Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC Bailey and any alterations to the original storyline plot her presence creates to various readers amusement everywhere across the globe.
A Dog's Purpose Is Strange Magic Chapter 43
Just when it seems things can't get any worse Filch does the one thing that makes them all wish they were dead.
He takes them to an awake and extremely pissed-off Professor McGonagall. And she's not alone.
Neville had braved coming out at night to save them from getting in trouble after overhearing what Malfoy had planned for them. Now he's caught facing the same consequences they have to all because he was trying to do something nice for Harry and Hermione.
Professor McGonagall is disinclined to show them any mercy in spite of the damage it'll do to Gryffindor's chances in losing the House Cup after such a promising Quidditch season this year she takes 50 points from each of them, including Malfoy.
That's the only consolation that is any form of relief for Harry and Hermione. That Malfoy is facing this punishment with them along with the inevitable detention session all four will be faced with.
Also, Hagrid was safe. Professor McGonagall didn't believe a word Malfoy told her about the dragon hatchling, so Hagrid's job wasn't at risk.
Harry must've set some sort of record. Going from popular to shamed and hated so quickly is a major phenomenon.
Blaming Harry when his act behind it all is merely partial.
The despicable manner the other Gryffindor's, Ravenclaw's, and rarely irate Hufflepuff's treat her boy in response to this upset makes Bailey's stomach curdle, a hand clenching her heart, each time she witnesses this injustice and travesty. Harry hasn't needed her support more so than he does now, suffering immensely by being shunned by most of the school. She's been sticking like glue to his side, not leaving him for a second other than to go to the bathroom. Even Quidditch isn't enough to cheer him up. Harry tried to resign from the team to repair some of the damage, but Wood overruled him on that. Anyone who aims a dirty look in his direction receives a warning growl in reply. Bailey is known for her sweet and gentle nature but if you threaten her boy then all bets are off and everyone knows it. He'd probably be facing harsher retribution if not for her presence to deter them from that path.
What happened to draw his attention away from all the negative publicity is something that's not encouraging.
Harry and Bailey overhear an overly frightened Quirrell appear to be speaking to himself in an empty classroom. He seems to be pleading with someone, but when Harry sticks his head inside after Quirrell leaves to see who it is he finds no one in there. Although he highly suspects Snape left the other way.
When told Ron insists that they should do some poking around to dig up some proof against Snape to deliver to Dumbledore, but Harry is deadest against it. Not wanting their meddling to bring even more shame and disgrace down onto Gryffindor House.
The following morning Harry, Hermione, and Neville receive separate notes from Professor McGonagall saying that their detention will take place at eleven o'clock that very night.
All that talk about not breaking curfew, staying out so late at night, and yet teachers are so determined to make the detentions in the deepest time of night is a mystery to Bailey.
Things aren't nearly as bad as first impressions indicate.
Turns out their detention is to be held with Hagrid of all people.
Malfoy comes close to having a conniption when it's announced that they'll be assisting Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest. His objections claiming this is servant work are ignored. Malfoy's status as a pureblood will be of no use to him here. He's being treated the same as everyone else in this situation.
Hagrid has a lot of experience being in the Forbidden Forest after dark. This shows after he comes striding out of his hut with Fang, carrying a large crossbow and a quiver of arrows hanging over his shoulder, and holding a lamp for light. Once Filch leaves them to it Hagrid sees fit to explain what they'll be doing tonight.
Pointing down a narrow, winding earth track that disappears into the thick black trees, Hagrid said "Look there, see that stuff shining on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There is a unicorn in there been hurt badly by something. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're going to try and find the poor thing. We might have to put it out of its misery," said Hagrid, somberly.
"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first," said Malfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.
"There's nothing that lives in the forest that'll hurt you if you're with me or Fang," assured Hagrid. "And keep to the path. Right now, we're going to split up into two parties and follow the trail in different directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've been staggering around since last night at least."
"I want Fang," said Malfoy, quickly looking at Fang's long teeth, presuming the boarhound would be the better defender in contrast to Bailey.
"All right, but I warn you, he's a coward," said Hagrid. "So me, Harry, Bailey, and Hermione will go one way and Draco, Neville, and Fang go the other. Now if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? And if anyone gets in trouble send up red sparks and we'll come and find you. So be careful. Let's go."
The forest was black and silent. A little way unto it they reached a fork in the earth's path. Harry, Hermione, Hagrid, and Bailey took the left path while Malfoy, Neville, and Fang traveled the right.
