointing at the mythical creature
"A Centaur…." Harry whispered.
The Centaur turned around, looking at the two boys. They were both paralyzed from fear and surprise.
"Harry Potter, you must leave. You are known to many creatures here. The forest is not safe at this time. Especially for you..." The Centaur explained, looking straight at him. "Well tell that to our teachers! They're the ones who sent us out here in the first place!" Natsu yelled angrily, pointing to the direction of the School.
Harry rolled his eyes and went back to the Centaur. "But what was that thing you saved us from?" He asked. "A monstrous creature. It is a terrible crime to slay a unicorn…" Everyone looked at the motionless horse, lying there. The blood flowing from its neck into a puddle. "Drinking the blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even on the edge of death. But… at a terrible price."
The two boys looked at each other, then back at the half man creature. "What would that be…?" Natsu asked, cautiously. "Once the blood touches your lips, you will have a half life. A cursed life." The Centaur told them, darting his vision from Harry to Natsu and vise versa.
"But, who would choose such a life?" Harry asked, Natsu wondering the same thing. "Can you think of no one?" The creature asked them, taking a step forward. Suddenly, Natsu and Harry's minds clicked. "Of course…" Natsu thought. "Do you mean to say… That the thing that killed the unicorn, and drinking the blood was…?"
The Centaur nodded at Harry, knowing what he was thinking. "And do you know what he is after at this very moment?" He whispered to Harry, but was indicating that he was referring to both of them. Harry took a bit to think, Natsu already clicked it together. Natsu gave a short nod that Harry did not see, but the Centaur did. Harry gasped as he looked up.
"The Philosopher's Stone." Harry thought.
"Woof!"
"Harry! Natsu!"
The two boys looked up, and there was everyone. All of them relieved that they were alright. Even Draco. But maybe it was because the creature was gone. Hagrid huffed relief and put down his crossbow. "Hello Firenze. See you've met our young Mister Potter. And Mister Dragneel. You alright there you two?"
Natsu and Harry gave quick nods to indicate they were alright. "Harry Potter. This is where I leave you. Mister Dragneel." Everyone looked at Natsu, who in return was confused why Firenze addressed him. He leant into Natsu's ear, and whispered an inaudible sound to any human.
But to a Dragon Slayer….
"I am aware of why you are here. Professor Dumbledore told me of your coming here tonight through a young girl named Mavis. You must protect what is in the School. And Mister Potter."
"But, who is this Mystery Man?" Natsu softly whispered back.
"Your Master already knows. She will say the next time you meet." Firenze stood up straight again and nodded at Natsu, who nodded back.
"You are safe now. Good luck." And with that, Firenze rode off into the mist, leaving Harry and Natsu alone with the class for the evening. Everyone watched him go, before noticing the unicorn.
Everyone walked back silently back to the school. Harry looked at Natsu, who was looking at the ground, kicking his feet up. "So Natsu. What did Firenze tell you?" He asked. "Yeah? What you two talk about?" Ron asked, everyone now listening to what Natsu had to say. Hagrid just huffed. "Never try an' get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anythin' closer'n the moon. So wha'ever Natsu asked, Firenze's answers would probably be invalid."
Everyone looked at Hagrid, then back at Natsu, who was still silent. "...He just told me to be careful is all. I didn't really ask any questions." Natsu lied. Hermione looked at Natsu, suspicious of his tone and body language.
"What are you hiding, Natsu Dragneel…?" She wondered, before looking forward again.
Happy sat on the steps to Hagrid's house, looking worried.
CRUNCH!
Happy gasped and stood up and looked at the dark forest, scared. He shivered, stepping back a bit. The footsteps got louder and louder and louder. Happy held his breath, until he saw Natsu stumbling out of the bushes. "Man, thought I'd never get out…." He muttered, rubbing his head.
"NAAAAAAAAAATSUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" Happy cried, leaping into Natsu's arms crying. "Where were you?! After you were sent to Erza's office, I was so worried!" Everyone stood behind Natsu, looking at the scene. "So you were sent to Professor Scarlet's office?" Hermione asked in that judgemental tone. "What for?" Ron asked. "Oh, Happy snuck out so I went to find him." Natsu lied, bouncing Happy up and down in his arms.
"Really?" Draco asked, not convinced. "Yeah. He is a cat after all." Natsu argued back. "A cat that can talk and fly." Draco muttered. "Where did you go, what happened?!" Happy cried, yelling at Natsu. "Uh…" Natsu looked at the students behind him then back at Happy.
"I'll tell you in the morning. In the meantime, let's go back to the dorm. I'll see you guys there later." Natsu smiled and waved at his friends and into the castle. Quite forcefully actually. Hermione raised an eyebrow, looking at Natsu entering the castle.
"You kids better get going back. You have lessons tomorrow. Good night you four." Hagrid waved goodbye before going into his hut.
"Natsu, what was that about?" Happy asked, looking at Natsu confused again. "We're going to the First. In that Forest, I was told that the First knows who He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Mentioned is." Happy looked at Natsu, then gasped. "Oh yeah! Mavis did tell me to go get you for the meeting. Apparently telepathy doesn't work when you're in the Forest." Happy told him, as they climbed the stairs.
"We're finally going to get the answer." Natsu muttered, entering the Meeting Room. Everyone was already there, and looked at him as he entered. "Natsu." Erza greeted, watching Natsu enter. "Erza? Did you send me to detention because you knew Harry would be there?" Natsu asked, looking at Erza. She simply sighed and closed her eyes. "It was the First's orders." Erza told him.
"Yes. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. It was an unexpected move. Once I ran the calculations, it was a 98.392% chance that they would get caught. And the route you were taking, there was a 99.346% that you would get caught by Filch and bring you to Erza. So, I quickly telepathic Erza and told her to send you to detention with them." Mavis explained calmly.
"Why couldn't Erza tell me there and then?" Natsu asked. "We couldn't risk anyone knowing we were sending you to protect Harry. Especially with Filch outside." Mavis confessed. "And knowing you, we knew you could protect Harry, even without knowing. Cause that's your specialty." Gray snickered. "What's that supposed to mean?!" Natsu growled at him.
"Natsu! Not now!" Lucy scolded. "First. You know who this man is." She asked. Everyone looked at Mavis, serious looks on their faces. Mavis nodded. Everyone stood silent. The tension was thick, the sound could have been broken with a pin drop.
"His name is…."
In the Gryffindor Common Room
"You mean You-Know-Who's out there right now in the Forest?!" Hermione gasped, sitting with her friends at the fire place. Harry sighed and rubbed his head as he paced. "He's living off unicorns. Don't you see?" Harry turned to Hermione and Ron, his head moving between them. "We got it all wrong! Snape's not stealing the Stone for himself." Ron and Hermione looked at each other, wondering where Harry was going with this.
"He's stealing it for Voldemort."
Hermione widened her eyes and leant forward. "For Voldemort?" She repeated. "With the Elixir of Life, Voldemort will be strong enough again. And he'll…. He'll come back." Harry sighed and sat down scratching his head.
"If he does come back, you don't think he'll… you know… kill you?" Ron asked, a bit quiet while asking the question. Harry sat there thinking before he answered. "I think if he had the chance he would have killed me tonight." Ron gulped, and sat back. "And to think… I was worried about my Potions Final!" He panicked.
"Hang on a minute. We're forgetting one thing." Hermione added. The boys looked at her, wondering what she was on about. "Who's the one wizard Voldemort always feared?" She asked. Ron and Harry looked at each other then shrugged.
"Dumbledore." Hermione answered. "As long as Dumbledore is around Harry, you're safe. As long as Dumbledore's around, you can't be touched." She told him. Harry nodded, and looked down.
