Things couldn't have been worse.
Filch took them down to Professor McGonagall's studyon the first floor, where they sat and waited without saying aword to each other.Hermione was trembling. Excuses, alibisand wild cover-up stories chased each other around Harry'sbrain, each more feeble than the last. He couldn't see howthey were going to get out of trouble this time. They werecornered. How could they have been so stupid as to forget theCloak?There was no reason on earth that ProfessorMcGonagall would accept for their being out of bed andcreeping around the school in the dead of night, let alonebeing up the tallest astronomy tower, which was out-of-bounds except for classes. Add Norbert and the InvisibilityCloak and they might as well be packing their bags already.
Had Harry thought that things couldn't have been worse?He was wrong.When Professor McGonagall appeared,shewas leading Neville.
'Harry!' Neville burst out, the moment he saw the othertwo.'I was trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoysaying he was going to catch you, he said you had a drag-'
Harry shook his head violently to shut Neville up, butProfessor McGonagall had seen. She looked more likely tobreathe fire than Norbert as she towered over the three ofthem.
'I would never have believed it of any of you. Mr Filch saysyou were up the astronomy tower. It's one o'clock in themorning. Explain yourselves.'
It was the first time Hermione had ever failed to answer ateacher's question. She was staring at her slippers, as still asa statue.
'I think I've got a good idea of what's been going on,' saidProfessor McGonagall. 'It doesn't take a genius to work it out.You fed Draco Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about adragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. I'vealready caught him. I suppose you think it's funny thatLongbottom here heard the story and believed it, too?'
Harry caught Neville's eye and tried to tell him withoutwords that this wasn't true,because Neville was looking stunnedand hurt.Poor,blundering Neville-Harry knew what it musthave cost him to try and find them in the dark, to warn them.
I'm disgusted,' said Professor McGonagall. 'Four studentsout of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before!You,Miss Granger,I thought you had more sense. As for you,Mr Potter,I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this.All three ofyouwillreceive detentions-yes,you too, Mr Longbottom, nothing gives you the right to walk aroundschool at night, especially these days, it's very dangerous -and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor.'
Fifty?' Harry gasped-they would lose the lead, the leadhe'd won in the last Quidditch match.
'Fifty points eacb, said Professor McGonagall, breathingheavily through her long pointed nose.
'Professor-please-'
'You can't-'
'Don't tell me what I can and can't do,Potter. Now getback to bed, all of you. I've never been more ashamed ofGryffindor students.'
A hundred and fifty points lost. That put Gryffindor in lastplace. In one night, they'd ruined any chance Gryffindor had hadfor the House Cup.Harry felt as though the bottom had droppedout of his stomach. How could they ever make up for this?
Harry didn't sleep all night. He could hear Neville sobbinginto his pillow for what seemed like hours.Harry couldn'tthink of anything to say to comfort him. He knew Neville,like himself,was dreading the dawn.What would happenwhen the rest of Gryffindor found out what they'd done?
At first, Gryffindors passing the giant hourglasses thatrecorded the house points next day thought there'd been amistake.How could they suddenly have a hundred and fiftypoints fewer than yesterday? And then the story started tospread:Harry Potter,the famous Harry Potter, their hero oftwo Quidditch matches, had lost them all those points, himand a couple of other stupid first-years.
From being one of the most popular and admired people atthe school,Harry was suddenly the most hated. EvenRavenclaws and Hufflepuffs turned on him,because everyonehad been longing to see Slytherin lose the House Cup.Everywhere Harry went, people pointed and didn't trouble tolower their voices as they insulted him. Slytherins, on theother hand, clapped as he walked past them, whistling andcheering, 'Thanks Potter, we owe you one!'
Only Ron stood by him.
'They'll all forget this in a few weeks. Fred and Georgehave lost loads of points in all the time they've been here, andpeople still like them.'
'They've never lost a hundred and fifty points in one go,though,have they?'said Harry miserably.
'Well-no,' Ron admitted.
It was a bit late to repair the damage, but Harry swore tohimself not to meddle in things that weren't his business fromnow on. He'd had it with sneaking around and spying. He feltso ashamed of himself that he went to Wood and offered toresign from the Quidditch team.
Resign?' Wood thundered. 'What good'll that do? Howare we going to get any points back if we can't win atQuidditch?'
But even Quidditch had lost its fun. The rest of the teamwouldn't speak to Harry during practice, and if they had tospeak about him, they called him 'the Seeker'.
Hermione and Neville were suffering,too. They didn'thave as bad a timeHarry,because they weren't as well known,but nobody would speak to them either. Hermionehad stopped drawing attention to herself in class, keeping herhead down and working in silence.
Harry was almost glad that the exams weren't faraway. All the revision he had to do kept his mind off hismisery. He, Ron and Hermione kept to themselves, workinglate into the night, trying to remember the ingredientsin complicated potions, learn charms and spells off byheart, memorise the dates of magical discoveries and goblinrebellions...
Then, about a week before the exams were due to start,Harry's new resolution not to interfere in anything that didn'tconcern him was put to an unexpected test. Walking backfrom the library on his own one afternoon, he heard somebodywhimpering from a classroom up ahead. As he drew closer, heheard Quirrell's voice.
'No-no-not again, please-'
It sounded as though someone was threatening him.Harrymoved closer.
'All right-all right-'he heard Quirrell sob.
Next second,Quirrell came hurrying out of the classroom,straightening his turban. He was pale and looked as thoughhe was about to cry. He strode out of sight; Harry didn't thinkQuirrell had even noticed him. He waited until Quirrell'sfootsteps had disappeared, then peered into the classroom. Itwas empty, but a door stood ajar at the other end. Harry washalfway towards it before he remembered what he'd promisedhimself about not meddling.
All the same, he'd have gambled twelve Philosopher'sStones that Snape had just left the room, and from what Harryhad just heard, Snape would be walking with a new spring inhis step-Quirrell seemed to have given in at last.
Harry went back to the library,where Hermione wastesting Ron on Astronomy. Harry told them what he'd heard.
'Snape's done it, then!' said Ron. 'If Quirrell's told him howto break his Anti-Dark Force spell-'
'There's still Fluffy, though,' said Hermione.
'Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him withoutasking Hagrid,' said Ron, looking up at the thousands of bookssurrounding them. 'I bet there's a book somewhere in here,telling you how to get past a giant three-headed dog. So whatdo we do,Harry?'
The light of adventure was kindling again in Ron's eyes,but Hermione answered before Harry could.
'Go to Dumbledore. That's what we should have done agesago. If we try anything ourselves we'll be thrown out for sure.'
'But we've got no proof!' said Harry. 'Quirrell's too scared toback us up.Snape's only got to say he doesn't know how thetroll got in at Hallowe'en and that he was nowhere near thethird floor-who do you think they'll believe, him or us? It'snot exactly asecret we hate him, Dumbledore'll think wemade it up to get him sacked. Filch wouldn't help us if his lifedepended on it, he's too friendly with Snape, and the morestudents get thrown out, the better, he'll think. And don'tforget,we're not supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy.That'll take a lot of explaining.'
Hermione looked convinced, but Ron didn't.
'If we just do a bit of poking around -'
'No,' said Harry flatly, 'we've done enough poking around.'
He pulled a map of Jupiter towards him and started tolearn the names of its moons.
The following morning, notes were delivered to Harry,Hermione and Neville at the breakfast table. They were allthe same:
Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight.
Meet Mr Filch in the Entrance Hall.
Prof.m.McGonagall
Harry had forgotten they still had detentions to do in thefurore over the points they'd lost. He half expected Hermioneto complain that this was a whole night of revision lost, butshe didn't say a word. Like Harry,she felt they deserved whatthey'd got.
At eleven o'clock that night they said goodbye to Ronin the common room and went down to the entrance hallwith Neville. Filch was already there -and so was Malfoy.Harry had also forgotten that Malfoy had got a detention,too.
'Follow me,'said Filch,lighting a lamp and leading themoutside. 'I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school ruleagain, won't you, eh?' he continued, leering at them. 'Oh yes... hard work and pain are the best teachers if you askme...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'vegot the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in casethey're ever needed ... Right, off we go, and don't think ofrunning off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do!'
They marched off across the dark grounds. Neville keptsniffing. Harry wondered what their punishment was going tobe. It must be something really horrible, or Filch wouldn't besounding so delighted.
The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across itkept throwing them into darkness. Ahead,Harry could see thelighted windows of Hagrid's hut. Then they heard a distantshout.
'Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started.'
Harry's heart rose; if they were going to be working withHagrid it wouldn't be so bad. His relief must have showed inhis face,because Filch said, 'I suppose you think you'll beenjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, boy - it'sinto the Forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll allcome out in one piece.'
At this,Neville let out a little moan and Malfoy stoppeddead in his tracks.
'The Forest?'he repeated, and he didn't sound quite as coolas usual. 'We can't go in there at night - there's all sorts ofthings in there -werewolves, I heard.'
Neville clutched the sleeve of Harry's robe and made achoking noise.
'That's your lookout, isn't it?' said Filch, his voice crackingwith glee. 'Should've thought of them werewolves before yougot in trouble, shouldn't you?'
Hagrid came striding towards them out of the dark, Fangat his heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiverof arrows hung over his shoulder.
'Abou' time,' he said. 'I bin waitin' fer half an hour already.All right,Harry,Hermione?'
'I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid,' said Filchcoldly, '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'vedone yer bit, I'll take over from here.'
'Ill be back at dawn,' said Filch, 'for what's left of them,' headded nastily, and he turned and started back towards thecastle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.
Malfoy now turned to Hagrid.
I'm not going in that Forest,' he said, and Harry waspleased to hear the note of panic in his voice.
Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts, said Hagridfiercely.'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 thoughtwe'd be writing lines or something. If my father knew I wasdoing this, he'd '
'-tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts,' Hagrid growled.'Writin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summatuseful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather youwere expelled,then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on!'
Malfoy didn't move. He looked at Hagrid furiously butthen dropped his gaze.
'Right then,' said Hagrid, 'now, listen carefully, 'cause it'sdangerous what we're gonna do tonight an' I don' want no onetakin' risks. Follow me over here a moment!'
He led them to the very edge of the Forest. Holding hislamp up high he pointed down a narrow, winding earth trackthat disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breezelifted their hair as they looked into the Forest.
'Look there,' said Hagrid, 'see that stuff shinin' on theground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicornin there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time ina 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?' saidMalfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.
'There's nothin' that lives in the Forest that'll hurt yeh if yerwith me or Fang,' said Hagrid. 'An' keep ter the path. Right,now,we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trailindiff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must'vebin staggerin' around since last night at least.'
'I want Fang,' said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang's longteeth.
'All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward,' said Hagrid. 'Some, 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'practise 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.'
The Forest was black and silent. A little way into it theyreached a fork in the earth path and Harry, Hermione andHagrid took the left path while Malfoy,Neville and Fang tookthe right.
They walked in silence, their eyes on the ground. Everynow and then a ray of moonlight through the branches abovelit a spot of silver blue blood on the fallen leaves.
Harry saw that Hagrid looked very worried.
'Could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?' Harry asked.
'Not fast enough,' said Hagrid. 'It's not easy ter catch aunicorn, they're powerful magic creatures. I never knew oneter be hurt before.'
They walked past a mossy tree-stump. Harry could hearrunning water; there must be a stream somewhere close by.There were still spots of unicorn blood here and there alongthe winding path.
'You all right, Hermione?' Hagrid whispered. 'Don' worry,it can't've gone far if it's this badly hurt an' then we'll be ableter-GET BEHIND THAT TREE!'
Hagrid seized Harry and Hermione and hoisted them offthe path behind a towering oak. HHe pulled out an arrow andfitted it into his crossbow, raising it, ready to fire. The three ofthem listened. Something was slithering over dead leavesnearby: it sounded like a cloak trailing along the ground.Hagrid was squinting up the dark path, but after a few seconds,the sound faded away.
'I knew it,' he murmured. 'There's summat in here thatshouldn' be.'
'A werewolf?' Harry suggested.
'That wasn' no werewolf an' it wasn' no unicorn, neither,'said Hagrid grimly. 'Right, follow me, but careful, now.'
They walked more slowly, ears straining for the faintestsound. Suddenly, in a clearing ahead, something definitelymoved.
'Who's there?' Hagrid called. 'Show yerself-I'm armed!'
And into the clearing came - was it a man, or a horse? Tothe waist, a man, with red hair and beard, but below that wasa horse's gleaming chestnut body with a long, reddish tail.Harry and Hermione's jaws dropped.
'Oh, it's you, Ronan,' said Hagrid in relief. 'How are yeh?'
He walked forward and shook the centaur's hand.
'Good evening to you, Hagrid,' said Ronan. He had a deep,sorrowful voice.'Were you going to shoot me?'
'Can't be too careful, Ronan,' said Hagrid, patting hiscrossbow. 'There's summat bad loose in this Forest. This isHarry Potter an' Hermione Granger, by the way. Students upat the school. An' this is Ronan, you two. He's a centaur.'
We'd noticed,' said Hermione faintly.
'Good evening,' said Ronan. 'Students, are you? And doyou learn much, up at the school?'
'Erm-'
'A bit,' said Hermione timidly.
'A bit.Well, that's something!' Ronan sighed. He fungback his head and stared at the sky. 'Mars is bright tonight.'
'Yeah, said Hagrid, glancing up too. 'Listen, I'm glad we'verun inter yeh, Ronan, 'cause there's a unicorn bin hurt-youseen anythin'?'
Ronan didn't answer immediately. He stared unblinkinglyupwards, then sighed again.
'Always the innocent are the first victims,' he said. 'So it hasbeen for ages past, so it is now.'
'Yeah,' said Hagrid, 'but have yeh seen anythin', Ronan?Anythin' unusual?'
'Mars is bright tonight,' Ronan repeated while Hagridwatched him impatiently. 'Unusually bright.'
'Yeah,but I was meanin' anythin' unusual a bit nearer home,'said Hagrid. 'So yeh haven't noticed anythin' strange?'
Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer. At last, he said,'The Forest hides many secrets.'
A movement in the trees behind Ronan made Hagrid raisehis bow again, but it was only a second centaur, black-hairedand-bodied and wilder-looking than Ronan.
'Hullo, Bane,' said Hagrid. 'All right?'
'Good evening,Hagrid, I hope you are well?'
'Well enough.Look, I've jus' bin askin' Ronan, you seenanythin' odd in here lately? Only there's a unicorn bininjured-would yeh know anythin' about it?'
Bane walked over to stand next to Ronan. He lookedskywards.
'Mars is bright tonight' he said simply.
'We've heard,' said Hagrid grumpily. 'Well, if either of youdo see anythin', let me know, won't yeh? We'll be off, then.'
Harry and Hermione followed him out of the clearing,staring over their shoulders at Ronan and Bane until the treesblocked their view.
'Never,' said Hagrid irritably, 'try an' get a straight answerout of a centaur. Ruddy star-gazers. Not interested in anythin'closer'n the moon.'
'Are there many of them in here?' asked Hermione.
'Oh, a fair few... Keep themselves to themselves mostly,but they're good enough about turnin' up if ever I want aword.They're deep, mind, centaurs...they know things ... jus'don' let on much.'
'D'you think that was a centaur we heard earlier?' saidHarry.
'Did that sound like hooves to you? Nah, if yeh ask me,that was what's bin killin' the unicorns - never heard anythin'like it before.'
They walked on through the dense, dark trees. Harry keptlooking nervously over his shoulder. He had the nasty feelingthey were being watched. He was very glad they had Hagridand his crossbow with them. They had just passed a bend inthe path when Hermione grabbed Hagrid's arm.
