"Raphael?!" she shouted back. Turning over on her back, the half-elf noticed the sky was getting darker.. as were the woods.. ~*Ach, Cernnunos.. wha' ha'e I done?*~ she asked n elfin. Standing, the girl wiped away her tears and looked around, her elfin eyesight allowing her to see near-perfect in the dark. Since she was only half, it was a bit hazy, but she could see better than most.

"Raphael.. where are you?" she called softly. She was afraid and she knew the trees and other spirits could tell. Feeling a gentle hand on her shoulder, Mahou turned and saw a kind dryad smiling at her. That made her feel a bit better, but she really wanted the company of something more.. solid. "Raphael! Raphael, where are you!" she shouted a little louder. "How could I ha'e ran in here like tha'.. I'll probably lose Gryffindor more points.. I might as well be expelled.."

Taking a few cautious steps, the girl heard the noises the woods made at night. She was used to it, so it didn't worry her.. much. She didn't know what was in these woods. She didn't know if there was something of untold terror lurking in the depth of the shady boughs.

Mahou started to run, but felt the arms of the dryad wrap around her, telling her to stay here and wait for the young man who had followed her. Mahou was one to listen to the advice of trees, so she decided to stay put. It felt nice to be held by the tree spirits again. Her angst melted away slowly as she waited. "Raphael.."

Raphael, conversely, was also in love with the quiet of the woods, the reminder of times past.

As the shady boughs had closed around him, and he had slowed to a silent footed walk through the leafy ground, Raphael had let himself be assaulted by the feel of the forest. It wasn't the forests at home, that was for certain. But...

...near home... where the twisted trunks used to entangle together... except for a lone oaken tree standing... standing... he stood... there...

The forest suddenly changed.

Before, when he'd entered the Forbidden Forest, it had seemed guarded and yet quiet, peaceful. But now - the trees took on strange appearances, twisted forms that shuffled like beasts towards him, anger and malice on their faces. Something that they hated and feared stood among the forest. Echoing sounds calling through the forest turned harsh, terror slipping through the trees, fear of one that walked. Raphael looked around, and he knew that he wasn't alone.

Somewhere not far off in the forest, where Mahou stood, the dryad that had wrapped around her close and held her safe found her fellow tree spirits shrieking in soft whispers, fear overwhelming - that a - a - a demon walked amongst the trees and was searching for... for her... for Mahou...?

The mind lead weight that fell on him almost bore him to the ground - Raphael knew the feeling, the feeling of the woods as lightning had crashed through them, last winter, but he couldn't - there was someone – a silhouette that stood illuminated in shadow by the warped lightning against a storming cliffside. A silhouette from months before stalked him – the forest could feel it coming for him.

He started to run madly, as a phrase slipped through his mind, a mantra that was a harsh whisper to contrast against the terror of the trees around him.

And behind him - behind him and to the left - he could feel a dark figure that was stalking him, through the forest, causing the trees to scream in cold dread. Meaningless words were his only defence - singing nothing to himself, a harsh wail, he could stop from looking behind to see the dark's face.

And then, as the words and the music started to fail him, Raphael prepared to stop his flight and turn, to face the dark, to see the killer, to see the knave; he stumbled slower and slower on wrecked and quivering legs, knowing that in a few moments, he would have to turn. And then, he stopped, and prepared to turn to face his shadow figure.

And as he turned - black feathers assaulted his vision, and he was thrown sideways.

Mahou, standing in the glade, only caught sight of a black mass as it threw Raphael against a tree before it slipped away into shadows again, shy. But Raphael - Raphael curled up against the tree he had struck, and hid his head, and swayed, shaking, and silent.

It had been staking one for a while now. Watching, waiting. Now it could see two. Good. It had not fed properly for so long. It's fellow had ceased to be because there was not enough for two. But now it would feast!

It was their first hunt. They're first time away from the nest. One of them raised onto four legs, sensing the air around it. Something was near, Something warm, and moist, and full of tasty blood. Excitement ran through the group.

This was going to be a good hunt. Maybe they would play with it a bit first.

**************

Mahou was held in the embrace of the kind dryad, feeling the leaf-like hair tickle her face.. when she heard the thud. Looking over, Mahou didn't think, leaving the protective arms of the dryad, she hurried to the form that had been thrown against a tree. It was Raphael.

