Things couldn't have been worse.

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. Hermione and Selena were trembling. Excuses, alibis, and wild cover-up stories chased each other around Harry's brain, each more feeble than the last. He couldn't see how they were going to get out of trouble this time. 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. Add Norbert and the invisibility cloak, they might as well be packing their bags already.

Selena caught a look at Draco, he looked more shocked than disappointed to see her standing there under a cloud of shame, like he hadn't expected her to be involved at all. Professor McGonagall looked more ready to breath fire than Norbert as she towered over the four of them.

"I would never have believed it of any of you. 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 had ever failed to answer a teacher's question. She was staring at her slippers, as still as a statue.

"I think I've got a good idea of what's been going on," said Professor McGonagall. "It doesn't take a genius to work it out. You fed Draco Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. I've already caught him."

Selena caught Draco's eye to tell him without words that she was sorry he had gotten dragged into this mess. Draco nodded at her, a sign that he knew she was.

"I'm disgusted," said Professor McGonagall. "Four students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before! You, Miss Granger, I thought you had more to you than this. As for you two, Potters, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. All three of you will receive detentions – and fifty points will be taken from your Houses."

"Fifty?" Harry gasped – they would lose the lead, the lead he'd won in the last Quidditch match.

"Fifty points each," said Professor McGonagall, breathing heavily through her long, pointed nose.

"Professor – please –"

"You can't –"

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Potter's. Now get back to bed, all of you. I've never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students."

A hundred and fifty points lost. That put Gryffindor in last place. In one night, they'd ruined any chance of Gryffindor winning the House Cup. Harry felt as though the bottom had dropped out of his stomach. He looked over at Selena, who looked ready to cry. How could they ever make up for this?

Neither Harry or Selena slept a wink that night. Selena continued to sob into her pillow for what seemed like hours. They both knew, that they were each dreading the dawn. What would happen when the rest of Gryffindor found out what they'd done?

At first, the Gryffindors passing the giant hourglass 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? And then the story started to spread: Harry Potter, the famous Harry Potter, their hero of two Quidditch matches, had lost them all those points, him, his equally famous twin sister and a couple of other stupid first years.

From being some of the most popular and admired people at the school, Harry and Selena were suddenly the most hated. Even the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs turned on them, because everyone had been longing to see Slytherin lose the House Cup. Even Selena's friends had turned away from her, occasionally casting her looks of disappointment and shameful stares.

Everywhere they went, people pointed and didn't trouble to lower their voices as they insulted them. Slytherins, on the other hand, clapped as they walked past them, whistling and cheering, "Thanks Potter's, we owe you one!"

Selena found herself sobbing on the banks of the Black Lake one cloudy afternoon.

Veronica was using her mistake to her advantage and began harassing her more than often, sometimes physically shoving her to the ground and cursing her.

"I'd thought I'd find you here," said a familiar voice. Selena turned her head and saw Draco walking towards her, accompanied by two other Slytherin's, a dark-skinned boy and a tanned girl with dark hair, who stood at a distance.

"Draco," she stammered, quickly wiping away her tears, but Draco had already seen them.

"Selena, are you okay?" he asked, approaching her.

Selena couldn't contain herself anymore and burst into tears. Draco took her in his arms and let her cry into his robe. "No, I'm not okay. Gryffindor's in the mud, the whole school has turned on me and Harry, and Veronica has been harassing me any chance she gets!" she sobbed.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's alright. Everything's going to be okay. I haven't turned on you."

Selena wiped her eyes and choked back a whimper. "That's because you're in Slytherin, my mistake is helping your House."

The Slytherin girl had heard and sneered at Selena. "So you don't want us to win the House Cup?"

Draco jerked his head around and snapped. "Pansy!"

"N-no," Selena said, stepping back from Draco. "it's just my current situation. I'd rather have Slytherin win without having everything that's happening, happen."