'Hagrid! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!'
'You two wait here!' Hagrid shouted. 'Stay on the path,I'llcome back for yeh!'
They heard him crashing away through the undergrowthand stood looking at each other, very scared,until theycouldn't hear anything but the rustling of leaves aroundthem.
'You don't think they've been hurt, do you?' whisperedHermione.
'I don't care if Malfoy has, but if something's got Neville...It's our fault he's here in the first place.'
The minutes dragged by. Their ears seemed sharper thanusual. Harry's seemed to be picking up every sigh of the wind,every cracking twig. What was going on? Where were theothers?
At last, a great crunching noise announced Hagrid'sreturn. Malfoy,Neville and Fang were with him.Hagrid wasfuming. Malfoy, it seemed, had sneaked up behind Nevilleand grabbed him for a joke. Neville had panicked and sent upthe sparks.
'We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket youtwo were makin'. Right, we're changin' groups - Neville,youstay with me an' Hermione, Harry, you go with Fang an'thisidiot. I'm sorry,' Hagrid added in a whisper to Harry, 'but he'llhave a harder time frightenin' you, an' we've gotta get thisdone.'
So Harry set off into the heart of the Forest with Malfoyand Fang. They walked for nearly half an hour, deeper anddeeper into the Forest,until the path became almost impossibleto follow because the trees were so thick. Harry thought theblood seemed to be getting thicker. There were splashes onthe roots of a tree, as though the poor creature had beenthrashing around in pain close by. Harry could see a clearingahead,through the tangled branches of an ancient oak.
'Look -'he murmured, holding out his arm to stop Malfoy.
Something bright white was gleaming on the ground.They inched closer.
It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead. Harry hadnever seen anything so beautiful and sad. Its long slender legswere stuck out at odd angles where it had fallen and its manewas spread pearly white on the dark leaves.
Harry had taken one step towards it when a slitheringsound made him freeze where he stood. A bush on the edge ofthe clearing quivered ... Then, out of the shadows, a hoodedfigure came crawling across the ground like some stalkingbeast. Harry, Malfoy and Fang stood transfixed. The cloakedfigure reached the unicorn, it lowered its head over the woundin the animal's side, and began to drink its blood.
'AAAAAAAAAAARGH!'
Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted-so didFang.The hooded figure raised its head and looked right atHarry -unicorn blood was dribbling down its front. It gotto its feet and came swiftly towards him-he couldn't movefor fear.
Then a pain pierced his head like he'd never felt before, itwas as though his scar was on fire-half-blinded,he staggeredbackwards.Heheard hooves behind him, galloping,andsomething jumped clean over him, charging at the figure.
The pain in Harry's head was so bad he fell to his knees. Ittook a minute or two to pass. When he looked up,the figurehadgone.Acentaur was standing over him,not Ronan orBane;this one looked younger; he had white-blond hair and apalomino body.
'Are you all right?' said the centaur, pulling Harry to hisfeet.
Yes-thank you -what was that?'
The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishingly blue eyes,like pale sapphires. He looked carefully at Harry, his eyeslingering on the scar which stood out, livid,on Harry'sforehead.
'You are the Potter boy,' he said. 'You had better get backto Hagrid. The Forest is not safe at thistime-especially foryou. Can you ride? It will be quicker this way.
'My name is Firenze,' he added, as he lowered himself onto his front legs so that Harry could clamber on to his back.
There was suddenly a sound of more galloping from theother side of the clearing. Ronan and Bane came burstingthrough the trees, their flanks heaving and sweaty.
'Firenze!' Bane thundered. 'What are you doing? You havea human on your back! Have you no shame? Are you acommon mule?'
'Do you realise who this is?' said Firenze. 'This is the Potterboy. The quicker he leaves this Forest, the better.'
What have you been telling him?' growled Bane.'Remember,Firenze,we are sworn not to set ourselves againstthe heavens. Have we not read what is to come in themovements of the planets?'
Ronan pawed the ground nervously.
I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best,' hesaid, in his gloomy voice.
