Party Police.

Chapter Twenty-Three.

So Harry set off into the heart of the forest with Malfoy, (Y/n), 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. Harry 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. Harry could see a clearing ahead, through the tangled branches of an ancient oak.
"Look—" he murmured, holding his arms out to stop (Y/n) and Malfoy.
Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They inched closer.
It was a unicorn all right, and it was dead. Harry 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.
Harry had taken one step toward it when a slithering sound made him freeze where he stood. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered... Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Harry, Malfoy, (Y/n), and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood.

"AAAAAAAAAAARH!"
Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted— so did Fang. (Y/n) gave a whimper and clung to Harry's arm. The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at them— unicorn blood was dribbling down its front. It got to its feet and came swiftly toward them— Harry couldn't move for fear despite (Y/n)'s shrieks and attempts to pull him back.
Then a pain like he'd never felt before pierced his head; it was as though his scar were on fire. Half blinded, he staggered backward with (Y/n). Hooves sounded behind them, galloping, and something jumped clean over them, charging at the figure.
The pain in Harry's head was so bad he fell to his knees. It took a minute or two to pass and (Y/n) held him close through it. When he looked up, the figure had gone. A centaur was standing over the two, not Ronan or Bane; this one looked younger; he had white-blond hair and a palomino body.

"Are you all right?" asked the centaur, helping the two to their feet.

"Yes— thank you— what was that?" Harry stammered.

The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishing blue eyes, like pale sapphires, that (Y/n) found herself lost in. He looked carefully at Harry and (Y/n), 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.
"My name is Firenze," he added as he lowered himself onto his front legs so that Harry and (Y/n) could clamber onto his back.
There was suddenly a sound of more galloping from the other side of the clearing. Ronan and Bane came bursting through the trees, their flanks heavy and sweaty.

"Firenze!" Bane thundered. "What are you doing? You have 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. The quicker he leaves this forest, the better."

"What have you been telling him?" 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 a 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 sudden reared onto his hind leg in anger, so that Harry had to grab his shoulders and (Y/n) had to hold onto Harry's torso as to not fall off.
"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 (Y/n) clutching on as best as they could, they plunged off into the trees, leaving Ronan and Bane behind them.