Hogwarts: This holy light is righteously evil

Chapter 115: Was Professor Cass the intruder who attacked the Hippogriff, or the victim of the attack by the Octopod Spider?

"Puni?" Dumbledore turned slowly at the sound, a gentle smile on his face. A flicker of surprise crossed his blue eyes behind his half-moon spectacles, as if he hadn't expected Puni to come so hastily. But this surprise was quickly replaced by concern. "What happened? Did you run into trouble in the Forbidden Forest?"

"Professor! Something's happened!" Penny strode up to Dumbledore and recounted his and Hagrid's discoveries in the Forbidden Forest in detail. From the attack on the hippogriff habitat and the discovery of strange traces, to their encounter with Ronan the centaur and learning that the hippogriffs had been attacked by the giant spiders and had retreated, to Ronan's warning that the giant spiders were behaving strangely and were extremely aggressive, and finally, he emphasized the unusual behavior of the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Oren Cass, who had been frequently venturing into the edge of the Forbidden Forest recently.

Dumbledore slowly walked to the desk, sat upright in the chair, placed his hands folded under his chin, closed his eyes, and listened quietly to Penny's story without interrupting him. His originally relaxed and gentle expression gradually became serious as Penny narrated, his brows furrowed little by little, his face became more solemn, and his aura became calm and serious.

When Penny mentioned Professor Oren Cass's name and the details of his frequent visits to the Forbidden Forest, Dumbledore's closed eyes twitched, and the seriousness on his face deepened. At the same time, his fingers, which were resting on the table, began to tap unconsciously, showing that he was seriously considering the hidden story behind the matter.

After Penny finished speaking, a brief silence fell over the headmaster's office. After a long while, Dumbledore slowly opened his eyes, his voice low and deliberate, as if he were thinking about something important: "I understand—so much has happened in the Forbidden Forest."

He paused, then turned his gaze to Puni and asked softly, "By the way, where's Hagrid? He was with you in the Forbidden Forest just now. Where is he now? Why didn't he come with you?"

Upon hearing Hagrid's name, Puni said, "He insists on going back to find Buckbeak. No matter how I try to persuade him, he won't come with me to see you. I can't stop him."

Dumbledore's brow furrowed even more, and he sighed, "That certainly fits Hagrid's character. He's always been like that, always so devoted to the friends and magical creatures he cares about, and his love is always so reckless, even knowing there's danger ahead, he'll rush forward without hesitation."

Puni pressed on with his question: "Professor, there's still something I don't understand. What did Ronan the Centaur mean by 'Aries and Sagittarius' before he left?"

Upon hearing this, Dumbledore paused, raised his hand to stroke his chin, and pondered for a moment before slowly explaining, "Aries and Sagittarius are both fire signs in astrology. In the astrological interpretations of centaurs, these two signs are usually used to suggest partners or friends who walk alongside them. Judging from Ronan's words, it seems that their centaur community is also trying to establish some kind of connection with us wizards, perhaps to join forces to deal with the impending darkness."

Puni nodded thoughtfully, having made some initial guesses about the centaurs' intentions—they didn't just want to mind their own business; perhaps they had also noticed the unusual situation in the Forbidden Forest and wanted to cooperate with the wizards to protect the peace of the Forbidden Forest together.

At that moment, Dumbledore no longer hesitated. He slowly raised his wand and waved it. A soft yet powerful silver light shot out from the tip of the wand and slowly condensed in the air, eventually transforming into a silver, phoenix-shaped guardian spirit. This silver phoenix spread its wings and exuded a tranquil yet powerful magical aura, illuminating the entire headmaster's office.

"Go find Professor Sylvanas Kettleburn immediately." Dumbledore's voice traveled through the Patronus. "Tell him there is an emergency in the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid has ventured there alone and is in danger. Tell him to come to the castle gates immediately and meet me. We will go into the Forbidden Forest together to rescue Hagrid."

As soon as the words were spoken, the silver phoenix spread its wings and took flight. With each flap of its wings, a gentle breeze arose, and it swiftly flew out of the principal's office window, transforming into a silver streak of light and disappearing into the distant horizon.

