|| 37. Dark Forest (UN-EDITED)
Granger
Direct Messages
Hermione : Y/N!
Hermione : Hello?
Hermione : Y/NNNNNNN!!!!!!!!
Hermione : Wake up.
Hermione : WAKE UP. NOW.
Hermione : Y/N, for the love of Merlin, wake up!
Y/N : WHAT
Y/N : its the middle of the night?!?!?!
Y/N : WHAT DO U WANT
Hermione : Are you awake now?
Y/N : no I'm still asleep
Hermione : Shut up.
Hermione : Go to Hagrid's Hut. Now.
Y/N : lol, no? its 3 am, why would i do that? smh
Hermione : It's important.
Y/N : i don't care
Hermione : Just do it, already! Oh my God.
Hermione : I swear, Y/N.
Hermione : Y/N?
Hermione : Did you fall asleep again?
Hermione : Y/N!!!
read
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Y/N let out a quiet grumble, her voice tinged with irritation, as she peeled herself off the bed. Moonlight streamed through the windows, casting a gentle glow in the room. With a roll of her eyes, she begrudgingly swung her legs over the side of the top bunk, her sheets rustling as she hopped down onto the floor.
"This is way too early..." Y/N muttered to herself with a sigh, her words accompanied by the soft sound of sheets being adjusted. She stood up and padded towards the door, the moonlight outlining her form.
"I can't believe I have to go to Hagrid's Hut in the middle of the night," she muttered under her breath, her voice carrying her annoyance. She reached the door and pulled it shut behind her, leaving the Ravenclaw Common Room behind. Her footsteps echoed down the corridor as she set off on her nocturnal journey.
As Y/N descended the stairs of the Ravenclaw tower, a sigh escaped her lips, the sound muffled in the quiet night. She navigated the corridor, her steps echoing softly in the silence. But her solitude was abruptly interrupted by a noise that made her pause. With a swift turn of her head, she spotted a familiar older redhead Weasley.
"Percy?" Y/N whispered, her eyebrows knitting in confusion as her gaze fixed on him. However, her attention quickly shifted as she noticed he was not alone – he was holding onto someone, and that someone was Penelope.
"Penelope!?" Y/N couldn't help but exclaim, her surprise evident. The two of them seemed disheveled, clearly caught in a compromising situation.
"Y/N!" Penelope hissed, her voice laced with frustration, pleading with Y/N to keep her voice down. Y/N crossed her arms, her expression a mix of annoyance and curiosity.
"What on earth are you both doing here in the middle of the night?" Y/N challenged, her tone reflecting her incredulity. Percy cleared his throat and responded with an air of authority.
"I happen to be a Prefect, if you must know," Percy snapped, and Y/N was momentarily taken aback by his tone.
"Oh, come on! What are you doing here, Percy?" Y/N retorted, her surprise giving way to skepticism. Percy raised his badge to emphasize his point.
"Prefect duties, of course," he replied curtly. Y/N's mouth hung open as the realization hit her.
"Well... Penelope—what's your excuse?" Y/N quipped, her tone sharp.
"I'm your Prefect!" Penelope exclaimed, holding up her Ravenclaw head-girl badge, her expression a mix of defensiveness and chagrin.
"You'd better retreat to your dormitory, Crimson. Consider this a warning," Percy scolded with an authoritative tone, expecting compliance from Y/N.
Y/N merely raised an eyebrow, her expression conveying her skepticism. "Uh-huh, no," she deadpanned, her refusal evident.
Penelope chimed in with a scoff, attempting to use authority as well. "You know, Dumbledore will be interested to hear about this little escapade," she taunted, hoping to rattle Y/N.
A wry smile curved on Y/N's lips. "Oh, I'm sure he'd be thrilled to know that two Prefects were engaging in some late-night activities. Quite the model of decorum," Y/N retorted, her sarcasm cutting through the tension.
