1.15 The Forbidden Forest

Things couldn't have been worse.

Excuses, alibis and wild
cover-up stories chased each other
around Harry's brain, each more feeble
than the last.

It was the first time Hermione had
ever
failed to
answer a teacher's
question.

'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.

blundering

I've never been
more ashamed of
Gryffindor students.

Harry felt as though the bottom had
dropped out of his stomach. How could
they ever make up for this?

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?

And then the story started to
spread

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.

Only Ron stood by him.

They've never lost a hundred and fiftys
points in one go, though, have they?'

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.

All the revision he had
to do kept his mind off his misery.

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.

Snape would be
walking with a new spring in his step
Quirrell seemed to have given in at last

The light of adventure was kindling
again in Ron's eyes, but Hermione
answered before Harry could.

Quirrell's too scared _ to_back_us_up.

Filch wouldn't help us
if his life depended on it,

◦ If we just do a bit of poking around -

Furore

The moon was bright, but clouds
scudding across it kept throwing
them into darkness.

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

.

unable to keep the fear out of his voice

◦ They walked past a mossy tree-stump.

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

They walked more slowly, ears
straining for the faintest sound
Suddenly, in a clearing
ahead
something definitely moved

Hermione's jaws dropped

'Never,' said Hagrid irritably, 'try an'
get a straight answer out of a centaur.

Be off

The minutes dragged by.

There were splashes on the roots
of a tree, as though the poor creature
had been thrashing around in pain close
by.

Its long slender legs
stuck out at odd angles where it
were
had fallen and its mane was spread
pearly white on the dark leaves.

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

◦ his eyes lingering on the scar

Ronan and Bane came bursting
through the trees, their flanks heaving
and sweaty.

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!

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,

Harry didn't have a clue what was
going
on.

to talk to him any more. They were
passing through a
particularly
dense patch of trees, however,
when Firenze suddenly stopped

Only one
who has nothing to lose, and everything to
gain, would commit such a crime.

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.'

head, which was dappled silver in the
moonlight.

'Can you think of nobody who has waited
many years to return to power, who has
clung to life, awaiting their chance?'

Hermione was running towards them
down the path, Hagrid puffing along
behind her

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

she had a word of comfort

It sounds like
fortune-telling to me, and
Professor
McGonagall says that's a very imprecise
branch of magic.'

But the
night's surprises weren't over.

There was a note pinned
to it: