Forbidden Forest

In a quiet corner of the Ravenclaw common room, Eddie Camilleche, a clever-looking but somewhat restless second-year boy, mysteriously sidled up to Silas, who was reading A Beginner's Guide to Ancient Runes (and yawning).

"Hey, Silas," Eddie said in a lowered voice, his face carrying a trace of embarrassment and anticipation. "Can I ask you something... do you know any... quick ways to make money? The kind that, um... doesn't take much time but pays pretty well?"

Silas lifted his eyes from the page and glanced at Eddie, a knowing smile curling at the corner of his mouth. He closed the book and said in a tone that clearly meant I get you:

"Want to earn some pocket money? Easy. Buy some ingredients for Buff Awakening Potion, brew it yourself, then sell it to those people cramming before exams. There's always demand for the stuff, and the profit's decent."

He paused, looking at Eddie's hesitant expression, then added, "Don't worry, Camilleche. I know you've been short on money lately. I won't laugh at you. There's nothing shameful about making money."

Of course, Silas knew that Eddie would eventually embark on this path of "entrepreneurship" (and ultimately be "dealt with" by Hermione), but he did not think it was a big deal.

However, Eddie shook his head, a trace of the restraint and pride of a Ravenclaw academic ace appearing on his face. "No, no, Silas. I'm the top student in the second year! Selling this kind of... this kind of shortcut-taking potion goes against a scholar's principles. I have to make money through real skill."

Silas nearly laughed out loud when he heard that. Principles? In a few years, you'll be doing exactly this. You're putting on quite a convincing act right now.

But on the surface, he merely nodded in understanding. "All right, all right. Having principles is a good thing. Since we're both Ravenclaws..."

He rubbed his chin, thinking of a more "eco-friendly" way to make money that fit Ravenclaw's image of "wisdom."

"How about this? I'll take you around the edge of the Forbidden Forest. I know a few places where unicorns occasionally roam. When they shed, they leave behind some fallen silver manes. That stuff is in high demand in the potion ingredient and high-end magical textile markets. One strand can sell for ten Galleons! And it doesn't hurt the unicorns—we'd just be picking up leftovers. Principled enough for you?"

Eddie's eyes immediately lit up. "Unicorn hair?! Ten Galleons per strand?! This is great! This is great! It's safe and profitable, and it fits Ravenclaw's spirit of exploring nature's mysteries!"

Watching Eddie's excited expression, Silas laughed inwardly. The edge of the Forbidden Forest? Unicorns? Let's hope we're lucky and don't run into centaurs—or something worse... Still, a little risk is worth it for money.

"Then it's settled," Silas said, rising to his feet. "We'll find time over the weekend, and I'll take you to try our luck. Remember to bring a sturdy bag."

Thus, under Ravenclaw's halo of wisdom, a money-making "Forbidden Forest treasure hunt" led by Silas quietly took shape along the edge of the school rules. As for whether they would run into trouble? Silas figured that with him around, it would not be a major problem.

As it turned out, Silas and Eddie's "hair-picking" operation went smoothly at first. They carefully moved along the edge of the Forbidden Forest, and thanks to Silas's keen perception of energy fluctuations (along with a bit of luck), they really did collect several small locks of unicorn mane glowing with soft silver light in a moonlit forest clearing. Eddie's face flushed bright red with excitement as he carefully wrapped the precious "spoils" in a silk handkerchief.

However, just as they were preparing to return laden with their haul, a fierce sound of fighting suddenly came from nearby—Hagrid's furious roar, along with a teeth-grating sizzling sound, like concentrated acid corroding an object!

"What's going on?" Eddie nervously grabbed Silas's sleeve.

Silas's expression darkened. He sensed a familiar, nauseating ripple of dark magic, as well as panic and fury within Hagrid's enormous life force.

"Shit..." Silas cursed under his breath. "It's Hagrid! He's fighting someone! Eddie, take the things and go straight back to the castle along the way we came! Now!"

Though Eddie was frightened, he looked at Silas's grave expression and shook his head hard. A determination mixed with fear and loyalty appeared on his face. "No! Silas! You were willing to help me make money and treated me as a friend. I... I can't leave you behind to face danger alone! I'm going with you! My magic may not be strong, but I can still help somehow!"

Silas looked at Eddie, who was clearly terrified to death yet still trying to act brave. Something stirred slightly in his heart. He was unexpectedly touched by this foolish sense of loyalty.

"How should I put this..." A faint curve tugged at Silas's lips. "That's actually kind of moving. But stay close to me. Don't run off!"

With that, he no longer hesitated. He raised a hand and opened a portal before them, its other side pointing directly toward the source of the sounds! He stepped through, and Eddie gritted his teeth and followed.