Penelope's eyes widened at the suggestion of such impropriety, and she gasped in shock. Percy attempted to regain control of the situation. "Y/N, don't attempt to blackmail us. I warn you—" he started, only to be interrupted by Y/N's eye roll.
"Alright, alright. Here; don't tell Dumbledore I sneaked out, and I won't tell him that you two are snogging in the middle of the night," Y/N proposed, a sly smile playing on her lips. Percy and Penelope exchanged uncertain glances before giving reluctant nods of agreement.
"I can't believe we have to deal with more of her next year." Percy grumbled, Penelope sighing and nodding in agreement.
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Y/N ambled through the dimly lit corridors, her hands nestled in her pockets as she walked past the Transfiguration Classroom. As she neared Hagrid's Hut, an unexpected sight greeted her: Draco Malfoy, the platinum-haired boy, sprinting towards her. She furrowed her eyebrows, puzzled by his sudden appearance, when he abruptly seized her wrist.
"Going somewhere, Crimson," Draco sneered, his grip firm as he pulled her along with him. Y/N was too tired to protest, her feet seemingly moving on their own accord.
"Wait a minute, Draco, what—?" Y/N began, her groggy voice trailing off. Her feet moved on instinct, following Draco's lead as he dragged her towards the Transfiguration classroom. Confusion mingled with her sleepiness as the door swung open, revealing a surprised Professor McGonagall
"Mr. Malfoy, Miss Crimson, what in Merlin's name are you doing here at this hour?" McGonagall exclaimed, rising from her chair in astonishment.
"Professor McGonagall," Draco cleared his throat, earning a glare from Y/N as she yanked her hand away. "We've stumbled upon something that appears to be a breach of school rules," he continued, his tone cryptic.
"The Gryffindor trio, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley, were caught sneaking out late at night," Draco explained, prompting McGonagall to sigh.
"Alright, and where are they now?" McGonagall inquired, her gaze shifting toward the corridors as footsteps approached.
"It's unbelievable, and the worst part is, Malfoy knows about it," Ron's voice echoed, reaching the ears of those in the room.
McGonagall, candle in hand, approached Y/N and Draco with a stern expression. She motioned for them to follow her, the two students obliged, sharing a knowing look as they trailed behind her. The sound of hushed voices grew louder as they neared the source. When they arrived, the trio of Gryffindors froze upon seeing Professor McGonagall's disapproving figure.
"Good evening," McGonagall greeted with a touch of sarcasm, her gaze shifting from the surprised Gryffindors to Draco, who wore a self-satisfied smirk. Y/N stood beside him, looking somewhat guilty. Hermione's eyes widened as her disbelief turned into betrayal.
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"Nothing, I repeat, nothing, justifies a student wandering the school at night," McGonagall scolded sternly.
Draco stood with arms crossed, a proud smirk on his face, while Y/N stood next to him, her expression a mixture of resignation and contrition. The members of the Golden Trio wore small frowns, absorbing the weight of their transgression.
"Therefore, as a consequence for your actions, each of you will have 50 points deducted from your respective houses," McGonagall declared. The three Gryffindors exchanged disbelieving glances.
"Fifty!?" Harry exclaimed in disbelief.
"Fifty points from each of you," McGonagall affirmed, and Harry scoffed, while Draco's smirk widened. "Furthermore, to ensure this doesn't become a recurring issue, all five of you will be assigned detention," she continued, Draco's smirk faltering and Y/N expressing her annoyance audibly.
"Excuse me, Professor," Draco interjected, a hint of skepticism in his tone. "I believe there might be a misunderstanding. Did you say 'all five of us'?" he questioned, his gaze directed at McGonagall. The professor's expression remained unwavering.
"Yes, Mr. Malfoy, you heard correctly. Honorable as your intentions may have been, you, too, were out of bed past curfew," she stated matter-of-factly.
Harry's smirk grew, while Y/N glared daggers at the back of Draco's head. "Both you and Miss Crimson will also be joining your fellow students in detention," McGonagall concluded, leaving no room for argument.
