Infinite Horror: The Strongest Zhongzhou Team

"Didn't you wake us up last night with Professor McGonagall? We didn't sleep well afterwards, so we were late for the first class."

Harry Potter nodded: "Yes, we're late."

Upon hearing this, Malfoy immediately shut his mouth and said no more.

They were afraid that the three of them would find an excuse to attack under the cover of darkness.

Once you're far from the castle, and there's no light, darkness arrives as expected.

Outside the stone hut.

The four people who had just met here yesterday were now experiencing different feelings.

Harry and his two companions were afraid that Malfoy might remember something.

Meanwhile, Malfoy was also wondering why he was seeing things.

"Four little ones, get ready. You'll be with Hagrid tonight. He has some business to attend to in the Forbidden Forest."

"I think you will have a pleasant experience."

After Mr. Felzi finished speaking, he knocked on the door.

Bang bang bang!
"Hagrid, the rascals have been delivered."

After a while, Hagrid, who looked completely silent and whose face practically screamed displeasure, came out.

Seeing this, Ferzi couldn't help but say:

"Still worried about your dragon?"

"In my opinion, it's better to give it to them."

"The British Ministry of Magic does not allow private individuals to breed dragons,"

As Hagrid packed his things to take into the Forbidden Forest, he said, "No, Filch, you don't understand. I'm its mother."

"And it was just born."

Upon hearing these somewhat strange and ambiguous words, Felzi's face showed a helpless expression.

"Come on, Hagrid, pull yourself together. You're about to enter the Forbidden Forest, you'd better keep your head up."

"And we also have to take care of these four little ones."

Malfoy, who was behind him, couldn't hold back any longer when he heard this: "So we're really going into the Forbidden Forest?"

"I always thought you were joking. We're freshmen, first-year students. We can't go in; we're not allowed!"

"And what's more, there are werewolves in here!"

Upon hearing the shout, Ferzi slowly turned around, his entire body blocking out the moonlight, casting a shadow over Malfoy.

His expression was serious and intimidating: "I never joke, and I'm certain that there are more than just werewolves in that forest."

"Goodnight, you four little ones. Hagrid and the others are in your care now."

After saying that, Mr. Felzi turned around immediately.

Hagrid handed the two oil lamps in the room to the four bewildered little ones:

"Alright, I think you're all mentally prepared now. Let's go!"

"Actually, there's nothing I need to bring."

Hagrid's stone hut marks the boundary of the Forbidden Forest.

So the five of them hadn't walked more than a few steps before they entered the outermost edge of the forest.

As you go deeper, the most obvious change is that the diameters of the surrounding trees become thicker and larger.
Even some of the fallen tree trunks were taller than the four of them.

The towering ancient trees block out the sun, with beech, oak and yew trees intertwining to form an impenetrable dome.

The silvery moonlight could only filter through the gaps, casting dappled shadows.

On the ground, thick fallen leaves and soft moss lay beneath their feet, and as the four continued to move forward, they gradually felt a special presence enveloping them.

It was a subtle, almost imperceptible gaze and a feeling of being noticed.

If Hagrid knew, he would definitely laugh and say that it was just that the Forbidden Forest was too damp at night.

However, the four first-year students believed that the Forbidden Forest should be like this: terrifying and mysterious.

However, they found some solace in the fact that...

Fortunately, Hagrid was there to lead the way, so the four of them only needed to follow closely.

This figure, which would normally seem a bit odd, actually provides a sense of security in this perilous and dark forbidden forest.

"So, what exactly is Hagrid doing in the Forbidden Forest so late at night?"

"It can't just be a simple punishment for the four of us, right?"

Harry couldn't help but ask.

Hagrid answered from the front: "Of course not because of you, it's actually because of the unicorns."

“Two days ago, while I was on my routine patrol, Ara’s children told me that a unicorn had disappeared.”

"That's why we need to come now."

Harry asked in confusion, "Um, why now? Wouldn't it be better during the day? The Forbidden Forest is a bit scary at night."

Hermione chimed in, "Harry, unicorns only come out at night."

Ron then leaned close to Hermione and whispered:

"I'm more curious about who Allah is, and whether he has children?"

