The Bravest Snake

CHAPTER 22

The following morning, notes were delivered to Harry, Hermione, Draco, Daphne, Neville, and Pansy Parkinson. They all contained the same message.

Your detention will take place at eleven o' clock tonight. Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall. - Professor McGonagall

After all the things that felt like had happened since Norbert had left, detention was the last thing on Harry's mind. Looking at everyone else's expressions, they'd all forgotten about it too. ''Oh well,'' Draco sighed, tucking the note into his robe pocket. ''It could be worse. The detention could be with Snape.'' 

Harry smiled at Draco's half hearted attempt at humor, but his mind was too busy racing with the possibilities of what this detention may contain. He didn't trust Filch farther than he could throw him. What was he going to make them do?

At eleven o' clock exactly that night, Harry, Pansy and Daphne went down to the entrance hall. Daphne stubbornly avoided all eye contact with Pansy, and part of Harry thought it was a little petty for her to do that. Part of him also found it difficult to look Pansy in the eye as well.

Filch was already waiting in the entrance hall with Draco, Hermione, and Neville. ''Follow me,'' said Filch, lighting a lantern and leading them outside. ''I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?'' Filch leered at them. Harry rolled his eyes and tuned out the rest of Filch's long - winded lecture. 

It was hard for Harry to take him seriously. He found Filch to be extremely creepy, and frankly, not worth his time. Besides, rules were made to be broken, he thought to himself as they walked across the dark grounds. Blaise says that's a pretty Slytherin mindset to have, so I'll have to have it.

The moon cast a milky white light onto the grass, but drifting clouds occluded it. Ahead, Harry spotted the warm lighted windows of Hagrid's hut. Then he heard a distant shout. ''Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started.''

Harry's heart rose. If they were working with Hagrid for detention, then it wouldn't be so bad. Hagrid liked Harry, and he was sure to go easy on his friends too. His relief must have shown on his face, because Filch said smugly, ''I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again boy - it's into the forest you're going, and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece.''

At that, Neville let out a little moan, Hermione slapped her hand over her mouth, and Pansy stopped dead in her tracks.

''The forest?'' she repeated, and she didn't sound quite as cool or collected as usual. ''We can't go in there at night - there's all sorts of things in there - werewolves, I heard.''

Neville clutched the sleeve of Harry's robe and made a choking noise. Harry shrugged him off not unkindly, but he found himself moving closer to Draco, who was moving closer to Hagrid. You're not scared. You're not scared of this. You're not scared of this.

''That's your problem, isn't it?'' Filch looked absolutely filled with glee at the young children's suffering. ''Should've thought of them werewolves before you got into trouble, shouldn't you?'' 

Harry heard loud, crunching footsteps approach them. Hagrid was striding toward the group, with his big dog Fang trotting at his heel. He carried a large crossbow and a quiver of arrows were slung over his shoulder. Harry hoped that he didn't have to use them. 

''Abou' time,'' Hagrid said impatiently. ''I bin waiting fer half an hour already. All right, Harry, Draco, Hermione?'' 

''I wouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid,'' Filch remarked coldly. ''But I'll leave you to it. I'll be back at dawn for what's left of them.'' He smiled nastily and Harry suppressed the urge to claw his face off. It would feel so good, though...

Pansy turned to Hagrid. ''I - I'm not going in that forest,'' she said, and Harry was pleased to hear the note of panic in her voice.

''Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts,'' Hagrid growled fiercely. ''Yeh'll do summat useful or yeh'll get out.'' Pansy didn't move. She looked at Hagrid with cold fury in her eyes, but then dropped her gaze.

''Right then.'' Hagrid turned to the rest of them. ''Listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment.'' 

He led them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his own lantern aloft, he pointed down a narrow, winding dirt path that disappeared into the densely packed black trees. A light, cool breeze made their hair stand on end as they looked into the forest.

''Look there,'' Hagrid pointed. ''see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff?'' Harry had to squint to see it. ''That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there, bin hurt badly by 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 it's misery.''

''I can't morally kill a unicorn, Hagrid,'' Hermione fretted, crossing her arms tightly. Harry didn't think he could either.

''And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?'' asked Pansy, unable to keep the fear out of her voice.

''There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang,'' said Hagrid. Harry severely doubted that. ''An' keep ter the path. Right, now we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least.''

Hagrid split them up. Harry went with Hermione and Neville, while Draco went with Daphne and Pansy. ''I want Fang,'' Pansy blurted out quickly, before anyone had the chance to say that Fang was actually very gentle.

''All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward,'' Hagrid said. ''Now, if anyone finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now - that's it - and if anyone gets into trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh - so, be careful - let's go.''

Harry's group walked beside him as they made their way through the dark and silent forest, splattered with drops of shimmery unicorn blood, leading them to their prize.