Chapter 1

Harry sighed as he made his way down the path of the Forbidden Forest. It was just his luck, as well as that of a few other student that they would be punished by going into a place forbidden to other students. Worse still, he was with someone who he disliked and also hated him in return; Draco Malfoy. Their goal, was to try and find a hurt or dead Unicorn, which were hard to kill meaning they were risking their lives for being caught out of bed at night.

"Someone up there must hate me," Harry whispered to himself, holding up his wand high to provide extra light for the two of them.

Then again, Harry could not help but feel this was better than what dangling from his ankles by chains in the dungeons. It made him realize that after leaving the Modern world, just how behind the times the Magical world really was. Using wands, was kind of expected, but they did not know about any of the modern thing that the non-magical world took for granted. They used ink, quill, and parchment compared to the pen and paper now commonly used. Punishment was hard labor, or dangerous work, rather than lines or having their parents told and privileges removed.

Not that Harry would willing leaving his school, Hogwarts, currently. With a choice of being here, or dealing with his cousin, which hated him, he would take Hogwarts and its backwards ways any day of the week. It was after all where his own parents had gone to school, and he really wished to learn more about and follow in their footsteps. Not that he knew for sure if they would like what was happening to him now, as they had been killed when he was only one year old trying to keep him alive, but that was beside the current point.

"I think we have the right trail," Harry said noticing the patches of blood were becoming more common, and were slowly getting bigger.

"Lucky us," Draco said, in a slightly fearful tone.

Harry would have laughed lightly if he did not feel the same way. They were both first year students only eleven years of age. This meant that their skills in magic were useless at best, if they had to fight. Not that Harry would stand around to fight if it came to it, he was a runner when it came to fights he could not win, and he knew had to get out of a location and fast when he needed to.

"Just remember keep quiet, and if we get out of this alive… well a truce you think?" Harry asked.

"Why would I call a truce with you?" Draco asked, turning and looking at Harry.

Draco's turn though caused him to lose his footing and fall hard on his side, letting out a small yelp of pain. Harry sighed, Draco was what most people, in the magical world, would call purebloods. His family was filled with nothing but Witches and Wizards and as such he was bit of a spoiled brat at times. But Harry, as much as he found himself hating Draco at times, though it might be a good idea to lay their differences till they were in a safer location.

"Well one, if this is what our first real fight between us has caused, how bad will the next one be," Harry asked offering his hand to Draco to help him up.

"You know I would never be friends with you, if you are going to stay with Granger and Weasley," Draco said, getting up by himself.

"Fine, if you say so," Harry said with a small frown.

Draco disliked anyone who was not pureblood, or not willing to follow what he thought was the correct social structure. And Draco had set this up from the first day he and Harry had met, setting Harry at odds with him quickly enough. Harry then made friends with the family that Draco hated the most, the Weasley family. But Harry was one thing above all others and that was rather willing to forgive and move on, at least currently.

"Why would you even ask me such a thing," Draco asked a few moments later.

"Well we are tracking down something that has been killing Unicorns, which it seems should be very hard. I figure if we can make amends before that happened," Harry said.

"Wait I am not willing to die here," Draco said, stopping in his tracks.

"Nor am I, but this is our punishment. Besides we just need to find the unicorn and not be found out ourselves. So if something does pop out just keep quiet and we shall retreat without having to worry about being killed," Harry explained.

Draco looked a little unsure about this still but nodded none the less. They continued forward in uneasy silence as suddenly the forest began opening up revealing a good size clearing. The trail by this point was more like a line of blood rather than small spots. Harry held up his hand and pointed towards a nearby tree near the edge of the clearing.

Draco looking a little fearful followed Harry as silently as he could. And from it they both spotted the Unicorn, heavily wounded but still currently alive. Harry could not help but feel a pang of guilt and sadness watching as the creature struggled to remain standing. Draco for that matter was looked like he was feeling the same thing.

"We got to do something," Draco said, in a hushed whisper.

