Toward the Forbidden Forest
The end of the Christmas holidays means that the final step for Animagus can officially begin.
Hogwarts gradually became lively, the snowflakes stopped falling, and the thick snow gradually melted away.
The sun had not risen, and both inside and outside the castle were shrouded in a cold and damp atmosphere.
The Forbidden Forest is not recovering very quickly; it is still very quiet between the trees, and you can only occasionally see small animals moving around.
One weekend morning at five o'clock, Wizet left his dormitory with his backpack. He went to the Common Room, took out a notebook from his backpack, and spread it out on the table.
This notebook comes from the creator of Marauder's Map. In addition to some Animagus insights, it also includes a map drawn on the last two pages.
The map depicts a mysterious altar located deep within the Forbidden Forest. It requires a crystal to activate its magic, thereby triggering Weather Magic and bringing a thunderstorm.
Having identified the mysterious altar on the map, Wizet took out her wand and placed the tip against the mark. "Show Me the Way!"
He tossed the wand upwards, and it immediately hovered in mid-air, its tip pointing diagonally toward the Forbidden Forest.
The Directional Spell is a very practical magic. Its most basic effect is as a compass. Simply hold the wand in your palm and recite the incantation, and the tip of the wand will automatically turn due north.
A more advanced application is like Wizet's, where you chant a spell over a target on a map, and if the location marked on the map is accurate, the wand will float up and point in the corresponding direction.
Since the Directional Spell worked successfully, it also proves that the location of the mysterious altar on the notebook map is accurate.
Luna woke up as well and sat down next to Wizet, smelling faintly of herbs. "Shall we set off now?"
"We'll have to wait a little longer..." Wizet took out a leather armor from his backpack. "Just to be safe, you should put this on."
This is a leather breastplate I bought during the Christmas holidays. It's made of Fire Dragon Skin, which not only provides some magical defense but also keeps you warm, making it perfect for use right now.
The Forbidden Forest is home to many dangerous and Magical creature. Even with the professors' protection, it's still necessary to take extra precautions for safety.
Given Luna's curiosity about the Forbidden Forest, they will definitely venture into Forbidden Forest many times in the future, and the leather armor will always have a use.
"Wear it like this..." Wizet held up the leather breastplate and demonstrated for Luna.
Luna followed Wizet's movements, adjusting the leather breastplate to the right position, and then crossed her hands behind her back to tighten the leather straps on both sides.
She twisted her shoulders again to make sure the leather breastplate fit her body well and wouldn't hinder her movements.
Luna twirled in front of Wizet. "How was it?"
Wizet murmured, "Perhaps we still need..."
Before Wizet could finish speaking, Luna blinked, as if she had thought of something.
She skillfully combed her long hair, gathered it into a cascade of pale golden strands, then removed the Crystal Ball bracelet from her wrist and tied her hair into a ponytail.
"Just like an elf..." Wizet said carefully, then said very seriously, "Even more beautiful than an elf!"
"Mmm!" Luna smiled, a faint blush on her cheeks. "Let's go!"
Hagrid walked ahead wearing a mole-skin coat, carrying a crossbow on his back and a lantern the size of a bucket in his hand.
He glanced back and nervously reminded her, "Be careful when you walk... the ice hasn't melted in some places, it's easy to slip and fall."
It's understandable that he felt nervous, after all, behind him were not only Wizet and Luna, but also Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall.
"I haven't been to the Forbidden Forest much since graduation," Professor McGonagall remarked. "It feels like...nothing has changed here."
"After graduation?" Hagrid scratched his head. "Professor McGonagall, did you sneak into the Forbidden Forest while you were studying? Hahahaha!"
"Ahem..." Professor McGonagall coughed twice. "I was just curious... I heard there are Unicorn here, so I wanted to come in and take a look."
"Oh! Unicorn! No wonder! Those little guys are beautiful!" Hagrid slapped his forehead. "Shall I take you to see them? I know where Unicorn usually like to go!"
"Let's talk about it next time!" Professor McGonagall's tone was slightly embarrassed.
Upon hearing this, Wizet and Luna couldn't help but laugh.
Although Professor McGonagall is usually quite strict, she is, after all, a Gryffindor.
"There must have been quite a few changes..." Dumbledore looked around. "For a while, Newt came to Hogwarts and released a lot of Magical creature into the Forbidden Forest."
"Compared to ordinary forests, the Forbidden Forest is a magical forest where all kinds of Magical creature can find a place to live."
"Then we must be even more careful," Professor McGonagall said earnestly, looking at Wizet and Luna. "We absolutely cannot let our guard down!"
"Try not to treat the Magical creature in the Forbidden Forest with the same mindset you would use with pets... Not only Magical creature, but also Magical Plants."
"Professor McGonagall is right!" Hagrid agreed. "If you encounter a den of Doxies, get away immediately! A bunch of Doxies attacking you would be quite terrifying for you!"
Wizet and Luna said in unison, "We'll remember!"
The teeth of Doxies are poisonous, and if each Doxies bites you, the accumulated poison could indeed be life-threatening.
"Oh, right! Red Cap are dangerous too!" Hagrid continued, "Red Cap appeared when the Centaur clashed with poaching wizards."
"Lots of Red Cap- hatted men wielding big sticks surrounded the poachers and knocked them all unconscious! In the end, they were all dragged away... I think they're probably in Elphias Doge!"
"Show Me the Way!" Wizet chanted a spell and tossed her wand, the tip of which floated in mid-air, pointing in the corresponding direction. "We should turn this way..."
To pinpoint your final destination again, simply cast Directional Spell, and the tip of your wand will provide the corresponding guidance, eliminating the need for a map to re-establish your location.
The group continued deeper into the Forbidden Forest. As time passed, the sun must have risen outside, and the Forbidden Forest finally became more lively, with more insects chirping and birds singing.
Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats rang out, followed by a harsh, gruff shout, "Stop right there! The Forbidden Forest is not a place for you!"
Whoosh!
With a sharp whooshing sound, an arrow was launched, tracing a beautiful parabola, and landed less than five meters in front of Hagrid.
A muscular black Centaur leaped out of the darkness, a longbow in his hand, and nocked yet another arrow...