and baing through the trees,

  their flanks heaviy.

  ”firehu are you doing? you have a

  human on your back! have you no shame? are you a ule?”

  ”do you realize who this is?” said firehis is the potter

  boy. the quicker he leaves this forest, the better.”

  ”what have you been telling him?” growled bane. ”remember,

  firenze, we are sworn ainst the heavens. have

  we is to e is of the plas?”

  rohe ground nervously. ”im sure fire he

  was ag for the best, ” he said in his gloomy voice.

  bane kicked his ba anger.

  ”for the best! what is that to do with us? taurs are ed

  with what has bee is not our busio run around

  like doray humans i!”

  firenze suddeo his hind legs ihat

  harry had to grab his shoulders to stay on.

  ”do you uni?” fire bane. ”do

  you and why it was killed? or have the pla let

  you in o? i set myself against what is lurking in this

  forest, bah humans alongside me if i must.”

  and firenze whisked around; with harry g o

  he could, they pluo the trees, leaving ronan and bane

  behind them.

  harry didnt have a clue what was going on.

  ”whys bane so angry?” he asked. ”what was that thing you saved

  me from, anyway?”

  fireo a walk, waro keep his head

  bowed in case of low-hangi did not answer harrys

  questioheir way through the trees in silence for

  so long that harry thought firenze didnt want to talk to him

  ahey were passing through a particularly dech of

  trees, however, when fireopped.

  ”harry potter, do you know what uni blood is used -for?”

  ”no,” said harry, startled by the odd question. ”weve only

  used the horn and tail hair in potions.”

  ”that is because it is a m, to slay a uni,”

  said firenze. ”only one who has nothing to lose, ahing

  to gain, would it such a crime. the blood of a uni will

  keep you alive, even if you are an in death, but at a

  terrible price. you have slaihing pure ao

  save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life,

  from the momeouches your lips.”

  harry stared at the back of firenzes head, led

  silver in the moonlight.

  ”but whod be that desperate?” he wondered aloud. ”if youre

  going to be cursed forever, deaths better, isnt it?”

  ”it is,” firenze agreed, ”unless all you o stay alive

  loo drihihing that will bring

  you back tth and power -- something that will mean

  you ever die. mr. potter, do you know what is hidden in the

  school at this very moment?”

  ”the sorcerers stone! of course -- the elixir of life! but i

  dont uand who --”

  ” you think of nobody who has waited mao return

  to power, who has g to life, awaiting their ce?”

  it was as though an iron fist had ched suddenly around

  harrys heart. of the trees, he seemed to hear

  o hagrid had told him ohey had met:

  ”some say he died. y opinion. dunno if he had enough

  huma in him to die.”

  ”do you mean,” harry croaked, ”that was vol-”

  ”harry! harry, are yht?”

  hermi toward them dowh, hagrid puffing

  along behind her.

  ”im fine,” said harry, hardly knoas saying. ”the

  unis dead, hagrid, its in that g back there.”

  ”this is where i leave you,” firenze murmured as hagrid hurried

  off to examihe uni. ”you are safe now.”

  harry slid off his back.

  ”good luck, harry potter,” said fires have been

  read wrongly before aurs. i hope this is one o