Harry nodded in agreement whispering back, "Okay but we have to be careful. I don't know anything about healing spells, but I do know some basic first aid, I just hope it will be enough."

"Okay I will try and help," Draco said.

Harry nodded as they dropped the whispering and moved towards the creature slowly. But before they could even reach it, a weird sound reached their ears. It was sort of a slithering sound one might expect from a snake, but yet at the same time it wasn't. Harry, Draco, and the Unicorn turned towards the sound.

From the forest near them emerged some sort of hooded and cloaked figure. The Unicorn turned to face it, ready to die fighting. But everyone knew it would not last more than a few moments in its current condition if it fought. The hooded creature only paused for a moment, but it was in this moment Harry made up his mind on what to do.

"Run now!" Harry yelled out as he unleashed the only attack spell he knew at the hooded figure.

His yell caught the hooded figure by surprise, and the spell slammed into it, knocking it over. Draco took Harry's word to heart and bolted in the direction that Hagrid should still be, all the while firing up sparks to get Hagrid's attention. But this left Harry with no one to back him up, and Harry's head suddenly felt as a hot knife had been driven into it as the creature got up and faced him.

Harry remained standing through sheer force of will, as the creature walked towards him raising a wand, revealing itself to at least be a human. Harry tried to focus enough to cast another spell, hoping it might save him, but before he or the human could attack, the Unicorn charged. Its horn messed its mark in it's weaken state, but the effect was still enough as it sent the hooded person tumbling hard.

The pain lessened greatly and Harry using this, ran towards the Unicorn and got between it and the person. He unleashed his attack spell again, but the creature blocked it this time with its wand again. Harry glared at it, as the creature focused on him again. Harry though was expecting the pain this time, and did not stagger like he had done before.

"Move boy, and I may let you leave alive," the person hissed out.

"I am not moving," Harry said.

Harry knew by this point there was little to no chance of him living even if he did move. There was no reason for the person to let him go after all Harry had seen. His only hope now was that Hagrid came crashing through the trees to save him. However, in the quiet of the clearing, there were no sound of thundering footsteps, meaning Harry was on his own.

"As you wish boy, then die," the hooded person said.

But before the person could utter another sound, a large creature swooped down from up between the trees. It crashed into the figure and threw them hard to the ground. It rolled aside as tree root suddenly lashed out and struck the ground where it had been a moment before. The person getting rapidly to their feet jumped clean out of the way as the new creature swooped down again.

At this point the forest started to come alive. The person gave one more look about before with a loud pop disappeared from view. Harry kept his eyes open just in case, but neither the person nor the creature appeared. It was not until he felt the Unicorn bump against him, did he release the breath he had not known he had been holding as he turned around.

The Unicorn had fallen and was breathing hard, as blood kept leaking out of its wounds. Harry felt a fear creep into him as he realized it was going to die if something was not done soon. Moving around to its side, he pulled off his robe and began wiping the blood off its side till he revealed the wound itself. It was nasty to say the least, and too big to easily treat either.

So Harry did the only thing he knew that might work and pressed his robe carefully against it, trying to slow the bleeding and give the creature a chance to live. The Unicorn shook a little bit from the pain but surprisingly did not move much pass that. Harry was not sure if this was sheer exhaustion or it understood Harry meant to help, but he was glad for it.

"It is too late for you to save her, she has lost too much blood," A voice said to Harry's right

Harry spun around careful to keep the pressure on, as he and the Unicorn faced the speaker. It was a tall woman, yet she was not human. Her eyes were either a black or brown, hard to tell for sure in the dark, and she had two large wings connected to her back, and to large horns coming out of her skull.

"What… who are you, and can you help?" Harry asked.

Harry was taking a small guess that this was the thing that had attacked the person only a few moments before. Meaning it was on his side, or at least willing to help them.

"I already said it is too late for you to save her like that," the female said, walking slowly into the clearing.

"Yes, but I cannot just give up trying. Besides you never said it was too late for you to save her," Harry said.

