Cassandra White

Forbidden Forest (Contd)

Cassandra and James froze in their tracks when they heard Fangs bark.
"Is Hagrid in the forest?" James asked helplessly.
"But why? It's night time!" Cassandra exclaimed.
Both of  them paused for a moment and then James looked at Cassandra in  askance.
"Should we go in?" Cassandra thought for a moment and replied.
"We should. Do you have your wand?" She asked. James nodded in reply.
They then began walking towards the forest.
The forest was dark and deep. The thick canopy of trees made the place humind and damp. There was hardly any soil on the ground just tree root protruding and bulging above the ground.
They kept walking deeper into the forest. Fangs was no longer barking so it was impossible to tell where they are at all.
Suddenly Cassandra heard a loud thud and jumped. James was startled at Cassandra's sudden reaction and asked, "What is it?"
"I heard a thud...like hooves on solid ground." She replied.
"Hooves?" James was not sure at first but suddenly it dawned on him...."Centaurs" he whispered.
Cassandra felt fear take over her and she froze on her tracks.
"But..." Cassandra trailed off and for a long moment neither James not Cassandra spoke.
Far into the distance a sharp neigh-like shreck sounded loud and clear.
Cassandra and James jumped.
"What was that?" James questioned.
"It was a centaur I guess.  It sounds hurt." Cassandra replied and immediately took a step towards where the scream came from. James caught her by her hand and stopped her, "Where are you going?" He asked.
"To help. It could be hurt centaur and we should check it out anyway. What if it is Hagrid who is hurt?" She reasoned.
James did not say anything for a moment. He looked as if he was struggling to figure out what to say.
The Forbidden Forest is dangerous and his father knew it better than anyone else and he also warned James about the centuars before he started at Hogwarts.
James took a moment and finally opened his mouth to speak, all the while Cassandra was looking at his face in askance as if begging him to hurry up before anything worse happened.
"Fine but have your wand out, in case we need to use it." He said. Cassandra nodded and pulled out her wand from her robes.
They began heading deeper into the forest, careful of each step that they took. The deeper they went into the forest the lesser the soil was. The ground was nothing but roots of huge trees protruding from the soil and making up the ground. The canopy of the forest kept getting thicker and thicker.
As they reached a particular spot under a huge tree, whose trunk was covered in moss. They saw a young centaur lying there, still, not movig a muscle at all.
Cassandra and James stopped in their tracks. Fearing the worst they took a small step closer. Cassandra was relieved to see that the centaur was breathing. She got down on knee and soft caressed the horse like soft coat. The centaur shifted a little but did not say anything.
"Are you hurt?" Cassandra whisperee softly as if scared that speaking louf might disturb the other dangerous creatures in the forest. The centaur managed to nod in response.
Cassandra lifted her wand, "Lumos." She muttered.
"Do you think it will be safe? The light might attract unwanted attention!" James reasoned.
"Let's hope not." Cassandra replied and walked over to the other side of the injured centaur. She noticed a huge gash on his torso. It was bleeding profusely. She chanted some healing spells and the wounds closed up instantly, stopping the loss of blood.
James stood there looking out for intruders.
After a while when Cassandra was done, the centuar shifted slowly and stood up. It was not a grown centaur but a fawn, nevertheless it still rose at a height of atleast one to two feat above James, who himself was about five feet and five inches in height.
James raised his wand a little slightly worried the centaur might attack.
The centaur did nothing other than stomp his hooves on the ground moving his stiff muscles. He then looked down at the girl who helped him and said, "Wizards and witches should not come into this forest, but I thank you for helping me."
Cassandra gave a pursed-lip smile. She was a bit intimidated by the size of the centaur.
"CASSIE AND JAMES!!" someone yelled. They both turned to see that it was a huge man with bushy hair with his huge dog beside him.
"Hagrid!!" They both said back and Cassandra ran up to Hagrid and gave him a hug.
Hagrid hugged back but quickly pulled back, "What are you two doing here?" He asked in a voice laced with worry.
"We came down to talk to you but as we reached your hut we heard Fangs bark from the forest and we assumed the worst and came looking for you." Cassandra ranted without taking a breath.
"But what are you doing here?" James questioned.
Hagrid's expression became nervous and he stuttered, "I-I uh... I come down...here once a while...to you know...see...see if everything....is okay." He lied.
"Well then there is!" Cassandra blurted, "He was injured badly." She pointed to the centaur.
"What?!" Hagrid was bewildered, "How is that possible?" He turned to the centaur.
"The witch is right. I was attacked by a wizard." The centaur confirmed.
Hagrid was speechless. He knew that nobody would dare attack centaurs. It could start a possible war among centaurs and wizards.
"A wizard?" James asked surprised, "but how is that even possible? Nobody comes to the forest. It is impossible to apparate here"
After a long moment of uncomfortable silence. They heard a loud scream, "MASHA!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"
All of them turned and saw that it was another centaur, older than the one standing before them but very strong and intimidating.
"Father!" The centaur said.
Hagrid pulled both James and Cassandra behind him as the other centaur approached.
"Bane." James whispered to Cassandra.
"What are you doing here, Hagrid? How many times do I have to remind you about what we do to wizards who enter our grounds." The centaur named Bane said as he stood dangerously close in front of them.
"It was a mistake, Bane. They did not mean to." Hagrid defended.
"They helped me, Father." The young centaur intervened.
"Help! You took help from a witch and a wizard." Bane shrecked.
"He was hurt!" Cassandra defended and stepped beside Hagrid.
James tried to pull her back but she stood her ground. He then held a firm grip on his wand, in case.
Bane did not say anything but turned to look sternly at his son, who it seemed almost shrunk a little under his hard gaze.
"Yes, father. I was attacked by a wizard." Masha confirmed.
Bane then turned to Hagrid and said, "What is a wizard doing in our territory?"
Hagrid huffed and said, "Not your territory, Bane. This ground is neutral."
Bane did not seemed convinced at all he then looked at Cassandra and said, "Centaurs don't accept help from witches. We are not under the control of any wand holders but since you saved his life I will let you go. Be wiser and never set foot here again."
Bane then turned and walked away and Masha followed.
As the disappeared from view Hagrid huffed again and said, "These Centaurs..."
"It's okay Hagrid." Cassandra assured.
"And you two, don't ever leave the castle at night, alright? You will get into trouble far worse than this." Hagrid warned.
Cassandra nodded in aggrement, but James looked at Hagrid and said, "We thought you were in trouble."
"I wasn't. I had to check on something." He replied nervously.
"But the wizard...why did a wixard attack a centaur?" Cassandra asked.
Hagrid thought for a moment, suddenly all this felt a little to familiar to him than he was comfortable to admit. He shook his head slightly and said, "No idea, Cassie. It will be better if you two go back to your dorms. Come on I will take you up to the castle."
Cassandra and James wanted to ask more questions but decided against it. Clearly Hagrid had no idea either what had happened.

