We are definitely not lost

Amelia was probably the only one here that was making sense, because going back actually sounded like a good idea right now. Her desire to see the dragon and anything else in those woods was long gone. "Um...yeah I think you are right. Let's just go..." said Alice turning around. She had just realized she had no idea where she was. She didn't even know in what direction the castle was. Now it was clear, they were terribly and utterly lost.

Hearing a crack, Alice flinched. This was such a bad idea. "I think we should go now" she said in a slight state of panic, holding onto Amelia tightly. There was something definitely in those woods watching them. "It think it's this way.... Let's just go" she said quickly and started pulling Amelia's sleeve. But there she heard another crack and something else. "Shh!! Do you hear that again? she asked through a whisper. It was not just cracks anymore but it sounded like...grunting. Alice closed her eyes, not daring to look back. This was bad, this was definitely bad.

Amelia covered Alice’s mouth having an idea of what was fallowing them. If she screamed it would alert anything within a three mile radius, professor or animal. She could feel hot breath on the back of her neck. She knew by the grunting. Behind her could be nothing other than a Forest Troll.
“When I push you run. I stand a better chance against that then you do. If you have to get a bloody professor, I don’t care if we get in trouble,” she said in a low tone that never shifted. She pushed Alice forward away from her and the troll but not hard enough to make her fall over.

She turned around and found herself looking straight into the eyes of a Forest Troll. She was terrified. She knew this troll could pick her up and snap her in half. She just kept her wand out and hoped this wouldn’t end with her being dead.

The volume of the grunting behind her increased, and she knew that whatever was behind them came even closer now. Alice was petrified. She opened her lips to scream but immediately felt Amelia's hand covering her mouth. She listened to her words carefully as she took a moment to calm herself down. Of course she wanted to leave and just run away, but she couldn't leave Amelia alone. Getting help might take too long... It was just too much of a risk.

"I can't just leave you like this!" she whispered back. Before she could say anything else, Alice was strongly pushed ahead. After running for a few feet, she stopped and turned around. Was it really the best decision, just leaving Amelia? But then again, if she didn't get help God knows what would happen here. As she turned around, she finally saw what was staking them this whole time. It was a forest troll. Alice gulped as her knees shivered and her feet became glued to the ground. She couldn't move at all. "Umm....Amelia?" she said in a low voice. Did Amelia have a plan already? She was still torn between staying and helping or running away for help.

“I said go. I have this,” Amelia said in low slow but firm voice. She pointed her wand at the troll. “Rectusempra,” she casted, it would buy Alice a bit more time. After that she’d have to stun it or something.

The Forest Troll started to laugh. Then if fell to the ground making Amelia fly back a few feet and then started to roll around on the ground. It would be have been entertaining if Amelia didn’t know what a Forest Troll could do to a person. If there was anything Amelia didn’t want to run into a Forest Troll would be near the top along with a transformed werewolf and vampire.

Seeing that she had no other choice, Alice just nodded her head. They couldn't handle this on their own no matter how hard they tried. "Just be safe until I come back! I'll be back very soon ok? I promise!" said Alice and she immediately started running towards the castle. She didn't have any time to waste. If only she could get herself out of these woods to find someone. A professor a student, just anyone.

She realized in how much trouble they will be after this, but that was the last thing on her mind right now. She needed to get help quickly, Amelia couldn't last with that troll on her own for long. She kept running as fast as she could but all she could see was trees and the darkness. She kept running even if she wasn't sure she was going in the right direction. But then finally, she saw a part of the woods that was familiar to her. From here, she knew her way out.

Her decision was to get a professor, because that was the only person who could really help them. She headed towards the castle, running as fast as her body would allow it, praying that she would find someone soon.

