Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, only Leo and Fawn
Walking into the Room of Requirement that night after dinner everyone paused at the scene that greeted them.
All of the couches and chairs were pushed up against a wall. All that was in the middle of the room was a spinning chair with wheels and Leo was sitting on it with two ropes tied around himself. Ginny and Ron were holding the ends of the two ropes.
Harry and Hermione were standing off to the side at a small distance. Harry was looking very excited while Hermione was worrying her bottom lip, wringing her hands together in concern.
"I still don't think this is a good idea," said Hermione.
"Don't worry 'Mione, it's for science," said Leo with a wide, feral grin. Looking between the two red heads he nodded to them.
Before anyone could stop them, Ginny and Ron started pulling the ropes as hard as they could. This caused Leo to start spinning quickly on the chair as the ropes unravelled from around him. Everyone could hear him started to laughing loudly.
Harry started to chuckle to himself as the chair started to wobble, he was waiting for it to fall over, bringing his boyfriend with him.
It didn't take long, after a few seconds the chair toppled over, sending Leo crashing to the floor still cackling like a mad man.
"What in the name of Merlin are you five doing?!" Professor McGonagall shouting making the five from the future jump and quickly spin around to see everyone at the door.
Everyone watching had different reactions: The Marauders and Regulus were almost on the floor from laughing so hard, Narcissa, Andromeda and Fawn were struggling to hold their own laughter in, their faced bright red. Lily looked ready to explode at them for their reckless behaviour while Snape was just staring at them in disgusted, he couldn't believe how stupid and childish they were acting.
"Of all the things you could have been doing," Professor McGonagall was beside herself in concern that came out as fury. "You could have been badly hurt, Mr Black!"
"It's okay, Professor," Leo reassured her as his head stopped spinning and he was able to stand up again. "I tripped over my own feet and broken my collar bone when I was a kid, this is nothing."
"That doesn't reassure me at all, Mr Black," Professor McGonagall sighed. She could feel herself age by ten years every time that Leo seemed to do anything remotely dangerous, which is just about everything he does. Deciding for her own sanity, Professor McGonagall just ignored the whole situation and with a flick of her wand she rearranged all the furniture to their original positions and took a seat in one of the overstuffed armchairs, everyone following her example.
"Who's reading first?" Hermione asked.
Peter put his hand up and said, "I will."
Hermione was quick to hand the book over, trying to keep her face neutral before making herself comfortable beside Ron and Ginny again.
"Chapter 15 The Forbidden Forest"Peter read.
Things couldn't have been worse.
Filch took them down to Professor McGonagall's study on the first floor, where they sat and waited without saying a word to each other. Hermione was trembling. Excuses, alibis, and wild cover-up stories chased each other around Harry's brain, each feebler than the last. He couldn't see how they were going to get out of trouble this time. They were cornered. How could they have been so stupid to forget the cloak?
"It was pretty stupid," James admitted much to Harry and Hermione's embarrassment.
There was no reason on earth that Professor McGonagall would accept for their being out of bed and creeping around the school in the dead of night, let along being up the tallest astronomy tower, which was out-of-bounds except for classes. Add Norbert and the invisibility cloak, and they might as well be packing their bags already.
"Professor McGonagall doesn't know about the dragon or the cloak," Remus said, "so it you guys don't bring them up then she won't ever know about them."
"She will now," Regulus chuckled.
Had Harry thought things couldn't have been worse? He was wrong. When Professor McGonagall appeared, she was leading Neville.
"Why is it always Neville?" Fawn groaned.
"Harry!" Neville burst out, the moment he saw the other two. "I was trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoy saying he was going to catch you, he said you had a drag- "
Harry shook his head violently to shut Neville up, but Professor McGonagall had seen. She looked more likely to breath fire than Norbert as she towered over the three of them.
"You're very scary when you get that angry, Minnie," Sirius admitted.
"Maybe that will stop you from getting into trouble then, Mr Black," Professor was quick to say.