"Raphael," she said softly as she shook him. She looked around her in the dark, her eyes wide, her pupils dilated to take in what little light there was. "Raphael.. are you alright?" Turning back to him, she shook him again, feeling eyes on her. "There's something.. I feel something.."

Shivering, the girl lowered herself onto the ground by the boy, dragging him into her own embrace to keep him safe. Awake or not, hugs always seemed to make things better. She really wanted to feel better now.. maybe coming in here wasn't the best of ideas..

Looking over, Mahou saw the dryad talking with some of her own kind, all looking over at her. ~*What is it?*~ she elf asked.

~*Demon*~ one of the dryads replied, pointing toward Raphael.

~*Even if he is.. he's still a very nice person.. and my friend*~ Her voice was firm in her elfin speaking, the usually soft musical lilt was hard and cold. ~*Besides.. he didna ha'e ta come in here.. Will ye no' come o'er here? Please..*~

The closest tree acknowledged and walked over to the pair, kneeling down beside them. The tree that they were leaning against gave up its dryad to sit beside the two, keeping watch over them.

"Donnae worry, Raphael," Mahou told him in English, "we be alright' fer now.. We should just let ye rest fer a bit.. wha' happened?" Smoothing back his hair, the half-elf looked at him with concerned eyes; lime-green yes, but still concerned.

Raphael could feel himself deep in dark waters, sucked under. He could breathe, somehow, but the dark was folded around him, sucking him deep and under, pulling him down, as the phrase repeated in his mind. The phrase. Those words. Dead words, words he knew, words that slipped around him like chains, lead weights on bronzed links.

There was light - there had to be - light, upwards - up - up - up -

The weight. And the words. Around his neck. A choking grasp. He was so close to the surface. A meter, perhaps two. So close. But the weight. It pulled him under.

Raphael opened his eyes, and they glowed as if blood. Red. Fire. And red eyes matched red, as the eight foot thing of the forest faced the fire in Raphael. And Mahou was cast to the ground, as Raphael moved towards the creature that spoke.

Mahou could see Raphael's dark silhouette in the forest, and the shadow tilted its head, and looked at the forest spirit. "Don't you know," issued a voice from Raphael, a harsh and guttural sound, "who you're speaking to?"

----As Mahou knelt beside Raphael the Dryad by her side stood and looked scared.

"He comes! He Come" It screamed and ran to its tree, disappearing inside.

As Mahou looks around she not only sees, but feel all the Dryads withdrawing within their trees.

Then she starts to feel a build-up of a presence. Something, big, green and not very nice.

"Who are you little thing of flesh? Who are you to dare speak with my subjects?"

It spoke very slowly, with a voice like wood rubbing against wood.

It stood over eight feet tall, It's body made of roots, dark wood and leaves. It's eyes glowing red.

"Little thing of Flesh and blood. This part of the Green is not for you. Your people are of the Lighter Green. Here is a place of Darkness. You will not speak to my subjects again and you will leave.... now"

The Creature of wood and green looked down at Raphael.

"Flesh speaks... Wood Listens. And I hear far more than you know"

The creature turned its head.

"I know who you are. And what you are. Tell your companion to leave. This is not a place for your kind"

It did not seem to be speaking to Raphael or Mahou. But to something else.

Mahou rocketed to her feet, her eyes blazing with anger. Her.. an elf.. even half at that.. not belong in the forest?! She was more than a little miffed.

~*I am Mahou Amberstone, Daughter of Weatherlight Amberstone of the Irish Forest Elves. I willna leave b'cause ye say so, noble Spirit," she told the forest spirit gently, yet firmly. ~*I am an Elf of the Forest. A Child of the Green. There be nae any shade o' Green tha' I donnae belong in. Dark or Light.. I donnae care. I am willing ta learn all sorts o' green, sir, an' there be no way ta do it if I'm forced out by ye.*~ She took a step forward, her own anger surprising her. ~*An' yer people decided ta talk wi' me first. One o' yer dryads embraced me like a friend, sir, an' I was just returnin' th' favour wi' a bit o' conversation. Donnae tell me no' to be polite. IT be like me tellin' ye ta cease bein'. It cannae happen.*~

She ignored Raph for now, her elfin features standing out more clearly now.. her pointed ears, her lime-green eyes.. the way her face as a little more narrow than most.. the way she moved with a bit more grace than the other students. Raph could see the hidden part of Mahou.. the part that she wished could stay hidden. She was of a noble sort of blood.. elfin.. they did tend to think that they were higher than humans, but Mahou tended to think the opposite.. because she was half.

