Huge apologies for the massive delay in the next chapter. Part of it is a lot of things happening in my personal life that still aren't 100% resolved. Another part is I'm working on doing some more original fiction so I can publish stuff and actually make money to do what I love. Hoping to have another chapter by Christmas, and thanks to everyone who stuck around this long. Hope this makes you Halloween a bit more enjoyable!

Harry Potter and Childish Things

The next few days passed in anxious worry, and the three of them waited for their companion to contact them. As impatient as Harry was to deal with the unicorn problem before it could get any worse, they had barely escaped with their lives, and they needed as much support as they could manage before going back in there.

Every day, they watched the forest, sure that any moment, it would disgorge an army of abominations, sweeping over the helpless students, devouring them before they even had a chance to defend themselves. Hermione could often be found practicing various fire spells, and more often than not, managed to rope Harry and Luna into joining her. Harry was a natural adept, and Luna proved her Ravenclaw nature as she rapidly got the basics down. It probably wouldn't stop any attack, but it might slow them down and give the three of them a chance to escape.

During practice, Hermione has suggested they tell the teachers, but it was quickly shot down. They would hardly believe such a fantastic story, and even if they were to check its validity, they would be woefully unprepared for what was waiting for them. Given how the creatures seemed to absorb their prey, it was all too likely that their professors would become their enemies, and the idea of the abominations wielding magic as deftly as Professor Flitwick or McGonagall was chilling, to say the least.

It was during one of these sessions, with Rex and the Snorkack watching, that the fourth member of their group appeared.

"Where have you been?!" Harry demanded.

"I told you that it would take some time before I was at full strength again." the shadowy figure said, showing no remorse at the delay.

"That was over a week ago!" Hermione shot accusingly.

"Such things can not be judged accurately, much as I would like it to be different." They almost huffed. "in fact, I still require more time to recover myself, but I though it best if we were to meet, so you did not begin to suspect something sinister."

"We don't have time for that!" Harry nearly shouted.

"What do you mean?" They asked, leaning in eagerly, "Have you found the final beast?"

"No, but we did find... something." Harry trailed off, not sure how to describe what they had found in the forest. He glanced helplessly at his friends, trying to think of the words to explain what was happening.

"Something... strange is happening in the forest." Luna began. "The creatures living in there are different from how they're supposed to be, twisted into something else. They've started killing everything else they could find, and there are more of them every day. They've all but overrun the entire forest"

"So I think it is quite clear that we don't have time to wait around for you to recover yourself!" Hermione finished angrily.

They didn't say anything right away, seeming to ponder what they had heard. Harry waited impatiently while they considered, and was about to demand an answer when they finally responded.

"Though you haven't confirmed the presence of the creature, the evidence points that it could be the Beast of Gryffindor stirring, creating challenges for his heirs to prove their worthiness." They said thoughtfully.

"Are you still thinking about that?!" Hermione demanded. "There are more important things to be concerned about!"

"On the contrary, it's a sensible trial for the heir of Gryffindor. Godric was famed for his courage and physical prowess. Countless tales attribute the defeat of mighty creatures to him, so creating a similar challenge for his heir is to be expected."

"Creating an army to attack the school,, just because someone might be worthy? I hardly think that one of the founders would endanger their students in such a way." Hermione huffed.

The figure chuckled, "The wizarding world is a dangerous place, despite all of the wonder that accompanies it. You've surely learned that since you came here, or is this level of carnage something you would consider safe and normal?"

"No, of course not!" Hermione said.

"But no one said anything about it, or made any note of it, did they? There is an entire course dedicated to defending yourself against dangerous creatures and the like, and you thought this world would be safe? How childish." They said. Even though Harry couldn't see their face, he could almost hear the smirk he was sure they were sporting.

"Don't call me that!" Hermione said huffily.

"This world is not a pleasant one, and the sooner you learn that, the better off you will be." their hidden partner said. Hermione looked like she wanted to say something, but remained quiet.

"Remember that the modern wizarding world is far tamer than it was in olden times. Back then, magical creatures were far less regulated and controlled, dragons were common and uncontrolled that even muggles knew of them and even fought against their attacks. The worlds were less separated because we did not have enough control over the magical world to enforce that separation. It wasn't until there was no other option that the rest of the intelligent creatures agreed to the Statute of Secrecy, and the magical world began to fade into myth."

"What changed?" Luna asked curiously.

"The muggles. They grew more skilled and powerful, faster than anyone really expected, and their fear of the unknown turned to rage and hatred. Entire species were hunted down, most notably the dragons. The Fair Folk went into hiding once iron became the heart and soul of the industrial era, and countless others were driven to the brink of extinction, if not wiped out entirely. Secrecy was the only option remaining, if we were not to be enslaved by them."

"They wouldn't do that!" Hermione protested.

"Perhaps you should learn more about them before you say something that foolish. Their history is one stained with darkness and blood, and if you think them more civilized now, you are more moronic than I believed. But, we are getting off track." They said, clearly no longer interested in discussing the subject. Their body shuddered, and they nearly fell. Harry started forward t help, before the cloaked figure regained their balance.

"As I said, I haven't fully recovered myself. I need more rest before I am able to perform at my peak, and if anything you said is accurate, we all need to be at our best to deal with this."

"How long?" Harry asked. Seeing that there was something wrong made him more concerned than irritated, but they couldn't afford to spare much time.

"Three more days. That's all I ask, assuming nothing else interferes with my recovery, such as dragging out meetings like this because you aren't happy with the answer you're given. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other business to attend to. I will contact you as soon as I am strong enough."

The turned and all but stalked off, leaving behind an irate trio that could only smolder impotently at the delay. Still, there was nothing they could do about it. Their partner in crime clearly wasn't going to do anything until they were ready, and they needed all the help they could get. Harry just hoped that the creatures in the forest wouldn't grow too strong before they struck.

HPaCT

They had little choice but to accept those terms, but it didn't make the days any easier to bear. Harry set through his transfiguration class, barely remembering a word Professor McGonagall said as she demonstrated a few of the more advanced spells they would start next year, by rebuilding an entire classroom all around them as her lecture progressed. Homework went undone, and even Hermione only put up a token protest when he told her. Luna seemed the only one able to deal with the pressure adequately, but even she glanced towards the forest when she thought no one was looking.