The girl, Pansy suddenly looked sympathetic. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize. Name's Parkinson, Pansy Parkinson." she said, holding out her hand for a handshake, which Selena timidly did. The boy approached them. "I'm Blaise Zabini, Draco's best mate."

"Selena,"

Blaise and Pansy chuckled. "We know, you're Selena Potter."

"Yeah, I go from "The-Girl-Who-Lived" to "The-Girl-Who-Screwed-Up"!"

"Hey, we didn't mean to make you feel bad," Blaise said.

"I know you didn't, but I feel terrible." Selena whimpered, sitting down on the grassy bank. "I just don't know what to do. My friends won't even speak to me. I can't even talk to Harry because he's always at Quidditch practice, I have nothing left."

"That's not true, you have me." Draco said, sitting beside her.

"And you have us," Blaise added, joining them with Pansy.

"That is, if that's okay with you." Pansy said.

Selena gave the three Slytherin's a weak smile. "It's fine, I guess this proves my theory that not all Slytherin's are bad."

Draco smirked. "You're right about that,"

"While it's true that most of the pure-blooded students get sorted into Slytherin, it's doesn't necessarily mean we're born villains." said Pansy.

"Harry certainly thinks so,"

"Well your brother needs to pull his head out of the muck and realise we're normal kids, just like him." said Blaise

"Thanks for that Blaise, I really needed that." Selena said, giggling.

Her facial expression changed to a frown when she remembered that she still had detention. "Still, I don't think anyone's lost a hundred and fifty points in one night and I have detention."

"If it makes you feel better, we lost a great amount of points too." Pansy said, giving Draco a dirty look.

"And you're not alone, Draco's got detention as well." Blaise laughed.

Draco frowned. "Thanks mate,"

Selena quickly learned that aside from Draco, Blaise and Pansy – Ron also stood beside her and Harry. "Give it a few weeks and they'll all forget about it. Fred and George are always getting points taken off them, and people still like them."

"They've never lost a hundred and fifty points in one go, though, have they?" said Harry miserably.

"Well – no," Ron admitted.

It was a bit late to repair the damage, but Harry and Selena made a Sibling Oath to not meddle with things that weren't their business from now on. They had both had it with sneaking around and spying. They felt so ashamed of themselves that Harry went to Wood and offered to resign from the Quidditch team.

"Resign?" Wood thundered. "What good'll that do? How are we going to get any points back of we can't win at Quidditch?"

Even Quidditch had lost its fun. The rest of the team wouldn't speak to Harry during practice, and if they had to speak about them, they called him "the Seeker."

Hermione was suffering, too. Though, she didn't have as bad a time as Harry and Selena. Hermione stopped drawing attention to herself in class, keeping her head down and working in silence.

Harry and Selena were glad that the exams weren't far away. All the studying they had to do kept their mind off their misery. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Selena kept to themselves, working late into the night, trying to remember the ingredients in complicated potions, learn charms and spells by heart, memorize the dates of magical discoveries and goblin rebellions…

Eventually, the tension among Selena's girl-friends loosened up and they were able to forgive Selena for the mistake. The first being Evan, Vanessa, Asha – then Adeline and Odessa.

About a week before the exams were due to start, Harry was walking back from the library on his own one afternoon, when he heard somebody whimpering from a classroom up ahead. As he drew closer, he heard Quirrell's voice.

"No – no – not again, please –"

It sounded as though someone was threatening him. Harry moved closer.

"All right – all right –" he heard Quirrell sob.

The next second, Quirrell came hurrying out of the classroom straightening his turban. He was pale and looked as though he was about to cry. He strode out of sight; Harry didn't think Quirrell had even noticed him. He waited until Quirrell's footsteps had disappeared, then peered into the classroom. It was empty, but a door ajar at the other end. Harry was halfway toward it before he remembered what he'd promised himself about not meddling.

Harry ran back to the library, where Hermione was testing Ron on Astronomy and Selena going through a Potion recipe with Asha. Harry told them all what he'd heard.

