Together (A Harry Potter love story) 1

48

MILLIES POV

The following morning, notes were delivered to me, Harry and Neville at the breakfast table. They were all the same:

Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. Meet Mr Filch in the entrance hall.
Professor M.McGonagall

I had forgotten that we still had detentions to do in the furore over the points we'd lost, however, I felt we deserved what we'd got.

At eleven o'clock that night, Harry and I said goodbye to Mione and Ron in the common room, and walked in silence to the entrance hall, with Neville. Things were still a bit icy between Harry and I since the library.

When we arrived, Filch was already there - and so was Malfoy, who smirked at me, to which I returned with a fake grin. I had forgotten that Malfoy had got a detention, too.

"Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading us outside. "I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" He continued, leering at us. "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."

We marched off across the grounds. Harrys fingers kept brushing against mine, so I left his side and went to walk with Neville in front, who was already crying. Both Harry and Malfoy sent me a look, but I ignored them. Instead, I wondered what our punishment was going to be. It must be something really horrible, or Filch wouldn't be sounding so delighted.

The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it kept throwing us into darkness. Ahead, I could see the lighted windows of Hagrid's hut. Then I heard a distant shout.

"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."

My heart rose; if we were going to be working with Hagrid it wouldn't be so bad, but I made sure not to show any sign of fear or relief on my face, as I didn't want Filch to be pleased. However, one of the others must've, because Filch said, "I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again - it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."

At this, Neville let out a little moan and Malfoy stopped dead in his tracks.

"The forest?" He repeated, and he didn't sound quite as cool as usual. "We can't go in there at night - there's all sorts of things in there - werewolves, I heard."

"Scared, Malfoy?" Harry said, and I could tell he was smirking. Malfoy glared at him, whilst Neville clutched the sleeve of my robes and made a choking noise.

"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?"

"Of course there aren't any werewolves," I snapped back, trying to soothe Neville. However, I had a funny feeling that what I'd just said was not true.
Just as Filch opened his mouth to answer, Hagrid came striding towards us out of the darkness with his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder.

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

We nodded, before Filch said coldly, "I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid. 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 smiled as Filch said "I'll be back at dawn - for what's left of them." He added sneering, seeing my smile. I just glared back at him. He sent me one last dirty look before turning back towards the castle, with his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.

Malfoy turned to Hagrid.

"I'm not going in that forest," he said, and I was pleased to hear the note of panic in 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."

"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be writing lines or something. If my Father knew I was doing this, he'd-"

" -tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Writin' lines! What goods 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!"

Malfoy didn't move. He looked at Hagrid furiously but then 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."

My stomach flipped, but now with nerves, with excitement. Hagrid led us to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick, black trees. A light breeze lifted my hair as I looked into the forest.

"Look there?" said Hagrid, "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."

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

"Then we fight," I said, glancing at Harry, to find he was already staring at me. His mouth curved into a small smile, to which I returned, before turning away.

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

"I'm with Fang," said Malfoy quickly, eyeing his long teeth.

"Alright, but I warn yeh, he's a bloody coward," said Hagrid. "So, me, Harry and Millie'll go one way, an' Draco, Neville'll an Fang go the other."

"Sure you don't want to come with me?" Malfoy asked me.

I replied without even looking at him, "I'm sure."

"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."