Over the next couple of days Harry had been sneaking and planning with the Twins who were writing to their brother Charlie about the situation. Harry hadn't really needed to do any convincing what so ever. He might have just mention the opportunity to smuggle something highly illegal and highly dangerous out of Hogwarts in the middle of the night. He saw the sparkle in their eyes and knew this would be their primary focus until it was over.

No sooner had Harry told the twins did it seem like the night in question was finally upon them. With Draco's and Blaise's help Harry was able to get Norbert up one of the higher Astronomy Towers where the twins were waiting for him. Harry did the civil thing and introduce his friends to the twins and they waited in silence for Charlie to arrive.

After an hour George pointed out a group of brooms and saw Charlie waving in the moonlit sky. No sooner had Charlie arrived was he gone with Norbert in tow. Everyone said their congratulations and their goodbyes. Harry was just glad it was behind him

Then, about a week before the exams were due to start, Harry's new resolution not to interfere in anything that didn't concern him was put to an unexpected test. Walking back from the library on his own one afternoon, he heard somebody whimpering from a classroom up ahead. As he

drew closer, he heard Quirrell's voice.

"No, no, not again, please"

It sounded as though someone was threatening him. Harry moved closer. "All right, all right" he heard Quirrell sob. Next second, Quirrell came hurrying out of the classroom straightening his turban. He was pale and looked as though he was about to cry. He strode out of sight; Harry didn't think Quirrell had even noticed him. He waited until Quirrell's footsteps had disappeared, then peered into the classroom. It was empty, but a door stood ajar at the other end. Harry was halfway toward it before he remembered what he'd promised himself about not meddling.

With all that had happened in the last few weeks Harry had forgotten about his detention with Ron until a Rebecca had handed him a note

Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. Meet Mr. Filch

in the entrance hall.

Professor Flitwick

At eleven o'clock that night, Harry said goodbyes in the common room and went down to the entrance hall. Filch was already there and so was Ron. "Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside.

"I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" he said, leering at them. "Oh yes... hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me... It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out... hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed... Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do."

They marched off across the dark grounds. Harry wondered what their punishment was going to be. It must be something really horrible, or Filch wouldn't be sounding so delighted. The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it kept throwing them into darkness. Ahead, Harry could see the lighted windows of Hagrid's hut. Then they heard a distant shout. "Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."

Harry's heart rose; if they were going to be working with Hagrid it wouldn't be so bad. His relief must have showed in his face, because Filch said, "I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, boy - it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."

At this, Ron turned to glare at Harry as if blaming him more so.

Hagrid came striding toward them out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder. "Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Harry, Ron?"

"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," said Filch coldly, they're here to be punished, after all."

"That's why yer late, is it?" said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."

"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch, "for what's left of them," he added nastily, and he turned and started back toward the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.

Harry knew as friendly as Hagrid was if he was given a duty by Dumbledore to oversee a punishment, he'd do it properly. So he kept his mouth shut and do as he was told

"Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."

He led them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the forest.

"Look there," said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."

Harry unable to keep silent anymore voiced his concerns"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?"

"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid. "An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent

directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."

Harry gave them a quick review of instructions on how to cast colored sparks. "If we get seperated throw up some green sparks, right? Right. Let go." Hagrid said as he led them further into the forest.

The forest was black and silent. A little way into it they reached a fork in the earth path. Hagrid glared at it. "Alright. Here's what's gonna happen. You two are gonna take the left path with Fang, I'm gonna trek further long the right." Hagrid said stoing his crossbow. "We're not far from Centaur territory. Nothing in the forest tangles with the Centaurs, so you should be safe."

Harry and Ron walked in silence, their eyes on the ground, but before they could get very far Hagrid sprinted over to them and pulled them behind a tree. He pulled out an arrow and fitted it into his crossbow, raising it, ready to fire. The three of them listened. Something was slithering over dead leaves nearby: it sounded like a cloak trailing along the ground. Hagrid was squinting up the dark path, but after a few seconds, the sound faded away. "I knew it, " he murmured. "There's summat in here that shouldn' be."

