IMPOSTERS INFILTRATE THE MINISTRY

That was the headlining article in the Daily Prophet the next morning, all signs pointed towards Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley invading the ministry for who knows what-the Great Hall was alive with rumours and deep analysis of current events, when I looked up at the high table, Snape looked furious.

'Mara?' I looked up to see Neville standing in front of me with a small smile, I stormed to my feet, shoved the newspaper in my bag and marched by him.

'Mara, wait!' he called, but I ignored him, having nothing to say to him.

I stormed all the way down to the forest, and entered through the trees, Grawp was playing with a fox that was bounding around the half giant's feet playfully.

'Dad?'

The fox paused and he transformed back into a human.

'I bought your paper.'

'Oh, thanks.' said Harold, who sat down on the log and watched as I pulled the newspaper out 'You don't have to do this every morning you know.'

I shrugged 'And here.' I pulled out a couple of sausage rolls from my bag and his eyes lit up

'Nice one.' he grinned, and began to eat at the pastry as I emptied the left overs from my bag 'I do miss human food as a fox.' he grunted.

'Right.' I remarked and he looked at me

'What's wrong?' he asked, surveying my haughty profile 'Something happened?'

'Nothing that'll interest you.'

'It isn't the Carrows again is it?' he asked, chewing his food happily.

'No.' my head shook

'I can tell something's up..'

I sighed heavily

'Someone who I didn't want to see approached me, that's all,'

'Snape?'

'No.'

'Then who?'

'Does it really matter?' I snapped, and Harold frowned, I sighed again.

'I fell out with an old friend, alright,' I explained 'he tried to talk to me and I didn't want to know.'

'He? Uh, someone you used to date?' he asked, looking uncomfortable

'Definitely not.' I replied, and he looked relieved, I, too, felt uncomfortable, and I didn't particularly want to talk about my past dating experiences with my father.

There was a lasting silence as Harold finished off his sausage roll, then he pulled the paper towards him and began to read it whilst he munched on his second one.

I looked up at Grawp who was watching Harold with a head tilt, but my head snapped around at the sound of a twig breaking. I managed to sneak past Harold who was enthralled in the Daily Prophet, and I saw a figure slide behind a tree. I pulled out my wand and aimed it 'I see you.' I said, and shock hit me.

'Neville,' I growled 'What the fuck-did you follow me!?'

'Mara, I'm sorry-' Neville fumbled 'I just wanted to speak to you-and-and who is that.' he whispered, indicating Harold.

I pressed my head against the tree in irritation.

I moved away from the tree after a brief moment of silence 'You might as well come out.' I sneered 'Will you tell anyone?'

'Not until I know he doesn't pose anyone a threat.'

My eyes rolled

'Fine.'

'Mara! There you are.' said Harold in relief 'I-who-who's that!?'

'Harold, this is Neville Longbottom, he followed me here,' I explained, and he looked furious 'Neville,' I sighed 'this, is my father.'

Neville's jaw dropped

'How-' he spluttered 'how is he here!'

'Harold's an animagus,' I replied 'it's how he's been getting through the charms, animals can come and go as they please.'

Neville shook his head, looking in disbelief

'Mara, this is insane!' he barked 'You'll be in so much trouble if this is uncovered!'

'Only if it's found out,' I snapped 'and will you tell on me Neville? Will you put me in danger?'

'I-what?' he stumbled 'Course I don't want you in danger, but what about everyone else, some random guy in the forest, who knows if he's trouble!?'

'He's been here for ages, Neville, and hasn't hurt anyone so far.'

Neville breathed out, still in disbelief.

'Well, I don't want you to be in trouble with Snape, or the Carrows,' said Neville 'so I'll keep this to myself.'

'And you won't tell anyone?' I asked 'Not even Ginny, or Luna? Or anyone else in the DA?'

Harold looked in confusion at me, but I ignored him.

'No, I promise.'

'Good.' I said, sitting down on the log 'Ouch!' I groaned, grabbing my arm and wincing.

