Chapter 453
Journey to the Forbidden Forest
Chapter 453 Journey to the Forbidden Forest
"Why are they here too?"
Malfoy glared at the people over there, and Harry rolled his eyes at him unceremoniously. Ron, Neville, Hermione and others stood beside Harry, looking at him unfriendly.
Malfoy began to regret not bringing his classmates with him. Although it was of no use, at least it would make him seem less isolated and helpless.
He had no choice but to turn his attention to Hagrid, the only adult, and said angrily, "Professor Hagrid, you owe me this! Why did you bring these guys with you?"
Although he called "Professor", his tone was very impolite. As soon as he finished speaking, a low barking sound suddenly rang out.
The huge black hound came out from behind the hut, baring its teeth and growling. It slowly approached Malfoy, and when it passed by Hagrid, the half-blood giant bent over and grabbed its collar.
The hound immediately struggled, making a "whining" sound in dissatisfaction.
"No, Fang, back off."
Hagrid calmed the hound as he explained:
"Oh, Malfoy, you didn't think it would be easy to... uh... convince Professor Snape to give you a day's detention?"
"I said I wanted to arrange a special practical class for Care of Magical Creatures. It was very important and the opportunity was rare. I finally got him to agree. Otherwise, you might still be washing cauldrons now."
Ron chuckled, scratched his face under Malfoy's glare, and turned his eyes away.
Malfoy: "…#"
I'm very angry, but there's nothing I can do.
After all, the other side had more people and more power, and he couldn't beat them or scold them. Even the professor and the dog were on Potter's side.
He had no choice but to "know the situation and act accordingly" and stood aside swallowing his anger, cursing Ron Weasley countless times in his heart with the most vicious words.
"Malfoy is here too, Hagrid, shall we set off now?" Harry asked, "What preparations do we need?"
"Oh, no, wait." Hagrid looked at the time and said, "There are a few more people. They will be here soon."
After a few minutes, more figures appeared on the lawn, including senior students, such as Percy Weasley and Penelope Clearwater, and several junior students, such as Rolf Scamander.
"Hi, Vader! Long time no see!"
As soon as Rolf saw Wade, he waved and ran over happily, saying, "I knew I would definitely see you this time."
"Long time no see, Rolf." Wade nodded with a smile.
Malfoy looked at the girl who had come near him - Astoria Greengrass, Daphne's sister.
The girl with golden curly hair was looking around curiously, seeming very excited, with a faint blush on her pale face.
Malfoy frowned in disdain.
He did hope that there would be more Slytherins, but he didn't expect that the one who came was a little girl who was of no help at all and might need someone to take care of her.
"You'd better turn back now!" Malfoy said to Astoria in a low voice, "Our purpose this time is to go to the Forbidden Forest to see the dragon. If you don't want to get hurt or die on the spot, go back to the academy now!"
Astoria looked at him in surprise, then said, "I know!"
"What?" said Malfoy.
"Professor Hagrid told me that we were going deeper into the Forbidden Forest this time, and I accepted the invitation only after considering it later," Astoria said, "Why do you sound like my sister? Do you think I'm some gullible fool?"
After saying this, she wrinkled her nose with an expression even more disgusted than Malfoy's, and then moved over to the Ravenclaw students.
Soon, Astoria started chatting with a few Ravenclaws. Malfoy was so angry when he saw them talking and laughing.
——If you are in danger, don’t expect me to save you!
Malfoy snorted in his heart.
In fact, Draco Malfoy himself was a student that Hagrid had to bring along due to his commitment, and Astoria was the only Slytherin that Hagrid invited.
Although Hagrid's teaching level is getting better and better, and his reputation among students is quite good, he still does things as he pleases as always.
For example, this time, the outdoor practical class was originally just an excuse for him to fool Snape, but after he said it, Hagrid suddenly thought that this was a good idea and simply did it seriously.
However, students who are able to participate in this course only choose what they like, regardless of their grades or performance.
Of course, lower grade students like Rolf and Astoria had not yet started the Care of Magical Creatures class, but they had formed friendships across ages and colleges during the maze activities, and that was why they were invited.
By four o'clock, twenty or thirty students had gathered around Hagrid's hut.
"Very good, everyone is here."
Hagrid took out a brass bell and shook it, then said in a rough voice, "I think most students know that we are going to the Forbidden Forest to visit Norberta..."
"Oh, Norbeta is the fire dragon that stayed in our school for a while. I think senior students should still remember him."
"Of course, this trip is definitely dangerous, but as long as you don't run around and stay with me and Yaya, I promise that no creature in the forbidden forest will hurt you..."
Halfway through his words, he saw Malfoy with a cold face, and suddenly thought of the failed first lesson that almost ruined his teaching career, and quickly added:
"——The premise is that everyone must obey orders and not provoke the creatures in the forbidden forest. Can you do that? If you don't want to or are afraid of danger, you can go back now."
No one left.
Except for a few people like Hermione who looked a little uneasy, most people looked excited.
Although the Weasley twins wandered around the Forbidden Forest as if it were their back garden, normal students, including Harry, would not set foot in this dangerous forest where werewolves were said to live.
It was difficult for these teenage kids to say "no" to having a safe but exciting adventure under the protection of the professor.
"Great! I knew you guys like Norbeta too, come with me!"
Hagrid picked up the crossbow hanging on the tree next to him, and carried a bag full of arrows. He was the first to walk into the forest that blocked out the sun. The students hurriedly followed, and the hound Fang followed at the end. "Hagrid, why do you carry a weapon?" Harry asked as he followed in front.
"Just in case," said Hagrid, looking warily around the Forbidden Forest.
