𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝; 𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐡.𝐩

𝓨𝓮𝓪𝓻 1, 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 13: 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓕𝓸𝓻𝓫𝓲𝓭𝓭𝓮𝓷 𝓕𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓽

~  chapter thirteen: the forbidden forest ~

"Nothing," Professor McGonagall said sternly, "I repeat, nothing gives a student the right to walk about the school at night. Therefore, as punishment for your actions, fifty points will be taken."

"Fifty?" I repeated.

"Each." Harry gasped. "And to ensure it doesn't happen again, all four of you will receive detention."

Malfoy nodded, smirking.

"Your hear that, bleach brain?" I snapped. "All four of us. In case you don't know basic mathematics slash addition, you plus me, Hermione, and Harry equals four."

The smirk slipped off of Malfoy's face and he looked at Professor McGonagall.

"Excuse me, Professor," he said. "Perhaps Black heard you wrong. She thought you said ... 'the four of us'."

"No, Ms. Black heard me correctly, Mrs. Malfoy. You see, as honorable as your intentions were, you too were out of bed after hours. You will serve detention with your classmates."

Hermione, Harry and I grinned, as Malfoy sagged, knowing the tables had turned.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"A pity they let the old punishments die," Filch said, as the four of us were led to Hagrid's hut by Filch. "There was a time detention would find you hanging by your thumbs in the dungeons. God, I miss the screaming."

Malfoy gulped, and Hermione rushed by. "You'll be serving detention with Hagrid tonight. He's got a little job to do inside the dark forest."

I relaxed, knowing that we wouldn't be serving detention with someone that I absolutely detested.

Hagrid appeared, a crossbow in hand. He sniffled.

"A sorry lot this, Hagrid," Filch said. "Oh, good God, man, you're not still on about that bloody dragon, are you?"

Hagrid sniffed and sighed. "Norbert's gone. Charlie's friends sent him off to Romania to live in a colony."

"Well, look at it this way, Hagrid," I said, trying to cheer him up, "he'll be with his own kind."

"Yeah, but what if he don't like Romania?" Hagrid asked, still sniffling. Filch rolled his eyes, and I shot him a death glare. "What if the other dragons are mean to him? He's only a baby, after all."

"Oh, for Gods sake, pull yourself together, man," Filch snapped. "You're going into the forest, after all. Got to have your wits about you."

"The forest?" Malfoy burst in. "I thought that was a joke! We can't go in there. Students aren't allowed. And there are..." A howl sounded. "...werewolves!"

"There's more than werewolves in those trees, lad," Filch said. "You can be sure of that. Nighty-night." He turned and walked back to the castle as Malfoy looked frightened.

"Right," said Hagrid, "let's go."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In the Forbidden Forest, the group walked along to a path to a tree when Hagrid stepped, bent down, and dipped his fingers in a silver puddle. He pulled out his fingers and rubbed them together. A silver trail smeared his fingers.