Bane kicked his back legs in anger.
'For the best! What is that to do with us? Centaurs areconcerned with what has been foretold! It is not our businessto run around like donkeys after stray humans in our Forest!'
Firenze suddenly reared on to his hind legs in anger, sothat Harry had to grab his shoulders to stay on.
'Do you not see that unicorn?' Firenze bellowed at Bane.'Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planetsnot let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurkingin this Forest,Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must.!'
And Firenze whisked around; with Harry clutching on asbest he could, they plunged off into the trees, leaving Ronanand Bane behind them.
Harry didn't have a clue what was going on.
'Why's Bane so angry?' he asked. 'What was that thing yousaved me from, anyway?'
Firenze slowed to a walk,warned Harry to keep his headbowed in caseof low-hanging branches but did not answerHarry's question. They made their way through the trees insilence for so long that Harry thought Firenze didn't want totalk to him any more. They were passing through a particularlydense patch of trees, however,when Firenze suddenlystopped.
'Harry Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is usedfor?'
'No, said Harry, startled by the odd question. 'We've onlyused the horn and tail-hair in Potions.'
'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 ofa unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch fromdeath, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pureand defenceless to save yourself and you will have but ahalf life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touchesyour lips.'
Harry stared at the back of Firenze's head, which wasdappled silver in the moonlight.
'But who'd be that desperate?' he wondered aloud. 'If you'regoing to be cursed for ever, death's better, isn't it?'
'It is,' Firenze agreed, 'unless all you need is to stay alivelong enough to drink something else - something that willbring you back to full strength and power - something thatwill mean you can never die. Mr Potter, do you know what ishidden in the school at this very moment?'
'The Philosopher's Stone! Of course-the Elixir of Life! ButI don't understand who -'
'Can you think of nobody who has waited many years toreturn to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?'
It was as though an iron fist had clenched suddenly aroundHarry's heart. Over the rustling of the trees, he seemed tohear once more what Hagrid had told him on the night theyhad met: 'Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion.Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die.'
'Do you mean,' Harry croaked, 'that was Vol-'
'Harry! Harry, are you all right?'
Hermione was running towards them down the path,Hagrid puffing along behind her.
I'm fine,' said Harry, hardly knowing what he was saying.'The unicorn's dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there.!'
'This is where I leave you,' Firenze murmured as Hagridhurried off to examine the unicorn. 'You are safe now.'
Harry slid off his back.
'Good luck, Harry Potter,' said Firenze. 'The planets havebeen read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope thisis one of those times.'
He turned and cantered back into the depths of the Forest,leaving Harry shivering behind him.
Ron had fallen asleep in the dark common room, waiting forthem to return. He shouted something about Quidditch foulswhen Harry roughly shook him awake. In a matter of seconds,though, he was wide-eyed as Harry began to tell him andHermione what had happened in the Forest.
Harry couldn't sit down. He paced up and down in front ofthe fire. He was still shaking.
'Snape wants the stone for Voldemort... and Voldemort'swaiting in the Forest... and all this time we thought Snapejust wanted to get rich...'
'Stop saying the name!' said Ron in a terrified whisper, as ifhe thought Voldemort could hear them.
Harry wasn't listening.
Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done ... Bane wasfurious... he was talking about interfering with what theplanets say is going to happen ... They must show thatVoldemort's coming back ... Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me ... I suppose that's written in the stars aswell.'
'Will you stop saying the name!' Ron hissed.
'So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone,'Harry went on feverishly, 'then Voldemort will be able tocome and finish me off ... Well,I suppose Bane'll be happy!'
Hermione looked very frightened, but she had a word ofcomfort.
'Harry, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of. With Dumbledore around,You-Know-Who won't touch you. Anyway,who says thecentaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me,andProfessor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch ofmagic.'
The sky had turned light before they stopped talking.They went to bed exhausted,their throats sore. But the night'ssurprises weren't over.
When Harry pulled back his sheets, he found his InvisibilityCloak folded neatly underneath them. There was a notepinned to it:
Just in case.