Hogwarts: This holy light is righteously evil

Chapter 113 Someone has trespassed into the Forbidden Forest!

Seeing the twins' blank expressions, Puni coughed helplessly: "Besides, Hagrid specifically reminded me that I absolutely cannot touch anything in the Forbidden Forest, especially those glowing creatures and plants, most of which have poisonous or dangerous magical properties. Moreover, I want to keep my house points, and I don't want to get caught by the professor and have my Ravenclaw points deducted because I helped you pick these illegal mushrooms."

After saying that, Puni gently freed himself from the twins' grip on his arms, cleverly circled around to their side, and continued walking toward the oak gate of the castle without stopping, showing no sign of being moved by their suggestion or stopping for the slightest.

Watching Puni's resolute departure, the twins immediately let out exaggerated sighs of disappointment and frustration. Their voices were so loud that they attracted the attention of several students passing by. However, their disappointment did not last long. Soon, they were drawn to the attention of a passing lower-grade student. They immediately stopped sighing, put on enthusiastic and sly smiles, surrounded the student, and began to enthusiastically promote their other new products, as if the rejection had never happened.

Puni didn't look back. He walked out of the oak gates of Hogwarts Castle. As soon as he stepped out, the warm sunlight shone down on him without reservation, dispelling the coolness inside the castle. The fresh air, mixed with the fragrance of grass and the smell of earth, rushed towards him, making him feel refreshed instantly. The fatigue from staying up all night in the Maze Chamber for days also dissipated.

He slowed his pace and walked slowly down the gentle slope outside the castle toward Hagrid's lonely little house. The house was located on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, surrounded by weeds and unknown wildflowers. From a distance, it looked particularly simple, yet it exuded a sense of warmth. Before he even reached the door of the house, Hagrid's big dog, Tooth, had already smelled Puni's scent and immediately ran out from the doorway, barking excitedly around his feet, wagging its tail from side to side, and gently rubbing its head against his trouser leg, showing great affection.

"Puni, you've finally arrived?" A loud voice came from inside the house, and then Hagrid's tall and burly figure appeared at the door of the hut. He was wearing a coarse cloth apron with many pockets, which were bulging and filled with unknown contents. In his hand, he was holding a huge copper pot with some green liquid on it, obviously preparing to feed some kind of magical creature and hadn't had time to clean it up yet.

Hagrid waved to Puni with a smile and said eagerly, "What a coincidence! You've come at the perfect time. Come quickly and help me take a look. It's not Buckbeak, it's another hippogriff I've been taking care of. It's been shedding a lot lately, and I've given it some new feather oil, but I don't know how effective it is. Can you take a look and see if its feathers have improved?"

Puni nodded and followed Hagrid toward the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid carried his signature pink umbrella, with a cloth bag full of feed hanging from the handle. As they walked, he described the habits of the hippogriff to Puni in a loud voice. His rapid speech and loud voice startled several birds in the forest, who flapped their wings and flew up from the branches toward the depths of the Forbidden Forest.

The deeper you go into the forbidden forest, the more dappled and sparse the surrounding light becomes. The tall ancient trees block out the sun, and sunlight can only filter through the gaps in the leaves, casting scattered spots of light on the ground and forming irregular shadows. The air also gradually becomes cooler, carrying the unique earthy smell of the forbidden forest, the smell of decaying plants, and a faint fragrance of grass and trees, all mixed together to create a unique atmosphere.

Puni really liked this feeling. Although the Forbidden Forest was full of dangers and unknowns, it was also full of life. The tranquility where danger and life were intertwined made his nerves gradually relax.

The two had walked for a short while when they stopped in a clearing overgrown with weeds. Before them stood several ancient trees that looked sickly, their branches withered and their leaves devoid of their former green, appearing lifeless. Hagrid immediately wiped the smile off his face and gestured for Puni to be quiet, gruffly telling him to keep his voice down so as not to disturb the little creature in the tree hollow.

Then, Hagrid slowly walked to one of the ancient trees, and said in an extremely gentle voice to the entrance of the tree hole, "Alright, little ones, don't be afraid, it's Puni and me, we've come to see you."

After saying that, he turned around, lowered his voice, and explained softly to Puni, "Your eyesight is better than mine. Help me check if the nest in that tree hole on the left is still intact. The weather has been fluctuating between hot and cold lately, and I'm worried that the nest might be damaged by the wind and the little ones might catch a cold."

