Upon his return, John immediately set to work crafting a new set of amulets for himself. He was grateful for his preparedness; otherwise, he would have been at a significant disadvantage against the deceitful Quirrell.
It was Saturday when John acquired more materials from Hagrid, this time with a novel idea in mind. As he examined the unicorn, whose horn had been severed post-mortem, John's expression turned into a frown. "The unicorn's horn is undergoing a transformation," he noted, the stench of decay filling the air. The curse afflicting the horn was formidable, rendering his initial plan to craft a talisman from the unicorn unfeasible. Upon grinding the unicorn into powder, John discovered the curse within was exceedingly potent, suitable only for the creation of dark artifacts.
Later, John visited Hagrid's cabin, finding the groundskeeper in tears over the impending departure of Norbert, his dragon. Observing Norbert's significant growth, John agreed with the decision; the dragon would soon outgrow the cabin itself. "John, here is the dragon's blood I promised you. Please, handle it with care," Hagrid said, his voice heavy with emotion. Accepting the warm bottle of dragon's blood, John assured him, "I promise." The warmth of the blood suggested its origin from a fire dragon, a detail that underscored Hagrid's remarkable ability to manage such creatures.
After bidding Hagrid farewell, John proceeded to the Room of Requirement for experimentation. There, he successfully combined dragon's blood with snails to inscribe his first rune onto an amulet. The sense of accomplishment was exhilarating; after days filled with anxiety and fear, his efforts were finally bearing fruit.
As for the plan to send Norbert away under the cover of night, John chose not to participate. He had previously arranged to meet with Malfoy and preferred to avoid unnecessary trouble.
...
The following morning, Gryffindor House was shocked to discover they had lost 150 points, a blow to their hopes of outscoring Slytherin. Upon investigation, they learned that Harry Potter, Hermione, and Neville had been caught during an unauthorized nocturnal excursion, tarnishing their reputations. Meanwhile, Draco Malfoy, despite causing a 20-point deduction for Slytherin, was celebrated for his role in thwarting Gryffindor's comeback. "Harry Potter, our hero, Slytherin thanks you for your assistance," Malfoy taunted, inciting Harry's fury.
John observed these developments with a sense of detachment, recognizing the pitfalls of fame. Harry's notoriety had made him a lightning rod for criticism, a stark reminder of the double-edged nature of renown.
...
"Curse Snape and his meddling ways!" Quirrell seethed, frustrated by another confrontation with Snape. The former Death Eater's interference was becoming intolerable, especially as their master's plans faltered. Once again, John found himself entangled in Quirrell's schemes.
Concealing his amulet, John appeared conflicted, pondering whether to continue his association with Quirrell. Sensing his hesitation, Quirrell grew impatient. "Perhaps he must slay an innocent to prove himself worthy of becoming a Death Eater," he mused, casting the Imperius Curse on John with the intention of forcing him to kill a unicorn in the Forbidden Forest.
Unbeknownst to Quirrell, a defiant gleam shone in John's eyes. As they ventured into the forest, John subtly signaled to unseen allies, a bird and a dog lurking in the shadows, ready to intervene. In the dimly lit corridor that forked in two directions, John's resolve hardened. "Think you can control me? I'd like to see you try!" he thought defiantly. Unlike others, John was not one to be easily manipulated. Even if he wasn't directly after Voldemort, he was determined to cause the Dark Lord as much trouble as possible. The idea of a unicorn's life being in danger was something he hoped would catch the professors' attention, though he wondered if Quirrell would meet his downfall sooner than expected. A fleeting, cold smile touched the corners of John's mouth before he vanished into the shadows.
