It was hard to say how Hermione, Ron, Harry, and that Malfoy boy's detention had gone that night. Anyway, Annie only knew that she'd slept soundly, right through until the next morning. She hadn't even noticed when Hermione came back to bed.
But she did know that Hermione and the other two had returned safely, with no one hurt.
Then she'd heard that the idiot Neville had apparently tried to sneak out again last night.
What a shame!
He'd only just slipped into the common room and hadn't even had time to get out through the Fat Lady's portrait when Prefect Percy Weasley, who'd been waiting for him, spotted and caught him. The Prefect had sternly ordered him back to bed. At least Neville hadn't gotten out again and caused trouble, gotten caught, or lost the house a bunch of points or anything.
"Annie!"
"You'll never guess what we saw and experienced in the Forbidden Forest last night!"
So, at breakfast, Hermione—who still looked a little tired—quite naturally sidled up beside Annie, looking serious as she ate, and spoke with barely contained excitement.
"Hmm?"
Annie blinked, then took another bite of her sizzling mille-feuille pancake. She licked her lips and feigned surprise.
"What did you see?"
Although she'd already more or less guessed, she had nothing better to do, and listening to the whole story sounded pretty interesting.
"A Unicorn!"
"We found a dead Unicorn!"
"Some terrifying creature has apparently been attacking Unicorns in the Forbidden Forest all this time!"
"One died last Wednesday, and another was injured recently. Our job last night was to help Hagrid find the injured Unicorn as quickly as possible and give it help!"
"There were silvery-white, glittering drops of blood all over the forest. It was Unicorn Blood!"
At that, Hermione paused and instinctively