"I would never have believed it any of you. Mr Filch says you were up in the astronomy tower. It's one o'clock in the morning. Explain yourselves."
It was the first time Hermione had ever failed to answer a teacher's question. She was staring at her slippers, as still as a statue.
"That was one of the worst moments of my life," Hermione admitted.
"I think I've got a good idea of what's been going on," said Professor McGonagall. "It doesn't take a genius to work it out. You fed Draco Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. I've already caught him. I suppose you think it's funny that Longbottom here heard the story and believed it, too?"
"We would never get Neville into trouble on purpose!" Ron defended them.
"Neville is too nice to do that to!" Leo agreed.
Harry caught Neville's eye and tried to tell him without words that this wasn't true, because Neville was looking stunned and hurt. Poor, blundering Neville- Harry knew what it must have cost him to try and find them in the dark, to warn them.
"A brave soul!" Andromeda sighed.
"I'm disgusted," said Professor McGonagall. "Four students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before!
"Minnie! Have you forgotten us already?!" James asked offended but Professor McGonagall just gave him a look that quietened him down immediately.
-You, Miss Granger, I thought you had more sense. As for you, Mr Potter, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. All three of you will receive detentions- yes, you too, Mr Longbottom, nothing gives you the right to walk around school at night, especially these days, it's very dangerous- and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor."
"Fifty points and detention?" Lily gasped.
"That's a bit much, isn't it Professor?" Fawn asked nervously, the punishment did seem a bit too much.
"I admit that it does seem quite harsh," Professor McGonagall conceded. "I must have been having a very bad night. I apologize."
"Don't worry about it, Professor, it all worked out in the end," Harry reassured her.
"Fifty?" Harry gasped- they would lose the lead, the lead he'd won in the last Quidditch match.
Snape rolled his eyes, of course Potter's brat believed that he was the only one who won those points.
"Fifty points each," said Professor McGonagall, breathing heavily through her long, pointed nose.
"That's outrageous!" Sirius shouted.
"I agree, Mr Black," said Professor McGonagall. "Detention and one hundred and fifty points is too much."
"Professor- please- "
"You can't- "
"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Potter. Now get back to bed, all of you. I've never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students."
"I feel like that's a challenge," James sniggered to himself.
A hundred and fifty points lost. That put Gryffindor in last place. In one night, they'd ruined any chance Gryffindor had had for the house cup. Harry felt as though the bottom had dropped out of his stomach. How could they ever make up for this?
"Keep your heads down and focus on your school work, you'll be able to slowly gain some points back," Lily suggested.
Harry didn't sleep all night. He could hear Neville sobbing into his pillow for what seemed like hours. Harry couldn't think of anything to say to comfort him. He knew Neville, like himself, was dreading the dawn. What would happen when the rest of Gryffindor found out what they'd done?
"You'll become outcasts," Remus winced.
At first, Gryffindors passing the giant hourglasses that recorded the house points the next day thought there'd been a mistake. How could they suddenly have a hundred and fifty points fewer than yesterday? And then the story started to spread: Harry Potter, the famous Harry Potter, their hero of two Quidditch matches, had lost them all those points, him and couple of other stupid first years.
From being one of the most popular and admire people at the school, Harry was suddenly the most hated. Even Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs turned on him, because everyone had been longing to see Slytherin lose the house cup. Everywhere Harry went, people pointed and didn't trouble to lower their voices as they insulted him. Slytherins, on the other hand, clapped as he walked past them, whistling and cheering, 'Thanks Potter, we owe you one!'
"Stupid slimeballs," James and Sirius grumbled.
"This is why I don't care about House Points, it's too troublesome," Leo scoffed.
"I agree, all it does is divide the houses more then they already are," Fawn agreed.
Only Leo and Ron stood by him.
"They'll all forget this in a few weeks. Fred and George have lost loads of points in all the time they've been here, and people still like them."
"They've never lost a hundred and fifty points in one go, though, have they?" said Harry miserably.
"Well- no," Ron admitted.
"Has anyone lost that many points at once before?" Narcissa asked curiously.
