You're Being Hugged, Harry

by David Silver

39 - Bleed for Me

As Tilly bounced happily and made soft little squeaking sounds, Harry gathered a few things together for the evening. A snack or two to hold him over for a couple of hours, a couple books that caught his eye, and a comfortable blanket to curl up on. "Not that you need me to remind you." He set the gathered things down near the blanket that then held the curled large form of Arnavon. "You keep an eye on him."

"Of course." Tilly hopped over Arnavon to be in front of Harry. "He is mate. I sure better." She inclined her head left and right a bit before hugging Harry up right off the ground. "You good friend!"

She set Harry back down after that, gently, as to not jostle him. "Safe time." She pointed to the door. "Go?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm going." Ultimately, he had things to do. Confident that Arnavon was safe, he trotted off back to school.

He paid attention and did his best to learn what his teachers were putting before him. Harry was learning human magic, bit by bit, and it was bringing him a building sort of joy. Magic, human magic, was powerful, and it was a delight to learn the way that it flowed through the world.

However, a lingering doubt gnawed at him. He was a unicorn, not a human. As if the universe itself were answering his thoughts, he was called after classes to meet with Hagrid. "Look at this." He drops to his knees to gesture at some silver fluid splashed on the ground. "Ya know what this is, don't ya?"

"A silvery liquid, though that doesn't exactly narrow things down. Do you know?" Harry leaned closer to sniff the strange fluid.

"Ah happen to." Hagrid rose to his considerable height, then brought a finger up to his lips. "Tell ya later." He gestured for Harry to follow as he headed deeper into the forest. "Won't be the first one we see, trust me. These woods are home to all manner of critters, not just the dangerous ones." He patted the hilt of a massive crossbow as he spoke, which only added to the confusion.

But the message was clear enough. He wouldn't be saying anything until they were far enough away that no one could possibly overhear.

Harry followed along, casting his eyes about in the growing gloom of the woods. "The way you said that," he got out in a whisper. "Should I already know what that is?"

Hagrid brought down a hand atop Harry's head, horn poking up between two fingers as he rubbed gently. "I forget at times you ain't the usual kinda unicorn, is all."

Harry started at that. "That's from a unicorn?!"

"A hurt one." He scowled at the thought. "An' I wanna know what hurt it. If you'll come with, you might just see it."

"I wouldn't mind that." He flicked his tail and kept his horn gleaming faintly so they could see in the darkness. "Is it okay to go in at night?"

Hagrid laughed heartily at that. "Darkness ain't ever stopped me from anythin' I want to do." He waves out. "Be more concerned we're in the forbidden forest, so keep your wits around you."

Together, they stalked through the darkened woods, both watching for predators. Harry strained his eyes to catch glimpses of movement or sound in the night, all around them. He could feel life thrumming everywhere, and his horn grew warm with his magic as the glow spread a bit more.

Ahead of them, a large form collapsed on the floor of the forest, head lolling back, eyes closing.

"Harry," Hagrid whispered. "Ye seein' that?"

"I sure am." He hesitated, considering the sight ahead of them. "Do you need me to-"

"Wait here." Hagrid marched up to the collapsed form with heavy footfalls that could be heard for quite a distance.

The unicorn stirred weakly and pushed up as if to flee, but it moved as if wounded, and quite badly at that. A darting, scrambling, thing dashed out from ahead of them both, nursing from the unicorn's blood.

Hagrid raised his hands with a great shout. "Back off! Get away!" He broke into a run at the form and the unicorn, yelling wildly.

The dark thing froze at that, then sprang away. The unicorn slumped back down, almost with a sigh.

"Stay down," Hagrid bellowed, holding his crossbow aloft. The unicorn kept its eyes on him, but otherwise did not move. "Alright, that's a start."

Harry caught up, looking around for trouble, then down at the injured unicorn. "I'll make something for you."

But he couldn't do that.

Harry shook his head, that thought not coming from within him, as if placed there. "I sure can."

Unicorns can't do that.

Harry put a hoof gently on the unicorn's side. "Relax, I'm on the case. Just relax." He dashed off in search of the herbs he'd need for a healing potion.

Hagrid stood guard, staring down the unicorn. "Harry's a good lad," he announced with firm conviction.

The unicorn dipped its head as if accepting that fact, its gaze drifting off into the darkness. It was too weak to do much about the idea, barely alive at that point.

Harry came back as fast as his hooves could carry him, carrying a small bag of herbs in his teeth.

Hagrid nodded to the unicorn. "There you go. Should be a simple enough thing. Hagrid pulled out a small bowl and pistle and tossed it on the ground for Harry to use. "I'll be sure to report this so you get credit in the herb class."

"Thank you, sir." Harry got to work assembling the herbs, mashing, and working them all with a little bit of magic to reduce it into proper healing paste. "This may hurt a little, getting it on, but it'll make you better, promise."

He applied it as carefully as he could, soothing the unicorn with soft sounds as he tended its wounds. It lay there limply, resigned to the treatment, with its eyes flicking over to watch Hagrid for sudden moves. The human magic proved it could mend wounds, the injuries closing as the unicorn was healed bit by bit.

