AUTHOR'S- Which ends now.
Harry edged over the table, ignoring the protests of fellow diners and teachers.
He didn't really know what he was looking at first; it appeared to be a small, light grey, feathery ball.
As Harry moved closer, it was clear what the object was. His stomach lurched horribly.
It was Pigwidgeon...and his head was missing.
Harry looked at Ron, his mouth souring. Hermione was doing the same, her face a unhealthy tinge of light green.
Ron was staring at his dead owl, a blank expression on his face. Hermione probably thought that the shock was setting in, but Harry knew better.
He had never realised how much Ron liked his miniscule owl, but it was very clear that the loss of Pig had struck him deeply. So deeply, in fact, that if a passer-by glanced at him, it would appear that he had lost his soul.
As this onimous thought occured to Harry, he became even more worried about his best friend.
He just happened to look at Malfoy, who was wearing a satisfied smile on his face.
A white-hot anger exploded within Harry, one that he had never felt before, and never felt that he was capable of feeling. He was barely aware of his hand reaching for his wand, and pointing it at Malfoy...
But someone screamed, "Impedimenta!" and Harry felt himself slammed forward, unable to move.
"What's this all about, Potter?" Professor McGonagall said furiously, her eyebrows so slanted it looked like a very hairy "V" arched on the bridge of her nose.
However, her anger was nowhere near to match his own.
Hermione pulled on McGonagall's shoulder, and pointed at Ron, still in a near-comatose condition.
"What's this?" she asked. When she saw what it was, her tone became considerably more soft. "Weasley, was this your owl?"
Ron nodded wordlessly.
"Oh, Weasley....I do am sorry."
The transfiguration professor stood up and her eyes hardened once more.
"Now, Potter. Who were you attacking?"
Harry stared murderously at Malfoy, not saying anything. Professor McGonagall seemed to understand immediately.
"Not Mr. Malfoy again?" she muttered to herself.
She stalked with suprising speed toward the Slytherin table. Malfoy's face went white.
The words she spoke were quiet, but Malfoy still blanched.
"I didn't do it, Professor." Harry heard him say.
"Well, we'll see about that, shall we?" she said, her voice subdued, but deadly. "There are certain ways to find out the truth."
AUTHOR's REPLY - Thanks, you guys.
I guess this next part answers bookworm's comment.
Five minutes later, the Gryffindors were back in the common room, trying to console Ron. After they had seen the beheaded owl, no one felt very much like eating. On the contrary, food and drink were the last things on Harry's mind right now; the foremost thing he was worried about was Ron.
It struck Harry that he had never seen Ron break into tears before, ever. Not even when they had visited Aragog. But Ron was still blank, his face slack; it was the worst expression imaginable at the moment.
Luna had come up, and even the most stubborn Gryffindor did not so much as cast her an annoying glance; students from other houses were normally forbidden from other houses's common rooms. Of course, no one could say that this situation was exactly considered normal.
It got worse.
At somewhere near three o'clock in the afternoon, Professor McGonagall walked in, and looked at Harry.
"Your detention shall take place at nine o'clock tonight, in the Hogwarts grounds. Mr. Malfoy will meet you near Hagrid's hut. Be sure to bring your wand with you."
"But I didn't do anything!" Harry said. "I didn't hurt Malfoy, or - "
"Be as it may," McGonagall interrupted him. "If I hadn't intruded, I am sure you would have done nothing short of utterly killing him. No arguments, Potter. Remember, nine o'clock, near Hagrid's hut."
She walked out again, before Harry could respond.
After she left, many people burst into furious tirades about McGonagall. Harry silenced them with a wave of his hand.
"It doesn't matter." He sighed.
In truth, he did not really care about his detention. it was just another one to add to his list over the years, none of them pleasant.
He was slightly consoled that if they were going to do their detention at night near Hagrid's hut, it was extremely possible that they had work to do in the forest. And Malfoy was scared of the forest.
Harry, on the other hand, was not at all disturbed about going into the forest again; he had a lot more knowledge of what was lurking there. For instance; Aragog's lair, the centaurs, Grawp, Rawth, and Torgus.
**
Harry was not at all unhappy when he joined Malfoy and Hagrid at ten past nine that night. Malfoy was especially suprised that Harry was rather cheerful and not at all sad.
"All righ, 'Arry?" Hagrid grunted. Harry noticed that he was clutching his crossbow again, along with the pink umbrella which Harry knew concealed his broken wand. Harry muttered a general affirmative.
"Now, we'll be goin' inter' the forest, you two," he told them both. Malfoy grew paler. "Sumthin's been happenin' in the forest...there're less animals than usual in the forest. A Lethifold's been killin' em' off. So we're going to hunt it down and chase it outta the forest tonight."
The term "Lethifold" sounded familiar to Harry, from Care of Magical Creatures. But what was it exactly?