…and the further we travel into that dark, dark forest where the light slowly gets snuffed out we start to be consumed with more fear and anger and darkness.

In this chapter of Harry Potter, Hermione and Harry have been brought to Prof. McGonagall and Neville has also been found out of bed. All of them lose 50 points for Gryffindor, are lectured by Prof. McG, and sent to bed. Everyone is disappointed in Harry the next week or so for him losing enough House Points to put Slytherin in the lead for the House Cup. He is vilified and treated poorly for his actions. On top of that he also still has to go to detention which is with Hagrid traveling into the Forbidden forest to find injured unicorns. In the forest he encounters a cloaked figure that is killing the unicorns and drinking their blood. A centaur, against the ways of its kind, saves Harry from he figure and lets him ride on its back to safety, telling Harry about the severity of killing innocent creatures and warning him about the dangers to come.

You have slain something [unicorns] pure and defenseless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips.

There’s a lot that happens in the Forbidden Forest. Right now in our world it feels scary, like we are heading into the dark Forbidden Forest uncertain of what we are facing inside. We know that innocence is being killed and we just can’t seem to  wrap our minds around why. There are some creatures in the forest that seem to not care. They seem to just want to let the cards fall where they may and let fate unfold. They anger us. They make us uncomfortable. They unnerve us to the point where we want to lash out at them. Then there are those who show compassion. Those who make us believe we can still change the fate of our world, that we can keep the cards from falling into the wrong places.

The key is to keep looking for those little sparks of light. Those people who are still clinging to hope and fighting through the despair. We need to hold onto the idea that nothing is written in stone, there is nothing that we can’t change. We need to make sure we are working to protect the innocent and creating a better world.

If today you are still feeling scared, you have every right to feel that way, but know you don’t have to live in fear because there are millions of people who will fight for you. If you are feeling unimportant or disposable, know that there are millions of people who will fight for you. Turn around and head out of that dark dark forest, look for the light and keep walking towards it. You are not alone, no matter how much it may feel that way at this moment.

Harry found help in the darkness, and you can too. Don’t let the fear, anger or sadness keep you from fighting. Our future as a nation is not set in stone. “The planets have been read wrongly, before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times.” (Firenze)

Until Next Time,

Mischief Managed