The scene beyond the portal was horrifying! Hagrid was crouching miserably behind a massive oak tree, the tip of his beloved pink umbrella—his wand—smoking, clearly having just blocked an attack. The ground and trunk where he had been hiding were covered in terrifying pits eaten away by strong acid, each one releasing pungent white smoke! A tall, thin wizard clad in tattered black robes, his face hidden in the shadow of his hood, had his wand aimed at Hagrid and was preparing to launch another attack!

Balzaha Lightning!

The instant Silas appeared, he acted without hesitation, raising his hand and firing a violent stream of blue-green lightning at the dark wizard!

However, this time, the attack failed!

It was as if the dark wizard had eyes in the back of his head. Just as the lightning was about to strike him, his body blurred like a ghost, and in the next instant, he had appeared several meters away! His movements were unbelievably fast!

Silas's pupils suddenly contracted! That reaction speed, that sense of control over space... it was absolutely beyond Quirrell's level!

His gaze locked tightly onto the dark wizard as he sensed the dark magical power emanating from him. Though it was still weak, it was several times more substantial than when it had possessed Quirrell—and far colder and more violent!

In almost an instant, Silas identified him—Voldemort! He had changed hosts! And this new host was far stronger than Quirrell!

Silas's heart sank. He spoke softly to Eddie and Hagrid behind him:

"Be careful... this guy's much harder to deal with than last time. My red bands... probably can't seal his magic anymore."

The battle escalated in an instant. Voldemort's new "skin" brought an unprecedented threat.

Facing the clearly strengthened Voldemort in his new "skin," Silas knew that the coming battle would be no joke. Eddie and Hagrid would not only be unable to help if they stayed, but would become burdens he would need to protect.

He made his decision at once, his hands moving like lightning as he drew a circle beneath Eddie and another beneath Hagrid!

"Sorry," Silas said rapidly, though his tone carried an unquestionable calm. "The author can't write group fights. They get too messy and the scene falls apart. Let me fight him one-on-one."

Before the words had even finished leaving his mouth, two golden portals opened beneath Eddie and Hagrid! Eddie only had time to let out a short cry before falling into a portal leading to Ravenclaw Tower. Hagrid's huge body also fell with a shout into a portal leading to the entrance of his hut.

The field was cleared in an instant!

Silas's eyes locked once more onto Voldemort, who had just stabilized himself. Without pausing for even a moment, Silas held his hands in front of his chest. Golden runes from the Ring of the Ragaddor emerged as violent red energy rapidly poured into them!

Borsat's Thunder!

A massive pillar of crimson lightning, blazing as hot as lava and carrying an aura of destruction, tore through the air and blasted straight at Voldemort!

A disdainful sneer seemed to appear on Voldemort's face beneath the hood. He was extremely confident in his magical strength, especially when facing such a young-looking wizard—even though this boy had previously displayed strange Space magic and binding spells. Rather than teleport away again, he arrogantly flicked his wand, intending to meet the attack head-on with a powerful Shield Charm. He would show this ignorant brat the true power of the Dark Lord!

Shield Charm!

A translucent magical barrier instantly appeared before him.

However, Borsat's Thunder was anything but an ordinary linear attack!

Just as the crimson beam was about to crash into the Shield Charm, it seemed to come alive. It suddenly ricocheted, skimming past the edge of the barrier like an agile red lightning serpent before slamming hard into a thick ancient tree beside it!

Boom!

A huge hole exploded through the ancient tree, but Borsat's Thunder did not dissipate. Instead, borrowing the force of the impact, it rebounded at an even trickier angle, shooting straight toward Voldemort's unprotected side and back!

Voldemort had never expected his opponent's magic to possess such bizarre ricocheting properties! His Shield Charm completely defended his front, but it was useless against an attack from the side and rear!

"What?!" He only had time to let out a furious, shocked roar!

Bang—!!!

The crimson lightning struck him squarely in the back!

A massive explosion rang out. Voldemort was blasted away like a kite with its string cut, tracing a miserable arc through the air before slamming heavily into another tree and sliding limply to the ground. His black robes had been blown to tatters, and his hood had been thrown back, revealing the pale, twisted face of a middle-aged wizard Silas did not recognize—clearly Voldemort's new, unlucky temporary host.

That strike was not enough to kill him—Voldemort had many means of preserving his life—but it had certainly dealt him a heavy blow and left him in a wretched state!

Silas watched Voldemort struggle to rise in the distance, shook out his wrist, and sneered. "Looks like your new shell isn't all that great either."

In the first exchange, Silas had cleverly bypassed Voldemort's defenses with Borsat's Thunder's unique properties and gained the upper hand! But the battle was far from over.