Filch took them down to Professor McGonagall’s study on the
first floor, where they sat and waited without saying a word to
each other. Hermione was trembling. Excuses, alibis and wild
cover-up stories chased each other around Harry’s brain, each
more feeble than the last. He couldn’t see how they were going to
get out of trouble this time. They were cornered. How could they
have been so stupid as to forget the Cloak? There was no reason
on earth that Professor McGonagall would accept for their being
out of bed and creeping around the school in the dead of night, let
alone being up the tallest astronomy tower, which was out-ofbounds except for classes. Add Norbert and the Invisibility Cloak
and they might as well be packing their bags already.
Had Harry thought that things couldn’t have been worse? He
was wrong. When Professor McGonagall appeared, she was leading Neville.
‘Harry!’ Neville burst out, the moment he saw the other two. ‘I
was trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoy saying he was
going to catch you, he said you had a drag–’
Harry shook his head violently to shut Neville up, but
Professor McGonagall had seen. She looked more likely to breathe
fire than Norbert as she towered over the three of them.
‘I would never have believed it of any of you. Mr Filch says you
were up the astronomy tower. It’s one o’clock in the morning.
Explain yourselves.’
It was the first time Hermione had ever failed to answer a teacher’s question. She was staring at her slippers, as still as a statue.
‘I think I’ve got a good idea of what’s been going on,’ said
Professor McGonagall. ‘It doesn’t take a genius to work it out. You
fed Draco Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. I’ve already caught him. I
suppose you think it’s funny that Longbottom here heard the story
and believed it, too?’
Harry caught Neville’s eye and tried to tell him without words
that this wasn’t true, because Neville was looking stunned and
hurt. Poor, blundering Neville – Harry knew what it must have
cost him to try and find them in the dark, to warn them.
‘I’m disgusted,’ said Professor McGonagall. ‘Four students out
of bed in one night! I’ve never heard of such a thing before! You,
Miss Granger, I thought you had more sense. As for you, Mr
Potter, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. All
three of you will receive detentions – yes, you too, Mr
Longbottom, nothing gives you the right to walk around school at
night, especially these days, it’s very dangerous – and fifty points
will be taken from Gryffindor.’
‘Fifty?’ Harry gasped – they would lose the lead, the lead he’d
won in the last Quidditch match.
‘Fifty points each,’ said Professor McGonagall, breathing heavily
through her long pointed nose.
‘Professor – please –’
‘You can’t –’
‘Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do, Potter. Now get back to
bed, all of you. I’ve never been more ashamed of Gryffindor
students.’
A hundred and fifty points lost. That put Gryffindor in last
place. In one night, they’d ruined any chance Gryffindor had had
for the House Cup. Harry felt as though the bottom had dropped
out of his stomach. How could they ever make up for this?
Harry didn’t sleep all night. He could hear Neville sobbing into
his pillow for what seemed like hours. Harry couldn’t think of
anything to say to comfort him. He knew Neville, like himself,
was dreading the dawn. What would happen when the rest of
Gryffindor found out what they’d done?
At first, Gryffindors passing the giant hour-glasses that recorded the house points next day thought there’d been a mistake. How
could they suddenly have a hundred and fifty points fewer than
yesterday? And then the story started to spread: Harry Potter, the
famous Harry Potter, their hero of two Quidditch matches, had
lost them all those points, him and a couple of other stupid firstyears. From being one of the most popular and admired people at the
school, Harry was suddenly the most hated. Even Ravenclaws and
Hufflepuffs turned on him, because everyone had been longing to
see Slytherin lose the House Cup. Everywhere Harry went, people
pointed and didn’t trouble to lower their voices as they insulted
him. Slytherins, on the other hand, clapped as he walked past
them, whistling and cheering, ‘Thanks Potter, we owe you one!’
Only Ron stood by him.
‘They’ll all forget this in a few weeks. Fred and George have lost
loads of points in all the time they’ve been here, and people still
like them.’
‘They’ve never lost a hundred and fifty points in one go,
though, have they?’ said Harry miserably.
‘Well – no,’ Ron admitted.
It was a bit late to repair the damage, but Harry swore to himself not to meddle in things that weren’t his business from now
on. He’d had it with sneaking around and spying. He felt so
ashamed of himself that he went to Wood and offered to resign
from the Quidditch team.
‘Resign?’ Wood thundered. ‘What good’ll that do? How are we
going to get any points back if we can’t win at Quidditch?’
But even Quidditch had lost its fun. The rest of the team
wouldn’t speak to Harry during practice, and if they had to speak
about him, they called him ‘the Seeker’.
Hermione and Neville were suffering, too. They didn’t have as
bad a time as Harry, because they weren’t as well known, but
nobody would speak to them either. Hermione had stopped drawing attention to herself in class, keeping her head down and working in silence.
Harry was almost glad that the exams weren’t far away. All the
revision he had to do kept his mind off his misery. He, Ron and
Hermione kept to themselves, working late into the night, trying
to remember the ingredients in complicated potions, learn charms
and spells off by heart, memorise the dates of magical discoveries
and goblin rebellions ...
Then, about a week before the exams were due to start, Harry’s
new resolution not to interfere in anything that didn’t concern
him was put to an unexpected test. Walking back from the library
on his own one afternoon, he heard somebody whimpering from a
classroom up ahead. As he drew closer, he heard Quirrell’s voice. ‘No – no – not again, please –’
It sounded as though someone was threatening him. Harry
moved closer.
‘All right – all right –’ he heard Quirrell sob.
Next second, Quirrell came hurrying out of the classroom,
straightening his turban. He was pale and looked as though he
was about to cry. He strode out of sight; Harry didn’t think
Quirrell had even noticed him. He waited until Quirrell’s footsteps
had disappeared, then peered into the classroom. It was empty,
but a door stood ajar at the other end. Harry was halfway
towards it before he remembered what he’d promised himself
about not meddling.
