Harry was the last to return to the common room after the Quidditch match. Phoenix was starting to worry Snape had cornered and cursed Harry back at the pitch when he finally walked in. She jumped up, "Where have you been?" her heart was pounding in her throat and her whole body felt cold despite the roaring fire in the fireplace. "I was beginning to worry."

"I've got something to tell you, and Ron and Hermione." Harry breathed heavily. He looked like he'd just done a run around the castle.

At that moment Ron and Hermione just happened to walk up. "Come on, Harry, everyone is celebrating! Fred and George stole some cake from the kitchen."

"No." Harry shook his head, "Let's go somewhere quiet and private." He turned on his heel without waiting for them. Phoenix looked back at Hermione and Ron with worry. After a beat of agreed silence the three followed him out of the common room and down the hall to an empty classroom.

"I saw Snape walking towards the Forbidden Forest." Harry explained, "So I followed him," Hermione gasped but Harry didn't stop there, "I hid in a tree and listened to him. He was talking to Quirrell."

"Why would he be talking to Quirrell in the Forbidden Forest?" Ron asked, his eyes moved back and forth as if looking over something he may have missed in this scenario.

"I think Quirrell is protecting the stone, along with Fluffy." Harry mused aloud. "Snape said something about his 'hocus pocus' and threatened him to remember his loyalties."

"So you're saying," Phoenix tried to string what Harry revealed all together, "That the stone is safe so long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?"

There was a long silence, the other three hadn't figured that. "It'll be gone by next Tuesday." Ron whispered. The four returned to the common room, hearts sunken and filled with worry.

However, over the course of the next month, the school hadn't been torn to bits. Quirrell hadn't been killed, and Snape didn't have the stone. Phoenix decided she should have given him more credit than she originally had.

"He has, after all, done a lot to further the study of defense against the dark arts." Phoenix thought, glaring daggers at those who mocked Quirrell's stuttering. The four were all doing their best to silently encourage Quirrell to stay strong against Snape. And while Quirrell was getting paler and thinner, he hadn't let them down. On particularly bad days when Quirrell would be such a stuttering mess that he could hardly make it through a lecture, the four of them would press their ears to the door leading to the third floor corridor. It would only be once Fluffy started growling or snoring that they knew the stone was safe.

Phoenix woke one weekend to fine Hermione fretting about her bed with papers all around her and several books flipped open littered everywhere. Fay, Lavender, and Paravti were nowhere to be seen, and Phoenix suspected it had something to do with Hermione's mess.

"Hermione?" Phoenix yawned and stretched. Hermione said nothing, but Phoenix could tell from her tightly knitted brows that she'd heard her. "What's all this?"

"We should have started studying ages ago!" Hermione wailed.

Phoenix stopped mid thought and just blinked blankly at Hermione. "Hermione?" Hermione looked even more furious at being interrupted again. "Exams are ten weeks away."

"Exactly!" Hermione shrieked. "We're never going to place into second year if we don't start now!"

Phoenix took a deep breath and threw her covers off. She'd wanted to spend just one weekend in bed until lunch, but with trying to find Nicolas Flamel, Harry's Quidditch match, and the new revelation that Snape was threatening Quirrell Phoenix hardly had time for sleeping in or relaxing.

"Have you eaten breakfast?" Phoenix asked, wondering what the time was.

"No." Hermione mumbled under her breath. She was organizing all her notes and tapping her wand against each stack to color coordinate them.

"Then let's go." Phoenix insisted. Hermione made no move to indicate she was leaving bed for food. Phoenix huffed and stepped over a pile of books.

Hermione's head whipped up and she scolded Phoenix, "bap-ba-ba-ba!" She shook her finger at Phoenix, "everything has its place!" She spread her hands out as though encompassing her bubble.

"Okay, except our place is downstairs, eating breakfast and enjoying the weekend, like regular people." Phoenix grabbed Hermione by her upper arm and yanked her out of bed.

It took a lot of protesting and pushing, but Phoenix was able to get Hermione down to the common room. Neither Harry or Ron were there and Phoenix didn't bother to wait for them. She continued to pull Hermione down to the Great Hall where most of the lower classmates were eating breakfast.

"See? All the fifth, sixth, and seventh years are studying." Hermione huffed with her arms crossed and her head held high. It was true, dotted among the younger students were some older ones who had piles of paper around them like Hermione had been. Phoenix had no response to this, and instead sat down silently and began to eat. After a few moments of silence Hermione huffed and sat down in defeat, eating breakfast as she mumbled under her breath. Harry and Ron joined them later as breakfast was winding down.

