"Hagrid always wanted a dragon. He told me so the first time I met him", Ember told her friends as they hurriedly walked along the corridor.
"It's crazy", Peter remarked "worse, Malfoy AND Weaslebee knows".
"I don't understand", Hermione said, confused "Is that bad?"
"I'd doubt knowledge of him having a dragon is a good thing", Ember remarked "plus, we were somewhere we shouldn't be in the middle of the night". The three of them stop as Professor McGonagall suddenly appeared.
"Good evening", she said as Malfoy and Ron appeared next to her, both looking rather smug. Ember shot the pair a glare, itching to slap the expressions of both of their faces!
~McGonagall's classroom~
Ember, Hermione and Peter stood in front of McGonagall's desk while Malfoy and Ron stood a feet away, smirking. "Nothing, I repeat, nothing gives a student the right to walk about the school at night. Therefore as a punishment for your actions, 50 points will be taken"
"50?!" Ember exclaimed, her mouth dropping open.
"Each with the exception of Mr Parker…" she levelled a displeased look at the third year "60 points will be taken for you should've known better and to ensure it doesn't happen again, all five of you will receive detention".
Malfoy and Ron's smirk vanished. The former stepped forward "Excuse me, Professor. Perhaps I heard you wrong. I thought you said...'all five of us'", he said.
"No, you heard me correctly, Mr. Malfoy. You see, as honorable as your intentions were, both you and Mr Weasley were out of bed after hours. You will serve detention with your classmates".
Ember, Hermione and Peter exchanged grins as the other two sags. While they weren't happy at losing points or getting a detention, they were pleased to see the Gryffindor and Slytherin getting punished too.
The next night the five of them were led over to Hagrid's hut by Filch. "A pity they let the old punishments die", the man remarked "There was a time detention would find you hanging by your thumbs in the dungeons. God, I miss the screaming" Hermione grasped Ember's hand, looking rather fearful. The ginger gave it a reassuring squeeze. She didn't blame her friend for being afraid. The Forbidden Forest, didn't exactly scream sunshine and rainbows. "You'll be serving detention with Hagrid tonight. He's got a little job to do inside the dark forest", Filch explained as the half giant himself left his hut carrying a crossbow, walking over to a small fire just outside his home. "A sorry lot this, Hagrid", Filch commented then he saw that Hagrid had been crying "Oh, good God, man, you're not still on about that bloody dragon, are you?" he asked not really sounding that sympathetic.
"Norbert's gone. Dumbledore sent him off to Romania to live in a colony", the half giant said, sniffling.
"Well, that's good, isn't it? He'll be with his own kind", Hermione said, trying to see the bright side.
"Yeah, but what if he don't like Romania?" Hagrid said making Filch roll his eyes "What if the other dragons are mean to him? He's only a baby, after all".
"Oh, for God's sake, pull yourself together, man", Filch said, cruelly "You're going into the forest, after all. Got to have your wits about you".
Malfoy did a double take at that "The forest? I thought that was a joke! We can't go in there. Students aren't allowed. And there are…" a howl sounded "...werewolves!"
"There's more than werewolves in those trees, lad. You can be sure of that", Filch informed him, making the blonde boy look even more frightened "Nighty-night" and with that he left.
~forest~
The five of them and Hagrid walked along a path in the forest, stopping by a tree. He bent down and dipped his fingers in the silver puddle at the base. "Hagrid, what's that?" Ember asked.
"What we're here for. See that? That's unicorn's blood, that is", Hagrid held up his two fingers dipped in blood as he stood up "I found one dead a few weeks ago. Now, this one's been injured bad by something. So, it's our job to find the poor beast. Ron, Hermione, you'll come with me".
"Okay", Ron said weakly. Hermione should've felt reassured about going to Hagrid. Yes, the half giant's size was a bit intimidating which in theory should've made her feel safe. But for some reason she felt like she'd be much safer staying with Ember instead. It was probably due to those 'gifts' that the ginger had exhibited.
"Could I stay with Ember instead?" she requested, surprising the hybrid "I feel better being with her".
"If you wish" Hagrid agreed "Peter you can come with me" the brunet nods "Malfoy, you'll go with Ember and Hermione". The two girls made a face, neither of them keen to be stuck with the Slytherin. The platinum haired boy didn't look that happy either.
"Okay. Then I get Fang!" he demanded.
"Fine", Hagrid said agreeing "Just so you know, he's a bloody coward".
"You wait till my father hears about this. This is servant's stuff", Malfoy complained as he, Ember and Hermione walked along with Fang in the lead.
The brunette let out a frustrated noise "Oh, will you shut up!" she snapped.
"And stop being such a sissy", the ginger added.
"I'm not a…" Malfoy broke off when he heard another howl "Did you hear that?" he asked stopping.
"Yes I did", Ember replied "now let's find this unicorn before we're food for a big, bad wolf" the hybrid clasped her hand around Hermione's "Come on, we need to keep moving", the girl murmured. Hermione nods and they continued walking. The two girls exchanged smirks when Malfoy almost face planted the ground upon tripping over a particularly big root. It was especially amusing since he was the one with the lantern.
As they approached an area of flat ground with gnarled roots all over, Fang stopped and then growled. Ember's eyes widened when she saw a cloaked figure crouched over a unicorn. "Oh my god…" Hermione breathed, terrified. The figure raised its head, silver blood dripping from its mouth. The ginger suddenly gasped and stumbled back, as her mark seared with pain. Malfoy let out a yell and ran away, Fang hot on his heels. "Ember!" the brunette cried as her friend almost keeled over, clutching the side of her head.
"Run!" Ember gritted out as the figure glided over the unicorn and towards the two of them.
"I'm not leaving you", her friend stubbornly said, pulling her wand out, moving to put herself between the figure and her friend. She didn't exactly know any spells that could possibly protect them against this thing but she had to try.
The red stone around Ember's neck started to glow and her eyes turned red gold. She straightened up and stepped around Hermione. The brunette's mouth dropped open in shock as a red-gold energy burst from the 11 year old's body. The figure reeled away from the heat and fled. "Well…that's new", Ember murmured before she dropped to the floor, unconscious.
"What in merlin's name were you thinking?" was the first thing Ember heard when she regained consciousness. The ginger blearily sat up to find herself in the hospital wing. "Allowing students to spend detention in the Forbidden Forest!" Near the entrance stood Dumbledore, Snape and a ginger haired woman. Ember eyed the female. She seemed familiar but she couldn't quite place her. "Those children were in danger! My niece was nearly killed!"
"Perhaps we could continue this discussion at another time ", the potions master suggested, glancing over at Ember "she's awake".
The ginger haired woman followed his gaze, noting that she was indeed conscious. "Very well", she conceded and shot Dumbledore a glare "WE are not done", she warned. The hybrid turned her attention back to Ember, fixing her with a soft smile as she headed toward her bed. "Hello Ember", she quietly greeted.
"Hello", the 11 year old greeted back.
"Your mother was my sister…my twin sister", the woman explained and Ember's eyes widened. That's why she seemed to familiar! The mirror…she saw her mother in the mirror and she looked identical to the woman standing before her. "I'm Azalea Evans, I'm your other aunt".