A button, growing equally hot, was gripped tightly by a pair of hands.
The Forbidden Forest was pitch black and utterly silent.
Justin, who had also co for detention, had just rendezvoused with Hagrid and the others when they heard a loud, piercing cry of agony.
They had originally co into the Forbidden Forest to search for sothing, but now it seed Hagrid had found it—and it was the worst possible outco.
"I knew there was sothing lurking in the forest... Look over there," Hagrid said. "See that shining stuff on the ground? Silvery-white? That's Unicorn blood. I never expected the target to be a Unicorn; I've never heard of a Unicorn being hurt before..."
The five of them stared silently. A beam of moonlight filtered down through the branches above, illuminating the pools of silver-blue blood on the fallen leaves.
"Right," Hagrid said. "Your task hasn't changed. We still have to find that creature. But listen closely now: what we are doing tonight is extrely dangerous."
The anxiety Harry and the others had felt since yesterday reached its peak. They had thought having Justin with them would make them feel safer, but instead, they had been dragged into sothing even more perilous. They began to shiver, though it was unclear if it was from fear or the biting night wind.
"Don't leave the path. Now, we'll split into two groups—one of three, one of four—and follow the blood trails separately. There's blood everywhere; clearly, the Unicorn has been stumbling around since at least last night," Hagrid said.
"I want Fang," Malfoy said quickly, eyeing Fang's long teeth.
Justin rembered what Sean had told him before leaving: "If you et danger in the Forbidden Forest and you're with Fang, rember to run fast. Fang looks fierce, but he's actually about as brave as Malfoy."
It seed that prediction was already coming true.
"I'll go with Fang," Justin said. He was scared too, of course, but compared to letting his friends face danger... he figured he could run faster than Malfoy.
So Justin, Malfoy, and Fang ford one group, while Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Hagrid ford the other.
A gust of wind blew past. Justin took the Planning Map in his hand and waved it at Harry's group. Understanding the gesture, the others nodded.
Then, they each headed deeper into the forest.
"We're going to find the killer of a Unicorn? You must be joking..." Ron hadn't stopped panicking since yesterday, and Hermione and Harry weren't much better.
"Hagrid, could it be a werewolf?" compared to the unknown, Harry and the others preferred to believe it was a werewolf gone mad.
"Werewolves aren't that fast—shh—" Hagrid suddenly silenced them. The three strained their ears to listen.
Sothing was slithering over the nearby dead leaves; it sounded like a cloak dragging across the ground. Hagrid squinted into the dark path, but after a few seconds, the sound faded away.
"I knew it," he murmured. "There's sothing in here that doesn't belong."
This statent stunned everyone except Hermione, whose quill was scratching furiously against parchnt. Before leaving, Sean had asked her to record any details if they encountered anything unforeseen.
They walked a bit further until they reached a fork in the road. Choosing one path, they continued walking silently, eyes fixed on the ground.
"Who's there?!"
Suddenly, they heard rustling noises again. Hagrid imdiately drew his bow and shouted.
Then, a creature that was half-man, half-horse stepped out of the shadows.
"Good evening, Hagrid," the Centaur said. His voice was deep and sorrowful. "Were you going to shoot ?"
"Oh, it's you, Firenze." Hagrid let out a sigh of relief. "Have you noticed anything unusual in the last couple of days?"
Firenze threw back his head and gazed at the sky.
"Mars is bright tonight."
"I an unusual," Hagrid pressed.
"Mars is bright tonight," Firenze repeated.
Although confused, Hermione recorded the conversation. Sean wouldn't have asked her to do sothing aningless.
"I've heard that already!" Hagrid said impatiently.
At this mont, Firenze suddenly changed his words:
"I see different planets shifting. Mars remains bright, but Jupiter is slowly replacing it. I see Uranus flashing suddenly; this hasn't happened for many years. But Pluto, which should have appeared, has hidden itself in the dark clouds..."
"What are you talking about?"
Suddenly, the sound of more hoofbeats ca from the other side of the clearing. A tall Centaur burst out from the bushes, his flanks heaving and covered in sweat. He startled Hermione so much she jumped.
"Rember, Firenze, we have sworn an oath never to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to co in the movents of the planets?"
Just then, barking ca from the dense forest. Justin and his group seed to have followed the commotion of the Centaurs.
Justin and Hermione regrouped first. As the Centaurs argued, Justin glanced at Hermione's notes.
"Mars symbolizes desire and war; Jupiter represents soone who is constantly growing. Their simultaneous shining indicates they will eventually clash... And Uranus symbolizes awakening and rebellion, while Pluto, representing rebirth, failed to shine..."
Justin seed to know a bit about astrology. Hermione inexplicably recalled that the birthday gift he had given her was a lunar chart and astronomical instrunts.
"So... what does that an?" Harry asked, bewildered.
"Mars is too bright." Firenze turned his deep gaze first to Justin, then to Harry.
Now even Justin didn't understand; his knowledge ca only from broad reading.
After the Centaurs left, the night beca extrely unsettled.
Hagrid was angry at Justin for recklessly changing direction and insisted on swapping the groups. Ron was cowering, and Hermione was pale, so Hagrid ultimately put Harry and Malfoy together.
They began searching again.
Unexpectedly, they actually found the creature. Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted—Fang fled for his life alongside him.
Only Harry remained, his scar searing with pain, unable to move a muscle.
The night grew deeper.
The next day.
Sean made a rare request: "Professor McGonagall, may we leave early?"
His button had beco scorching hot. Sean knew the worst had happened at Hogwarts.
Think about it: what kind of danger would Harry and the others face in the Forbidden Forest? And what danger would be great enough to make Justin send such a frantic signal regardless of the consequences?
Was it the wrong choice?
Or was it... the wrong ti?
Sean dared not think further.
☆☆☆
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