"Snape's done it, then!" said Ron. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spell-"

"There's still Fluffy, though," said Hermione.

"Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid," said Ron, looking up at the thousands of books surrounding them. "I bet there's a book somewhere in here telling you how to get past a giant three-headed dog."

"If there was, you'd really think there would be such a book in the library?" Adeline said.

"Aw come on Adeline –" Ron moaned disappointed.

The light of adventure was already kindling in Ron's eyes, but Hermione answered before anyone else did.

"Go to Dumbledore. That's what we should have done ages ago. If we try anything ourselves we'll be thrown out for sure."

"We've got no proof!" said the twins.

"Quirrell's too scared to back us up. Snape's only got to say he doesn't know how the troll got in at Halloween and that he was nowhere near the third floor – who do you think they'll believe?" Harry added.

The others all frowned. All expressing their options and disagreeing with another.

"I suppose Dumbledore'll think we made it up," said Odessa.

"But Dumbledore's not like that," said Adeline.

"That's right, Dumbledore might understand if we explain what we know."

"Stuff that we're not supposed to know, Vanessa." said Asha.

"And that prick Filch wouldn't help you even if we paid him 2000 Galleons. In his eyes, the less students, the better." said Evan.

"But this is the Philosopher's Stone." Asha hissed.

"We know, but remember, we're not supposed to know about the Philosopher's Stone, how do you think we're going to explain that?" Harry said.

The girls looked convinced, but Ron didn't.

"If we just do a bit of poking around –"

"No," said Selena flatly, closing the book she was reading, "we've done enough poking around."

She pulled out a map of Jupiter and started to learn the names of its moons.

The following morning, notes were delivered to Harry, Hermione and Selena 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

"Right, we've still got our detentions to do." Selena muttered. Harry glanced at Hermione, half expecting her to complain that this was a whole night of studying they had lost, but she didn't say a word. Like Harry, she felt they deserved what they got.

At eleven o'clock that night, they said good-bye to Ron in the common room and went down to the entrance hall. Filch was already there – and so was Malfoy. Harry had forgotten that Malfoy had gotten a detention, too.

"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 that dark grounds. Selena was shaking like a leaf. Harry 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."

Harry and Selena's hearts rose; if they were going to be working with Hagrid it wouldn't be so bad. Their relief must have showed on their faces, because Filch said, "I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, – it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."

At this Selena let out a frightened whimper, 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."

Selena clutched the sleeve of Harry's robe and made a choking noise as they heard a howl coming from somewhere in the forest. "Werewolves?" she whimpered.

Draco nodded.

"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, Harry, Hermione, Selena?"

"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," said Filch coldly, "they're here to be punished, after all."

"That's why yer late, is it?" said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."

"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.

Malfoy now turned to Hagrid.

"I'm not going in that forest," he said, and Harry was pleased to hear the note of panic in his voice.

"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."

"He's right Draco, we've got to step up and take responsibility for our actions." Selena said, taking his hand to reassure him.

"But students aren't allowed to go in there! I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this 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 didn't move. He just looked at Hagrid furiously, but then softened his gaze when Selena squeezed his hand.

"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."

"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" said Malfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.

"What if it's a werewolf?" said Selena.

"There's nothing that lives in that forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid, "As fer it bin a werewolf, they're not fas enough. It's not easy to catch a unicorn, they're powerful magic creatures. I never knew one ter be hurt before. An' keep ter the path. I'll take yer into the forest, then 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."

"The poor thing," Selena said, with a hint of sadness.

"Alright, but I get Fang," said Draco quickly, looking at Fang's long teeth.

"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid, leading them along the path. "Now, me an Hermione'll go one way an' Draco, Selena, Harry and Fang'll go the other. Now if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? An' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' well all come an' find yeh – so, be careful – let's go."

