CHAPTER FOURTEEN:
DETENTION

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NOT FOR THE FIRST TIME, DAISY REMARKED HOW MUCH SHE HATED GRYFFINDORS.

Reckless, emotional, stupid, Gryffindors. They held no respect for the rules and threw caution to the wind, no matter the circumstance. She hated it.

Daisy's arms were crossed and a look of annoyance remained on her features as they awaited their fate in the entrance hall. She stood next to Malfoy, though pushed him away from her the second his arm brushed against hers accidentally. She didn't need him annoying her as well. She hated everyone there. Harry, Hermione, Draco, even Neville. Though, the ladder less so. At least Neville got wrapped up in the situation like her.

"Follow me," said Filch, holding an oil-lamp and leading them outside. "I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" He added, leering at them. "Oh yes... hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me... It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out... hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed... Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do."

Daisy's face drew together in disgust and confusion at his words and she exchanged a horrified look with Draco. Chains? Hanging by their wrists? Why was he allowed to be around children? She'd never felt more uncomfortable in her life.

They followed Filch through the dark grounds and Daisy looked back at the castle for a fleeing moment, wishing she'd never tried to help Harry. She wished she was in her bed, comfortable and asleep, unbothered by the events of this evening. She wished Draco could suffer detention with the insufferable Gryffindors by himself.

The moon peaked out from behind dark clouds, glistening across the grounds in beams of light. The cool spring air nipped at her nose, sending a chill through her thin sweater. She hugged her arms tightly to her chest, wishing she'd brought a jacket too.

A small light casted a long shadow from Hagrid's hut as they approached and Daisy felt loads better knowing she'd be with Hagrid, not Filch, for the duration of their detention.

"Is that you, Filch?" Hagrid's voice shouted. "Hurry up, I want ter get started."

Relief flooded Daisy. Surely, with Hagrid they wouldn't have anything too terrible. Hagrid adored Harry, and liked Daisy well enough.

"I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf?" Filch remarked, sneering at Harry's relieved expression. He must've thought the same thing. "Well, think again, boy — it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."

Neville let out a little moan and Draco stopped in his tracks. Daisy's eyes widened and she felt a chill run down her spine -- and it wasn't the wind. Surely, he wasn't serious. Even with Hagrid, the forest was off-limits and terrifying. They couldn't be expected to venture into it's ominous woods as first years, right?

"The forest?" Draco repeated, fear flickering in his eyes against the light from Hagrid's Hut. She didn't blame him. "We can't go in there at night — there's all sorts of things in there — werewolves, I heard."

Daisy whimpered quietly, eyebrows furrowing together. Werewolves? She'd read about them in the library late one evening during Christmas Holiday. They terrified her. She couldn't possibly face a werewolf, how could any of them?

Fear flooded her and she glanced up to the sky. Full moon. If there were werewolves, she'd be dead by morning.

"That's your problem, isn't it?" said Filch, his voice cracking with glee. "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?"

"Some of us were in the wrong place at the wrong time," Daisy muttered, shooting Draco a side-eyed look. Stupid Malfoy put her in this position. Stupid Harry put Malfoy in his position. She hated them.

Hagrid approached them finally, Fang, his large dog, nipping at his heel. He was carrying a large crossbow and had a quiver of arrows fully stocked on his back.

"Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Harry, Hermione?"

"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," said Filch coldly, "they're here to be punished, after all."

"That's why yer late, is it?" said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."

"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch, "for what's left of them." And then he walked off, his lamp-light growing dimmer and dimmer against the shrouding darkness.

Daisy's heart fell and her throat clenched up, she could feel herself beginning to lose it. Ever since the three-headed dog, she'd barely made it through a night's sleep without waking up terrified. This would only make things worse.

"I'm not going into that forest," Draco turned to Hagrid, panic seeping into his voice.

"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely. "Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got ter pay fer it."

"This is barmy," Daisy muttered, exchanging another terrified look with Draco. If it came down to it, Hagrid would probably protect the others before them. Harry first, then Hermione, then Neville just because he wouldn't be able to help himself, and then Daisy before Draco. They were Slytherins, the rump of the group. They were goners.

"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this, he'd—"

"—tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Copyin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on."

Draco didn't move. He stared at Hagrid for a moment, fury written on his face, but said nothing. Then he dropped his gaze.

"Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."

