Chapter 4: A Walk in the Woods

Zoë was in shock that was the only way to descried it. She was pale, eyes wide and breathing quickly. Hermione had to drag her out of the classroom because it didn't seem as if she was going to be moving on her own for a while. When they finally got to, what they considered a safe place outside, they stopped and tried to get the Zoë to respond to them. However it didn't take long before Blaise came up to them looking just as worried and awed at Zoë as the rest of them.

"Is she alright?" he asked softly when he noticed that Zoë wasn't even blinking.

"What the hell do you want Slytherin?" Ron spat glaring at the blue eyed boy. These were his friends and there was no way he was going to allow a bloody snake to continue to hang around them as this Slytherin had been doing for the past month.

"Ron will you stop it already. This has been going on for over a month. Zoë and Blaise are friends so just get used to it." Harry sighed. He had been getting really irritated by the red heads attitude especially since he had no problems with having the blue eyed boy as a friend.

Ron opened and closed his mouth a few times looking at Harry as though he had stabbed him in the back. "You've lost your bloody mind, Harry!" he cried his anger clearly showing. "Fine, just fine; have fun the evil slimy snake it's obvious you prefer him to ME!" He stormed away angrily leaving Harry, Hermione and Blaise staring at his retreating back.

"I think he's over reacting a bit much." Blaise muttered.

"Please don't take what Ron said to seriously." Hermione said to Blaise. "He isn't very open-minded about many things."

Blaise flashed Hermione a smirk/ smile causing the girl to blush. "Don't worry about it Granger I'm used to it by now." Turning his attention to the still overly pale girl he questioned.

"Are you alright, Zoë?"

"Oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God. What did I do? What did I do?"

An indulgent smile appeared on Balsie's face. "Well, if you must know. You screamed, what I can only guess, was something really bad at Professor Snape; who just happens to hate all Gryffindors with an extreme passion ensuring that you will never get a good grade in that class again." Pausing he cocked his head to the side and regarded his lil sis carefully. "Just out of curiosity, what did you yell at him?"

"I called him an abusive overgrown bully who preys on those too scared to defend themselves." She whispered as if she feared Snape would show up behind her to hear what she had actually yelled at him.

There was a pause where they just looked at Zoë in amazement before the three of them burst out laughing.

"Well think of it this way Zoë; Professor Snape was so mad he only gave you and Potter one detention." Blaise replied still chuckling.

Zoë looked over at Harry shocked. "Why did he give you a detention?" her mind had shut down from horror at that point and she hadn't been paying attention to what was happening.

Blaise snorted. "Potter here decided that he wanted in on the fun and since he and Snape are already such great friends it was all too easy to convince him to let Potter join you for a little walk in the woods."

Zoë just regarded him blankly while Harry and Hermione tried to keep their laughter in check.

"Would someone be kind enough to give me a translation? I don't speak idiot." Zoë shot back.

Blaise just gave her an all too sweet smile. "No but apparently you speak French all too well."

Blushing Zoë reached over and smacked him up side the head.

Shaking his head at the now familiar antics between the two Harry explained his actions to the still confused girl. "He was going to send you into the Forbidden Forest all by yourself. There was no way I was going to allow that to happen."

"Wha… But … You shouldn't have done that."

"Hey it's already happened and don't worry about it I've had detention with Snape so many times it not even funny anymore."

"Actually I think it's quite amusing. You should keep a tally of how many he gives you; we could even consider it one of you greatest achievements."

That earned Blaise a whack from both Zoë and Hermione, while Harry looked on amused.

Shaking her head at her "brothers" antics Zoë allowed a small smile to spread on her face and the four of them made their way back to the castle for lunch.

News of this event spread through Hogwarts like a wild fire. In a few hours there wasn't a single student that didn't know what had happened in that fateful potions classroom.

"You know I half expected the school to break out in cheers." When they had entered the great hall every single student had stopped to stare at Zoë the entire time she had been eating. Zoë had all but sprinted out of the room after eating a small amount of food. She had then barricaded herself into the Gryffindor common room.

Hermione sighed she knew that her new friend could be stubborn but this was pushing it. "Come on Zoë you have to face the school again sooner or later." She had been trying to get Zoë to come with them to supper for at least half an hour but she refused to move off the chair she had anchored herself into and go to the great hall again.

"No I don't. I'll hide out in the hospital wing planning all the ways I'm going to torture those bloody people."

