LEO'S POV

"That's really creepy," I said finally. It didn't add much to the conversation but it voiced what we were probably all thinking.

"Then what did you do?" Annabeth asked, forever asking the necessary questions to get us on track.

Draco had caught his breath by now, and his words came out more clearly. "I told the voice to go away, and it went silent. Then the room went back to its original dimness. Then I went out. There was nothing there. No signs of battle. But I had a feeling that something powerful had been there. Then I came straight here."

We all processed this.

"Describe the voice, please," Dumbledore said.

Draco searched for the right words, "Now I'm a hundred percent sure it was female. Her voice was really...soft. Soft and gentle. But when it got dark I had the feeling that I was being watched. Like, from every direction, not just one. The voice came from everywhere. All at the same time. One voice was speaking, but I had no idea where it had come from. It was like the darkness itself was speaking."

"Strange," Dumbledore said. "From what I can guess about the prophecy, the impossible task could be to defeat yet another powerful god or immortal."

We all nodded like we had a good guess.

"This is serious," Dumbledore muttered, mainly to himself. "For sure, some students here must be hearing that voice. This makes things complicated. The killer could be multiple people."

"As if this wasn't hard enough already," Annabeth muttered.

"Well," Draco said, trying to be optimistic, "if she's going to talk to me in my sleep, we might be able to figure something out."

"I suppose," she said, obviously not liking that plan.

After dinner, we went back to our dormitory. While I fixed my Valdezadrink, Annabeth got settled on her bed, reading a thick book and also looking at the list of Dark Objects we found. She also had another list of other stuff found in other Houses.

Nico squinted at the cover of the book she was reading, "You're reading...Poseidon's Little Black Book?"

Percy spat out his chocolate, eyes wide, "You're reading what?!"

Annabeth looked at the cover, then at Nico like his marbles had rolled down the drain. "No, I'm reading the Poisonous and Lethal Book of Black."

Percy let out a huge breath, "Oh, thank the gods."

I snickered, "Poseidon's Little Black Book."

Annabeth rolled her eyes, then muttered, "What a terrible sounding book."

• • •

This next morning, we got permission from Dumbledore to go investigate the Shrieking Shack.

I passed around some vegetarian sandwiches, and we arrived at Whomping Willow.

"Cool," I said, trying to lighten the mood, "the branches look like arms."

Draco nodded, "That's because they are." He picked up a rock, and hurled it at bottom of the tree. With amazing speed for a tree, a branch swooped down and with a crack like a bat against a baseball, the rock sailed over our heads into the chimney of Hagrid's Hut.

"Awesome," I said, rubbing my hands together. "I should build one for the forest back at Camp."

"That would offend the tree nymphs," Annabeth told me.

Draco hefted another rock, and this time it flew through the defenses, and hit a knob at the base. The tree froze, as if Khione the snow goddess had touched it.

"Safe to go in now," Draco reported.

"Where did you say the scream came from?" Annabeth asked.

Draco pointed in one direction, "About ten metres that way. I couldn't find any footprints. But it also sounded more...up there." He pointed skyward. "I'm not sure, because I was down in the Shack."

Annabeth nodded, "Interesting."

We descended into the darkness. A bit of light streamed in, so we could still see a little. It really was deserted. None of us could sense anything, either.

"Hm," Annabeth said.

"What's your guess?" Percy asked.

Annabeth put on her thinking face, "When Dumbledore said that it was starting to get darker earlier than usual, the first name that pops into my mind is Nyx."

"The primordial?" I asked.

Annabeth nodded, "I don't like to talk about her. But she doesn't always stay down at...at Tartarus. She rises from that place every night, spreading a mist of darkness that makes night. Every morning, her daughter Hemera would drive away the mist, letting light shine down again."

I shook my head, "I will never look at nighttime the same way again."

Annabeth closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them, "I suppose one might think that the girl who screamed was Hemera. She could have been using her power of light to protect herself, making the entire place light up. Then Nyx came by, making it all dark. But this also doesn't make any sense. Nyx needs to go back to Tartarus. If she spends too much time with Light-Aether-she'll get weaker."

We all pondered this (even Percy).

"Can you think of anyone else?" Piper asked.

Annabeth shook her head, "Nyx seems the most possible, but at the same time it's also very unlikely. But if it's truly her...defeating her would be the closest thing to impossible, if not completely impossible."

• • •

HARRY'S POV

Ron and I caught up with Hermione after dinner. She paid us no attention and continued to read while walking (she's pro at that).

"Hermione," Ron said, "we need to talk to you."

"Is it urgent?" she asked, eyes never leaving her book.

"A bit, yes."

She still didn't look at us but asked, "What is it?"

"Well," I said, trying to position myself at an angle where she could see me, "we went to the kitchens and--"

Hermione muttered about S.P.E.W.

