You Must Be Lucky and Happy

In her first and second years, Evita had been a regular in the Forbidden Forest, visiting three or four times a week. Later, as her schoolwork gradually grew busier, she cut back to twice a week and shifted her visits to the daytime.

If she hadn't been in detention, Evita might never have learned about the incident tonight.

She held up her wand, its tip emitting a glaring white light, and carefully surveyed her surroundings.

The dark forest swallowed every sound, taking on an utterly lifeless appearance.

"Appare Vestigium," Evita whispered.

"Look, Hagrid," she said, pointing at the traces that appeared. "Someone dressed strangely came through here."

"It must have been those poachers, dark wizards," Hagrid said furiously. "Dirty, rotten bastards."

"He should have gone that way..." Evita murmured, gripping her wand tightly as she jogged ahead.

After about half an hour of moving through the forest, they finally found a trace.

"He didn't get far," Hagrid said, looking around. "He must be injured. It was the centaurs' arrows."

Evita waved her wand. "Come on, you lot, look for clues."

The Niffler crawled out and headed straight for the glittering shards of glass in a puddle nearby.

"Oh-no," Evita said weakly. "Don't let it distract you."

But she followed it over anyway.

"This is a glass case from Borgin and Burkes." Hagrid pushed through layers of branches and strode over. He picked up a shard and examined it closely before reaching his conclusion. "The mark's still on it. That fellow must be nearby."

Evita nodded in agreement, and the two continued forward.

They soon found a tattered scrap of black robes, but before they could examine it, a piercing cry rang out nearby.

Evita ran over at once, raised her wand and cast a Transfiguration spell.

"Different paths, same destination, I suppose," she whispered, then shouted, "Hold him down, Aileg!"

The Kneazle darted out and pinned down the chattering gray-black rat with one paw.

"Nicely done," Hagrid said without hesitation. He walked over and picked up the rat. "I have to take him to Professor Dumbledore."

The rat began struggling desperately.

"We need to know what animals he hurt," Evita said, stopping him. "Hagrid, hold him down and let me give him some Veritaserum..."

Hagrid readily agreed and pressed the rat firmly to the ground. Evita cast Reparifarge.

A cringing man appeared, wearing a long black cloak. Beneath the cloak was an unremarkable face that was instantly forgettable. He stared at the girl's icy expression and nearly coughed up blood.

Several vicious curses had been cast on the last poacher. If they hadn't been at Hogwarts, she might even have cast a Killing Curse on him... He had clearly observed that she rarely went into the Forbidden Forest at night these days...

The poacher couldn't make sense of it.

"Accio Veritaserum." Evita called toward the suitcase, then put a foot on the poacher and forced an entire bottle of Veritaserum down his throat.

"That could kill him," Hagrid cautioned, though he didn't do much to stop her. He grabbed the poacher by the hair and kept the thief's head raised.

"I ask, you answer." Evita's tone was cold, and the Phoenix circled around her.

"What animals did you hurt?"

The poacher answered uncontrollably, "A few deer, a unicorn, and a few Acromantulas."

Fini gave a clear, ringing cry and vanished.

Evita raised her wand, but in the end she lowered it again. Hagrid picked up the poacher and shook him wildly.

Lots of things fell out: a wand and some other odds and ends, but no unicorn blood or Acromantula venom.

"Where's the unicorn blood?" Evita demanded sharply. "The silvery-white stuff! And the green venom!"

"It's already gone," the poacher answered. "An owl took it out."

"Who told you to hurt the unicorn?" Evita's voice grew shriller. "Who told you there were unicorns in the forest at Hogwarts?"

"I don't know him," the poacher said, shaking his head desperately. "He was hidden in his robes. Who knows what he looked like? He paid a whole pile of Galleons, and that's enough for a poacher!"

"Who gave you the glass case from Borgin and Burkes?" Evita asked. By now, she had calmed down.

"The Galleons he gave me were in it," the poacher answered dejectedly. "I wanted to admire them just now and found out they were like Leprechaun gold-all fake!"

"Ha! Serves you right!" Hagrid said with satisfaction. "Evita, sorry for the trouble, but could you go bandage the animals? I'll take him to the Headmaster's Office."

"Okay." Evita nodded. Just then, Fini returned and took her to where the injured animals were resting.

Firenze, Bane, and several other centaurs greeted her gently. They were tending to the unicorn, which was the most seriously injured.

Evita hurried over, took some Essence of Dittany from her suitcase and poured it over the unicorn's long wound.

Bane asked, "Evita, did you and Hagrid catch the poacher?"

"Yes." Evita nodded. "Hagrid took him away. Where are the other injured animals?"

"The spiders that were separated from their group have gone back to their colony," Ronan said. "They're doing well. The herd of deer that were injured too is nearby."

"All right, I see." Evita took out a few more bottles of Dittany. She always kept the potion on hand so she could help animals anytime, anywhere.

After bandaging the deer, Evita returned to the unicorn. It was the same one that had been injured last time.

"Sweetheart," she said sorrowfully, "you seem a little unlucky."

The unicorn silently nuzzled her with its mane.

"And your horn..." Evita's voice grew choked. "It's very difficult to catch a unicorn. You have powerful magic. How much did you suffer?"

"Harming a unicorn is a monstrous thing," Firenze said, stepping forward. "Only someone who has nothing and wants everything would try to kill a unicorn."

"Has nothing... and wants everything..." Evita murmured.

She knelt on the ground and embraced the unicorn. "According to many beliefs, names have power."

"In Greek mythology, Alain Bel is a combination of Alando and Bertie: luck and happiness."

Evita took out a knife, cut off a lock of hair and put it in a small bag, then poured Felix Felicis into it.

"Veela hair has magic too. I don't know whether combining it with Felix Felicis will bring a little luck." She carefully hung the small bag around Alain Bel's neck and added several spells to it.

"Some counter-curses, protection against curses..." she muttered.

[Congratulations to the host on successfully developing the "Immature Version Lucky Amulet." One incomplete quarter of a potion formula has been received. Current progress: three quarters]

"Looks like it works," Evita said, relaxing. "I'll keep improving it."