Chapter - 37

In Alex's room

"Maybe, he has gone after that Potter and Ron. I just hope Nicole is not with them" Alex muttered to himself as he wore the coat.

Fearing that Nicole might be with them, Alex dashed out of his room leaving Erebus and the map behind.

What Alex did not notice was that when he was whispering to himself, footsteps began to appear on the map. Along with Malfoy's footsteps, Harry, Ron and even Nicole's footsteps also appeared on the map alongside them. After Alex left, Erebus climbed up the bed and stared intently at the map.

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Alex left the Slytherin dormitories and under the guise of darkness slid past the ghosts and occasionally patrolling teachers. Alex left the school castle and sprinted in the direction of 'The Forbidden Forest'.

When Alex reached the outskirts of the forbidden forest, he put his hand in the pocket to have a look at the map and ascertain the position of Malfoy. It was then that he realised that he has forgotten the map in his room. Now that he was already here, there was no time to go and get it back, now he has to enter the forest and try to find Malfoy on his own.

Alex roamed without any planned direction to follow, but it was not long before he heard some sounds of bickering coming from a certain direction.

"Shut up, you redhead Weasle" Alex heard Malfoy's voice. Alex flashed by the trees in the direction of the voice.

"Say that again Malfoy, looks like you have forgotten the beating I gave you during the Quidditch match," Ron said ready to pounce at Malfoy.

"Do you think you can beat me again? Why don't you give it a try" Malfoy said, not backing even an inch.

"Tough words Malfoy, but did you notice that you are the only Slytherin here?" Ron said with a slight snicker on his face, provoking Malfoy.

"Wh---What do you mean? Aren't we supposed to fight one on one?" Malfoy suddenly came to the realisation of the situation he was in.

"One with the numbers make the rule," Ron said with his head held high shamelessly.

"Despicable " Malfoy muttered.

"Now now boys, no fighting on my watch " Hagrid intervened between the two of them.

"You better watch your back, Weasley" Malfoy threatened.

"Hmph".

Alex followed the sounds, and soon the group was in his sight. When he looked at people in front of him, he felt anger building inside of him. Nicole was also in the group in front of him, and she did not look afraid at all, she was strolling in the forest as if they were on a trip rather than a punishment.

Alex followed them stealthily as they ventured deep inside the forest. Alex felt confused as to why Hagrid was taking the kids deep inside the forest when headmaster Dumbledore explicitly instructed the students not to venture to the forbidden forest at the beginning of the year.

"What are we doing here in the forbidden forest? I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this, he'd —" Malfoy asked as he complained to Hagrid.

"— 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!"

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." He led them 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 their hair as they 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."

Alex looked at the thing Hagrid was pointing, now things were getting more and more complicated. The kids are going to investigate the killing of Unicorns now. What are the professors even thinking?

Alex continued to observe the group, "And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" asked 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 direction. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least ".

"Why do we need to split? " Ron asked shivering in fear.

"Getting cold feet Weasley? " Malfoy snickered, but fear was evident even from his voice.

"Who's scared here? I am just worried for the girls here " Ron said trying to keep a brave front.

"Enough y'all now Hermione, Nicole an' Neville will go wit me in this direction. Harry, Ron an' Malfoy in that direction". Hagrid said.

"Why should I be with him?"

"Why should I be with him?"

Ron and Malfoy said, almost at the same time.

"Then who among you wants to be with Neville?" Hagrid asked.

"Yes switch me with Neville" Ron beat Malfoy to it.

"Fine, then I want fang" Malfoy demanded.

"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid. "So, me, Harry, 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."

Saying this, Hagrid marched off in one direction, followed by Hermione, Nicole and Ron. Potter, Neville and Malfoy stood there for a while before they strode off the other way.

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