"--Winky told us that nobody had been to the kitchen except Thalia and Nico."

She looked up this time, eyes narrowing, "And what are you saying?"

Her brown eyes scared me a little, so I said something other than what I was going to say, "So...so that means the person who killed Lavender can Transfigure knives."

Hermione actually looked impressed, "Oh! That would help. I looked at both knives by the way. There weren't any brand names or a 'Made in China' or anything, so they must have been Transfigured or from the kitchens. Both knives were extremely sharp. This proves that this person's really skilled at magic. I should have thought of asking the house elves. Thanks, you two."

"It was Ron's idea," I said, and he grinned sheepishly. It was true. He had originally wanted to go get some cakes, then he thought of asking while watching house elves chop some fruit.

And under the bright chandelier, Hermione smiled. The three of us felt closer than we'd been all year. I wondered what had gotten into me to ever want to mess up this friendship.

She shoved her book into her book bag, "Want to go see Hagrid?"

• • •

Moments later, I knocked on Hagrid's oversized door.

Heavy footsteps sounded behind the door before it swung open, revealing Hagrid's large form, "Harry! Hermione! Ron! Been wonderin' when yer were goin' ter visit."

"Sorry Hagrid," we said, walking inside and sitting around his table. I petted Fang while Hagrid got out a kettle and made some tea.

When Hagrid had poured our mahogany-brown tea, I asked, "So Hagrid, what sort of animals have you gotten recently?"

Hagrid's face lit up, "I rescued a Netvor in Hungary!"

Hermione spat her tea back into her cup, "A what?!"

Hagrid hadn't heard her, he was already out the door.

We exchanged looks. "What's a Netvor?" Ron asked, sounding nervous. "How many legs does it have?"

"Four," Hermione said. "It has the head and chest of a human and has only one arm, in the middle of its chest. It has two legs in the front, and two legs in the back. So it walks sort of like a sideways spider. It radiates fear, and their skin is completely red. They are incredibly vicious, rated XXXXX, the same as the Chimera, nundu, and the basilisk. Do you remember what it means when a creature is rated XXXXX?!" she almost screamed the last part.

I nearly fainted, "Impossible to tame."

Hermione nodded, eyes wide. "It usually comes at you slow, but once it gets you, you're pretty much dead. You'll get a life sentence in Azkaban for keeping one. It's forbidden in every country in the world. I don't know where Hagrid got one; they're supposed to be extinct!"

"Not again!" Ron moaned. "And he's going to bring the Netvor thing in here?!"

"Hopefully it's not fully grown," Hermione said nervously, pulling out her wand.

But when Hagrid returned, he was in tears, "He ran away!"

"What?!" we shouted, shooting up in our seats.

"A Netvor on school grounds?!" Hermione screamed. "Hagrid, if the Ministry wasn't all messed up, you'll get a life sentence in Azkaban! But even in their state, there is no way Dumbledore can get you out ot this. Everyone's in danger now!"

"I know I know," Hagrid wailed. "But I know he went in the Dark Forest. Maybe he'll stay there."

"It'll attack every single creature in that forest," Hermione warned. "It's one of the most dangerous creatures in this world."

"In this world?" I asked.

Hermione ignored me, "Hagrid, exactly...how big is it?"

"A year old, at most," Hagrid sniffled, pulling Kleenex out of one of his pockets.

"A year old?" Hermione repeated. "Oh goodness. I guess Percy or Annabeth could go out there and try to er..." she glanced at Hagrid, "...send it back to Hungary."

"I'll miss him," Hagrid snuffled, throwing some used tissues into the flames. The fire went out.

"How long have you have it — I mean him?"

"Since Sunday. On Friday I got a letter asking meh to get rid of 'im, 'cause he was stuck under a tree and scaring people. But when I freed him...I couldn't just kill him!"

"Oh Hagrid," Hermione said, coming out of her chair to pat his shoulder. "Better to have him back in Hungary where they know how to deal with him than have him kill every single being in the Forest."

"I-I suppose," Hagrid muttered. "He must not 'ave liked the hut I made 'im."

Hermione stepped back, "You put him in a hut?"

"Made of branches," he said. "An' wool."

"A Netvor in a hut made of branches and wool," Hermione repeated. "Okay then."

"I thought he liked it 'ere. I gave 'im plenty of food...freedom..." Hagrid blew his nose.

Hermione gave us a look like, Let's get out of here.

We said goodbye to Hagrid, and then went to check out the hut.

Hermione looked horrified at the hut (which was perfectly fine), "He kept a Netvor in there. He kept a Netvor in there."

"Wow," Ron said. "It could have come out at any time."

"Why can't I get rid of it?" I asked. "I mean, I killed the basilisk. Maybe I could do this."

"You risked your life," Hermione objected. "I don't like the idea of you risking it again. And just when, you know, you're getting a little nicer."

