Chapter 66: The Forbidden Forest
Although Tamara's speech in the Slytherin common room had been flawless, turning a crisis of trust into something close to fanatical worship, it could not change one cruel fact.
The points had been deducted.
And detention was unavoidable.
That evening, after dinner, Tamara, Draco, Harry, Hermione, and Ron stood together in Professor McGonagall's office.
The atmosphere was so heavy it was almost suffocating.
Professor McGonagall sat behind her desk, her face as stern as ever, though there was a trace of weariness in her eyes. Beside her stood the diminutive Professor Flitwick, balanced atop a stack of books, looking at Tamara with open concern.
"I believe you all understand the seriousness of what you did," Professor McGonagall said coldly. "At eleven o'clock tonight, you will serve your detention."
"Mr. Filch will be waiting for you in the Entrance Hall."
At the mention of Filch, both Draco and Ron visibly shuddered.
The caretaker, who constantly muttered about hanging students from the ceiling by their ankles, was a nightmare to nearly everyone in the school.
"Minerva..."
Professor Flitwick suddenly spoke up, his high voice carrying a note of appeal.
"For first years, is handing them over to Filch not a bit too severe?"
He turned hopefully toward Professor McGonagall, then looked at Tamara.
"Especially Miss Riddle."
It was obvious that Professor Flitwick was partial to his little charms genius.
"She has recently been helping me organize some very important Ancient Runes materials. If possible, could she serve her detention in my office instead? It would be an excellent chance for her to help me finish the work."
It was blatant favoritism.
Compared with trailing after Filch to do filthy chores or patrol somewhere dangerous, sorting materials in Professor Flitwick's warm, comfortable office was practically a holiday.
Ron looked ready to weep with envy.
Harry and Hermione both looked surprised. Only Draco seemed rather smug.
See? Even when their leader got punished, she still got special treatment. That was the difference between Slytherin and these foolish Gryffindors.
Professor McGonagall frowned, clearly wavering.
"Filius, though I appreciate Miss Riddle's talent as much as anyone, rules are rules..."
"This is not just punishment, it is also a matter of safety," Professor Flitwick pressed urgently. "The nature of tonight's detention appears to involve... that place. Sending such a promising Slytherin student there, if anything were to happen..."
That place?
Tamara's eyes flickered.
If Filch was leading them, and Flitwick was speaking in such a guarded way...
Then there was only one possibility.
The Forbidden Forest.
Why the Forbidden Forest?
Tamara's thoughts raced, drawing on the scattered fragments of memory from her previous life.
This was late spring.
Lately, Hagrid had seemed preoccupied by reports that something in the forest was being attacked.
Unicorns.
A bolt of clarity struck her.
The main soul attached to Quirrell, that weak and decaying remnant, was hunting unicorns to drink their blood.
Tamara's pupils contracted.
If the main soul kept drinking unicorn blood, it would grow stronger and stronger. The curse on that blood meant little to Voldemort. If he recovered too much power too soon, Quirrell would become even more dangerous. He might move against the Philosopher's Stone early, or worse, decide to eliminate her as a threat.
"I absolutely cannot let him succeed."
Her judgment came instantly.
She had to go to the Forbidden Forest.
She had to confirm the main soul's condition herself and, if necessary, interfere with the hunt. Even if she could not destroy him, she could at least disrupt his recovery.
"Very well, Filius," Professor McGonagall said at last. "Since you feel so strongly, perhaps Miss Riddle could..."
"No, Professor."
The cool, firm voice cut through the room before she could finish.
Tamara stepped forward, moving to the front of the group.
Professor Flitwick looked at her in surprise. "Tamara? This is a rare opportunity. You do not need to..."
"Thank you for your kindness, Professor Flitwick."
Tamara bowed slightly, her manners flawless. Her tone was full of sincere gratitude, but also something stronger. Principle.
"It would be an honour to help you organize materials. If you still need my help later, I will gladly assist you during any spare time I have."
She lifted her head and let her gaze pass over Draco, Harry, and Hermione beside her.
"But this time, I cannot accept special treatment."
"Why not?" Flitwick asked, puzzled.
"Because we made this mistake together."
Her voice lowered, but each word was steady and strong.
