SABAISM | H. POTTER

ELEVEN. | THE DEMON IN DETENTION

FILCH WAS A BITTER OLD MAN; THAT MUCH GEMINI WAS SURE OF. The man was leading them to Hagrid's hut and profusely complaining. Why work at a school if you despise children so much?

Gemini was amused at the harsh words the man tumbled from his lips, though. Filch had let out a raspy cough before he continued on, "...A pity the let the old punishments die. There was a time detention would mean you had to hang by your thumbs in the dungeons. God, I miss the screaming." Draco gulped. "You must be really old if you were around for that," Gemini stated loudly. The grouchy man sent her a harsh glare and said, "You'll be serving detention with Hagrid tonight. He's got a job to do inside the dark forest," Filch stopped as Hagrid walked up with a crossbow in hand and sniffles could be heard, "A sorry lot this is, Hagrid. Oh, good god man. You're not still on about that bloody dragon, are you?"

Hagrid sniffed and sighed once more, "Norbert's gone. Dumbledore sent him off to Romania to live in a colony." Hermione tried to calm down the large man, "Well, that's good. Isn't it? He'll be with his own kind." Hagrid shrugged worriedly, "Yeah, but what if he doesn't like Romania? What if the other dragons are mean to him? He is only a baby after all." Ron blanched at that statement, "A baby that breaths fire!" He received a swift elbow to the side from Gemini, ultimately silencing him. Filch rolled his eyes at the man and said, "Oh, for god's sake. Pull yourself together, man. You are going into the forrest after all, and you got to have your wits about you." Draco Malfoy let out a squeak before he exclaimed,"The forest? I thought that was a joke. We can't go in there; students aren't allowed. Plus, there are werewolves." Gemini gave him such a look that you could practically feel the hatred. Filch cackled, "There's more than werewolves lurking behind those trees, lad. You can be sure of that." Seeing Draco's frighted face calmed her down some. "Right. Let's go," Hagrid ordered sadly.

In the forest the group walked along a path to a tree. Hagrid stopped and bent down then he dipped his fingers into a mysterious silver puddle. He rubbed the substance between his forefinger and thumb. "Hagrid. What is that?," Harry questioned. Hagrid looked around before he answered, "What we're here for. See that? That is unicorn's blood, that is. I found one dead a few weeks ago. Now, this one's been injured bad by something. So, it is our job to find the poor beast. Ron, Hermione, you'll come with me." Weakly Ron nodded and said, "Ok." Hagrid then turned to the remaining three, "You all stick together." Harry and Gemini nodded at the unfortunate situation they were about to endure, but Draco openly showed his disgust. "Okay. Then I get Fang!," Draco explained. He actually had the right idea of evening out the group. Hagrid had agree to his terms quickly, "Fine. Just so you know, he is a bloody coward." The dog whined as if to prove that point.

The unexpected three walked through the forest; Fang in the lead and Draco with the lamp. Harry had taken to holding Gemini's hand a minute ago, and he had explained it was to make himself feel safer knowing she was beside him. His hand tightened in her's and he flirted, "The moonlight really brings out your eyes." Gemini squeezed his hand before she mumbled back, "That's sweet of you, Harry." Draco's voice suddenly ruined the moment, "What? This is not a date. If we are going to die in this forest, I would appreciate the last thing I see not being you two like this! You wait till my Father hears about this. This is servant's stuff." The Boy-Who Lived blushed and the blond haired boy stuck his nose up in the air, haughtily. "If I didn't know any better, Draco. I'd say you were scared." Gemini smiled brightly at Harry Potter, and the fact that he could be sassy in a situation like this. Draco scoffed loudly, "Scared, Potter?!," a howl sounded out and broke down Draco's macho act, "Did you hear that? Come on, Fang."

Gemini really wanted to make fun of her cousin, but she had gripped Harry's hand much tighter as they began their search.