"Could it be that someone is living inside the Forbidden Forest?"

Hermione, recalling the knowledge of the Forbidden Forest she had read about in the book, said with a strange expression, "I advise you not to try to find out about this."

"Also, stick close to Hagrid in a bit."

Just as Hermione finished speaking, Ron and Malfoy on the right suddenly saw something moving in their line of sight.

One hugged Harry directly, while the other hugged Hermione.

Hermione blushed as she looked at Ron, who suddenly hugged her, but her face quickly darkened again.

"Let go. Next time, please make sure you see clearly that it's a thorn tree, so don't shout like that."

Ron looked over and saw a tree root, like a beast's claw, emerge from the soil and pull a dead rat from the ground into the soil, where it began to wriggle and digest.

It was calm again in no time, or at least there was no trace of it.

Hagrid looked behind him and said:

"Hermione is right. This is a thorn tree, one of the most common plants in the Forbidden Forest. It only poses a threat to dead creatures and is the best scavenger in the Forbidden Forest."

"And this, you'd better stay away from it. This is dragon claw vine, one of the most dangerous plants, much more dangerous than the thorn tree."

Hagrid pointed to a large tree a dozen meters away, covered with countless vines, and said.

But upon hearing Hagrid's words, Malfoy, Harry, and Ron simply nodded blankly.

Only Hermione's eyes lit up, her face full of surprise:

"This is the Dragon Claw Vine? It's said that the sap on its vines can even corrode and melt dragon bones?"

Hagrid nodded:

"It's not a legend, it's true, so please stay away from him. Okay, let's move on, everyone."

The light from the three lanterns enveloped five figures—one large and four small—as they moved slowly through the dark Forbidden Forest.

The chirping of unknown birds, the roars of monsters, and even the crawling sounds of inexplicable insects all reached the ears of the four little ones.

On this stretch of road where they couldn't see ahead or behind, Harry and the others were all thinking, "Something's about to happen!"

Walking in the dark, coupled with the faint sounds around me, was truly a form of mental torture.

It was only at this moment that Hermione, the most intelligent of them all, finally understood why Professor McGonagall had punished them by sending them here.

After returning home, Hermione decided not to go out at night for a while, because it was just too scary.

It's easy to tell from the expressions of the four that they basically share the same thoughts as Hermione.

That's when.

Hagrid, who was walking ahead, suddenly twitched his nose; he must have smelled something.
Without warning, the giant turned around, walked to a broken tree trunk, and squatted down.

Harry saw Hagrid reach out and touch the ground.

Then a special presence reflecting moonlight appeared from Hagrid's fingertip.

"What kind of Hagrid is this?"

Upon seeing this, the four little ones instinctively moved closer.

All that could be seen was a small, palm-sized pit containing a pool of smooth, silvery-white liquid.

This liquid clearly showed no ripples.

But to the naked eye, the silvery-white surface was inexplicably flashing with light, attracting the attention of the four people.

Hagrid said with a heavy expression:
"This is why we came to the Forbidden Forest." "See that? This liquid is unicorn blood."

Upon hearing Hagrid's words, Ron, Hermione, and Malfoy all looked incredulous.

Hagrid continued:

"Actually, a few weeks ago, I discovered that a unicorn had suddenly died in the Forbidden Forest, and now it seems that it has reappeared."

"However, this one is probably not dead yet; it may have been seriously injured."

"So our next task is to find this poor little guy."

“Me, Ron, and Hermione, the three of us.”

Ron nodded quickly: "Okay, Hagrid."

"Harry, Malfoy, you two form a group."

After Hagrid finished speaking, he turned to leave, since he thought the unicorn should be seriously injured.

"Uh, wait! Wait a minute!"

"Hagrid, are you sure we need to split into teams with this many people?"

"And I'm on Harry's team?"

Malfoy raised his voice, pointing at himself and Harry with an incredulous expression, and even gesturing to show their heights.

Hagrid stood up and looked around: "Don't worry, the entire Forbidden Forest belongs to Hogwarts School of Management."

"There will absolutely be no problem."

In the end, Hagrid's earnest nod earned the approval of the four first-year students.

