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Harry, Ron and Hermione were catching up in Herbology class. The noise, chaos, and potentially deadly plants made sure they weren’t overheard.
Harry started, “we were following a trail of silvery blood. Hagrid noticed something and dragged us behind a tree.”
Hermione cut in, “So when whatever it was had run off, I noticed the unicorn on the forest floor. It was the most beautiful and sad thing I’ve ever seen. It looked like a small, lean horse but with the finest, white fur…. ‘Em, that’s when I saw the silvery blood flowing out of it’s neck and the single, silver, horn.” she finished in a small voice.
“Well, we tried to help Hagrid patch the wound with moss and its own tail hairs holding the moss in place,” Harry stepped in.
Hermione turned on Ron, “and when were you going to tell me unicorns were real?” She asked with her more normal haughty tone and arched eyebrows.
“Wha? Everyone knows about unicorns, don’t you?” Asked a confused Ron.
“In the muggle world unicorns are considered fantasy…” seeing the confused look on Ron’s face remained, “…um myth or legend.” Explained Harry,
“You three! Get on with your repotting and less chatter!” Interrupted Professor Sprout.
They worked for a few minutes in silence.
“Hey, does Hagrid think it will live? Asked Hermione, and not just because she wanted to see it again.
“Dunno.”
“Er,” said Ron cautiously, “well yes, the adults are white, but also, the foals are golden or silver. Supposed to be right something to see.”
That got a smile from Hermione.
After a few minutes of focusing on their tasks, Harry boldly declared “we’ve got to find what’s hurting the unicorns!”
“Whhhaa??” Said Ron and Hermione, looking around.
“Well it’s just Hagrid and Fang, isn’t it? And the odd student who gets detention. I bet it’s Snape” Harry said, punching his fist into his hand.
Ron and Hermione shared a look. “Why would Snape hurt unicorns?” Asked Hermione reasonably.
“It must have something to do with the Philosopher’s Stone and keeping someone alive.” Harry speculated.
“Hang on, what was that centaur on about?” She pondered.
“Um, what centaur?” Asked Ron. After they brought him up to speed he said, “blimey! They think He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is here? At Hogwarts?”
Harry said “ouch!” After pricking his finger on a cactus. “Hehe, probably not in the school,” he tried to sound reassuring, “but it sounds like maybe someone’s trying to help him stay sort of alive until they can get the Stone. I still think we should help the unicorns.”
“Er, why don’t I start working on a plan at lunchtime?” Offered Hermione supportively.
“Great!” Said Harry, while Ron wondered what they were getting into.
At lunchtime Hermione rushed up to the library saying something about no time to waste. The two boys looked at each other and shrugged.
After lunch was double-potions and Hermione was very nearly late, losing 5 points from Snape.
Potions was extra difficult that day because Hermione kept talking about to-do lists and timelines. Finally they pulled a Finnagan and blew up their potion so Snape chucked them out of the class.
Back in the Common Room, Ron asked “explain to me again, slowly, why we need to break into the former Drama Club storage room?”
“Oh!” Cried Hermione, exasperated. “You‘’ll just have to wait and see.”
After dinner the threesome crept under the invisibility cloak to the storage room. “Alohomora” said Hermione, and she opened the door. “Just learned that one at lunchtime” she said as an aside.
“Nice one,” whispered Ron.
They closed the door and lit the room. Racks of costumes of all colors and sizes went on into the distance. Sets of modern skyscrapers lined the walls. Hunh, thought Harry, I guess they didn’t need pretend castles!
Hermione was rapidly going through the costumes at the back of the room. “So what are we here for then?” Asked Ron.
“This,” answered Hermione as she held up two troll costumes.
“Wha!!” Ron and Harry jumped, having flashbacks to the bathroom incident.
“We need to be scary, don’t we? In case we run into a dark wizard? It’s not like Wingardium leviosa is a typical combat spell. I read about a troll-centric Drama Club production in ‘Hogwarts a History’ and hoped the costumes or something else in here would work.”
“Brilliant” said Harry and Ron at the same time, “but there’s only two.”
They all tried the costumes on but only Harry and Ron were tall enough to really manage them. They decided Hermione would stay under the invisibility cloak. That also meant she would be able to run for help as the costumes weren’t very maneuverable.
The trio snuck into the Forbidden Forest where Harry had last seen the unicorn. Hagrid must have moved the body and the silvery blood had dulled to a dark grey. They paused, then moved on with false brusque-ness.
“Um Hermione, what are we even looking for?” Asked Ron.
“Well, I’ve divided the Forest into a grid, we’ll search each square for an hour each night. We should be finished in about 3 years,” answered Hermione.
“Three years?!” Exclaimed Ron. “What if who or whatever it is moves in the meantime?”
Hermione’s mouth formed a perfect O.
“Hagrid seemed to think this area was the most likely. Why don’t we search this square for tonight and see how it goes?” Said Harry.
“And when I turned around they were gone!” Cried Hermione.
