Disclaimer...Not mine and stuff etc...
I'd just like to say a big thanks to everyone who has been nice and taken time to comment on this, especially Amadea, Valinor's Twilight and MandaPandaAR who gave me reviews last chapter. I hope this one is up to scratch...enjoy!
Part Eight
Of Ravens and Unicorns
The forest was dark, full of strange sounds and curious noises. Not even the snow could penetrate here, for the trees were too dense, standing guard over this mysterious and sinister place.
As soon as we were out of view of the castle Laura had lit her wand, and I had done the same. She held her wand in her right hand, I in my left, and our two free hands stayed clasped together, as we stepped through the trees.
The forest smelt strange, musty and slightly bitter, of damp leaves, and a faint undertone of animal scent. Twigs snapped underfoot, and occasionally, we caught sight of a Bowtruckle peering out from between the leaves, its protuberant eyes orb-like and glowing white in our wandlight.
I was not afraid. All of my life I prided myself on the fact that I had never feared anything or indeed, anyone. We walked on, making our way further and further, deeper and deeper into the forest.
I wondered where we were going. What would I see? What was it that was so wonderful to this girl, so incredible, that she was prepared to risk expulsion not once, but four times so far?
"Laura…." I said, quietly, not wanting to talk too loud.
"Shhhhhh!" she turned to me, shaking her head for me not to speak, and before I could react, she was rummaging in her cloak. She pulled out what looked like a tiny flute, made of something that looked like ivory, and raised it to her lips.
At once, a strange and haunting melody filled the air. I could almost feel the magic, creeping around us both, swirling and weaving through the black trees, and then Laura had raised her hand, and I could see she was pointing. Pointing towards something moving, something gleaming white and gold….
Something alive, in the small clearing not far away from where we were standing.
"Unicorns…?" I breathed.
O O O O O
There were four of them, there in the clearing. Three adults, their coats shining silver-white like the snow that still glistened on my shoulders. Beside them, nuzzled into the creature I assumed was its mother, was a single foal, shimmering golden all over its delicate body, and quite beautiful.
Laura had stepped forward as one of the beasts looked up, tossing its magnificent head. From where I stood, still half-hidden in the shadows of the forest, I could see the creatures eying me warily.
Laura was making a curious clicking noise with her mouth. She was edging closer to the unicorns, and to my surprise, they allowed her to approach.
I watched as she lowered her wand, stowing it away inside her blue velvet cloak.
She was still making those peculiar, clicking, crooning noises, when, suddenly, the largest of the three adults, moved suddenly and trotted over to her.
To my utter amazement, it pushed its long, silvery muzzle into the crook of her arm, and whinnied affectionately.
It appeared that the largest unicorn was the leader of the group, for once he had approached Laura, the others followed.
They too trotted over to her, making small noises of welcome, as she stroked and patted them. Even the baby unicorn let her run her hand along its cheek and rub its soft, golden chin, as she knelt close.
I watched, my wand still raised, as she petted the creatures, but then, when it seemed they had finished greeting her, she looked back over at me, and slowly, so as not to startle the unicorns, she gestured for me to join her in the clearing.
I hesitated, the animals had seen her wave in my direction and were once more fixing me with a look of extreme trepidation.
I untangled my cloak from my legs, and stepped out of the trees, as quietly as I could.
I still held my wand aloft, and the second smallest of the unicorns snorted and shied away.
"Put your wand away, Tom." Laura whispered, urgently.
At that moment, I would sooner have spent the evening allowing Professor Dumbledore to perform Legilimency on me than lower my wand in the presence of three, large, powerful and extremely mistrustful magical creatures. However, I had to admit that I was curious, so I opened my cloak and jacket, sliding my wand into my sleeve so it was still to hand should I need it quickly.
Unicorns were, according to the books I had read, possessed of extraordinary powers, their tail hairs used in the cores of wands, (and I guessed that one may have indeed provided the core of Laura's) but more importantly, their silver blood had uses in many Dark Rituals and spells, could even bring the drinker back from the brink of death.
I did not mention such things lest Laura mistrust me, with the knowledge of her precious creatures, but I knew the knowledge could prove invaluable in future, and I should seize my opportunity as here it was presented so well. So I moved closer, wand down, and tentatively, I stretched out my fingers to the mane of the largest creature.
Its fur was so impossibly soft, it felt like I touched nothing but warm, silken air, and I was encouraged when the animal did not move away, but stood still, illuminated and ethereal in the moonlight. I did not know what Laura had in mind then, but I soon found out.
"He seems to like you, Tom". she murmured, leaving the golden foal's side. She slipped her arms around my waist from behind and kissed the back of my neck, standing on tiptoe as she always had to. I turned to her, eager to deepen the kiss, and then, before I could stop her, she took my arm, pointed me towards the largest unicorn and said:
"I suppose….yes…….."
"What?" I asked, unsure.
"He's allowing you to ride him, that's really lucky-look!" she said joyfully.
The huge silver white beast I had been stroking had bent its strong hind legs, as if to allow a rider to climb on.
I gaped.
"Seriously….you mean…?" I asked.
"Go on, Tom!" she urged me, eyes shining. "You'll love it…….go on!"
So I did. Drawing a breath in and steeling myself, I swung my left leg over that magnificent creature, and curled my fingers around its glistening mane.
On my other side I could see Laura out of the corner of my eye, as she mounted one of the others leaving mother and foal together in the clearing.
"Hold tight.." she called back to me, but her words were whipped away by the wind.
Laura shot past me on a Unicorn's back, dark hair streaming with a flash of Ravenclaw silver, and away and onward, into the night air and beyond my view.
And before I could catch my breath, my own mount followed suit and we were racing blind into the depths of the Forbidden Forest.
O O O O O
I could not believe there could ever have been a feeling such as this. It was Christmas Eve and the snow billowed and swirled and swarmed over the treetops, and my heart and lungs seemed so full they would surely burst if we didn't slow down, exalted, magnificent, glorious and terrified all at the same second, all at the same time.
I could no longer see Laura up ahead of me. I grasped the silken mane of the Unicorn, lay flat to his shimmering torso and dug in my heels.
"Faster!" screamed my mind, crazily. "Faster!" And as if the beast could somehow know my thoughts, faster we went, faster and faster and onward, on and on..at almost the speed of sound, snow in my eyes and pricking my face. the wind howling in my ears, whipping through the holes in my threadbare cloak and then, then, we were out of the forest and beyond the boundaries of the school.
O O O O O
Laura was silhouetted against the dark amber glow of a rising dawn in winter. Her mount had ceased all movement, and stood perfectly still as my own steed slowed to a trot and we approached.
We stood together, Laura and I, on those incredibly powerful and beautiful beasts, on the cliff top beyond Hogwarts, and we stared out at the sea.
We did not break the silence, she simply reached out her hand to me and smiled, as we watched the sky change from black to darkest blue, and the reflection of the moon over the freezing North Sea.
We stayed like that until the unicorns became restless, and we knew it was time to turn back, for it was Christmas Day.
All was silent as we made our way down to the Slytherin Dungeons, my heart beating in my ears. I didn't ask her, but we passed by her turning, and she did not kiss me goodbye as she usually did, but walked onwards, holding my hand, her fingers tight in mine. The agreement was unspoken, hanging in the air, like something tangible, something I could reach out and touch.
I led the way through the dark common room and down the staircase to my dormitory, pulling her quickly into the room.
I paused only to draw my wand and to lock the door behind us.
To be continued...
A/N...Thank you for reading...and for getting this far!
Oh dear...I am feeling sorry for the unicorns in the forest already...having read Philosopher's Stone...
Please review!