Y/N's POV

The fact that I had lost Gryffindor two hundred points was still on my mind, the whole Quidditch team seemed annoyed with me, they only referred to me as 'the seeker.'

Hermione and Neville were having a difficult time as well, no one would speak to them either and as for Harry, from once being so popular and loved for being The Boy who Lived, he was now one of the most hated.

One morning, notes were delivered to me, Harry, Hermione, 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 McGonagall

At eleven o'clock that night, we said goodbye to Ron in the common room and went down to the entrance hall with Neville. Filch was already there, and so was Malfoy. I had forgotten that Malfoy had gotten 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 said, 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 dark grounds.

I was thinking of what the punishment was going to be, it could be bad since Filch seemed quite delighted. I also was thinking about how my parents would react, my dad was quite mischievous so maybe they wouldn't be that mad.

"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. My relief must have showed in my face, because Filch said. "I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, boy, it's into the forest you're going and it'll be lucky if you all come out in one piece."

Malfoy stopped dead in his tracks.

"The forest?" he repeated. "We can't go in there at night, there's all sorts of things in there, werewolves, I heard."

"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?"

Hagrid then came striding toward us out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying 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, Y/N, 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? 'Not 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." he added nastily, and he turned, making his way back.

Malfoy now turned to Hagrid.

"I'm not going in that forest," he said, obviously scared.

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

"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? You'll do summat useful or you'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 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.

"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 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 groups 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, Neville, an' Hermione'll go one way an' Draco, Harry, Y/N 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, 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 and silent. A little way into it we reached a fork in the earth path, and Neville, Hermione, and Hagrid took the left path while Me, Malfoy, Harry, and Fang took the right.

We walked in silence, our eyes on the ground. Every now and then a ray of moonlight through the branches above lit a spot of silver-blue blood on the fallen leaves.

"Wait till my father hears about this!" Malfoy snarled.

"Hey Malfoy, what don't you shut up and focus so we don't die!" I replied angrily, looking forward.

We kept on walking for a while, nothing the unicorn blood trail on the ground.

"Ow!" Harry yelped, clutching his lightning bolt scar.

"What is it?" I asked worriedly.

He pointed to his scar and as we kept on walking the pain kept on increasing for him. It was long before I saw a hooded figure, kneeling, and it's head over a unicorn's lifeless body, drinking its blood.

Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted, as did Fang. The cloaked figure now turned and looked at me and Harry. Harry now looked like he was in excruciating pain because of his scar and out of instinct I stepped in front of Harry, facing the cloaked figure.

I stood there preparing to be injured or killed but instead, I heard and saw hooves galloping behind me and charging at the figure.

I looked at the creature, it was a centaur.

"Are you all right?" asked the centaur, looking at me and Harry

"Yes, thank you, what was that?" I asked.

The centaur didn't answer. Instead he looked carefully at Harry, his eyes lingering on the scar that stood out, livid, on Harry's forehead.

"You are the Potter boy," he said, "you had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time, especially for you. I am Firenze."

We started walking back with Firenze by our side.

"Do you two know what unicorn blood is used for?" Firenze asked.

"No," said Harry, startled by the odd question.

"We've only used the horn and tail hair in Potions." I added.

"That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn," said Firenze, "only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenseless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."

"But who'd be that desperate?" I asked. "If you're going to be cursed forever, death's better, isn't it?"

"It is," Firenze agreed, "unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else, something that will bring you back to full strength and power, something that will mean you can never die. Do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?"

"The Philosopher's Stone! Of course! The Elixir of Life! But I don't understand who-"

"Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?"

Then it hit me, Voldemort was after the Philosopher's Stone.

"Y/N!" I heard a girl scream. "Y/N are you alright?"

I didn't get a chance to reply since Hermione's arms were around me, hugging me tightly.

"I'm fine," I said afterwards.

"The unicorn's dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there." Harry added

"This is where I leave you," Firenze murmured as Hagrid hurried off to examine the unicorn, "you are safe now."

Barely I thought, Voldemort was nearby, and he was after the Stone.