Malfoy didnt believe it, how could he?
Since the day he had arrived at Hogwarts, he had heard the tales of the dangerous creatures that had made their home in that dark forest. Now as a detention, when he was not even at fault, he had to go inside the same forest that he had been warned countless times about. How could he expect it?
A part of his brain did convince him that this was all just a ruse. They were not going inside the forest, surely when they entered the boundary of the forest, that big oaf would turn around and say that he was just kidding about the punishment. There was no such punishment. But his nervousness made his mind wobble, and as soon Hagrid turned around towards the forest, his mouth automatically opened,
“I am not going in that Forest,” he declared straight away. He saw the smirks on Harry and Neville’s face. He didnt like that they were having fun at his misery, but he figured that they must not know what the forest had in them.
“You are if you want to stay in at Hogwarts, you will go where you are ordered to go,” said Hagrid fiercely. “You have done wrong. And you got to pay for it as well.”
But he was not done yet, “But this is servant stuff, it’s not for students to do. I thought we would be writing lines or something. If my father knew I was doing this, he would be…”
Before he could finish, Hagrid butted in, “Let me tell you how things go on in Hogwarts..” Hagrid said, “What good is gonna come of writing lines? If you wanna do something more useful then follow me. If you think that your father rather have you expelled, then get back off to the castle and pack up… Go on,”
Draco was furious. He knew that he could just back off because it would give Longbottom and his friend ammunition against him. Also, his father would not appreciate him being expelled for such a trivial matter. He got it after hearing Hagrid’s words, the forest is safe. That was why they were letting them go inside. Other no one in their right mind would send students in there now, would they?
“Right then,” said Hagrid, “Now, listen carefully. It is going to be dangerous, the thing that we are gonna do tonight and I don’t want anyone to take risks. Follow me over here a moment.’
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. “Look there,’ said Hagrid,
Something shiny was on the ground. “See that silvery stuff shining on the ground? That’s unicorn blood. There is a unicorn in the forest that has been hurt badly by something. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We are gonna try to find the poor thing, and maybe even try to put it out of its misery.”
What is the matter with these people? Are they ignoring the fact the forest could be very dangerous for students like us? I know that Longbottom and his friends are dunderheads, but this… How come he is okay with this, Malfoy thought.
And then Malfoy asked the million galleon question, “And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?” He wanted to sound brave while saying this, but his voice betrayed him. One could hear fear oozing from his voice.
Hagrid didnt take his words seriously, “There is nothing in that Forest that will hurt you if you are with me or Fang,” said Hagrid. “Also, keep to your path. We are gonna split into two parties and follow those two trails in different directions. There’s blood all over the place, the poor thing must have been staggering around since last night,”
Malfoy couldnt see any way to weasel out of the situation. He just cannot. He then looked at the big oaf, considering that he was carrying a Crossbow, Draco didnt know whether that oaf could take care of them with the crossbow. The forest was filled with magical creatures, and he didnt know how effective could those crossbows could be. But then he spotted the dog accompanying the old oaf, looking at his sharp fangs, he realized that the dog might be the better option rather the small giant before him.
“I want the dog,” Malfoy declared.
The giant smirked, “Fine, but let me tell you this.. He is a coward.” Suddenly Malfoy started regretting his decision.
The giant then continued, “So me, Harry, and Hermione will go one way and Draco, Neville, and Fang will go the other. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we will send up green sparks, right? If anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, and we all will come and find you.. be careful out there, let’s go.”
Malfoy’s heart started beating faster and faster the more they ventured inside the forest. A time when they were surrounded by dead silence, something which he was not very comfortable with. To make a joke, or to ease the situation a little bit, Malfoy’s little brain decided to do some fun.
Stolen story; please report.
Neville and he were walking side by side, Draco then deliberately started moving slowly, and when he had walked a little bit further, he sneaked up on the poor boy and grabbed his leg from behind. Contrary to his expectation, Neville didnt scream. He turned around and looked at his face with disdain.
“Is that all you got?” Neville asked, making him boil with anger. He didnt understand, the boy was practically a coward walking on two legs most of the time, how come he got so much confidence and bravery now? Especially in this place?