"Wait, but you would let Annabeth do it?"

"Because they're more used to things like this," she said. "I know you're capable of a lot of things Harry, but Annabeth has been doing this for much longer than you have."

"Oh," I relented. "But we can still —"

"Okay," Hermione interrupted. "I'll tell Annabeth now."

She ran back to the castle, and Ron looked at me, "Think you could take the Netvor?"

"Not sure," I admitted, holding my wand out carefully. "It sounds terrifying."

Then we heard the two people talking in the direction of the Forest.

"What the —!" Ron remarked. "What are those two idiots doing there?"

I tried to see who they were, but it was strangely dark, so I couldn't see much. But I could tell they were right at the edge of the Forest.

"Come on, Ron," I said. "We'd better get them away."

As we got closer, I recognized Drew Getaway, and another Slytherin kid who looked fifteen, but I knew he was in seventh year.

"You've only been standing here for two and a half minutes," the boy said.

"I know," Drew snapped. "I can count."

His voice was a challenge, "How come you're standing so far away?"

Drew moved closer to the Forest, "No I'm not."

"Hey!" Ron yelled. "You can't be there!"

"Blah blah blah," Drew said, glaring at me. "I can't go anywhere without anyone telling me that. Shove off."

I hesitated, "That's the Forest. It's dangerous."

"That's why I'm standing here. Wilby here," she scowled at Wilby, "thinks I'm chicken."

His face went dark for a brief moment, "What? No, I didn't put it like that..."

"I'm going to stand here for fifteen minutes," Drew declared, facing the Forest. I was astounded at the level of stupidity she showed. Though I really shouldn't be, since I'd been acting pretty idiotic earlier.

"Fifteen minutes?" Ron scowled. "And for what? To prove a point?" She ignored him.

Something told me that something bad was going to happen. "Hey, listen. I'm doing something nice okay? There's a Netvor loose out there."

Drew clearly had no idea what that was, so she just glared at us, "Okay. Cool." Wilby had a different reaction. He looked at the Forest, then turned and walked silently back to the castle — leaving Drew.

"Not cool," I told her angrily. "Your friend knows that. It's rated quintuple X."

"Wicked."

"Seriously, I'm telling you. Get away."

"Just because my name's Getaway doesn't mean I get away from danger," she said, kicking a rock into the Dark Forest. 

"Harry," Ron whispered.

"What?" I asked him, wondering if it was wise to just grab Drew and go.

"Harry," Ron squeaked.

I turned to the Forest, "What is it? I don't see anything."

"Tree," he said.

I looked up at one of the trees and nearly bolted. The Netvor-a little shorter than Dumbledore-was hanging upside down from one of the branches. It was camouflaging because it was so dark, but we could clearly see it's four legs clinging to the branch.

It jumped to the ground and scuttled towards us, the arm in the middle of it's chest flexing its fingers.

Drew jumped backwards, pulling out her wand. "What the fudge is that?"

"Run!" I bellowed. The Netvor wasn't fast like you'd think most monsters would be, but it was so terrifying we were pretty much paralyzed.

"Stupefy!" we yelled at the same time. All three blasts hit the Netvor, but it just shook off the spells and kept advancing.

"Oh great!" I muttered, suddenly wishing Hermione, Jackson Jerk or Annabeth were here.

Ron looked back at the castle and chewed his lip. Then he looked at me, "We can do this."

It was weird, Ron reassuring me, but I nodded nervously.

We both shouted, "Incarcerous!"

Thick ropes wrapped around the Netvor, but flames surrounded the Netvor, and the ropes burned away.

"Hermione didn't say it had fire powers!" Ron yelled.

I didn't answer. I turned the ground in front of it to mush, but it simply jumped over it.

When it landed, it was suddenly three yards closer.

"Ah!" Ron shouted. "Teluma!" Two arrows shot out of his wand, but the Netvor swatted them aside and kept advancing.

"Reducto! Bombardo! Colloshoo!" the last spell made sticky ectoplasm form under its feet. It burned through that too, and the explosion spells only drove it back a step.

"It's immune to everything!" Ron cried.

"It can't be," I said, trying to be reasonable while the Netvor got closer. Unfortunately, Hermione never told us any weaknesses it had. I guess one could be that it comes slowly, but that didn't help much.

Drew flicked her wand at some rocks, then at the Netvor, "Waddiwasi!" Rocks flew over to the Netvor and pounded it, but they bounced off like its skin were made of iron.

We backed up.

"We could make a big hole," Ron said nervously. We were backing up even faster now.

"It would need to be really deep," I said. "I've never made a hole in the ground before!"

"I have," Drew said matter-of-factly. "Like a million times. It's the funnest thing ever."

"Well hurry up then!" Ron snapped.

Drew frowned at him, then grinned at the Netvor, "Deprimo!"

