Under the pretext of visiting Charlie along the way, the man quietly took Norbert with him, without making a fuss or attracting the attention of others.
Dumbledore came to the Forbidden Forest. He did not disturb anyone and walked safely through the dimly Forbidden Forest to Hagrid's Hut.
Hagrid had been waiting at the door for a long time, and when he saw that familiar figure appear at the edge of the woods, he panicked.
He quickly stepped forward and said respectfully, " Professor Dumbledore... you... you've come in person..."
He stood there helplessly, unsure of what to do with his hands, both excited and uneasy, like a child who had done something wrong and was afraid of being scolded.
Dumbledore simply smiled gently and patted his thick arm lightly.
"On such an important day, I had to come and see you off. Hagrid, you did nothing wrong, don't worry."
With just one sentence, Hagrid's heart, which had been in suspense all day, finally settled back into place.
Before long, soft footsteps came from the end of the forest path.
Charlie's friend was a sturdy, dark-skinned young man with a distinctively local air about him.
He nodded briefly to Dumbledore, said no more, and looked directly at the little dragon Norbert in Hagrid's arms.
Norbert seemed to sense the impending separation, and quietly nestled in Hagrid's arms, ceasing his frantic struggle.
She simply stared unblinkingly at the Giant was embracing her with her round, orange-red eyes.
There was not a sound in the room during the handover.
Hagrid slowly bent down and carefully, with utmost care, handed Norbert to the young man.
His fingers were large and thick, but his movements were incredibly gentle, as if he were afraid of hurting the little creature who was only one day old at the last moment.
"Once you get there... eat well... and don't bite anyone..."
He murmured instructions to Norbert as if speaking to a child who could understand human speech.
The young man steadily took Norbert and carefully placed it into a wooden box that had been prepared beforehand and enchanted with Disillusionment Charm.
Then he nodded slightly to Dumbledore, turned and stepped into the twilight of the Forbidden Forest.
In a short while, it disappeared into the depths of the tree shadows.
Hagrid remained standing still, without moving an inch.
He didn't cry; he just stared blankly in the direction Norbert had left, his rough face filled with reluctance.
Those big, cheerful eyes were now empty, as if the wind had blown away something most precious to them.
The evening breeze gently blew across the eaves of the cottage, ruffling his disheveled hair and beard.
Dumbledore stood beside him, neither urging nor comforting him, but simply keeping him company, watching the figure that took the little dragon completely disappear into the night.
After a very long time, Hagrid finally sniffed softly, his voice terribly hoarse. "Let's go..."
He slowly turned around and looked at the empty table in the room, where there were still traces of Norbert's brushing.
This time, he neither laughed nor said anything.
But those eyes still gazed into the depths of the Forbidden Forest, as if they could still see that little Norwegian Ridgeback, swaying and waddling like a crumpled black umbrella.
A tender night, followed by farewell.
But that longing will follow Xiaolong all the way to faraway Romania.
After Norbert was sent away, Hagrid resumed his normal work and life.
But the atmosphere in the Forbidden Forest has become increasingly strange lately.
A chilling atmosphere always hangs in the air at night, like ice shards seeping into your bones.
Even the most lively birds dared not sing loudly; only the soft rustling of the wind through the leaves remained on the branches, a stillness that sent shivers down one's spine.
A few days later, Hagrid discovered a heartbreaking tragedy deep in the forest.
The unicorn in the forest met with a terrible fate.
The snow-white creature lay among the ferns, its silvery blood staining the ground.
His breath was as faint as a broken thread, and his vital energy seemed to be sucked away by something.
Hagrid held the poor creature, his eyes red and swollen, his rough hands gently stroking its cold fur, his throat tight with worry.
He dared not delay and immediately reported the matter to the school, and then personally went into the Forbidden Forest to investigate repeatedly.
But the forest was deep and the darkness was too great; he searched every familiar corner but still found nothing.
After much thought, a candidate gradually came to mind.
That child is thoughtful and can communicate with animals. He has a tacit understanding with living beings that others don't have. Perhaps, only he can help with this.
So Hagrid wrote a letter and had an owl deliver it to Draco.
That day, Draco and Hermione were sitting quietly by the window in the library.
Draco had just turned a page of a thick Potions book when a gray owl gently landed on the corner of the table and handed him a letter that smelled of herbs.
He opened it, glanced at it, and paused slightly.
Hermione noticed the change in his expression, gently closed the book, leaned closer, and asked in a soft voice, "What's wrong? Is it Hagrid's letter?"
She moved closer, and a faint fragrance wafted from her hair. Draco's heart skipped a beat, and he looked at Hermione.
"Something's happened in the Forbidden Forest," he whispered. "The unicorn is dead, its blood has been sucked. Hagrid can't find the killer and wants me to ask the creatures of the forest for help."
Hermione paused, a look of worry crossing her eyes. " Unicorn Blood... that means they've been targeted by dark forces."
Draco nodded, making no attempt to hide anything.
Professor Quirrell has been growing weaker lately, his face is as pale as paper, and he walks unsteadily. What's hidden under his headscarf can no longer support his body.
Voldemort feared that Quirrell would die before he could obtain the Philosopher's Stone.
That's why he took the risk of sneaking into the Forbidden Forest to feed on Unicorn Blood to prolong his life, using the dirtiest means to survive.
He told Hermione the whole truth.
Hermione froze after hearing this, her shock followed by a deep sense of unease.
"So that's how it is... Unicorn Blood can prolong life, but it also carries a curse. By doing this, he's only allowing darkness to seep deeper into Professor Quirrell's body."
"We must be careful; if this gets out, it might alert the enemy."
Draco, seeing her calm demeanor, took her hand. "I know, so tonight we'll go into the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid to check things out."
Hermione reached out and grasped his hand in return.
Night quickly enveloped Hogwarts, and the castle fell silent, with only the direction of the Forbidden Forest still shrouded in deep darkness.
Hagrid was already waiting at the back gate of the castle. When Draco and Hermione arrived as promised, he breathed a sigh of relief, picked up an oil lamp, and led the two quietly into the Forbidden Forest.
The Forbidden Forest at night is even more secluded than during the day, with ancient trees reaching for the sky and their intertwined branches completely blocking out the moonlight.
In this situation, only the oil lamp in Hagrid's hand cast a dim, yellowish light.
A gust of wind rustled the leaves, and Hermione instinctively moved closer to Draco.
Draco didn't say anything, but he subtly moved his arm closer to her, almost to shield her to his side.
They had only walked a few steps when the roadside bushes suddenly rustled.
Hagrid immediately raised his umbrella and shouted anxiously, "Who's there!"