***

As they reached the castle, Hagrid was caught by Flinch.
"What are you doing here? I will inform the headmistress?" Flinch threatened. Luckily Cassandra and James were under the invisibility cloak because of which Flinch could only see Hagrid. They took the chance and slipped away quitely barely knocking over one of the armours that stood near the entrance. Hagrid tried his best to divert Flinch's attention, "Oh shut up you fool. I was patrolling the grounds ya see." Hagrid defended.
Flinch did not seemed convinced and Mrs. Norris hissed at him. Hagrid did not flinch but walked back out into the grounds hoping the other two made it to the dorms.

***

Cassandra and James lifted the invisibility cloak off them as they came in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Periwinkle." James whispered and the portrait swung open, thankfully The Fat Lady did not ask much questions and let them in.
James was about to head to his room when Cassandra called out, "James..." .
James stopped in his tracks, "Should we tell Albus and Rose about this?"
James thought for a moment as said, "I don't think it would be a good idea. If you tell Rose she will write to her mum or dad and if you tell Albus he might end up going to the forest."
Cassandra did not say anything but she knew he was right.
"Okay..." she sighed.

***

For the next few weeks as class went on usual at Hogwarts neither James nor Cassandra talked about it in front of anyone. Though they often wanted to go back and look for the wizard. Cassandra was not sure. She wanted to tell Albus and Scorpious but she was scared they might do something really stupid and get in trouble.