A Prophecy of Two Boys

Chapter 7

(Edited: 17/07/2020)

Chapter 7

Percy's point of view

We just about survived our interrogation from the Snakes. Flint gave us a lecture on what was the proper way to act, and rebuked us for chasing after the Troll. I tried to explain that I just wanted a wrestling match, and he looked horrified! Apparently wrestling matches were for Muggles and mudbloods. We disagreed, but held our tongue. Even without Draco's foot to the shin we had worked out that this wasn't the time to start talking pro-muggle.

As for our Godfather... Severus gave us two nights detention with Filch. Or at least, it was going to be with Filch, then Hagrid asked for us instead. Something about a disturbance in the unicorn herds or something. I don't know. But yeah, so here we were, on the edge of curfew, waiting for the others with detention tonight to turn up, outside the Forbidden Forest. Seriously, Dumbledore specifically warned us not to go into the Forbidden Forest, and now we were being taken into it? What kind of backwards logic is that?

Mist curled around the thick trunks of the trees. It was probably due to the superstition surrounding the woods, but I could almost feel the trees' hatred for us, their branches reaching out with twiggy fingers to snatch us. The night time noise of the nocturnal animals filled the crisp night air. I could hear what might have been the Centaurs thundering through the woods shouting, the snuffling of what sounded like a pig-animal, and the almost silent padding footsteps of a predator, just beyond the grey bushes. I shivered.

'Hey.' Harry poked me with a smile. 'It's just like the woods at home, right? When we went searching for moonlace?'

'Yeah.' I grinned, suddenly not scared anymore. Harry and I joined control. I felt his calm fill me, and I let my excitement wash over him.

"There you are!" Hagrid exclaimed to somebody from behind us. We turned around, and groaned. Who else would it be but Charles and Ron with detention? Behind them stood a short slightly plump boy with a round face and dark hair that I recognised as Neville Longbottom.

Our brother scowled, and Ron glared.

"What are you doing here?" Ron demanded.

We sighed and rolled our eyes before answering truthfully, "We challenged a Troll to a wrestling match. Severus though it was a risk to our health, so put us in det to 'learn our lesson'."

The Gryffindors didn't look sure whether to believe us or not. Hagrid laughed.

"They did as well. If that wasn't a Gryffindor thing to do then I don't know what is."

Neither Ron nor Charles responded, and Neville looked petrified – he didn't look like he'd be speaking any time soon. Deciding to get on with things, Hagrid picked up his large lantern and heading into the dark trees. A small whimper left Charles' lips as the half-giant beckoned us with one enormous hand.

"You can't mean that you actually expect us to go in there, do you?" Charles begged in the smallest voice we'd ever heard him use. A small chuckle left our lips and we smirked at our brother.

"Scared, Charles? My, my, and we thought you were a Gryffindor..."

Charles stiffened, straightening his back and glaring at us. He curled his lip back in a sneer, and shook his head. The movement looked a bit forced and his eyes were constantly flicking around him, as if searching for something, for anything that he could use as an excuse not to enter the trees. Hagrid beckoned us again, a bit impatient now. Shrugging out shoulders, we moved past our brother, and entered the trees.