His housemates picked up on Harry's tense mood, and left him alone for the most part, though it tainted the atmosphere of the tent. Most of them started avoiding their quarters just to stay away from him. Finally, it seemed someone had enough of his foul mood, and decided to intervene.

Harry was walking out of the latest Charms class when Cedric grabbed him by the back of his robe, forcefully turning the second year around, and dragging him off to a secluded corner of the camp. Any complaints Harry voiced were completely ignored, and when he tried to go for his wand, Cedric snatched it out of his hand before he could cast anything. Out of options, Harry resigned himself to whatever Cedric needed him for. Hopefully, it would be over soon.

Cedric let go of Harry, but held on to his wand. Harry waited for him to say something, but the older boy just looked at him expectantly. Harry glared back at him, before realizing that he would have to make the first move.

"What do you want Cedric? I'm busy right now." Harry said.

"Make time." The older boy said. Harry was about to protest, but the look in the prefect eyes told him he wouldn't accept any excuses.

"Fine, whatever will get this over with fastest." Harry sneered, "What do you want?"

"Your housemates asked me to talk to you. They say that ever since the school was destroyed, you've been distant, even moody. They were willing to let it pass at first, but it's gotten worse in the last week or so, and every time they try to approach you, you just brush them off, or shoot them a glare cold enough to count as a freezing charm. Not only that, you've been slacking in you classes, you haven't turned in any homework, and on top of everything else, you haven't been showing up to Quidditch practice!" Cedric concluded.

"It's none of their business." Harry glowered, though it didn't seem to phase Cedric. "They can't help anyways."

"That isn't how Hufflepuff House works, and you know it Harry." Cedric replied, "Teamwork is a way of life for us, and you can't carry around... whatever this is by yourself."

"Why not? I've been doing fine so far." Harry replied flippantly.

"The only reason you haven't been given a detention yet is because I talked to Professor Sprout. She's asked the other teachers to let us handle it internally, but after this talk, you'll get zero slack. Next toe out of line, maybe not even that, and you're looking at a week of detention, maybe longer depending on how quickly you can catch up on your missing work."

Harry's eyes widened in panic. If that happened, who knows how long it would take before they could meet up and deal with the creatures in the forest? Things were bad enough as they were, if they had to wait any longer...

"Even if you just talk to us about it, sharing whatever's bothering you can make it a hell of a lot easier to deal with. Now tell me about what's been bothering you." Cedric said gently.

Harry was paralyzed. He couldn't tell him, or he'd be carted off to Madame Pomfrey, but if he didn't... There had to be a way out of this. There just had to.

"You won't believe me. I've seen it myself, and it still seems crazy." Harry said.

Cedric eyed him steadily, searching every last feature for any trace of falsehood "Alright, you don't have to tell me the specifics of whatever trouble you've found, but you are going to talk, one way or another."

"want me to eviscerate him?" Rex whispered from Harry's pocket. Harry quickly moved his hand to block his partner in case he got any ideas. Cedric just wanted to help. Looking at his upper classmate, Harry could see that he wasn't going to let up until Harry told him something. He briefly considered lying about it, but had a sneaking suspicion that Cedric would be able to suss it out.

"What would you do if the school was in danger?" Harry asked, giving up. Maybe if he just covered the broad strokes, without going into detail, it would be enough.

"You mean like earlier this year, when it was blown to high hell?" Cedric said wryly

"Yeah, something like that." Harry said, looking away. He had kept a tighter leash on Rex since then, but his partner has still destroyed Hogwarts as a side effect of his fight. Remembering his earlier offer, Harry's hand went to grab onto his partner, in case he got any ideas.

"Have you talked to any of the teachers about it? Professor Sprout is always willing to help out her house, and there's always the headmaster." Cedric asked, encouraging his housemate to continue.

Harry shook his head. "The last time we went to Dumbledore for help, he seemed like he believed us, but I haven't seen him do anything about it. I'm worried that he'll do the same if I say anything this time, especially since it's even more unbelievable than the first thing. Anyone would probably dismiss it as a crazy story."

"And you're sure that I wouldn't believe you either? I'm a bit older, and I've seen my share of strangeness, growing up in the wizarding world and spending the last five years at Hogwarts."

"You might believe me..." Harry admitted. "But I can't take that chance. I have to deal with this alone, and if I can't do that, then everything is going to fall apart."

'And it's all our fault.' Harry finished dejectedly in his mind. If Rex and the Snorkack hadn't destroyed the school, they probably would never have gone to the Forbidden Forest, and the Snorkack wouldn't have done whatever it had done to the unicorns, and the monsters in the forest wouldn't even exist. They'd all just be having a perfectly normal year if Harry hadn't come to Hogwarts.

Cedric sighed, conjuring a chair before sitting down next to Harry, almost eye level with him. Harry waited for him to say something, but the Hufflepuff prefect seemed to be considering his options. Finally, he seemed to reach a decision, and Harry braced himself for the worst.

"The thing about being a Hufflepuff is that we stand by each other, through thick and thin. Even if we don't believe you, we'll give you the benefit of the doubt. If you say this is important, you let me know if there's anything I can do to help out, even if you won't tell me anything more. Just don't go crying wolf on us, alright Harry? Trust is a two way street, and if you burn your half of the bridge, it will be that much harder to get help when you really need it. Never been particularly good with metaphors. Think it has something to do with being a wizard." Cedric said with a chuckle.

Harry stood dumbfounded. He could see the sincerity in Cedric's face. He really would do anything to help him out. No promises to look into it, no empty assurances, he would just do it.

"So, do you want to tell me what's bothering you now?" Cedric asked carefully.

Harry did, he really did, but the story was just too fantastic.

"No, I think this is something I have to handle on my own." Harry said, before offering a weak smile, "But if it turns out I can't, you'll be the first one I turn to, alright?"

"Deal." Cedric said, "Now go apologize to your classmates. You've been bringing them nothing but trouble the last few days."

"Right, sorry."

"Tell them, not me!" Cedric said with a grin. Harry nodded, and rushed back to the tent.

He paused for a moment outside of the canvass building, gathering his thoughts before taking a deep breath and stepping in. Silence fell as everyone looked up at him. Harry froze for a moment, before remembering why he came here.