Puni slowed his pace, held his breath, and cautiously approached the sickly ancient tree, afraid that any large movements would disturb the little creature inside the tree hole. Several withered vines hung from the entrance of the tree hole, tangled together in a mess, obscuring the view inside. He stretched out his fingers and gently parted the drooping vines, avoiding the thorns on them with his fingertips. Then he bent down slightly, squinted his eyes, and carefully examined the situation inside the tree hole.

The tree hole wasn't very deep, and the nest inside was very ingeniously built. It was clear that it had been carefully maintained, with layers of slender twigs, soft grass leaves, and tiny feathers lining it. Although it had been raining frequently recently and the nest was a bit damp from the rain, with some mud stains on the edges, the overall structure remained stable and showed no signs of collapse, providing enough shelter for the little creature inside.

Deep within the nest, two slender, withered tree trunks huddled together, seeking warmth. Their small bodies trembled slightly, clearly chilled by the recent days of cold weather. Their wary little eyes gleamed faintly in the dim tree hole, fixed on Puni at the entrance. Their thin branches were taut and straight, ready to defend themselves at any moment, displaying a mixture of timidity and stubbornness.

After confirming that the Bowtruckles were unharmed, Puni slowly straightened up, turned around and reported to Hagrid: "Hagrid, they're fine, all good. The nest is very sturdy, just a little damp from the rain, but it won't affect their habitat."

Hearing Puni's words, Hagrid's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, instantly settled. His massive chest heaved noticeably as he let out a long sigh of relief, and a憨厚 (honest and simple) smile instantly spread across his face: "That's wonderful! I knew these little guys were tough; they'd definitely make it through these cold and gloomy days!"

In his excitement, he couldn't help but raise his huge hand and pat Puni's back hard. The force was so great that Puni felt a sudden weight on his back, lost his balance, stumbled forward a few steps, and almost fell headfirst into the thick pile of fallen leaves next to him.

"Be careful, Hagrid!" Puni quickly steadied himself and said helplessly.

Hagrid realized he had used too much force and quickly reached out to steady Puni's arm, his face full of apology as he repeatedly said, "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Puni, I was so happy that I didn't control my strength. Did I hurt you?"

While apologizing, he gently rubbed Puni's back. After apologizing, Hagrid didn't linger. He reached into his heavy mole-skin coat, pulled it open, and rummaged through the large inner pocket. Soon, he pulled out a jumble of odds and ends and spread them out on the grass in front of him. There were several feathers of different colors and thicknesses, clearly belonging to different kinds of magical creatures; a piece of rock crust with remnants of fragments, its edges hardened; some small, unidentifiable metal parts; a small clump of soft, fluffy hemp fibers that felt very dry; several pieces of fabric of different colors, still relatively soft; and even a crumpled old newspaper with yellowed edges and illegible writing.

Hagrid carefully picked up the dried materials, afraid of damaging anything, and then slowly walked to the tree hollow. He gently stuffed the materials into the hollow, his movements as tender as if he were handling fragile treasures: "Sigh, the weather has been so cold lately, and it's been raining so much. These little guys must be freezing."

As he stuffed materials into the tree hollow, he muttered to himself, "There aren't any dry leaves or hay nearby, so I'll have to make do with these things for now. It's better than letting them lie in a damp nest; at least it'll keep them from getting damp and keep them a bit warmer."

As he spoke, he gently smoothed out the material in the tree hole with his fingers, making sure that every spot was evenly padded so that the tree protector could lie comfortably on it.

"These little guys have been hiding here ever since they were driven out of their original habitat, all alone and helpless." Hagrid's expression softened with pity. "After a while, when the weather warms up and there's less rain, I'll find them a safer and drier new home so they can live peacefully."

After saying that, he picked up the vines he had just parted and carefully covered the tree hole again, leaving only a small gap to ensure ventilation and to protect the shrubs from wind and rain, preventing them from being disturbed again.

After Hagrid finished taking care of things, Puni took out a book from his pocket, gently opened it, and took out his quill pen and ink bottle. While his memory was still clear, he carefully described the appearance of the two Bowtruckles. Their slender, withered bodies, their wary little eyes, and the fine twig-like textures on their bodies were all described in great detail. At the same time, he also recorded the Bowtruckles' habitat, physical characteristics, and the behavioral habits he had just observed on the pages of the book.