He guided them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp far above them, he pointed to a narrow, winding track leading deep into the forest, filled with dirt and rocks. Another chill slid down Daisy's spine and she felt sick, like something terrible was going to happen.

"Look there," said Hagrid, pointing at something on the track, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."

Daisy's heart clenched. Poor unicorn. Would Hagrid do it or make one of them kill it? She'd rather be expelled then hurt a unicorn, even if it was a mercy killing.

"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" said Malfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.

"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid. "An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."

"I want Fang," said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang's long teeth.

"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid. "So me, Harry, Daisy, an' Hermione'll go one way an' Draco, Neville, an' Fang'll go the other. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now — that's it — an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh — so, be careful — let's go."

The forest was black, dark and empty. She couldn't see a thing, but she could practically feel the creatures and magic buzzing around her. Darkness encompassed her vision, dimply lit by Hagrid's lantern, but the hum of the wind against the trees distracted her momentarily. Upon coming at a slight crossroads, Hagrid led Harry, Hermione and Daisy to the left, while Fang, Draco, and Neville went to the right.

"Could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?" Harry asked after a few moments of silence, his voice unsure.

Daisy couldn't make out Hagrid's face in the dark. She walked a bit further behind Hermione and Harry, who were directly next to Hagrid. She didn't exactly fit on the thin trail next to them -- and there wasn't a chance she'd step off it. The wind picked up and smacked Daisy's hair against her face. She brushed it off, wishing her mother would let her cut it. Then again, she was grateful for the warmth against her neck, which felt frozen stiff like the rest of her body.

"Not fast enough," said Hagrid. "It's not easy ter catch a unicorn, they're powerful magic creatures. I never knew one ter be hurt before."

They passed a tree stump covered moss. The sound of water rushing nearby attracted Daisy's attention to the right. She couldn't see anything but figured some sort of stream was close. Spots of unicorn blood splattered the woven path ahead of them and Daisy inched to run back to the castle, forget this ever happened, pack up her bags and call it all a bad dream. At least then her family would like her.

"You all right, Hermione?" Hagrid whispered, and Daisy barely picked up on his voice. "Don' worry, it can't've gone far if it's this badly hurt, an' then we'll be able ter — GET BEHIND THAT TREE!"

Daisy jumped, heart racing as Hagrid seized Harry and Hermione up, pulling them behind a great oak tree. Daisy rushed after them, eyes watering in fear as Hagrid pulled an arrow from the quiver, stuck it in his crossbow and raised it out into the darkness, ready to fire. Daisy trembled behind Harry and Hermione, fear overtaking her thoughts. If she ran now, could she make it back to Hogwarts in time? Would something get her before then? What was Hagrid afraid of?

Something ahead of them slithered along the dead leaves in the forest, tumbling against them in a swooshing sound. It sounded like someone ran a broom along the forest floor, or whipped their cloak across the leaves. Her first thought was Professor Snape, who wore a cloak like a bat, but she didn't think even he'd enjoy wandering around the Forbidden Forest in the middle of the night with dead unicorns.

"I knew it," he murmured. "There's summat in here that shouldn' be."

"A werewolf?" Harry asked.

"That wasn' no werewolf an' it wasn' no unicorn, neither," said Hagrid grimly. "Right, follow me, but careful, now."

They moved from behind the tree and Daisy noticed Hermione move closer to Harry, terror on her face. They were all too scared to be here tonight. Suddenly, in the clearing ahead, something moved. Daisy stopped, fear coursing through her veins. This was it. This was how she died. Eleven years old, terrified, walking through the Forbidden Forest after getting detention for something that wasn't her problem to begin with.

And into the clearing came a man -- or, a horse? From the waist up, Daisy saw a man with bright red hair and a thick beard. But below the waist was a horse, with four hooves and a long red tail. Realization flickered across Daisy's face. A centaur, of course.

"Oh, it's you, Ronan," said Hagrid in relief. "How are yeh?

"Good evening to you, Hagrid," said Ronan. He had a deep, sorrowful voice. "Were you going to shoot me?"

"Can't be too careful, Ronan," said Hagrid, patting his crossbow. "There's summat bad loose in this forest. This is Harry Potter an' Hermione Granger, by the way. And Daisy Dursley. Students up at the school. An' this is Ronan, you two. He's a centaur."