Meanwhile, in the Forbidden Forest, Harry, Hermione, and Neville faced their punishment with trepidation, accompanied by a pale and terrified Malfoy. The thought of dying in the forest haunted Malfoy, especially since he believed Hagrid, still bitter over the loss of the fire dragon due to Malfoy's report, might leave him for the werewolves. "It's a servant's job to be here, not a student's!" Malfoy protested vehemently. Hagrid, however, was unyielding. "That's how it is at Hogwarts. You either contribute or you leave," he retorted. Noticing the anxiety among the students, Hagrid mentioned, "The Forbidden Forest is dangerous. You'd be less nervous if John were here, but he's not feeling well today." Hermione immediately expressed concern for John, but Hagrid could only speculate that it might be due to an alchemy experiment gone wrong, his gaze shifting to Fang, who was distracted by some dog food.
As they ventured deeper into the forest, they stumbled upon the tragic sight of a unicorn, dead, its blood staining the ground. "This is the third one," Hagrid said gravely, the weight of the discovery heavy on his heart. To cover more ground, they split into two groups. Malfoy, distrustful of Hagrid, insisted on not being in his group, so he was paired with Neville and Fang. Not long after, Hagrid's group rushed towards a distress signal, only to find that Malfoy had tricked Neville into sending it. Frustrated, Hagrid had Harry switch places with Neville to prevent further mischief.
The Forbidden Forest at night was a place of untold dangers, and Harry felt the weight of this as he ventured through the dark, dense woods.
Deep within the Forbidden Forest, John and Quirrell, cloaked in darkness, pursued a unicorn. The majestic creature, despite its injuries, continued to elude them. "John, kill it!" Quirrell commanded. John raised his hand, casting a spell that sent a burst of white light towards the unicorn, creating a smokescreen that allowed the creature to escape. "Damn, you fool!" Quirrell cursed, frustration evident in his voice. This was not the first time their plan had failed. Despite being under the Imperius Curse, John's actions seemed more like sabotage than genuine attempts to harm the unicorn.
In truth, John was indeed there to cause trouble. He worried for the unicorn and grew increasingly anxious. "Did Basil not deliver the letter, or did the professors not believe me?" he pondered, fearing the worst. He had hoped that by alerting the professors, they could intervene and stop Quirrell's nefarious plans. But with no response to his letters, he felt a sinking feeling of despair.
As Quirrell managed to incapacitate the unicorn once more, its blood began to flow. Quirrell, breathing heavily with anticipation, urged, "Seize the opportunity!" John hesitated, torn between his orders and his conscience, as he stepped forward. Hearing the command, John pointed his wand at the unicorn, noticing the profound sadness in its eyes. He hesitated, his lips pressed tightly together. Quirrell, standing beside him, urged impatiently, "Hurry up, kill it with your most practiced spell!" His voice was desperate, revealing his own dire situation. Quirrell's body was weakening rapidly; without the unicorn's blood, he would perish, his life force being drained by Voldemort. He would have taken the creature's life himself if not for his plan to incriminate the young Death Eater.
Finally, John seemed to reach a decision. Flames burst forth from his wand as he uttered, "Fiendfyre." The spell unleashed a wild, uncontrollable inferno that began to consume the surrounding vegetation, spreading rapidly through the area.
"Idiot!" Quirrell exclaimed, taken aback by John's reckless choice of spell. In a fit of anger, he knocked John unconscious and hurried toward the unicorn. The fiendfyre raged on, devouring everything in its path, yet miraculously sparing the unicorn. Quirrell, driven by desperation and the need to sustain his own life, was prepared to do whatever it took to drink the unicorn's blood.
Just then, a red light streaked through the air towards him. Quirrell's reflexes kicked in, and he dodged it swiftly. The professors had arrived.
In this moment of chaos, the scene was a tumultuous blend of desperation, magic, and the impending confrontation. Quirrell's actions, driven by survival, clashed with the moral implications of harming such a pure creature. The arrival of the professors promised a resolution to the immediate danger, but the consequences of the night's events were yet to unfold.
_________
If you are tired of reading I also have this converted to an audio novel on my youtube
https://www.youtube.com/@NovelAudioForge/featured
Direct Link to playlist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Hg-qsW4rM&list=PLKskshYG-OcPTR4-Nw7IWFEBZm07D8pBV&ab_channel=NovelAudioForge