MTL NOVEL Chapter 34: December 24 - Snow (Part 3)
The journey into the Forbidden Forest had been going well so far. Joey and the others had collected a good amount of unicorn hair, and Sirius had earned the affectionate nickname "Big Black" through his generosity. The group continued deeper into the forest, but the atmosphere changed as they reached the heart of the woods. The area looked like it had been recently disturbed—trees were uprooted, bushes were charred, and bloodstains dotted the snow.
Sirius signaled for the group to stop. He crept forward to examine the bloodstains, then returned with a grim expression. "Something—or someone—is injured," he whispered.
"How could there be other people here?" Fred asked quietly.
"I don't know," Sirius replied. "It might be an animal, but whatever it is, there was a fight here recently."
Joey suddenly grabbed Fred's sleeve. "Do you hear that? It sounds like... claws moving together."
The group fell silent, listening intently. The sound of rustling and clicking grew louder, sending shivers down their spines.
Sirius quickly led them behind a dense thicket of vines, pressing them against a stone wall. Joey, squeezed to the back, felt something soft under her foot. She turned and nearly screamed. Someone was lying there!
"Shafiq?!" Fred whispered, recognizing the Slytherin boy. Shafiq was pale, covered in blood, and barely breathing.
"Unfortunate," Sirius muttered, clearly annoyed. He hated Shafiq, but he couldn't just leave him there. The strong smell of blood would attract whatever was out there.
Joey and the twins exchanged determined looks, wands at the ready. "Can you stay and take care of him?" Sirius asked Joey reluctantly.
"I want to fight!" Joey protested. "And if I stay, I might end up hitting him instead of helping." She and Shafiq had never gotten along.
Sirius sighed. "You're better at healing spells and levitation charms than these two. They're better suited for causing chaos."
Fred and George grinned, clearly proud of their reputation.
Joey knew there was no time to argue. She hated being left behind, but Sirius was right—she was better at healing. Reluctantly, she agreed.
---
Sirius and the twins charged out, wands blazing. A swarm of giant spiders emerged from the shadows, their chelicerae clicking menacingly.
"Spiders hate bright light! Use Lumos if they get too close!" Sirius shouted, firing off spells like "Confringo" and "Stupefy."
The twins unleashed a barrage of spells, turning the battlefield into a chaotic light show. The first wave of spiders was caught off guard, and the trio quickly gained the upper hand. Spider limbs and green blood littered the snow.
Joey, meanwhile, cast several healing spells on Shafiq. She stood in front of him, wand ready, her heart racing with excitement. This was what she lived for—the thrill of danger, the rush of battle.
Shafiq stirred, his eyes fluttering open. He saw Joey standing in front of him, her face streaked with green spider blood but glowing with determination. For a moment, he thought he was dreaming. Then he recognized her—Joey Forest, the Gryffindor girl he'd always dismissed as annoying and ugly. But now, she looked... different. Strong. Fearless. Alive.
Joey noticed his gaze and grinned. "You're awake! Good timing."
Shafiq looked away, his voice hoarse. "You're still ugly."
Joey laughed. "Then stop staring and stay alert!"
---
The battle outside intensified. More spiders poured in, overwhelming Sirius and the twins. Fred was nearly ensnared in spider silk, but Joey rushed over, cutting him free with a severing charm. She accidentally nicked his robe in the process.
"Sorry! I'm still getting the hang of this spell," Joey apologized, her face flushed.
Fred grinned. "No worries! Your two years of "Curses and Counter-Curses" are paying off."
Their laughter made Shafiq's stomach churn. He couldn't stand how close they were. For a brief, dark moment, he considered casting a spell at them. But the arrival of more spiders snapped him out of it.
Sirius transformed into a massive black dog, lunging at the spiders. They scattered, terrified of the larger predator. But three enormous spiders, each as big as Sirius in his Animagus form, closed in on him.
Joey and the twins fought valiantly, but they were outnumbered. Just as things looked dire, a dark figure swept in, robes billowing. Professor Snape.
"Shafiq, are you alive?" Snape asked sharply, shielding the students with his body.
"Barely," Shafiq croaked.
Snape sneered, his wand flicking as he cast a series of powerful spells. The spiders recoiled, retreating from the onslaught. Joey watched in awe as Snape single-handedly turned the tide.
"Professor, aren't you going to help him?" Joey asked, gesturing to Sirius, who was still fighting the three giant spiders.
Snape's lip curled. "Help him? Why should I help a stray dog?"
Joey bit her tongue, knowing better than to argue. She didn't trust Snape not to turn on Sirius if provoked.
Just then, arrows whizzed through the air, striking the spiders. Two centaurs emerged from the trees—Bane and a strikingly handsome centaur with silver hair and piercing blue eyes.
Bane nocked another arrow, glaring at Sirius. "You've gotten weak without your pack, mutt."
Sirius, now back in human form, grinned despite his injuries. "Nice beard, Bane."
Bane rolled his eyes and turned to the spiders. "Leave. Now."
The spiders hesitated, then retreated into the shadows. The danger had passed.
---
The group regrouped, catching their breath. Joey couldn't help but admire the two centaurs. Bane and his companion looked like something out of a painting—dark and light, sun and moon. If not for the lingering tension, she might have daydreamed about their dynamic.
Sirius, bloodied but smiling, leaned against a tree. "Thanks for the save, Bane."
Bane snorted. "Don't make a habit of it."
Joey glanced at Shafiq, who was still watching her with an unreadable expression. She shrugged it off, too exhausted to care. The fight was over, and they'd survived. That was all that mattered.