The forest was black and silent. They walked in silence, their eyes on the ground. Every now and then a ray of moonlight through the branches above lit up a spot of silver-blue blood on the fallen leaves. Harry saw that Hagrid looked very worried.

"if it can't be a werewolf, then what else could it be?" Harry asked.

"Dunno, there's nothin' in the forest that could harm a unicorn, mus' be somethin' that don' belong here." said Hagrid. They walked past a mossy tree stump. They could hear running water; there must be a stream nearby. There were still spot of unicorn blood here and there along the winding path.

"You all right, girls?" Hagrid whispered. "Don' worry, it can't've gone far if it's this badly hurt, an' then we'll be able ter – GET BEHIND THAT TREE!"

Hagrid seized Harry, Hermione, Selena and Draco and hoisted them off the path behind a towering oak. He pulled out an arrow and fitted it into his crossbow, raising it, ready to fire. They all listened. Something was slitherin over the dead leaves nearby: it sounded like a cloak trailing along the ground. Hagrid was squinting up the dark path, but after a few seconds, the sound faded away.

"I knew it," he murmured. "There's summat in here that shouldn't be."

"What in Merlin's name was that?" asked Draco shaking like a leaf.

"A werewolf?" Harry suggested.

"That wasn' no werewolf an' it wasn' no unicorn, neither," said Hagrid grimly. "Right, follow me, but be careful, now."

They walked more slowly, ears straining for the faintest sound. "D-Do you think I could use my telekinesis on whatever hurt the unicorn?" Selena whispered.

"It depends on what it is," Hagrid replied. Suddenly, in a clearing ahead, something rustled in the bushes ahead.

"Who's there?" Hagrid called. "Show yerself – I'm armed!"

And into their view came – was it a man, or a horse? To the waist, a man, with red hair and beard, but below that was a horse's gleaming chestnut body with a long, reddish tail. The kids jaw's dropped.

"Oh, it's you, Ronan," said Hagrid in relief. "How are yeh?"

He walked forward and shook the centaur's hand.

"Good evening to you, Hagrid," said Ronan. He had deep, sorrowful voice. "Were you going to shoot me?"

"Can't be too careful, Ronan," said Hagrid, patting his crossbow. "There's summat bad loose in this forest. This is Harry Potter, Selena Potter, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy, by the way. Students up at the school. An' this is Ronan, you four. He's a centaur."

"We noticed," said Hermione faintly.

"Good evening," said Ronan. "Students, are you? And do you learn much, up at the school?"

"Erm –"

"A bit," said Hermione faintly.

"A bit. Well, that's something." Ronan sighed. He flung back his head and stared at the sky. "Mars is bright tonight."

Selena glanced at Draco, who shrugged in confusion at what that meant.

"Yeah," said Hagrid, glancing up, too. "Listen, I'm glad we've run inter yeh, Ronan, 'cause there's a unicorn bin hurt – you seen anything?"

Ronan didn't answer. He stared unblinkingly upward, then sighed again. "Always the innocent are the first victims," he said. "So it has been for ages past, so it is now."

"Yeah," said Hagrid, "but have yeh seen anythin' Ronan? Anythin ususual?"

"Mars is bright tonight," Ronan repeated, while Hagrid watched him impatiently. "Unusually bright."

"Ah meant anything ususual nearer home," said Hagrid. "So yeh haven't noticed anythin' strange?"

Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer. At last, he said, "The forest hides many secrets."

A movement in the tree behind Ronan behind Ronan made Hagrid raise his bow again, but it was only a second centaur, black-haired and well-bodied and wilder-looking than Ronan.

"Hullo, Bane," said Hagrid. "All right?"

"Good evening, Hagrid, I hope you are well?"

"Well enough. Look I've jus' bin askin' Ronan, you seen anythin' odd in here lately? There's a unicorn bin injured – would yeh know anythin' about it?"

"Bane walked over to stand next to Ronan. He looked skyward. "Mars is bright tonight," he said simply.