"Were you both studying?" Hermione asked as soon as the boys sat down.

"Studying?" Ron asked, "The exams are weeks away." Phoenix snickered behind her hand.

"Ten weeks!" Hermione repeated herself from her earlier tirade, "that's not ages! It's like a second to Nicholas Flamel."

"But we're not six hundred years old." Ron retorted, "besides, what are you studying for? You already know it all."

"What am I studying for?" Hermione repeated.

"Here we go." Phoenix took a breath. She rested her elbow on the table and then rested her chin in her hand. She gave Harry a knowing look.

"Are you crazy?" Hermione was squeaking now, "You do realize we need to pass these tests in order to get into the second year?! I should have started a month ago!" Harry looked at Phoenix like Hermione had just spewed out latin to him and told him Snape was giving out cookies.

"She's been like this all morning." Phoenix explained once Hermione took a breath and huffed to herself. Unfortunately, professors were thinking along the same lines as Hermione and had piled on the homework. Most of their free time went out the window as they studied the twelve uses of dragon's blood, or memorized wand movements.

Phoenix stayed up late each night to look at the picture book. It'd gotten to the point that the spine was starting to wear down and the book no longer needed to be held open, simply laid down. Phoenix memorized every picture, caption, and person in the book.

Phoenix wondered where everyone was now. Her mother never talked much about Hogwarts, and what she did say she kept vague. Her heart ached.

Phoenix drifted to sleep. She dreamt of Mary and someone she couldn't make out. They were laughing about something. She felt safe and warm.

And happy.

The four snuck out of the castle past curfew towards Hagrid's house. Harry was convinced that Hagrid knew more than he was letting on about and they were going to get to the bottom of everything. It was Phoenix's first time seeing the invisibility cloak. It was shimmery and cool to the touch. The four were just barely to hide under it and shuffle out of the common room.

"Who goes there?" The Fat Lady asked. No one answered.

Phoenix could barely contain her excitement! No one could see them!

Getting down the stairs was a challenge and they ended up walking two-by-two with Harry and Ron in the front and Phoenix and Hermione in the back. Once they were outside it was a rush to Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. All of the curtains were closed, but they could see light coming through the threadbare pink curtains. "Remember," Harry said pulling the invisibility cloak off of them and rolling it up under his arm, "We're here for information. Don't let Hagrid distract you." They nodded back at him.

"Not like he can with his rock cakes." Ron said to Hermione and Phoenix.

Harry ignored him and knocked on the door. Hagrid opened the hut door slowly, peeking out first. "Hagrid." Harry sighed with relief.

"Oh, hello." Hagrid said, he sounded shocked, but his face was blank with thought. Phoenix could tell he was anxious about something. "Sorry you lot, but I'm in no fit state to entertain today." He began to pull the door closed.

"We know about the philosopher's stone." The four urgently whispered in unison. Hagrid paused and swung the door back open, his eyes wide.

"Oh." Was all he said and he turned his back to them. Harry looked back at Ron, Phoenix and Hermione. Phoenix pushed him up the stairs and they followed him into Hagrid's hut. Once in the light, Phoenix noticed Hagrid had on a great big apron, covered with soot, and two thick oven mitts that had the tips singed black.

"It's so hot in here." Ron complained, unclasping his school robe and tossing it on a chair. Phoenix agreed, she could already feel sweat beading up at the base of her neck. She and Hermione both removed their cloaks, but Harry just followed Hagrid deeper into the small hut.

"We think Snape is trying to steal it." Harry informed Hagrid.

"Snape?" Hagrid glanced over his shoulder at Harry, "Blimey, you're not still on about him, are ya?" He asked, not paying the four any attention as he stirred something in the pot over the roaring fire.

Hermione and Phoenix sat side by side in the Hagrid sized chair and Ron and Harry sat on a chest across from them.

"Hagrid," Harry whined, Phoenix could tell he was irritated. Adults hardly believed children on their instincts. "We know he's after the stone, we just don't know why."

"Snape is one of the teacher's protecting the stone!" Hagrid explained. "He's not about to steal it."

Hermione and Phoenix shared a look of confusion. Why the secret meeting with Quirrell? Why the limp?

"What?" Harry asked. He was just as shocked at the other three.

"You heard me." Hagrid seemed distracted, "Right, now I'm a little bit preoccupied today." He rocked on his feet and patted his legs, very uncomfortable with their presence. Phoenix had never seen someone so scared of four kids.