All the same, he’d have gambled twelve Philosopher’s Stones
that Snape had just left the room, and from what Harry had just
heard, Snape would be walking with a new spring in his step –
Quirrell seemed to have given in at last.
Harry went back to the library, where Hermione was testing
Ron on Astronomy. Harry told them what he’d heard.
‘Snape’s done it, then!’ said Ron. ‘If Quirrell’s told him how to
break his Anti-Dark Force spell –’
‘There’s still Fluffy, though,’ said Hermione.
‘Maybe Snape’s found out how to get past him without asking
Hagrid,’ said Ron, looking up at the thousands of books surrounding them. ‘I bet there’s a book somewhere in here, telling you how
to get past a giant three-headed dog. So what do we do, Harry?’
The light of adventure was kindling again in Ron’s eyes, but
Hermione answered before Harry could.
‘Go to Dumbledore. That’s what we should have done ages ago.
If we try anything ourselves we’ll be thrown out for sure.’
‘But we’ve got no proof!’ said Harry. ‘Quirrell’s too scared to
back us up. Snape’s only got to say he doesn’t know how the troll
got in at Hallowe’en and that he was nowhere near the third floor
– who do you think they’ll believe, him or us? It’s not exactly a
secret we hate him, Dumbledore’ll think we made it up to get him
sacked. Filch wouldn’t help us if his life depended on it, he’s too
friendly with Snape, and the more students get thrown out, the
better, he’ll think. And don’t forget, we’re not supposed to know
about the Stone or Fluffy. That’ll take a lot of explaining.’
Hermione looked convinced, but Ron didn’t.
‘If we just do a bit of poking around –’ ‘No,’ said Harry flatly, ‘we’ve done enough poking around.’
He pulled a map of Jupiter towards him and started to learn the
names of its moons.
*
The following morning, notes were delivered to Harry, Hermione
and Neville at the breakfast table. They were all the same:
Your detention will take place at eleven o’clock tonight. Meet
Mr Filch in the Entrance Hall.
Prof. M. McGonagall
Harry had forgotten they still had detentions to do in the furore
over the points they’d lost. He half expected Hermione to complain that this was a whole night of revision lost, but she didn’t say
a word. Like Harry, she felt they deserved what they’d got.
At eleven o’clock that night they said goodbye to Ron in the
common room and went down to the entrance hall with Neville.
Filch was already there – and so was Malfoy. Harry had also forgotten that Malfoy had got a detention, too.
‘Follow me,’ said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside. ‘I bet you’ll think twice about breaking a school rule again,
won’t you, eh?’ he continued, leering at them. ‘Oh yes ... hard
work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me ... It’s just a pity
they let the old punishments die out ... hang you by your wrists
from the ceiling for a few days, I’ve got the chains still in my
office, keep ’em well oiled in case they’re ever needed ... Right, off
we go, and don’t think of running off, now, it’ll be worse for you if
you do.’
They marched off across the dark grounds. Neville kept sniffing. Harry wondered what their punishment was going to be. It
must be something really horrible, or Filch wouldn’t be sounding
so delighted.
The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it kept
throwing them into darkness. Ahead, Harry could see the lighted
windows of Hagrid’s hut. Then they heard a distant shout.
‘Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started.’
Harry’s heart rose; if they were going to be working with Hagrid
it wouldn’t be so bad. His relief must have showed in his face,
because Filch said, ‘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 this, Neville let out a little moan and Malfoy stopped dead in
his tracks.
‘The Forest?’ he repeated, and he didn’t sound quite as cool 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.
‘That’s your lookout, isn’t it?’ said Filch, his voice cracking with
glee. ‘Should’ve thought of them werewolves before you got in
trouble, shouldn’t you?’
Hagrid came striding towards them out of the dark, Fang at his
heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows
hung over his shoulder.
‘Abou’ time,’ he said. ‘I bin waitin’ fer half an hour already. All
right, Harry, Hermione?’
‘I shouldn’t be too friendly to them, Hagrid,’ said Filch coldly,
‘they’re here to be punished, after all.’
‘That’s why yer late, is it?’ said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. ‘Bin
lecturin’ them, eh? ’Snot your place ter do that. Yeh’ve done yer
bit, I’ll take over from here.’
‘I’ll be back at dawn,’ said Filch, ‘for what’s left of them,’ he
added nastily, and he turned and started back towards the castle,
his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.
Malfoy now turned to Hagrid.
‘I’m not going in that Forest,’ he said, and Harry was pleased to
hear the note of panic in his voice.
‘Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts,’ said Hagrid fiercely.
‘Yeh’ve done wrong an’ now yeh’ve got ter pay fer it.’
‘But this is servant stuff, it’s not for students to do. I thought
we’d be writing lines or something. If my father knew I was doing
this, he’d –’
‘– tell yer that’s how it is at Hogwarts,’ Hagrid growled. ‘Writin’
lines! What good’s that ter anyone? Yeh’ll do summat useful or
yeh’ll get out. If yeh think yer father’d rather you were expelled,
then get back off ter the castle an’ pack. Go on!’
Malfoy didn’t move. He looked at Hagrid furiously but then
dropped his gaze.
‘Right then,’ said Hagrid, ‘now, 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 lamp
up high he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair
as they looked into the Forest.
‘Look there,’ said Hagrid, ‘see that stuff shinin’ on the ground?
Silvery stuff? 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 its misery.’
‘And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?’ said
Malfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.
‘There’s nothin’ that lives in the Forest that’ll hurt yeh if yer
with me or Fang,’ said Hagrid. ‘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.’
‘I want Fang,’ said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang’s long teeth.
‘All right, but I warn yeh, he’s a coward,’ said Hagrid. ‘So me,
Harry an’ Hermione’ll go one way an’ Draco, Neville an’ Fang’ll go
the other. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we’ll send up green
sparks, right? Get yer wands out an’ practise now – that’s it – an’ if
anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an’ we’ll all come an’
find yeh – so, be careful – let’s go.’
