Soon, Charlie reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
The tall trees stood packed tightly together, their thick canopy allowing almost no sunlight to penetrate.
A mysterious, dangerous aura hung over the place, making people instinctively want to explore its secrets.
Just as Charlie was about to enter, a gruff shout came from behind him.
"Hey! Little Wizard! Where are you going?"
Charlie turned around and saw a giant figure walking toward him.
The man stood a full three meters tall. His tangled black hair and beard nearly hid his entire face, leaving only a pair of gentle black eyes visible.
It was Hagrid, Hogwarts' Gamekeeper.
"Mr. Hagrid," Charlie greeted him politely.
Hagrid strode over and looked down at Charlie.
"Oh, I know you. You're Charlie, right? Harry's friend."
"You're pretty good at the Lumos Spell."
"Thank you, Mr. Hagrid." Charlie nodded.
"What are you doing here?" Hagrid's tone grew serious.
"You're not thinking of going into the Forbidden Forest, are you?"
Charlie blinked and put on an innocent expression.
"I just wanted to admire the scenery. I heard the Forbidden Forest is spectacular."
"You can admire the scenery, but you absolutely can't go in." Hagrid shook his head sternly.
"It's dangerous in there. There are Werewolves, Acromantulas, and all sorts of dangerous creatures you can't even imagine."
"Even seventh-year students aren't allowed in without a teacher. And you're only a first-year."
Charlie nodded repeatedly, keeping up appearances.
But he didn't think much of it. As far as he knew, Werewolves only transformed on the night of the full moon. And as for Acromantulas and the like, if he transformed into a Fire Dragon and flew into the sky, why would he be afraid of a spider?
The Weasley brothers had told him yesterday that they'd gone in lots of times.
Besides, Hogwarts was a school. If there really were any danger, would Dumbledore let the place remain as it was?
Still, he played along. "I understand, Mr. Hagrid. I won't go into the Forbidden Forest."
"Good." Hagrid nodded in satisfaction.
"You'd better head back to the castle. It's almost time for lunch."
"All right. I'll go back now," Charlie said obediently.
Hagrid watched Charlie walk away, nodded in satisfaction, then turned and headed for Hagrid's Hut.
Charlie walked for a while, and once he was sure Hagrid couldn't see him, he immediately changed direction.
The Forbidden Forest was so vast. Surely he could find somewhere to enter it.
He walked a long way along its edge and reached the Forbidden Forest on the other side of the castle.
This place was far from Hagrid's Hut and hidden behind a small range of hills, so there was no chance of anyone spotting him.
[Your Majesty entered the Royal Hunting Ground during class to indulge in play. Tyrant Points +2]
As soon as he entered the Forbidden Forest, he sensed that it was different.
The air grew damp and cold, and the dense canopy almost completely blocked out the sunlight.
Thick layers of dead leaves covered the ground, rustling beneath his feet.
Strange sounds came from all around: birdsong and insects chirring.
"It's pretty creepy in here."
Charlie muttered, but kept walking.
He pressed on, going deeper and deeper into the forest.
The trees in the Forbidden Forest were unusually tall. Some ancient Oak Trees were more than three meters across, and it would have taken several people with their arms around them to encircle their trunks.
Vines and moss covered the trunks, making them look hundreds of years old.
After walking for about half an hour, Charlie finally found a relatively open clearing.
It was about half the size of a basketball court, surrounded by towering trees that formed a natural barrier.
The canopy overhead was thinner here, revealing a small patch of sky.
"This is the spot." Charlie nodded in satisfaction.
He focused his thoughts.
His body began to change, scales gradually sprouting across his skin.
They were bright red and gleaming, and a ring of golden, tassel-like spikes framed his face.
Enormous wings, a long, slender body, sharp claws, and a majestic appearance...
The transformation was complete in an instant. It didn't hurt at all; instead, it brought a sense of comfort he couldn't describe.
Charlie's viewpoint rose high above the ground.
He looked down and saw that he had transformed completely into a gigantic Fire Dragon.
The Chinese Fireball Dragon's body was even larger than he had imagined.
Its wingspan exceeded twelve meters, and its body was seven or eight meters long.
Its body was covered in brown scales, its neck was long, and its head was pointed. It looked mighty and imposing.
Charlie excitedly flapped his wings, trying to fly.
His enormous wings beat the air, whipping up a gale.
Leaves around him fluttered wildly, and some smaller branches were snapped right off.
Dead leaves swirled everywhere, turning the whole clearing into chaos.
His first takeoff was a little clumsy, but he quickly got the hang of it.
His massive body rose slowly into the air, climbing higher and higher.
When he cleared the treetops of the Forbidden Forest, the sensation of flying freely left him exhilarated.
The wind roared beneath his wings, and the world spread out below him.
He could see the whole Forbidden Forest, Hogwarts Castle in the distance, and mountains even farther away.
"So this is what flying feels like? This is amazing!"
"By the way, Little System, can I still cast spells when I turn into a Fire Dragon?"
[In principle, Wizards can't cast spells in Animagus form, but the magic drawn by the system isn't bound by these restrictions.] [However, Your Majesty can't hold a Wand or speak right now. He'll have to reach Spell Level Four to unlock Nonverbal Spellcasting and Wandless Magic.]
Charlie pondered this. During summer vacation, he had asked the system what the different spell levels meant.
Level One meant being able to cast a spell.
Level Two meant using spells proficiently, roughly equivalent to the level of an ordinary fifth- or sixth-year Wizard.
Level Three meant being able to cast spells without speaking.
Level Four meant being able to cast spells without a Wand.
Level Five meant clapping his hands and getting whatever he wanted, with the power of a forbidden spell—enough to destroy the world.
Charlie circled above the Forbidden Forest, reveling in the thrill of flying.
His enormous wings glittered in the sunlight, and his imposing form inspired awe.
The small animals in the forest were terrified by the sudden, enormous shadow.
Deep in the Forbidden Forest, Firenze was quietly hunting.
He had the upper body of a human and the lower body of a horse. He was a Centaur who lived in the Forbidden Forest.
Firenze had just spotted a plump deer and was preparing to draw his bow.
Suddenly, a huge shadow flashed across the sky.
The deer bolted in fright, completely ruining Firenze's hunt.
He looked up at the sky in confusion. Through the dense branches, all he could make out was a huge flying creature circling overhead.
"What is that?" Firenze frowned.
In all his experience, it certainly wasn't an ordinary bird. That size, that wingspan... It looked just like...
"A Fire Dragon?" Firenze gasped.
Had Hogwarts started raising Fire Dragons?
Firenze couldn't make sense of it. He could only commit the sight to memory and plan to tell the clan chief.
Of course, Charlie had no idea that anyone had seen him.
After enjoying the thrill of flying for a while, he landed in the clearing, ready to retrace his steps to Hogwarts.
He couldn't stop thinking about the feeling of soaring freely through the sky.
The Chinese Fireball Dragon's strength and speed had exceeded his expectations.
A mere flap of its wings was enough to whip up a gale around him.
As he left the Forbidden Forest, Charlie made a point of avoiding the direction of Hagrid's Hut.
He didn't really mind if Hagrid spotted him, but getting caught would still be a hassle.
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