AN: Hey guys, I said I was going to update as soon as possible, so here I am again, writing for you! Thank-you to TheLegendaryJedi for reviewing!
Chapter 11
Who was that?
The next morning, I woke up with dread, I remembered that I had detention tonight with Malfoy, Longbottom, Hermione, Ron, and my brother. I hoped that we weren't going to do anything to bad, because Professor McGonagall didn't tell us what we were supposed to do, just that we should meet at the Entrance Hall at seven.
At breakfast I kept catching Harry giving me looks, so I decided that I wasn't going to talk to him during detention tonight. Besides he's probably really mad me for getting him in trouble, but it didn't work out so well for me either.
"Why did you guys have to get detention tonight?" complained Pansy. She was making a pouting face and fluttering her eyes at Malfoy. "I wanted to show you something!" she said again trying to get a response from Malfoy.
"Listen it wasn't our fault, if stupid Potter hadn't decided to try at get rid of that dragon we could have just told Snape and we wouldn't be in this mess." Malfoy said, looking straight at me. I knew that he sort of blamed me for getting us in trouble. If I hadn't wanted to wait two weeks before we told Snape, we wouldn't have been out last night.
"Look I already said I was sorry!" I said loudly.
"I know, but it's still your fault." He said again.
"Sorry that I like my brother and wanted to give Hagrid the chance to do the right thing" I said annoyed with him. "Besides, it's not like we HAD to go out and get my brother in trouble."
"I guess the part of liking your brother isn't your fault, you were after all raised with him, and you have no choice but to like him." Malfoy said sneering.
"You're right; we protected each other from my stupid aunt and uncle for eleven years!" I said, giving Malfoy some attitude.
All of us walked together to the Charms classroom. Pansy and I were linking arms, we had a discussion where I was able to confirm that she had a crush on Malfoy and was worried I'd spoil it for her. After I reassured her that I was not crushing on Malfoy, and I had no intention on pursuing him, we became closer as friends. Besides, we were too young to worry about boys in that way. I'd much rather be Pansy's friend than to let something as silly as a boy come between us.
I was sitting next to Pansy in the back of the class, when Harry walked in. He glanced at me, walked past me, and sat with Hermione, and Ron. All of class he didn't even look back at us. Usually, he's so worried I'm going to do something stupid that he glances back every so often to check up on me. Today was different. Clearly he was still upset at me for last night.
Transfiguration was no different, Harry ignored me completely. Pansy started to get annoyed that I wasn't paying much attention to her This was because my mind was on Harry and the upcoming detention we had that night.
"Hey, are you listening to me?" Pansy said grabbing my arm.
"Huh?" I asked turning to her.
"That's what I thought, what were you thinking about that you didn't even hear me?" she asked. After I didn't respond for a few seconds she continued, "Were you thinking about Malfoy? You were weren't you?" She said eyeing me carefully.
"What? Why would I be thinking about him?" I asked furiously.
"Cause you get to spend time with him at detention tonight." She sneered at me.
"I mean, yeah I do, but I doubt detention will be enjoyable." I said quickly putting my hands up in frustration.
"Fine, just don't enjoy it."
"I don't think detention is usually something someone enjoys." I pointed out with a small shake of my head.
Class continued like normal, and soon it was over. The rest of the day went by really fast, and seven o'clock came much more quickly than I expected. Malfoy and I were waiting for everyone else in the Entrance Hall. I was very nervous, and I shifted feet so much that Malfoy told me to calm down and stand still. I couldn't help it, my anxiety needed to be released somehow.
It was almost ten minutes until the rest of the group showed up, and Mr. Filch was getting angrier by the minute.
"Six students out of bed this time. My my, back in the day when we would just lock them all up in the dungeon, and leave them there until they knew never to do that again. We never had problems before, but no now I have to take them down to Hagrid's so they can do detention with him." He mumbled to himself. When he noticed that everyone was here he said, "Follow me." And he left the hall.
Outside it was already getting dark, and the ruby sky was disappearing behind the Forbidden Forest. The air was getting colder and colder the longer we were outside, and suddenly I wished that I had brought a heavier jacket.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville were walking separately from Malfoy and me, and I felt like Harry was the most upset with me than he ever had been before. What I did wasn't that bad was it? Maybe Harry thinks I'm changing because of my friends. Maybe he doesn't like me anymore. Maybe he wishes that he never had me as a sister. No, Harry wouldn't wish that. I'll have to talk to him and clear things up.
When we finally reached Hagrid's hut it was seven-thirty, and Mr. Filch was very grumpy. He gave Hagrid a few more lanterns, and just left us. We were all shivering by this point, and Hagrid took us inside his hut to warm up before doing whatever we were to do.
I shouldn't really call it a hut, because it was more like a room. There were cabinets everywhere, a bed in a corner, a table in another corner, and a stove in another. I glanced at Malfoy and saw he was silently judging. My guess is that he has never seen the entire inside of Hagrid's hut and thought it ridiculous because it's so small.
"Right then, yer guys are goin' to help me in the forest." Hagrid said gruffly. He sized us up, and decided that we weren't dressed warm enough because a minute later he gave each of us a bigger coat to put on.
"Why do we need to go in the forest?" I heard Longbottom ask nervously.