"Sorry everyone." Harry apologized. There really wasn't anything else he could say. He stood there in awkward silence, before realizing they were waiting for an explanation.

"I've been dealing with some... personal issues, and I've been taking it out on you, so I wanted to say sorry. Cedric talked some sense into me, and told me what I was doing, so... sorry." Harry said lamely, "I'll try to make sure it doesn't happen again."

"Do you want to talk about it mate?" Ernie asked him cautiously.

"It's a bit personal, but I really shouldn't have been taking it out on all of you." Harry said, shaking his head. "I think I can manage on my own, but if I can't I'll let you know. Hufflepuffs stick together, right?"

"Right!" Justin cheered from the back of the tent. Like that, the tension seemed to dissipate, and Harry settled back in his chair, feeling more relaxed than he had since the whole debacle has started. He was still worried about it, but knowing that there were other people he could rely on... it helped.

Perhaps now he could finish his Transfiguration essay. Cedric might have pulled a few strings, but he doubted McGonagall would cut him any slack, no matter what his Head of House said!

HPaCT

Elsewhere in the camp, a certain Slytherin was watching as his plans came to fruition.

It's working Draco thought to himself gleefully, watching as Filch chased the first year girls out of their tent. The castle caretaker had gone even battier than he normally was, once the castle fell, peering suspiciously at everything, as if expecting the culprit to jump out at any second. That level of paranoia had its uses. All Draco had to do was mention that he heard something strange was in the tent of the first year Gryffindor girls to Crabbe and Goyle, and Filch was off like a shot, grinning madly, sure that he was about to find the critical evidence to solve the mystery of whatever happened to Hogwarts. He seemed to take more joy in harassing the suspects than actually searching for contraband at the moment, but that suited the young Malfoy fine.

The only trouble was Mrs. Norris. The cat was pacing back and forth in the tent, looking for any sign of disturbance while her master lectured the terrified children. The eerie look in the cat's eyes didn't miss a single detail, and if he made a move for the tent, she was sure to rush off to get her master's attention. Draco readied his wand. She was pacing back and forth, so all he had to do was wait until her attention was directed elsewhere, and-

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" an angry voice shouted, and Draco flinched,early dropping his wand. It seemed that the Gryffindor's Head of House had caught him. His mind rushed as he slowly turned around, already cooking up a story how he had just seen the commotion.

There was no one behind him. He started to look around in confusion, before he saw who McGonagall was actually yelling at.

"Mr. Filch, just why are you harassing these young girls?" McGonagall demanded. The caretaker grimaced, and in a moment of transcendent luck, Mrs. Norris ran to his side as he tried to defend himself.

Recognizing the opportunity before him, Draco leaped across the tent, tearing into the Weasley's possessions without any rhyme or reason, throwing them carelessly to the floor. McGonagall's lecture was still building, creating more than enough of a distraction, but time was of the essence.

The seconds stretched on for what seemed like an eternity, until a fierce, triumphant grin lit up his face. He had found it. Now he just needed to get out of here. Scurrying back to the small hole, Draco squeezed through it, before standing up, dusting himself off, and walking as casually as he could back towards the Slytherin section of the camp. As the red and gold of the Gryffindor tents slowly gave way to more neutral colors, he let a grin spread across his face. He had done it. All he needed to do now was wait until nightfall and get to the ricksaw owlery.

Best to circle around the outside of the camp. No sense in risking an encounter with one of her dim witted brothers. Draco made his way towards the edge of the small town of tents, keeping out of the light as much as possible.

As he walked along the shadows that marked the border between the camp and the forbidden forest, the grin he had been suppressing finally made itself known. He had done it. He had thwarted his father's longstanding enemies, proving the Malfoy's were indeed the elite of the magical world. The only thing that would make this victory sweeter would be seeing that girl's expression as she realized that it was-

Red light hit him, and Draco fell bonelessly to the ground. His assailant, an unassuming girl with red hair and wearing her school uniform, stepped carefully forward.

"Hm... Draco Malfoy. I recognize you from Ginny's complaints." The young red head said, her voice devoid of emotion, like she was examining a marginally interesting insect. "You might prove a useful pawn in the future, though your interference could prove troubling in the short term."

She circled around him, bending down to retrieve his long sought prize. Carefully placing it in one of the pockets in her cloak, she turned her attention back to the limp child before her.

"How best to deal with this? Simply erasing this from your mind would only cause you to keep interfering. Likewise, simply leaving you here would do nothing to deter you. You might assume someone else managed to steal it out from under you, but I can't take that chance." She pondered out loud, considering her options. "Murder seems the most expedient route, but it would cost me a potentially useful pawn, and more importantly, would draw more attention to the events in motion, and I already have enough difficulty without adding to it myself."

She circled around him once more, before coming to a decision. A quick spell assured that Draco would be convinced of his success, and that the diary had been dealt with appropriately. Depending on his father's response, it might only buy a bit of time, but that would have to suffice for the moment.

The young girl left Draco unconscious, returning to her tent. Once there, she carefully placed the recovered diary where her pillow would normally sit. Raising her wand above her head, she deftly cast a number of spells, watching carefully as they took effect.

The well worn book seemed to vanish, blending seamlessly with the sheets. The next few charms made it so that no matter how hard she searched, she would be unable to find it, even if she were to touch it, she simply would be incapable of noticing its presence.

Chuckling to himself as he replaced the pillow, he released his hold on his host, certain that she would be beside herself with desperation. In a few days, when she was certain that someone was learning every last one of her pathetic secrets, the final spell would dissolve the other charms, and in her relief, she would write to him, pouring all of her fears out, giving more of herself to him. It was sure to speed the process significantly, perhaps even enough to provide that final push.

A truly elegant solution, was his last thought, as Ginny blinked her eyes, coming back to herself. The young girl shook her head, feeling like she had just woken from a nap. Well, at least Filch was gone. She would have to tell Tom about this later, but for now, she had to finish her homework. Without a care in her mind, she settled down, chatting with a few of her friends as she scribbled the beginnings of her History of Magic homework.

