Disclaimer: Draws heavily from Ranma 1/2 and Harry Potter, neither of which I own.
Disclaimer #2: Chapter titles are wearing me out.
Disclaimer#3: I rewrote the Aragog scene in chapter 1, just so's u knows.
Disclaimer#4: I reserve the right to use poor grammar/spelling in my disclaimers and author's notes.
Disclaimer#5: Screw canon, and don't flame me about fail-canon. I never really liked Harry Potter(book or person) save for the first half of book one, book four, and the first half of book seven anyways.
Chapter 2:
Ranma dropped back into a huddle, rocking backwards to relieve the pressure on her sore and scratched feet. The confidence she'd conjured up was quickly fading with the onset of night. Every hour she'd climbed as high into the trees as possible, searching for some way out of this wretched forest, only to see an endless expanse of waving green. 'There has to be a way out, there must be.' She took a few long, deep breaths, calming her heartbeat. Oddly she felt that same staccato beat continue, a dull vibration through her body. 'Wait... hoof-beats?' She walked slowly, silently over the forest floor, tracking the vibrations welling up through her feet from the ground. She could hear it now, and picked up her pace. Suddenly the sounds stopped as she burst into a clearing, still lit at the edge by the falling sun. 'Unicorn?' Two adults stood by a calf, their moon-white coats and horns shimmering brightly. A feeling of peace washed over her, a subtle warmth that went straight to her soul. She stepped forward, desperate for that otherworldly comfort.
The creatures resumed their gallop, leaving her alone once more. "Why?" the cry escaped her lips, heartbroken and longing for that brief feeling of safety to return. Tears blurred her vision and with a loud scream she buried her fist in the tree beside her. Her fists struck at the tree again and again until the pain from her knuckles drove her back to her senses. Blood trickled over her fingers as she licked the cuts clean. Splinters and copper ran over her tongue as she stared at the six-inch depression in the wood. Hunger gnawed at her stomach. The shadows were always more insistent when she was hungry. A twig snapped. She turned, dropping into a crouch.
A centaur towered above her, arrow notched and ready on his bow. Two more likewise armed centaurs stood behind him. He looked puzzled, curious in the way of someone who rarely comes across something unexpected. His voice was threatening. "What are you?" asked the creature Ranma had only heard of in fairy tales.
"My name is Ranma Saotome," she said, cautiously extending her hand in the manner Americans were said to do. Her reception left something to be desired. The three centaurs had backed away, visibly nervous now as curiosity edged into fear. 'Why are big horse-people afraid of a eleven year old?' Ranma thought it might be because of the damage she'd done to the tree, but if her father was here she bet he would've cut the massive thing in half in that amount of time.
"Get out of our forest, snake," said the one in the back.
"Hey, who are you calling a snake? At least my mother wasn't a horse!" They didn't seem to understand her. 'Maybe my accent is worse than I thought.' An arrow hit the ground in front of her, a warning shot. 'Whatever.' She was half tempted to attack them and ride one of the stupid things out of these bloody woods. Pressing back her frustration she turned and began to walk away, senses tuned to detect the thrum of a bowstring. She walked as quickly as she could, knowing that if she stopped the pain in her feet would overwhelm her.
The centaurs shadowed her, always just at the edge of vision, hoof-steps dogging her. 'Are they herding me?' A twinge of fear ran through her. After all she had seen in these wretched woods they could be leading her any sort of monster, just waiting to take her off their hands. And what was that snake business, anyways? Nonetheless she kept walking. It was darker now, and her feet paid the price as she swiftly lost the ability to pick out the softest spots to step. "Where are you taking me!" she yelled, furious and frightened. There it was again. Barely heard, barely noticed, a subtle hissing like that of a snake. "Why is this happening to me? Where -" she stopped, clutching her throat. It was her! The sound was coming from her! "Can this really be true?" she said softly, now all too aware of the true sound of her voice. It sounded so natural to her if she didn't think about it but when focused, all that she could hear actually coming from her mouth was the hissing of snakes. The shadows were shaking, voids amongst the growing dark. If she could just get back to the starlight, to an open space, she would be alright. Why did those wretched centaurs have to chase her from the clearing? A bit of shadow clung to her hand, shaping into claws before she shook it off forcefully. A desperate burst of speed shot her forwards, nearly outpacing the centaurs. 'Out. Out. I must get out.' Bushes scratched her skin as she rocketed from the forest's edge and kept on running. She passed a wooden shack and kept on running. A castle of all things stood in front of her but she didn't pause to examine it, racing for the lights inside. Hard marble replaced grass beneath her feet as she swept into the great hall. Her eyes were filled with the sight of hundreds of candles floating in the air. Stars twinkled above, a crescent moon close enough to touch coming into sight from behind a cloud. Blood and dirt dotted her footsteps as she wandered forwards in awe, heedless of the scores of eyes watching her. "SLYTHERIN!" She fell backwards into a roll away from the shout. She glanced forwards, looking for whoever had spoken and saw... a hat?
End Chapter 2:
Wow, certainly been awhile on this one, ne? Unfortunately I probably won't be able to write anything until finals are over, but then it's time for a month off from schoolwork in order to write tirelessly, endlessly, and without grammar fail! Until then, enjoy this tidbit I wrote today while putting off my term paper. The next scene is going to be a toughy to write.