It breathed out heavily at that, nudging Harry as if to say 'thank you'.

"You're welcome." Harry finished off the last of the wounds. "Just try to be a little more careful, alright?" With a merrily swaying tail, he leaned in and shared a nuzzle with the fellow equine. "Nice to see a fellow unicorn."

You are a different unicorn.

The unicorn stood slowly on unsure hooves.

But you are a welcome unicorn.

With that, it kicked its head and bolted off into the depths of the forest, vanishing as swiftly as it could into the darkness.

Harry blinked at that, taken aback. "Huh, it ran off." He turned to look up at Hagrid, who still had his weapon out, scanning the forest.

"Had to," Hagrid replied, tapping his head. "This kind unicorn wants nothin' to do with humans." He hiked a thumb at himself, then Harry. "We may be half-bloods, but that half's human, so no surprise they wanted to be off. Still, they didn't seem to hate ya none." He nodded once in satisfaction. "Guessin' it's been a while since ye saw one. Nice to see some things never change."

"A unicorn would normally talk to me at least." Harry circled in place, but could see no other dangers lurking about. "But unicorns are usually smaller than that too. That wasn't an Equestrian unicorn, for sure." He looked about nervously, in case whatever was attacking the unicorn returned. "I guess."

Hagrid shrugged a shoulder. "Magic is always full of surprises." He turned on his heel.

They both froze at a snapped twig. A considerable figure stepped into view on four hooves, but he had two hands to go with it. The centaur was smiling at Harry. "You did a very good thing. I thought she was doomed to die. You have saved her, and we are in your debt."

"Thanks. Glad I could help." Harry took the compliment graciously. "I should head back. It's getting late and I want to make sure my friends are alright."

"Allow me to walk at your side." Which he did, speaking as he did, "Unicorn's blood has quite a power, which makes humans covet them, among other reasons. To drink their blood is to be immortal, and cursed."

Hagrid clenched his crossbow tighter a moment. "I'd never consider it, but what manner of curse?"

"They are...changed, by it." The centaur spread his hands in a shrug. "For some, the magic is too great to be contained, and so they become more, or less, or sometimes a little of both. It's a half-life, but a life, which is all most humans want. The only way to get a full life after that is to get the elixir of life, and that's no small task."

Hagrid shook his head at that. "'Nuff said. I don't want either."

"That's smart." Harry slowed a step, but the centaur passed him easily. He hurried to catch up. "Since you seem to know, wait, sorry, what's your name, sir? I'm Harry. Harry Potter."

The centaur smiled at that. "Firenze." He nodded to Hagrid. "Hagrid. I already know who you are. What were you about to ask?"

"What was that other thing with the unicorn? I know you know, sir, if you can understand me." Harry blushed slightly as he confessed that. "But it was a lot bigger than normal, and I'm curious."

"It was exactly as large as it should be." Firenze waved back at Harry as they went. "You are as large as you should be, little unicorn. In case you were hesitating to ask, your blood is not silver, or carries this gift and curse."

Hagrid reached out to Harry, patting him on the neck. "S'alright, Harry. We won't let anyone do that to ye, alright? Anyone tries to cut yer throat, I'll shoot em full of arrows."

Harry laughed at that, seeing the edge of the forest not too far ahead. "Thank you, Firenze. I bet you have things to do. One last question. You seemed to know about getting this elixir of life?"

"It's hardly a secret." Firenze crossed his arms. "But you need the philosopher's stone first, and there's the real trick."

Harry blinked at that. "How come?"

"It grants immortality, so of course everyone wants to get their hands on it. I've heard stories of many attempting to take it, and failing." Firenze turned towards the forest as he spoke, calling out into it. "Anyone who desires to attempt it will have to get through the three guardian beasts first."

Harry imagined the dog guardian. Did they count as three beasts? "Thank you, sir."

"A pleasure meeting you. Safe travels." Firenze trotted back into the forest without further todo.

Hagrid waved Harry along. "We've had an eventful enough evening. Let's go back to the castle and call it a night, eh?"

Harry nodded in agreement. "Good night." They headed back towards the school in silence. Once there, Hagrid made some excuse to part ways and Harry hurried off to bed.

Tilly greeted him with a warm hug and a nuzzle to go with it. "Arnavon's better." She looked back at him, sleeping. "Little better. Better."

"Glad to hear it. I want him back in peak shape." Harry settled onto the carpet to write a few more letters. "How was your night?"

"Wonderful!" Tilly stretched to help express herself. "Good hugs! Soft touches! Sweet words. Gentle kisses. Perfect. He perfect." She swayed in place as if smitten just by the memories of her time with Arnavon. "You?"

"Exciting." Harry tapped at his chin. "And informative. I need to talk with Ron and Hermione about this."

Tilly pointed to a lump on a bed. "Ron sleep."

"I'm not." Flurry sat up onto her haunches. "What happened?"

Author's Note:

Unicorns are unicorns, except when they aren't.

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Comments

[Booster Spice]

The trouble with trying to nail a shadow to a tree is that this shadow cant be hurt by a bit of sunlight otherwise a bank note detector lamp wouldve fried it?