~*I may be only half Forest Elf, sir,*~ she said ~*but I willna leave as long as those dryads wish me here. This forest may be forbidden.. but it's nae me fault tha' it is so. I am a Green Child.. an' I am nae afraid o' ye!*~ She spoke in elfin the whole time, so she was curios as to if Raph was wondering what they were talking about.

The Creature looked down at Mahou, showing no emotion

"I know what you are child. Your kind are known to me. You are a child of the Light Green..."

The forest around them grew darker

"..But this is a place of the DARK GREEN. The young Dryad you spoke to was confused by your Glamour It lives too close to the edge"

The Tree the Dryad which had spoken to Mahou suddenly 'ungrew' It didn't wither and die, it just became smaller, and younger, and after becoming a sapling disappeared into the ground as if it had never been there.

"It has been moved. Now Mahou Amberstone, Daughter of Weatherlight Amberstone of the Irish Forest Elves, know how *I* am".

The Forest grew even Darker

"I am the Spirit of this Forest. I am all that is Green Here. I am all that is here. From seed, to root to bud to leaf to Tree. I speak to you now only from respect of your kind"

The trees around them all seemed to shudder

"Now I tell you one more time. Leave, or Suffer the consequences. you are no welcome here Child of Flesh and Light Green"

Raphael could feel the darkness around him. And he could feel what he was meant to be feeling - power - flowing - limbs - that weren't - his -

And as he leapt up, a hand reached down and pulled him through the surface of the void.

Standing behind Mahou, wings of dark feathers suddenly wrapped around Raphael a vice claw embrace, that faded as Raphael started to collapse on the ground. Again. Before the green. And the fire faded from his eyes, and the sinews faded to nothing, and the madness left him tired on the ground.

She spoke in English again, now that Raph was out. Conversation between Green and Elf were usually kept in Elfin that was what her Da always told her..

"I ken who ye be, Spirit," Mahou told him. She suddenly paled, her surprise mixed with anger draining all colour from her face. "G-Glamour? GLAMOUR?!" She balled her hands into fists, her lime eyes blazing. "I ha'e NO glamour, sir, an' I take GREAT offence at being told so! I am jus' a half-elf.. caught in a human world.. where APPARENTLY spirits in England are more rude than in Ireland! I a'e NO glamour about me. I am kind by nature, as taught by Da an' th' other Elves o' his Clan! Take tha' back!" She watched as the dryad winked out of existence. Mahou could barely stand it.. too much had happened.

"BRING HER BACK!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "She didna do anything an' ye move her?! She did nothing but be kind ta me! An' I woulda thought th' same fer th' very Spirit o' this Forest! I thought ye were supposed ta show others wha' this forest contains.. an' all I see from ye are hatred.. insecurity.. an' anger. There may be those things in this forest.. but wha' o' th' unicorns? Ha'e ye no care fer anythin'?"

She took a step forward, her palms out in a peaceful gesture. "Yer dryad was happy where she was.. she was happy ta see me. She welcomed me. Ye covet yer teachin's an' donnae e'en offer counsel ta an Elf. I may be half, but I was raised around Elves."

Mahou stopped, her slanted eyes staring into that of the spirit's. "I didna mean any disrespect.. but wha' ha'e ye against me? B'cause I be flesh? There are many creatures in here tha' be flesh. Yet ye allow them ta stay. Why no' me? I may be o' a lighter green, as ye say.. but there be nae any dark wi'out light.. nae any light wi'out dark.. I thought ye, o' all creatures, would ken tha'..."

"I willna leave." Her tone sounded final. "My friend 'ere.. he's passed out. B'sides, I donnae ken th' way out. Would we at least ha'e th' permission ta stay until he wakes up? I willna talk ta yer people.. I will jus' sit here quietly with me friend."

