ADVENTURE IN THE FOREST
Things have changed from bad to worse for Natasha and Hermione. Filch took them down to Professor McGonagall's study on the first floor, where they sat and waited without saying a word to each other. Both Natasha and Hermione were trembling. Natasha could not come up with any excuse for this incident. She was always poor in making excuses,as she was always trying to avoid trouble. They were cornered. How could they have been so stupid as to forget the cloak? There was no reason on earth that Professor McGonagall would accept for their being out of bed and creeping around the school in the dead of night, let alone being up the tallest astronomy tower, which was out-of-bounds except for classes. Natasha was sure that they will be expelled. When Professor McGonagall appeared, she was leading Neville. "Natasha! I thought i will find Ron. I was trying to find you to warn him, I heard Malfoy saying he was going to catch you, he said you had a drag -". Natasha shook her head violently to shut Neville up, but Professor McGonagall had seen. She looked more likely to breathe fire than Norbert as she towered over the three of them.
"I am really disappointed at you Natasha. You have just done something,I have not expected this from you. I never believed Filch, when he came to me. But when I see you here, I am really disappointed. Mr. Filch says you were up in the astronomy tower. It's one o'clock in the morning! Explain yourselves.". It was the first time Hermione and Natasha had ever failed to answer a teacher's question. They were staring at their slippers, as still as a statue. Neville was looking stunned and hurt. Poor, blundering Neville - Natasha knew what it must have cost him to try and find them in the dark, to warn them. "I'm disgusted," said Professor McGonagall. "Four students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before! All three of you will receive detentions - yes, you too, Mr. Longbottom, nothing gives you the right to walk around school at night, especially these days, it's very dangerous and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor.". Natasha was close to crying,she was going to lose the lead in the Quidditch match. "Fifty points each," said Professor McGonagall, breathing heavily through her long, pointed nose. Natasha felt tears coming out of her eyes, but quickly wiped them off. She was horrified at this. "Now get back to bed, all of you. I've never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students.", Professor ordered.
A hundred and fifty points lost. That put Gryffindor in last place. In one night, they'd ruined any chance Gryffindor had had for the house cup. Natasha didn't sleep that night. She spent it by taking a shower and crying inside it. Even Hermione was doing the same thing, as she could sobs from outside. She knew Hermione, like herself, was dreading the dawn. What would happen when the rest of Gryffindor found out what they'd done? At first, Gryffindors passing the giant hourglasses that recorded the house points the next day thought there'd been a mistake. How could they suddenly have a hundred and fifty points fewer than yesterday? Then by the afternoon everybody got the word of what had happened. They had come to know about the three of them. They could not believe that Hermione and Natasha were two of them,as they were considered to always follow rules. From being one of the most popular and admired people at the school, Natasha was suddenly the most hated. Even other houses hated them, as the Slytherins were now on the top of the points table. It was a bit late to repair the damage, but Natasha swore to herself not to meddle in things that weren't her business from now on. Hermione and Neville were suffering, too. They didn't have as bad a time as Natasha, because they weren't as well-known, but nobody would speak to them, either. Hermione had stopped drawing attention to herself in class, keeping her head down and working in silence. Even Natasha kept herself to the Library, in the following days. Ron supported her and Hermione from other students. Natasha was glad that the exams weren't far away.
Once when Natasha came out of the Library, Natasha heard Professor Quirrel pleading with someone to forgive him, and he was relenting to someone. Now Natasha assumed that Quirrel was working for someone to find the stone. When she peeked inside the room,after Quirrel left,she saw no one. But she noticed a door which was there on the other side of the room. Natasha decided not to mention this to Ron and Hermione as they will start accusing Professor Snape,and she did not want to argue with them. As she reached the common room,she pulled a map of Jupiter toward him and started to learn the names of its moons. The following morning, notes were delivered to Natasha, Hermione, and Neville at the breakfast table. They were all the same:
Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall.
Professor McGonagall.
Natasha had forgotten they still had detentions to do in the furor over the points they'd lost. She half expected Hermione to complain that this was a whole night of studying lost, but she didn't say a word. Like Harry, she felt they deserved what they'd got. Even she was having a really bad feeling about it. At eleven o'clock that night, they said good-bye to Ron in the common room and went down to the entrance hall with Neville. Filch was already there - and so was Draco. Natasha had forgotten about Draco. "Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside. "I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" he said, leering at them. "Oh yes... hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me...It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out... hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed. Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do.". They marched off across the dark grounds. Neville kept sniffing. Natasha wondered what their punishment was going to be. It must be something really horrible, or Filch wouldn't be sounding so delighted. The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it kept throwing them into darkness. Ahead, Harry could see the lighted windows of Hagrid's hut. Then they heard a distant shout. "Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started.",Natasha heard Hagrid shout. Natasha felt happy that they were going with Hagrid. Her relief must have showed in her face, because Filch said, "I suppose you think you'll be yourself with that oaf. Well, think again, girl - it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece.".