"Wait," Harry insisted, gripping the chest until his knuckles turned white, "one of the teacher's?"

"Of course," Hermione exclaimed, realizing something, "There are other things protecting the stone, aren't there?" That was good to know. No way could Snape make it past everyone's defenses.

"That's right." Hagrid was looking at the door, almost like he was willing them to leave, "Waste of bloody time if you ask me. "Ain't no one gunna get past Fluffy," Hagrid chuckled to himself, "ain't a soul knows how. Except for me and Dumbledore." Hagrid trailed off and looked down when he realized what he'd done, "I shouldn'ta told ya that." Just then, before anyone could say anything else, the pot over the fire began to rattle. Hagrid turned excitedly and reached inside. He, 'ooh''d and 'ah-ah-ah''d in pain, gently balancing what he'd picked up between his mitted hands. He turned and quickly but gently laid the oval-shaped, dark object on the table. The three looked curiously at each other before hopping up and joining Hagrid at the table. Phoenix could feel the stuffiness of the cabin mix with Hagrid's heated anxiety, and sat down before it knocked her off her feet.

"Uhm, Hagrid," Harry started curiously, "What exactly is that?" he looked at the shaking object on the table. It was no bigger than a Quaffle, and speckled with dark spots.

"So much for 'don't get distracted'," Phoenix thought, looking between Hagrid, Harry, and the thing.

"That-that is uh," Hagrid tried to seem relaxed and calm, "It's uh," he chewed on his words.

Before he could answer, Ron's eyes lit up, "I know what that is! But, Hagrid," he looked up at the half-giant, "how'd you get one?"

"I won it." Hagrid answered sincerely, "down at the pub off an irish chap. Seemed quite glad to be rid of it." Hagrid moved his jaw side to side, thinking over his words all while keeping an eye on the bouncing thing. Suddenly, the object cracked and Phoenix stepped away from the table.

Hermione, Harry and Ron followed suit just in time to watch the thing explode into dozens of pieces. Steam hissed as though it'd been building up inside and was finally free. Phoenix held up her hands by her face to keep any of the flyaway pieces from hitting her face. A teapot somewhere clattered from the hit. When everything was clear and silent she lowered her hands and saw a mucus-membrane covered creature stretched out from the center of the mess. It was a baby dragon! Hagrid had an egg!

"It's a dragon." Phoenix breathed.

Ron looked at the creature in wonder, "That's not just a dragon, that's a norwegian ridgeback! My brother Charlie works with these in Romania." He explained.

The dragon turned, looking over each face and slipping on its cracked egg. It was the same color as its egg, and covered in a thick film of mucus which slipped off of its sleek body in globs. It had no front feet, but instead wings that it used to crawl. Its hind legs were thick and its tail was slim and long. "Isn't he beautiful." Hagrid choked up. The dragon looked at Hagrid, curiously tilting its head one way and then the other. "Oh bless him, look, he knows his mummy." Hagrid confidently took off an oven mitt and reached forward, giving the dragon a scratch under its chin. " 'Ello Norbert." He smiled and Phoenix felt most of Hagrid's anxiety melt away. Norbert seemed to like his chin rubs, for he gave out a chirp, cuddled up to Hagrid's hand, and flapped his wings twice (flinging mucus everywhere).

"Norbert?" Harry asked.

"Well he needs a name, don't he?" Hagrid asked. Ron laughed, but no one protested the name. Hagrid tickled Norbert's chin, but this time Norbert gave a deep hiccup and burped out a ball of flames. Hagrid's beard lit up with embers that he quickly patted out with his oven mitts and let out a yell of surprise. "He ought to be trained up a bit of course." Hagrid dismissed. Phoenix looked at Hermione who's eyes were as big as dinner plates. "Who's that?" The four turned away from Norbert and looked at Hagrid. He was looking out the only window that wasn't covered, Phoenix saw a streak of blonde hair disappear and feared the worst.

Draco had spotted them.

"I really hate your brother." Ron grimaced.

The four snuck back up to the castle as quickly as they could. If they could make it inside and put the invisibility cloak on they might just avoid whoever Draco had ran off to. Just as they made it in the castle the four heard footsteps coming closer. McGonagall stepped out before Harry could unfurl the cloak and crossed her arms. Her eyebrows were knitted together and her mouth was pressed in a thin line.