Dumbledore put away his wand and slowly turned to Penny: "Penny, you've done more than enough. You've helped us a lot during this time. Now, I need you to stay safely in the castle and not wander off. Leave the dangers in the Forbidden Forest to us professors."

"But, Professor—" Puni began, not wanting to stay in the castle any longer.

"No buts," Dumbledore interrupted him. "You're only a first-year student right now. You don't have the strength to deal with the dangers in the Forbidden Forest. Venturing deep into it will only cause trouble for us and might even put you in danger."

After saying that, he didn't linger. He quickly turned around and walked towards the spiral staircase, his black robe billowing behind him. His figure quickly disappeared at the top of the stairs.

Puni stood there, looking in the direction Dumbledore had disappeared, and shook his head.

He suddenly thought of Hagrid's cabin.

Hagrid works in the Forbidden Forest year-round and often encounters injured magical creatures. His hut must be stocked with various healing herbs and potions, which might come in handy when rescuing Hagrid or treating the injured hippogriff.

"Then I'll go take a look inside the hut." He turned and ran quickly down another corridor next to the principal's office.

He ran wildly across the long covered bridge, the only way to another entrance to Hogwarts, the railings on both sides of which were covered with lush green vines.

Crossing the covered bridge leads to another entrance to the castle. Hagrid's cottage stands alone on the gentle slope below the entrance. At this moment, the door is closed, and only a few hens are leisurely pacing and playing in the chicken coop next to the cottage, clucking softly.

Puni ran to the door of the hut, stopped, looked around, and saw no trace of Hagrid hiding the key.

Without wasting any time, he immediately raised his wand and whispered the spell: "Keys, fly!"

Although he didn't know where Hagrid usually hid the key, he could easily solve this little problem with his wand.

The moment the incantation was cast, a key covered in mud and rust flew out from under the doormat and landed steadily in Puni's hand.

Puni gripped the key, immediately inserted it into the lock, turned the key, and with a "click," opened the door to the cabin.

Pushing open the door, the interior of the small house was as messy as ever. The table and chairs were placed crookedly, various odds and ends were scattered on the table, and several bundles of dry grass were piled in the corner. The air was filled with the unique smell of herbs, soil and animal feed.

Puni didn't bother with these things; his goal was clear, and he walked straight toward the room inside the hut where herbs and miscellaneous items were stored.

He remembered Hagrid telling him that the room was where he stored odds and ends and medical supplies, and that he should be able to find herbs and medicines for treating animal wounds there.

Stepping into the storage room, the scene was even more chaotic. A pile of rusty tools, including shovels, axes, and tweezers, was haphazardly stacked by the door. Next to it was a large wooden box with its lid open, containing some worn-out cloth and rope. Several wooden cabinets were placed against the wall, covered in dust. On the other side of the room, bundles of hay were piled up to the brim, taking up almost half the space.

Puni walked quickly to the cabinet, opened the door, and found bottles and jars piled up haphazardly inside. There were glass bottles containing colored liquids and ceramic jars containing powders, most of the labels of which were already blurred and illegible.

He didn't have time to identify them one by one, so he quickly searched through them for things he recognized. His fingers were covered in dust, and he coughed from time to time from the dust that was kicked up. His eyes also became sore.

Persistence pays off. He finally found several bottles of potion in a corner of the cabinet. There was still a small amount of liquid left on the bottles, indicating that some had been used. The side of the bottles had a label from a potion shop, and he could vaguely make out the words "treat external injuries". Then, he found some dried herbs in a wooden box. The leaves were withered, but they still gave off a faint medicinal fragrance. They were the kind of herbs commonly used to treat animal injuries.

In addition, he casually picked up a bundle of bandages lying on the table—bandages that Hagrid had cut from his own old clothes.

Homemade, thick and absorbent, he even took down a thick rope hanging on the wall. He remembered Hagrid saying that this rope contained unicorn hair and was extremely tough, useful for binding things or emergency rescue.