HPaCT

Finally, the time arrived. As soon as dusk fell, Harry nearly sprinted to the edge of the forest. He only had to wait a few minutes before Luna and the Snorkack joined him, and Hermione wasn't far behind. There was a significantly longer wait for the final member of their group, but there was nothing to be done about it. All they could hope was that there wasn't another delay. If that was the case, they would have to go on without them.

Finally, with a sigh of relief, Harry spotted them. They seemed fully recovered, showing no signs of weakness and moving at a brisk pace.

"Let us get moving before the night grows much darker." They said, walking past the group. Hermione shot them a poisonous glare, but the rest of their group. quickly caught up, not wanting to be left behind.

A hiss echoed through the trees, and the basilisk slithered towards them. Hermione immediately closed her eyes, remembering what they had learned about its deadly gaze. Realizing that she wouldn't be able to move about without her eyes, she grabbed a hold of Harry's arm, drafting him as her guide. They continued deeper into the forest, ready for whatever lay ahead.

"So, which way is this discovery of yours?" the shadowed figure asked after several minutes.

"Do you remember which way it was Luna?" Harry turned to the youngest member of the group.

"I think it was this way." The blonde called out from atop her partner. The Snorkack set off in the direction she indicated, with the rest of the party following behind. As they moved deeper into the forest, the signs of conflict made it became easier to see where they had been, and they slowly made their way to the center of the infestation.

"I'm surprised we've made it this far without any interference. There are a number of creatures here that don't take kindly to human presence." The fourth member of their group commented, looking around for any sign of a threat.

"I'd be surprised if there were any of them left." Hermione said darkly, her eyes still covered. Harry nodded in agreement. Whatever had lived in the forest, it was doubtful there were many of them left.

"I'm certain that you are exaggerating. The creatures dwelling here are among the deadliest creatures in the wizarding world. I highly doubt that they would be dealt with so quickly, much less without causing any sign of struggle."

"It's over this way." Luna interrupted the brewing argument, hopping down from the Snorkack. "Try to stay out of sight."

They crept after the young girl, leaving their monsters behind for the moment, moving an excruciatingly slow pace. As they cleared the top of the hill, harry could see the corruption spreading across the forest that indicated the creatures were present. Even as they watched, he could see it pulsing with power, as it spread further.

"Looks like this is the place." Harry said, already reaching for his wand.

"Interesting. It's almost like a fungus choking the life out of everything in its path, and using them to fuel its own development." their mysterious partner commented, "I've never seen something grow so fast, it would make for a marvelous study subject."

"We can worry about that later." Harry hissed. "Right now can we just focus on killing these things?"

"Very well." They sighed, "Examining this can wait until after with these creatures of yours. Since there appears to be no danger of alerting them, should the rest of our party join us?"

Harry considered for a moment, before nodding his agreement. Rex, the Snorkack, and the basilisk soon joined them, though it took a few minutes to explain the idea of sneaking up to the monsters. The basilisk simply followed after its master, and they continued their exploration.

The group moved over the strange, warped terrain, wands out for whatever creatures were lurking nearby. It seemed that the forest was all but deserted, and for a time, harry felt relief, but as they walked further into their territory, he began to wonder. If they weren't here anymore, where were they?

Before his mind could venture into those dark suppositions, they found the nest. Harry winced as it looked significantly bigger than the last time he saw it. A number of the creatures it had spawned scuttled about, fulfilling some alien purpose Harry had no desire to know. He glanced over at his companions. Luna had a serious expression on her face, Hermione's eyes were still closed, but every once and a while, she let out a whimper, as if she could sense just what was surrounding them. The last member of their team, they just seemed excited.

"Fascinating." Was the only thing they said, starting to move closer before Harry grabbed their arm.

"They'll see you!" he hissed, reaching for their robe, but they moved too quickly, and he only brushed the edges of their cloak before they were out of reach.

Harry watched in resignation as one of the guards spotted their companion, its innumerable eyes locking on to the approaching figure. The abomination didn't move an inch, but the area around exploded into a cacophony of movement, as dozen of the creatures appeared from out of the shadows, forming up around the cloaked intruder.

They didn't move an inch, allowing the creatures to assemble without any apparent concern. Instead, they simply watched as their numbers swelled. Harry felt Hermione's grip tighten into a vice of agony, but couldn't bring himself to do anything about it. He glanced over at Luna and the cloaked figure. Luna looked like she was ready to make a break for it, but the last member of their group seemed completely unconcerned. Even as the massed creatures continued to assemble, they stepped forward without a care in the world, stroking their basilisk in amusement.

The creatures charged, and they let out a scornful laugh.

"Let me show you how foolish it is to oppose a basilisk. Strike them down my pet!" They hissed.

The basilisk reared up, letting out a low, threatening hiss as it turned its deadly gaze upon the advancing horde.

Harry watched as the first wave stumbled, and a number of them fell to the ground, dead, but it only slowed the advance. The few that endured its gaze seemed to be the most powerful, more able to resist the snake's deadly magic, and the weaker abominations writhed and twisted, before their eyes vanished beneath their skin. The now blinded creatures let out an eerie wail, and continued their advanced, seemingly unhindered by the loss of sight.

"Blast it all!" Harry growled, sprinting forward. The cloaked figure stared in shock, unable to believe that their vaunted beast was all but useless. Harry grabbed them by their arm and began hauling them away from the advancing attack.

"The basilisk's gaze should have killed them!" the cloaked figure said in disbelief. Harry shook them, trying to get them to focus. Luna and Hermione were already in motion.

"Fire seems to work best against them!" Hermione screamed, wand already in hand.

"Just try not to burn down the forest!" Harry cried out, casting a simple fire starting spell as he did. The closest creature went up in flames like it had been soaked in gasoline.

"Who cares about that?!" Hermione cackled wildly, already casting as many fire spells as she could. She didn't seem particularly interested in aiming, but with innumerable foes, it really wasn't necessary. For a few moments, Harry thought that their spells would be enough, but it did little to deter the creatures, and there were enough of them that the spells they cast barely made a dent in their advance. All it managed to do was buy a little time, and Harry hoped that would be enough.