The explosion shook the entire ground, and the Netvor fell into a pit five feet wide and ten feet deep.

We looked down at the Netvor. "Why didn't you do that earlier?" I asked.

"Like you did, Potter!" Drew growled.

"You're the one being stupid and standing right outside the Forbidden Forest!"

"Forbidden just means it's worth exploring."

"That's just foolish."

"Hey!" Ron suddenly stepped back from the hole. "It's climbing!"

Drew mumbled something not nice, then said, "Cover the hole."

"With what?" I asked, using explosion spells to slow the Netvor.

She glared at me, "How about your oversized head?"

"Hey! Why are all you Slytherins so infuriating?!"

"Why are all you Gryffindors so infuriating?!"

Then the Netvor's long arm reached up and grabbed Drew's leg, it's hollow face rising up and staring at her. It grinned and it's eyes burst into flames, and fangs grew from it's mouth.

Drew screamed in horror and kicked it in the face, somehow sending it back to the bottom of the hole. It just stared at the sides of the hole for a moment, then it raised its eyes, and pure fear drilled into my bones. It climbed up with unnatural speed and launched itself at Drew, pinning her to the ground.

Then shadows came together, forming a shape, and a black sword stabbed through the Netvor.

Unfortunately the Netvor didn't die, it turned slowly, roared, and it's two front feet kicked Nico backwards.

Nico got up hastily. "Now that was unexpected," he muttered.

Black goo poured out of the Netvor, and I could tell it was getting weaker. It got off Drew and ran at Nico.

Nico deflected its claws, dodged a fireball, and chopped off its head. The Netvor fell to the ground and dissolved into black puddles.

"Whoa," I said. "How did you get here? You can't Apparate at Hogwarts!"

"Well I can," Nico said, which didn't explain much. He nodded at Drew, "You're pretty dense to hang around out here. What were you thinking?"

Drew looked like she was glowing when she glowered at him, "You little snot—"

Annabeth, Thalia, Percy, and Hermione ran over, and Drew shut her ungrateful mouth.

"Came...as fast...as I could," Hermione gasped. "Saw...what was happening...from...tower. Sent Nico."

"Good thing Hagrid wasn't here," Ron said, looking back at the woods, scanning for incoming creatures.

"There aren't any more," Percy said. He stared at Drew, "Why are you here?"

"Doing a dare," she responded.

Annabeth looked at her disapprovingly, "Here? So close to the Forbidden Forest?"

"I thought you guys put a boundary or something!"

"That was only for Capture the Flag. And it took a lot of magic to make that. There's no way anyone could sustain a Shield Spell here 24/7."

"Ugh, no wonder. That Shield Spell was terrible. I got through so easily."

I stared, "I couldn't get through!"

Annabeth gazed at Drew thoughtfully, "And you say you have both a mom and a dad?"

Drew recoiled, "Of course. What kind of rude question is that?"

"Listen to me. This is very important, so be truthful. Has anything strange ever happened to you?"

Drew looked like she had a lot to pick from, "Like what?"

"For example...a Cyclops chased you."

"A Cyclops," she repeated. "No. Nothing like that."

"What are you people talking about?" Ron demanded.

"Shh!" Annabeth said. "What about dreams? Have you ever had a dream that seemed to predict what's going to happen? Or one that showed what was happening in another place?"

"One time I had a dream that I failed my History of Magic exam. It turns out I was having that dream while I was taking the test, and then I got the test back and I really failed."

Annabeth frowned, "Did you even study?"

"Of course not. History's useless."

"No it's not! It's—"

"Yeah it's useless," Thalia put in. "So Drew and Dawn's aren't—" she said a word in another language.

"Hm," Annabeth didn't look convinced.

"What's going on?" I repeated Ron's question.

"I'll explain later," Hermione promised.

Then Annabeth cursed in another language, "I should have asked this earlier. Is anybody hurt?"

"I have some new scars," Drew bragged. "Look look." She pointed to three scars that started just under her jaw. They didn't look really new to me, the blood seemed dried up, but it was kind of dark, so I couldn't be sure.

Nico frowned at them like he was trying to remember something. "Those were from the Netvor?"

Drew lowered her chin so her robes hid them, "Ahuh. Cool right?"

Annabeth gave her a weird look, "Right, you'd better get those checked. And you might want to know, Isabell's looking for her mirror, and she thinks you stole it."

"I know," she rolled her eyes, "That's why we were arguing, and also why I missed two classes yesterday."

Annabeth obviously wanted to tie Drew to a chair and shine a light in her face and interrogate her further, but Hermione looked warily at the sky, "I don't like this darkness. It's so...unnatural."

Ron stared at the sky like spiders were going to rain down, "Y-yeah it looks scary for some reason."

Drew scowled, "It's just nighttime you weirdos. I'm going inside."