Hagrid placed his big hands on her shoulders. “You take a deep breath now Hermione. Let’s see if I go’ this straight. You three troublemakers went inta the the Forbidden Forest, that’s Forbidden, to look for whoever’s killin’ unicorns?” He asked incredulously.
“Surely to enhance Potter’s fame,” commented Professor Snape. He and Hagrid had been patrolling the grounds when Hermione literally ran into Hagrid in a panic, crying, and invisible.
“An’ why are Ron and Harry in troll costumes aga’n?” Hagrid continued as if Snape hadn’t said anything.
“So, so, they would scare the dark wizards?” Said Hermione uncertainly.
“OK, show us then,” Hagrid stood and gestured for her to lead them while hefting his cross-bow. Snape glanced at the cross-bow and pulled out his wand.
They walked about half a kilometer into the forest following Hermione’s trail of crushed grasses, churned up moss and mud.
“It was about here I think, just after we crossed that trail. I turned around to ask if we should take it instead of just walking wherever, but they were gone.” Her voice was sad and small.
“Put on tha’ cloak girlie, we’re in for a wild ride” replied Hagrid, cryptically.
They followed the proper trail up into the mountains and deep into the night.
At the edge of the trees, the moonlight showed a cave entrance.
Snape borrowed the cloak and snuck up to the cave to listen. He could hear the loud snores of a mountain troll and two of his least favourite people talking quietly.
“They’re alive, unfortunately,” he whispered to the others. “Surely Potter will translate this into another headline like Boy who Lives After Capture by Troll.”
“A’right, I’ll go try to get them out, you stay here and protect Hermione, since ya’ ain’t wishin’ she was dead,” replied Hagrid.
Snape nodded.
Hagrid tried to sneak up to the cave by bending his knees, hunching his shoulders and taking small steps. Hermione had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing, it was so ridiculous someone so big trying to be sneaky.
Suddenly, a troll came out of the cave, roared at Hagrid and punched him in the face! Hagrid fell flat on his back, out like a light and the troll retreated but the firelight showed it was sitting up and nearer the front of the cave than before.
“Right,” Snape looked like he’d tasted a foul Bertie’s Botts Every Flavored Bean, “you, climb a tree and cover yourself with a cloak. Once you’ve done that I’ll get them out.”
“But I want to help!” Hermione said. Snape’s glower had her climbing a tree right quick after all.
Severus put some mud on his face to break up his features, the rest of him was all black and years of apprehending rebellious students had made him very stealthy. As he walked away from Hermione she couldn’t make him out at all.
Severus approached the cave cautiously. Troll’s thick skin repelled spells, he reminded himself. He thought it unlikely that Harry and Ron would keep their heads on.
When Snape peered into the cave he almost gave himself away with an exclamation at the sight of a large mountain troll cuddling two young boys in costumes in front of the fire. Instead of getting them ready to eat, she was feeding them some cooked rabbit!
Well, this changed things, he thought as he backed off a bit.
Hermione adjusted her position again. Tree branches really weren’t as fun as I had expected, she thought to herself. She started as she realized Hagrid was floating towards her through the night. After his unconscious body rested at the bottom of her tree, she saw Professor Snape’s ghostly white hands motion for her to stay. She nodded and settled back again. Minutes passed with nothing happening. The next thing Hermione saw was not the Professor, but a young buck walking out of the forest, coming to a stop in a moon beam right in front of the cave.
He bent down to forage, his tail flicked once, twice, and like a shot he was off and running with a fully-grown mountain troll after him. Snape’s silhouette appeared in the cave entrance gesturing for the boys to come. The three of them raced to Hermione’s tree, the boys comically with the tops of their costumes still on.
Professor Snape held out his arms and whispered for her to jump, so she did, landing right onto Hagrid, who woke up at that. Who wouldn’t really?
She rushed to hug Ron and Harry. “Ger’off” said Ron who was struggling to get out of the troll head.
“Enough!” Whispered Snape, “let’s go.” And he led them down the trail they’d come up. Once Hagrid had got his wits back he took over and steered them back to Hogwarts.
“Oh my god! A troll, did you see how big she was!”
“I’m never eating rabbit again in my life!”
“I knew she was wantin young’uns, so that’s how I knew where ta find ya’,” explained Hagrid.
As various tales were exchanged and a vomiting session or two, the kids thought it had all turned out as a great adventure.
At the door to Hogwarts Hagrid said “well, this is where I leave ya’, alright you lot?”
“Actually, there is something more,” said Severus. “Potter I’ll need to borrow this cloak for a little longer,” he added as he raised one eyebrow.
“Ahhh… yes Professor.” Harry replied.
Snape put on the cloak, they heard a quiet “ falsum memoriae ” and then noticed the wind had opened the door despite it being heavy oak.
“Well thanks for your help lookin’ for who ever’s hurting unicorns. Wasn’t much of an adventure tonight but that’s better than being kidnapped or som’in!” Said Hagrid with a chuckle.
“Ya, a relief actually,” said Ron
“Bye!”
As they walked up to the common room Harry asked, “Hermione, why do you have so many twigs and leaves in your hair?”