Invisible Rich Man—Hagrid

The first-year classes at Hogwarts were easy, and there were no classes at all on Friday mornings, leaving students free to do as they pleased.

After breakfast, Vizet left the castle and headed across the grass toward the Forbidden Forest.

Just yesterday morning, Hagrid had sent him a letter by Owl, inviting him to visit his hut and catch up on how he had been doing lately.

Before entering Hogwarts, Hagrid had been one of the few people who held no prejudice against him. Combined with what had happened in Diagon Alley, that made it impossible for him to refuse the invitation.

Besides, he was very interested in the Forbidden Forest, and Hagrid's Hut happened to be right beside it.

Hagrid called his home a "hut," but Vizet felt as though he had arrived at a Giant's castle.

The Oak Front Doors alone were nearly four meters tall, making the one-story "hut" feel like a two-story building to him.

The area outside the hut had a strong farmhouse atmosphere, with all kinds of strange tools hanging around.

Before Vizet could knock, a deep bark like Thunder came from beside him.

"Oh! Vizet must be here." Hagrid's voice rang out. "Fang! Slow down! You'll frighten him!"

Amid the whooshing wind, a huge black dog suddenly burst out.

The Big Black Dog lolled out its tongue, leaped into the air, and pounced at Vizet.

"Hey! Fang! You'll scare Vizet half to death!" Hagrid followed close behind, grabbing the loose skin on the Big Black Dog's neck with one massive hand and lifting it up.

Although the Big Black Dog stood a full meter tall, it had no room to struggle in Hagrid's grasp. The difference in size was simply too great.

It was a Neapolitan Mastiff, somewhat resembling a Shar-Pei. Its face was covered in wrinkles, giving it a deeply melancholy look.

"He just gets a little excited. Not many students come here during the day." Hagrid ushered Vizet inside. "He actually gets along with people very well. He's even a bit timid."

"Whimper..." Fang stuck out his tongue and sniffed all over Vizet.

Though he was a Mastiff, Fang was unexpectedly gentle, even rolling over to let Vizet rub his belly.

"You're my friend, so he'll treat you well," Hagrid said cheerfully. "He's only timid most of the time. If he ever really runs into danger, he'll make the right choice!"

The interior was very simple, containing only a single room. Beside the Fireplace stood a set of enormous tables and chairs, while a large bed covered with patchwork quilts occupied the corner.

All sorts of things hung on the walls, including an umbrella, a huge leather coat, and a crossbow.

The Fireplace was also enormous. Its sides could be used to hang Smoked Meat and smoked chickens, while the center had enough room for a copper kettle and a baking tray.

"Have some tea! I just baked some scones," Hagrid said warmly.

He placed the baking tray in front of Vizet, then picked up the copper kettle and began brewing tea.

"How do you like it here?" he continued, tearing off a piece of scone for Fang. "It might be a little different from your life before, but I think you'll get used to it."

Click... click...

Fang's teeth waged an intense battle against the scone, making a sound like he was gnawing on a huge bone.

Vizet's eyelid twitched. His teeth were no match for a Mastiff's.

"Thank you!" He took the teacup and blew on it. "I already had breakfast before coming over. Tea will be enough."

The scones were a little early for him, but they were just right for Hagrid.

"No need to be polite when you're here," Hagrid said. He grabbed a scone as wide as his head and began chewing it with loud crunches. "You can think of Hogwarts as a second home."

Whether because of his age or his height, he always gave people a sense of distance at first glance.

Only after truly getting to know him would people discover that his heart was still simple and honest. He spoke bluntly and was willing to share everything.

He told Vizet about his youth, how he had been expelled over some matter and lost the chance to continue studying at Hogwarts.

He also talked about the Forbidden Forest nearby, which was home to all kinds of Magical creatures and Magical Plants.

That was why the Weasley twins were always trying to sneak into the Forbidden Forest and make a ruckus inside.

"They conduct experiments in there, and a few times they even lured Centaurs over. Not only could they get hurt by the Centaurs, but the little cuties in the Forbidden Forest could get hurt too."

"Those two are slippery, too! Every time I try to find them, it takes up a lot of my time... Luckily, they're in their third year now. In a few more years, things will be easier for me!"

"Little cuties?" Vizet thought of Hagrid's unique understanding of "little cuties." "Hagrid, which Magical creatures in the Forbidden Forest do you like?"

"That's far too long a list!" Whenever the conversation turned to what Hagrid loved most, his voice rose noticeably. "Thestrals, Demiguises, Occamies, Hippogriffs, Unicorns..."

As he listed the names of various animals, his smile grew brighter and brighter. "They're all my good children!"

He picked up the copper kettle and pulled out the pad beneath it. "This pad is made from an Occamy's crest feathers. It's excellent for insulation, and it can also stretch and shrink."

Now that he was excited, Hagrid brushed the Black Ash off the crest feathers, revealing the bright blue-green color beneath.

He gripped both ends of the crest feathers and Lightly Pulled them apart. The feathers expanded to the size of a palm-leaf fan. Then he gathered them back together, and they shrank to about the size of his palm.

Besides the Occamy crest feathers, there were plenty of other materials from Magical creatures in the hut.

For example, the bandages Hagrid had casually hung on the wall were woven from Unicorn tail hair.

The grimy, grease-stained satchel at the head of the bed was also made from Unicorn tail hair.

Hagrid said casually, "I sold some Unicorn tail hair before so I could buy Fluffy. I'll have to find some more later, or I won't have enough for the bandages."

Vizet clutched his chest. "Bandages? You collect Unicorn tail hair just to make bandages?"

"That's right!" Hagrid nodded. "You know I was expelled from Hogwarts, so I didn't get the chance to learn more."

"Animals in the Forbidden Forest get hurt. Bandages made from Unicorn tail hair work best. They not only speed up Healing magic, but also won't interfere with the little cuties' activities."

Perhaps it was because he treated Magical creatures with a sincere heart that Hagrid was so beloved by all kinds of Magical creatures.

But that reason was far too extravagant, and it made Vizet's heart ache.

He already had some understanding of prices in the Magical World. A single Unicorn tail hair sold for twenty Galleons, and making one bandage required at least a dozen hairs...

Hagrid was definitely an Invisible Rich Man. The value of that satchel alone was incalculable!

As the Gamekeeper, Hagrid could also obtain materials continuously, which was extremely important.

Vizet rose to his feet and asked solemnly, "Hagrid! Once I master Healing magic, I'll help you treat Magical creatures. Could you give me some Unicorn tail hair?"

"Huh? Of course!" Hagrid froze for a moment and scratched the back of his head. "Actually, if you want some, you only need to tell me."