It was. The extra second gave Rex and the Snorkack a chance to come barreling in, protecting them behind a bulwark of horns and flames. Harry couldn't rightly say what happened after that. Everything seemed to explode into chaos. All he could remember was screaming and casting spells as quickly as he could. He didn't know how long this lasted, but eventually, the endless tide seemed to slake, and he had a spare moment to assess the situation.

It didn't last.

"They're behind us!" Hermione shrieked, sending a bolt of red flame towards their rear. Harry turned and felt the blood drain from his face. He had expected a few of them, but there were dozens, hundreds, maybe even more than that.

"We need to run!" he shouted, fighting off panic. Somehow, during the battle, they had all been separated. Harry and Rex stood alone, the Snorkack was with Hermione and Luna, and the last members of their group were halfway across the battlefield.

"Snorkack, we need to slow them down!" Luna shouted, huddling down underneath the monster's horns. The Snorkack charged at the swarm of creatures, trampling the smaller ones underfoot while dragging the larger ones behind him in his wake. The beast began to circle around their small fortifications, doing its best to keep the abominations at bay, but it was only delaying them.

"Rex! Get ready to clear a path!" Harry cried. The massive dinosaur tore down the trees in front of them, tossing them haphazardly at the advancing foe. Harry dragged Hermione behind him, looking desperately around for the fourth member of their group.

They were encircled by the basilisk, the massive snake protecting them as it lashed out at the aberrations around them. The cloaked figure continued to cast spells quickly and efficiently, each spell's motion leading into the next one as a chain of deadly curses and hexes cut down the larger foes before they could reach the basilisk.

Still, it was like trying to fight a tsunami. Eventually they would be overwhelmed, and they knew it. Fighting like this wasn't going to work, if they didn't do something to change the situation, they wouldn't survive. Not having any good ideas on how to get them out, Harry was left with just one bad idea.

"Blast them Rex!" Harry said, desperation finally winning out.

"YOU SURE HARRY?" Rex asked, looking at the basilisk dubiously. Hermione had said that they were incredibly tough, but Rex wasn't the typical sort of threat you found in the magical world.

"Just try not to kill them! We;'ll worry about the rest later!" Harry replied. It seemed their companions figured out what their plan was, as the Basilisk wrapped around him, creating a protective barrier. Flashing of light escaped its coils, as its companion cast what Harry could only assume were protective spells. Hopefully it would be enough.

"DO IT!"

Rex's jaws opened impossibly wide, and dark, twisted flames swelled up in his gaping maw, before he unleashed a torrent of unholy fire upon the oncoming swarm. As with the dragon before, the flames consumed their flesh like it was made of oil. The fires raked over the basilisk, who let out an unearthly shriek of pain, but it survived.

The snake looked much worse for wear, but their cloaked companion seemed to have averted the worst of it, and the blast of flames had done their job. The eldritch creatures were driven off, as the fire consumed their flesh. Seizing the opportunity, the cloaked figure climbed atop their partner, and charged towards Harry and Rex.

The creatures rallied, already massing for another attack. Harry checked that Luna and the Snorkack were making their way back, and took off into the woods. Shrieks of rage followed behind them, but Harry did his best to ignore them, hoping that speed would be enough to get away.

They ran deeper into the forest, crushing trees and other foliage in their desperate bid to escape. It didn't help, the swarm continued to chase after them, with complete disregard for its own safety. Despite an endless stream of fire spells, they didn't give up, merely stepping over their fallen brethren to keep up the chase.

The small group didn't let up, desperately casting more spells until their voices began to give out, knowing that it was their only chance. Finally, the pursuit began to falter, before falling back. Harry felt a grin of pure relief spread across his face. They kept running for a few minutes more, getting enough distance that an ambush was unlikely, before finally stopping to rest.

"Well, looks like we managed to drive them off." Harry said, as he climbed down from Rex. He lost his grip on the way down, and fell with a resounding crash, but he didn't care. He felt the joy that only those who managed to escape the jaws of death could feel.

"It's a relief that we managed to get away."

Hermione didn't reply, too busy laughing at their good fortune. Luna gave him a small smile as well, though she was more concerned with the Snorkack at the moment. Harry looked over at the last member of their group, who didn't say anything. Not that that was unusual, but something about them told Harry something was wrong.

"Hey." he said, walking cautiously towards their cloaked companion. They didn't reply to him, too intent on examining the woods around them. "Can you here me?"

"Oh?" they asked reflexively, "Yes, I can hear you just fine. I just wish our situation was a bit better."

"We got away. Sure, things didn't go as planned, but we can try again, right?" Harry asked.

"How I wish that were the case." Their companions said, resignation in their voice.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"We didn't escape."

"You're joking, right? Right?!" Hermione giggled desperately, the tip of her wand shining with another spell ready to fire, eyes darting around the forest looking for any sign of the creatures for her to incinerate.

"Look at the trees. They have the same strange substance the creatures have been spreading around. They're coated in it, and I can already see it trying to spread. If they've gotten this far, to the heart of the forest, it only makes sense that they've gone further, probably consuming every living thing that dwelt in here as they spread. They let us go because they knew we had nowhere to run to, we'd just exhausted ourselves trying to escape and they could pick us off at their leisure."

"You can't know that." Harry said, though it sounded far too plausible that they were correct.

As large as the forest was, there was yet to be a single sign of any creature other than their assailants. In fact, peering closer at the trees, it seemed almost all of them had some trace of the creeping substance the monsters seemed to live on. As he looked at it, he could almost seeing it spreading and growing thicker.

"Could we break through on the other side?" Harry asked, "We already saw their stronghold, maybe their forces will be weaker elsewhere?"

"Perhaps if we had kept going, they might have been weaker. That was probably why they pursued us so fiercely. If we had made it to the other side, they would have reinforcements ready. The fact that they stopped chasing us means they had enough time to fortify it. If anything, it will probably be stronger than their nest now."

Harry slumped down, barely having the presence of mind to avoid the spreading substance as he leaned against one of the trees. The whole forest was infested. They were just letting Harry and his friends tire themselves out before moving in for the killing blow. Even if they just stayed here, and recovered their strength, those...things were recovering too, growing stronger and stronger.

It really seemed hopeless.

"I- I didn't think such things could exist." the cloaked figure murmured. "To think that such a thing could dwell so close to the castle, and no one ever knew..."

