Rock looked up, met Dumbledore's calm blue eyes, and gave a single nod. Then he turned and headed toward Hagrid.
Dumbledore stayed where he was, watching the boy disappear into the trees. Only then did he walk back toward the unicorn's nest.
"Oh! Rock—thank Merlin you're all right!"
Hagrid spun around at the sound of footsteps. The moment he saw Rock, his massive shoulders sagged with relief.
"You've no idea how shocked I was when Dumbledore's Patronus found me. I was already halfway into the Forest!"
"He told me to wait right here. Never dreamed it'd be you."
Hagrid kept talking while he crouched down, big hands gently checking Rock for injuries.
"I'm fine, Hagrid. But maybe we should get out of here first?" Rock patted the half-giant's shoulder.
"Right, right. Good idea."
Hagrid nodded vigorously, wrapped one enormous arm around Rock, and steered him toward the little hut.
Once inside, Hagrid poured a steaming mug of sweet tea and then started pacing, clearly dying to ask something.
"Something on your mind, Hagrid?" Rock finally asked when the big man passed him for the third time.
"Well… what in Merlin's name happened in the Forest tonight?" Hagrid dropped into a crouch, twisting the edge of his moleskin coat. "That huge firework—was that you?"
"Yeah. Someone was trying to attack a unicorn. I got there just in time."
Rock lifted the back of his hand. The silvery mark still glowed faintly. Hagrid had seen it before.
"Merlin's beard!"
Hagrid clapped a hand over his mouth so fast he nearly knocked himself over.
"They dared—unicorns! Killing one curses you for life!"
He muttered under his breath, then shot Rock a worried sideways glance.
Rock just lowered his head and sipped the tea. His stomach was growling, but the thought of Hagrid's rock cakes made him lose his appetite instantly. Better to stay hungry than risk losing a tooth.
Back in the nest, Dumbledore waited until the mother unicorn finished transferring her life force. Only then did he step closer and examine the wounded stallion.
"Blood curse…" he murmured. One glance told him why the injury refused to heal. He turned to the mother and spoke gently. "I need a few of your tears."
The mare nodded at once. Pearly drops slid from her eyes; Dumbledore caught them on the tip of his wand.
He guided the tears to the deep gash. A soft silver-blue light bloomed. The cursed blood stopped flowing. The filth was gently washed away, and the ragged edges of the wound began to knit together, fresh pink flesh pushing through.
"There," Dumbledore said softly as he stood. The life transfer had kept the stallion alive, but the blood curse would have kept poisoning him. Now both unicorns had a real chance.
"Albus?"
McGonagall's voice came from behind him.
Dumbledore turned and gave her a small nod. "You're here, Minerva."
McGonagall pressed a hand to her mouth, eyes wide with shock. Someone had actually attacked a unicorn.
"Did you find him?" she asked, frowning.
"No. By the time I arrived, he was already gone." Dumbledore shook his head, then looked at the two golden-furred foals nestled in the mistletoe cradle. "The birth of new life often brings new hope."
McGonagall's gaze softened as she watched the tiny foals. Then her expression sharpened. "Albus… that firework earlier—was it a student?"
"Yes. A boy who possesses both wisdom and courage." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.
The mother unicorn staggered to her feet and walked over. She lowered her head and gently tapped Dumbledore's chest with her horn.
He crouched, puzzled. The next moment the tip of her horn snapped cleanly into his palm. She brushed it across his skin, and a few more tears fell.
At the same time the mare carefully plucked a small lock of her mane with her teeth and laid it in his other hand.
McGonagall's mouth fell open. "A voluntary gift…"
"Clearly our student has earned the unicorns' friendship." Dumbledore smiled. He drew his wand and traced a wide circle in the air.
"Expecto Patronum!"
A brilliant silver phoenix burst from the wand tip, wings shimmering with light.
"Little Rock, these are the unicorns' gifts. I believe you'll find a use for them."
With a flick, Dumbledore levitated the horn tip and lock of mane into the Patronus. The silver phoenix spun once, then streaked toward Hagrid's hut.
"Rock?" McGonagall finally realized who had been behind everything tonight.
"Indeed. A Scamander is always worth trusting." Dumbledore gave a satisfied nod. "Shall we, Minerva?"
"Albus, how could you let a first-year handle something like this?" McGonagall's voice rose. "If anything had gone wrong—"
"No, Minerva." Dumbledore shook his head. "The unicorns sought him out themselves. His Forest patrols were never part of any plan I made."
"You know better than most what unicorns truly are."
McGonagall pressed her lips together. "Still… anyone willing to attack a unicorn is utterly deranged. Albus, I suggest we search the entire Forest. The fact that he needs their blood means he's extremely weak right now."
She already had her wand out. She wasn't about to take chances when students' lives were at stake—especially not Rock, the most gifted Transfiguration student she'd ever taught.
Dumbledore opened his mouth, then closed it again, searching for the right words.
"There's no need, Minerva. I already checked. He is no longer in the Forest."
McGonagall lowered her wand. With Dumbledore's power, it was almost impossible for anyone to hide from him.