While Puni was taking notes, Hagrid sat on a rock nearby, rambling on about the various things he had encountered in the Forbidden Forest during this time. He talked about the newly discovered magical creature's nest, the unusual noises that appeared deep in the Forbidden Forest, and the troubles he encountered while taking care of other magical creatures. He was sometimes excited and sometimes regretful, talking non-stop without any intention of stopping.

For Puni, having Hagrid, his half-giant friend, by his side made even venturing into the Forbidden Forest, full of unknowns and dangers, feel like exploring his own backyard. After all, Hagrid had worked in the Forbidden Forest for many years and was familiar with everything there.

As for the ban issued by Headmaster Dumbledore prohibiting students from venturing into the Forbidden Forest without permission, Puni didn't care much. Rules are rules, but people are flexible. Besides, Hagrid was with him. With this enthusiastic and powerful half-giant friend by his side, he felt safe and didn't have to worry about encountering insurmountable dangers.

Of course, Puni was not careless at all. He was always cautious and had made full preparations. If he really encountered a danger that was far stronger than himself and that he could not resist, he would naturally follow the principle of "running away is the best option" and would not be reckless. After saying goodbye to the few dead trees that were inhabited by the hunchbacks, the two continued to walk into the depths of the forbidden forest, the fallen leaves under their feet rustling.

After walking a few steps, Hagrid brought up the matter of the hippogriffs again, his voice filled with worry and anticipation: "During this time, Buckbeak and his pack have started migrating deeper into the Forbidden Forest, no longer staying in their previous habitats."

His deep, booming voice pierced the tranquility of the forest, instantly breaking the surrounding peace. Hagrid slowed his pace, turned to Puni, and solemnly added, "Buckbeak and the others have been active further into the forest lately. We'll have to walk a bit further to reach their new territory. There was a little trouble in their group recently, and I've been worried about it. This trip is a good opportunity to take you there and let them get to know you. After that, you'll be able to freely enter and leave their territory when you go into the Forbidden Forest without worrying about being attacked."

The deeper they ventured into the Forbidden Forest, the taller and more towering the trees became. Their thick trunks stretched straight towards the sky, their branches and leaves intertwining to form a dense green canopy that almost completely obscured the sky. The already dappled light became even darker, with only a few scattered rays of sunlight struggling to penetrate the gaps in the foliage, casting shimmering, fragmented spots of light on the ground. The path that had been relatively clear underfoot gradually became blurred and indistinguishable, with tangled vines and piles of dead branches and leaves everywhere. If Hagrid hadn't worked in the Forbidden Forest for years and knew every path like the back of his hand, the two of them would have been unable to continue.

The surroundings were eerily quiet. The birdsong from the forest was gone, as were the sounds of magical creatures. The only sounds were the rustling of the two of them walking on the thick layer of fallen leaves, echoing clearly through the woods. The occasional, indistinct bird calls from afar were fleeting and only made the forest seem more desolate. Tooth was also quieter than before, keeping its head down and occasionally sniffing the ground, its steps closely following Hagrid's.

This state lasted for about fifteen minutes. Just when Puni thought they would have to walk for a long time, Hagrid suddenly let out a low "Eh," abruptly stopping in his tracks. His massive body almost completely blocked Puni's view, and even the air currents seemed to stand still.

Hagrid slowly turned around, his once-honest face now devoid of any smile. His voice was extremely low, filled with obvious vigilance and unease. He tilted his head slightly, listening carefully to the sounds around him, his brows furrowed tightly: "Something's wrong, very wrong. Normally, by the time I got to this spot, I should have heard Buckbeak and the others flapping their wings and calling to each other, but now, there's not a sound at all. It's eerily quiet."

Puni followed Hagrid's gaze, peeking out from his broad side and looking ahead. In the distance, he saw a clearing surrounded by tall, ancient trees. A few weak rays of sunlight barely penetrated the dense foliage, illuminating a small area of ​​the clearing. Scattered feathers and traces of various magical creatures could be clearly seen on the clearing: messy hoofprints and downy feathers left from grooming. This was clearly the new habitat of the hippogriffs. However, the clearing was empty; not a single hippogriff was in sight. Only the wind whistling through the treetops added a low, mournful sound, making the scene even more eerie.