"Like you said before, it's a dangerous world." Harry said, not bothering to correct their assumption. It seemed they were finally coming to terms with the idea that there were darker things out there, things that wizards had never seen before, or dismissed as stories told to frighten children. "There are things out there even the founders didn't know about."

"Still, I didn't think they would have spread so far. There must have been ten times as many as when we first saw them." Luna said, "Soon they'll have enough numbers to overwhelm the school, and then..." she trailed off, thinking of what would come next.

It wasn't hard to imagine. Given how effective they were at spreading and corrupting, they would probably sweep over the countryside, devouring everything in their path. Maybe they could be stopped, but it depended entirely how quickly the wizarding world accepted the threat they represented, and given how easily their companion had brushed them off, even after seeing Rex and the Snorkack, Harry doubted that it would be in time.

"Looks like we're trapped here in the forest." Hermione said, despair in her voice, "They'll probably drag us back to their nest, and throw us into it so it can eat us alive, and turn us into those... things!"

Harry hadn't considered that, that they might be transformed into one of them. He suppressed a shudder, moving over to Hermione to calm her down before hysteria made her do something dangerous. She was close to being completely unhinged already, and he didn't want to see what happened when she finally fell over the edge. Harry sidled over to her, and awkwardly patted her on the shoulder, though she didn't seem to notice. She continued to rant about their fates, growing increasingly disturbing and creative as she postulated what would happen to them.

"I told you we should have burned everything down!" She managed to shout at him, before curling up, and resuming her muttering.

"Hows' the Snorkack doing?" Harry asked, Luna shook her head.

"He'll be fine in a bit, but I don't think he can manage another attack like that. Once they slow him down, he's pretty much useless."

"HEY..." the monster grumbled, clearly not pleased at his partner's assessment.

"I still love you though." Luna said, patting him on the side comfortingly.

"GOOD." the beast replied, snuggling down next to the much smaller girl.

"What about you?" Harry turned to the last member of their team. "Are you alright?"

"YEAH." Rex replied. Out of all the members of their group, Rex seemed to be in the best condition. The dinosauroid had only a few minor injuries, most likely because he played the part of artillery in their failed venture. It meant that they would be relying on him for whatever came next.

"We could try burning our way out. They don't seem to do well against fire, maybe it would be enough for us to escape?" Harry suggested. It seemed it might be their only option at the moment. Fighting with anything less destructive just meant getting overwhelmed with numbers.

"Fire won't work, at least not without burning us up with them." Luna pointed out. "Once one of them starts to burn, everything around them goes up in flames."

"So we'll have to fight our way past them, and then burn them?" Harry asked.

"Possibly, though we'll probably die in the attempt. The other option is going for the heart."

"What do you mean?"

"They've been acting in unison, uncaring about their own personal well being. That could mean a higher power is controlling them" They suggested. "If we can find the thing in control of them, and get rid of it, that might be enough to overwhelm them."

"Assuming that something like that exists." Harry pointed out.

"We don't really have any other options in that regard. Either they had a reason to protect that particular area and possess a weak point we can exploit, or there was no reason beyond coincidence that it was fortified the way it was, and we're doomed. Which one would you prefer?"

Harry grimaced, but nodded. It was a terrible plan, made of nothing but hope and supposition, and held together by spit and prayers, but it at least had a chance, however small, of working. Frankly, it was better than what they had a moment ago, so they had little choice but to take it and hope for the best.

"But what could be directing them? They're far too coordinated. We've killed a few of the unicorn creatures, but that doesn't seem to have slowed them down at all."

"It's possible that the hive itself is what's controlling them, or something inside of the hive, like a Queen. If that's the case, then cutting off the head of the beast is the best course of action. At the very least, burning the heart of the infestation should do massive damage to their position, possible to the point where we can deal with the remnants without too much trouble."

"Can we be sure that that's the case?" Hermione asked, repressing a shiver. "This is unlike anything I've read about or seen. There's no reason to think they're like anything in the normal world."

"There has to be a reason to build a hive like that. Even if it's a completely alien reason, it's still a reason, and that gives us something to attack." They said, "It's either that, or give up entirely."

Harry hated to admit it, but they were right. Even if it was a terrible plan, it was the only thing that might work. They could either take the chance in the slim hope it would work out, or give up here and now. With a sigh of regret, he nodded his agreement.

"Our best bet is probably sneak our way towards the nest, set it ablaze, and run like hell." Their cloaked partner proposed a basic plan, sketching out a vague map in the dirt before them.

"Can we survive something like that?" Luna asked.

"Not sure, but I don't have any better ideas. Do you?" Harry asked. Luna shook her head, and Hermione kept muttering to herself. "Then I think we have to try it, make the best of a bad situation, and hope we can get out of this alive."

"Right, then let's go through this and see if there's anything we can do to improve our odds of success and survival." They continued, looking around at the ragtag group assembled before them.

They all sat down around the hastily sketched battle plan, getting what little rest that they could, as they gave their own thoughts on the developing plan. Luna was surprisingly the most helpful, her unusual mindset bringing up points that would otherwise have been neglected. Hermione did her best to organize and consolidate any plans they managed, and Harry did his best to offer a few suggestions of his own. The end result wasn't pretty, but it would get the job done.

They hoped.

HPaCT

Finally, it was nearly time to set out. Hermione and Luna was dozing fretfully, while their monstrous companions patrolled the borders of their makeshift camp, looking for signs of approaching enemies. It left Harry and the last member of their group alone for a few minutes before they would set out.

"It seems I owe you my life. Had I dealt with them on my own, I would certainly have perished." The cloaked figure said. It seemed they wanted to get it off their chest before things became too chaotic to speak.

"Don't worry about it." Harry said, "We're friends, right?"

"Friends? I suppose we could be considered friends." They said uncertainly, before chuckling to themselves. "To think that I would be considered Harry Potter's friend, how amusing."

"What's so strange about that?"

"Perhaps I'll tell you later, but now really isn't the time. Right now, we need to figure out a way to survive this."

"You don't think the plan will be enough." Harry said, almost accusingly.

"Tactics can only take you so far in the face of overwhelming numbers." They admitted. "In all honesty, our best chance was when we were right there, while we were still fresh and relatively unexpected. Now, they know we're coming, and they'll be ready to bring everything they can down on us."