"I believe the record is four hundred at once," Professor McGonagall answered.
"How did they lose that much?" Regulus asked shocked.
"The students responsible almost got another student seriously injured," said Professor McGonagall. "This was before I was even at Hogwarts so I don't know details."
"If it'll make you feel better, I'll loss sixty points? I don't care about the house cup and it'll get everyone off your back," Leo offered but Harry was quick to deny the offer, not wanted to lose any more points than they already had.
"They're just points," Leo grumbled to Harry.
"We still want to win though," Harry whispered back.
It was a bit late to repair the damage, but Harry swore to himself not to meddle in things that weren't his business from now on. He'd had it with sneaking around and spying. He felt so ashamed of himself that he went to Wood and offered to resign from the Quidditch team.
"I refused!" James said at once.
"He wasn't asking you," Lily said confused.
"I don't care, he can't quit Quidditch," James insisted.
"Resign?" Wood thundered. "What good'll that do? How are we going to get any points back if we can't win at Quidditch?"
But even Quidditch had lost its fun.
"Quidditch can never lose it's fun!" James said offended.
The rest of the team wouldn't speak to Harry during practice, and if they had to speak about him, they him 'the Seeker.'
"Quidditch can lose it's fun!" James almost sobbed, Lily just rolled her eyes and pat his hand in half-hearted sympathy.
Hermione and Neville were suffering, too. They didn't have it as bad a time as Harry, because they weren't as well-known, but nobody would speak to them, either. Hermione had stopped drawing attention to herself in class, keeping her head down and working in silence.
"That's the best way to win back points, though," Andromeda frowned.
"I was just so ashamed that I couldn't bring myself to do it," Hermione admitted.
Harry was almost glad that the exams weren't far away. All the studying he had to do kept his mind off his misery. He, Leo, Ron, and Hermione kept to themselves, working late into the night, trying to remember the ingredients in complicated potions, learn charms and spells by heart, memorize the dates of magical discoveries and goblin rebellions…
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.
"Don't do it," Lily warned him.
"Too late," Harry joked.
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.
"Who is he talking to?" Peter inquired.
"It'll be explained in the last chapter, I think," said Harry.
Next second, Quirrell came hurrying out of the classroom straightening his turban. He was pale and looking 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.
"No, go and look. I want to know who he was talking to," Sirius moaned.
All the same, he'd have gambled twelve Philosopher's Stones that Snape had just left the room, and from what Harry had just heard, Snape would be walking with a new spring in his step- Quirrell seemed to have given in at last.
"Stupid Snivellus," Sirius and James grumbled.
Harry went back to the library, where Hermione was testing Ron on Astronomy and Leo was taking a break from studying by reading about a creature called a Demiguise. Harry told them what he'd heard.
"Snape's done it, then!" said Ron. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spell- "
"There's still Fluffy, though," said Hermione.
"Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid," said Ron, looking up at the thousands of books surrounding them. "I bet there's a book somewhere in here telling you how to get past a giant three-headed dog."
"There is," said Fawn.
"There is," said Leo.
Fawn blushed as everyone chuckled, the two were so alike.
"And its music, puts them to sleep straight away."
Ron gestured to Leo as if to say 'see'. "So, what do we do, Harry?"
The light of adventured was kindling again in Leo and Ron's eyes, but Hermione answered before Harry could.
"Go to Dumbledore. That's what we should have done ages ago. If we try anything ourselves, we'll be thrown out for sure."
"But that's so boring," James sighed.
"It'll be so much better if you go and do it yourselves," Sirius agreed.
"So, you want our children to go and put themselves into danger knowingly?" Lily asked with a server gleam in her eye that made the two apologize immediately.
"But we've got no proof!" said Harry. "Quirrell's too scared to back us up. Snape's only got to say he doesn't know how the troll got in at Halloween and that he was nowhere near the third floor- who do you think they'll believe, him or us? It's not exactly a secret we hate him, Dumbledore'll think we made it up to get him sacked. Filch wouldn't help us if his life depended on it, he's too friendly with Snape, and the more students get thrown out, the better, he'll think. And don't forget, we're not supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy. That'll take a lot of explaining."