"Good evening." McGonagall looked over the four slowly. Draco stepped out from behind McGonagall, looking pleased with himself. What Phoenix wouldn't have given to wipe that smug look off his face. She ushered the five into a nearby classroom, "Nothing." She said. The five stood at the front of the class while she swept past and spun on her heels to face them, "And I mean nothing gives a student the right to walk about the castle at night." Phoenix gave a side glare to Draco who was leaning back on a desk with his arms crossed triumphantly. "Therefore fifty points will be taken from the five of you."

Phoenix tried to hide her smile as Draco leaned forward, "I'm sorry, professor, but I couldn't help but hear you wrong." Draco tried to play it cool but Phoenix could sense his anxiety was all over the place, "But you said the 'five' of us."

McGonagall looked at Draco over her glasses, "No, Mr. Malfoy. You did not hear me wrong." She informed him. Ron lowered his head to hide his snickers and Harry bit his lip to keep from busting into a smile. "As you were out wandering the castle at night as well. And to make sure this doesn't happen again," the five looked at McGonagall with big eyes, "the five of you will receive detention." After sending them straight back to their respective houses McGonagall huffed and walked back to whatever room Draco had gotten her from. Once in their common room Hermione and Phoenix silently parted ways with the boys. She could feel their dread weighing them down, for come tomorrow morning when all the students would wake, Gryffindor would be two hundred House Points behind where they were yesterday. Phoenix didn't look at her photo album that night, instead, she listened to Hermione's sniffled cries and let the pattern in the wood above her bed swirl in the dark until she could barely keep her eyes open. Phoenix wished things could go back to how they were, a wish she'd been making often, and drifted to sleep.

Sure enough, people noticed. People whispered. People pointed. It was the beginning of the year all over again. Phoenix buried herself in her notes, thankful most people paid her no mind. Fred and George attempted to cheer the four up.

"We've lost loads of points before." Fred said one evening when the four had secluded themselves to a corner.

"Yeah, and people still like us." George added.

"Have you ever lost two hundred in one night?" Ron snapped.

"Well, no." Fred answered honestly. And that was all the answer they needed to turn their backs to the twins and go back to silent brooding. Harry tried to quit the Quidditch team out of shame and embarrassment, but Oliver Wood wouldn't let him.

Phoenix received an angry letter from Narcissa and Lucius. They were disappointed that both of their children were in detention for being out of bed after curfew. Lucius blamed Harry, and Narcissa asked if Phoenix wanted her to speak to Dumbledore about Harry's influence on her and potential house switch, saying, "you belong in Slytherin with your family". But Phoenix didn't respond. Harry was all she had left of her former life, and she wasn't going to let anyone take him away from her.

In the meantime, exams were coming up and Phoenix was filling her mind with important wizarding dates, memorizing potions, learning charms by heart. No one wanted to talk to the four of them, and Phoenix was just fine with that. Well, maybe not 'no one', Draco still insisted on causing trouble with Phoenix and her friends.

"Bravo, Potter. Lost two hundred points, eh?" He taunted in Potions class, knowing full well none of them could say anything back and risk Snape taking more points.

A week before final exams took place, Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Phoenix all received notes at lunch time containing just two sentences:

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

Professor McGonagall

Phoenix closed her eyes and held the note to her face feeling completely embarrassed. If she could have she would have melted into a puddle right there and then. Her stomach was doing flips and Phoenix tried to think back to a time when she'd gotten in trouble at school. She rarely did.

And then she remembered Dudley Dursley. Stuffing a snowball down her shirt and calling her a freak. Back then, Mary had been there to rescue her. But now, she was on her own.

"At least I've got these three." She thought, looking at Hermione, Harry, and Ron.

Phoenix's stomach did flips for the rest of the day. The second half of potions was ruined thanks to her shaking hands. She'd nearly dropped a jar of newts eyes, and she'd splashed out some of her unfinished potion onto her bag. Snape took off five points for Phoenix being so clumsy, and five more points for Harry not stopping her, even though there was nothing Harry could have done to prevent anything she did. Draco and his friends howled with laughter, and Ron's face turned purple with rage.

That night at eleven o'clock the four miserably marched down to the entrance hall where Mr. Filch was waiting with a lantern. Draco was there as well, looking furiously at the four.