Harry and Malfoy also believed Hagrid's lies.

"Once you find a unicorn, just tell Ala to find me."

The two exchanged a glance, then looked at the dark forest and nodded nervously.

Malfoy quickly replied, "I could, but I want Tooth to come along."

Hagrid thought about it and finally agreed.

Harry and Ron were stunned, and asked in confusion, "Wait, who is Toothpaste?"

Are there other people following us?

Harry had barely finished speaking when he heard two barks.

It was at this moment that Harry realized that a large, pure black dog had been following them in the darkness all along.

It was because it was so dark, and because I didn't make a sound, that they didn't notice me.

"He is Ya Ya."

"However, you should know that it is also very timid."

As Hagrid spoke, he pointed towards the direction of Harry and Malfoy with the big dog.

Surprisingly, Ya Ya nodded in a human-like manner and walked behind the two of them.

"Uh, cowardly??"

Harry looked at the large black dog, which was probably taller than him when it stood up, and asked suspiciously.

Hagrid nodded: "Of course, not every one of them is as powerful as Furball."

"Let's go, both of you."

After Hagrid finished speaking, he led Hermione and Ron to the right.

Harry and Malfoy went to the left.

"Hagrid just said that the unicorn is badly injured, so it shouldn't have gone far."

Malfoy carried an oil lamp:

"Ideally, we'll find it soon, then we can go back to sleep, and..."

“I must tell my father when I get back that carrying an oil lamp is a job only servants do.”

"Potter, you actually made me carry your oil lamp!"

Harry Potter became interested: "Servants? Malfoy, you have servants in your household?"

"Of course, we are nobles!"

"They are a noble pure-blooded magic family."

"Oh, if I'm not mistaken, you members of a magical family should be afraid right now, right?"

Malfoy hid behind Harry, his head moving like a radar, glancing left and right.

"How could that be? I was just trying to shield you from some of it."

"This is the Forbidden Forest, Harry. Do you know what the Forbidden Forest means?"

What's in here?

“Werewolves? I remember you mentioning that.”

Malfoy held the oil lamp next to his face and made a face:
"No, they're all sorts of monsters!!!"

"They could eat us up one by one!!!"

As he spoke, Malfoy felt a slippery sensation under his feet, a peculiar feeling that made him panic.

He even thought of his last words.

But because Harry Potter was beside him, he couldn't show any panic.

"Wait, Hagrid just said how to notify him?"

"Let Allah?"

Harry and Malfoy looked at each other and then said the same thing:

"Who exactly is Allah?"

The two turned around and continued walking.

Harry Potter whirled around to the side: "Wait, what's that sound!"

After saying that, Harry rushed off in a certain direction.

Malfoy took off running as soon as he saw Harry, and Toothpaste reacted quickly as well.

Malfoy, seeing Harry and Bass's retreating figures, followed them without much thought.

Malfoy swore he had used all his strength, but even so he was still several steps slower.

Moreover, he felt that he was drifting further and further away from Harry.

They were supposed to be on the left, but now they've changed.

Fortunately, the oil lamp was in his hand, so it still provided some light; otherwise, Malfoy would have been kneeling down and calling him "father" by now.

Because if any monster he knew appeared, Malfoy felt that he and Harry would not see the sun rise tomorrow.

After running for several hundred meters,

Malfoy, supporting himself on his knees, was panting heavily.

Why is Ya Ya not walking anymore?

Harry looked over the short, thick tree trunk in front of him and whispered:

"I think we've found it."

"However, there is one problem."

Upon hearing this, Malfoy picked up his oil lamp and walked over.

When the orange light shone on them, it was too late for Harry to stop it.

"What's the problem? Hmm? What's that?"

"........."

Malfoy felt that his mouth was now somewhat superfluous.

Because his voice was accompanied by the appearance of an orange-yellow light.

Not far away, the dark figure that was lying on the unicorn's body actually raised its head.

The face, obscured by robes, was indistinct in the darkness, but Malfoy knew there must be a pair of eyes within it.

Thinking about this made me shudder.

Harry instinctively covered his head.

Or it could refer to the location of the scar on the forehead.

They couldn't see the face hidden in the black robe. (End of Chapter)