They hadn't gone far before Hagrid hoisted Harry and Hermione off the path to take shelter behind a towering oak. He pulls out an arrow, fitting it into his crossbow, prepared to fire at a moment's notice. The four of them listen closely. Something is slithering over dead leaves, sounding like a cloak trailer along the ground. Bailey immediately moves into a perfect point aiming directly where the noise is originating from, ready to strike down this threat.
Soon enough the sound fades away as whatever this is enlarges the distance between them.
Squinting up the dark path, Hagrid murmured "I knew it. There's something in here that shouldn't be."
"A werewolf," suggested Harry, warily.
"That wasn't no werewolf and it wasn't no unicorn, neither," said Hagrid, grimly. "Right, follow me, but careful, now."
They walked more slowly, ears straining for the faintest sound.
Suddenly Bailey catches something definitely moving in the darkness. Bailey barks, drawing everyone's attention to what caught hers.
"Who's there," called Hagrid, lofting his crossbow. "Show yourself! I'm armed!"
Into the clearing under the moonlight is a male centaur with red hair and beard, a gleaming chestnut body with a long, reddish tail.
Lowering his crossbow, signaling this centaur isn't a threat to them, shaking the centaur's hand in greeting, Hagrid said "Oh, it's you, Ronan. "How are you?"
Turns out Hagrid is familiar with this guy. Shouldn't have been surprised. Since he's been exploring the Forbidden Forest for years now, he's acquainted with almost everyone and everything residing here.
The kids are more or less a mixture of flustered and timid by him Bailey certainly is not. While Hagrid and this Ronan are busy conversing Bailey moves forward to inspect this strange newcomer.
"Bailey! Bailey, get back here," whispered Harry, nervously waving her to come back to him.
Ignoring the command Bailey continues to advance on Ronan. Luckily this stoic centaur doesn't seem bothered by Bailey's investigative nature toward him. Deeming her not a threat Bailey tentatively sniffs his hooves. Another centaur soon enters the scene. Black-haired and had a much wilder exterior than Ronan exuded. When questioned about the unicorn herds and any abnormal happenings going on in the forest Bane provided the same answer Ronan did when asked. That Mars is unusually bright tonight. This Bane isn't as tolerant as his counterpart. When Bailey came over to smell him Bane lifted a back leg in warning that if she got any closer to him he would kick.
Bailey isn't stupid enough to tempt that.
Annoyingly cryptic as an impatient Hagrid said to Harry and Hermione as they left on their way, never giving a straight answer as far as he is aware in their lives.
Not long after these red sparks are shot in the air, but not from them. Hagrid set off, returning with Malfoy and Neville. Turns out Malfoy deliberately scared Neville. Irritated Hagrid chooses to rotate the groups in order to avoid another unnecessary incident like this.
Neville and Hermione are with Hagrid, and Harry and Bailey are paired with Malfoy and Fang. Malfoy persists in having two dogs with him instead of one.
A good thing, too, although Bailey doubts Fang could be much help if it ever came to a fight to the death.
In the distance, in a distance that only she seemed to catch thanks to her sharper hearing, Bailey could hear the nearly identical rustling from earlier that Hagrid marked as resembling a cloak gliding along the forest floor. It's faint, but there.
And it is tailing them.
During this Harry and Malfoy are more focused on the unicorn blood that appears to be thickening the further they go up the trail than to what's behind them.
Harry can see a clearing ahead, through the tangled branches of an ancient oak. Something white is gleaming on the ground. As they inch closer it becomes all too clear what it is.
A unicorn. The one Hagrid has been so intently searching for.
Unfortunately, they are too late. It's dead and quite recently.
A slithering noise makes them all freeze where they stand before any one of them can step toward it.
Out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Harry, Malfoy, and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked finger reached the unicorn, lowering its head over the wound in the unicorn's side, and began to savagely drink its blood.
Malfoy screams in terror bolting back the way they came with Fang neck in neck with him.
Harry is stuck as if his feet are glued to the forest floor. The hooded figure raised its head and glared right at Harry, its facial features obscured by the night shadows and the cloak. Suddenly Harry doubles over as pain pierces his head, scar burning as if it is on fire. He staggers backward, clutching his forehead over the lightning-shaped scar, tumbling onto his rear into the roots of a tree. Bailey plants herself over her boy to protect him. She barks at the figure at the top of her lungs, hoping to deter and call for help at the same time.
But the hooded figure is undaunted.
