The three continued walking for a while, and soon they saw a clear sign:
A giant tree, long dead yet still standing tall, has its roots naturally intertwined with the surrounding rocks, forming a twisted natural archway.
However, the entire archway entrance was completely sealed off by layers upon layers of giant white spider webs.
" Incendio!" Hermione raised her wand, and a burst of fire shot out, causing the spiderwebs to sizzle, quickly curl, char, and turn to ash.
As you walk through the cleared passage, the air becomes humid, and the faint sound of water reaches your ears.
Following the sound, the view of the mountainside gradually became clear in the flickering torchlight.
A waterfall appeared before us.
This is precisely the key landmark mentioned by Jackdaw.
This is not a magnificent waterfall.
Instead, it is a mountain spring, about three or four meters high, that flows continuously from a damp crevice in the rocks.
The water flow was not rapid but steady, flowing clearly into a small pool below, splashing up tiny droplets.
The rock walls behind and on both sides of the waterfall are covered with thick, dark green moss, and long, thin curtains of water hang down from the crevices in the rocks.
"This is it." Jackdaw cradled his head, his voice muffled by the rushing water.
Draco looked around; apart from the waterfall and the pool, there seemed to be no other way. "Which way should we go next?"
"Come with me."
Jackdaw spoke, he drifted toward one side of the waterfall.
The two followed him down a slightly steep slope to a riverbed that had dried up and should have been formed by the erosion of a waterfall.
The riverbed was exposed, revealing smooth stones and silt, indicating that it was the dry season and there was no water flow.
After walking a few steps, a small, shallow puddle appeared ahead, likely formed by rainwater or seepage.
Several fluffy, round little creatures were happily rolling around in the puddle, making soft splashing sounds.
One of them rolled past Hermione's feet.
" Puffskein!" Hermione exclaimed in surprise, recognizing the gentle Magical Creatures.
" Accio!" Hermione raised her hand to receive it, and the creamy yellow pom-pom floated lightly into her hand.
It truly resembles a living ball of yarn, its round body covered in soft, fine, creamy-yellow down.
It feels warm and fluffy to the touch, with an excellent texture.
"Oh, you're so cute, so soft." Hermione couldn't help but gently stroke its fur with her fingers, a delighted smile spreading across her face. "Little one, what are you doing here?"
Puffskein seemed to be enjoying it, making a low, satisfied buzzing sound in her palm, like a small motor.
Looking at her gentle demeanor, Draco asked:
Do you want to raise one?
Hermione was tempted, but before she could answer, Draco smirked and added, "Aren't you afraid it'll crawl onto your pillow in the middle of the night and eat your boogers?"
The image flashed through Hermione's mind instantly, giving her goosebumps. She quickly waved her hand.
"Well... let's forget about it then."
Draco chuckled and pulled a small, exquisite tin box from his pocket. "You can tease him or feed him. I brought some of this." He opened the box; inside were evenly sized wild animal feed pellets that emitted a faint herbal scent.
"You actually carry this with you?" Hermione was somewhat surprised, but more than that, she found it amusing.
She took the small pinch of feed Draco handed her, squatted down, and carefully fed it to the Puffskein in her hand.
The little creature ate happily.
Seeing food, the other Puffskein in the puddle hopped over and circled around Hermione's feet, rubbing against her with their furry bodies and buzzing for food.
Hermione was completely charmed and quickly said, "Yes, yes, don't rush." She hurriedly distributed the feed.
Soon, several well-fed and Puffskein climbed up her robe, with two nestled in her arms and one perched on her shoulder, filling her arms completely.
Jackdaw watched this scene from the side, a somewhat strange smile appearing on the head he was holding.
Given that he was holding his head, the angle of his smile was a bit strange, " Mr. Malfoy, you're really good to your girlfriend, you even keep animal treats on hand."
Hermione's cheeks flushed slightly, a little embarrassed, but she felt genuinely warm inside and didn't deny it.
Draco said with a hint of smugness:
"That's natural. Who in all of Hogwarts doesn't know me Draco Malfoy..."
Before he could finish speaking, Hermione interrupted him, "Alright, alright, let's go, we have important business to attend to."
Hermione carefully picked up the Puffskein from her arms and shoulders one by one, gently placed them on the dry ground, stroked their fur, and said softly, "I'll come see you again next time. Be good, okay?"
The little Puffskein seemed to understand, but they still rubbed against her ankles reluctantly. Jackdaw the way, and they followed behind.
Hermione turned back several times and gently urged them to go back, and the little guys reluctantly stopped where they were.
After passing the waterfall and pool area, the trees became a little thinner, and a wide expanse of water came into view.
This is a medium-sized forest lake located deep in the Forbidden Forest, not the vast Black Lake next to Hogwarts.
The lake is surrounded by dense forests and rugged rock walls, making it dimmer than other parts of the forest.
A thin mist shrouded the lake, and the water was a deep bluish-gray, with most of the surface as calm as a mirror.
Only the edges were rippling slightly in the breeze.
The lake appears to be quite large, with a relatively stable water level. The shoreline is slippery mud, covered with moss-covered stones and fallen dead trees, lacking any regular boundaries.
The shallow water near the shore is clear, and you can see tiny fish swimming around, but the deepest part of the lake is dark and bottomless.
Only when a patch of light falls on the water's surface can one vaguely see the submerged rocks and withered tree branches.
The lake shore is covered with dense ferns, dark green moss, and twining vines, and pebbles of varying sizes are scattered along the shore, some of them half-submerged in the water.
Some large trees have roots that penetrate directly into moist soil and shallow water areas, forming a complex and intertwined network.
"I never imagined such a lake was hidden deep within the Forbidden Forest," Hermione murmured, captivated by the tranquil yet mysterious beauty.
"I discovered this place by chance. I found it quiet and special, so I explored it a bit more," the head of Jackdaw said with a touch of nostalgia.
"Is that the 'bird bath tub' you're talking about?"
Draco, with his sharp eyes, pointed to a shadowy spot near the rock face on the side of the lake and asked.
"Yes, that's it!" Jackdaw affirmed.
The three walked quickly away.
It was a typical Western-style outdoor stone bird bath, weathered by time.
Carved from rough, natural grayish-white stone, its surface is covered with dark green moss and inlaid with tiny ferns.
It is divided into three sections: a short, stout stone base firmly rooted in the soil, a short, thick stone pillar in the middle, and a wide, shallow, disc-shaped water trough at the top.
The original design was to provide water for birds to drink and bathe, hence the name.
"Look over there, that rock wall," Jackdaw gestured for them to look at the rock wall directly opposite the bird bath.
"Simply give the secret command to open the passage."
Draco raised his wand torch high, and in the firelight, he and Hermione carefully examined the stone wall.