Hagrid's Invitation

Ted could now turn a matchstick into something that looked very much like a pin, but it was only superficial. It looked like a steel needle, yet the material had not truly changed.

It had to be said that Transfiguration was indeed complex and difficult.

Ted had taught himself spells and could learn three in a week. Now, even with Professor McGonagall teaching him Transfiguration, his progress was slow.

Yet Ted was already improving faster than any of the thirty-six first-year students. Over several lessons, Professor McGonagall had praised him five times and Hermione three times.

This was far more difficult than the Transfiguration in the novels and films! Unlike spells, Transfiguration was not just about overall ability; it emphasized mastering one thing and understanding all related things.

Once you could turn a matchstick into a needle, you had grasped the basics of transforming one object into another. What remained was proficiency and the strength of your Magic Power, which determined the size and complexity of the transformed object.

Then came turning dead things into living creatures, such as turning a button into a beetle.

Transfiguration was not like spells, where every spell was independent.

Even if you had mastered Lumos to perfection, it would not help much with the Disarming Charm.

But once you could turn a matchstick into a needle, you could easily turn Parchment into silk or a porcelain plate into a metal one.

After behaving herself for three weeks, Harriett was starting to get restless again. She had become familiar with the place and could not wait to explore the ancient castle her parents' generation had once explored.

Especially Cerberus behind the door on the right side of the third floor!

Why was such a huge three-headed dog kept there? Why was there a trapdoor? What was it guarding? To a Gryffindor, this was practically an itch beneath the armpit!

It could be said that Dumbledore had the Little Wizards completely figured out.

Now Harriett could not wait to take Ron, Jerry, and an unwilling Neville to investigate Cerberus.

Ron and Jerry: "Say 'yes' to bad temptations!" Neville: "I-I'm not going! I still need to sleep~"

Harriett said, "Sleeping at ten? Are you trying to preserve your health or something? Get up and have fun!" Ron and Jerry tacitly lifted him by the arms from either side and carried him straight out of the Common Room.

In fact, plenty of restless students already knew that a room in the corridor on the right side of the third floor held a three-headed dog guarding a trapdoor.

But that thing was too fierce! It could hit the ceiling just by raising its heads. Even if the Little Wizards had the courage of bears and leopards, they did not dare show off in front of it!

Just think of Malfoy, whom Harriett had tricked into going there. Being caught off guard, the fact that he had not wet himself on the spot already showed that he had nerves of steel! Though Cerberus was still only half-grown, it was not to be underestimated.

Had no one ever heard the saying: one mastiff could fight five tigers, three mastiffs could battle an aircraft carrier, five mastiffs could create heaven and earth, and ten mastiffs could create the world? Hermione was extremely dissatisfied that Ted not only did not stop Harriett and the others from breaking the rules, but even went with them to take a look. Still, Ted dragged her along, and she reluctantly went too.

Hermione: Oh my, it really was amazing~ Though Harriett wanted to study that trapdoor, Cerberus truly gave her no chance. After several days, she had made no progress at all.

She asked Ted what he thought. Ted said, "What do I think? If someone wears leather pants over cotton trousers, there must be a reason!" Everyone: "Obviously! What else could it mean?" Could he just tell them that beneath it was a Gauntlet Game Dumbledore had prepared for Voldemort?!

Early Friday morning of the third week, Neville and Harriett both received invitation letters from Hagrid, inviting them to bring friends over for a visit.

When Neville and Harriett told Ted and the others, everyone decided to go have a look over the weekend.

Harriett said, "The Twins keep saying how interesting the Forbidden Forest is. We can take the chance to observe it!"

Remembering something, Ted told her, "I think everything should be done step by step. Adventure is the same. We have not even figured out all the paths in the castle, yet you are already thinking about exploring the Forbidden Forest. That is aiming too high!"

"We should explore the castle first and find every path, including the secret passages. I dare say this thousand-year-old castle has many hidden secrets..."

He truly did not want Harriett wandering around the Forbidden Forest. What if she ran into Voldemort? This time, she was not the chosen savior. If she really encountered him, whether she lived or died would be anyone's guess.

There were no classes on Friday afternoon, so the group did not even eat lunch. They went together to Hagrid's Hunter's Hut by the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

Hagrid, also known as Hogwarts' farm owner, kept some chickens and had cleared a patch of farmland nearby to grow potatoes, pumpkins, and cabbages. His main job was hunting and patrolling in the Forbidden Forest. If he started streaming, getting a million followers in a month would not be a problem!