"You sound like you're giving up before we even try." Harry said.

"I still have every intention of doing whatever I can to survive. I've just... resigned myself to the inevitable conclusion." They said with a sigh. "Death comes to us all, and no matter how hard you struggle, no matter what efforts to put into staving it off, it cannot be denied."

Harry shook his head, "You might be right, but that doesn't mean you'll die here."

"Evidence would point to the contrary."

"So? There are plenty of people who have beaten the odds and won when no one expected them to. It's why people always cheer for the underdog on television."

"Believing in stories like that is childish. If things really worked that way, we wouldn't be here in the first place."

"Maybe it is childish, but it's better than giving up without trying." Harry said resolutely, looking at his friend.

They turned away from him. Harry waited for several long moments, hoping for a reply, but none came. With a sigh, he walked over towards Rex. If they were going to give up like that, it was their decision. As long as they did their part, it didn't matter if they hoped or not, but Harry wasn't going to quit so easily.

HPaCT

It wasn't hard to get back to where they had started. The monsters had torn a very visible path through the forest, and whatever was lying in wait for them didn't seem to mind that they were walking right towards it.

"Are we sure this is a good idea?" Hermione asked one last time.

"No, it's probably going to end with us all being eaten." Harry admitted, "But it's really the best idea that we have."

"How is that?" She asked.

"At least this way we might survive. You know, if a miracle happens." he said, trying to flash a daring grin, brushing off death like it was just another day. He wasn't sure how daring he really looked, but it seemed to help her.

"If we're going to die, I'm going to burn this whole forest down as my funeral pyre." She promised him, her wand already dancing with fire.

"Might want to get started on that sooner than later." Harry said, gripping his wand hard enough that he could feel the ridges pressing into his skin. He couldn't see anything just yet, but he could feel the hairs on the back of his neck prickling. They were watching them.

"Luna, take the Snorkack around and distract them." Harry said tersely.

"Do you want to come with me Hermione?" Luna offered, "It will probably be a bit safer"

Hermione hesitated, glancing back and forth between her friends in indecision.

"Go with her." Harry decided for the poor Gryffindor. "She's going to need support if the Snorkack gets bogged down."

"Are you sure?" the bushy haired girl asked.

"We'll be fine over here. We've got two monsters here, Luna's only got the one."

Hermione gave a determined nod, before clambering on behind Luna. She wrapped her arms uncertainly around the waifish girl, before seizing her in a death grip as the Snorkack began moving.

"Hold up a minute Luna." Harry called out, causing the hulking beast to pause as its partner looked at him.

"Harry?" she said questioningly.

The slender blonde turned towards him, looking up at him curiously. Harry hesitated for a second, before strengthening his resolve, and saying what needed to be said.

"Once we hit the nest, I want you and Hermione to get out of there."

"You want us to leave you behind?" she asked, looking at him is disbelief.

"It's not like that!" Harry protested, "It's just... Once we get to the nest, we won't need you rampaging over everything else. Either we'll wipe it out and end this, or we won't, and if that happens, you need to get out to warn everyone. Do whatever it takes, show them the Snorkack, tear up Diagon Alley, whatever you need to do to make them realize what's lurking out there.

His friend seemed torn

"Please Luna, I need you to do this."

Luna nodded, giving in, "Alright Harry. I promise."

He watched the three of them break off, and could feel his remaining companion judging him.

"I still have no intention of dying." Harry said, knowing what was coming. "I just want to make sure everything is covered no matter what happens."

They stared at him, "You really don't intend to die here, do you? It certainly could happen, but you don't seem worried about it."

"What's the point?" Harry asked, "If it happens, it happens, and there's nothing I can do about it. If I doesn't then there was no point in worrying about it in the first place." He got the feeling they were smirking at him

"I suppose you're right about that, as long as you're smart enough to avoid taking foolish risks."

"Like attacking a bunch of creatures we know nothing about?"

"Right, like that." They replied, and the two of them shared a brief chuckle, before settling back into terse readiness.

The two of them crouched in the shadows in silence, doing their best to ignore the seconds as they dragged on. Each moment seemed to last an eternity, and Harry hoped that nothing had happened. Maybe the creatures had gotten the drop on them, and even now ere creeping up on them, waiting for the perfect moment to strike and-

A roar echoed through the forest, shocking the two of them from their thoughts. Harry immediately turned to Rex, while his partner hissed something to their snake. Rex led the charge, blasting everything in sight with fire, while the basilisk, lashed out at anything that survived with its deadly fangs.

Harry felt a spark of hope as he started casting spells along side the advancing monsters. It seemed the Snorkack was doing a good job, now they just needed to keep on pushing. As soon as they broke through and torched the nest, they could get the hell out of there.

There was little resistance. Though the aberrations had known they were coming, most of them had diverted off to take down the apparently weaker group. Harry and his partners rushed in, cutting down everything that moved as they charged forward. Harry cast so many spells he was sure his wand was bound to ignite in his hands. Rex tore through the defenders as quickly as his claws could move, while their counterparts mirrored their actions, the cloaked figure creating a blazing nimbus with their spell work, while the basilisk paused only long enough to bite whatever got in its way before slithering forward. All the while, Harry glanced around, looking for the heart of their lair.

He let out a shout as he spotted it. They had found it, the core of the nest, or heart, or whatever it was. Triumph slowly gave way, and Harry's heart sunk as he saw what was guarding it. It was surrounded by the unicorn creatures, each of them standing sentinel, ready to attack anything they perceived as a threat. Even as his heart dropped, a number of them turned in unison for face Rex and the basilisk, clawing at the ground, eager to slaughter whatever dared to opposed them.

Well, maybe this meant the Snorkack and the girls would make it out alive. Without the unicorn creatures, they should have decent odds of escaping the forest. They probably wouldn't last long against these things once they started to spread, but it would be a great deal longer than Harry's own life expectancy.

Resigning himself, Harry raised his wand. If he was going to die here, he wasn't going to just lay down and accept it. He was going to kill as many of these things as he could first. Fire danced around him, and he could feel that his companion was doing the same.

"READY HARRY?" Rex asked, with a grin that should have been terrifying, but Harry couldn't help but return it.

