Draco casually dropped the pre-prepared excuse:
"Actually, there's no secret. I just rescued it once when I was a child, and we became friends over time. I've just never told anyone about it."
That's it?
Everyone was stunned. They had been expecting a good show, but all they got in return was this bland and unremarkable statement.
Ron was the first to refuse to give up, pressing Draco for more details.
But he clearly underestimated Draco's storytelling ability; no matter how many plot holes he dug, Draco was able to seamlessly close them all.
"Why can't I believe it?" Lavender said, arms crossed, looking doubtful.
"There's nothing I can do if you don't believe me, that's just how it is," Draco said calmly, shrugging. "What other explanation do you want?"
Ron pursed his lips and said:
"I thought you could communicate with all animals! If you really can, you could ask Scabbers for me how it lives so long, whether it has some secret to longevity!"
Draco remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he was secretly amused.
The Scabbers has lived so long is not because of any secret, but simply because it is not an ordinary mouse, but an Animagus that has been hiding for more than ten years.
"There are indeed wizards who can communicate with animals," Draco explained. "For example, Hagrid, who has dealt with Fantastic Beasts for many years, has a natural affinity for them and can probably understand their emotions and simple intentions."
"There are also people who specialize in studying foreign languages, Mermish, centaur languages, and Gobbledegook; once they learn them, they can naturally communicate."
Cho Chang was somewhat surprised. " Hagrid is that powerful?"
Harry suddenly slapped his forehead, as if remembering something important. "Speaking of Hagrid, didn't we almost forget—it's almost time!"
Cho Chang was taken aback. "What time?"
"We've arranged to meet Hagrid at his hut for tea," Harry said.
Cho Chang suddenly realized what was going on and quickly stood up. "Oh, I see. Then we won't disturb you any longer."
As Cho Chang and her friends got up to leave, many students who had gathered around out of curiosity followed suit.
They all wanted to hear more inside information from Cho Chang, and the library was soon mostly empty.
Madam Pince, clutching the account book, peeked out from behind the bookshelf, frowning. Looking at the once bustling reading area, now mostly empty, she muttered in bewilderment:
"Why are you walking so fast... You were all huddled together just now. Is the homework neither particularly difficult nor particularly easy? What a strange bunch of kids."
She then reverted to her serious and rigid demeanor and continued to patrol the library to maintain discipline.
Lavender looked at Ron and asked curiously, "When did you guys make plans with Hagrid?"
"At breakfast today," Ron replied, "Would you like to come along?"
Lavender shook his head. "No, I have other plans with Parvati." Parvati nodded in agreement.
After Lavender and Parvati left, Harry turned to Draco and said, " Hagrid said it's fine, we can bring as many people as we want."
Draco smiled and stood up. "Let's go then."
The group of six— Draco, Hermione, Ron, Harry, Neville, and Olivia —walked out of the castle's main gate and headed down the path toward Hagrid's Hut.
The cabin was on the right side of the road, next to a large, dark and dense forest, a Forbidden Forest that Hogwarts strictly forbids students from entering without permission.
As Ron walked, he wondered, "Students are Forbidden Forest not allowed in the Forbidden Forest, so why are they punished by being sent there when they make mistakes? Aren't they afraid they'll encounter danger?"
Hermione paused slightly, a ripple of emotion stirring within her. So the rules of punishment in the Forbidden Forest really were like that; Draco was absolutely right when he said it that noon.
What Draco brought up was that they were being sent to the Forbidden Forest for punishment; it must have been...
Hermione glanced at Harry.
After listening to Ron's words, Olivia gave the most reasonable guess:
"Perhaps there are dangerous and terrifying creatures inside, which would create a deterrent effect and prevent students from easily violating school rules."
"Secondly, Hagrid should always be present during punishments; at most, the students will be frightened, but their lives will not be in real danger."
Ron suddenly realized, "That makes sense! So, for students who make mistakes, it's actually like a hands-on learning experience?"
"Practice makes no difference," Draco ruthlessly shattered his fantasy. "Inside are enormous Acromantula, and under their command thousands upon thousands of smaller spiders, densely packed, capable of encircling a person in an instant."
Ron shrank back, his face paling slightly, and instinctively took a half-step back. "Then I'd better behave myself and not make any mistakes."
Olivia couldn't help but laugh, "What, Ron, are you afraid of spiders?"
"Of course I'm scared!" Ron said with a bitter expression. "It's all those two bastards, George and Fred,' who used to scare me with spiders when I was a kid. They left me with a deep-seated trauma."
"Spiders aren't actually that scary." Olivia tilted her head. "I've hardly ever heard of anyone at Hogwarts being injured by spiders."
"You don't understand my pain!" Ron wailed, "It's a wound deep in my soul!"
Hermione chuckled at his earnestness and muttered under her breath, "He's got quite the eloquence."
Suddenly, Neville pointed ahead and whispered, "That's... the Whomping Willow, isn't it?"
The crowd looked in the direction he pointed and saw a strangely shaped willow tree standing by the roadside.
The trunk is unusually thick, and the branches are twisted and gnarled.
It lacks the gentle beauty of ordinary willow trees; instead, it resembles a Giant with a messy topknot, exuding an aura of arrogance and irritability.
Even those branches that seem to sway gently in the breeze conceal a sharp edge that could suddenly spring up and injure someone at any moment.
Hermione stepped forward and added seriously, " The Whomping Willow is an extremely rare and dangerous magical plant."
According to the " Illustrated Guide to Magical Plants," it is exceptionally sensitive to vibrations and will attack any creature that enters its territory with ferocity, its attack power sufficient to severely injure an adult wizard.
We'd better stay away from it.
Even without Hermione's reminder, the others had already subconsciously avoided the area by a considerable distance.
We treaded much lighter, afraid of disturbing this ill-tempered tree.
Ron shrank back and muttered under his breath, "It looks like a complete madman."
Harry wholeheartedly agreed, saying, "No need to look, it is."
The group quickly passed through the area where the Whomping Willow was located, not daring to linger. Not far ahead, they saw Hagrid's Hut.
It was a small, single-room log cabin built from rough logs and stones.
Compared to the magnificent Hogwarts Castle, it appears exceptionally small and simple.
But for Hagrid, who lives alone, the space is more than enough.