"We've noticed," Hermione said faintly. Daisy nodded in agreement, awe flooding her features. A real centaur. For some reason, the talk of unicorns had escaped her through her fear. But sometimes, Daisy forgot how magical being a witch was. She could help hunt down things that hurt unicorns, and meet centaurs. Like a fairy tale.

"Good evening," said Ronan. "Students, are you? And do you learn much, up at the school?"

"Em--"

"--A bit--"

"A bit?" Ronan sighed. "Well that's something." He flung his head back and stared at the sky. "Mars is bright tonight."

"Yeah," said Hagrid, glancing up, too. He didn't seem to understand what Ronan was talking about. "Listen, I'm glad we've run inter yeh, Ronan, 'cause there's a unicorn bin hurt — you seen anythin'?"

Daisy looked up to the sky, trying to find Mars, but she couldn't tell which planet was which. They'd only just started learning about the types of stars in Astronomy, and they hadn't established how to find the planets in orbit yet. She could find Orion's Belt and Big and Little Dipper, and even the star, Sirius. But she couldn't see Mars.

She tried to think about what that could mean. Mars is bright. She knew from her father's history channels that Mars was the Roman counterpart to Aries, who was a greek god said to love war and value it above all else. It couldn't be good that Ronan thought Mars was bright. Did that mean war was bright? War was coming? Who's war? The war with Snape? For the stone?

"Mars is bright tonight," Ronan repeated, while Hagrid watched him impatiently. "Unusually bright."

"Yeah, but I was meanin' anythin' unusual a bit nearer home," said Hagrid. "So yeh haven't noticed anythin' strange?"

Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer. At last, he said, "The forest hides many secrets."

Daisy glanced around, feeling as though his answer was both literal and not. She didn't want to find out what the secrets were.

Something in the trees moved behind Ronan and Hagrid raised bis bow again, but a second centaur came through the brush, and Hagrid lowered his crossbow. The second centaur was scruffier and more wild-looking than Ronan, with dark hair.

"Hullo, Bane," said Hagrid. "All right?"

"Good evening, Hagrid, I hope you are well?"

"Well enough. Look, I've jus' bin askin' Ronan, you seen anythin' odd in here lately? There's a unicorn bin injured — would yeh know anythin' about it?"

Bane walked over to stand next to Ronan. He looked skyward. "Mars is bright tonight," he said simply. Daisy's heart dropped, feeling like she was missing something. What did that mean? Why were they repeating the same phrase. Were they trying to tell them something? Speaking in code?

"We've heard," said Hagrid grumpily. "Well, if either of you do see anythin', let me know, won't yeh? We'll be off, then."

Harry and Hermione followed him out of the clearing, staring over their shoulders at Ronan and Bane until the trees blocked their view. Daisy remained for a moment, watching Ronan and Bane curiously, before looking up at the sky.

"You'll see in time," Bane said quietly. "Pluto's retrograde's only just begun. Neptune will guide you, little one."

Daisy tore her eyes from the sky again, looking over at Bane with furrowed eyebrows. Pluto's retrograde? Neptune will guide her? Guide her where? She shook her head, turning and rushing after Hagrid, Harry, and Hermione, stumbling over a rock on her way.

"Never," Hagrid was saying irritably, "try an' get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anythin' closer'n the moon."

"Are there many of them in here?" asked Hermione.

"Oh, a fair few... Keep themselves to themselves mostly, but they're good enough about turnin' up if ever I want a word. They're deep, mind, centaurs... they know things... jus' don' let on much."

"D'you think that was a centaur we heard earlier?" said Harry.

"Did that sound like hooves to you? Nah, if yeh ask me, that was what's bin killin' the unicorns – never heard anythin' like it before."

They walked on through the dense, dark trees. Daisy's thoughts wondered as she walked behind Harry and Hermione. She tried to come up with an understanding of the centaur's words, but kept coming up short. She glanced up to the sky as they walked, trying to look past the large, dark trees into the sky, but found nothing. Only darkness.

"Hagrid!" Hermione yelped, pointing ahead of them. "Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!"

"You three wait here!" Hagrid shouted. "Stay on the path, I'll come back for yeh!"

They heard him crashing away through the undergrowth and stood looking at each other, very scared, until they couldn't hear anything but the rustling of leaves around them.

"You don't think they've been hurt, do you?" whispered Hermione.