The Forest was black and silent. A little way into it they
reached a fork in the earth path and Harry, Hermione and Hagrid
took the left path while Malfoy, Neville and Fang took the right.
They walked in silence, their eyes on the ground. Every now
and then a ray of moonlight through the branches above lit a spot
of silver blue blood on the fallen leaves.
Harry saw that Hagrid looked very worried.
‘Could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?’ Harry asked.
‘Not fast enough,’ said Hagrid. ‘It’s not easy ter catch a unicorn,
they’re powerful magic creatures. I never knew one ter be hurt
before.’
They walked past a mossy tree-stump. Harry could hear running water; there must be a stream somewhere close by. There
were still spots of unicorn blood here and there along the winding
path. ‘You all right, Hermione?’ Hagrid whispered. ‘Don’ worry, it
can’t’ve gone far if it’s this badly hurt an’ then we’ll be able ter –
GET BEHIND THAT TREE!’
Hagrid seized Harry and Hermione and hoisted them off the
path behind a towering oak. He pulled out an arrow and fitted it
into his crossbow, raising it, ready to fire. The three of them listened. Something was slithering over dead leaves nearby: it
sounded like a cloak trailing along the ground. Hagrid was squinting up the dark path, but after a few seconds, the sound faded
away.
‘I knew it,’ he murmured. ‘There’s summat in here that shouldn’
be.’
‘A werewolf?’ Harry suggested.
‘That wasn’ no werewolf an’ it wasn’ no unicorn, neither,’ said
Hagrid grimly. ‘Right, follow me, but careful, now.’
They walked more slowly, ears straining for the faintest sound.
Suddenly, in a clearing ahead, something definitely moved.
And into the clearing came – was it a man, or a horse? To the
waist, a man, with red hair and beard, but below that was a horse’s
gleaming chestnut body with a long, reddish tail. Harry and
Hermione’s jaws dropped.
‘Oh, it’s you, Ronan,’ said Hagrid in relief. ‘How are yeh?’
He walked forward and shook the centaur’s hand.
‘Good evening to you, Hagrid,’ said Ronan. He had a deep,
sorrowful voice. ‘Were you going to shoot me?’
‘Can’t be too careful, Ronan,’ said Hagrid, patting his crossbow.
‘There’s summat bad loose in this Forest. This is Harry Potter an’
Hermione Granger, by the way. Students up at the school. An’ this
is Ronan, you two. He’s a centaur.’
‘We’d noticed,’ said Hermione faintly.
‘Good evening,’ said Ronan. ‘Students, are you? And do you
learn much, up at the school?’
‘Erm –’
‘A bit,’ said Hermione timidly.
‘A bit. Well, that’s something.’ Ronan sighed. He flung back his
head and stared at the sky. ‘Mars is bright tonight.’
‘Yeah,’ said Hagrid, glancing up too. ‘Listen, I’m glad we’ve run
inter yeh, Ronan, ’cause there’s a unicorn bin hurt – you seen anythin’?’ Ronan didn’t answer immediately. He stared unblinkingly
upwards, then sighed again.
‘Always the innocent are the first victims,’ he said. ‘So it has
been for ages past, so it is now.’
‘Yeah,’ said Hagrid, ‘but have yeh seen anythin’, Ronan?
Anythin’ unusual?’
‘Mars is bright tonight,’ Ronan repeated while Hagrid watched
him impatiently. ‘Unusually bright.’
‘Yeah, but I was meanin’ anythin’ unusual a bit nearer home,’
said Hagrid. ‘So yeh haven’t noticed anythin’ strange?’
Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer. At last, he said, ‘The
Forest hides many secrets.’
A movement in the trees behind Ronan made Hagrid raise his
bow again, but it was only a second centaur, black-haired and
-bodied and wilder-looking than Ronan.
‘Hullo, Bane,’ said Hagrid. ‘All right?’
‘Good evening, Hagrid, I hope you are well?’
‘Well enough. Look, I’ve jus’ bin askin’ Ronan, you seen anythin’ odd in here lately? Only there’s a unicorn bin injured –
would yeh know anythin’ about it?’
Bane walked over to stand next to Ronan. He looked skywards.
‘Mars is bright tonight,’ he said simply.
‘We’ve heard,’ said Hagrid grumpily. ‘Well, if either of you do
see anythin’, let me know, won’t yeh? We’ll be off, then.’
Harry and Hermione followed him out of the clearing, staring
over their shoulders at Ronan and Bane until the trees blocked
their view.
‘Never,’ said Hagrid irritably, ‘try an’ get a straight answer out of
a centaur. Ruddy star-gazers. Not interested in anythin’ closer’n
the moon.’
‘Are there many of them in here?’ asked Hermione.
‘Oh, a fair few ... Keep themselves to themselves mostly, but
they’re good enough about turnin’ up if ever I want a word.
They’re deep, mind, centaurs ... they know things ... jus’ don’ let
on much.’
‘D’you think that was a centaur we heard earlier?’ said Harry.
‘Did that sound like hooves to you? Nah, if yeh ask me, that
was what’s bin killin’ the unicorns – never heard anythin’ like it
before.’
They walked on through the dense, dark trees. Harry kept looking nervously over his shoulder. He had the nasty feeling they
were being watched. He was very glad they had Hagrid and his
crossbow with them. They had just passed a bend in the path
when Hermione grabbed Hagrid’s arm.
‘Hagrid! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!’
‘You two wait here!’ Hagrid shouted. ‘Stay on the path, I’ll come
back for yeh!’
They heard him crashing away through the undergrowth and
stood looking at each other, very scared, until they couldn’t hear
anything but the rustling of leaves around them.
‘You don’t think they’ve been hurt, do you?’ whispered
Hermione.
‘I don’t care if Malfoy has, but if something’s got Neville ... It’s
our fault he’s here in the first place.’
The minutes dragged by. Their ears seemed sharper than usual.