From afar, Hagrid's hut looked extremely crude, just a wooden house with a pointed round roof. But once they got close, they discovered—it was truly huge! The entire house consisted of a single room, five or six meters high and over sixty square meters in area! Standing before the wooden hut's door, Ted felt as though he were at a castle gate—the door was simply too big! "Knock, knock, knock~" Harriett stepped forward and knocked.

The group heard a dog barking inside.

"Back, Fang! Back~ It must be Harriett and Neville!" Hagrid's voice remained booming even through the door.

The enormous wooden door opened, and Hagrid's head poked out. "Oh, heavens, you all came! Wonderful! Come in, quickly!"

His hair joined with his beard, making it look as though a face had grown out of a huge bundle of black hair.

The floor was covered in unknown animal pelts. Against the wall stood an enormous fireplace with a cauldron hanging over it. The cauldron was large enough to stew a child~ All the furniture inside was at least twice the size of normal furniture, and the bed looked like it could sleep three people.

A huge crossbow and quiver hung on the wall. A massive hunting dog wagged its tail so quickly it left afterimages, tongue hanging out as it kept trying to come closer, but Hagrid held it back—afraid Ted and the others might be scared.

"This is Fang. He looks big, but he doesn't bite," Hagrid said, gripping Fang's collar as he introduced him.

Everyone vigorously rubbed the dog's head—pat a dog's head in the new year, and all worries disappear~ Ted noticed that Fang actually had two tails. No wonder they were wagging like propellers. He could not help asking, "Hagrid, is Fang a Welsh Corgi? That doesn't seem right. His ears and face shape don't match!"

Though magical pet shops generally sold small pets, Ted had encountered Welsh Corgis before.

Welsh Corgis had two tails, split apart on either side of their rear like a swallow's tail.

This magical breed was known for its loyalty to its owner. If someone wanted to keep one, they had to register it with the Ministry of Magic. If they lived near a Muggle community, they also had to painlessly use magic to remove one tail to keep Muggles from noticing.

Of course, if Hagrid kept one, he definitely would not bother registering it.

But apart from the tails, Fang's outward features did not resemble those of a Welsh Corgi.

When Hagrid heard Ted's words, he was overjoyed! "Merlin's beard! You recognize them?! Ted? You're Ted, right! Are you interested in magical creatures?!" He grabbed Ted's shoulder—his huge hand completely enveloped it. He nearly lifted Ted and set him on the table.

Ted patted his hand, signaling for him to calm down. "Before I enrolled, I worked at a magical pet shop and came into contact with Welsh Corgis. But Fang seems a little different?"

"That's right! That's right! Of course he's different!" Hagrid's two shiny black beetle-like eyes crinkled into slits from his smile.

"Fang is a crossbreed between a Blink Dog and a Welsh Corgi!"

As though he understood Hagrid's words and wanted to cooperate, Fang suddenly vanished. Then he appeared behind Ted and the others! Harriett exclaimed, "What was that? Apparition?"

"That was Blink. It can't travel as far as Apparition, but it's more convenient. You may not know much about Blink Dogs. They were magical creatures discovered only a little over ten years ago, and they should be from another world..."

Hagrid began enthusiastically telling them how he had bred a crossbreed between an otherworldly Blink Dog and a local Welsh Corgi~ Less than a month after leaving Diagon Alley, Ted once again thought of the Celestial Conjunctions.

In truth, seeing Jerry every day already showed the impact the Celestial Conjunctions had on this world.

It was just that Ted had grown so accustomed to it that he had not thought much about it and always overlooked the ways Jerry differed from ordinary people.

After talking until his mouth was dry, Hagrid picked up a huge oak cup fifteen centimeters across and drained a cup of Pumpkin Juice. Only then did he remember that he had invited Harriett and the others over for a meal.

"Wait a moment. Lunch will be ready soon. You can have some snacks first..." He brought over a large wooden tray filled with cookies more than ten centimeters across.

"I made these Rock Cakes. Try some and fill your stomachs first."

Hagrid: Ahahaha~ Here come the Rock Cakes! What a wonderful thing.

Ron and Jerry were the type whose stomachs rumbled as soon as it was mealtime. They had long been starving, and each grabbed one and took a bite...

Mm~ Mm, mm? Mm! "Hiss~" The two looked at each other.

"You should try them. They taste pretty good," Ron said with a smile, inviting everyone else to eat.