"Well spotted, yes I can save her. But if I do she might attack you then. Unicorns hate males and will never go near one normally," the female said.

"I see," Harry said, looking at the creature he was trying to save.

It was something that would not normally be this close to him. Yet, if it was healed he might die. That was not something he wanted, he wanted to live! But he did not want this creature to die either because he was selfish.

"Save it anyway," Harry said finally.

"What?" the female asked almost surprise, "Did you not just hear what I told you?"

"Yes I heard, but I cannot let it die just because I want to live a little longer. Besides if you had not come in when you did I would have died anyway as would have this Unicorn," Harry explained.

"I see, I shall save it then but don't say I did not warn you," the female said moving over to the pair.

"I understand, just tell me what to do," Harry said.

"Now, when I say tell you uncover the wound. I will need to work fast to even have a chance at saving her. Once I am done use the robe to whip away the blood that is on you and her. Make sure to not get any blood in your mouth. Then toss the robes over there where I will burn them," the female said.

"Not that I want to get any in my mouth anyway, but what would happen if I did?" Harry asked.

"Then you will likely lead a cursed life if the rumors are true about a Unicorns blood, now move the robe," she said kneeling down, and moving her hands right by Harry's own as she said the last part.

At once the blood began flowing as the female moved her hands down and began channeling her magic into it. The effects were rapidly becoming apparent as the flow of blood actually increased. Harry looked worried at this, but he did not replace the robe over the wound. Then slowly the skin began forming back together, till finally the wound was gone.

Harry was surprised at this as the female spoke again, "Now whip her clean. I want to be sure that is the only wound."

Harry nodded, wishing he had a bucket of water to better clean off the fur. As it was after a minute he had gotten the unicorn clean. They carefully then rolled her over, and checked her other side which was thankfully unharmed.

"Good, that was the only wound she had," Harry said happily as he whipped off the blood he had gotten on him the best he could, he did not want to end up cursed after all.

"Yes, it is a good thing, now toss the robe over there so I can burn it," the female said, pointing to a spot by a tree.

"Okay, by the way since I might die soon if what you said before is true. My name is Harry Potter, and thank you for saving myself, and the unicorn from death," Harry said before walking over and placing the robe on the ground.

Harry wiped his hands clean of blood on the grass, and then came back over to stand by the pair. The female looked at him closely, though her eyes never flicked up to his scar. After a few moments she nodded and pointed a finger at the robe were it lay on the ground. A sudden green fire burst up and began consuming everything within it grasp.

"My name is Maleficent," female said, giving Harry a small smile.

"I must say it is a pleasure to meet you, but I now must be going," Harry said, glancing at Maleficent then the unicorn.

"That would not be wise, that creature is still out there. And you will die because I cannot protect you in the forest were I cannot fly," Maleficent said.

"But if I stay here I might die anyway. Besides Hagrid, and my friends should be along soon enough," Harry said smiling, before turning and walking towards the edge of the clearing.

"Harry, I must ask that you stay for at least a few moments then. Your friend here seems to want to give you something," Maleficent said.

Harry turned around and found the Unicorn was now standing only foot from him. This surprised him as he never heard it get up or even move. It made Harry realize just why Hagrid said they were very hard catch.

"Not to kill me I hope," Harry said, chuckling weakly.

"I doubt she would now, you willingly risked your own for hers. Those of the Moors never return true kindness with hate," Maleficent said, giving Harry a small smile.

"I see, if you want to give me something. I will accept it, I guess," Harry said, looking at the unicorn.

The unicorn nodded as it leaned its head forward slowly till its horn touched Harry's own head. But as it touched something happened neither Harry nor Maleficent expected. An almost inhuman scream of pain left the scar, and soon Harry followed screaming in pain as well as he collapsed to the ground. This was pain far beyond anything he had ever felt before.

Maleficent was to stunned to even move; so great was her shock and disgust at what she was seeing. Someone had planted a dark power into Harry's scar, and the unicorn was forcing its removal from his body. Maleficent wanted to help, but as she did not even sense the darkness she had no clue were to start.