"Very good reasons," Lily nodded.
"Boring reasons but still good," James mumbled.
Hermione looked convinced but Leo and Ron didn't.
"If we just do a bit of poking around- "
"No,' said Harry flatly, 'we've done enough poking around."
"You've lost your sense of adventure and now I feel sad," Sirius said dramatically.
He pulled a map of Jupiter toward him and started to learn the names of the moons, with Leo testing him.
The following morning, notes were delivered to Harry, Hermione, and Neville at the breakfast table. They were all the same:
Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. Meet Mr Filch in the entrance hall.
Professor McGonagall
"Why is detention so late at night? They need to sleep at some point," Remus said.
Harry had forgotten they still had detentions to do as well as the points they'd lost. He half expected Hermione to complain that this was a whole night of studying lost, but she didn't say a word. Like Harry, she felt they deserved what they'd got.
"You didn't deserve to lose so many points and get detention," James scoffed.
At eleven o'clock that night, they said good-bye to Leo and Ron in the common room and went down to the entrance hall with Neville. Filch was already there- and so was Malfoy. Harry had also forgotten that Malfoy had gotten a detention, too.
"At least Malfoy also has detention," Lily said trying to be optimistic but ended up falling flat.
"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."
"Filch is a little creepy," Fawn admitted.
"A complete maniac, is a better way to describe him," Sirius said.
They marched off across the dark grounds. Neville kept sniffing. Harry wondered what their punishment was going to be. It must be something really horrible, or Filch wouldn't be sounding so delighted.
"It's a little concerning how much he loves the idea of kids being hurt," Narcissa frowned.
"I'll have to have a talk with him," Professor McGonagall promised.
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."
"It's Hagrid!" James, Sirius and Leo cheered making the gentle giant blush.
Lily and Narcissa both let out a sigh of relief, their children were going to be fine if Hagrid was there.
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 the 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."
"Hagrid isn't an oaf!" Remus growled.
"S'fine, Remus," Hagrid reassured gratefully, he knew what Filch was like so he didn't let his comments affect him.
"Are we just going to ignore the fact that the kids are going into the Forbidden Forest in the middle of the night!?" Lily said shrilly.
"They're going to be fine, their with Hagrid," James reassured her.
At this, Neville let out a little moan, and Malfoy stopped dead in his tracks.
"The forest?" he repeated, and he didn't sound quite as cool as usual. "We can't go in there at night- there's all sorts of things in there- werewolves, I heard."
"Werewolves aren't the worst thing in that forest," Peter said.
"Exactly, it's also not like it's a full moon," Remus added.
Neville clutched the sleeve of Harry's robe and made a chocking noise.
"Aw, Neville," Fawn gushed, she thought the Longbottom boy was adorable and was so glad that he was friends with her son and Harry.
"That's your problem, isn't it?" said Filch, his voice cracking with glee. "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got into trouble, shouldn't you?"
"Why would they think about werewolves when their getting into trouble?" Regulus asked rhetorically.
Hagrid came striding toward them out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying a 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, Hermione?"
"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."
"You tell him, Hagrid!" Leo cheered.
"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.
"He doesn't need to be so nasty!" Andromeda rolled her eyes.
Malfoy turned to Hagrid.
"I'm not going in that forest," he said, and Harry was pleased to hear the note of panic in his voice.
"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely. "Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got ter pay fer it."
"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this."
"He's so spoilt" Narcissa said in disgust, she would change that this time around!
"He'd tell yer how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Copyin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on."
"I love when Hagrid tells people off, it's always amazing!" Sirius laughed.
"That's because if Hagrid needs to tell someone off then they deserve it!" James nodded.
Malfoy didn't move. He looked at Hagrid furiously, but then dropped his gaze.
"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 for a moment."
"I want to go into the forest," Fawn pouted.
