A few days later, Charlie was still going out every night to patrol the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid.
According to Hagrid, Nolan was a newly grown Unicorn. Its parents lived deeper in the Forbidden Forest, but Nolan often wandered out toward the edges.
Whenever Charlie approached, Nolan ran far away.
Damn, I don't particularly want to touch you either.
And you're really full of yourself.
One morning at breakfast, the school owls delivered a letter.
Charlie opened it. The familiar blue ink was Dumbledore's:
"The box you asked for is ready. The password for my office is Honey Durian Water."
Charlie's eyes lit up.
Finally, it was done!
He hurriedly stuffed down a few bites of bread and rushed to the Headmaster's Office.
The Gargoyle was still guarding the entrance on the Seventh Floor.
"Honey Durian Water."
Charlie gave the password.
The Gargoyle leaped aside, and the Spiral Staircase began to turn.
Charlie hurried up the stairs and pushed open the office door.
Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, holding a small leather case.
When he saw Charlie enter, he stood with a smile.
"Charlie, just in time."
Dumbledore walked over to him, carrying a steaming cup.
"Give this a try. Honey Durian Water. It's a new flavor I bought at Honeydukes."
Charlie took the cup and brought it close to his nose.
The rich smell of durian hit him, mixed with the cloyingly sweet scent of honey.
This smell...
"Professor, you certainly have unique taste."
Charlie forced down his discomfort and gave a polite smile.
A flicker of regret crossed Dumbledore's eyes.
"Young people are always so conservative. When you're my age, you'll realize that many combinations that seem strange are actually wonderful."
He handed the leather case to Charlie.
"This is the Undetectable Extension Charm case you asked for. I made the interior very spacious, as requested."
Charlie took the case.
It felt so light that he wondered whether it could really hold much.
"Thank you, Professor."
Charlie thanked him, then eagerly opened the case.
When he lifted the lid, all he saw inside was a ladder leading downward.
Without a word, Charlie climbed down.
The wooden ladder creaked softly beneath his feet.
After descending about three or four meters, Charlie stepped onto solid ground.
He looked around—and was instantly stunned by the sight before him.
It was a huge underground space, with smooth earthen walls on every side and a gentle light shining down from above.
By his estimate, it covered several acres.
Charlie walked around the space, but seemed less than satisfied.
Dumbledore, standing behind him, looked puzzled. What was wrong with it? He'd had it made to the same scale as Newt's case.
Then he heard Charlie mutter:
"Oh no, the gold's dwindled. There's not enough to fill this place."
Dumbledore nearly fell off the ladder.
And he still thought it wasn't enough?
Holding on to the ladder, Dumbledore shook his head with an exasperated smile.
If he made you any more gold, the Philosopher's Stone would really be drained dry.
Charlie climbed out of the case and closed the lid.
"Professor, this case is amazing. I'm very happy with it."
Dumbledore adjusted his glasses.
"That's good. Remember, magical objects like this are precious, so be sure to take good care of it."
"I will, Professor."
Charlie hugged the case and said goodbye to Dumbledore.
He practically ran out of the Headmaster's Office, raced down the corridor, and dashed out of the castle.
The Forbidden Forest lay just ahead.
Charlie headed straight for the Oak Tree, knowing the way by heart.
Soon, the huge Oak Tree came into view.
Charlie slowed down and walked cheerfully toward the spot where he'd buried his treasure.
Then he stopped.
His blood pressure shot up.
The ground had been disturbed!
The previously smooth earth was now full of holes. Something had clearly been digging there.
The dirt had been put back, but the shoddy job made it obvious that it wasn't how it had been before.
Charlie's face darkened instantly.
Who touched my gold?
Charlie hurried over to inspect the area, crouching down to examine the ground closely.
The dirt was covered in tiny holes, along with a trail of strange footprints.
They were only about the size of a thumb, with a peculiar shape: pointed at the front and rounded at the back.
"These definitely aren't human footprints."
Charlie frowned and began to think.
What would be interested in gold—and would dig holes, too?
He quickly peeled back the top layer of earth, revealing the hole underneath.
Thankfully, the pile of gold was still there, glittering.
Charlie counted it carefully. There wasn't any noticeable difference in the amount.
"Looks like this little thief hasn't had time to carry much away."
Charlie sighed with relief, but then grew wary again.
Now that the hiding place had been discovered, he had to move the gold.
He opened the Undetectable Extension Charm case and began loading the gold into it.
He tossed the gold bars in one by one, and they clinked together.
It took a full half hour to move all the gold.
Charlie replaced the layer of earth, doing his best to make it look the way it had before.
Then he stepped behind a sturdy Oak Tree, pulled out his Wand, and cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself.
Charlie's body turned transparent, blending into his surroundings.
He hid in the shadows.
"That little thief won't just give up."
Charlie sneered to himself.
You dare touch my gold? It's all mine!
Time passed, one second at a time.
Charlie maintained the Disillusionment Charm, staying hidden in the shadows as he watched.
The afternoon sun shone through the leaves, scattering dappled light across the ground.
Now and then, a bird flew by, chirping brightly. Otherwise, nothing unusual happened.
"Why hasn't it come yet?"
It was almost time for afternoon classes. He had History of Magic that afternoon.
"Never mind. It's Professor Binns's class, anyway."
Professor Binns never took attendance. He wouldn't know even if Charlie skipped class.
[His Majesty skips class outright, showing contempt for the Grand Tutor. Tyrant Points +5]
Another two hours passed, and the sun began to set.
Charlie's legs had gone numb from crouching. He was just about to change positions when he suddenly heard rustling in the bushes.
He immediately tensed and peered through a gap in the leaves.
A small black thing emerged from the bushes and scurried furtively toward the Oak Tree.
Charlie's eyes widened.
What the hell was that?
The thing was only about as long as a human arm, and its whole body was covered in black fur.
Most striking was its long snout, which looked particularly ridiculous.
"A Flat-mouthed Rat?"
The Flat-mouthed Rat ran beneath the Oak Tree, sniffing around with its long snout.
Then it began pawing at the layer of dirt.
The Flat-mouthed Rat quickly scraped the soil away, revealing the empty hole beneath.
It froze.
Its tiny black eyes were full of confusion.
There had been so many glittering treasures here just yesterday. How had they all vanished overnight?
The Flat-mouthed Rat rummaged through the hole, as if determined to inspect every last grain of dirt.
Its nose twitched continuously, trying to catch the scent of gold.
After searching for a full ten minutes, it found nothing.
The Flat-mouthed Rat sat dejectedly at the edge of the hole, looking utterly miserable.
It scratched its head with a tiny paw and let out a few disappointed squeaks.
"Ha! How do you like that?"
Charlie laughed to himself.
But he didn't act rashly. He kept watching.
The Flat-mouthed Rat circled the spot several times. Once it confirmed there was truly nothing left, it could only leave in disappointment.
It slipped back into the bushes and ran deeper into the Forbidden Forest.
Charlie immediately followed.
"That rat can't be hiding much gold on itself."
Charlie analyzed the situation as he tracked it.
With a body that size, the Flat-mouthed Rat could take only a few small gold pieces at most. The bulk of it had to be back in its nest.
"I'll get every last bit. Not a single gram is getting away."
Charlie narrowed his eyes.
The Flat-mouthed Rat ran ahead, with Charlie quietly following behind.
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