The unicorn suddenly looked up, as the sound of crunching of leaves under heavy feet was heard. Maleficent quickly took to the sky, while the unicorn hid in the edge of the clearing. Only a few moments later one of the biggest people Maleficent had ever seen burst into the clearing. He stood taller than Maleficent even with her horns added on.

"He must be part Giant or something," Maleficent said, as the man wielding a massive crossbow moved over and checked on Harry.

Harry by this point had passed out from the pain, silencing him. The screams from his scar faded only a few moments later, though the black substance still leaked out of it. The man pulled something out of his pocket and quickly began wiping the black stuff from Harry's forehead.

"Good you're still alive," the man said, with relief in his voice.

"Hagrid where are you?" a female shout was heard only a moment later, not far away from the clearing.

"This way now hurry up," The man said, making him most likely Hagrid.

From the woods came two boys, and a young female each most likely not much older than Harry was currently. The female, gasped and ran over to where Harry and Hagrid was.

"Oh is he okay, please let him be okay," the young female said.

"He will be just fine Hermione, now don't you worry." Hagrid said to the small girl.

"Are you sure, after that screaming I…" Hermione said, worry clearly in her tone of voice.

"Yes I am sure, just a bad bump on the head is all," Hagrid said, though who he was trying to convince Maleficent was not sure.

"Hagrid, that thing might still be about, maybe we should all get going," a pale faced boy with blonde hair said.

"Cannot go just yet, need to see what happened to the Unicorn first," Hagrid said standing up.

"Okay, we will come with you then. Hermione can keep an eye on her friend. It should be safe enough for her to stay here," the blonde boy said, drawing a surprised look from the other three

"Wait, you actually believe that," Hermione said sounding surprised, "but why, I know you hate myself and Harry!"

"Well, he saved my life by fighting that creature. So… well that can change a person perspective when they go through something like that," The boy replied back.

Hermione was quiet for a few moments, but Maleficent was sure she must have been smiling, as Hermione spoke, "I am glad to hear that. When we get out of here, say we start anew. If you really changed then well we will see."

"Cannot believe what I am hearing," Hagrid said shaking his head before picking up his crossbow, "But Draco, Neville follow me and keep close. Hermione stay here and keep Harry safe. Send up sparks if anything happens and we will come running. Want Fang?"

"Nah, keep him with you," Hermione said, turning her head a little to glance at the dog.

"Okay, move out," Hagrid said, before moving slowly out of the clearing as the two boys followed only feet behind.

Maleficent tracked their progress before gliding back down slowly into the clearing. The Unicorn by this point was also coming back into the clearing. Both Maleficent and the Unicorn moved slowly forward till they were only a foot from Hermione who was holding Harry like her life depended on his own.

"He is right you know," Maleficent said, causing Hermione to spin around as she drew her wand.

But when she saw what was standing behind her, Hermione tried to back up with Harry in slight fear. Maleficent could not blame her really, her appearance was not the most settling nor calming. Add that to the fact a Unicorn, still slightly silver from its blood was only a few feet away would cause quite an impact on the girls mind.

"Who… what are you?" Hermione asked.

"I am Maleficent of the Moor Land Fairies, and this is the Unicorn that your friend is searching for," Maleficent said with a small smile.

"A fairy, but what I read about them, they are much smaller and well, different from you," Hermione said.

"I understand, I am different in many ways from others of my kind. But that is not the point, I am here because I have decided it would be best if your friend joins me for a little while at my home deeper in the Moors," Maleficent said simply.

"And you think I will just let him go with you," Hermione asked.

"No, I very much doubt you will, but I must find out a few things, and only Harry can answer them. So I will give you a choice, you can either follow me willingly, or I can force you to follow me," Maleficent, earning herself a glare from Hermione.

