"What do you think you're doing, wandering around the castle at night?"

His cat growls at us, showing it's feline jaws. Its eyes have a red-like tint, and it's practically drooling at the thought of sinking it's teeth into us.

"We..we were just looking-"
"Do you know what happens to the children who wander around the castle at night?"

He leans towards us, his pointy nose almost poking our eyes out.

"They get detention.."
I laugh to myself. What's so bad about detention?
"..In the dark forest." He finishes, and my heart drops into my stomach.

"We aren't allowed in there. Dumbledore wouldn't allow it."
"Actually, detention will be with me, so it's my descison where it will take place."

He must be joking. Dumbledore wouldn't let us go into the forest. Would he?
He needs us. He has said so himself.
So, if he really needed us, he wouldn't allow us to go into the forest where we could all possibly get injured. Right?

leads us to Dumbledores office, and we all step inside when we hear Dumbledores voice telling us to come in.
He sits behind his desk, still fully dressed in his robes. Does this man ever sleep?

"Ah, Mr. Filch, what brings you here tonight?"
Mr. Filch gestures to the six of us, lantern blinding me momentarily.

"Found these, in one of the corridors. They were all sat around this."
He holds up the parchment, which is now blank.
I attempt to hold back a laugh. But the sight of Mr. Filch holding up the blank parchment is too much.

"Does something..amuse you, Aria?"
I glance up at Dumbledore, and try to make my expression carefully blank.
"No, sir."
He looks at me for a moment, then turns his attention back to Mr. Filch.

"I assume you would like them to serve detention with you?"
Filch nods, and Dumbledore dismisses us from his office.
"Detention will be served tomorrow night. Wait by Hagrids hut."

He leaves, Mrs. Norris right behind him.
When he disappears, Peter whines. "We can't go into the forest! What if something happens to us? I don't want to die!"

"Oh, shut up, Peter! Where's the Gryffindor bravery that you supposedly have?"
"I'm brave!"
"Really? You, Peter Pettigrew, are brave?"
"I've done things you don't know about!"

"Like what?"
He shakes his head. "Nothing."

-x-

The next night, we all wait outside Hagrids hut. I know now I should have went with Lily and Alice. Sure, I've had detentions before, but that was in Muggle school. All you had to do there was write lines or sit in silence for an hour.

Not going into forbidden forests where anything can happen.
"Don't worry, nothings going to happen."
I turn to look at Sirius, with my mouth hanging open.

"I wouldn't have to worry if you didn't bring up that map! This is your fault."
"My fault? You didn't have to come; you could have gone with Lily and Alice, but you chose to come with us!"
"You said we wouldn't get caught! But we did! So, it is your fault!"

We shout at each other some more until Hagrid comes out of his hut telling us to be quiet. We fall quiet, and I know everyone can feel the tension in the air.
I can still feel my blood boiling when comes to collect us for detention.

"Pick up a lantern and get into pairs."
I quickly pick up a lantern and stand beside Marlene.
I spot Sirius watching me and I lift my chin and turn the other way. Did he really think I'd partner up with him after that?

"What exactly are we doing in the forrest?"
"The centaurs have been complaining about some animal in the forest. We're going to find it."

"And what exactly is this animal?"
"Don't know. They just said that if we see it, we'll know. They don't like mixing with wizards."
"Why?"

"Enough questions! Let's just get this thing over with." Still grumbling under his breath, he stalks off infront, with the rest of us trailing behind.

I feel a pull on my arm, and look back to see Marlene looking at me.
"What?"
"What was that?"
I shake my head. "It was nothing. I guess everything just got to me."

She doesn't believe me. I can see it in her face, but she lets the subject drop. Which I'm glad for.

-x-

"Do you see anything?"
Peeking out from behind a tree, and look into the mist, desperately trying to locate the source of the sound.
"No," I whisper back. "Maybe it's gone?"

Marlene scoffs, and gasps when the sound of a twig snapping fills the air around us.
"Could be the others."
We'd split up around half an hour ago trying to find this animal. I just hope it was one of them, and not the animal. The last thing I need is Marlene freaking out.

"I'll go out and have a look." I volunteer, stepping out from behind the tree.
I tread lightly, trying to keep my breathing calm and even. My heart starts pounding when I step on a twig, and I freeze. My stomach drops as I think of different scenarios.

What if it is the animal? What if it heard the twig? What if it comes for me and I can't get away?

Losing my nerve, and quickly turn around and head back for the tree. But the only problem is that all the trees look exactly the same. Every tree I check, Marlene is nowhere in sight.

Panicking now, I forget all about my earlier thoughts of keeping quiet and start rushing around. I check behind every tree and still nothing.

Just when I'm about to give up and try to find the others, I hear a thump from one of the trees. Creeping towards it, I take out my wand. Hoping it's Marlene and not the animal, I step around the tree...

And then something hits me on the back of the head. The last thing I see before I black out is Marlene bound and gagged sat up against the tree.

Hi! I'm so sorry I haven't updated, but fanfic wasn't letting me log on and I've had major writers block. So, if you have any suggestions for the next few chapters, feel free to share!