Harry’s seemed to be picking up every sigh of the wind, every
cracking twig. What was going on? Where were the others?
At last, a great crunching noise announced Hagrid’s return.
Malfoy, Neville and Fang were with him. Hagrid was fuming.
Malfoy, it seemed, had sneaked up behind Neville and grabbed
him for a joke. Neville had panicked and sent up the sparks.
‘We’ll be lucky ter catch anythin’ now, with the racket you two
were makin’. Right, we’re changin’ groups – Neville, you stay with
me an’ Hermione, Harry, you go with Fang an’ this idiot. I’m
sorry,’ Hagrid added in a whisper to Harry, ‘but he’ll have a harder
time frightenin’ you, an’ we’ve gotta get this done.’
So Harry set off into the heart of the Forest with Malfoy 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 out his arm to stop Malfoy.
Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They
inched closer.
It was the 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 towards 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
and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, it lowered its head over the wound in the animal’s side, and
began to drink its blood.
‘AAAAAAAAAAARGH!’
Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted – so did Fang. The
hooded figure raised its head and looked right at Harry – unicorn
blood was dribbling down its front. It got to its feet and came
swiftly towards him – he couldn’t move for fear.
Then a pain pierced his head like he’d never felt before, it was
as though his scar was on fire – half-blinded, he staggered backwards. He heard hooves behind him, galloping, and something
jumped clean over him, 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. When he looked up, the figure had gone.
A centaur was standing over him, not Ronan or Bane; this one
looked younger; he had white-blond hair and a palomino body.
‘Are you all right?’ said the centaur, pulling Harry to his feet.
‘Yes – thank you – what was that?’
The centaur didn’t answer. He had astonishingly blue eyes, like
pale sapphires. He looked carefully at Harry, his eyes lingering on
the scar which 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 on to his
front legs so that Harry could clamber on to 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 heaving and sweaty.
‘Firenze!’ Bane thundered. ‘What are you doing? You have a
human on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common
mule?’
‘Do you realise 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
his 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 suddenly reared on to his hind legs in anger, so that
Harry had to grab his shoulders to stay on.
‘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 clutching on as best
he could, they plunged off into the trees, leaving Ronan and Bane
behind them.
Harry didn’t have a clue what was going on.
‘Why’s Bane so angry?’ he asked. ‘What was that thing you
saved me from, anyway?’
Firenze slowed to a walk, warned Harry to keep his head
bowed in case of low-hanging branches but did not answer
Harry’s question. They made their way through the trees in silence
for so long that Harry thought Firenze didn’t want to talk to him
any more. They were passing through a particularly dense patch
of trees, however, when Firenze suddenly stopped.
‘Harry Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?’
‘No,’ said Harry, startled by the odd question. ‘We’ve only used
the horn and tail-hair in Potions.’
‘That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn,’ said
Firenze. ‘Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to
gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will
keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenceless to save
yourself and you will have but a half life, a cursed life, from the
moment the blood touches your lips.’
Harry stared at the back of Firenze’s head, which was dappled
silver in the moonlight. ‘But who’d be that desperate?’ he wondered aloud. ‘If you’re
going to be cursed for ever, death’s better, isn’t it?’
‘It is,’ Firenze agreed, ‘unless all you need is to stay alive long
enough to drink something else – something that will bring you
back to full strength and power – something that will mean you
can never die. Mr Potter, do you know what is hidden in the
school at this very moment?’
‘The Philosopher’s Stone! Of course – the Elixir of Life! But I
don’t understand who –’
‘Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return
to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?’
It was as though an iron fist had clenched suddenly around
Harry’s heart. Over the rustling of the trees, he seemed to hear
once more what Hagrid had told him on the night they had met:
‘Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had
enough human left in him to die.’
‘Do you mean,’ Harry croaked, ‘that was Vol–’
‘Harry! Harry, are you all right?’
Hermione was running towards them down the path, Hagrid
puffing along behind her.
‘I’m fine,’ said Harry, hardly knowing what he was saying. ‘The
unicorn’s dead, Hagrid, it’s in that clearing back there.’
‘This is where I leave you,’ Firenze murmured as Hagrid hurried
off to examine the unicorn. ‘You are safe now.’
Harry slid off his back.
‘Good luck, Harry Potter,’ said Firenze. ‘The planets have been
read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of
those times.’
He turned and cantered back into the depths of the Forest,
leaving Harry shivering behind him.
*
Ron had fallen asleep in the dark common room, waiting for them
to return. He shouted something about Quidditch fouls when
Harry roughly shook him awake. In a matter of seconds, though,
he was wide-eyed as Harry began to tell him and Hermione what
had happened in the Forest.
Harry couldn’t sit down. He paced up and down in front of the
fire. He was still shaking.
‘Snape wants the stone for Voldemort ... and Voldemort’s waiting in the Forest ... and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich ...’
‘Stop saying the name!’ said Ron in a terrified whisper, as if he
thought Voldemort could hear them.
Harry wasn’t listening.
‘Firenze saved me, but he shouldn’t have done ... Bane was furious ... he was talking about interfering with what the planets say
is going to happen ... They must show that Voldemort’s coming
back ... Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me ... I
suppose that’s written in the stars as well.’
‘Will you stop saying the name!’ Ron hissed.
‘So all I’ve got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone,’ Harry
went on feverishly, ‘then Voldemort will be able to come and
finish me off ... Well, I suppose Bane’ll be happy.’
Hermione looked very frightened, but she had a word of
comfort.
‘Harry, everyone says Dumbledore’s the only one You-KnowWho was ever afraid of. With Dumbledore around, You-KnowWho won’t touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It
sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says
that’s a very imprecise branch of magic.’
The sky had turned light before they stopped talking. They
went to bed exhausted, their throats sore. But the night’s surprises
weren’t over.
When Harry pulled back his sheets, he found his Invisibility
Cloak folded neatly underneath them. There was a note pinned
Chapter 15
The Forbidden Forest
Things couldn’t have been worse.