"Isn't the hospital wing used to heal people?" Harry commented idly. Flipping a page in the book he was reading. He had given trying to convince Zoë 15 minutes ago and was currently sprawled across a couch that could usually comfortably seat four people reading a book.

"Ha! You'd like to think so! The best way to know how to take something apart is by knowing how to put it together. Besides I'll have plenty of materials available to help me prolong the pain!"

"Mental note: never piss Zoë off."

"Oh you two stop it. Besides you both have detention tonight and you should really eat something before you go."

"I don't even know what time that stupid thing is at so just leave me here and go." Zoë was getting close to pouting. There was no way she was going to go, nope absolutely no way. Nope, nope, nope.

Narrowing her eyes she glared at a group at younger students that she passed on her way to supper. Of course this only server to make the stupid spineless cretins start whispering to themselves. You would think that someone would have exploded at Snape before now.

Noticing the on goings between Zoë and random students Hermione attempted to start a conversation with the one topic that was sure to get Zoë's attention.

"So how are things going at the hospital wing?"

Zoë's eyes narrowed as she regarded the girl beside her. When all she got was a non-wavering smile in return she allowed her attention to get redirected. "It's going awesome! Madame Pomfrey has taught me so much about basic medicinal magic and we have been experimenting with my healing. So far it's only been on smaller things but then again we haven't really had the chance to try any larger injuries seeing as no one in Hogwarts has gotten hurt really badly."

"Some how you seem a little upset about that." A voice behind them spoke out making Zoë jump. Glaring at Blaise Zoë kept talking as if she hadn't bee interrupted.

"Because it has so quiet Madame Ponfrey has been teaching me how to brew some more common medical potions."

"Well I'm sure that once word has gotten out that you are helping in the Hospital wing there will be a lot more people who suddenly come up with mysterious injuries. That and Quidditch is starting soon. So you won't be deprived much longer." Blaise replied with an easy smile.

"Don't you have somewhere else to be?" Zoë snapped.

Laughing softly Harry unintentionally pulled all the attention towards himself.

"Where's Weasely?" Blaise asked.

"Donno. He's still mad and is refusing to even look at me. It's just like fourth year all over again." Harry paused as if considering something. "Only this time he's snogging random girls."

"What happened fourth year?" Zoë asked. Of course she had heard of the war among the golden trio however she had never heard the real reason behind what had happened. She was dealing with her own problems that year as she had every year.

"A lot of shit that I don't feel like going into right now, but the short version is that I was chosen to participate in the Tri Wizards Tournament and Ron got extremely jealous. He refused to speak to me until after I battled a dragon."

Cocking her head to the side she regarded the male in front of her. She wondered if he realized how bitter and angry he sounded. However she didn't think that his anger was directed at the weasel. It was most likely that he was thinking about what had happened with Voldemort.

"I remember Blaise mentioning something about that in a letter." Zoë half lied. It had been Blaise who told her about the fighting golden trio though.

Snorting Blaise slung his arm around Zoë's shoulders. "All I wrote was that the Tri Wizard Tournament was being held here. Then I had to explain to you what it was." That did it. Blaise was having too much fun with this make up info about Zoë thing.

"I'm sure he just needs time to cool down." Hermione replied stiffly. There was an awkward silence for a minute that got broken when a group for first years came upon the in the corridors only to, practically, run away at the site of Zoë. I mean if she could yell at PROFESSOR SNAPE when he pissed her off then what would she do to them if they angered her? It took all three of them to stop Zoë from running back to the common room and drag her to the great hall.

Fortunately for everyone Professor Snape didn't show up for supper that night, unfortunately, both Harry and Zoë received a letter with their dinners. Zoë looked at the letter with no little uncertainty. Chewing on her lower lip she opened the letter and read the one sentence that was written there.

8:00 the forbidden forest.

Professor S. Snape

Groaning Zoë let her head fall down to the table with a loud thump.

"Don't worry about it, Zoë, nothing too bad will happen." Harry laughed.

"Nothing too bad will happen he says. Were only going into a place called the FORBIDDEN forest." Zoë mumbled.

"Don't worry I'll watch out for you." Harry said sincerely, only to ruin it by adding, "If I didn't Blaise would have my head."

That got a weak laugh from Zoë and she finally started to eat a small amount of the food that had somehow managed to end up on her plate.