"I think a unicorn is hurt, and we need ta find it soon. Something in there's been killing a lot of them lately, and sucking the blood. We are gonna have to split up into groups so we can find it quickly." He explained. "Okay I want yer two and your brother together." He said pointing and Malfoy and me.
I smiled briefly at Malfoy, at least we were in the same group. Then I quickly turned back to listen to what else he said. "Everyone else I want with me. Oh, and yer guys will take Fang." He added to Harry with a nod of his head.
"It's too dangerous to go in that forest." Malfoy said. There was a hit of panic in his voice.
"We need ta find that unicorn, and put it out of its misery." Hagrid said.
"It's alright, we'll stick together." I reassured Malfoy with a smile. I can't believe it; he's scared to go into the forest! He shrugged and moved a little bit closer to me. Perhaps my presence was calming for him.
"Alright then, if any of us finds the unicorn send up green sparks with yer wand, an' if anyone gets in trouble send up red sparks, an' we'll all come find yeh –so be careful– lets go." He finished leading the way out of the hut.
The coats he gave us kept me warm enough that I stopped shivering. "Yeh guys go that way, an' we'll go this a way. Don't forget the sparks!" Hagrid said pointing to one path of us to follow. "Oh yeah, and this silver stuff is the blood of the hurt unicorn, so try an' follow that, but stay on the path." He added pointing to silvery liquid gleaming in the moon light.
By the time we left the hut it was close to eight-thirty, and the sun was basically gone. We each had lanterns that lit up to five feet all around us. Fang started leading the way, and we followed him.
The forest was really gloomy, and the further we walked in, the thicker the trees got. We started hearing animal life, and Malfoy jumped at practically every noise. I glanced back at Harry, who was silently following us. I decided now would be a good time to clear some things up. I stepped aside, and let Malfoy pass me, although he didn't go that much further ahead of me, and I walked next to my brother.
"Hey," I said looking at him. I was fully aware that Malfoy was listening to us, because he had his head turned slightly.
"What?" Harry said almost venomously.
"I want to clear some things up. I don't want us to mad at each other." I said with complete honesty.
"Maybe it would be easier if you didn't have some evil friends." He said glaring at the back of Malfoy's head.
"None of my friends are evil Harry." I said defensively. "Just because you don't like them doesn't mean I don't."
"You stopped helping me with… you know what." He said looking at me. I wanted to roll my eyes at him but refrained from doing so.
"I stopped because you're accusing the wrong person!"
"How do you know? You didn't see his cut! I'm sure it was…" He stopped talking suddenly. Obviously, he didn't want Malfoy to know about the three-headed dog.
"Okay, I'll start helping you again, but you can't just go to conclusions without any proof, but if you're right, I'll beg for your forgiveness." I said quietly. "Sound fair?"
"Deal." He said smiling at me. At least he wasn't mad at me anymore. Then we saw it. In front of us there was a figure, a hooded figure leaning over something white… the unicorn!
I grabbed the back of Malfoy's jacket and pulled him beside me. Harry gave me a weird look but didn't say anything. We stood there quietly, unsure of what to do. I accidently took a step back and felt a twig snap under my foot. Then the figure looked up and saw us. Its hand reached up to where its mouth was supposed to be and wiped something silvery off. It had to be the unicorn blood.
Slowly the figure started gliding towards us. We all started to back away slowly, and I felt Malfoy grab my hand. I squeezed it reassuringly, even though I was scared for my life. Then Harry grabbed his forehead. Right in the spot where his scar was. I started to wonder if it was hurting, but I never got the chance to ask because right then another figure shot out of the trees hitting the hooded figure. Except this person, or thing, wasn't human. It was a centaur. It's body from waist down was a horse's body, and from the waist up it was a man.
"Leave the Potter twins alone." It said to the strange figure that had been drinking the unicorn's blood. The figure rose and left hurriedly.
"My name is Firenze." Said the centaur after he was sure the figure left. "We should get you back to Hagrid." I stared at him in awe, I had never seen a centaur before. Only in drawings in some books I read in the library.
It took us a few minutes to remember that all we should do is send up red sparks, and Hagrid would come find us. So, I lit up my wand and sent the sparks up. Sure enough Hagrid bounded through some trees only a few minutes later. He had his crossbow at the ready as he looked around for any sign of danger.
"What's the matter?" He asked. His eyes fell on Firenze. "Firenze, what are ya doing 'ere?" He asked surprised.
"These children were in danger Hagrid. A figure was here, drinking the blood of that unicorn." Firenze gestured towards the body of the dead unicorn. "Mars is bright tonight" He added as he looked up at the sky. "We can talk privately later Hagrid" Firenze said while still staring into the night sky.
"What? Oh alright." Hagrid said after he was sure none of us were hurt. It was a long and silent walk back to the castle, and I was starting to feel tired.
When Malfoy and I got back to the common room it was past midnight. I looked around the dark room and decided that I need some sleep. I turned to look at Malfoy before heading off to bed.
"Feeling ok?" I asked.
"Yeah, never let me go in that forest ever again." He said shakily.
"Okay, I'm going to get some sleep, good-night." I replied trying to give him a reassuring smile.
"Night Chloe." He said with a half-smile.
AN: what did you guys think? Please give some suggestions, or what you like or don't like. I love getting reviews! I'll try and update soon! Review review review!