"Yeah, let's get them!"

The battle was joined. The unicorn guards charged forward, met with a wave of brilliant lights as Harry and his partner, but it barely affected them. They only started to slaw when they met with the full fury of Rex and the Basilisk.

The two beasts tore into them with inhuman fury, but despite all of their power, their were only two of them, and they couldn't stem the tide entirely. A few of the creatures managed to force their way past, leaving the two humans to deal with them.

Harry threw himself to the side, barely dodging the trampling hooves of the first one. He flinched as a second one attempted to crush him beneath its claws, only for a wavering shield to spring up in front of him.

"Move!" they shouted, trying to hold off a third creature, and Harry scrambled back to his feet. He fell into step behind them, doing his best to cover their blind spots. Only three of them managed to get past their monsters, but they were more than enough to kill them if they weren't careful. Harry watched as the three of them circled around, looking for a weakness to exploit. They were met by spellfire at every turn. Harry's magic was enough to hold them off, while his partner actually manged to harm them if they were unwary. They were locked in a stalemate for the moment, which was as close to victory as they could hope.

"Focus!" his partner cried, and Harry nodded, redoubling his efforts. The monsters had nearly destroyed the aberrations, and if they could hold out for just a little longer, they might actually win!

A sickening feeling filled Harry, and he bent double, trying to keep his stomach under control. He managed to keep his feet, if only just, and looked around for its source.

It didn't take long.

The heart of the nest, or whatever it was began to pulse rapidly. Something was about to happen, and Harry had a feeling that whatever it was, it wouldn't be good.

"Harder Rex!" He managed to shout, and the monstrous dinosaur redoubled his efforts, tearing into the attacking creatures, but more filled the holes he tore in their defenses. Even when the dinosauroid resorted to burning them to cinders, they kept up their fervent defense. It became a desperate race, trying to stop whatever it was from emerging before it could be destroyed. Harry cast desperately, hoping that the paltry fire spells he brought forth would be enough to let Rex get through.

They weren't.

The forest fell silent. Harry froze, the absolute lack of sound somehow more deafening than the sound of battle. With a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach, he turned his gaze away from the horde, and towards what they were willing to sacrifice their lives to protect.

The cocoon, the cyst, whatever it was, had stopped is pulsing. It was absolutely still, and then seemed to crumble, falling away from what had been growing inside of it. The pulsating mass looked like some massive internal organ, never meant to be exposed to air, but even as Harry watched, it began to writhe and twist, taking all of the power and potential inherent in its incomplete form, and shaping it to a purpose.

There were eyes. That was the first thing Harry noticed. A trio of glowing yellow eyes, peered out from the dying mass of flesh as it writhed. The rest of its body seemed to shape its form around them, the nearest parts collapsing into a triangular head, with a massive jaw lined with dripping teeth. The body followed, long and sleek,. The legs supporting it seemed like they belonged on a spider, and it scuttled out of its chrysalis with alien speed and grace. It didn't seem to have any arms, but from the way its body seemed to move and twist underneath its skin, Harry was sure it could grow whatever it needed at a moment's notice, just like the rest of these creatures.

It was magnificent, Harry decided, in the same way that a shark was beautiful. It had a purpose, and every single aspect of its being had been designed around fulfilling that purpose, without any room for wasted potential or extraneous actions. Its purpose was anything but friendly, Harry was certain, but it would fulfill it perfectly, without an ounce of compassion or mercy.

As they watched in stunned horror, the newly emerged creature seemed to extend, it's body warping out to reach one of the surviving unicorn guards. The guard made no move to evade it, and was quickly and quietly absorbed into the main body. It seemed to shudder for a moment, before its appearance shifted, becoming more defined. More tendrils shot out towards the closest of the creatures, and they were all absorbed into the abomination within second. The creatures furthest it it even rushed towards it, eager to feed their ultimate incarnation.

As each was consumed in turn, the creature changed, gaining physical power, sure, but mostly, Harry could feel it, like something pulling at his soul. This creature was absorbing their magical power, using it to fuel its own evolution into something far greater and more terrifying than anything that had come before it. It was becoming something that did not belong here, that damaged the very fabric of reality with its presence, whispers of madness filling the silence it instilled in the world that abhorred it, found its very existence anathemic, to the point where everything native to the world could not stand its presence.

It was becoming a Monster. Just like Rex, just like the Snorkack. A small part of Harry wondered if his partner was born in a similar manner.

The last of the guards were consumed, its evolution completed. Massive, gossamer wings emerged from its back, creating is sickening, dissonant buzzing sound as they flapped faster than the eye could see. The massive abomination took flight, surveying the devastated forest that had birthed it.

Harry looked around, and saw that the rest of the creatures had gone still, frozen in awe at the ultimate expression of their purpose. The cloaked figure hissed something that he couldn't quite catch, and their basilisk curled around them defensively. Hermione stared at the creature, screaming things Harry knew couldn't possibly be words as she pointed at it in horror. Luna seized the gibbering girl and began dragging her to the Snorkack, who used its horns to fling the girls onto its back. The monster sprinted through the frozen horde, getting the girls clear, even as it trampled the uncaring creatures beneath it.

The newly born monster landed nearby, having survey the devastated battlefield and determining what had caused it. It had found the one who had inflicted such damage upon its children.

It looked at Rex, past him to the twelve year old boy the dinosaur had bonded himself to. Harry could feel its eyes boring into him, drawing out details of his life he had long forgotten, or maybe never even knew. It looked into the very core of his soul, sending a wave of nausea through the young wizard as he felt it pass over him

Then it stopped, its presence left him, and all was still.

And the forest erupted into screams.

OMAKE

As Cedric walked away, Harry felt a strange sensation in his chest. The world around him seemed to freeze, and a voice from everywhere and nowhere began to boom.

YOU HAVE FORGED THE BEGINNINGS OF A BOND OF FRIENDSHIP, ACQUIRING THE POWER OF THE MAGICIAN ARCANA.

A card appeared in the air before him, before floating gently into his hand.

Harry stared, completely in the dark on how to respond to this new experience.

"maybe it's like those pokerman cards your cousin loves?" Rex suggested from his pocket. "is it an ultra rare? we could sell it for millions!"