"Buckbeak! Come out, boy! It's me, Hagrid!" Hagrid took a deep breath and shouted loudly toward the clearing, his voice filled with urgency and reassurance. But only his own voice echoed through the forest, forming a hollow echo that gradually dissipated into the silent woods, without any response from the hippogriffs.

An inexplicable unease instantly spread between the two. Tooth, who had been following Hagrid, stopped sniffing and clung tightly to Hagrid's trouser leg, his body trembling slightly, a low whimper escaping his throat, his eyes filled with fear, clearly sensing the abnormality around him.

Hagrid's brow furrowed even more, and his expression grew serious. He turned his head and gestured for Puni to be quiet, then lowered his voice and said, "We have to go check this out. We can't just stand here like this. Buckbeak and the others might be in trouble."

After saying that, he took the lead and carefully walked towards the open space, signaling Puni to follow closely behind him.

The two slowed their pace and cautiously stepped into the open woodland. After only two steps, Puni immediately sensed something was wrong. Large patches of bushes at the edge of the clearing showed signs of being violently trampled and broken, with branches lying haphazardly on the ground, some even uprooted. These were not traces left by the hippogriff leisurely foraging; instead, they exuded an aura of intense struggle and pursuit, clearly indicating that a fight had taken place here.

"Hagrid, look here." Puni stopped and bent down to point to a mark on the ground. On the damp soil, there were several very clear and deep footprints, with regular shapes. They were obviously not the hoofprints of a hippogriff, but rather looked more like human shoe prints. However, these shoe prints were larger than those of an ordinary person, and they were also more deeply embedded in the soil. It could be seen that the person who left the footprints was very strong and heavy.

What alarmed the two even more was that, scattered beside these footprints were several shimmering silver feathers, each one exceptionally large and hard, with a faint sheen at the edges. Puni recognized them at a glance as the feathers unique to the hippogriff. At the base of one of the feathers, there was a dark red mark, hardened and solidified. Upon closer inspection, it was dried blood, a shocking sight.

Hagrid's face turned deathly pale instantly, his once rosy cheeks losing all color. He abruptly squatted down and, with his thick, broad fingers, gently picked up the bloodstained feather. His fingertips trembled slightly uncontrollably, and his eyes were filled with disbelief.

"Merlin's beard—" Hagrid muttered to himself, his voice hoarse, filled with barely suppressed anger and deep worry. "These feathers didn't fall off naturally. Look at the marks here; they were forcibly ripped off! And these footprints—the size and style are wrong. They definitely weren't left by anyone from Hogwarts. No one in the school has such a muscular build, nor would they wear shoes like these!"

Puni's heart sank as well, a sense of foreboding washing over him. He looked around, his gaze sweeping carefully over every corner of the clearing. Soon, he spotted a new trail on the ground not far away: a deep drag mark that stretched from the center of the clearing into the depths of the forest. The weeds on either side of the drag mark were flattened, clearly indicating that something heavy had been forcibly dragged away. Beside the drag mark were several other clear marks, like those left by heavy objects repeatedly rubbing against the ground, further confirming his suspicions.

"Someone has trespassed into the Forbidden Forest." Hagrid stood up abruptly, his chest heaving, his breathing rapid, his eyes burning with rage, his voice urgent. "They attacked Buckbeak and the others! Judging from these marks, they've likely captured one or two of the hippogriffs! Buckbeak—could something have happened to it too?"

Hagrid was filled with worry and couldn't calm down. He turned sharply to Puni, his voice urgent and resolute: "I have to find them! They're definitely in danger. We can follow these drag marks and footprints. Yes, follow these tracks, and we'll find them!"

The tranquility and peace of the forest were completely shattered by this sudden disturbance. The sunlight still filtered through the branches and leaves, falling on the ground, but it no longer had the warmth it once had. Instead, it appeared cold and glaring, carrying an invisible threat. This forbidden forest, which Puni had considered full of vitality and security, now seemed strange and dangerous. Every shadow seemed to hide an unknown crisis.

Puni looked at Hagrid's anxious and worried face, then at the shocking marks on the ground, and frowned.