Natasha felt a jolt of fear inside her mind. "They are going to the forbidden forest?",she thought fearfully. Neville let out a little moan, and Malfoy stopped dead in his tracks. "The forest?" he repeated, and he didn't sound quite as cool as usual. ""We can't go in there at night - there's all sorts of things in there - werewolves, I heard! ",Draco said and turned to Natasha."Why aren't you telling anything?",he asked. But Natasha could not find a good answer. "That's your problem, isn't it?" said Filch, his voice cracking with glee. "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?". Hagrid came striding toward them out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder. "Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Natasha, Hermione?",Hagrid said. Natasha was not feeling right at all. She was getting more and more scared after Draco mentioned werewolves. "I'll be back at dawn," said Filch,"for what's left of them," he added nastily, and he turned and started back toward the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness. Natasha was really close to crying. Even Hermione was looking the same.
Draco now turned to Hagrid. "I'm not going in that forest.", he said. But Natasha knew there was no choice. "Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely. "Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got ter pay fer it.". "But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this,",Draco continued. "he'd tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Copyin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on". Draco was furious and looked at Natasha. His eyes were for her pleading to support him. But Natasha knew it was useless. "Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment.". He led them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the forest. "Look there," said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground. Silvery stuff. That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."
"What if the thing finds us first?",Draco asked fearfully. "There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid. Natasha felt braver when she realized Hagrid will be with them the whole time. "Don't worry Hagrid will take care of us.",Natasha whispered to Draco. Draco just looked at her and did not say anything. "Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least.",Hagrid said. The group except Hagrid turned at the prospect of splitting up. "I want Fang," said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang's long teeth. But Natasha knew it will not do much good. "All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid. "Draco, Natasha yeh go together. Neville,Hermione,follow me.",Hagrid said. Natasha was OK with the company she got. They went right,while the others took left. The forest was getting darker and darker as they went more and more deep.
"Could it be werewolves that killed the unicorn?",Natasha thought. But she had read that werewolves were slow,so she dismissed the thought. "Hey, Potter. I want to ask you a really serious question.",Draco said breaking her thoughts. "What is it, Draco? And call me Natasha will you? Everyone calls me that.",Natasha said. "Well, Natasha why do you always fall in the traps I set up for Weasley. I never wanted you to fall in trouble. I thought Weasley will be the one to come.",Draco said. "Well, Draco, that is very sweet of you. But what made you think Ron will be the one to come?",Natasha asked. "I had read the letter which the elder Weasley wrote. It was written to Ronald. So I automatically assumed that he will be the one to come. And that too, you never struck me as a rule breaking girl.",Draco said. "Well, Draco some really bad circumstances forced me to do that. Ron got injured, so we had to do it.",Natasha said. "It really was a Dragon, wasn't it?",Draco asked. "Well, you and I both know the answer,so i will not say it.",Natasha said,"And Draco,why do you always target Ron? He is a really nice guy.",Natasha said. "You see, there is a family feud going on between my family and his. We are just continuing that.",Draco told. "I really hate you both, sometimes. What is the need to continue such nonsense? Why can't you forget your differences?",Natasha asked. "The wizarding community does not work like that, only heads of the families can decide to end this.",Draco said. Natasha was seriously disgusted by all this, but continued walking.
They walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper into the forest, until the path became almost impossible to follow because the trees were so thick. Natasha thought the blood seemed to be getting thicker. There were splashes on the roots of a tree, as though the poor creature had been thrashing around in pain close by. Natasha could see a clearing ahead, through the tangled branches of an ancient oak. "Look -" she murmured, holding out her arm to stop Malfoy. Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They inched closer. It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead. Natasha had never seen anything so beautiful and sad. Its long, slender legs were stuck out at odd angles where it had fallen and its mane was spread pearly-white on the dark leaves. Natasha was saddened by it,and struggled to hold back her tears. Natasha had taken one step toward it when a slithering sound made her freeze where she stood. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered…then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Harry, Malfoy, and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood. Fang ran away, with a loud bark. Draco took her hand and pulled. "We have to get out of here.",Draco whispered. But Natasha was too scared to move.