"We've heard," said Hagrid grumpily. "Well, if either of you do see anythin', let me know, won't yeh? We'll be off, then."

Harry, Hermione, Selena and Draco followed him down the long winding path. "Never," said Hagrid irritably, "try an' get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anythin' closer'n the moon."

"Are there many out here?"

"Oh, a fair few…Keep to themselves mostly, but they're good enough about turnin' up if I want a word. They're deep, mind, centaurs…they know things…jus' don' let on much."

"D'you think that was a centaur we heard earlier?" said Selena.

"Did that sound like hooves to you? Nah, if yeh ask me, that was what's bin killin' the unicorns – never heard anythin' like it before."

They walked on through the dense, dark trees. Selena kept glancing behind them. She had the nasty feeling they were being watched. She looked over at Harry and could tell telepathically he was thinking the same thing. Harry was very glad they had Hagrid and his crossbow with them. However, that happiness soon faded away when they came to a fork in the road. "Alright, this is where we split up. Hermione and I'll go this way an' Harry, Selena an' Draco will go the other way with Fang."

Selena looked at Draco, then at Harry. Those two are like fire and ice, she thought. This should be a blast,

So, Selena and Harry set off into the heart of the forest with Draco and Fang. 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. "Let's just find this unicorn and get the heck outta here." Draco griped. "this is servant's stuff!"

"It's too late to back out now, we've got to do this if we want to continue our years at Hogwarts." Selena said.

Harry smirked. "If I didn't know you better Malfoy, I'd say you were scared."

Draco scoffed. "Scared Potter! Please! I'm just…protecting Selena from the dangers in here."

"Yeah, sorry to break it to you Malfoy, but that's my job."

"I don't need anyone to protect me," said Selena. "I'm perfectly capable to look after myself. Let's just focus on finding this poor unicorn. It can't have gone far."

Selena thought the blood seemed to be getting thicker. There were so many splashes on the roots of a tree, as though the poor creature had been thrashing around in pain close by. Harry could see a clearing ahead, through the tangled branches of an ancient oak.

"Look –" he murmured, holding out his arm to stop Malfoy and Selena.

Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They inched closer.

"Oh no," Selena whispered sadly.

It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead. Harry and Selena had never seen anything so beautiful and so 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.

Harry had taken one step toward it when a slithering sound made them all freeze where they 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, Draco, Selena 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.

"AAAAAAAAAGRH!"

Draco and Selena each let out a terrible scream and Fang bolted back down the path, barking like a rabid dog. Draco grabbed Selena's hand and pulled her to follow him. "Selena run!" he cried as the 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.

"No! I'm not leaving without Harry!" she screamed in a panic, wrenching her hand out of his grasp.

"HARRY!" she cried, running forward to pull Harry back. "Let's go!"

"Come on Potter! Run! Run!" Draco screamed, trying to get the twins to flee.

Finally, Harry broke out of the trance and stumbled over tree roots to follow them when suddenly a pain like he'd never felt before pierced his head, it was as though his scar was on fire. Selena screamed as she too felt the same pain. The pain was so bad that the twins fell to their knees.

"Potter's what are you doing?!" Draco shouted, torn between fleeing for help or staying behind.

There was a gallop of hooves and suddenly the pain was gone. When they looked up, the figure had gone. A centaur was standing over them, not Ronan or Bane; this one looked younger; he had white-blond hair and a palomino body.

"Are you two all right?" said the centaur, pulling Harry and Selena to their feet.

"Yes – thank you –"

"Selena," Draco gasped, rushing to Selena. "What happened?"

"Why didn't you go for help, Malfoy?" Harry said.

"I wasn't going to leave –" muttered Draco, turning a shade of red. "…without Selena," he said only for her to hear.

Selena smiled. "Thank you," she whispered.

The centaur gave them a half smirk. "Is he a friend of yours?"

"Just me," said Selena truthfully.

"Thanks for saving us – what was that thing?" Harry asked the question they were all wondering.