The Unicorn also gave Maleficent a look, before it bounded off into the night without a sound. Hermione on the other hand was weighing her choices, she could try and fight this person, but there was little chance she could win. On the other hand she could try and stall for time, like she was doing now till Hagrid got back. Or she could just follow her, which she did not really want to. But as she looked down at Harry, and the black stuff that still covered his scar a little bit she knew she had no choice in the matter unless Hagrid came running really quickly.

"Fine I will follow you, can you help me with Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Yes," Maleficent said, and with a wave of her hand Harry began to float on what looked to be a bed of golden dust.

Hermione got up and followed behind the female, one hand holding Harry's own. They moved along silently for a time, a small golden light lit up the path. Hermione tried to guess where they were going, but the trees were now to think to see the stars. And while Maleficent seemed to know where she was headed, the path twisted about the trees to much for Hermione to guess anymore.

"Where are we going," Hermione asked.

"I told you already," Maleficent replied back.

"Yes I know, you said your home. But where is that precisely," Hermione asked, she did not like being out of the loop for long.

"Deep in the Moors. Before you ask, that is the name given to this place a long time ago when it was much smaller and younger," Maleficent explained.

Hermione sighed, "You are not going to give me a straight answer are you."

"No, I have no reason to yet. But rest assure I will not be harming you, unlike that person from before that attacked Harry and the Unicorn," Maleficent said.

"Attacked, is that is why he is like this," Hermione asked in worry.

"No, it was caused by the Unicorns own gift, and the dark magic sealed inside Harry," Maleficent said.

"Dark Magic?" Hermione said confused.

"While I am not sure completely what it is, I do know is it among the foulest magic that I have ever felt," Maleficent said, before turning and looking at Hermione, and asked, "So since we are giving out answers, why did you not yell for your friend Hagrid?"

"Because it would not work. He was too far away to do anything to save or stop you. And I doubt I would be able to make you wait long enough to give him a change to return," Hermione explained.

"You are rather wise for someone your age, which makes me wonder just why you are out here," Maleficent said.

"A punishment for breaking rules up at the school. And we were unlucky enough to have it out in this forest," Hermione said.

"It must have been a bit of bad rule breaking to earn a punishment where you are risking your lives, to save a creature that might already be dead," Maleficent responded.

"Actually now that you say that, you are wrong. This punish is way outside what we should be doing for what we did to even earn a punishment," Hermione said after a few moments.

"What did you do then?" Maleficent asked.

"Well we were caught outside bed afterhours, in a place we should not have been without a teacher. Plus thinking about all I have read about the school, I have never heard of any student who was punished by being sent into this forest to do a job unless they were in their final year the school," Hermione said.

"That means someone wanted you out here, or more correctly Harry here," Maleficent said.

"Yes, your right," Hermione said, her mind now jumping between how good and bad it was to be with Maleficent now.

The two of them lapsed soon afterwards into silence as they walked along. Hermione's mind was abuzz about this new revelation of information. The problem was, as she sorted it out logically and realized who had the final words on what they did for detention, it was starting to scare her. Detentions were given out by the teachers when a student did something that no amount of telling off would fix.

But according to Hogwarts a History, these punishments had to be sent through their house heads, and approved. This meant only Professor McGonagall could have set up this bad of a punishment. But Hermione stopped this and realized this was not entirely true, Professor Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, could change the punishment as he wished.

Hermione felt sick to her stomach at this point. While she did not want to believe either of those two would do it, it had to be one of them that set up this punishment. By why did they do it? Those two should know better than anyone the risks hidden in the forest, yet they sent four first year students into the forest. And only one of them, herself, might be able to handle a creature they faced. Add to that their only sending Hagrid made Hermione shudder realizing how close she might have come to death tonight.

"Are you okay," Maleficent asked, noticing Hermione's slowing pace as well as the nervousness that was showing in her eyes.

"No… no I am not," Hermione said, taking a few breaths to calm herself down.

"Is there something I can do to help," Maleficent asked, stopping before looking at Hermione fully.