"I'll come with you!" Leo said at once, he would love to explore the forest, he hasn't really had a chance to properly explore throughout his Hogwarts years.
"No," Professor McGonagall said at once making the two pout.
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."
"What could hurt a unicorn?" Fawn asked nervously.
"Nothing good," Harry said darkly.
"What's so wrong with a unicorn being hurt?" Sirius asked confused.
"The unicorns in the Forbidden Forest have no enemies, there is no creature in there that would hunt them because the unicorns' defences are too powerful, with their magic, speed and their horns that predators just leave them alone," Leo explained.
"For a unicorn to be killed and another one injured means that something is in the forest that shouldn't be," Fawn finished.
Harry was suddenly glad that Leo wasn't here with them. He didn't think he could handle having to put a creature down, even if it was dying.
"I could do it, if there was no way to help the creature and death is the only way to help them," Leo said sadly.
"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" said Malfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.
"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 spilt 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."
"But the thing hurting the unicorns isn't something that is meant to be in the forest!" Fawn stressed.
"I'm sure they're going to be fine," Sirius tried to calm her down.
"I want Fang," said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang's long teeth.
"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid. "So, me, Harry, an' Hermione'll go on way an' Draco, Neville, an' Fang'll go the other. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wans out an' practice now- that's it- an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh- so, be careful- let's go."
"I don't think splitting up is a good idea," Professor McGonagall frowned.
The forest was black and silent. A little way into it they reached a fork in the earth path, and Harry, Hermione, and Hagrid took the left path while Malfoy, Neville, and Fang took the right.
"Putting Neville with Malfoy wasn't the best choice," Regulus winced.
They walked in silence, their eyes on the ground. Every now and then a ray of moonlight through the branches about lit a spot of silver-blue blood on the fallen leaves.
Harry saw Hagrid looked very worried.
"Could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?" Harry asked.
"Werewolves aren't fast enough to catch a unicorn," Leo said instantly.
Snape scoffed and rolled his eyes, of course Black's brat couldn't keep his mouth shut and just had to act like a know it all.
Regulus glared at Snape, he heard him scoff at his nephew and he wasn't happy about it but didn't say anything to keep the peace for a little while longer.
"Not fast enough," said Hagrid. "It's not easy ter catch a unicorn, they're powerful magic creatures. I never knew one ter be hurt before."
"It's a very rare thing," Fawn confirmed.
They walked past a mossy tree stump. Harry could hear running water; there must be a stream somewhere close by. There were still spots of unicorn blood here and there along the winding path.
"You all right, Hermione?" Hagrid whispered. "Don' worry, it can't've gone far it it's this badly hurt an' then we'll be able ter- GET BEHIND THAT TREE!"
"What's wrong?" Lily instantly started to worry, sitting on the edge of her seat and holding James's knee tightly.
James didn't try to reassure her; he was just as worried.
Hagrid seized Harry and Hermione and hoisted them off the path behind a towering oak. He pulled out an arrow an 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.
"What was that?" James whispered as if whatever they had heard would suddenly appear in the room.
"I'm sure the book explains it," Peter tried to calm everyone down.
"I knew it," he murmured. "There's summat in here that shouldn' be,"
"A werewolf?" Harry suggested.
"Werewolves don't make slithering noises," Fawn said, hyper focused on the book.
"That wasn' no werewolf an' it wasn' no unicorn, neither," said Hagrid grimly. "Right, follow me, but careful, now."
They walked more slowly, ears straining for the faintest sounds. Suddenly, in a clearing ahead something definitely moved.
"Who's there?" Hagrid called. "Show yerself- I'm armed!"
"Is it that thing?" Narcissa asked nervously.
And into the clearing came- was it a man, or a horse? To the waist a man, with red hair and beard, but below that was a horse's gleaming chestnut body with a long, reddish tail. Harry and Hermione's jaws dropped.
"It's one of the centaurs!" Regulus gasped in awe, he had always admired centaur's and their ability to read the stars so accurately.
"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 deep, sorrowful voice. "Were you going to shoot me?"