After being cautious for most of the semester, Hagrid's adventurous spirit began to emerge again. He was happy to show his lovely baby dragon to the lovely students, but this time, he finally remembered to protect the safety of the students.
When looking at the forbidden forest from the castle, it seemed like an endless black ocean, with tall and dense trees clustered together, swaying back and forth like waves with the wind.
But now, walking in the forbidden forest, I found that this place is a different world. The tree trunks are so thick that it takes several people to hug them. Each tree seems to have its own territory, and there are certain gaps between the treetops to let the sunlight shine through.
All kinds of strange plants grow under the tree, including huge flowers and glowing fungi, as well as some plants with thick leaves. When people approach, they will suddenly pull up their short roots and run away as fast as if they have grown legs.
The temperature in the forbidden forest was lower than outside, and the air was filled with a unique scent. As they walked through it, they heard the crunching sound of dead branches and leaves under their feet, and felt a hint of fear.
Michael walked over a raised tree root, but his foot slipped and he almost fell. He quickly reminded Padma behind him: "Be careful, it's easy to fall here."
Padma smiled politely and walked past him.
"Luminescent flash!" Wade raised his wand, and the bright light instantly illuminated a large circle of the ground around him.
"Lumos!"
Several wands were raised, and balls of light of varying sizes illuminated the surrounding area.
Rolf chased after Wade and asked excitedly, "Wade, have you all seen Norbeta? What kind of fire dragon is she?"
"Norwegian Ridgeback," Vader said. "She could breathe fire when she was born."
"Have you seen her when she was just born?" Rolf said enviously, "That's great... The smallest dragon I've ever seen was a three-month-old Romanian horned dragon. Its horn was broken and it almost died."
Vader thought for a moment and said, "I remember that the horn of the Romanian horned dragon is a very precious magical material... Without the horn, it will be difficult for it to survive."
"Yes, my grandfather tried very hard but couldn't make its horns grow back, but fortunately it survived." Rolf said, "I remember he asked Mr. Murray to make a metal horn for the little guy, and sent it to the reserve when it grew up a little bit."
While the two were chatting, Michael, who was standing next to them, walked a little slower, reached out to help Astoria, who was lagging behind, and whispered, "Can you keep up? I can carry you if you're tired."
Astoria was physically exhausted and indeed panting. She raised her hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead and smiled, “No, I’m actually prepared.”
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small colorful blanket, unfolded it and shook it, and the fan-shaped blanket floated in the air.
The girl sat on it, and the flying carpet slowly floated up two feet above the ground, following Yaya at a moderate speed. The hound looked at the soft blanket in surprise, tentatively seeming to pounce on it, and several students in front looked back.
"So smart!" Michael gave a thumbs up and praised.
Astoria smiled happily.
Percy frowned, walked over and coughed, and said, "I'm the Head Boy... Greengrass, did you know that the flying carpet trade is banned in the UK?"
Astoria blinked and said in confusion, "Oh...but I bought it abroad!"
Percy looked at her sternly and added, "Usage is not allowed."
"But this isn't a flying carpet." Astoria pointed to one end of the blanket and said, "This is just a toy broom."
Percy looked closely and saw that there was indeed a very small broom handle installed at the tip of the fan-shaped flying carpet, about the size of a feather pen, and the surface of the flying carpet was also painted with colorful paint to look like a broom.
Percy was stunned for a moment, and then he had a strong sense of déjà vu, as if he saw Fred and George when they were children.
No, the twins were much more naughty when they were little... at least the girl in front of me was willing to pretend.
He pursed his lips and was about to exercise his authority as chairman to ask Astoria to get off the broom, but a hand suddenly pulled him over.
"Okay, okay, the school doesn't forbid students from using toy brooms. Even Filch doesn't care."
Penelope pushed Percy forward, and Percy immediately forgot what he was about to say. He was secretly delighted, but at the same time he tried to pretend that he was not so easily influenced by his girlfriend.
"I am performing my duties as the Head Boy." Even Wade could hear Percy trying to explain to Penelope: "The law does stipulate..."
"It's really great to be the president of the student union." Rolf leaned close to Wade and whispered, "But I don't want to see you become like him in the future."
"I won't be the student body president," Vader said matter-of-factly.
"Impossible." Rolf shook his head. "Aren't the student union presidents selected from the best students in the seventh grade?"
"In addition to academic performance, leadership, responsibility and communication skills should be more important considerations," said Weider. "I can't do those complicated jobs, but you may have the opportunity in the future."
"Haha, I'm still far away!" Rolf rubbed his nose embarrassedly, and asked closer: "By the way, um... why didn't Luna come this time?"
"I don't know, but next time I meet Lovegood, I can ask him for you," said Wade.
"Ah, no, no." Rolf waved his hand quickly and said, "I'm just asking casually, just asking."
There were more than twenty people in the group, and about ten of them used fluorescent lights to illuminate a bright route in the dark forbidden forest.
Hagrid walked ahead easily. He had probably walked back and forth like this so often in the past few years that he had already trampled out a path through the dense forest, and the branches and bushes on the side of the road had also moved aside, making it relatively easy for everyone to walk.
It was not known whether it was because of their large numbers or because of Hagrid's intimidation, but along the way, the group did not even encounter any red hats or eight-eyed giant spider cubs. They only occasionally saw some harmless small animals running quickly past the edge of the light range.
The students gradually relaxed after the journey without encountering any danger, and were even a little disappointed. They took a short rest on the road, and then walked for about half an hour before they finally saw Hagrid stop.
"We're here!" Hagrid turned around with a motherly smile on his face and said, "Listen, the child is welcoming us!"
A low roar was heard in the dark and silent forbidden forest. It was as if a strong wind blew up in the woods, and the surrounding air suddenly became hot.
(End of this chapter)