✴✴✴✴✴
"You're so insufferable, Draco. Do you realize that?" Y/N grumbled as she trailed behind Draco, with Harry, Hermione, and Ron following the group as Filch led them away.
"Me?" Draco responded with a derisive scoff, earning a glare from Y/N.
"Who else could I possibly be referring to?" Y/N retorted.
"Well, I'm not the one who inexplicably stopped talking to my friends," Draco countered, a hint of annoyance in his tone. Y/N rolled her eyes in response.
"You practically set me up! I nearly got caught by Filch back then, and now, thanks to your brilliant plan, I actually have been caught!" Y/N exclaimed, her frustration evident. Draco let out an exasperated sigh.
"Okay, I didn't set you up. I couldn't attend the duel because..." Draco's voice trailed off as he looked away.
"Because what?" Y/N shot back, her impatience clear.
"I was worried that my skills wouldn't measure up, and that you'd think less of me," Draco admitted, his embarrassment palpable. Y/N scoffed in response.
"Draco, we're in our first year. Did you honestly believe I expected you to know an endless array of complex spells?" Y/N scoffed, her frustration not entirely abated. Draco looked sheepish.
"Are you actually upset with me?" Draco inquired cautiously.
"I'm beyond irritated. You foolish, scatterbrained numskull," Y/N replied, her irritation still evident. "You should have just been honest," she mumbled, her hands resting in her pockets.
"But you're not really mad, are you?" Draco persisted.
"Oh, I'm absolutely furious. You doltish twit," Y/N retorted, her annoyance taking a somewhat lighter tone. Draco chuckled in response.
The group continued walking, enduring Filch's grumbling about how "detention just isn't what it used to be." Y/N rolled her eyes, letting her gaze drift to the side. She caught Hermione's glare and sneer, responding with an eye-roll of her own before looking away with a scoff.
"You'll be serving detention with Hagrid tonight," Filch announced in his usual gruff tone. As they approached Hagrid, Y/N couldn't help but notice his somber demeanor. He was standing there, crossbow clutched to his chest, lost in his own thoughts.
"A bit of a sorry bunch, this, Hagrid," Filch remarked, clearly irritated by Hagrid's lack of enthusiasm.
Hagrid didn't respond immediately, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. "Oh, come on, man, you're not still going on about that blasted dragon, are you?" Filch pressed.
"Dragon?" Y/N repeated, turning to Draco for confirmation. He nodded, apparently in the know.
Hagrid's frown deepened as he clung tightly to his crossbow. "Norbert's gone," he muttered, a touch of sadness in his voice. "Dumbledore sent him off to Romania to live with a colony of dragons."
"Well, that's a positive thing, right? He'll be with others of his kind," Hermione chimed in, trying to offer some reassurance.
Hagrid's grumbling response indicated otherwise. "Yeah, but what if he doesn't like Romania? What if the other dragons are cruel to him? He's just a baby, after all," he rambled on, his concern for the dragon evident in his voice.
"Oh, for Merlin's sake, get a grip on yourself, man. You're headed into the Forest, after all," Filch barked, clearly irritated. "You need to keep your wits about you," he added in a hushed tone.
"The Forbidden Forest? You can't be serious. We're not allowed in there!" Draco exclaimed, disbelief evident in his voice. "Students are strictly forbidden, and there are..." Draco paused, his expression turning grim.
"Werewolves," Y/N finished the thought, Draco nodding in agreement. Faint howling echoed from the depths of the forest.
"Werewolves are just the beginning of what's lurking in those woods, " Filch taunted, his voice ominous. "You can count on that, doll."
"Stop calling me 'doll'," Y/N retorted sharply.
"Enough, Crimson," Filch shot back dismissively, walking away. Y/N glared after him.
"Stupid f*cking Squib," Y/N muttered under her breath.
"Let's proceed," Hagrid said, drawing their attention back to the task at hand.
TO BE CONTINUED...