It was a horrid night. The kind that were made for sitting in front of a fire safe inside not hiking through dark spooky forests that are home to who know what kinds of creatures, Zoë never really did pay attention in Care of Magical Creatures. Thick clouds covered the sky blocking any light from the moon making the already dark night even darker. Harry would have usually enjoyed nights like this, completely shrouded in his element, except that he felt something off; something wasn't sitting right and usually when he had a feeling like this something very important (bad) was going to happen. Looking at the small girl beside him he saw her nervously glancing at the forest and the dark figure they were walking towards. He became even more determined to keep her safe. Glancing up at the sky one more time he nodded; this moonless night might prove to be an advantage. It would give him a power incase and in the forbidden forest he would be surrounded by his element so he could keep them safe if anything bad happened. As they approached Snape he created a tight shield around himself about a finger width away form his body. Even if that man was on "his" side he did not trust him. Focusing on Zoë he formed a slight shield around her also. He was careful not to alert her to the fact that he was using magic on her even though he was doing it for her own protection.

"Hurry up!" Snape spat, glaring at the two of them. It seems as if hew couldn't decide who he hated more Harry of Zoë.

Controlling his urge to rip out Snape's guts, he stepped slightly forward so the he was blocking Snape's view of Zoë.

"You two are to going to have fun tonight." Snape sneered. "I want you to find everything on this list." He handed them a sheet of parchment with various plant names written on it. He gave Harry one last glare when he took the parchment from him before storming off.

Harry looked over the list with a groan. How the hell were they supposed to find all of these in one night? The answer hit him instantly; they weren't. He guessed this was Sanpe's way to make the detention last more then one night. He felt the parchment being pulled out of his hands and looked at Zoë as she read over the list.

"So how long do you think this will take?" he ventured.

"Not as long as you are thinking." She replied looking at him with a smile. "Over half of these can be found in the greenhouses."

"You're joking right?" Harry couldn't contain his disbelief.

"No, but we still have to go into the forest to get the rest of the plants."

"But still, why would he give us plants that are so easy to get?" That didn't sound like the Snape he knew.

"My guess would be that he didn't expect up to know that we could get them from the greenhouses. Also three of them don't even grow in forests. So he was trying to send us on a wild goose chase."

Then again maybe it did.

Harry looked at Zoë for a few seconds. "Damn I'm glad you're here. I never would have known that." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and started walking towards the greenhouses.

"Harry, it's because of me that your even here."

Harry waved a hand threw the air dismissing the idea. "I would have gotten a detention with Snape sooner or later. All this means is that now I have some company."

Zoë just gave Harry a disbelieving look. "Has anyone mentioned that you're incredibly easy going?"

"No but that was because they knew me last year when I was really uptight and serious. I figured that this year I was going to go in the opposite direction and see how that works. Then I'll determine which outlook on life I prefer and stick with it."

Shaking her head at Harry's easy grin she had to admit that Harry attitude was a complete 180 from the way he acted during fifth year. Risking a glance at Harry she decided that she liked him when he was like this a lot better then the angry, angst ridden teen he was last year.

Arriving at the greenhouses Zoë pulled out the list and liked over the names listed. "Okay I have no idea where this stuff is located but we can find six of these plants in here so that leaves three that we need to find in the forest.

It took at least two hours for them to locate the six plants in the vast greenhouses and properly collect the items. However that was the easy part so it could be said that it didn't last them long enough.

"Well shall we go?"

"How are you so calm?"

"It's like you said, I'm easygoing." That was if you definition of easy going was every sense strained to the breaking point trying to located the danger he was certain was near. Of course Zoë didn't need to know that she was nervous enough as it was.

"Harry wait this is so stupid. I mean he can't expect us to locate these three plants that, I might add, only grow in very specific location, in a forest this big."

"Well do you know where they are found?"

Sighing Zoë looked at the list once more.

"Spider Moss, as the name suggests, is only found around a spider nest. The problem there is in order to find a large quantity of it there need to be a lot of magical spiders around."

"A spider nest hmm. I guess it's my turn to say that won't be as hard to find as you think." Harry smiled remembering the giant spider Aargog. When he noticed Zoë looking at him oddly he smiled at her. "Please continue."

"The skin of a blood rose is also difficult to locate. The blood rose only grows in an area where large quantities of magical creatures have died." Harry frowned at that he had no idea where to locate that in the forest.

"What's the last plant?"