Bailey judges the ever-decreasing space as he closes in on them. A couple more steps and this person would be in range for a bite.
Bailey prepares to spring…
Out of nowhere, a centaur gallops forth from the tree line around the clearing. Their rescuer charges at the hooded figure, kicking his front legs fiercely at their adversary. Wisely choosing to make a tactical retreat so as not to be injured in a head-on confrontation the hooded figure flees into the night.
Realizing they are now safe Bailey redirects over to Harry. She whines, licking his face profusely to rouse him from the disoriented state.
"I'm all right, Bailey. I'm all right," moaned Harry, reaching for his glasses where they'd fallen, regaining his bearings.
The centaur is not Ronan or Bane. This one is far younger age wise with white-blond hair and a striking palomino body. The owner of astonishing blue eyes like pale sapphires.
"Are you all right," said the centaur, righting Harry to his feet.
"Yes, thank you," said Harry, grateful for the save, dusting himself off. "What was that?"
Looking carefully at Harry, his eyes lingering pointedly on the scar that stood out, livid on Harry's forehead, he said "You are the Potter boy. 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." The male centaur lowers himself onto his front legs so that Harry can clamber onto his back. "My name is Firenze."
"Nice to meet you, Firenze," said Harry, politely, grunting as he adjusted more comfortably and neatly onto Firenze's back. "This is Bailey."
Bailey yips, sniffing and then licking the offered hand.
There's more galloping from the other side of the clearing. Ronan and Bane came bursting through the trees, flanks heaving and sweaty.
Bane is fuming to see Harry on Firenze's back, making no secret his disdain and contempt. He'd been cordial enough toward them before, but that was obviously a thing of the past now. He and Ronan knew this encounter with the hooded figure was going to occur and had seen the outcome being much different than this.
They knew her boy might've been killed tonight and didn't do anything to interfere and stop it.
That irks Bailey big time.
Firenze furiously defends his actions in the face of Bane's accusations and insults at him. In open defiance, he declared that he would stand against the darkness lurking within the forest even alongside humans as a last resort.
Firenze then whisks around, taking Harry away in a strong canter with Bailey jogging to not lag, leaving Ronan and the disrespectful Bane in the dust.
Clueless to what was going on, Harry asked "Why's Bane so angry? What was that thing you saved me from, anyway?"
"A monstrous creature. It is a terrible crime to slay a unicorn. Drinking the blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death. But at a terrible price. For you have slain something so pure that from the moment the blood touches your lips, you will have a half-life. A cursed life" said Firenze, fervently.
"But who would choose such a life? If you're going to be cursed forever who would be that desperate? Death's better, isn't it," wondered Harry aloud.
"Can you think of no one," said Firenze, ducking a low-hanging branch.
Eyes wide, Harry said "Do you mean to say that thing that killed the unicorn, that was drinking its blood, that was Voldemort?"
"Do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment, Mr. Potter," said Firenze, knowingly.
"The Sorcerer's Stone," croaked Harry.
"Harry!"
Hagrid, Hermione, Neville, Fang, and Malfoy arrive on the path, the blonde leading the way with the lantern.
"Hello there, Firenze. I see you've met our young Mr. Potter. You all right there, Harry," said Hagrid, concerned.
Nodding, Harry said "I'm fine. The unicorn's dead, Hagrid. It's in that clearing back there."
Hagrid hurries off to examine the unicorn's corpse.
Bending downward so Harry can easily slide off his back, Firenze said "Harry Potter, this is where I leave you. You are safe now. The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times. Good luck."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione convene in Gryffindor Tower to go over everything that was discovered that night while Neville heads off to bed, wanting to forget this night as soon as possible. Harry divulges all Firenze told him and what he suspects. Ron is scared to death, but Hermione is more calm in her aspect of things. She's quick to remind Harry that as long as Dumbledore is around neither Voldemort nor Snape can lay a finger on him. He's untouchable.
As the exhausted trio climb into their beds to catch what little sleep they can a surprise is found underneath the bedspread on Harry's.
Bailey noses the bundle, undoing the fabric wrapped around it.
It's the Invisibility Cloak. The last time Bailey saw it was when Harry and Hermione forgot it in the Astronomy Tower. There hadn't been an opportunity to go back to retrieve it.
A foreboding and foreshadowing note is pinned to it. Just three simple words.
Use it well.
Something tells Bailey they're going to need it and soon with the way things are heading lately.
Authors Note:
I hope you all like this one! I certainly did while writing it for your vast enjoyment! ;D