"Who's there?" Hagrid called. "Show yerself - I'm armed!"

And into the clearing came a Centaur. "Oh, it's you, Ronan," said Hagrid in relief. "How are yeh?" He walked forward and shook the centaur's hand.

"Good evening to you, Hagrid," said Ronan. He had a deep, sorrowful voice. "Were you going to shoot me?"

"Can't be too careful, Ronan," said Hagrid, patting his crossbow. "There's summat bad loose in this forest. This is Harry Potter an' Ron Weasley, by the way. Students up at the school. An' this is Ronan, you two. He's a centaur.

"Clearly." Harry said still a bit in awe.

"Good evening," said Ronan. "Students, are you? And do you learn much, up at the school?"

Harry wasn't sure what kind of question that was. Was he being asked seriously about the amount of his schooling. "More than I ever thought I could." Harry answered genuinely.

"And be sure to remember that in the future Harry Potter. More than you thought will never disappoint." Ronan sighed. He looked as if he had more to say but reacted as if something caught his eye. He flung back his head and stared at the sky. "Mars is bright tonight."

"Yeah," said Hagrid, glancing up, too. "Listen, I'm glad we've run inter yeh, Ronan, 'cause there's a unicorn bin hurt - you seen anythin'?" Ronan didn't answer immediately. He stared unblinkingly upward, then sighed again.

"Always the innocent are the first victims," he said. "So it has been for ages past, so it is now."

"Yeah," said Hagrid, "but have yeh seen anythin', Ronan? Anythin' unusual?"

"Mars is bright tonight," Ronan repeated, while Hagrid watched him impatiently. "Unusually bright."

Harry could sympathize with Hagrid's frustation.

"Yeah, but I was meanin' anythin' unusual a bit nearer home, said Hagrid. "So yeh haven't noticed anythin' strange?"

Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer. At last, he said, "The forest hides many secrets."

A movement in the trees behind Ronan made Hagrid raise his bow again, but it was only a second centaur, black-haired and -bodied and wilder-looking than Ronan.

"Hullo, Bane," said Hagrid. "All right?"

"Good evening, Hagrid, I hope you are well?"

"Well enough. Look, I've jus' bin askin' Ronan, you seen anythin' odd in here lately? There's a unicorn bin injured - would yeh know anythin' about it?"

Bane walked over to stand next to Ronan. He looked skyward. "Mars is bright tonight," he said simply.

Harry shook his head. "We've heard," said Hagrid grumpily. "Well, if either of you do see anythin', let me know, won't yeh? We'll be off, then."

Harry and Ron followed him out of the clearing, staring over their shoulders at Ronan and Bane until the trees blocked their view. "Never," said Hagrid irritably, "try an' get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anythin' closer'n the moon."

"I didn't know the Forest had centaurs." Ron said finally finding his voice. "There a lot of them?"

"Oh, a fair few... Keep themselves to themselves mostly, but they're good enough about turnin' up if ever I want a word. They're deep, mind, centaurs... they know things... jus' don' let on much."

"D'you think that was a centaur we heard earlier?" said Harry.

"Did that sound like hooves to you?" Hagrid asked Rhetorically. "Nah, if yeh ask me, that was what's bin killin' the unicorns - never heard anythin' like it before."

They walked on through the dense, dark trees. Harry kept looking nervously over his shoulder. He had the nasty feeling they were being watched. He was very glad they had Hagrid and his crossbow with them.

There was a blood curdling winny and the forest seemed to shudder. Hagrid stood tall and gripped his crossbow tightly. "You two wait here!" Hagrid shouted. "Stay on the path, I'll come back for yeh!"

They heard him crashing away through the undergrowth and stood looking at each other, very scared, until they couldn't hear anything but the rustling of leaves around them.

The minutes dragged by in complete silence. Neither of them seemed remotely interested in having a conversation. Their ears seemed sharper than usual. Harry's seemed to be picking up every sigh of the wind, every cracking twig.