"I don't care if Malfoy has, but if something's got Neville... it's our fault he's here in the first place."

"It's your fault we're all here, Malfoy too," Daisy reminded them. As much as she didn't like Malfoy, she didn't want to see him hurt. Except, perhaps by her own fist.

The minutes dragged by. Their ears seemed sharper than usual. Daisy's seemed to be picking up every sigh of the wind, every cracking twig. What was going on? Where were the others?

At last, a great crunching noise announced Hagrid's return. Malfoy, Neville, and Fang were with him. Hagrid was fuming. Malfoy, it seemed, had sneaked up behind Neville and grabbed him as a joke. Neville had panicked and sent up the sparks.

Daisy shook her head, baffled by Malfoy's sheer stupidity. How could that have been a good idea?

"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you two were makin'," Hagrid said in frustration. "Right, we're changin' groups — Neville, you stay with me an' Hermione, Harry, you go with Fang an' this idiot. I'm sorry," Hagrid added in a whisper to Harry, "but he'll have a harder time frightenin' you, an' we've gotta get this done. Daisy, you're with them too, keep him in check."

"Like he'll listen to me," Daisy rolled her eyes.

Daisy set off into the heart of the forest with Malfoy, Harry and Fang. They walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper into the forest, until the path became almost impossible to follow because the trees were so thick. Daisy monitored the ground uneasily as the blood grew thicker and thicker. It shimmered against the roots of a tree, a though the unicorn had been thrashing around in pain. Her heart fell and her face grew soft. The poor unicorn.

"Look —" Harry murmured, holding out his arm to stop Malfoy. Daisy stopped on Harry's other side as they stood in front of a clearing. Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They inched closer.

It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead. Daisy's eyes welled with tears at the sight, having never seen something so beautiful and heart-wrenching. Its long, iridescent legs were stuck out at odd angles and it's mane was glistening against the leaves on the forest floor.

Harry had taken one step toward it when a slithering sound made him freeze where he stood. Abush on the edge of the clearing quivered... Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast.

Daisy jumped back, grabbing the closest thing she could, which happened to be Malfoy's hand, and trembled in fear. Harry, Malfoy, and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood.

"AAAAAAAAAARGH!"

Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted — so did Fang. He dropped her hand in the process and Daisy wanted to rush after him, away from the figure, but stood terrified, transfixed on the entire situation. She felt disillusioned, like it was happening to someone else. She couldn't be in this situation, surely.

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 toward Harry — he couldn't move for fear. It's head turned to Daisy and she let out a loud, terrified scream.

Harry clutched his head, staggering backward but Daisy hadn't moved, frozen in her steps. Hooves echoed behind him, galloping, and something jumped clean over Harry and Daisy, charging at the figure.

Harry fell to his knees and Daisy looked down at him a moment later, watching with worry. When she looked back up, the figure was gone. A centaur was standing over them, not Ronan or Bane; this one looked younger; he had white-blond hair and a palomino body.

"Are you all right?" said the centaur, pulling Harry to his feet.

Daisy stood next to Harry, shaking reverently against her sweater, feeling more scared than she'd been with the three-headed dog. So much for less nightmares.

"Yes — thank you — what was that?"

The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishingly blue eyes, like pale sapphires. He looked carefully at Harry, his eyes lingering on the scar that stood out, livid, on Harry's forehead. Then, to Daisy. His eyes widened a fraction but his face remained impassive.

"You are the Potter boy," he said finally. "You had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time — especially for you. Can you ride? It will be quicker this way."

"My name is Firenze," he added, as he lowered himself on to his front legs so that Harry could clamber onto his back. Daisy didn't move, still frozen in her spot. She didn't want to ride a centaur. She didn't want to see the dead unicorn only meters away from her. She just wanted to go home. She wanted to curl up in bed next to her mother and father and let them take away the nightmares.

There was suddenly a sound of more galloping from the other side of the clearing. Ronan and Bane came bursting through the trees, their flanks heaving and sweaty.
"Firenze!" Bane thundered. "What are you doing? You have a human on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?"

"Do you realize who this is?" Firenze asked in retaliation. "This is the Potter boy. The quicker he leaves this forest, the better."

"What have you been telling him?" growled Bane. "Remember, Firenze, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?"

Ronan pawed the ground nervously. "I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best," he said in his gloomy voice.

