Party Police.

Chapter Twenty-Two.

The following morning, notes were delivered to Harry, Hermione, Neville, and (Y/n) 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.
Professor M. McGonagall.

At eleven o'clock that night, the four met up and walked to the entrance hall together. Filch was already there— so was Malfoy. They all seemed to have forgotten Draco was also given detention.

"Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside. (Y/n) stepped closer to Harry as they stepped into the dark. Filch was the one person who genuinely ensued fear inside of her. 
"I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" he said, 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 scuddling 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 had. His relief must have shown 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 (Y/n)'s robe and made a choking noise. She let go of Harry's hand— much to the boy's disappointment— to comfort Neville.

"That's your problem, 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 toward 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, (Y/n)?"

"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 toward the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.

"At dawn? Did he say at dawn?" (Y/n) hissed. "That's seven hours away! Is detention regularly this long?" 

Draco 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 for it."

"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this, he'd—"