A dryad beside Mahou poked out of its tree. This one was male, a rarity in the race of beings, but still male. His hair was mossy and his eyes were the colour of a stone. ~*Great Spirit*~ he said as he knelt beside Mahou. ~*Have a bit of compassion for the Elfin soul. She knows not where she is.. she knows not what she does. She has not been alive as long as we. Please.. allow her to stay just until her friend wakes up.. allow me and a few others to teach her a little of our ways so she knows not to come back here. This might satiate her thirst for knowledge and her meandering spirit.*~ His willowy frame looked about to shatter as he spoke to the spirit this way. ~*I beg of you, Great Spirit.. allow her this one request. Please.*~

The half-elf couldn't believe her ears, pointed as they were. This dryad.. was trying to help her.. And there was no glamour about the elf. She was pale and thin, her eyes hollow and empty; her hair was lively and aflame in the light of the rising moon, her hands clutched Raphael's robes tightly. All she could do was stare at the spirit.. and hope..

******************

Nathaniel had considered briefly telling Sarah to stay behind in the Great Hall, where she would be safe; and then had realised that Sarah might quite well have caused him bodily harm for expressing that sentiment. As they walked, hastily avoiding the other group out looking for Mahou, Nathaniel began to think that maybe there was more to Sarah and Raphael and he than met the eye. They had made a circle, a circle of three, a triangle of friendship whose lines bound tight; but beyond that.

His head hurt when he tried to think of that. He let it slide; let it slip and slide to where it didn't matter, to where it didn't hurt; and let Stalks by Night guide them into the forest. Here, the mostly black kitten walked with the pride of a tiger. They neither heard nor saw any other creature until they came to the tiny glade.

Mahou was with the small heaped figure that was Raphael, and Nathaniel barely spared her a glance as he strode to Raphael. He dropped to his knees in the leaf mulch, and gently touched Raphael's hand, feeling for a pulse.

"We need to get him out of this place." He said after a quick glance around. Stalks by Night sat and looked wise. Nathaniel leant forward, his long hair trailing into his face, and moved Raphael carefully. Raph wasn't much younger than Nathaniel, for all they teased about age; and he was well grown for his age. Nathaniel didn't think he'd be able to lift him, but then from within a sudden well of strength lent its aid to him.

A moment later, he got to his feet awkwardly with Raphael in his arms. Voices could be heard not far away.

Nathaniel had read Sarah correctly in terms of how she would react to being told to remain behind. After Stalks by Night had lead them to where Raphael and Mahou were, she stopped and waited while Nathaniel picked up their friend.

She nodded in agreement with him about the need to get Raphael out. Sarah also heard voices in the distance. Some sort of search and rescue? Hopefully not Snape again.

Whether Sarah was aware of the Forest Spirit or not was unclear – perhaps it did not choose to reveal itself to her, perhaps she'd seen a lot in her time in the mountains & forests of her homeland - who could tell?

"Mahou come on - get over yourself will you? So you've got pointy ears. Big deal. You probably notice them more than other people do.

You don't want to get caught in here now - you've made the 'A' team - you're a Chaser with me and Shinrei Hikari."

"I'm the Team Captain and as your captain Amberstone I'm advising you that I don't care whether you're human or fey, Vulcan, goblin, animal, vegetable - no disrespect" This was Sarah's only acknowledgement of the Spirit "or mineral. You're a good player and your school needs you!"

Nathaniel looked from Mahou to Sarah. "Look... Raph just needs out of here I think. Please... I don't care if you say I was here or not, but leave him out of this. Please."

Mahou nearly lost it.. 'leave him out of this'?! She glared something fierce at Nathaniel and her hand grabbed hold of Sarah’s robe to get her attention.

"I didna ask him ta come in here," she hissed. "He's th' one tha' followed me. Tell ~him~ ta keep ~himself~ out o' this." She knew that she was displaying the stereotypical elfin demeanour, but she just whipped her head back to the spirit and waited for his answer.

He turned away from the voices, letting the cat lead him and his precious burden out of the forest, not knowing if Sarah or Mahou or both were following.