The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishing blue eyes, like pale sapphires. He looked carefully at Harry and Selena, his eyes lingering on the scars that stood out, livid, on the twin's foreheads.

"You are the Potter Twins," he said. "You had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time – especially for you. My name is Firenze,"

"Pleasure, what was that thing you saved us from." Selena asked.

Firenze sighed, but said nothing and walked over to the unicorn, then looked back at the twins. "Potter's, would you come here, there's something you need to know," he reached out an arm to beckon the twins to come over. Harry and Selena looked at each other, then slowly approached Firenze, leaving Draco standing at a distance in silence.

The unicorn was more beautiful up close and Selena felt her heart break for the poor creature. It didn't deserve such a fate. Merlin knew how much pain it had died in. "It's so beautiful," she whispered.

"It is," said Harry.

"Potters," said Firenze. "Do either of you know the properties of unicorn blood?"

Harry and Selena looked at each other, wondering why Firenze had asked such an odd question.

"No," said Harry, "we only use the horn and tail hair in Potions,"

"That is because 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 so pure and defenceless to save yourself, you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."

Selena knelt down and tenderly stroked the unicorn's mane, feeling the tears begin to fall. "B-But who would be that desperate and that selfish, to kill something so enchanting."

"Selena's right," said Harry. "if you're going to be cursed forever, death's better isn't it?"

"It is," agreed Firenze, "unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else – something that will bring you to full strength and power – something that will mean you can never die. Mr. Potter, Miss. Potter, do both of you know was is hidden in the school at this very moment?"

Selena jolted her head around in surprise to look at Harry. "The Philosopher's Stone!" she whispered, not to let Draco hear them. Harry reflexed her surprise and volume.

"Of course, the Elixir of Life! But I don't understand who –"

"Can either of you think of anyone who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?"

The twins looked at each other, a mixture of shock and fear imprinted on their faces. It was as though an iron fist had clenched suddenly around their hearts. Over the rustling of trees and Draco's shaking breaths, they seemed to hear once more what Hagrid had told them on that day in Diagon Alley: "Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die."

"You don't mean…" Selena stammered.

"Do you mean," Harry croaked, "that thing that killed the unicorn,"

"…was Voldemort…" the twins whispered together.

Firenze gave them a nod.

Selena gulped.

She looked back at the dead unicorn, dreading that it had to have been slain like this, but also relieved that it was no longer in any pain. "I'm sorry," she whispered to it.

Selena planted a soft kiss just below its closed eye – stepped back and waved her wand, creating a ring of white and red roses around it's body. She wiped away the tears that were rolling down her face hastily. "That was very kind of you, Selena," said Firenze. "Come, we must get you kids back to Hagrid. Can all of you ride, it will be quicker." He said, as he lowered himself on to his front legs so that Harry, Selena and Draco could clamber onto his back.

There was a sudden gallop of hooves from the bushes. Ronan and Bane came bursting through the trees, their flanks heaving and sweaty.

"Firenze!" Bane thundered. "What are you doing? You have three humans on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?"

"Do you realize who these children are?" said Firenze. "This two are the Potter's kin and this boy is a friend of theirs."

"Draco's not my friend," corrected Harry.

"Feeling mutual, Potter," hissed Draco.

"Draco, Harry, please," Selena breathed, rolling her eyes. She really didn't want a fight to break out while she was wedged between the two boys.

Firenze hadn't heard them and continued to ramble on to Bane. "The quicker they all get out of this forest, the better."

"What have you been telling them?" growled Bane. "Remember, Firenze, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?"

Ronan pawed the ground nervously. "I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best," he said in his gloomy voice.

Bane kicked his back legs in anger.

"For the best! What is that to do with us? Centaurs are concerned with what has been foretold! It is not our business to run around like donkey's after stray humans in our forest!"

Firenze suddenly reared on to his hind legs in anger, so that Harry, Selena and Draco had to cling on to each other to stay on.