The group approached an area that had a flat ground, but it was decorated with gnarled roots. Fang stopped and growled. The Dog might have been a coward, but he had always been a good warning bell. "What is it, Fang," Harry asked the animal earnestly. Then a cold silence issued itself. Up ahead, a cloaked figure was clutched over a dead unicorn. The sounds of slurping echoed throughout the creepy forest, and the three were frozen in a fright. Suddenly, the figure raised it's head and all that could be seen was that silver liquid dropping from it's lips.

After making the connection, Harry gasped and grabbed at his scar. There was now a stinging pain there. Gemini pulled him in closer, as if to shield him from the enemy, and her palms profusely sweated. "AHHHH," Draco yelped out, "Ah! HELP!" Fang had followed Draco's retreating figure. The Potter boy and Black girl were now alone with the masked figure.

The figure in question slid over the magical beast that was once in front of him, and stood up erectly. It advanced towards the both of them; who had admitted to be trembling at that point. The figure thankfully tripped and the meeting never went down; for the sound of hoofbeats had interrupted their impending doom. A figure leapt over the two Gryffindors, and it landed near the cloaked figure. Gemini peeked a glance and saw that the figure was a silver centaur. He looked wicked. It reared it's legs in the direction of the negative source, and the mysterious figure then retreated; flying away. Once the centaur deemed it safe he turned back towards the two children.

"Harry Potter and friend; you must leave. Young Potter, you are known to many creatures here. The forrest is not safe at this time. Especially for you," he bit out all knowingly. Harry pulled Gemini tighter into his arms and asked, "What was that thing you saved us from?" A displeased look washed over the creature's face as he answered, "A monstrous creature. It is a terrible crime to slay a unicorn. Drinking the blood of a unicorn is known to keep you alive even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something so pure that the moment the blood touched your lips, you would have had half a life. A cursed life." Harry nodded, taking in on the new information, and said, "Do you mean to say...that that thing that killed the unicorn...it was drinking it's blood...that was Voldemort?" The centaur decided to answer this question with a question within itself, "Do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?" Gemini groggily glanced up before she answered, "The Philosopher's Stone."

Suddenly, they could hear the bark of Fang. Harry and Gemini looked up to see the rest of their group. "Guys!", Hermione yelled as she flung herself in their direction. Hagrid took notice of the creature standing before them, "Hello there, Frienze. I see you have met our young Mr. Potter and Miss. Lupin-Black. You alright there, guys?" They both shook their heads up and down vigorously. The creature looked over all of them and stated, "This is where I leave you. You are both safe now. Good luck," and he galloped away.
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After that unforgettable detention, the group surrounded themselves around the fire in the Gryffindor common room. Harry was the only one standing; as he paced up and down an aged rug.

Gemini wanted to tell the boy that all his walking made her anxious, but did not have the heart to do so. "You mean , You-Know-Who's out there, right now, in the forest?," Hermione asked concerned; after Harry and Gemini had explained everything. Harry speedily nodded, "He is weak, though. He is living off of the unicorns. Don't you see? We had it wrong. Snape doesn't want the stone for himself...he wants the stone for Voldemort! With the Elixir of Life; Voldemort will be strong again. He'll come back." After he uttered those words; Harry finally plopped down onto an armchair.

"But if he comes back," Ron started out; meekly, "You don't think he'll try and kill you, do you?" Harry looked at his friend seriously, "I think if he'd had the chance he might have tried to kill me tonight." Ron gulped at the blunt honesty before he said, "And to think, i've been worried about my Potions final!" Hermione interrupted their friendship moment, "Hang on a minute. We're forgetting one thing. Who's the one wizard You-Know-Who has always feared? It was admirable that she was trying to offer comfort in a moment like this. The boy's shrugged at her question whilst Gemini shouted, "Dumbledore!" Hermione sent a nod of appreciation her way, "Precisely. As long as Dumbledore's around you are safe. As long as Dumbledore is around, you can't be touched."

Harry smiled slightly.