A/N: I do not own Harry Potter (although I wish that I did (money!! $_$)) all rights go to J.K Rowling, though I'm just borrowing her ideas and adding some of mine.

The Forbidden Forest

Harry had been asleep when Draco had ripped open his bed curtains and was shaking him out of his sleep.

'Harry, wake up!' Draco whispered in his ear.

'Whut?!' Harry said still not really awake. He put his wand which he had grabbed out of pure reflex back on his nightstand.

'Apparently Hagrid's dragon has hatched, but Weasley and Granger are sending it to Romania tonight because it is not safe for Hagrid.'

The words did not entirely reach Harry. Then it burst through in his mind.

They where going to do what?!!!

'Wake up Rowan Draco, tell him exactly what you told me, ill meet you in the common room in a few minutes.'

To his relief, his friend sped off without a further word.

Harry jumped out of bed and quickly put on his robes and donned his bracer. He grabbed his invisibility cloak from his trunk and ran downstairs.

It took a few minutes for Draco and Rowan to arrive and when they did, Harry explained his plan.

'Rowan, I need to go to professor Snape, tell him that the Gryffindors are moving towards the astronomy tower. Draco, you go with me, we are going to try and delay them, and if we can, obtain the egg.'

Rowan left for the office of professor Snape, while Harry and Draco ducked under the cloak and left for the astronomy tower.

'How do you know actually?' Harry inquired while they were moving as fast as possible to the astronomy tower. 'That they are moving the dragon tonight I mean.'

'Scrying spell' Draco whispered. 'I've been keeping an eye on them especially for this, if we can capture them, Gryffindor will be in huge trouble.' His voice filled with glee.

'Worthless, feeble, pitiful and lamentable' The voice hissed in Harry's head.

The two Slytherins ran through Hogwarts castle. They passed Mrs. Norris who looked straight at them even if she could not see them, they passed Nearly-Headless Nick, who was humming slightly and passed Longbottom, who had probably forgotten the password again.

When they neared the astronomy tower, they were only just in time to glimpse Weasley who just passed around the corner at the far end of the hall, back to the Gryffindor common room.

They had been too late.

'We can still get them!' Harry said nudging Draco into the hallway intending to have revenge.

It was then that Harry felt the invisibility robe fly off him in a gust of wind.

'Nothing..I repeat, nothing gives you the right to wander through the school at night.'

It was McGonagall, she had her wand in her hand. She had heard them and had created the gust of wind.

'You will follow me to the head of your house' McGonagall said stiffly.

Harry and Draco had no option but to obey the transfiguration teacher and follow to the dungeons.

They walked through the school in pure silence, only passing once again Nearly Headless Nick who was still humming and ignored their presence.

When they walked through the entrance hall, which led to the dungeons, they met professor Snape, and he was not alone. Weasley, Longbottom and Granger accompanied him. Harry was at least glad to see that Rowan was not with them.

'Ah Minerva, I was just about to head to your office.' Snape said, his eyes gliding to Harry and Draco.

McGonagalls mouth thinned at the sight of three of her Gryffindors.

'You see, I too captured three students out of bed this evening.' Snape continued when McGonagall did not speak.

'Then we shall treat them equally.' McGonagall said, finally finding her words.

'Fifty points from your houses, from all of you.' McGonagall said, who started to turn a little red.

Harry looked to Snape for help, but only received an expressionless stare.

'Furthermore, you will receive a punishment, of which we will contact you later this week. Gryffindors, follow me, Slytherins, you follow professor Snape back to the dungeons.'

When out of earshot from the Gryffindors, Snape spoke.

'That was foolish of you Potter.' Snape said softly. 'Your decision to send Rowan had been wise, but to go yourself was an unnecessary risk.'

They passed into the dungeons.

'Unfortunately, I cannot extract you from the punishment Minerva gave you, but the points are not a problem. Potter, fifty points for leadership over other Slytherins, Draco, fifty points for pure loyalty to your house.' Snape finished in his usual monotone voice.

'The punishment however is still intact. You will get a note of your punishment within the week. '

They entered the Slytherin common room.

'I hope you have learned to never again take such risks, I will not stand up for you a second time. Dismissed' Snape concluded, he turned his heel and left.

Harry silently left for his common room, silently followed by Draco.

They met Rowan on the stairs. Harry was too let down to explain everything, and allowed Draco to do is.

They had lost the dragon. He had failed. His insurance of his place at the dark lord's side had been washed away.

'Gryffindors…' The voice in his head hissed.

Tired as he was, he ignored the voice and went back to bed.