"Whether as a Slytherin, or as... their friend."
She placed one hand lightly on Draco's shoulder. He immediately stiffened and stood straighter.
"If I hide in a comfortable office while they face danger and punishment alone, then I do not deserve to call myself a Slytherin."
"If we are a team, then we bear the consequences together."
"No matter what lies ahead, I will stand with them."
The words were delivered with such solemn conviction that the effect was immediate.
Harry looked at Tamara, admiration brightening in his eyes again.
"Tamara..." he thought, almost dazed. "She's doing this for us..."
Hermione also looked deeply impressed.
This willingness to share hardship felt almost more Gryffindor than Gryffindor.
Professor McGonagall stared at Tamara for a moment.
Behind her spectacles, her stern expression softened ever so slightly.
She had always respected students who showed responsibility and leadership, no matter their house.
"This..." Professor Flitwick sighed, now looking more moved than regretful. "What a good child. She has a heart of gold."
"Very well, Miss Riddle," Professor McGonagall said, her tone losing some of its chill and taking on a measure of respect. "Since you insist, I will respect your decision."
"Your sense of responsibility leaves a strong impression."
Tamara smiled faintly, calm beneath the praise.
"Thank you, Professor."
Inside, she sneered.
"My dear main soul, I am coming."
At eleven o'clock, the Entrance Hall was cold and dim.
Filch stood there with his dingy oil lamp, a malicious grin stretched across his lined, weathered face.
"Follow me," he croaked.
"I expect this will cure you of wandering about at midnight. Oh yes... where you're going tonight, you'll regret it till your guts turn green."
"Where are we going?" Draco asked, shaking.
"The Forbidden Forest." Filch turned to him with obvious delight. "If I were you, I'd stop asking questions and start praying you don't meet a werewolf."
He led them out of the castle, over the dark, wet grass, and toward the edge of the forest.
Hagrid was waiting for them there.
He had his massive crossbow slung over one shoulder, and Fang sat at his feet. Hagrid's face was grave, even troubled.
"Yer late, Filch," he said roughly.
"Don't let me stop your fun, Hagrid." Filch shoved the students toward him. "Enjoy yourselves, you little brats, if you come back alive."
Then he turned and stalked back toward the castle, cackling to himself.
"Right, listen up," Hagrid said, looking over the five children with a sigh. "We've got dangerous work tonight. There's summat in the Forbidden Forest harming unicorns."
He held his lamp lower to illuminate the ground.
On the damp bed of leaves lay a pool of shimmering silver white liquid. In the darkness, it looked beautiful and tragic all at once.
"That's unicorn blood," Hagrid said, and his voice trembled slightly. "That's the second one this week. There's a creature... roaming around in there."
Harry and Hermione both gasped.
Draco clutched at Tamara's sleeve so tightly that his nails almost dug into her skin.
Tamara, meanwhile, only looked at the silver blood in silence.
This was exactly what she had come for.
The trace left behind by that main soul.
[Ding! High risk mission triggered: Pure Guardian.]
For once, the system's voice was not cheerful. It sounded grave, even urgent.
[Detected an extremely evil Dark Arts creature hunting sacred unicorns in the Forbidden Forest. This act is not only cruel, but also severely disrupts the balance of nature and virtue.]
[It is a desecration of life.]
[As a future radiant leader, how can you tolerate such evil under your very nose?]
[Mission Objective: Enter the depths of the Forbidden Forest and stop that evil existence from continuing to harm unicorns, or at the very least, protect your classmates from being harmed by it.]
[Mission Reward: Courage +10.]
"Plus ten?"
Tamara's brow lifted slightly.
Usually the system handed out one or two points at most for its petty little tasks. This time, it was offering ten in one stroke.
That meant the system judged this threat to be extraordinarily dangerous.
Or judged that main soul to be an existence of ultimate evil.
"You don't need to tell me."
Tamara tightened her grip on the holly wand hidden in her sleeve.
Her gaze pierced into the blackness of the trees, as if she could already see a pair of crimson eyes staring back.
"That old thing wants to revive?"
A sneer curled inside her mind, and with it came the full arrogance of a Dark Lord.
"Did he ask me first?"
"In this world, there can be only one Lord Voldemort."
"And that is me."
.....
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