The Spirit of the Forest did not say a word or show any signs of life as Mahou spoke. It remained as still as if it was a tree.

But when the Dryad poked its head out and spoke. Its eyes grew a deeper red. And it turned its head to Mahou.

"A lesson needs to be learnt." The trees around the clearing shuddered as if a strong wind blew though them. But there was no wind

"You wish to stay. So you shall" The Creature made no movement.

But Mahou felt... Different. She was unable to move, or to speak, but she could see everything. In fact she could see far more than before.

She could see the green! Anyone watching would have seen Mahou standing, clutching Sarah's robes. And then seen Sarah's robes tangled in the branches of a young tree!

As they watched for outside the clearing they felt restless. They could not get closer to the warm bodies inside. the Spirit was holding them back.

But as the sleeping one and the tall one walked from the clearing they saw their chance. With a scuttering sound of too many legs moving at once they moved closer. They came out from behind the trees in front and behind Nathan and Raphael.

Five Spiders, varying in size from big to extremely big surrounded them. Far too many eyes watched them. Far too many legs stood before them. And far to many jaws opened and closed, looking forward to a nice, warm drink.

"Oh bugger." Nathaniel shifted the weight of the unconscious Raphael in his arms, and fumbled for his wand. He might not be able to use it for a spell but he was reasonably sure he could whack a few of these arachnids into non-existence with it.

Reluctant to let Raphael slide to the ground, he was awkward and managed to drop it. "Oh bugger." he said once more with feeling. There was no way he could pick it up safely.

Another quick awkward pat of his robes, and he found a contact juggling ball. Well, it was better than nothing. He'd brought light from it before. He could only hope.

He waited, and watched, and hoped he could remember the right words gleaned from too much late night library reading if the time came.

Raphael had started to stir. He didn't know why everything... ached. It was like someone had poured acid into his bones, stretching and cracking them slowly; even his pelvis felt like someone had dropped something on it and pushed it out of shape. Like he'd been beaten up. As if he had had someone set every part of him on fire, inside and out, and then quickly drenched the flames. As if -

Okay, enough was enough. He had to wake up now. Somehow it seemed the right thing to do.

The ceiling was - well, it wasn't there. A sky. He was outside, then, a good assumption to make. And there seemed to be a few green things. So probably, outside - under a tree? He felt some pride at having made this connection. It wasn't strange that he'd chosen to nap under a tree. It was strange, however, how uncomfortable it was.

Nathaniel - was holding him in his arms, and looking at something. The soreness not receding, Raphael didn't want to move - sleep and rest seemed a good idea. Maybe he'd knocked himself out playing Quidditch. It had got dark quite quickly, though.

Something was moving in the reflection in Nathaniel's eyes. Something strangely shaped. Something black. Raphael blinked rapidly and looked again.

- something black
- where was Zephyr?
- where was Sarah?
- it wasn't Zephyr
- it was something else

The thoughts crowded his mind, and energised him to move against the flame that set through him. And he started to struggle in Nathaniel's arms, to get up, to face the dark that ... that ... that had pursued him through the forest...?

"Easy, kid." Nathaniel murmured as Raph started to struggle. He let Raph slide in his arms so that he was at least standing on his own two feet, but kept a supporting arm around him. "Hope you're not an arachnophobe... you got the hang of fireballs yet or should we wait for someone to come to our rescue?"

The response was muffled, as Raphael did his best not to groan, and held his head in a vice grip at the same time. But soon in the darkness, his eyes got used to the darkness, and he noticed the shapes around them both.

But where was Sarah?

They were big, hairy creatures, spiders. Dark and oppressive. But Raphael was lucky. As a kid, he'd dreamt about huge killer wasps, not spiders. And as the spiders started to move, he reached into his left pocket. The wand blinked black at Nathaniel, and Raphael muttered darkly under his breath.

The spiders made him angry.
He had to reach Sarah.
He had to protect Nathaniel.
He wanted to hurt them.

And soon all other considerations started to be pushed aside, as he acknowledged his sudden need. It craved at him - it was him. He was it. He was his need.

And from behind, Nathaniel watched as Raphael slowly rolled his head, clicking out all the joints with popping cracks, before slowly moving to a crouch in between him and the Spiders.