Harry Potter and Hermione Granger: The Philosopher's Stone

The Forbidden Forest

Dateline: May 26th, 1992

After feeling confident about their studies in their classes, Harry and Hermione journeyed to Hagrid's for a little free time while Neville and Draco were getting shunned and insulted by their classmates for having 150 points taken off their house for wandering around the school at night.

Flashback*

Dateline: May 10th 1992, at 1 AM

Draco and Neville were in Professor McGonagall's office while they were up late at night. Draco was heading down to Hagrid's Hut, and Neville was journeying up to see if there was any sign of Harry and Hermione.

"Nothing, I repeat, nothing gives a student the right to walk about the school at night." McGonagall said sternly, "Therefore, as punishment for your actions, 150 points will be taken."

"150?!" said Draco

"Each. And to ensure it doesn't happen again, the two of you will receive detention."

End of Flashback*

Harry and Hermione were journeying over to Hagrid's Hut when he came up with some bad news.

"Well, Malfoy and Longbottom's havin' detention with me, and you two can tag along."

"Hagrid, what did we do wrong? We saved your job!" complained Harry.

"What? You haven't seen the forest or summat?"

"No!" said the two first years.

"Well, you're going to find summat in that forest with their detention at 11:00."

"That late?" said Hermione.

"Apparently. Now, I wan' you guys to hurry back at me hut and don' be late! Tag along with Filch if ya could."

Harry and Hermione nodded at Hagrid's response, and both were a little scared of what would happen in the forest at eleven o'clock at night with Neville and Malfoy. The clock had struck at eleven, and Hagrid informed the two young Gryffindors about their journey in the forest that morning with owls sent to the Gryffindor Common Room. Harry grabbed the Invisibility Cloak from his trunk and flung it over himself and Hermione as they exited the portrait hole. Neville was already out of the portrait hole, and he started to walk to the Great Hall where Malfoy and Filch were waiting. After Neville arrived, Filch led them outside.

"A pity they let the old punishments die. There was a time detention would find you hanging by your thumbs in the dungeons. God, I miss the screaming." said Filch as the four students headed off to Hagrid's Hut. "You'll be serving detention with Hagrid tonight. He's got a little job to do inside the dark forest. A sorry little group this, Hagrid. Oh, good God, man, you're not still on about that bloody dragon, are you?"

"Norbert's gone. Someone sent him off to Romania to live in a colony," said Hagrid, sniffing and sighing in defeat.

"Well, that's good, isn't it? He'll be with his own kind," said Neville.

"Yeah, but what if he don't like Romania? 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." snapped Filch, rolling his eyes in the process. "You're going to the forest, after all. Got to have your wits about you."

"The forest? I thought that was a joke! We can't go in there. Students aren't allowed. And there are..." Malfoy said, hearing a cry of a howl. "Werewolves!"

"There's more than werewolves in those trees, lad. You can be sure of that. Nighty-night."

Filch left while leaving looks of horror on every student's face outside the castle. The giant was carrying a crossbow and set off toward the forest.