"Would never do that," Hagrid insisted, he had a mutual respect with the centaurs in the forest, he would never try to hurt them.
"Can't be too careful, Ronan," said Hagrid, patting his crossbow. "There's summat bad loose in this forest. This is Harry Potter an' Hermione Granger, by the way. Students up at the school. An' this is Ronan, you two. He's a centaur."
"We've noticed," said Hermione faintly.
"I was very scared in that moment," Hermione admitted.
"Because of Ronan? Or the forest?" Ginny asked.
"The forest," said Hermione.
"Good evening," said Ronan. "Students, are you? And do you learn much, up at the school?"
"Erm- "
"A bit," said Hermione timidly.
"A bit. Well, that's something." Ronan sighed. He flung back his head and stared at the sky. "Mars is bright tonight."
"Can get a bit annoying talking ter a centaur," Hagrid admitted. "Their head's always up in space, hard to get a straight answer out of 'em."
"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 had been for ages past, so it is now."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Andromeda asked worried.
"He must be talking about he unicorns," Regulus frowned.
"Yeah." said Hagrid, "but have yeh seen anythin', Ronan? Anythin' unusual?"
"Mars is bright tonight," Ronan repeated, while Hagrid watched him impatiently. "Unusually bright."
"Wait, doesn't that mean war is coming?" Regulus sat up straighter.
"What?" Lily asked.
"Mars is the Roman god of war and usually when Mars us brighter than usually it's a sigh that war is coming," Sirius explained. As a Black he had been made to study astrology growing up and it had stuck with him through the years.
Everyone frowned worried about the future that was to come, especially since Harry and his friends had travelled back to help change it. This seemed like a very bad omen.
"Yeah, but I was meanin' anything 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 a second centaur, black haired and- bodied and wilder-looking then Ronan.
"They keep popping up like daises," Lily giggled to herself much to James's confusion, he didn't understand the muggle phrase.
"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?"
"Not the best idea to ask the centaurs," Regulus furrowed his eyebrows.
Bane walked over to stand next to Ronan. He looked skyward. "Mars is bright tonight," he said simply.
"Yes, we know," James rolled his eyes.
"We've heard," said Hagrid grumpily. "Well, if either of you see anythin', let me know, won't yeh? We'll be off, then."
Harry and Hermione 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."
"That's the truth," Sirius whispered.
"Are there many of them in here?" asked Hermione.
"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 centaur we heard earlier?" said Harry.
"Did that sound like a centaur?" James asked his son.
Harry blush slightly, "I was stressed!"
"Did that sound like hooves to you? Nah, if yeh ask me, that was what's bin killin' the unicorns- never heard anythin' like it before."
"That can't be good," Andromeda frowned.
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. They had just passed a bend in the path when Hermione grabbed Hagrid's arm.
"Hagrid! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!"
"What happened!" Narcissa asked worried about her son.
"I'm sure they're find, Cissy, Neville probably just panic a bit," Andromeda said trying to calm her sister down.
"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.
"I would be terrified if I was you two," Lily admitted.
"It was a little scary," Hermione smiled.
"You don't think they've been hurt, do you?" whispered Hermione.
"Don't care if Malfoy has, but if something's got Neville… it's out fault he's here in the first place."
"I would have cared if Malfoy was hurt," Harry said trying to stop Narcissa from worrying anymore.
The minutes dragged by. Their ears seemed sharper than usual. Harry 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. Malfoy, Neville, and Fang were with him. Hagrid was fuming. Malfoy, it seemed, had sneaked up behind Neville and grabbed him as a joke. Neville panicked and sent up the sparks.
"Draco Malfoy! There is a time and place for jokes and pranks, this is not it!" Narcissa snapped at the book.
"At least their both okay," Fawn sighed in relief.
"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you two were makin' right, we're changin' groups- Neville, you stay with me an' Hermione, Harry you go with Fang an' this idiot. I'm sorry," Hagrid added in a whisper to Harry, "but he'll have a harder time frightenin' you, an' we've gotta get this done."
