Things were almost back to normal for my personal group, unlike Harry, who was something of an outcast for what happened. He and Neville took away the unwanted attention that Hermione was initially worried about, but still, the group of three didn't split up and leaned on each other to get through it.
Hermione didn't have such a bad time, since although there were those who despised her, the only thing she had to do was take refuge in the lair. No one would judge her there, at most they would talk about her behind her back, but never being able to she hears it due to the consequences that this would bring them.
What she did suffer from was that every once in a while I used to appear out of nowhere to snort with satisfaction at making me notice, make very ambiguous comments or be very...characteristic. For example, the last time I started eating a peach (that I had taken the time to get) behind her, tasting it and flattering its shape, 'without being able to remember why it seems so familiar to me, but at the same time, it made me think of Hermione'.
This stressed her a lot and all the habit that she had to my way of bothering her were not enough not to embarrass her, and a lot. A new victory for Red, I was tired of her knowing how to react so well to me, and now I finally won again.
I also thought that during surprise attacks I should aim for a certain place to harass her more, but, considering what Penelope or other girls might do to me and how close I was to get my face back intact, I ruled it out.
...
Being one of my clones at the Gryffindor table talking to Parvati, I could see how the letter announcing the punishment arrived. Hermione just sighed and put it away, she didn't expect to renege on the punishment, which I found very adorable and responsible on her part… and I took out another peach.
The time had come to leave for the Forbidden Forest, and I must say I was a bit nervous. I know I've done dangerous things before and just like now none of them are with my real body, but in the Forbidden Forest there are a lot of creepy things like acromantulas. Although I don't have my brother's phobia... jeez, it's a giant spider, anyone would get goosebumps their first time.
I haven't scary, but the thought of being eaten by a horde of spiders isn't reassuring either. Just in case, I bought some artifacts, potions, and a sword from the merchant, to give me peace of mind.
My clone in his invisible state was waiting outside the Gryffindor common room and the moment he saw Harry, Neville and Hermione leave, he followed them at a garter pace. On the way, I held Hermione's hand to let her know that I was here, and just like last time, I had to cover her mouth, so she wouldn't discover me to the others.
"I'll walk you through your punishment, just in case" I whispered in her ear, and it only took her a moment to silently nod.
Hermione didn't ask why or anything, knowing that I'm one of those who go out at night, it seemed appropriate that I at least spend time with her. She tried to wriggle out of my hand which was still holding hers, but she couldn't and gave up trying, frowning at me and looking, to where I was supposed to be, as a complaint.
They met Filch, and Malfoy, who was also being punished in the same way. They followed him, and on the way, Filch began to talk about the good of punishment and how he regretted that the old methods were abandoned.
Listening to him, now it was Hermione who prevented me from letting go of her hand, somewhat nervous not knowing what the punishment would be. From Filch's words, it was something beyond normal, and they didn't know what to expect. Having her doubts, as they started to leave the castle, she began to thank me for accompanying them.
We arrived at Hagrid's hut and this somewhat calmed Harry and Hermione who knew him well, but the warden made sure that this did not calm them down by informing them that their punishment would be in the forest. Hagrid was kind, and after a brief argument with Filch, the latter left, leaving us alone at last.
Malfoy tried to complain about the punishment, but Hagrid's words silenced him. At that moment, after seeing how Filch was far enough away, my clone dispelled his invisibility surprising almost everyone present, Fang even hid behind Hagrid.
"RED?!" x4
"The one"
"What are you doing here?" Harry and Draco asked at the same time, but with different tones and expressions.
"I'm here to accompany you… mostly to accompany Hermione, who is afraid of the forest"
"That is not true!" She complained about my statement"...just a little bit..." she said almost inaudibly.
"You shouldn't be here, you can't go out at this time and even less to this place outside the castle" Hagrid warned me, who was very worried to see me.
"And what will they do? Punish me by sending me to the forbidden forest? We can speed things up and let me go with them"
"You can't go, it's dangerous" The giant rejected me, making Neville tremble and worrying the others.
"And yet you're okay with them going?" I asked, pointing to the children who were turning pale waiting for an answer.
"This is their punishment, besides they are with me, so you have nothing to worry about" he said confidently holding on to his vest.
"Look, think of it this way. I went out to accompany them in the punishment, and they would possibly punish me for it, since their punishment is to go to the forbidden forest, it is likely that they will also send me with them since we are all here already... right ?" I debated, leaving the Giant thinking.
"...Uh ...yeah but..."
"I think whatever you're going to do could do with an extra set of hands, plus you should know that I'm the most skilled of all here." When I said that, Malfoy frowned but didn't say anything. He actually hoped that I would accompany them since he knew my abilities... and because he thought that in the case of running, it was good that there was another person to serve as a decoy.
"... But..."
"Hagrid, this body is a clone, nothing will really happen to me and I don't think we should waste any time. We can tell Dumbledore when we get back and let him decide, but now we should go"
Hagrid hesitated for a while not knowing what to do, but he also knew it wasn't good to keep waiting, and considering that I really was a clone, he decided to go ahead with me, not doubting that I lied. We walked to the edge of the forest before the half-giant turned around.
"Well then," said Hagrid, "Listen carefully, because what we're going to do tonight is dangerous, and I don't want any of you to risk it"
Being on the edge of the dark forest, the children became nervous, seeing the horrible dark shadows of the trees. I was also a little anxious since it would be my first time entering, with all the things to do inside the castle I couldn't put my attention here.
