Unexpected Gains

After the semester started, the professors relaxed their inspections of the library and evening walks, because they had to grade assignments and naturally didn't have time to patrol at night.

That very night, after two weeks of being well-behaved, Kyle grabbed the Marauder's Map and eagerly opened the library doors.

The new bookshelf in the box is finished; it can't stay empty forever, so Kyle plans to fill it with the rest of the semester.

Although this task is a bit challenging, if he sleeps an hour less each day and works a little harder, he should still be able to complete it.

Kyle, wand in hand, effortlessly made his way to the Restricted Section.

This time, however, he didn't take the books from the shelf in the usual order. Instead, he carefully examined the name of each book, only taking out the one he needed and setting it aside.

More than half an hour later, Kyle found a total of three books, all of which were related to the Basilisk.

Fatal Gaze

Medieval Exploration: Ancient Species That Are Gradually Disappearing

How to Make a Rooster Lay Eggs

However, something strange seems to have gotten mixed in with this.

Kyle held the last book, which had a black cover and was almost as thick as a notebook, and wondered how it had gotten into the Restricted Section.

However, Newt and Hagrid will probably love this book, so I might as well copy it down now and give it to them as a Christmas present next year.

Because it had been a long time since he had visited this library at night, and because he had read a lot of books this time, Kyle stayed in the library until dawn before leaving.

In the following days, he returned to the busy state he had been in before the holiday.

Quidditch training has begun again.

Fortunately, Harris's requirements for them were not as strict as those for other teams. Even as the game approached, they still only had regular training three times a week.

In contrast, Gryffindor is a different story. Oliver Wood has gone to extreme lengths to prepare for the upcoming matches, training almost every afternoon.

Even on days of continuous rain following a heavy snowfall, the Kyle can still be seen at the Quidditch Pitch.

Fred and George complained to them more than once that Oliver Wood was turning into a training maniac and didn't care about their lives at all.

Fred also said that if things continued like this, they might all end up in the Hospital Wing before the game even starts.

However, Kyle has reason to suspect that they are putting on a show, after all, the next match is between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor.

Besides Quidditch practice, Kyle would also take some time on weekends to visit Hagrid's Hut.

He discovered that ever since Hagrid began paying attention to the Fantastic Beasts in the Forbidden Forest, his cabin had been filled with all sorts of surprises.

"Here you go, Kyle, Unicorn tail hair."

Inside the room, Hagrid poured Kyle a cup of tea and gave him a small bag. "I remembered you liked these things, so I collected some for you. They all fell off naturally."

Kyle took the bag, opened it, and glanced inside... There were a dozen long, silver hairs inside, and they were in perfect condition.

"So many..." Kyle exclaimed in surprise, "Did you pick all of this recently?"

Unicorn don't shed as much as Swallow-tailed Dog, especially their tail hair... If no wizard intervenes, it will take about six months for a single hair to fall out.

I can't believe Hagrid managed to collect so many in just a few weeks. Could there be a Unicorn clan in the Forbidden Forest?

"Most of them were left over from before," Hagrid said casually, placing the copper kettle on the stove. "I originally intended to weave them into cushions, but the color of these tail hairs is too bright, and they wouldn't look good mixed together, so I picked them all out."

"There were originally more, but I couldn't find them. The rest are all here, so I'll give them to you together."

"Okay..." Kyle forced a smile.

I have to say, Hagrid is truly something else. Not only does he use Unicorn Hair to make cushions, but he also complains that the tail hair is too bright. I've learned something new.

"Oh, right, Kyle..."

At this moment, Hagrid suddenly said somewhat awkwardly, "How's the spider tonic I asked you for...?"

Of course, I didn't mean to rush you, I was just curious... yes, just curious to ask."

"Almost there." Kyle thought for a moment and said, "I did a test on Lee Jordan's bag spider once, and the results were pretty good."

Next, all you need to do is add the Eight-leaf Flower, but this plant is very rare, and it will take two weeks to arrive from Diagon Alley."

Eight-leaf Flower are a very delicate material, only useful when they are at their freshest, and they have very strict requirements for their growing environment; improper light or temperature can cause them to wither quickly.

Therefore, Potions shops usually don't keep stock in the store; they generally require pre-ordering, and the potions are harvested only when needed.

Of course, it's not cheap either, costing 29 Galleon per plant, and you have to pay in advance, plus no returns are accepted.

Nevertheless, Kyle placed the order without hesitation.

Putting aside the dozen or so Unicorn tail hairs, even compared to the nearly two pints of Acromantula Venom Hagrid gave us before, this is all small change.

"Eight-leaf Flower ..." Hagrid thought for a moment and asked, "Is it the kind of plant that has eight leaves, with a purple center and yellow or red edges?"

"That's right, once they mature, the petals will turn from red to yellow," Kyle said. "Could there be such a plant in the Forbidden Forest?"

"That's right." Hagrid nodded. "I only saw it yesterday when I was patrolling the Forbidden Forest. It's near where the Unicorn live."

"Can you take me there?" Kyle asked expectantly. "I promise I won't run around."

"No!" Hagrid refused without hesitation.

The Unicorn lives deep in the Forbidden Forest, which is too dangerous for him to allow Kyle to go there.

"If you need it, I can bring it to you in a few days," Hagrid said.

"Yes, of course you need to." Kyle nodded repeatedly. "But when you go to collect those Eight-leaf Flower, it's best to dig them up with the soil along with them. The more soil, the better. Also, remember to write me a letter beforehand. I'll be waiting for you here at the cabin."

Hagrid nodded and carefully wrote down Kyle's words.

"You're digging with the dirt in, right? No problem. By the way, do you still need the spider venom... cough cough?"

"What you gave me before was enough," Kyle said, shaking his head.

Although Hagrid himself might not mind, Kyle felt awkward about constantly taking advantage of him.

Furthermore, the venom of the Acromantula is not used frequently; a pint is enough for him until graduation.