What was going on? Where were the others? At last, a great crunching noise announced Hagrid's return.

"Whatever it was seemed to have injured a Unicorn, bad." Hagrid said reloading his crossbow. "You two are gonna head in that direction back to the school and I'm gonna see if I can head either of them off. I want the both of you to wait for me where Filch dropped you off." It was clear there was no remove for questions in Hagrid's tone.

No sooner had Hagrid left them did it seem like they were lost. "We should find Hagrid." Ron said. Harry couldn't think of any better ideas, nodded and they turned back.

They walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper into the forest, until the path became almost impossible to follow because the trees were so thick. Harry thought the blood seemed to be getting thicker. There were splashes on the roots of a tree, as though the poor creature had been thrashing around in pain close by. Harry could see a clearing ahead, through the tangled branches of an ancient oak.

"Look -" he murmured, holding out his arm to stop Ron. Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They inched closer. It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead. Harry had never seen anything so beautiful and sad. Its long, slender legs were stuck out at odd angles where it had fallen and its mane was spread pearly-white on the dark leaves.

Harry had taken one step toward it when a slithering sound made him freeze where he stood. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered...

Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Harry, Ron, and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood.

Ron merely stood petrified and whimpered. The hooded figure seemed to notice them and raised it head. With a sickening snap it looked directly at them. Ron let out a terrible scream and bolted, so did Fang. The hooded figure ignored them and looked right at Harry - unicorn blood was dribbling down its front. It got to its feet and came swiftly toward Harry - he couldn't move for fear.

Then a pain like he'd never felt before pierced his head; it was as though his scar were on fire. Half blinded, he staggered backward. He heard hooves behind him, galloping, and something jumped clean over Harry, charging at the figure.

The pain in Harry's head was so bad he fell to his knees. It took a minute or two to pass. When he looked up, the figure had gone. A centaur was standing over him, not Ronan or Bane; this one looked younger; he had white-blond hair and a palomino body.

"Are you all right?" said the centaur, pulling Harry to his feet.

Harry wasn't entirely sure how to answer. "I'll be fine. What was that?!" Harry asked trying to shake off the pain.

The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishingly blue eyes, like pale sapphires. He looked carefully at Harry, his eyes lingering on the scar that stood out, livid, on Harry's forehead. "You are the Potter boy," he said. "You had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time, especially for you. Can you ride? It will be quicker this way."

"My name is Firenze," he added, as he lowered himself onto his front legs so that Harry could clamber onto his back. There was suddenly a sound of more galloping from the other side of the

clearing. Ronan and Bane came bursting through the trees, their flanks heaving and sweaty.

After a volatile and confusing interaction with Ronan and Bane they seemed to be getting closer and closer to the path. They were passing through a particularly dense patch of trees, however, when Firenze suddenly stopped.

"Harry Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used -for?"

"No," said Harry, startled by the odd question. "We've only used the horn and tail hair in Potions."

"That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn," said Firenze. "Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenseless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."

Harry stared at the back of Firenze's head, which was dappled silver in the moonlight. "But who'd be that desperate?" he wondered aloud. "If you're going to be cursed forever, deaths better, isn't it?"

"It is," Firenze agreed, "unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else, something that will bring you back to full strength and power, something that will mean you can never die. Mr. Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?"

"The Stone!" Harry exclaimed. He didn't what it meant, but to Firenze it was important.

Harry was about to ask when Hagrid came bursting through the foliage with Ron and Fang. "Oh Harry, Are you alright?" Hagrid asked clearly catching his breath.

"I'm fine," said Harry, hardly knowing what he was saying. "The unicorn's dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there."

"This is where I leave you," Firenze murmured as Hagrid hurried off to examine the unicorn. "You are safe now."

Harry slid off his back.

"Good luck, Harry Potter," said Firenze. "The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times." He turned and cantered back into the depths of the forest, leaving Harry shivering behind him.