The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at them unicorn blood was dribbling down its front. It got to its feet and came swiftly toward them they couldn't move for fear. Then a pain like she'd never felt before pierced her head; it was as though her scar were on fire. Draco looked that he will faint anytime. Half blinded, she staggered backward. Even Draco followed. She heard hooves behind him, galloping, and something jumped clean over them, charging at the figure. The pain in Natasha's head was so bad she fell to his knees. It took a minute or two to pass. When she looked up, the figure had gone. A centaur was standing over her, he looked younger; he had white-blond hair and a palomino body. "Are you both all right?" said the centaur, pulling Natasha to her feet. Natasha saw Draco staring at the centaur in wonder. "Yes - thank you - what was that?",Natasha asked. The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishingly blue eyes, like pale sapphires. He looked carefully at Natasha, his eyes lingering on the scar that stood out, livid, on her forehead. "You are the Potter girl," he said. "You had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time - especially for you. Can you ride? It will be quicker this way.".
"My name is Firenze," he added, as he lowered himself on to his front legs so that they could clamber onto his back. Firenze slowed to a walk, warned Natasha to keep her head bowed in case of low-hanging branches. They made their way through the trees in silence for so long that Natasha thought Firenze didn't want to talk to her anymore. They were passing through a particularly dense patch of trees, however, when Firenze suddenly stopped. "Natasha Potter and boy, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?",Firenze asked. "Well it gives you life temporarily isn't it?",Natasha asked. It is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn," said Firenze. "Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenseless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips." ,Natasha stared at the back of Firenze's head, which was dappled silver in the moonlight.". "But who'd be that desperate?" ,she wondered aloud. "If you're going to be cursed forever, deaths better, isn't it?". "It is," Firenze agreed, "unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else - something that will bring you back to full strength and power - something that will mean you can never die. Ms. Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?".
"The Sorcerer's Stone! Of course - the Elixir of Life! But I don't understand who -", Natasha stopped. "What? What are you both talking about?",Draco asked. "I can't tell you, Draco. It is secret.",Natasha said. "Hang on. Didn't you tell Sorcerer's Stone? It is the stone that gives you long life isn't it? You mean that thing is inside the castle?",Draco asked. Natasha ignored it. It was as though an iron fist had clenched suddenly around Natasha's heart. Over the rustling of the trees, she remembered Hagrid telling them during one of her visits: "Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die.". "Do you mean," Harry croaked, "that was ". "Natasha! Natasha, are you all right?" Hermione was running toward them down the path, Hagrid puffing along behind her. "I'm fine," said Natasha, hardly knowing what he was saying. "The unicorn's dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there.",Draco said. "This is where I leave you both," Firenze murmured to Natasha and Draco,as Hagrid hurried off to examine the unicorn. "You are safe now." Natasha and Draco slid off his back. "Good luck, Natasha Potter," said Firenze. "The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times.". He turned and cantered back into the depths of the forest, leaving Natasha and Draco shivering behind him.
Ron had fallen asleep in the dark common room, waiting for them to return. He shouted something about Quidditch fouls when Natasha roughly shook him awake. In a matter of seconds, though, he was wide-eyed as Harry began to tell him and Hermione what had happened in the forest. "Malfoy stayed with you and did not run away? That is really weird.",Ron said laughing. Natasha couldn't sit down. She paced up and down in front of the fire. She was still shaking. "Someone wants the stone for Voldemort... and Voldemort's waiting in the forest.",Natasha said. "Stop saying the name!" said Ron in a terrified whisper, as if he thought Voldemort could hear them."I bet a galleon that it is Snape. I am telling you,he is just pure evil.",Ron said. "How many times i have to tell you ,Snape is a good person. He is not trying to steal the stone!",Natasha said. "I have not told you the truth on why i was not present during the charms class on Halloween. I was crying for my parents!". Ron and Hermione looked shocked. "It was Professor Snape who came and made me feel better. He came and consoled me ,and told me that I have to stay strong,and that was what my parents wanted. I even think he even knew my mother, as he called me by her first name. Do you think a man like that will kill me?",Natasha said. Natasha knew that Ron and Hermione believed her now. "I think your reasoning is right, Natasha. But I still think he is definitely creepy.",Ron said. "Who do you think it is Natasha?",Hermione asked. "I think it is Professor Quirrel. Remember that he tried to kidnap me during Christmas break.",Natasha said. "Oh my god! I had knocked down Quirrel when i set Snape's robes on fire! He was the one who was putting the jinx, not Snape.",Hermione said. "What should we do now?",Hermione said. "We wait.",Natasha replied.