Chapter 17
Ron and Leila watched the tiny jet black foal struggle to its feet. Ron thought it was cute, but then, it was an evil Unicorn. The golden foals peered interested, at the black foal. They wanted to go and examine it, but their mothers snorted at them to stay back. The Unicorn took one look at its foal and turned its nose away. Kendra, Haze, and Siue stared sadly at the foal and its mother. It shivered and nudged towards its mother, looking for milk. The Unicorn nudged it away. The foal stood confused, and tried again.
"How rude!!!" Leila said. "Ron, what are we to do? None of the Unicorns will help it because he's black!" Leila clung to Ron. Ron stared at the foal who tried to go after his mother, but fell back on his spindly legs. Haze came up the valley hill towards them.
"Kendra doesn't know what to do. The foal will die, and a dead Unicorn is a disgrace and a sin to the magical world." Haze explained.
"Are there any other old Unicorns that would take care of it until its old enough to care for itself?" Ron asked. Haze shook her head. Leila began to cry.
"He'll die!!! The poor thing!" She sobbed into Ron's cloak.
"Hey Haze," Ron said.
"Yes?" Haze asked, blushing slightly at being addressed.
"Is there any land in the forest suitable for a paddock?"
"A paddock? What's that?"
"It's an enclosed space where horses and other Muggle livestock live." Leila explained. She sniffed loudly. She turned to look to Ron.
"What do you have in mind?"
"There is one place… But there are a few trees that need to be removed." Haze said.
"Good. I would probably need the wood of the tree to make the fence."
"What?" Leila asked. Haze just stared at Ron. "Ron, what is the use of a paddock for a banished Unicorn?"
"Do you think he'll trust me?" Ron asked, not paying attention to Leila.
"Well… It's a baby. I think so…" Leila said. "I don't remember much from my studies at school." Ron unwrapped Leila's arms from around him and headed down the hill towards Kendra. Kendra was using magic to dry the foal from its birthing wetness.
"Ron?" Kendra asked when she saw him. Ron signaled Kendra to be quiet. He crouched down and made a clicking noise with his tongue. The foal looked at him and walked unsteadily over. He sniffed at Ron's hand. Ron reached a hand up and rubbed the foal's black forelock. It nudged at his hands.
"What do you think you're doing?" Kendra asked sternly.
"Getting him to trust me. I'm going to build a paddock and keep him in the forest."
"Oh no you will NOT, young man…"
"Or would you rather have him die?" Ron asked. The foal seemed to like being pampered. But it still needed to be fed.
"Well, no…" Kendra said.
"Then it's settled. We will bring the young one back. Do you think you can get some help for the paddock? I need to get some food."
"Yes. The Centaurs can help."
"Good." Ron patted the side of the unicorn who was wagging its tiny tail. "Now what shall we call you?" The foal nudged him.
"How about… Innocence."
"That's a strange name." Said Leila, coming over and standing behind Ron.
"Well. Maybe he can help bring our world back to normal. The return of innocence." Innocence wagged his tail towards Leila.
Back in the forest, Ron led Innocence after the fairies who showed him where the paddock should be built. The centaurs came and began to help cut down the trees. Ron ran back out through the forest. He came upon Hagrid's hut. He knocked quickly on the door.
"Ron!" Hagrid roared. "Thought you had really forgotten where I lived this time!"
"Hagrid." Ron said hastily. "Sorry I didn't come to visit, but this is an emergency. I need some milk and Unicorn feed."
"What do you want that stuff for?"
"Uh… I need it for um… extra credit in Potions."
"Ah. Here you go." Hagrid had gotten the food and the milk from his cabinet.
"Thanks Hagrid! I promise I'll visit again!" Ron called as he ran off.
Neville finished his letter and rolled it up. He tied it to a school owl's leg.
"Make sure it reaches the hospital." Neville told the owl. It flew over his head and out a high window. He had just written a letter to St. Mungo's, the wizarding hospital, where his parents were. He told them that he was planning to go and visit for a day during the holiday break and then go back to school. He had also asked if he could bring a friend along. Neville really didn't want Nellie to come, but he thought it was for the best. If the nurses could talk to his parents, maybe Nellie could talk to them.
"You ready to go?" Nellie asked Neville.
"Yeah." They left the Owlrey.
"So, uh. If I can go, when would it be?"
"Two days before Christmas. That gives us enough time to visit with them and head back to school." Neville explained. Nellie sighed. She didn't want to help Voldemort into the castle. But there was nothing she could do to stop it.
Back at the Lion's Den; new bulletins had been posted in the common room.
"Gryffindor versus Slytherin this upcoming Saturday." Neville said to Nellie. All of the Gryffindors were excited for the match. If they won, it would be the perfect ending of the term before holidays. The only person worried, was Harry. Ron hadn't been attending the practices and he needed to go over tactics.
"Come on, Harry." Hermione said. "Let's go visit Hagrid. It'll cheer you up." So down the Hagrid's hut they went. Fang, now an old lumpy dog, wagged his tail at them, instead of jumping up to slobber on them.
"Harry! Hermione! Good to see yeh!" Hagrid said, ushering them inside.
"Excited for the Quidditch match, Harry?" Hagrid asked.