Bane kicked his back legs in anger.

"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!"

Firenze suddenly reared on to his hind legs in anger, so that Harry had to grab his shoulders to stay on. Daisy stepped back, startled, looking between the three centaurs, realizing how small she was compared to them all.

"Do you not see that unicorn?" Firenze bellowed at Bane. "Do you not understand why it was killed? 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, leaving Ronan, Bane and Daisy behind them.

Daisy watched them go, terror on her face. She looked down to the unicorn, then around for the hooded figure, before her eyes fell on Bane and Ronan.

"S-sorry for the disturbance," she stuttered finally, tears slipping down her cheeks. She'd been left there. Not that she blamed Harry, but he'd left her nonetheless. She didn't expect anything more from Draco when he abandoned them, but Harry could have at least told Firenze to walk so she could walk alongside them. "I'll be-be going now." She felt like Professor Quirrell, scared of her own shadow, stuttering about everything.

They said nothing and she turned, looking down at the unicorn. "I'm sorry we couldn't help you," she said quietly, wishing they could've gotten there sooner. If they had, maybe the figure wouldn't have been able to get to it and they could've saved it from dying. She took a deep breath, readying herself for her venture back to Hagrid's Hut -- though she hadn't the faintest idea how to get there -- but Ronan spoke up before she could.

"Stick to the left, the brush is thick on the right. The trail will make a swift turn at the large tree, follow it straight and you'll find your way. Jupiter is on your side tonight. And remember, Saturn's rings are following you, they will always follow you."

Daisy turned back to them as they watched her for a moment, before galloping away. Daisy let out a shaky breath, realizing she was completely alone -- and the creature was still out there, somewhere.

Shaking, trembling, terrified of every sound in the forest, Daisy trekked through the forest, repeating Ronan's words carefully so as not to get lost.

Stick to the left of the path, swift turn at the large tree, follow it straight...stick to the left of the path, swift turn at the large tree, follow it straight...stick to the left of the path, swift turn at the large tree, follow it straight...

"Daisy."

Daisy's head snapped up in fear as someone whispered her name. But she couldn't see anyone. She whimpered, wrapping her arms around her midsection and furthering down the brush. Stick to the left, swift turn at the large tree, follow it straight. Stick to the left, swift turn at the -- a sound grabbed her attention to the right and she turned, eyes wide as she made eye contact with bright, yellow eyes.

She stood, frozen, feeling so lightheaded she could pass out, and swallowed thickly. Something large came out of the forest, towering over Daisy. Tears trickled down her cheeks and she tried to hold her breath, not daring to make a sound. The creature was akin to a wolf, but nearly three times larger, with bright yellow eyes and sharp, pointed teeth, the size of Daisy's entire arm.

It moved it's head down towards Daisy and she closed her eyes, turning her head the slightest fraction, trying not to look at it. She didn't want to die. She couldn't die tonight, not at eleven years old. She hadn't even made it through an entire year at Hogwarts!

She could smell it's stinking, rotting breath, like it'd just eaten something putrid.

Then, a scraping feeling on her cheek, and she felt wet, slobbered on. She opened on eye, confused, and turned her head to the creature again. It sat on it's back legs, looking at her eagerly. She blinked, watching it for a moment. Did it just -- did it just lick her?

She didn't move and the creature pawed at the ground in front of her.

"H-hello?" She asked it. Maybe it could speak to her -- though she hadn't read of a magical creature that did that.

No answer. The wolf-like animal turned it's head to the side and she was reminded of a dog. She tried to remain calm. All she wanted was to go home. It appeared to be friendly, but what if it was just toying with her before it devoured her whole?

"Daisy!"

Daisy jumped, watching as the wolf's ears flattened against it's head and it bounded off into the forest.

"Daisy, the other's are waiten fer yeh. Are yeh alrigh'?"

Daisy looked back at Hagrid, who'd come into the forest searching for her. She rushed up to him, pulling him into a hug and crying into his large form. "Please don't make me come back in here again. I'd rather be expelled."

He wrapped an arm around her small form and patted her head.

"Don' say that, Daisy, yeh just scared righ' now. Yeh'll be fine in the mornin'. C'mon, let's get yeh back ter the others."

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i actually loved this chapter omg. if you liked, drop a vote, don't forget to comment, and stay safe! -osw