Amelia tried to stun the Forest Troll but it was useless. She had no choice but to run. Her worst fear was running into another creature. She took off the other way from where she had seen Alice went. She could hear the grunting not too far behind her. She had no idea where she was. She was just trying to bag and wand. She started to make a jagged path trying to throw off the Forest Troll but it was useless. She was glad that she could run fast. She twisted her path around to go back to where she started. She gasped as the troll knocked down a tree only a few feet in front of her. She jumped on top of the fallen tree and changed her direction realizing that it wasn’t safe there with all those trees. She was nearly to a clearing when she felt the ground from under her give out. She couldn’t stop her scream. She crashed hard down on the ground. She knew she had broken something. She couldn’t move anything put her hands. She could barely left he head.

“Expecto Patronum!” casted Amelia as her badger appeared. She sent it off hoping it would find Alice and whoever Alice would bring. She rested her head back and tried to focus on keeping her eyes open. She knew if she closed them she may not open them. What scared her was that she couldn’t feel the pain she knew she should be in. She supposed her body was in shock. She would be fine, she told herself over and over.

The Great Lake was so calm at night, during the day it was always surrounded by students who couldn't keep their mouths shut for more than 10 seconds, so Kingsley had always avoided the area. During the night though, he often came down here for a nice walk. Hogwarts could get so stuffy at times.

Kingsley approached the area of the lake near the forbidden forest and glanced curiously there. He had heard something, a scream? It was very, very faint, and Kingsley often heard voices in his head nowadays, so he ignored it and turned to leave. But as usual, his intuition was right, and he turned and saw Alice Longbottom suddenly appear out of the forest. It was past ten, and the forbidden forest was the last place to be at this time. But the look of panic on Longbottoms face showed Kingsley she probably needed more assurance than scorn. "Longbottom!" he called, walking over to her. "What happened?"

Alice ran until she could run no more. She desperately searched for someone to help here, but it seems that the courtyard was empty. What was she supposed to do? Scream and just hope for the best? She thought of Amelia and the troll, wondering how she was keeping up. One thing was certain, she didn't have a lot of time left.

Finally, she saw someone! Near the lake, she noticed professor Kingsley who noticed her panicky state. He was her last hope. "Professor! It's.... I... Amelia... in the woods! And a troll... and I went to get some help..." she spoke quickly and without taking a breath in between. And that's when she saw it. A large badger patronus appeared above the middle of the forest. She gulped and let the shivers run down her spine. This wasn't good at all. Her scared gaze turned to Professor Kingsley who was the only one who could help her right now. She would think of her detention and punishment later.

"That is Amelia's patronus..." she said softly pointing at the sky. I don't know what's going on...I had to leave her to get help. And she was stuck there with a troll... I just don't know how..." said Alice but she could barely speak. If Amelia was hurt she would never forgive herself for that.

Ah students, they always got themselves into the most ridiculous situations. The forbidden forest was forbidden for a reason, but generations of students had ignored the obvious danger and ventured in anyway. "Forest troll?" Kingsley said, suddenly alert. There was no way a 5th year like Macmillan could deal with that.

The patronus was obviously there to lead them towards Amelia. Shacklebolt looked at Longbottom and decided it was best not to leave her alone there. "Come on," he said, before following the patronus into the forest.

They eventually came at a clearing, where a forest troll was madly knocking some trees down. Now, he could deal with it in several ways, but Kingsley preferred a nonviolent way.
"Consisto," Shacklebolt said, calmly waving his wand, and the forest troll stopped in place. Not moving in the slightest. Looking around, he couldn't see the patronus, or macmillan. "Where is she?" he asked Longbottom.

She followed the professor into the forest, letting him lead the way. She already had great regrets about doing this in the first place, but she couldn't change the past. All she could do now was try and fix the present.

The forest troll was still there but thankfully Kingsley used a spell to paralise him on the spot. Now that the troll wasn't an issue anymore, they had to concentrate on finding Amelia. Alice shrugged her shoulders on Kingsley's question. She looked around, but there was still no sign on her.

"Amelia? Amelia!" she shouted, hoping for a response. Her gaze went to the logs as she heard something move underneath them. "There she is! Oh my gosh Amelia...are you alright?" asked Alice concerned, rushing towards her.