"Follow me." Was all Filch said as he limped out of the castle. Phoenix crossed her arms and stuffed her hands into her armpits to try and hide the frost under her nails. "I bet you'll think twice about breaking school rules again, won't you?" Filch hummed rather pleased with tormenting the five, "oh yes, hard work and pain, those are the best teachers I say. It's a pity they let the old punishments die out. Hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days." Phoenix would have hurled if she wasn't so terrified of what their punishment would be. "I've got the chains in me office still. Case they're ever needed." He looked back over his shoulder taking great pleasure in spooking the five. They marched on in near silence towards Hagrid's hut. "You'll be serving detention with Hagrid tonight. He's got a little job to do inside the Forbidden Forest." Hagrid came out of the hut, his dog Fang, a mastiff, at his heels, as they approached and lit a fire by his house. "Sorry lot this is, Hagrid." Filch muttered. Hagrid sniffed and barely glanced up at them, "my God man, you're not still on about that bloody dragon are you?"

Hagrid must have spotted Phoenix's confusion when he glanced up because he cleared his throat and said, "Norbert is gone. Professor Dumbledore sent him to Romania to live in a colony." He grabbed a crossbow and Phoenix's eyes widened. Why would Hagrid need a crossbow?!

"That's good though, isn't it? He'll be with his own kind." Hermione offered a small condolence.

"But what if the other dragons are mean to him?" Hagrid protested lightly, "he's only a baby after all." Phoenix saw Filch roll his eyes out of the corner of her eyes.

"Pull yourself together man, you're going into the forest after all." Filch snapped.

"The forest," Draco spoke up, "I thought that was a joke. We can't go in there." For once Phoenix had to agree, the forest around Hogwarts seemed thick and never ending, "students aren't allowed, and there are," just then a howl rolled off in the distance and Draco's eyes got wider, Phoenix could see the frost building up under his own fingernails and tucked her fingers further into her sides, "werewolves."

"There's more than just werewolves in these woods," Filch looked into the forest with a long blank stare, "nighty night." And with that he limped back up to the castle.

"Right." Hagrid sniffed one last time, "let's go." They followed Hagrid around to the back of his hut. Entering the forest was like putting a blindfold on. It was pitch black, and if Hagrid didn't have his lantern, she was sure she would have been lost. They walked on, Fang sniffing the ground ahead of Hagrid. They walked single file, Ron, Hermione, Harry, Draco, and Phoenix. Suddenly, they came upon a fallen tree and Hagrid broke from their linear path to kneel down beside a bush. "Come 'ere." He waved everyone around. Hagrid hung his lamp on a branch and dipped his fingers into a silvery liquid that was pooled under the bush.

"See that?" He asked, he separated his two fingers to show the consistency of the thick liquid, "that is unicorn blood." He stood back up and wiped his fingers off on his coat. Phoenix had never seen a liquid or color so beautiful and terrifying. "Found one in here dead last week." Phoenix swallowed hard. "This is fresh," he motioned to the pool of blood, "and it's why we're here. We're goin to find it, and put it out of its misery if need be." Hagrid informed them. Phoenix felt sick to her stomach, "Ron, Hermione, you're with me."

"Okay." Ron mewled out. Hermione nodded, tears in her eyes.

"Phoenix," Hagrid instructed, "You're with Draco and Harry." He handed Phoenix a second lamp that he'd strapped to his back and lit it. Then he instructed the three to blow out green sparks from their wand if they found the unicorn and red sparks if they were in danger.

"Alright," Draco agreed to Hagrid's punishment, "then we get Fang."

"Suit yourself," Hagrid huffed, shouldering his extra bows, "he's a bloody coward though." At that moment Fang let out a low whimper.

The groups separated and went in two different directions. "I can't believe we're doing this." Draco griped, "this is servants stuff!" His high and mighty attitude didn't stop him from clinging to Fang's collar. Phoenix never dreamed of sending Dobby or Meekee to do anything like this, and she hoped he was just joking.

"When our father hears about this," Draco continued. Phoenix ignored him, her arms were starting to get tired from carrying the lamp.

"If I didn't know any better," Phoenix called back, "I'd say you were scared."

"Scared?" Draco repeated with a scoff. A wolf howled in the distance, Phoenix and Harry turned in time to see Draco jump back and cower closer to Fang. "Do you hear that?" He asked, the fear obviously present in his voice. Neither Harry nor Phoenix responded and they pressed on. "Come on Fang." Draco nudged Fang forward. They continued to walk in silence. Phoenix wondered what would happen if they didn't find the unicorn. Would they be forced to stay out all night? Could they even find their way out without Hagrid? Fang bumped past Phoenix with his nose in the dirt.

"Maybe he's found something." Harry said, and he picked up his pace to follow Fang.