The days of the next week passed by. Harry followed his classes, went to lunch, from lunch to Snape's classes, and back to bed. He felt empty, no personal project to work on, except Nicolas Flamel, and the philosophers stone, which was at a dead end, with no way to pass the three headed dog.

Snape and McGonagall had had a heated discussion about what had happened to the points she had extracted from Slytherin house, but Snape escaped unscratched, and the house points remained to be the same.

Thursday morning, they received a note from McGonagall.

'Your punishment will take place at eleven o'clock. Wait for Mr. Filch in the great hall.

Prof. M McGonagall.

A few minutes before eleven, Harry and Draco left for the great hall, where they met up with Granger, Weasley and Longbottom, the three looking quite unhappy. Apparently, McGonagall had given them a tirade which had lasted for half an hour.

Filch was already waiting for them, and when they were complete, lit a lamp and ordered them to follow him.

'Now you will think twice before leaving your beds at night won't ya?' Filch said with a unpleasant grin.'

'Yess…' He continued. 'Hard work and pain are still the best teachers one can find if you ask me….such a pity that that isn't allowed anymore….A few days hanging with your wrist on the ceiling and stuff like that. I still keep em in my office ya know, keeping them oiled and stuff, just in case that the higher ups will change their minds.'

They marched across the dark terrain. Longbottom was sobbing. Pathetic.

Harry wondered what their punishment could possible be. It had to be pretty bad, or else Filch would not be in such a good mood. In the distance, Harry saw the house of Hagrid loom in the distance, when they heard Hagrid call out.

'Is that you Filch, Hurry up a bit will ya? I'd like to get to work.'

Harry grimaced. Obviously this would be bad, as they would be forced to go with Hagrid, who very likely didn't like Draco and himself very much.

Weasley on the other hand, grinned widely.

'Thinking that this is going to be a pleasant evening don't you, being with the ogre?' Filch asked noticing Weasley's grin. 'Well, I'd say forget it boy – you're going into the forbidden forest, and I personally doubt that you will come out in one piece.'

Longbottom groaned, and Draco stiffened.

'Into the forest?' Draco asked, losing his usual cool when addressing people he thought to be below him.

'We cant go in there at night! There could be werewolves!' Draco finished, a wolf howling in the distance.

'That is your problem.' Said Filch, who was nearly wetting himself because of all the excitement.

'Should've thought about the werewolves when you left your beds' He added with a grin.

Hagrid strode towards them, a dog at his heels, and armed with a crossbow.

'Pff, finally' He said. ' I've been waiting for half an hour. Everything all right, Ron, Hermione?'

'I wouldn't be as friendly if I were you Hagrid' Filch said coldly. 'remember that they are here to be punished.'

'Follow me' Hagrid growled ignoring the caretaker's comment.

They entered the forest, and followed the path until they reached an opening in the forest, where Hagrid held his lamp high, and illuminated a pool of silvery blood.

'You see that?' Hagrid said pointing at the silvery blood. 'Unicorn blood. Something in this forest severely wounded a unicorn which is now wandering in this forest, and it is our job to find it.'

'And what if that thing finds us first?' Draco asked trembling.

'Nothing in this forest will harm you when I am near.' Hagrid said gruffly. He really did not like them.

'We split up in two groups,' Hagrid continued. 'Hermione and Neville, you're coming with me, Ron, you're with Malfoy and Harry. Oh and Fang o'course.' He added giving the dog a nudge in their direction.

It was dark in the forest, and also very quiet. After a small walk, the group reached a crossing that split the path in two , Granger and Longbottom took the left, while Harry, Draco and Weasey took the right, Fang barking a little in an attempt to be brave, but failing terribly.

'Wait until my father hears of this' Draco sneered. 'This is servants stuff!'

Harry nodded, he knew exactly how Lucius would react to this.

'That is if you leave this place alive' Weasley said with a grim smile.

'Silence Weasley!' Draco snided.

Weasley was about to retort, when they reached another clearing.

'Look-' Harry said pointing to the centre of the clearing.

It was the unicorn. It was dead.

Harry had never before seen something so pure and sad. Its long white legs were sticking out at all kind sides and its manes lay pearly white on the dark hard forest floor.

Harry had just taken one step towards the creature when something near the beast moved.

From the shadows appeared a cloaked figure, its cloak gliding over the ground, like an animal prowling towards his prey.

Harry, Draco and Weasley looked petrified as the creature bent down near the creature, and began to drink its blood.

