(Book 1) Lilian Andromeda Black and the Philospher's Stone

Ch. 15 The Forbidden Forest

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

THE FORBIDDEN FOREST

Lilian followed the group down to Professor McGonagall's study on the first floor where they sat and waited without saying a word to each other. Lilian dropped a piece of paper from mid air once Filch stopped looking at them.

"Lilian?" Harry whispered while Hermione trembled in shock and fear of possibly getting in trouble or expelled. Professor McGonagall appeared but she had Neville.

"Harry!" Neville burst out the moment he saw them. "I saw trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoy saying that he was going to catch you, he said you had a drag --"

Harry shook his head violently to make Neville stop but McGonagall had seen. She towered over the first year while Lilian held her breath saying nothing.

"I would never have believed it of any of you. Mr. Filch says you were up in the astronomy tower. It's one o'clock in the morning. Explain yourselves."

Hermione had failed to answer a teacher's question, she was just staring at her slippers, as still as a statue.

"I think I've got a good idea of what's been going on." Professor McGonagall said. "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?"

Neville looked stunned and hurt and Lilian frowned, he must have worked hard to try and warn them.

"I'm disgusted." Professor McGonagall said. "Four students out of bed, in one night! I've never heard of such a thing a thing before! You, Miss Granger, I think you had more sense. As for you, Mr. Potter, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. Where is Miss. Black, I heard she saw here."

"Lilian heard about what we were doing and thought it was stupid so she's didn't come." Harry said quickly. "She should be in her dormitory sleeping."

"I'll make sure to check on that." She says.

"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."

Lilian gapped. "Fifty?" Harry has led,

"Fifty points each." Professor McGonagall said, breathing heavily through her long, pointed nose. "And if I find Miss. Black I will be sure to report it to the head of her house and her Godfather."

"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."

Lilian followed the group and rushed back to her dormitory and went to sleep. She frowned and waited for the next day.

It happened overnight. Rumors went around that Harry Potter had lost Gryffindor of their points with a couple of other first years. Harry being one of the most popular and admired people at school become on of the most hated. All of the houses beside Slytherin had turned on him, because they were waiting for Slytherin to lose house cup. Lilian had stayed beside him and pulled him away when people who point to Harry and insult him. Only ask her in was happy, they clapped when they walked past them, whistling and cheering. "Thanks Potterm we owe you one!"

Ron also stood beside him.

"Funny how people change." Lilian said and held hands with Harry.

"They'll all forget this in a few weeks. Free and George have lost loads of pinpoints 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?" Harry said miserably.

"Well -- no." Ron admitted.

Harry swore to them that he wouldn't meddle in things that weren't his business from now on. He was even told Lilian how he offered Wood to resign from the Quidditch team, but he said no. The rest of the team also hated him and wouldn't talk to him.

Hermione and Neville were also suffering, but not as bad, they simply weren't as well-known. Hermione had stopped drawing attention to herself and kept her head down and worked silently.

The exams were even closer now and she spent her free time working late into the night, quizzing her friends and helping them. Though she mostly hung out with her trio since her friends were also upset. She didn't bother listening to them talk about the Philosopher's Stone when they did she would tune them out and focus on her work.

The next morning Hermione, Neville and Harry received notes that were all the same.

"Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall."

Professor McGonagall

She said goodbye to her friends and went to her classes.