D-D-D-Detention

About a week before the start of our exams, all involved with the dragon incident get notes detailing our detention. Though I'm not sure why they don't just tell us after class, given that Gryffindors are sharing a Transfiguration class with Slytheirns today. I guess Professor McGonagall likes to be dramatic. Though I should have known given our first class with her she pretended to be a normal cat.

Anyways, apparently Filch is handling our detentions tonight, though the time is pretty late. Especially with how close the exams are. Maybe that's intentional to make them harder on us? Either way, it's irritating that we have to be up that late in addition to Astronomy at the end of the week.

The day passes with Draco and I discussing what our punishment will be; with him saying something about copying lines, to which I roll my eyes. "If they were just going to have us copy lines they wouldn't have it be so late."

"It would add onto the punishment given that the majority of first years are unaccustomed to being up that late, other than waking up for Astronomy class."

"I doubt it, but if it makes you feel better, go ahead and think that. Just don't complain when you're completely off the mark."

He scoffs. "I can't possibly be far off, even if my initial guess is wrong. We're first years, after all. I seriously doubt that they'd have some kind of extreme punishment for us."

`~`

"It's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."

I look at Draco's horrified eyes and am unable to hold back my snark. "So, Draco. About how far do you think this qualifies as compared to 'copying lines'."

He turns his terrified eyes to me, and I notice Harry looking smug at his obvious distress, causing me to internally scoff. He obviously doesn't understand why Draco's scared, which should honestly make him more scared. Unlike the two of us, Draco has lived his entire life in the wizarding world, so he knows better than we do about what kind of dangers there are.

"You don't get it, Misha! There's all sorts of things in there: like werewolves, I heard."

I nod along with his words, and am happy to note that Harry's at least got some concern showing on his face now. But as Hagrid, who's taking us into the forest, approaches I voice the question that's been burning inside ever since the forest was mentioned.

"So, just to be clear: we're going into the Forbidden Forest."

As he comes to a stop next to us, Hagrid tilts his head in confusion as Filch sneers. "Ai' that's right."

I nod. "Good. So, the Forbidden Forest, which literally has forbidden in the name, is our destination. The place we were specifically told not to enter at the start of the year."

The big man sighs before looking at Filch. "Better head on out, Filch. I got a feelin this'll take a good bit of time."

With one last disdainful look at the four of us, the consistently scruffy man retreats inside with some vaguely threatening promise to be back at dawn for us. Ignoring his departure, I continue my questioning as we start to walk.

"If the Forest is Forbidden to all students, why is our punishment going to be there?" I ask with genuine curiosity, which is mirrored by everyone else, though Draco still has fear in his eyes.

Hagrid huffs at me! Rude. "It's cuz yeh need to learn not ta break da rules. Something that will put the fear of Merlin in yeh so you stay on de right path."

I nod along like that makes sense. "Ok, ok. So, hypothetically speaking: if, say, someone cut off part of Dumbledore's beard, would they be punished with feeding the cerberus guarding something in the third floor corridor?"

Hagrid stumbles, which is a funny sight given his size. Though now I'm curious as to which part of my question made him stumble; the act or the fact I know about the dog?

"How do you know about Fluffy!? Wait, no. More importantly, NEVER touch the Headmaster's beard. He's liable ter get ya sent off ta Azkaban if you do. It's his pride and joy, and even become a symbol fer most of the wizarding world. They know when they see his beard that they'll be safe."

"O…K?" That seems like a super weird thing to make a symbol, but I guess wizards are into stupid stuff as much as muggles are, so whatever?

"As fer Fluffy, how 'bout you…" His gaze moves to Harry, and a lightbulb (or candle since wizards don't really do electricity) seems to light up, one that causes him to sigh. "Harry, you shouldn't've told her 'bout Fluffy."

He looks so offended that I laugh, drawing Hagrid's confused look back to me. "Hahaha. No, he didn't tell me about Fluffy, I was there. Though I have to ask, why Fluffy?"

He shrugs with his palms up helplessly. "Because he's fluffy."

I nod with a hand on my chin. "Makes sense. By any chance, are there any giant three headed cats in the wizarding world?"

He shakes his head with dropping shoulders. "Nah, there aren't. There be other kinds of felines, like the sphinx or the Wampus, but none that are similar te Fluffy."

I sigh. "Are they at least fluffy themselves?"

As we reach his hut, he scratches his beard in thought, which strikes a thought of my own. 'Is the reason he has such a bushy beard because he admires Dumbledore so much and wants to emulate him?'

"Wampus're fluffy, but I don't know 'bout the sphinx. Dun think so though."

Another sigh. "Oh well. Guess I'll just stick with Arianna. Even if she does lay around all day. It feels like she hasn't even left the Slytherin dormitories all year. But taking care of Fluffy must take a ton of effort, what do you do if they get rowdy though? An agitated dog of that size would be capable of causing some major damage if it ever got out of its room."

He waves my concern off. "Nah, there's nuthin to it! Jus' play him a bit o' music an he'll go straight ter sleep."

It seems, in the joy of speaking with another animal enthusiast, he doesn't realize just how important that bit of information is. But it seems that both Harry and Hermione do, judging by how wide their eyes are. Draco was never interested in the dog though, nor what it was guarding, so he just dismisses it in lieu of continuing to worry about the Forest. Which we are now approaching after Hagrid has collected his much more reasonably sized dog from his hut.

After shining the light from his lantern onto what he explains is unicorn blood, he tells us that we're going to try and find whatever has been hunting the unicorns that live in the forest.

"If we find a dead unicorn, can we keep the body?" I raise my hand like we're in class and get flat looks all around.

"No. We'll leave it ter the forest so it can rest in it's home."

I shrug. Considering how many things use its tail and horn, it would be a waste to just leave them. And I'm sure the rest of the body has its own uses.

As we're split up, with Hermione and Draco being put with Hagrid and Harry and I being put with Fang, I decide that what he doesn't know, won't hurt him.