"That's a good idea, Harry would keep Malfoy in line as well," said Peter.
So, Harry set off into the heart of the forest with Malfoy and Fang. 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.
"The poor thing," Leo frowned sadly.
"Look- " he murmured, holding out his arm to stop Malfoy.
Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They inched closer.
It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead.
"At least it's not in anymore pain," Fawn said just as sad as Leo.
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 as spread pearly-white on the dark leaves.
"I'm glad I wasn't there, I would have cried," Leo said.
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, Malfoy, 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.
Fawn gasped in shock.
"What's wrong?" Sirius asked worried.
"It's drinking the unicorn's blood? What kind of foul creature is that?" she asked.
"What do you mean?" Andromeda asked but Fawn just shook her head, she didn't want to talk about it, it was one of the most horrible, disgusting things someone could do.
"AAAAAAAAARGH!"
Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted- so did Fang. The hooded figure raised its head 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.
"Run, Harry!" Lily pleaded.
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.
"Something saved him!" James basically deflated in relief that his son was okay.
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-blonde hair and a palomino body.
"Are you all right?" said the centaur, pulling Harry to his feet.
"This is my favourite centaur!" James cheered.
"Yes- thank you- what was that?"
The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishing blue eyes, like pale sapphires. He looked carefully at Harry, his eyes lingering on the scar that stood out, livid, on Harry's forehead.
"Even centaurs stare at your scar," Remus sighed exasperated.
"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 on to his front legs so that Harry could clamber onto his back.
"He's letting you ride him?" Regulus gasped in shock.
"What's wrong with that?" Narcissa asked curiously.
"Centaurs think it's really disrespectful for a human to ride one of them, so for him to offer is something that isn't heard of," Regulus explained.
Snape could feel the disgust build inside of him, of course Potter's brat would make a centaur let him ride them, it went to show just how entitled Potter's brat really is.
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.
"Firenze!" Bane thundered. "What are you doing? You have a human on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?"
"See what I mean?" Regulus asked and Narcissa nodded.
"Do you realize who this is?" said Firenze. "This is the Potter boy. The quicker he leaves this forest, the better."
"What have you been telling him?" growled Bane. "Remember, Firenze, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?"
Ronan pawed the ground nervously. "I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best," he said in his gloomy voice.
"He was!" Harry said in Firenze's defence, he didn't like Bane.
Bane kicked his back legs in anger.
"For the best! What is that to do with us? Centaurs are concerned with what had been foretold! It is not our business to run around like donkeys after stray humans in our forest!"
Firenze suddenly reared on to his hind legs in anger, so that Harry had to grab his shoulder to stay on.
"Do you not see that unicorn?" Firenze bellowed at Bane. "Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what it lurking in this forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must."
"When war breaks out, it doesn't matter what side you're on, just who survives," said Hermione.
And Firenze whisked around; with Harry clutching on as best he could, they plunged off into the trees, leaving Ronan and Bane behind them.
Harry didn't have a clue what was going on.
"That's nothing new," Leo teased, laughing when Harry shoved his slightly.
"Why's Bane so angry?" he asked. "What was that thing you saved me from, anyway?"
Firenze slowed to a walk, warned Harry to keep his head bowed in case of low-hanging branches, but did not answer Harry's question. They made their way through the trees in silence for so long that Harry thought Firenze didn't want to talk to him anymore. 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," almost everyone said.
"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 had 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 defenceless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."
"It is one of the worst things you could do," Fawn said darkly.
Harry started 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?"
"That was You-Know-Who?" James asked shocked.
"It can't be, he's supposed to be dead!" Narcissa said nervously.
"The Philosopher's Stone! Of course-the Elixir of Life! But I don't understand who- "
"Can you think of nobody who had waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?"
It was as though an iron fist had clenched suddenly around Harry's heart. Over the rustling of the trees, he seemed to hear once more what Hagrid told him on the night they had met: "some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die."
"Why can't he just stay dead!" Andromeda groaned.