"Well, we have the Finals tomorrow. We'd better rest." Ron sighed, standing up. "Wait." Hermione stopped him, the two of them looking at her with great confusion. "What is it Hermione?" Harry asked.
"Hermione! You can't do this! This is against code!" Ron harshly whispered, speed walking behind Hermione. "Don't you think it's strange? We've been talking about things like this multiple times in front of Natsu, and yet he doesn't ask questions?" She asked the boys as she kept walking forward.
"Come to think of it, yeah…" Harry admitted. "That's not the issue! You're about to burst into our dorm with Neville, Seamus and Natsu inside!" Ron tried to convince her to stop, but she was determined. "I bet you that Natsu isn't inside." She told them confidently, stopping outside their door.
"Please Hermione don't do this!" Ron begged. "At least let one of us in to check." Harry suggested. "Mfph. Fine." Hermione stepped away from the door, Harry nodding as he stepped up. "Thank you." He muttered.
The door creaked open, Harry peeping in a bit first. He could hear snores from Neville and Seamus. But not from Natsu. He tiptoed to Natsu's bed, and leant in. His hands patted down the bed. His eyes widened up a bit, wondering why no one was there. He slowly stepped back and closed the door behind him.
"Well?" Ron asked. "No one's in the bed!" Harry whispered. "See! I told you!" Hermione gestured to the door, looking at Ron. "Then where is he?" Ron asked, looking at Hermione and Harry.
"What are you guys doing out here?" A tired voice asked them. The three students jumped and looked down the hall, and there was Natsu in his pajamas, rubbing his eyes. Happy sleeping peacefully on his head. "Natsu? Where were you?" Harry asked, Ron and Harry quickly hiding Hermione behind their backs. "I was in the bathroom…. Why are you guys out here?" He asked folding his arms.
"Uh, late night studying." Ron lied. Natsu raised his eyebrows. "Uh huh… And why is Hermione hiding behind you?" He asked, pointing behind them. Hermione felt a ping of shock, Harry and Ron looking at each other. "What are you talking about?" Ron asked trying to throw him off. "I saw you hide her." Natsu told them. But in truth, he could actually smell her.
"Girls aren't allowed in here." Natsu reminded them. "Sorry Natsu, I was just following them blindly. After all, we had a big night." Natsu nodded. "True that…. Welp, good night." Natsu waved, and went inside the room.
"See Hermione, you're over reacting. He was just in the bathroom." Ron told her. "I still don't trust him…." Hermione muttered. "Hermione, tomorrow's the Finals. Just let it go for tonight." Ron wined. Hermione looked at Ron. Then Harry. Then at the floor. "...Fine. Sleep is important. Good luck for tomorrow." Hermione wished, then disappeared to the Girls Dorms.
"Well, we'd better clean up." Harry suggested, Ron nodding in agreement as they both headed to the bathroom.
"Man that was close!" Natsu breathed, pushing himself off the door and to his bed. He flopped in, Happy rolling off next to his head.
Two Minutes Ago
Happy zoomed up Gryffindor Tower as fast as he could until they reached the bathroom window. "Alohomora!" Natsu commanded, the window instantly unlocked. Natsu jumped through the window without hesitation. He could hear Hermione's voice down the hall, questioning how Natsu never asked them about their investigations. He rushed out the door, Happy clinging on his head. He got lost a bit, before finding his dorm. And that is where Natsu came in.
He sighed and covered his body with the sheets. He slowly began to drift off, thinking about what was going to happen from now on.
Slytherin Dorms
"Wait till my father hears about this!" Draco muttered angrily, writing something down. "What are you doing Draco?" Gajeel asked, sitting cross legged hand supporting his cheek. "Telling my father about what this school put me through!" He grumbled. Gajeel just sighed. "Look, we have Finals tomorrow. Just worry about it later." Gajeel suggested. "No. This school has made a fool of me." Draco sneered. He then looked at Gajeel with a sinister smile.
"And I'm going to get even."