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Chapter Twenty

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The winter holidays had come and gone, and now it was time to return to Hogwarts. Back to classes, friends, and most unfortunate? Back to the detention that Harry and Draco needed to serve. The school had not forgotten about their brawl with Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom. Nor had any of the boys.

The Weasley and Longbottom boys had stayed at the castle over the holiday, and so had already served out their punishment. But the Malfoy boys had been away, celebrating with their family and learning more and more about each other. Thus, upon returning to Hogwarts, they were met by none other than Severus Snape, with a very disgruntled look in his eye.

"I trust that you didn't think you would be getting away with this, gentlemen?" He had addressed them shortly after the returning feast, once the Slytherins had reentered their common room and gotten settled. "Come see me in my office tomorrow night, and we'll get your punishment sorted."

The boys had groaned, but responded with a "Yes, Professor Snape," in tandem. Who knows what awaited them at Snape's hands. Copying down endless lines of "I will not act like a fool."? Scrubbing every one of his cauldrons clean until they sparkled? Dissecting various small creatures for potions ingredients?

Harry was not excited, with Draco being even less so. After all, Harry was the one who had attacked first, Draco had just been defending himself from Longbottom's tackling attack.

Nonetheless, the two brothers dragged themselves to Professor Snape's office after dinner, making sure that they were at least five minutes early. Regardless of the fact that they had arrived early, he was waiting for them at the door, greeting them with his signature frown.

"Follow me," was all he said as he lead them out of the dungeons.

Harry's mind raced as he followed the Potions professor. What was their detention going to be if it wasn't in the dungeons with Snape? Was he about to get his ass kicked again in retribution?

The Head of Slytherin House finally spoke again once he had led the two eleven year olds outside into the frigid air. "I would like to make it known that I was not the old fool who decided upon this punishment. I suggested something such as scrubbing all of my cauldrons, but the Headmaster decided that Mister Hagrid needed the help of first years."

Snape scowled, robes billowing as he crossed the grounds of Hogwarts, now heading towards what Harry knew to be Hagrid's hut. He had visited the large man a few times, but had never convinced Draco to come along. Hagrid had apologised for not telling him how to get onto Platform 9 3/4, and Harry had amicably accepted the apology. The two were friends now, and Harry relished in the stories that Hagrid had about his birth parents, although he was noticeably quiet when it came to stories about Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy.

As the three made their way to Hagrid's hut, Harry spotted a familiar curly top besides the linebacker of a man. "Hermione?" He called out as they approached. "What are you doing here?"

Hermione Granger turned towards the coming trio, and Harry could see the tears in her eyes, behind a steely look of determination."I have detention, same as you."

Snape scowled, stopping before the other two people at the edge of the Hogwarts grounds. "Miss Granger was found after hours sneaking around with Ronald Weasley. He has had both of his punishments, and now it is time for hers, along with that of you two." With that, Snape nodded at Hagrid and turned away, heading back towards the castle.

Draco, looking very put out at having to be with both Hermione and Hagrid, addressed the Gryffindor girl, something he rarely did. "Sneaking around with a Weasley? Your standards must be lower than I could have ever imagined, even for a Muggleborn."

"Draco," Harry said in a warning tone. "Be nice."

Hermione huffed, coils of hair bouncing as she tossed her head, looking away from Draco. "It was hardly what you think. He just had a connection I needed, he's not even a friend of mine."

Draco's eyebrows raised slightly, and he just nodded, looking up at Hagrid. "So what are you gonna make us do at this time of night? Walk your dog?" He cast a glance at Fang, who was curled up at Hagrid's feet, asleep.

The dog awoke at the sound of his name and sniffed the air, immediately making for Harry and licking him in the face. Harry groaned at the action but compliantly gave the large dog some pets, scratching behind his ears.

"Hardly!" Hagrid said cheerfully. "Professor Dumbledore recommended tha' I bring yeh all ter the forest with me. Y'see, we've been havin' a problem with our unicorns."

Draco's jaw dropped, and he spoke before any of the other children could. "You can't take us into the Forbidden Forest! It-it's-"

"Forbidden!" Harry exclaimed. "There's all sorts of bad things in there, like werewolves and Acromantula, and who knows what else!"

Hagrid huffed, crossing his arms. "Look, as long as yeh stick with me, yeh'll be safe. I promise yeh."

Harry sighed in defeat. But then again, if anyone could protect them from the dangers of the Forbidden Forest, it would be the man who lived right next to it. "Fine. I trust you, Hagrid."