"Do you not see that unicorn? I'd have thought you would've, Miss Potter was kind enough to give it a farewell. Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must."

And Firenze whisked around; with Harry, Selena and Draco clutching on as best they could, they plunged off into the trees, leaving Ronan and Bane behind them.

None of the knew what was going on.

"What was all that about?" Draco asked, more confused than a chameleon in a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans.

"Why was Bane so angry?" Harry asked.

"Bane believes that humans can't be trusted," Firenze said, urging them to move their heads down to avoid low hanging branches. "nor does he believe we centaurs should help them." Firenze said, slowing to a walk.

"Is someone going to explain to me what that thing was?!" Draco shouted.

"SHHH!" Harry hissed, looking around the trees in fear. Now he knew what was out here, he expected Voldemort to return for a second attack.

"We mustn't make too much noise, what is lurking in the forest is far dangerous than any creature that lives here, that I can tell you." Firenze said to Draco.

Catching the look on Draco's face, Selena said: "But we're safe as long as Firenze is with us, then once we get back to Hagrid, we'll be back inside our dorm before anything attacks us a second time."

"Wise words, Ms. Potter. You have a mind as bright as the Sun and a heart as pure as gold." Firenze whispered.

Harry smirked at Selena, who was blushing. "He's right Selena,"

"You're the Gold-Hearted Gryffindor," Draco whispered in her ear.

Selena giggled.

"Harry! Selena! Are you alright?"

Hermione was running toward them down the path, Hagrid and Fang puffing along behind her.

"We're fine," said Harry, hardly knowing what he was saying.

"The unicorn's dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there, I left a little farewell for it." Selena explained.

"This is where I leave you," Firenze murmured as Hagrid hurried off to examine the unicorn. "You are safe now."

Harry, Selena and Draco slid off his back.

"Good luck, Harry Potter and Selena 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 Harry and Selena shivering behind him.

Harry, Hermione and Selena returned to their common room to find Ron asleep on one of the couches. Harry roughly shook him. "Ron! Wake up!"

"Foul! That was a fo – ow!" Ron shouted as he fell off the couch, landing with a thump. "H-Harry, you're back. What's the matter?"

"I'll go wake up the girls, all of you need to hear this." Selena hissed, bolting up to her dorm.

Once they were all downstairs, Harry and Selena began to explain what had happened. Vanessa was rubbing her eyes groggily. She was not a morning person.

Neither Harry or Selena could sit down. They paced up and down in front of the fire. They were still shaking.

"Snape wants the stone for Voldemort…and Voldemort's waiting in the forest…and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich…" Harry muttered.

"Stop saying the name!" said Ron in a terrified whisper, as if he thought Voldemort could hear them.

"Grow up Ron, this is serious!" Odessa snapped.

Neither of the twins were listening.

"Firenze saved us, but he shouldn't have done so…Bane was furious…he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen…They must show that Voldemort's coming back…Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill us…I suppose that's written in the stars as well!" Selena continued.

"Will you two stop saying the name!" Ron hissed.

"Voldemort!" Selena snapped, growing impatient. "Honestly, I don't care what anyone says. I'd rather use his real name then 'You-Know-Who', it's stupid!"

"Now all we've got to wait for now is Snape or whoever is after the stone to steal it," Harry went one feverishly.

Selena paused and stared at him.

"Wait – did you just imply that Snape wasn't responsible?"

Harry ignored her. "then Voldemort will be able to return to power and finish me off, I suppose he'll go after Selena too…Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy."

Adeline, Odessa and Vanessa were looking very frightened, but Hermione had a word of comfort.

"Harry, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was afraid of with Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic."

The sky had turned light before they stopped talking. They went to bed, exhausted, their throats sore. But the night's surprises weren't over.

When Harry pulled back his sheets, he found his invisibility cloak folded neatly underneath them. There was a note pinned to it:

Just in case