"Do you mean," Harry croaked, "that was Vol-"
"Harry! Harry, are you, all right?"
Hermione was running toward them down the path, Hagrid puffing along behind her.
"Where are Neville and Malfoy?" Regulus asked.
"Hagrid took them back to his hut, I went with him to find Harry after Malfoy and Fang came running back to us," Hermione answered.
"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."
"Hagrid, don't leave them alone!" Professor McGonagall scolded.
"They were with Firenze, they were safe," Hagrid shrugged.
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."
"We all hope so," Remus said.
He turned and cantered back into the depths of the forest, leaving Harry shivering behind him.
Leo and Ron had fallen asleep in the dark common room, waiting for them to return. Ron shouted something about Quidditch fouls and Leo opened his eyes sleepily and glared at Harry when he roughly shook them awake. In a matter of seconds, though, they were wide-eyed as Harry began to tell them and Hermione what had happened in the forest.
"I hate being woken up like that," Leo groaned.
"I know you do," Harry laughed.
Harry couldn't sit down. He paced up and down in front of the fire. He was still shaking.
"Snape wants the stone for Voldemort… Voldemort's waiting in the forest… and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich…"
"I don't want the stone!" Snape snapped but no one believed him.
"Stop staying the name!" said Ron in a terrified whisper, as if he thought Voldemort could hear them.
Harry wasn't listening.
"Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done so… Bane was furious… he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen… they must show that Voldemort's coming back… Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me… I suppose that's written in the stars as well."
"Not like No-Nose could," Leo whispered to Harry who grinned back at him.
"Will you stop saying the name!" Ron hissed.
"Ron, would you just get over it, all ready?" growled Leo.
"Sorry mate," Leo winced.
"Don't worry about it, we all know how you are when you first wake up," Ron chuckled remember all the times he had to wake Leo up over the years and the glares he would always get in return.
"So, all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone," Harry went on feverishly, "Then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off… Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy."
Hermione looked very frightened, but she had a word of comfort.
"Harry, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-who was ever afraid of. With Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic."
"I forgot your hatred of Divination started in first year," said Ron.
"I agree with Hermione, but fortune-telling can be very opinionated, the centaurs are experts in reading the stars and planets and understanding the future from them. Human seers are very rare and sometimes only have one real prediction in their life, so I agree that it's a very imprecise branch of magic but that doesn't mean there aren't some out there who can do it." Leo explained to Hermione, but before she could say anything he turned back to Harry. "If Voldemort thinks he can just waltz in here to kill you, he's got another thing coming. I won't let him kill you, Harry, I promise."
"Damn straight I won't!" Leo nodded.
The sky had turned light before they stopped talking. They went to bed exhausted, their throats sore. But the night's surprises weren't over.
When Harry pulled back his sheets, he found his invisibility cloak folded neatly underneath them. There was a note pinned to it:
Just in case.
"That's the chapter, who is reading next?" Peter asked.
"I am," Lily said at once, she needed to know what was going to happen next!
A/N: Did I panic and smash this out in 2 hours, yes, yes I did. I hope you all enjoy.
I'm going to add a few random conversations/incorrect quotes that I believe fit with Harry and Leo and their friends, so hope you all get a good laugh out them, I know I did.
Professor McGonagall: Leo, if any of your friends jumped off a cliff, would you?
Leo: With all due respect, Minnie, my Aunt Andy raised a leader, an inventor, a dumbass if you will, I'd be the first to jump off that fucking cliff
Hermione: For the love Merlin, Ron and I don't have pet names for each other.
Leo or Ginny: What do bee's make?
Hermione: Honey?
Ron, from the other room: Yes, love?
Leo or Ginny: Never lie to my face again.
Harry: Can you believe some people can see Leo and not immediately be filled with absolute, unconditional love for him?
Hermione: They don't even get the urge to hug him right then and there. That's incompressible to me.
Ginny: Absolute monsters.
Ron: Nodding aggressively.
Leo, in the background: laughing manically as he pours gasoline onto an open fire.