'Mara!' both Neville and Harold called, lowering to my height

'What's the matter?' Harold asked 'It's those scars, isn't it?'

'Scars?' Neville repeated, looking disconcerted 'The ones you got from Greyback? They're hurting?'

I froze as Harold stared, his figure very still.

'What-what did you say?' He asked

'Er-' Neville looked uncomfortable, his fingers wrapped around his wand 'Well...I uh-I don't know how true it is, I heard the story from Harry, who heard the story from Remus Lupin, only a handful of us know and-'

'Get to the point!' Harold roared

'Right-right-well uh...' Neville looked at me, my eyes were stinging with tears 'I'm not sure-I think it was around Christmas of last year...Mara had nowhere to stay after school was done and Dumbledore suggested she would be pretty safe at Snape's house-she went there for Christmas for some reason-Snape left the house for one reason or another and that's when Greyback broke in and er-well-I'm not too sure what happened-really-only that Greyback infected her with those scars.'

When I looked up at Harold, tears running down my cheeks, he was shaking with rage on his face.

'H-Harold?' I shook

'I'm going to kill that fucker,' Harold snarled, and he turned back into a fox and disappeared through the trees

'No, wait-!' I cried

'Let him go, Mara.' said Neville, his hands on my shoulders

'You son of a bitch!' I cried, and Neville looked in shock 'You shouldn't have told him! I was trying to keep it a bloody secret! And if he ever finds Greyback he's going to find out what happened! And it'll be all your fault!'

'Find out what-Mara-wait-' but I ran off, leaving a stunned Neville behind...

The days became darker and greyer with each passing evening, and over the course of the following weeks I was unable to visit the Forbidden Forest as much as I would like to and by the time October arrived I was less and less inclined to visit due to the weather, which was particularly wet and windy. I had only hope to hold onto that Harold saw sense and came back to the forest, so, on the morning of the Hogsmeade weekend trip, I made my way down towards the forest.

Grawp was standing as tall as ever, and I glanced around, looking for any signs of my father.

'Harold?' I called 'Are you here?'

There was no response, and after a lasting silence I decided to make my way back out of the forest.

'Intruder!'

I jumped and fell backwards, landing on my backside.

Glancing upwards I saw a Centaur standing high above me, and a crossbow aimed in my direction, panic erupted inside me as I saw many more proud, stern looking Centaurs surrounding me, all with their crossbow's risen.

The Centaur above me was hostile, his body coated in black along with black wild hair and beard.

'You are a trespasser!' he growled, and many stamped their hooves angrily 'no human is allowed to enter this forest!'

'You what?' I said in disbelief 'This land doesn't belong to just you! There are many creatures that inhabit this area!'

'Impudence!' snarled another Centaur

'Centaurs have roamed this land long before humans infiltrated it.' snarled the Centaur 'The ignorance of the young.' he spat 'I ought to slay you where you stand.'

'You do that, and you'll have a whole load more humans in your space looking for me,' I snapped back 'do you really want that?'

The Centaur above me lowered his crossbow slightly and looked at the others 'You'll have a whole search party out here,' I remarked 'and you'll probably have to leave this land, Snape won't be happy and you'll have Death Eaters on your back! And I don't want that for you!'

The Centaur glared but lowered his crossbow and looked at the other Centaurs who looked just as uneasy.

'Then hear this,' the Centaur sneered 'if we ever see you infiltrate our forest again, we will show no mercy!' he barked 'Now leave.'

Relief flooded through me, and I turned and hurried out of there-I was pretty sure that a search party wouldn't be sent for me, and Snape probably wouldn't care, but I had to play up my 'importance' to them somehow. But now I couldn't enter the forest again to either sit with Grawp or see if Harold returned.

When I re-entered the castle, there was a line of students waiting to leave, Filch was there with his Secrecy Detector, and I was definitely ready for a butterbeer, or stronger drink after what had just occurred.