Draco opened his mouth, and before Harry could stop him, emitted a giant scream. Dropping the lantern he had been holding, Draco ran for it, followed by Weasley, who had looked too terrified to say something. Fang was already long gone.

The figure raised his head and looked directly at Harry, unicorn blood dripping on its cloak. He rose and slowly glided in Harry's direction, who pulled his wand and made red sparks fill the sky above him. The figure moved closer.

'Impedimenta' Harry cried, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.

The creature waved the spell aside as it was a mere nuisance in its way.

'Petrificus totalus!' Harry tried , but again, the figure flung the spell aside with a mere swish of his in his robe covered hand.

The creature was now getting close enough to do whatever it was going to do to him.

His scar began to sting.

'Protego Horribilis' Harry cried as the figure raised his hand in order to attack.

Finally, the creature encountered a spell he could no simply dismiss. He swiped with his hands, but the shield held, scratches appearing over the surface of the purple shield. The creature stood silently for a few seconds, then raised both hands and shattered his shield and threw Harry on his back, his wand flying out of his reach. The figure swiped with one hand, just as a centaur jumped in between the two of them. It was too late however, as the invisible spell raced to Harry. In desperation Harry flung up the bracer, and while the shield probably took the worst of it, it still felt like several blunt knives sliced across his body. He was thrown even farther from the creature, and when he opened his eyes, the centaur had already chased it off.

'Are you alright?' The centaur asked walking towards him and sticking out a hand in order to get Harry back to his feet.

Harry silently took the hand and raised himself to his feet.

'You are the Potter boy.' The centaur said. 'You can better leave this place, it is not safe, especially for you. Can you ride? It would get you out of the forest faster.' He said kneeling so that Harry could climb on his back. ' I am Firenze.' He added.

Suddenly, more galloping hooves sounded from the other side of the clearing. Two more centaurs emerged from the trees.

'Firenze! What is this?! You are carrying a human on your back! Have you no shame? Are you some ordinary mule?' The first angrily yelled at Firenze.

'Do you know who this is?' Firenze said softly. 'This is Potter, the sooner he gets out of the forest the better.'

'What did you tell him?' The first centaur growled. 'Don't forget that we swore not to resist the will of the heavens. Have we not read from the planets what is yet to come?'

'The boy studies at Hogwarts, he should already know that drinking unicorn blood keeps the near dead alive, and of the price those people pay for it.' Firenze said.

'But he' The first said pointing to Harry. 'Does NOT know what that thing searches in the halls of Hogwarts.'

The second centaur opened his mouth, but before he could say something, Hagrid, Longbottom, Weasley, Granger and Draco emerged from the trees behind the centaurs, Fang at their heels.

'Are you okay Harry?' Hagrid panted.

'I'm fine.' Harry said solemnly. 'The unicorn is dead, it is lying at a clearing a few minutes from here.'

'Than I will leave you here Harry Potter' Firenze said. 'You are safe now.'

And with that, the three centaurs left. Leaving the group in the forest.

Back in the Slytherin common room, Harry told his tale to Rowan and Draco, the only two he dared to confine it in.

Harry was pacing through the common room.

'We know someone is trying to steal the stone, and that person wants it for You-know-who.' Harry had long ago decided that it would be unwise to call the dark lord by his name. Yet.

'He is waiting in the forest, waiting for he accomplice in the castle to get it for him.' Harry continued.

'The centaur was furious that Firenze had saved me. Said that Firenze should've let it kill me.'

Harry was thrilled that he had met the dark lord for the first time, but also shocked that he had tried to kill him immediately. Perhaps not entirely unfathomable, as Harry somehow destroyed him as a baby. Harry fingered his scar.

'So we know that at the end of the year, You-know-who will return, perhaps even sooner.' Rowan said, his face revealing no emotion at all. For the first time, Harry wondered where Rowans loyalties truly lay.

'What about Dumbledore?' Draco asked. 'They say that Dumbledore is the only one You-Know-Who is afraid of.'

'He will find a way.' Harry said. 'I'm sure of it'.

Somehow he had to clarify that he was on the side of the dark lord. But how?

When Harry finally went to bed, he found his invisibility cloak, which he had forgotten at the beginning of the week, folded on his bed with a note.

'Just in case'

A/N: Phew, I think one of my longest chapters so far. Sorry for the wait everyone, I was ill for a couple 'o weeks (again). Stupid winter…. We are nearing the end of the first book. I think two chapters left, maybe even one. Let me know if you all want to continue to Chamber of Secrets and depending on the reviews, I might just do it.

As always, Read and Review.

Arildun