"Yes, keep us away from that school. Till I can figure out a plan," Hermione said as her mind began going into overdrive.

So many things were suddenly falling out of a seemingly perfect picture, into a new one that was much scarier and dangerous than they had thought. Each one of their adventures, Harry's life that he had revealed to them, and even Harry meeting up with the Weasley's; everything was starting to look like someone was directing them. But the big questions were who was it that doing that, and the even bigger one was why they were doing it.

"Hermione, I know you may not trust me, but what is wrong?" Maleficent asked, moving around Harry till she was standing right besides Hermione.

"I… I don't know, everything… or maybe nothing, I just don't know," Hermione said, the hand that gripped Harry's was getting a little tighter.

But before Hermione's mind could slip farther down the slippery slope it was on she felt Maleficent's hand on her cheek. Her hand was surprisingly warm and soft to the touch, and her face radiated calm and assurance. Hermione was surprised by this, but before her mind could put this whole meeting as something that was planned as well Maleficent spoke.

"Hermione, I want you to do one thing right now. It helped me when I have been too confused and worried to know what to do, when my life was falling apart. I want you to focus solely on what you want most now, and figure out what that mean needs to be done to accomplish that one thing," Maleficent said.

"But how will that help?" Hermione asked confused.

"Because, I know you want to save your friend. So focus on what he needs now, and not tomorrow or yesterday. Once we are through the first problem we will move onto the next. Simply one step at a time, and one problem dealt with before another. I am sure someone like you can understands the benefits of a well laid list of plans," Maleficent said with a small smile.

"How do I know that I can trust you though," Hermione asked.

"You remember the Unicorn from before, right?" Maleficent asked.

"Yes, what about it?" Hermione asked.

"What do you know about Unicorns?" Maleficent asked.

"Well they are pure and can sense danger, plus they don't like males," Hermione said, about to add more, when her eyes widen before she smiled some, "Yet… it came near Harry, and did not even react to you at all. If anything it treated you like an old friend that annoyed it a little."

"Yes, I know her very well. You see, Harry not only attacked the creature that had injured the Unicorn, but also was willing to do anything to save her. He won her loyalty, and a gift of the purest magic, which when it touched Harry's scar, destroyed whatever Dark magic was hidden inside it. Something I might add that was hidden from even me," Maleficent explained.

"So, you are very trustworthy then, or at least not evil," Hermione said after a few moments.

Maleficent smiled at this, not taking offense to the fact Hermione did not trust her, or even thought she was slightly evil, "Yes, well done. Now I will give you a choice, and it is one you can pick for both you and Harry this time, rather than me picking it for you."

"What is that?" Hermione asked.

"Simple really, I need information about what is going on. But I am not willing to try and get it if you feel this will truly end badly if what your behavior is really suggesting to me. So I will make you an offer. I am willing to take you both back to the school, or if you should so choose we can continue to my home. Either way I shall help you, so you lead and I will follow." Maleficent said.

"And how do I know for sure you will honor that promise, should I chose to head back to the school," Hermione asked, not trying to be mean, but she needed something solid to work with.

"Well the next clearing," Maleficent said, point a little to her right, "Is right over there."

Hermione looked, and she could just make out moon and star light filling an area not even a hundred feet away, "Okay."

"As such I could fly you both back from there. You would be able to make out the castle and know for sure I am not lying to you," Maleficent said.

"I see," Hermione said, before nodded to herself as she looked at Harry and took what Maleficent had said before to heart.

Hermione looked at Harry as Maleficent moved back a few paces giving Hermione the place she need to think. Hermione sighed and shook her head, the thoughts and fears from before threatening to overwhelm her again. But as she eyes remained on Harry, one item stayed and kicked all her other current worries out. Finding a way to help him, and the only one that might have the answers she needed was only a few feet away.

Hermione gave Harry's hand another small squeeze before she looked over at Maleficent, "Take us to your home."

"As you wish, follow me," Maleficent said before leading Harry and Hermione deeper still into the forest.