Still angered, they started walking side by side. To show off, Draco illuminated his wand, just the way Ronan had taught him. They didnt have to walk further as they soon came across the injured animal that they were supposed to be looking for.
It looked like the most beautiful small horse that they had ever laid their eyes on. It had slender, yet muscular legs which had been bent in all the odd angles. The dried leaves around the creature’s mane were giving off a silvery glow. The way it looked, they realized that it was dead. There was no way that the creature was still alive.
Draco didnt dare to approach it, he stopped in his tracks. But Neville started walking to the creature when a slithering sound made him stop in his tracks as well. From the bushes adjacent to the body of the creature came a hodded figure, looking as if it was gliding in the air. The figure then went to the mane of the creature, put his supposed face on its mane, and started drinking its blood.
“AAAHHHH!!!!!” Draco screamed, he didnt know what was that, nor did he wanted to know. He turned around and ran away, with Fang following closely behind him.
***
Neville had faced a lot of problems since childhood, one of them being his crippling social anxiety. As the boy-who-lived, whenever someone would stare at him for a long time, or he was in a very crowded place, he turned into this cowardly mess, that always ruined everything that he was doing. But alone, he was just like any normal guy as any other.
Today, when he was venturing with Draco Malfoy through the dark forest, he felt at ease. He wasn't a mess right now because not a lot of eyes were on him. And he felt especially proud of himself when he successfully botched Draco’s plan to fool him. He was not afraid anymore. But when he saw the slithering hooded figure, something started screaming inside of him, urging him to run away as fast he could, as far as he could.
The mark on his heart, the only place Voldemort was able to injure him as he used the killing curse started burning all of a sudden. He felt like his heart was on fire. The pain was so fierce, that his knees gave in and he fell to the ground. When he thought the figure would jump on his next, he started hearing the sound of hooves from behind him, galloping, something jumped from above him and charged at the figure.
He saw the hoves belonged to a Centaur, and the hooded figure got scared of the centaur and ran away. With the hooded figure gone, his pain also subsided and Neville rose up from the ground. His wand was clenched in his hands, he didnt know a lot of spells that he could use against a centaur.
“Are you alright?” The centaur asked, making Neville stop in his tracks. “Yes… I think so,”
“You… Are the Longbottom, right?” Neville nodded, still wary of the Centaur.
“My name is Firenze” The Centaur said, “You had better get back to Hagrid. The Forest is not safe at this time.. especially for you. Climb on my back, it will be quicker this way,”
The Centaur came to him and lowered his back, so that he could clamber onto him. As he got on his back, the Centaur started galloping in a certain direction. Although, at that moment, Neville was still wary, but he realized that the Centaur probably didnt want to harm him. Otherwise, he woudl have done so by now.
As they started moving, Neville couldnt help but ask, “Do you mind if I ask you something?”
“If you have doubts, then go ahead. I will answer the things best of my abilities,”
Neville then asked, “What was that thing back there? And why are you helping me?”
“Neville Longbottom, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?”
“No,” He was also 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 has 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 defenseless to save yourself and you will have but a half life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips,”
“But who would be that desperate?” he wondered aloud. “If you are going to be cursed forever, death’s 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 Longbottom, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?’
“The Philosopher’s Stone! Of course.. the Elixir of Life! But I don’t understand who…’
Neville was cut off in between, “Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?”
It was if someone had punched Longbottom in his gut. He had heard his grandmother talk many times in the past, she didnt believe that Voldemort was truly gone. She believed that he was still there, weakened, but there.
“Do you mean,” Neville asked, “That hooded figure was Vol..’
“Neville! Are you all right?” Hermione and Harry was running towards them down the path, Hagrid puffing along behind her.
He smiled at her, “I am fine,”
Firenze then stopped and let him off. “The unicorn’s dead, Hagrid, it is in that clearing back there.”
It was then Firenze spoke, “This is where I leave you,” While Hagrid hurried off to examine the unicorn.
“You are safe now,” The Centaur spoke “Best of Luck Longbottom, you and your friends would need it,” And with that, the Centaur galloped away in darkness.