"Not especially. It's against Slytherin, and with Malfoy captain, there's no telling what he'll make them do."
"But there's those other troublemakers, Crabbe and Goyle, on the team. Can hardly do anything, they're so pudgy. Surprised their brooms don't break." Hagrid chuckled and poured them tea. Harry weakly smiled.
"Ron not with yeh again?" Hagrid asked.
"No."
"He came by for a short bit today." Hagrid said. Hermione and Harry exchanged frightened looks.
"He… Did?"
"Yup. Alls he wanted was some milk and Unicorn feed. Said it was fer extra credit in Potions."
"What?" Harry said. "There's no extra credit in potions!" Hermione kicked him.
"Oh! THAT extra credit." He said.
"Did he say what kind of potion he was making?" Hermione asked. "I mean, you could do 1 out of… uh… 3 potions for extra credit."
"Nope. Just took what I gave him and ran off." Hermione's face fell.
"Did you do the extra credit, Hermione?" Hagrid asked.
"Oh! Yes! Of course I did!!!!"
"Good, good." Hagrid said.
Meanwhile, outside:
"You stupid idiot, watch where you're pointing that thing. You almost pricked my ass!" There were rustles and whispers from the bushes by Hagrid's hut.
"But… Won't the dog hear?"
"That old mutt? No! Besides, who cares? It's going to die anyways."
"Yes.. Yes.. Of course. But… why don't we just kill them all right now? They're in there!"
"No! You can't do all three at once, you buffoon. Now, fire on my command."
"Yes."
"One…. Two…. Three!"
Back inside Hagrid's hut:
"So, uh… Every find anymore werewolf tracks, Hagrid?" Harry asked.
"Nah. Figured they're too busy feeding on the creatures in the forest. With all them full moons."
"What's your opinion on the moons?" Hermione asked.
"Don't really got one. The time is going faster. We don't notice it, and neither do the Muggles, o' course. But sooner or later, we'll all see that things have matured faster than usual. I think I might have to go in and check on the Unicorn population…"
"No!" Harry and Hermione said.
"What?" Hagrid asked.
"You… You… Might meet up with a werewolf!" Harry said. "You don't want that!!!"
"Well…." Hagrid stroked his beard.
"Do you hear something?" asked Hermione. They all listened. A soft , pained whining was coming from outside.
"Sound's like Fang." They hurried outside. Hermione gasped and Hagrid choked. Harry just stood there. Fang whimpered for one last time, before dying before their eyes. A green arrow was pierced in his back. The note attached to the arrow said:
Bad Dog
"Fang!" Hagrid moaned. "That darn…. You-Know-Who!!!! He's killed him!!!" Hagrid bent down by Fang and pulled the arrow out. He flung it far into the forest. Hermione patted his shoulder.
"First yer owl, Harry. Then my dog. Hermione, you better keep and eye on Crookshanks." Hagrid blubbered.
"I will, Hagrid. I will." Hermione said.
"Should I get Dumbledore?" Harry asked.
"Naw…" Hagrid sniffed loudly. "I'll…. I'll take care of the matter me- self." Hagrid picked up Fang and went into his hut. Harry took Hermione's hand.
"It was him, again." Harry said.
"I know."
"It's getting very dangerous around here. We better keep our eyes peeled." Harry said. Hermione nodded.
"But Harry! Ron's STARVING! He's living off of Unicorn feed and MILK!!!! We need to send him food!"
"He'll be back tomorrow."
"How… do you know?"
"You'll find out." He and Hermione went back up to the castle.
The Centaurs gladly made the paddock. If it prevented Voldemort from finding Innocence and reigning more terror, then it was a good enough cause. Ron found a hollow log and poured the feed into it. Innocence sniffed at it.
"Here." Ron held out a tin cup from Leila's cave to Innocence. It was filled with milk. The tiny Unicorn sucked it up greedily.
"Aw….." said everyone. Leila hugged Ron.
"But when I'm at school, who will take care of it.
"We've left the missus' at our shelter." Spoke up one of the Centaurs. "They could come and feed the young one."
"Good. Thanks." Ron said. The Centaur bowed and he and the others left. Leila decided they should be getting back to the cabin and making the potion. Ron had never made the Wolfsbane potion before, so he really didn't help. There was a thud on the roof.
"What was that?" Leila asked. Ron grabbed his wand.
"I'll go out and see."
"Be careful!" Leila warned. Ron crept out of the cabin.
"Hoot!"
"PIG!!!!!" Ron yelled. Pig had been sent to the cabin with a large basket of food. There was a note from Hermione on it. Harry had no doubt told her about him.
"Don't starve. Eat the food." He read aloud. He smiled and walked back in the cabin.
"Oh! Thank goodness!" Leila said, seeing the food basket. "I though the gnomes were bombarding us with rocks again."
"No." Ron stared at the note. There was more on the back.
`Quidditch game next Saturday.'
"What's wrong?"
"There's a Quidditch match on Saturday. I have to play."
"Well. Okay." Leila said.
"Let's just hope that the Snitch is caught before sunset." Ron said.
"Either that or you can fake an injury."
"No. No, it'll be caught." He paused a moment. "Want to come?"
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