Phoenix and Draco followed. Fang wandered into a small clearing where tall trees made almost a bowl around them. Fang stopped suddenly and began to growl. Phoenix tried to see what Fang was seeing beyond the protection of the lamp's light. Draco was the first to see it, and Phoenix could hear his breathing get deeper. Phoenix could see her breath and just across the clearing was the most beautiful thing Phoenix had ever seen.

It was the unicorn. It had powerful thick legs, a long glistening mane, and a single spiraled horn that shone like a pearl. The only thing ruining the moment was the dark hooded figure drinking blood from the Unicorns body. Harry winced and held his head. He took a step back in pain.

"Harry?" Phoenix turned to him, she held his arm, "Are you alright?"

The three turned back when the figure raised its head. Silvery blood dripped from its chin as it let out a low, guttural sound. Draco let out a scream, he tried to pull Phoenix after him, but her hands were frozen to Harry's robes. Abandoning them, Draco and Fang took off in the direction they had come, shooting red sparks in the air. The figure slinked towards them, almost like it was guilding close to the ground. Its robes billowed over the dead unicorn.

"Harry." Phoenix breathed, she tugged on his robe, but Harry was frozen on the spot. He tried to keep his eyes open and was squeezing them, pulling a pained expression over his face. He was breathing heavily, and hadn't looked away the moment the creature noticed them.

Phoenix's heart was like a wild animal trying to escape a cage. Her knees felt weak, and her whole body trembled. The hooded figure stood at its full height and stepped slowly towards them. Harry was able to take a step back, holding Phoenix's hand and stepping every so slightly between her and the figure. Phoenix took two steps back and fell over a root. She let out a small scream as she hit the dirt.

"Phoenix!" Harry was still holding onto her, but he remained standing.

Phoenix pushed herself back as far as she could, unable to get her feet under her to push herself up. She backed herself into an alcove in the roots. Phoenix was breathing so rapidly she thought she might faint! Harry still stood between her and the figure. Just when Phoenix had accepted death the sound of running made the figure jump back. Harry turned and threw himself over Phoenix, covering their heads with his hands as best as he could. Phoenix gently pushed Harry off her to see a half man-half horse land between them and the figure. It reared itself up, throwing its front hooves out like a boxer. The figure shielded itself before turning and flying up into the trees. Harry pushed himself up and gave Phoenix a hand. The two walked wordlessly towards the creature that saved them. A centaur! Phoenix had read about them at Mary's house. They were just as powerful and wonderful as Mary had described.

"Harry Potter, you must leave. You are known to many creatures here." His voice was soothing, and yet stern. He had skin the color of the night sky, and short, curly, black hair. He had stubble on his face that traveled down his neck and into the horse hair around his waist. "The forest is not safe at this time." The centaur looked up at the sky.

"What was that?" Harry asked, "attacking the unicorn?"

"A monstrous creature." The centar growled, and Phoenix could see his shining white teeth. "It is a terrible crime to slay a unicorn." He looked sadly at the fallen unicorn. "Drinking the blood of a unicorn will keep you alive even when you are on the verge of death. But at a terrible price. You are slaying something so pure, that from the moment the unicorn blood touches your lips you will live a half life, a cursed life."

"But who would chose such a life?" Phoenix asked. She couldn't imagine the side effects outweighing the cost of a unicorns life.

"Can you think of no one?" The centaur asked, turning his golden eyes to Phoenix.

"You mean to tell me," Harry stepped closer to the slain unicorn, "that that thing, that creature, was Voldemort?" The centaur stepped closer and lowered his huge head to their eye level.

Phoenix couldn't deny there was a certain handsomeness about him, and yet his flat face in the dark forest looked threatening, "do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?"

"The Philosopher's stone." They both whispered.

Just then, Fang barked and Phoenix saw the glow of Hagrid's lantern.

"Phoenix! Harry!" Hermione cried out.

"Hello there, Firenze." Hagrid lowered his crossbow as he came upon them, "See you've met young Mr. Potter and Ms. Malfoy." Hagrid turned to look at then, "you alright there?" Phoenix nodded.

"Harry Potter. Phoenix Malfoy. This is where I leave you. You're safe now. Good luck." Firenze helped hoist Harry over the tree roots to join Hagrid, Ron, Hermione, and Draco. He then turned to Phoenix, "the stars speak of you, Phoenix Malfoy. Do not doubt them." He said, and then he hoisted her up and handed her off to Hagrid.