"Blind Tears, this plant only grows in complete darkness and if there is any light on the plant while the flower is still attached it dies instantly. That's one of the reasons why this plant is so rare."

"Damn Snape to hell and I hope he stays there. This is so his idea of a stupid joke."

"Actually it's quite a brilliant way to get back at us if you think about it, in a sadistic kind of way."

Harry looked at Zoë as if she was crazy for a few seconds. "Come on, we can go see if Hagrid knows where to find these things it's only 10:00 he should still be awake. After all Snape never said that we couldn't get help." He finished with a wink.

Although Zoë wasn't convinced that this idea would work they started towards Hagrid's hut.

"Do you really think that he'll know where to find these planets?" Zoë asked doubt coloring her voice.

"You don't."

Truthfully no she didn't. Smiling at Zoë's silence he propped an arm on her head and stated very matter-of-factly, "He might not know what those plants are but I'll bet you that he knows where they can be found. Besides we only need him to tell us where two of them are, I know where the spider whatever is."

"Why doesn't that reassure me?" she mumbled. Causing Harry to laugh, with a huff she shoved his arm off her head and whacked him on the head.

The lights were still on when they reached the hut, a good sign that its occupants were still awake. Walking up the few steps to the door Harry knocked and a few seconds later they heard someone moving around in the house. The door opened to reveal Hagrid's smiling face once he saw who was on the other side of the door.

"'Evening 'arry, Miss 'orrison. What are you two doin' out so late?"

"Hey Hagrid. We got a detention with Snape."

"Professor Snape 'arry." Harry gave an easy grin and a shrug.

"We were hoping you could help us. Snape gave us a list of plants that we need to find. We need some help locating them in the forbidden forest."

The half giant looked at Harry closely.

"Now this wouldn't be one of your tricks to get me to give you information would it 'arry?"

Harry snorted. "I take it you haven't been up to the castle any time today have you?"

"No." Hargid replied rubbing the back of his neck. "'ad some problems in the forest, 'ad to cancel classes today and 'everything. (1)" Catching Harry's interested look Hagrid quickly added. "That 'ad better not be why you're 'ere."

Smirking slightly Harry shook his head and told Hagrid the events leading up to his most recent detention.

"Blimey! No offence Miss 'orison but you donna look like you have that in you."

Zoë had the grace to blush and scowled at the two in front of her.

"So what do you need my help for?"

"Well you see Snape has sent us on a perilous journey into the Forbidden forest to collect some rare plants and I we were hoping you could direct us to their location."

"I'm not very good with plants 'arry." Hagrid confessed looking a tad embarrassed.

"That's fine Hagrid we only need you to tell us where they might be found in the forest."

The directions that Hagrid gave them were surprisingly specific. It was very obvious that he knew his way around the forest very well.

Walking towards the forest Harry suggested that they gather the spider moss first. Apparently he had a very good memory and was able to find the spider nest again with no difficulties; he left actually finding the moss up to Zoë. This time around they didn't have any trouble form the spiders. Harry guessed that since they were indeed magical creatures the spiders could sense the change in him. Also they hadn't actually gone into the spider territory this time as Zoë had informed his that spider moss grows a little ways away from the actual nest feeding off the lingering magic that specifically comes from the spiders.

"I found it, Harry!" Zoë called. Looking away from the hidden spiders he saw Zoë crouched over some plant that he assumed to be the spider moss. "How much do you think we should get?"

"A good amount; that way he can't send us out for more." Harry replied turning back to observe the spiders hovering over the edge of the hill. He had the feeling that Zoë couldn't see them for she was still fairly clam. He heard her moving about collecting the moss before she returned to where he was standing.

Following Harry's line of vision she squinted trying to get a look at what he was concentrating so hard on. She jumped in surprise when she thought she saw something scurrying in the darkness "Ummm Harry?"

"Yes."

"Just how big were these spiders?"

Harry glanced back at her. "Don't worry about it. They won't bother us. Let's get going we've got what we came for."

Nodding Zoë turned and they carefully made their way back to the main path.

"Ok, so Hagrid said that we should follow this pathway for until we come across a weeping willow."

"Well that one shouldn't be hard to miss." Zoë commented dryly. Unlike the muggle plants a magical weeping willow was actually weeping. After approximately 15 minutes of walking along a rapidly shrinking path they finally heard some soft crying in the distance.

"Damn it!" Zoë cursed loudly as she tripped over something unseen on the forest floor again.

