Chapter 13: Forbidden Forest

The following week dragged by. Charlie had accepted the task of keeping the dragon in Romania. SInce Draco did not alert the professors like in the story, they were able to deliver the dragon safely, but Edward didn't expect Flinch to catch them. They were punished with helping Hagrid on his daily patrol in the Forbidden forest.

The day of their punishment arrived. ​​"Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside.

"I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" he said, leering at them. "Oh yes. . . hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me. . . It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out. . . hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days. I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed. . . Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do. "

Edward rolled his eyes at that. If his father herd that a squib was going to use corporal punishment of his two favourite children, he would probably lynch Dumbeldore in a fit of anger, but the others were terrified by Flinch's words.

Hagrid came striding toward them out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder.

"Abou' time," he said. "I've been waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Harry, Hermione?"

"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," said Filch coldly, they're here to be punished, after all. "

"That's why you're late, is it?" said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. "Bin lecturing' them, eh? 'Snot your place to do that. You've done yer bit, I'll take over from here. "

"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch, "for what's left of them," he added nastily, and he turned and started back toward the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.

"Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don't' want no one taking' risks'. Follow me over here for 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. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the forest.

"Look there," said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there that was hurt badly by a summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery. "

"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 yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid. "An' keep the path. Right now, we're gonna split into two parties and' follow the trail in diff'rent 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.

"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid. "So me, Harry, and Hermione will go one way and Draco, Edward, Ron and Fang will go the other. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now -- that's it -- an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come and' find you -- so, be careful -- let's go. "

The forest was black and silent. A little way into it they reached a fork in the earth path, and Harry, Hermione, and Hagrid took the left path while Malfoy, Edward, Ron, and Fang took the right.

They walked in silence, their eyes on the ground. Every now and then a ray of moonlight through the branches above lit a spot of silver-blue blood on the fallen leaves.

"Could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?" Draco asked Edward.

"Werewolves are not strong or fast enough. "

They walked past a mossy tree stump. Harry could hear running water; there must be a stream somewhere close by. There were still spots of unicorn blood here and there along the winding path.

Edward was mentally thinking of a battle plan when he met Voldemort when Draco scared Ron by pointing at a spider. Poor Ron was so scared that he flung red sparks into the air and ran into a tree. Draco was stunned. He tried to look innocent when Hagrid came to help, but it didn't fool anyone.

Malfoy, Edward and Ron, and Fang were with him as Hagrid was fuming.

"We'll be lucky to catch anything' now, with the racket you two were makin'. Right, we're changing' groups -- Ron, you stay with me and Hermione, Harry, you go with Fang and the Malfoys.

So Edward set off into the heart of the forest with Harry and Draco and Fang. They walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper into the forest, until the path became almost impossible to follow because the trees were so thick. Edward thought the blood seemed to be getting thicker. There were splashes on the roots of a tree, as though the poor creature had been thrashing around in pain close by. Edward could see a clearing ahead, through the tangled branches of an ancient oak.

Edward was walking absentmindedly when Harry stopped him.

"Look -- "

Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They inched closer.

It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead. Edward had never seen anything so beautiful and sad. Its long, slender legs were stuck out at odd angles where it had fallen and its mane was spread pearly-white on the dark leaves. It looked like one of those deer carcasses on the road, its sad eyes staring at those who stared back at it.

Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Others may not know who he was but Edward knew that it was Voldemort who possessed Quirrell. Quirrel reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood. Edward held out his wand. Since phoenix was associated with the holy element, he figured that its flames would do extra damage. Just as he was about to use the spell, Fang let out a whimper.

This alerted Voldemort who screamed at Quirrell. Quirrell dodged to the side and cast a blasting spell towards the group. Edward pulled Draco and Harry aside and the ground that they were standing on was turned to rubble. Edward was about to use Dust Style when Quirrell cast a disarming charm on him and removed his wand.

Standing wandless, Edward thought of what he could do. He was alone with no wand while Harry was Incapacited with pain due to his scar hurting. Draco could not use offensive magic. Without a wand, he could not use larger complicated magic like Dust style, Pika Pika no Mi and Phoenix flames. The spells in his inventory were Lan Dun: Laser Circus, Null Magic:Slip and Null Magic: Modeling, or he could use Sensory Deprivation on Quirrell and run away with Draco and Harry. At times like this, Edward wished he still had the Sword of Gryffindor.

Just as Edward was observing Voldemort, Voldemort was observing Edward. Voldemort liked Edward's talent. Even he was not as good as Edward at his age. Voldemort was about to reveal his identity when a Centaur came and kicked Voldemort away. They had a fierce confrontation before Voldemort had to leave.

Edward let out a sigh of relief. Draco relaxed his shaking hand.

"Are you all right?" said the centaur.

"Yeah, I'm fine. What's your name?"

"My name is Frienze."

He looked carefully at Harry, his eyes lingering on the scar that stood out, livid, on Harry's forehead.

"You are the Potter boy," he said. "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."

Harry, Draco and Edward exchanged glances. Just then, two more centaurs came."Firenze!" Bane thundered. "What are you doing? You have two humans on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?"

"Do you realize who this is?" said Firenze. "This is the Potter boy and the blond one is the Inheritor. The quicker they leave this forest, the better. "

"What have you been telling them?" growled Bane. "Remember, Firenze, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?"

Ronan pawed the ground nervously. "I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best," he said in his gloomy voice.

Bane kicked his back legs in anger.

"For the best! What is that to do with us? Centaurs are concerned with what has been foretold! It is not our business to run around like donkeys after stray humans in our forest!"

Firenze suddenly reared on to his hind legs in anger, so that Harry had to grab his shoulders to stay on.

"Do you not see that unicorn?" Firenze bellowed at Bane. "Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must. "

And Firenze whisked around; with Harry and Edward clutching on as best he could, they plunged off into the trees, leaving Ronan and Bane behind them.

Harry didn't have a clue what was going on.

"Why's Bane so angry?" he asked. "What was that thing you saved me from, anyway?"

Firenze slowed to a walk. They made their way through the trees in silence for so long that Harry thought Firenze didn't want to talk to him anymore. They were passing through a particularly dense patch of trees, however, when Firenze suddenly stopped.

"Harry Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?"

"No," said Harry, 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. "

Harry stared at the back of Firenze's head, which was dappled silver in the moonlight.

"But who'd be that desperate?" he wondered aloud. "If you're 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. Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?"

"The Sorcerer's Stone! Of course -- the Elixir of Life! But I don't understand who--"

"Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?"

"Do you mean," Harry croaked, "that was Vol-"

"Harry! Draco! Edward! Are you all right?"

Hermione was running toward them down the path, Hagrid and Ron puffing along behind her.

"I'm fine," said Harry, hardly knowing what he was saying. "The unicorn's dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there. "

"Yeah, don't worry about me Hermione, I'm not like Weasely who fainted."

"Shut up Malfoy."

"This is where I leave you," Firenze murmured as Hagrid hurried off to examine the unicorn. "You are safe now. "

"Good luck, Harry Potter," said Firenze. "The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times. "

Edward stopped Frienze," Wait, what do you mean inheritor.", but the only reply he received was the sound of galloping hooves.

When they came back, Edward went to bed while Ron and Hermione were filled in about the details. He pitched in about how he lost his wand and was defenseless. Perhaps, this way, this trio would not be as reckless anymore. But who was he kidding.