"Look there," Hagrid pointed to some glowing spots near a fork, "See that stuff shining on the ground? That Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week, I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery"
"And what if whoever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" Malfoy asked, unable to hide the fear in his voice.
"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt you if you are with me or Fang. An' keep ter the path. Now we are going to divide into two teams and follow the trail in different directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at
least
"I'm going with Hermione and Fang!" I quickly exclaimed "Hagrid, I think you should go with the others to protect them, we'll be fine with Fang."
"Hey, it's not fair that you keep the dog" Malfoy questioned as he wanted to be with Fang, thinking that he could protect him if something happened, being an animal with claws and fangs.
"Fang is a coward" Hagrid clarified both to me and to the others present.
"Yes, Red, why do you want to go with just Fang and me? Isn't it better if at least someone else comes?" Hermione asked, with her sixth sense screaming warnings within her.
"We're both fine, and I don't care that Fang isn't very brave…" Then I turned and whispered "Actually I'm counting on it. This forest is so big and dark, a lot of unavoidable things can happen" I looked at Hermione smiling wickedly as he pulled out another peach, gave it an extravagant lick and then a heavy bite. I turned around once more with total normality before the others with apples in my hands "Would you like some fruit?"
"No, and this is a punishment, they can't eat" Hagrid said making me put the fruit away, but anyway my task had already been fulfilled.
"I think it's better if Harry goes with us…or Neville!" Hermione suggested almost ordering. For the first time, she felt the true terror of this forest and not for the creatures.
"No need, we have to move forward if we want to find the unicorn. Don't worry, I'll protect Fang and Hermione" I motioned to the others.
"I..." Hermione was about to shout that she wanted to go to Hagrid, but invisible hands covered her mouth and held her body, making it very difficult for her to move.
Hermione's strange behavior and movement along with her wide and frightened eyes confused them, but they thought it was just fear. Under my insistence, the others advanced by their side, but not before being informed that we should use colored sparks to report our situation. After they walked away, my invisible clones released the girl.
"What are you doing...?! Why did you do that...?! What are you planning?!" Hermione, who had fallen to the ground from her loss of balance, began to question me loudly. Right now there was fear in her eyes and she kept having a feeling similar to the other time with my 'joke'.
"Nothing you can't imagine... well, maybe some things you can't"
"Stop acting like that. I know you're doing it just to annoy me, so stop doing it" She said trying to keep her voice from trembling as got up from the ground.
"Maybe, or actually I always thought of doing something to you, but only now I can achieve it thanks to the circumstances. Maybe now I already have the methods to leave the country without being caught, taking you with me, obviously. Although it would be more prudent to get rid of the load I'm not one of those who throw things away after getting tired of them, especially if they're so pretty" I said throwing away the peach core.
"Stop acting like that!" She pushed me away, hoping that by not reacting the way I wanted, I would break my supposed act.
"You can think what you want, but you should try to think why I wanted us alone here" I said using a bit of my aura on Fang, who, scared of my presence, ran to hide behind a tree.
*Glough* Hermione swallowed a bit nervously "W-why-y...?"
"Because hardly anyone can help if something happens, asking for help can be useless if it can't get there on time. Things of being in this 'perverted forest...'"
"B-Forbidden..." she corrected me.
"It's up to you what you want to call it..."
"Stop it already! You promised me you wouldn't bother me like this anymore! Stop scaring me, I don't like it!" Hermione yelled. She could no longer bear the pressure that had been gestated by me for days, with every word I said along with the gloomy atmosphere that this place gave, her mind told her that it was more and more possible that something really happened, and she did not want...
"Hermione... unless you want us to have a really bad time before we weigh her well, stop yelling, you'll end up attracting something we won't like" I seriously advised her.
"..." Hermione reacted a little as she seemed to hear noises in the forest, and unconsciously, she approached me, not knowing if it was the better option. She, being so close to me, grabbed onto my clothes and without raising her head, begged "P-Please... stop"
"..." I left a brief moment of silence as I watched how her not daring to meet my eyes "You disappoint me..." I said in a very different tone than before.
Saying these words, she looked up and saw some dissatisfaction and contempt on my face.
"Is all the training I gave you... all those surprise attacks... Aren't they for situations like this? I know very well that you couldn't beat me and that you would have to accept your fate, but not even fight? Will you give up so easily and just beg? You could at least hold your wand in secret, wait for the moment to release the green sparks that Hagrid advised us to... Next time you meet a kidnapper in the woods, you just cry and let him kill you? Let kidnap you?"
"..." Hermione froze for a moment and watched me turn down the path as I used my blood magic with my wand to gather the silvery liquid into a sphere in the air. "Was that all a test?" She asked dismayed and with doubts seeing that I didn't stop me.
"No, I do plan to do unspeakable things to you, but it will be on the way back. You have a punishment and out of consideration for what I will do to you, I decided that we will accomplish this first…" I said in my normal tone, walking away.
Hermione, hearing me say that, didn't know whether to be angry or worried, for a while she couldn't tell if my words were true or not. She felt the same [aura of mystery] as in duels, so she always had the feeling that what I said could be both a lie or a truth, and she wasn't so comfortable anymore.
The sound of the branches and the strange silence that occurred in the forest ended up making her react to the place where she was. She no longer knew where the others were and her being alone began to worry her more, so she finally decided to go ahead to catch up with me.
Still not knowing if it was the best option, this time he didn't separate his hand from his wand and prayed that this was just another joke that she would take it out on me later and not one of those stories that should be in the newspapers.