Chapter 38

As Alex watched the two groups march off in two different directions, he was left in a dilemma. His heart wanted to follow his sister, but his brain following the logic that she was safe with that giant told him he had to follow that Potter guy.

While Alex was stretched between the choices, he felt someone tugging to his legs. He looked down, only to find Erebus snuggling into his legs.

"What are you doing here, Erebus?" Alex lifted Erebus in his arms and found a piece of paper in his mouth. Alex grabbed the piece of paper, and it was the map he left in the room.

"You followed me here to give this to me?" Alex asked, but instead of reacting to him, Erebus just continued to snuggle into his chest.

Looking at Erebus affectionately in his arm, "I appreciate this, but I don't need this right now. I am concerned about something else more. Who should I follow? Nicole or that Potter?" Alex talked to himself while his hands continued to stroke Erebus.

Hearing Alex's dilemma, Erebus jumped from his arms and dashed in the direction Nicole went before stopping after a while.

Alex looked at Erebus, trying to figure out what he was trying to say, " You want to follow Nicole?" Alex questioned.

Erebus nodded, ran back and jumped back into his arms.

"Are you sure? Can I trust you on this? It's a very big responsibility" Alex asked seriously while he stroked his ears.

This time Erebus reacted to Alex, looked at him and then jumped out of his hug.

"Well then, I am going to trust you on this one. Off you go now" Alex said as he waved his hands signalling Erebus to dash off.

Getting his orders, Erebus dashed in the direction Hagrid and others went.

Although not sure, Alex felt somewhat relieved for Nicole now that Erebus was also following them, he too followed behind the Potter guy and others.

As he sprinted in the direction of Potter and the others, he kept thinking about how he failed to notice Erebus approaching him.

* * * * *

The forest was black and silent. Harry, Ron and Neville had their eyes on the ground. Every now and then a ray of moonlight would pass through the thick blanket of trees above. The moonlight would occasionally lit a spot of silver-blue blood on the fallen leaves.

"Could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?" finally Harry asked, breaking the silence.

"Werewolves are not fast enough," said Malfoy. "It's not easy to catch a unicorn, they're powerful magic creatures. I don't think I have ever heard anyone getting hurt or killed before" Malfoy told Harry. Unicorns are mystical beasts revered in the magical society if something were to happen to them, sooner or later it becomes a headline

"Yeah, even I don't remember hearing about it," Neville told the two of them.

"You barely remember your name Longbottom, how can you remember something like this" Malfoy said as he made fun of Longbottom's forgetting nature.

"Shh--- shut up Malfoy" Neville stammered, but he replied back to Malfoy. Because of the support from Harry and Ron, along with what happened at the Quidditch match, Neville has grown a little courageous.

"You have grown some courage being with that Weasel and Potter over here, not bad huh..." Malfoy was astonished by the change in Neville's behaviour.

"Will both of you keep it down?" We are not on a stroll here. It's already very spooky here and by bickering, you want to gather everyone here" Harry tried to bring them from their imaginary stroll to reality.

"Don't even think of commanding me Potter, I am warning you" Malfoy not being used to be spoken like this, pointed his finger at harry and warned.

"Then I am requesting you, please give some rest to that loud mouth of yours," Harry said.

"You---"

"Please".

As they walked past a mossy tree stump. They could hear running water; there must be a stream somewhere close by. There were still spots of unicorn blood here and there along the winding path.

The three of them walked in the direction of the river following the silver blood trail left behind by the unicorn. Soon they heard the sound of something slithering over dead leaves nearby, it sounded like a cloak trailing along the ground.

Malfoy ran and hid himself behind one of the trees, while Potter grabbed Neville by his arm and the two of them hoisted off the path behind a towering oak. The three of them drew their wands out of their robes and pointed it in the direction from which the sound was coming.

"What could it be?" Neville asked.

"A werewolf?" Harry suggested.

"That is no werewolf and it certainly no unicorn, either," said Malfoy grimly.

"Right, follow me, but careful, now." Harry walked.

"Are you mad? We should call out for help. Didn't that bearded giant told us to call for him?" Malfoy totally opposed to the idea of venturing into the danger on his own said.

"His name is Hagrid," Harry said.

"Whatever his name be, that's not important right now, we should signal him for help". Malfoy said as he pulled out his wand to signal.

"Are you an idiot? If we send the signal whoever it is that we are following will be alerted and we won't get a chance to know who he is. Now zip it and follow me" Harry grabbed Malfoy's hand preventing him from taking out his wand.

Alex, on the other hand, thought, ' Is he stopping Malfoy because it will hinder him from showing off? Because they are already screaming at each other everyone knows they are here'.

Harry walked out from the cover of the tree and slowly walked in the direction they heard the sound from. Malfoy and Neville followed behind, ears straining for the faintest sound. Suddenly, in a clearing ahead, something definitely moved.

"Who's there?" Harry said.

"Show yourself — I have my wand with me. I know a lot of magic spells, if I blow your head off your neck don't blame me!" Malfoy screamed his lungs out. Panic was evident from his voice.

On the other hand, Alex could feel that the air has turned gloomily all of a sudden. He could feel a sense of crisis similar to what he felt when his master used to leave him all alone in the forests to fend for himself among thousands of vicious animals. Alex could feel the chill in the air, he clenched his wand tightly, put his hoodie over his head covering his face and slowly walked towards the three of them in the shadows trying not to be found by anyone.

* * * * *