Filch took them down to Professor McGonagall’s study on the
first floor, where they sat and waited without saying a word to
each other. Hermione was trembling. Excuses, alibis and wild
cover-up stories chased each other around Harry’s brain, each
more feeble than the last. He couldn’t see how they were going to
get out of trouble this time. They were cornered. How could they
have been so stupid as to forget the Cloak? There was no reason
on earth that Professor McGonagall would accept for their being
out of bed and creeping around the school in the dead of night, let
alone being up the tallest astronomy tower, which was out-ofbounds except for classes. Add Norbert and the Invisibility Cloak
and they might as well be packing their bags already.
Had Harry thought that things couldn’t have been worse? He
was wrong. When Professor McGonagall appeared, she was leading Neville.
‘Harry!’ Neville burst out, the moment he saw the other two. ‘I
was trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoy saying he was
going to catch you, he said you had a drag–’
Harry shook his head violently to shut Neville up, but
Professor McGonagall had seen. She looked more likely to breathe
fire than Norbert as she towered over the three of them.
‘I would never have believed it of any of you. Mr Filch says you
were up the astronomy tower. It’s one o’clock in the morning.
Explain yourselves.’
It was the first time Hermione had ever failed to answer a teacher’s question. She was staring at her slippers, as still as a statue.
‘I think I’ve got a good idea of what’s been going on,’ said
Professor McGonagall. ‘It doesn’t take a genius to work it out. You
fed Draco Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. I’ve already caught him. I
suppose you think it’s funny that Longbottom here heard the story
and believed it, too?’
Harry caught Neville’s eye and tried to tell him without words
that this wasn’t true, because Neville was looking stunned and
hurt. Poor, blundering Neville – Harry knew what it must have
cost him to try and find them in the dark, to warn them.
‘I’m disgusted,’ said Professor McGonagall. ‘Four students out
of bed in one night! I’ve never heard of such a thing before! You,
Miss Granger, I thought you had more sense. As for you, Mr
Potter, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. All
three of you will receive detentions – yes, you too, Mr
Longbottom, nothing gives you the right to walk around school at
night, especially these days, it’s very dangerous – and fifty points
will be taken from Gryffindor.’
‘Fifty?’ Harry gasped – they would lose the lead, the lead he’d
won in the last Quidditch match.
‘Fifty points each,’ said Professor McGonagall, breathing heavily
through her long pointed nose.
‘Professor – please –’
‘You can’t –’
‘Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do, Potter. Now get back to
bed, all of you. I’ve never been more ashamed of Gryffindor
students.’
A hundred and fifty points lost. That put Gryffindor in last
place. In one night, they’d ruined any chance Gryffindor had had
for the House Cup. Harry felt as though the bottom had dropped
out of his stomach. How could they ever make up for this?
Harry didn’t sleep all night. He could hear Neville sobbing into
his pillow for what seemed like hours. Harry couldn’t think of
anything to say to comfort him. He knew Neville, like himself,
was dreading the dawn. What would happen when the rest of
Gryffindor found out what they’d done?
At first, Gryffindors passing the giant hour-glasses that recorded the house points next day thought there’d been a mistake. How
could they suddenly have a hundred and fifty points fewer than
yesterday? And then the story started to spread: Harry Potter, the
famous Harry Potter, their hero of two Quidditch matches, had
lost them all those points, him and a couple of other stupid firstyears. From being one of the most popular and admired people at the
school, Harry was suddenly the most hated. Even Ravenclaws and
Hufflepuffs turned on him, because everyone had been longing to
see Slytherin lose the House Cup. Everywhere Harry went, people
pointed and didn’t trouble to lower their voices as they insulted
him. Slytherins, on the other hand, clapped as he walked past
them, whistling and cheering, ‘Thanks Potter, we owe you one!’
Only Ron stood by him.
‘They’ll all forget this in a few weeks. Fred and George have lost
loads of points in all the time they’ve been here, and people still
like them.’
‘They’ve never lost a hundred and fifty points in one go,
though, have they?’ said Harry miserably.
‘Well – no,’ Ron admitted.
It was a bit late to repair the damage, but Harry swore to himself not to meddle in things that weren’t his business from now
on. He’d had it with sneaking around and spying. He felt so
ashamed of himself that he went to Wood and offered to resign
from the Quidditch team.
‘Resign?’ Wood thundered. ‘What good’ll that do? How are we
going to get any points back if we can’t win at Quidditch?’
But even Quidditch had lost its fun. The rest of the team
wouldn’t speak to Harry during practice, and if they had to speak
about him, they called him ‘the Seeker’.
Hermione and Neville were suffering, too. They didn’t have as
bad a time as Harry, because they weren’t as well known, but
nobody would speak to them either. Hermione had stopped drawing attention to herself in class, keeping her head down and working in silence.
Harry was almost glad that the exams weren’t far away. All the
revision he had to do kept his mind off his misery. He, Ron and
Hermione kept to themselves, working late into the night, trying
to remember the ingredients in complicated potions, learn charms
and spells off by heart, memorise the dates of magical discoveries
and goblin rebellions ...
Then, about a week before the exams were due to start, Harry’s
new resolution not to interfere in anything that didn’t concern
him was put to an unexpected test. Walking back from the library
on his own one afternoon, he heard somebody whimpering from a
classroom up ahead. As he drew closer, he heard Quirrell’s voice. ‘No – no – not again, please –’
It sounded as though someone was threatening him. Harry
moved closer.
‘All right – all right –’ he heard Quirrell sob.
Next second, Quirrell came hurrying out of the classroom,
straightening his turban. He was pale and looked as though he
was about to cry. He strode out of sight; Harry didn’t think
Quirrell had even noticed him. He waited until Quirrell’s footsteps
had disappeared, then peered into the classroom. It was empty,
but a door stood ajar at the other end. Harry was halfway
towards it before he remembered what he’d promised himself
about not meddling.