"Zoë! What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? I can barely see three feet in front of me, that's what's wrong. I'm tripping over everything. How are you not having a problem?"

"Yami remember?" Harry replied walking over to the frustrated girl.

In truth Zoë HAD almost forgotten. Ever since that first day she hadn't scene either Harry or Hermione using anything other then normal everyday magic. She knew that the two of them practiced often together but they never used any of their other powers in public. She had also been told that they were using heavy glamour charms in order to cover up there more non-human featured. She still hadn't scene what they truly looked like. However if it was anything like the way Blaise did without his charms she completely understood the reasons why they wore them. All three of them were going very far in order to ensure that no one knew just how different they truly were. And in Blaise's case he was even hiding it from the teachers.

"Well here's what we'll do. You hold onto me and follow where I walk and I'll let you know if there is anything you need to avoid, alright?"

"Alright. But if you make me walk into something I'll…. I'll do something bad, Yami or not."

Harry flashed the girl a smile that she couldn't see and grabbed her hand. "Understood now lets go."

It was deafening. That was the only way to describe the hideous wailing that the tree was producing. It was no wonder they hadn't run into anything yet. Nothing could withstand the sound of this tree. Harry certainly couldn't. With his advanced hearing it felt as if his head was about to crack open.

"Well I think we found the tree!" Harry shouted.

"What!"

"I think …we found …the tree!"

"I can't hear you! Speak up!"

"Which way?!"

"Hay!? Why are you talking about hay?"

"No! Which way!?" Harry bellowed.

"Hagrid said something about a small side path around here!" Of course all Harry heard was small path and around here but that was all he needed. Being the only one out of the two of them that could actually see he knew it was his job to find it.

"Stay here!"

"What?!"

"STAY HERE!"

"OK!"

Thankfully he was able to spot the little thing that could barely classify as a path fairly quickly. Grabbing Zoë's hand he pulled her along as fast as he deemed safe until they were finally a good distance away and the agonizing wails were softened by the distance.

"Oh god my ears! My head!" Harry moaned in pain clutching his head.

"Hear let me help." Zoë's voice was soft but it still scrapped against Harry head in a painful way. He jerked back slightly when he felt a soothing warmth against the side of his head.

"Stay still will you?" Zoë admonished. Placing her fingertips back against Harry's temples she concentrated on letting her healing magic flow from her into Harry gently chasing away his headache.

"Oh thank god it's gone." Harry sighed.

"I only wish the same could be said for that bamned awful tree."

Snorting Harry grabbed Zoë's hand and they once again started off.

"Didn't he say we should spot the clearing soon after the weeping willow?" Zoë questioned. Idly she wondered how long they had been in the forest. It really was a good thing that tomorrow was Saturday. She just new she was going to be exhausted.

"Hagrid said that it wasn't that far from that stupid plant. however he is much larger then us."

"True." She sighed.

"There's a branch above." Harry warned

Pausing when she felt nothing above her she frowned. "Where?"

Harry half turned and laughed softly when he saw Zoë. "You're standing directly under it."

"Secousse" (jerk)

"Come on I think I see something up ahead."

Steeping into the clearing Harry was hit with a deep sense of peace and he could feel the lingering traces of different magic's from all the creatures in the forest that had died here.

"I believe this is the place. So what am I looking for?"

"I think it's those bushes over. But I can't tell from this distance it's too dark."

"Right." Picking there way carefully over to the bushes Zoë had pointed to they had to make there way around scattered bones and full skeletons.

"You would think that it would smell awful around here."

"Ya you would."

"You mean you don't know why?"

Huffing Zoë quipped. "I'm smart; Harry, but even I don't know everything."

It was indeed the right bush. Harry could see the roses growing on it. He had one question though. "Are the roses supposed to be black?"

"Yes. Are they red?"

"Humm… you can't tell?"

"Harry, my eyes may have adjusted a little to the dark but EVERYTHING looks black to me."

"Like an old fashioned movie." Harry sniggered.

"Like a what?…. Oh never mind just get the flowers would you. And don't touch the thorns they carry a toxin in them."

"Will do!" Carefully maneuvering his hands into the bush he gathered up a few of the roses close together. "I can just cut them right?"

"Yes. Do you want me to pass you the cutters?"

"Nah. I got it covered." Concentrating slightly he allowed his nails to rapidly extend into razor sharp claws and he cut through the stems as easily as a hot knife through soft butter. "There all done. Only one more then we are finished!"