Draco looked at Harry as if he had grown a second head, sputtering as he looked at Hermione. "What about you?"

Hermione just sniffed, clearly still upset about the fact that she was having her very first detention. "Hagrid is my friend. I trust him too."

Draco's shoulders fell, and he looked at the giant dog that Harry was petting. "Fine, but I want Fang to come with us."

Hagrid shrugged rubbing his large hands together and turning towards the forest. "Whatever suits you, but be warned; He's the biggest coward of them all."

Harry and Hermione followed Hagrid, leaving Draco standing there open mouthed with Fang. Was nothing going to go right for him today? As their bodies retreated, he heard a rustle from beside him and took off towards the others. "Hey, wait for me!" Fang followed, bounding alongside the blond boy as the group reached the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest.

"Now," Hagrid said, in a tone more deadly serious than Harry had ever thought him capable of. "Stick with me, and yeh'll be safe. Do not leave my side."

The three first years nodded solemnly, sticking close to Hagrid's back as he drew them along into the forest, following a marked path.

"So, what's wrong with the unicorns, Hagrid?" Harry asked curiously as the fear started to wear off after a few minutes of nothing happening but the leaves under their feet crunching. "Are they sick?"

"Somethin's killin' 'em," Hagrid said quietly. "If yeh see any unicorn blood - some silvery glowin' stuff - let me know. But don't touch it!"

Harry's dark face paled slightly, and he looked over at Hermione and Draco to see that their faces were once again full of fear. What could possibly be so evil that it was killing unicorns? Harry knew of the curse that drinking unicorn blood would put on your life. There was no way something was killing them for their blood, was it? Were there...vampires...in the Forbidden Forest, lurking around the trees and waiting for the group to let their guard down so that they could attack? Harry swallowed around a lump in his throat, eyes nervously darting around them.

They walked for a while more, following the path deeper and deeper into the forest. There were massive spiderwebs everywhere now, but no Acromantula. It seemed that Hagrid's presence really was warding off any dark forces of the forest. Until Draco spotted something.

"Hagrid!" He whispered harshly, pulling on the man's jacket. Hagrid turned, gaze following Draco's outstretched finger, to a puddle of silver liquid glistening on the forest floor. Unicorn blood. Hermione looked like she was about to faint, and Hagrid clucked his tongue.

"No good, no good," he repeated. "The lot of yeh, stay right here. The blood trail leaves the path, I don't want ter bring yeh deeper in. Send up red sparks if anythin' seems ter go wrong."

"But-" The children's protests went unheard, as Hagrid took off running, following the trail of silver blood, leaving the first years with Fang, who was now whimpering.

"What are we gonna do now?" Draco moaned pitifully.

"Will you get a hold of yourself?" Hermione snapped. "The more noise you make the more likely something will find us!"

Harry sighed as they began bickering, crossing his arms and hissing as he heard a snap from behind them. "Will you both shut up, something's coming!"

The three whirled around, staring into the pitch darkness. "Should I send up sparks?" Hermione whispered. Harry was about to respond when whatever was looming made its presence known.

A strange hooded figure, teeth bared. The children screamed, and Harry suddenly felt a splitting pain in his forehead, right where his scar was located. He screamed even louder, and the creature seemed to recoil slightly before advancing again. As it drew nearer, the pain grew worse, until Harry was on the ground, clutching at his head, vision blurry. As it went black, he heard two "Vermillious" incantations and...galloping?

Harry awoke later in the Hospital Wing, headache still raging, although it was nowhere near as sharp and painful as it had been in the forest. He looked around, sighing in relief when he saw Draco and Hermione at his bedside.

"Wha' happen?" He asked, still a bit groggy.

"We got saved by a centaur," Hermione whispered. It was only at the quietness of her voice that Harry noticed it was still the middle of the night. "His name is Firenze, he...he..."

Draco's voice was hoarse, and it seemed that neither of them had spoken since screaming in the forest. "He said that thing was the Dark Lord."

Harry's eyes widened, and he promptly passed back out, unable to deal with the idea. Just when his life seemed to be going right, Lord Voldemort would return? What would happen to him? What would happen to his family and friends? It was all entirely too much for the young boy to handle.

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Hey, uh... Long time no see? I told y'all this fic wasn't gonna be abandoned, and I meant it. I was just...on hiatus. Anyway, I hope you're well if you've read this, and feel free to let me know what you think of this chapter!