Hagrid's shout did indeed bring that thing out.
But what emerged wasn't a monster, but a flock of round, fluffy Augurey, and a few squirrels carrying acorns.
They perched on the branches, staring at them with their round eyes, showing no fear of people.
Draco tried to communicate with them, and the Augurey tilted its head and chirped twice in response, while the squirrel nodded and squeaked while holding the acorn.
Hermione listened intently and translated for Hagrid: "They say the woods have been strangely cold lately, and they tell us not to rush."
Hagrid was stunned and exclaimed in amazement.
After walking a little further, a small owl with round ears suddenly peeked out from the tree hole, its eyes shining like two black glass beads.
The owl tilted its head and stared at Hermione. Draco chuckled and whispered something to the little owl.
Then the little owl suddenly fluttered over and gently landed on Hermione's shoulder, nuzzling her cheek.
Hermione stood frozen, afraid to move, but a subtle smile crept onto her lips.
Hagrid was walking ahead when he suddenly cried out, "Ouch!"
It turned out that he had tripped over a tree root, and a piece of the Rock Cakes he was carrying fell out of his arms.
As soon as they landed, three or four little Gnome popped out of the bushes, grabbed the cakes, and ran off.
Hagrid, his beard bristling and eyes wide with rage, cried out, "Hey! You little thieves!"
Draco chuckled genuinely, a rare occurrence, and advised Hagrid, "Forget it, they need food more than you do."
Hagrid then gave up.
The little Gnome chattered and hopped as they ran, as if they had gotten a great deal.
This time, Draco and Hermione exchanged a glance, and they both understood.
They started by chattering and mocking, "That big oaf has gone into the Forbidden Forest again!"
Then he winked and made faces, shouting incoherently in Hermione and Draco's direction:
"And they even brought a pair of cute little figures!"
"They were standing very close together!"
"The man protects the woman, and the woman's smile is sweet!"
They look like a couple!
Hermione blushed at the comment and quickly lowered her head, pretending to straighten her sleeves, but her heart was pounding wildly.
Draco was taken aback for a moment, then laughed.
Seeing their strange expressions, Hagrid scratched his head and asked in a loud voice, "Huh? What... what are they saying? It sounds like they're talking about me?"
Draco coughed lightly. "It's nothing."
Hermione quickly chimed in, trying to smooth things over. "They... they just said the Rock Cakes smelled good, thank you... thank you for your kindness."
Draco felt that although the Forbidden Forest was dark and gloomy, there was nothing truly frightening or dangerous about it.
He raised his wand and whispered "Lumos," and a clear light immediately emerged from the tip of the wand, steadily illuminating the path ahead.
But upon seeing this, all three of them felt their hearts sink.
On the withered yellow leaves lay a pool of bright blue blood, so vivid it was almost blinding.
The blood gleamed coldly in the light, clearly the Unicorn Blood.
Hagrid's face instantly tightened, his large hands clenching into fists:
" Unicorn Blood again! What kind of killer is this, knowing it's cursed yet still taking the risk!"
Draco's fingers tightened slightly around his wand, and the slight ease on his face vanished completely.
Knowing the truth, he looked at the glaring bloodstains and felt a chill run up his spine.
"This wasn't done by wild beasts; it was Dark Magic, some desperate, dark thing clinging to life."
Hermione, listening nearby, felt a chill run down her spine. " Unicorn Blood can prolong life, but it also carries the most malevolent curse... This person is reckless; we must be extremely careful!"
The three of them said no more, and moved even more quietly, slowly following the trail of blood.
After walking past an old tree stump covered in moss, I gradually heard the gurgling sound of flowing water, which meant there must be a stream not far away.
Along the winding path, intermittent streaks of silvery-blue blood stretched forward like a cold thread, leading them deeper into the darkness.
Suddenly, Hagrid's expression changed, and he abruptly stretched out his two large hands, grabbing Draco and Hermione.
Before the two could react, he gently lifted them up, took them away from the path, and quickly hid behind a tall, thick oak tree.
He then swiftly drew an arrow from his waist, steadily loaded it into the crossbow, raised it, aimed it at the path, squinted his eyes, and remained fully alert, ready to fire at any moment.
The three people held their breath and listened intently.
All that could be heard was the whooshing sound of leaves gliding across the ground not far away, a sound that resembled a large, heavy cloak dragging across the earth.
Hagrid squinted, staring intently at the dark path, barely daring to breathe.
A few seconds later, the sound faded into the distance and disappeared into the depths of the dense forest.
Hermione and Hagrid breathed a slight sigh of relief, but dared not be careless in the slightest, and walked even more slowly than before.
As we ventured deeper into the Forbidden Forest at night, the wind grew cooler.
Hagrid's oil lamp flickered with a dim yellow light. Just as he turned past an ancient oak tree so thick that it would take two people to hug it, three figures suddenly stood in front of him.
The one leading the way is Firenze.
His upper body was human, with a straight back, clear features, a honey-colored complexion from years of wind and sun exposure, and eyes as blue as a lake on a sunny day.
Its lower body is that of a horse, with a dazzling silver-white coat interspersed with a few strands of pale gold. Its mane is long and smooth, hanging down its neck, making it look both noble and gentle.
Beside him was Ronan, who was more robust and whose horse was reddish-brown.
Standing at the very edge was Bane, who was the most handsome and aloof, but exuded an air of "keep away" from head to toe.
Hagrid slowed his pace and greeted them with a smile, " Firenze, Ronan, Bane, long time no see."
The centaurs didn't respond immediately; their gazes first fell on Draco and Hermione.
Firenze spoke first, "We know about both of you."
Draco also said respectfully to Firenze, "I know you too, Firenze, you're very friendly!"
"You understand the creatures of the forest better than other humans, and you saw the darkness and the dangers of the Forbidden Forest much earlier than they did. You are fully aware of them."
Draco did not back down. "That's precisely why we should come. Unicorns should not become victims of the darkness's continuation."
Upon hearing this, even Hagrid glanced at him discreetly and nodded inwardly.
Hermione stood beside him and gently took his hand.
Firenze remained silent for a moment, his snow-white body glowing faintly in the dim forest. He looked at the three of them and slowly nodded.
"You possess a courage rarely seen in humans, but courage does not guarantee victory. The shadows clinging to the living are more insidious than any monster you have ever encountered."
He raised his hoof and pointed to the deepest darkness in the forest:
"He's right ahead. If you insist on going, be sure to hide yourself well. Once he discovers you, even I can't protect you."
As soon as he finished speaking, the wind in the woods suddenly turned cold.
A chilling aura was slowly drifting in from the depths of darkness.