All the same, he’d have gambled twelve Philosopher’s Stones
that Snape had just left the room, and from what Harry had just
heard, Snape would be walking with a new spring in his step –
Quirrell seemed to have given in at last.
Harry went back to the library, where Hermione was testing
Ron on Astronomy. Harry told them what he’d heard.
‘Snape’s done it, then!’ said Ron. ‘If Quirrell’s told him how to
break his Anti-Dark Force spell –’
‘There’s still Fluffy, though,’ said Hermione.
‘Maybe Snape’s found out how to get past him without asking
Hagrid,’ said Ron, looking up at the thousands of books surrounding them. ‘I bet there’s a book somewhere in here, telling you how
to get past a giant three-headed dog. So what do we do, Harry?’
The light of adventure was kindling again in Ron’s eyes, but
Hermione answered before Harry could.
‘Go to Dumbledore. That’s what we should have done ages ago.
If we try anything ourselves we’ll be thrown out for sure.’
‘But we’ve got no proof!’ said Harry. ‘Quirrell’s too scared to
back us up. Snape’s only got to say he doesn’t know how the troll
got in at Hallowe’en and that he was nowhere near the third floor
– who do you think they’ll believe, him or us? It’s not exactly a
secret we hate him, Dumbledore’ll think we made it up to get him
sacked. Filch wouldn’t help us if his life depended on it, he’s too
friendly with Snape, and the more students get thrown out, the
better, he’ll think. And don’t forget, we’re not supposed to know
about the Stone or Fluffy. That’ll take a lot of explaining.’
Hermione looked convinced, but Ron didn’t.
‘If we just do a bit of poking around –’ ‘No,’ said Harry flatly, ‘we’ve done enough poking around.’
He pulled a map of Jupiter towards him and started to learn the
names of its moons.
*
The following morning, notes were delivered to Harry, Hermione
and Neville at the breakfast table. They were all the same:
Your detention will take place at eleven o’clock tonight. Meet
Mr Filch in the Entrance Hall.
Prof. M. McGonagall
Harry had forgotten they still had detentions to do in the furore
over the points they’d lost. He half expected Hermione to complain that this was a whole night of revision lost, but she didn’t say
a word. Like Harry, she felt they deserved what they’d got.
At eleven o’clock that night they said goodbye to Ron in the
common room and went down to the entrance hall with Neville.
Filch was already there – and so was Malfoy. Harry had also forgotten that Malfoy had got a detention, too.
‘Follow me,’ said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside. ‘I bet you’ll think twice about breaking a school rule again,
won’t you, eh?’ he continued, leering at them. ‘Oh yes ... hard
work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me ... It’s just a pity
they let the old punishments die out ... hang you by your wrists
from the ceiling for a few days, I’ve got the chains still in my
office, keep ’em well oiled in case they’re ever needed ... Right, off
we go, and don’t think of running off, now, it’ll be worse for you if
you do.’
They marched off across the dark grounds. Neville kept sniffing. Harry wondered what their punishment was going to be. It
must be something really horrible, or Filch wouldn’t be sounding
so delighted.
The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it kept
throwing them into darkness. Ahead, Harry could see the lighted
windows of Hagrid’s hut. Then they heard a distant shout.
‘Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started.’
Harry’s heart rose; if they were going to be working with Hagrid
it wouldn’t be so bad. His relief must have showed in his face,
because Filch said, ‘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 this, Neville let out a little moan and Malfoy stopped dead in
his tracks.
‘The Forest?’ he repeated, and he didn’t sound quite as cool 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.
‘That’s your lookout, isn’t it?’ said Filch, his voice cracking with
glee. ‘Should’ve thought of them werewolves before you got in
trouble, shouldn’t you?’
Hagrid came striding towards them out of the dark, Fang at his
heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows
hung over his shoulder.
‘Abou’ time,’ he said. ‘I bin waitin’ fer half an hour already. All
right, Harry, Hermione?’
‘I shouldn’t be too friendly to them, Hagrid,’ said Filch coldly,
‘they’re here to be punished, after all.’
‘That’s why yer late, is it?’ said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. ‘Bin
lecturin’ them, eh? ’Snot your place ter do that. Yeh’ve done yer
bit, I’ll take over from here.’
‘I’ll be back at dawn,’ said Filch, ‘for what’s left of them,’ he
added nastily, and he turned and started back towards the castle,
his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.
Malfoy now turned to Hagrid.
‘I’m not going in that Forest,’ he said, and Harry was pleased to
hear the note of panic in his voice.
‘Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts,’ said Hagrid fiercely.
‘Yeh’ve done wrong an’ now yeh’ve got ter pay fer it.’
‘But this is servant stuff, it’s not for students to do. I thought
we’d be writing lines or something. If my father knew I was doing
this, he’d –’
‘– tell yer that’s how it is at Hogwarts,’ Hagrid growled. ‘Writin’
lines! What good’s that ter anyone? Yeh’ll do summat useful or
yeh’ll get out. If yeh think yer father’d rather you were expelled,
then get back off ter the castle an’ pack. Go on!’
Malfoy didn’t move. He looked at Hagrid furiously but then
dropped his gaze.
‘Right then,’ said Hagrid, ‘now, 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 lamp
up high he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair
as they looked into the Forest.
‘Look there,’ said Hagrid, ‘see that stuff shinin’ on the ground?
Silvery stuff? 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 its misery.’
‘And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?’ said
Malfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.
‘There’s nothin’ that lives in the Forest that’ll hurt yeh if yer
with me or Fang,’ said Hagrid. ‘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.’
‘I want Fang,’ said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang’s long teeth.
‘All right, but I warn yeh, he’s a coward,’ said Hagrid. ‘So me,
Harry an’ Hermione’ll go one way an’ Draco, Neville an’ Fang’ll go
the other. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we’ll send up green
sparks, right? Get yer wands out an’ practise now – that’s it – an’ if
anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an’ we’ll all come an’
find yeh – so, be careful – let’s go.’