"You are crazy." Zoë muttered. A little louder she asked, "So where do we go next?"

"Hagrid said that we would need to go deeper into the forest in order to get absolutely no light filtration. You know this is more fun then I thought it would be."

"Honestly Harry are you on something you seem even more deranged the usual?"

"No Zoë I'm not on some thing. It's just another Yami thing."

"Being outrageously giddy at the prospect of walking through creature infested forests?"

""I am a creature now Zoë."

"Ya, and you're just proving my point even more, infested."

"On behalf of myself, HEY! But honestly I think this place is just calling to my other side more" Grabbing Zoë's hand he started leading them further into the forest as per Hagrids directions.

"Other side?"

"Ya, I feel as if there are two of me now, or rather two distinct sides. I've got my human side and my creature side. It feels like there is this wall separating the two of them instead of my two halves coming together to become whole. Wow was it just me or did that sound really deep?"

"Two minutes you were serious for two minutes."

"Don't worry it won't happen again." Harry threw a smirk over his shoulder before he remembered that Zoë wouldn't see it.

They continued on deeper into the forest with Zoë moving steadily closer and closer to Harry as the forest got darker and darker. They had to be getting closer finding the Blind Tears for Zoë felt that way her self. She could see nothing and was relying on Harry's directions to navigate through the forest.

"Harry we should be close to finding Blind Tears soon. I can't see anything."

"Really?!"

"I believe we already established the fact that you are traveling with a mere mortal Harry. I can't even see you and I know that your standing directly in front of me."

Sighing Harry half turned and looked out at the forest surrounding them. He would have to take Zoë's word that it was completely black for he could see perfectly. Which lead to the problem that he had no way of identifying the flower when they cam across. Also that uneasy feeling was growing again. As much fun as he was having he now felt a desperate need to be out of the forest now!

"What does this plant look like?"

"I think it's a white flower with large drooping petals. There should be a large bulge in the stem where the tears are located."

"Right." Harry whispered. Scanning the forest he didn't see and flowers around them and started walking forwards only to have Zoë fall into him.

"Warm me next time you start moving." Zoë grumped.

"Here get on my back it'll go faster if I carry you." Harry instructed placing Zoë's hand on his shoulder and turning his back to her.

"Umm… why?"

"Just do it Zoë." His head whipped to the side. He was sure that he saw something move but he didn't see anything now. He vaguely heard Zoë mumbling but didn't listen to her. Tapping into his Yami powers was tacking all of his concentration right now. He did register her moving to do as he asked and he gently gripped her legs and lifted her up.

"Don't worry Zoë. You should be happy you tall now." He heard Zoë huff and felt her glaring at him but his words had the desired effect as Zoë relaxed against him. Moving swiftly forward he covered more ground easily and much faster then they had been. Keeping a look out for the stupid plant he strode confidently forward also looking for the thing that he was sensing. His Yami side was screaming at him. That he should know what was there but Harry couldn't make out what it was trying to say. Damn this. He stopped. Trying to understand what was being yelled at him but it was no use he couldn't make out the words.

"Harry is something wrong?" Zoë whispered her warm breath ghosting over his neck.

"No, but I think I found our flower." Spotting a white flower. Which happen to be the only flower that he had scene in a longtime. He felt Zoë's sight of relief and it was clear that she was probable more anxious to get out of the forest then he was. Bending so that her feet touched the ground he placed Zoë back onto the ground. Turning he slid the bag off her shoulder and told her not to move.

"There should be a jar in the bag that will keep the light from killing the plants. So put them in that." Zoë's voice rang out into the silence around them.

"Sure." Grabbing two plants he yanked them free and shoved them into the jar then the jar into the bag. Jerking his head up he threw himself to the ground in time to feel something fly over head of him and he felt something claw through his back forcing him to cry out in pain.

"Harry!?"

Forcing himself up onto his knees and hands he looked up at Zoë standing there with her hands held in front of her looking very frightened and lost. However what made his breath quicken in fear were the things surrounding her.

"HARRY!?"

Bolting to his feet he threw himself forward dragging Zoë to the ground with him. He quickly shifted in the air so that he hit the ground with Zoë on top of his and his pained gasp was masked by the sound of trees exploding. Growling Harry sat up keeping a shaking Zoë close and conjured up globes of fire illuminating the forest around them with true light.

Zoë screamed.