The Forest was black and silent. A little way into it they
reached a fork in the earth path and Harry, Hermione and Hagrid
took the left path while Malfoy, Neville and Fang took the right.
They walked in silence, their eyes on the ground. Every now
and then a ray of moonlight through the branches above lit a spot
of silver blue blood on the fallen leaves.
Harry saw that Hagrid looked very worried.
‘Could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?’ Harry asked.
‘Not fast enough,’ said Hagrid. ‘It’s not easy ter catch a unicorn,
they’re powerful magic creatures. I never knew one ter be hurt
before.’
They walked past a mossy tree-stump. Harry could hear running water; there must be a stream somewhere close by. There
were still spots of unicorn blood here and there along the winding
path. ‘You all right, Hermione?’ Hagrid whispered. ‘Don’ worry, it
can’t’ve gone far if it’s this badly hurt an’ then we’ll be able ter –
GET BEHIND THAT TREE!’
Hagrid seized Harry and Hermione and hoisted them off the
path behind a towering oak. He pulled out an arrow and fitted it
into his crossbow, raising it, ready to fire. The three of them listened. Something was slithering over dead leaves nearby: it
sounded like a cloak trailing along the ground. Hagrid was squinting up the dark path, but after a few seconds, the sound faded
away.
‘I knew it,’ he murmured. ‘There’s summat in here that shouldn’
be.’
‘A werewolf?’ Harry suggested.
‘That wasn’ no werewolf an’ it wasn’ no unicorn, neither,’ said
Hagrid grimly. ‘Right, follow me, but careful, now.’
They walked more slowly, ears straining for the faintest sound.
Suddenly, in a clearing ahead, something definitely moved.
‘Who’s there?’ Hagrid called. ‘Show yerself – I’m armed!’
And into the clearing came – was it a man, or a horse? To the
waist, a man, with red hair and beard, but below that was a horse’s
gleaming chestnut body with a long, reddish tail. Harry and
Hermione’s jaws dropped.
‘Oh, it’s you, Ronan,’ said Hagrid in relief. ‘How are yeh?’
He walked forward and shook the centaur’s hand.
‘Good evening to you, Hagrid,’ said Ronan. He had a deep,
sorrowful voice. ‘Were you going to shoot me?’
‘Can’t be too careful, Ronan,’ said Hagrid, patting his crossbow.
‘There’s summat bad loose in this Forest. This is Harry Potter an’
Hermione Granger, by the way. Students up at the school. An’ this
is Ronan, you two. He’s a centaur.’
‘We’d noticed,’ said Hermione faintly.
‘Good evening,’ said Ronan. ‘Students, are you? And do you
learn much, up at the school?’
‘Erm –’
‘A bit,’ said Hermione timidly.
‘A bit. Well, that’s something.’ Ronan sighed. He flung back his
head and stared at the sky. ‘Mars is bright tonight.’
‘Yeah,’ said Hagrid, glancing up too. ‘Listen, I’m glad we’ve run
inter yeh, Ronan, ’cause there’s a unicorn bin hurt – you seen anythin’?’ Ronan didn’t answer immediately. He stared unblinkingly
upwards, then sighed again.
‘Always the innocent are the first victims,’ he said. ‘So it has
been for ages past, so it is now.’
‘Yeah,’ said Hagrid, ‘but have yeh seen anythin’, Ronan?
Anythin’ unusual?’
‘Mars is bright tonight,’ Ronan repeated while Hagrid watched
him impatiently. ‘Unusually bright.’
‘Yeah, but I was meanin’ anythin’ unusual a bit nearer home,’
said Hagrid. ‘So yeh haven’t noticed anythin’ strange?’
Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer. At last, he said, ‘The
Forest hides many secrets.’
A movement in the trees behind Ronan made Hagrid raise his
bow again, but it was only a second centaur, black-haired and
-bodied and wilder-looking than Ronan.
‘Hullo, Bane,’ said Hagrid. ‘All right?’
‘Good evening, Hagrid, I hope you are well?’
‘Well enough. Look, I’ve jus’ bin askin’ Ronan, you seen anythin’ odd in here lately? Only there’s a unicorn bin injured –
would yeh know anythin’ about it?’
Bane walked over to stand next to Ronan. He looked skywards.
‘Mars is bright tonight,’ he said simply.
‘We’ve heard,’ said Hagrid grumpily. ‘Well, if either of you do
see anythin’, let me know, won’t yeh? We’ll be off, then.’
Harry and Hermione followed him out of the clearing, staring
over their shoulders at Ronan and Bane until the trees blocked
their view.
‘Never,’ said Hagrid irritably, ‘try an’ get a straight answer out of
a centaur. Ruddy star-gazers. Not interested in anythin’ closer’n
the moon.’
‘Are there many of them in here?’ asked Hermione.
‘Oh, a fair few ... Keep themselves to themselves mostly, but
they’re good enough about turnin’ up if ever I want a word.
They’re deep, mind, centaurs ... they know things ... jus’ don’ let
on much.’
‘D’you think that was a centaur we heard earlier?’ said Harry.
‘Did that sound like hooves to you? Nah, if yeh ask me, that
was what’s bin killin’ the unicorns – never heard anythin’ like it
before.’
They walked on through the dense, dark trees. Harry kept looking nervously over his shoulder. He had the nasty feeling they
were being watched. He was very glad they had Hagrid and his
crossbow with them. They had just passed a bend in the path
when Hermione grabbed Hagrid’s arm.
‘Hagrid! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!’
‘You two wait here!’ Hagrid shouted. ‘Stay on the path, I’ll come
back for yeh!’
They heard him crashing away through the undergrowth and
stood looking at each other, very scared, until they couldn’t hear
anything but the rustling of leaves around them.
‘You don’t think they’ve been hurt, do you?’ whispered
Hermione.
‘I don’t care if Malfoy has, but if something’s got Neville ... It’s
our fault he’s here in the first place.’
The minutes dragged by. Their ears seemed sharper than usual.
Harry’s seemed to be picking up every sigh of the wind, every
cracking twig. What was going on? Where were the others?
At last, a great crunching noise announced Hagrid’s return.
Malfoy, Neville and Fang were with him. Hagrid was fuming.
Malfoy, it seemed, had sneaked up behind Neville and grabbed
him for a joke. Neville had panicked and sent up the sparks.
‘We’ll be lucky ter catch anythin’ now, with the racket you two
were makin’. Right, we’re changin’ groups – Neville, you stay with
me an’ Hermione, Harry, you go with Fang an’ this idiot. I’m
sorry,’ Hagrid added in a whisper to Harry, ‘but he’ll have a harder
time frightenin’ you, an’ we’ve gotta get this done.’
So Harry set off into the heart of the Forest with Malfoy 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 out his arm to stop Malfoy.
Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They
inched closer.
It was the 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 towards 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
and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, it lowered its head over the wound in the animal’s side, and
began to drink its blood.
‘AAAAAAAAAAARGH!’
Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted – so did Fang. The
hooded figure raised its head and looked right at Harry – unicorn
blood was dribbling down its front. It got to its feet and came
swiftly towards him – he couldn’t move for fear.
Then a pain pierced his head like he’d never felt before, it was
as though his scar was on fire – half-blinded, he staggered backwards. He heard hooves behind him, galloping, and something
jumped clean over him, 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. When he looked up, the figure had gone.
A centaur was standing over him, not Ronan or Bane; this one
looked younger; he had white-blond hair and a palomino body.
‘Are you all right?’ said the centaur, pulling Harry to his feet.
‘Yes – thank you – what was that?’
The centaur didn’t answer. He had astonishingly blue eyes, like
pale sapphires. He looked carefully at Harry, his eyes lingering on
the scar which 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 on to his
front legs so that Harry could clamber on to 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 heaving and sweaty.
‘Firenze!’ Bane thundered. ‘What are you doing? You have a
human on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common
mule?’
‘Do you realise 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
his 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 suddenly reared on to his hind legs in anger, so that
Harry had to grab his shoulders to stay on.
‘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 clutching on as best
he could, they plunged off into the trees, leaving Ronan and Bane
behind them.
Harry didn’t have a clue what was going on.
‘Why’s Bane so angry?’ he asked. ‘What was that thing you
saved me from, anyway?’
Firenze slowed to a walk, warned Harry to keep his head
bowed in case of low-hanging branches but did not answer
Harry’s question. They made their way through the trees in silence
for so long that Harry thought Firenze didn’t want to talk to him
any more. They were passing through a particularly dense patch
of trees, however, when Firenze suddenly stopped.
‘Harry Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?’
‘No,’ said Harry, startled by the odd question. ‘We’ve only used
the horn and tail-hair in Potions.’
‘That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn,’ said
Firenze. ‘Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to
gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will
keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenceless to save
yourself and you will have but a half life, a cursed life, from the
moment the blood touches your lips.’
Harry stared at the back of Firenze’s head, which was dappled
silver in the moonlight. ‘But who’d be that desperate?’ he wondered aloud. ‘If you’re
going to be cursed for ever, death’s better, isn’t it?’
‘It is,’ Firenze agreed, ‘unless all you need is to stay alive long
enough to drink something else – something that will bring you
back to full strength and power – something that will mean you
can never die. Mr Potter, do you know what is hidden in the
school at this very moment?’
‘The Philosopher’s Stone! Of course – the Elixir of Life! But I
don’t understand who –’
‘Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return
to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?’
It was as though an iron fist had clenched suddenly around
Harry’s heart. Over the rustling of the trees, he seemed to hear
once more what Hagrid had told him on the night they had met:
‘Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had
enough human left in him to die.’
‘Do you mean,’ Harry croaked, ‘that was Vol–’
‘Harry! Harry, are you all right?’
Hermione was running towards them down the path, Hagrid
puffing along behind her.
‘I’m fine,’ said Harry, hardly knowing what he was saying. ‘The
unicorn’s dead, Hagrid, it’s in that clearing back there.’
‘This is where I leave you,’ Firenze murmured as Hagrid hurried
off to examine the unicorn. ‘You are safe now.’
Harry slid off his back.
‘Good luck, Harry Potter,’ said Firenze. ‘The planets have been
read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of
those times.’
He turned and cantered back into the depths of the Forest,
leaving Harry shivering behind him.
*
Ron had fallen asleep in the dark common room, waiting for them
to return. He shouted something about Quidditch fouls when
Harry roughly shook him awake. In a matter of seconds, though,
he was wide-eyed as Harry began to tell him and Hermione what
had happened in the Forest.
Harry couldn’t sit down. He paced up and down in front of the
fire. He was still shaking.
‘Snape wants the stone for Voldemort ... and Voldemort’s waiting in the Forest ... and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich ...’
‘Stop saying the name!’ said Ron in a terrified whisper, as if he
thought Voldemort could hear them.
Harry wasn’t listening.
‘Firenze saved me, but he shouldn’t have done ... Bane was furious ... he was talking about interfering with what the planets say
is going to happen ... They must show that Voldemort’s coming
back ... Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me ... I
suppose that’s written in the stars as well.’
‘Will you stop saying the name!’ Ron hissed.
‘So all I’ve got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone,’ Harry
went on feverishly, ‘then Voldemort will be able to come and
finish me off ... Well, I suppose Bane’ll be happy.’
Hermione looked very frightened, but she had a word of
comfort.
‘Harry, everyone says Dumbledore’s the only one You-KnowWho was ever afraid of. With Dumbledore around, You-KnowWho won’t touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It
sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says
that’s a very imprecise branch of magic.’
The sky had turned light before they stopped talking. They
went to bed exhausted, their throats sore. But the night’s surprises
weren’t over.
When Harry pulled back his sheets, he found his Invisibility
Cloak folded neatly underneath them. There was a note pinned
to it:
Just in case.