Puni quickly organized the items, stuffed them into a large bag he carried with him, zipped it up, and made sure nothing was left out.

Then he closed the door to the storage room, locked the door to the small house, put the key back under the doormat, and restored everything to its original state.

Having done all this, he didn't linger and turned to run towards the castle gate.

On the other side, Headmaster Dumbledore was walking briskly toward the castle gates alongside Professor Kettleburn, who taught the Magical Creatures class.

Professor Kettleburn was not particularly tall, and his posture was slightly hunched. His left arm and right leg were specially made magical prosthetics—marks left from an "accident" during a magical creature research trip many years ago. However, he was in good spirits, with bright eyes. When talking about the habits of the creatures in the Forbidden Forest, his knowledge was in no way inferior to Hagrid's, and he was even more proficient than Hagrid in the study of some rare creatures.

The two walked quickly, talking in hushed tones as they discussed a rescue plan after entering the forbidden forest, their expressions extremely solemn.

When they arrived at the castle gate, they were surprised to find that Puni was already standing at the door waiting, holding a bulging backpack in his hands.

Before Dumbledore could speak, Penny stepped forward first: "Professor, I found some things in Hagrid's hut that he might need—herbs for treating external injuries and antidotes. I guess these are things he usually uses to treat magical creatures. I've been to the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid several times and am quite familiar with some of the routes, so I might be able to help you find him faster. I promise you, I'll stay with you and won't wander off or cause you any trouble."

Dumbledore stopped and gave Penny a deep look. His blue eyes behind his half-moon spectacles showed no anger, but rather a hint of approval.

"Alright, then stick close to me and don't leave my side for even a moment. No matter what happens, you're not allowed to act on your own. Silvanus, let's go."

Professor Kettleburn nodded, his gaze sweeping over Puni, and patted him on the shoulder to reassure him.

Then, guided by Puni, the three of them quickly made their way into the depths of the Forbidden Forest, following the path he and Hagrid had taken earlier.

Puni walked in front, skillfully avoiding the tangled vines and withered branches with his memory, guiding the two forward. All three remained silent along the way, with only the crisp sound of fallen leaves being crushed underfoot and their rapid breathing.

Before long, they arrived at the location where Puni and Hagrid had encountered Ronan the centaur.

Professor Kettleburn immediately stopped, bent down, and extended his specially made prosthetic leg to carefully examine the drag marks and hoofprints left by the centaur on the ground. His brows furrowed, and he said with some doubt, "Something's not right. There's something wrong with the marks here."

He pointed to the drag marks on the ground with his prosthetic leg and said slowly, "I know the habits of the giant spider very well. They can't drag a creature the size of a hippogriff at all. Look at these drag marks. The marks are neat and the force is even, like the marks left by a human dragging a heavy object. Moreover, most giant spiders drag their prey into the air and bind it with spider silk when they hunt. They would never leave such clear and heavy drag marks on the ground. This is not in line with their hunting habits."

Dumbledore nodded.

Before setting off, he had already sent someone to check Professor Cass's office, only to find it empty; Professor Cass was not at the university.

Combined with Professor Kettleburn's findings, his doubts deepened—there was clearly more to this story than just the giant spider's hunger and madness.

The three did not linger and continued on, following the tracks on the ground.

The deeper you go into the forbidden forest, the dimmer the light becomes. The tall, ancient trees block out the sun, and even the air becomes thick and oppressive, filled with a faint smell of spider silk and decaying vegetation, making it hard to breathe.

Along the way, they saw more signs of fierce fighting. Sticky spider silk hung from broken branches, gleaming eerily. Broken feathers and dried bloodstains were scattered on the ground, along with leaves torn by spider claws. Everywhere exuded a sense of danger.

Just then, a rapid and angry roar suddenly came from ahead. It was Hagrid's voice, full of rage and exhaustion. Immediately afterward, a chilling clicking sound came—the sound of the eight-eyed giant spider's pincers striking each other, sharp and piercing, clearly audible from a great distance.

"Oh no, it's Hagrid!" Dumbledore's expression changed, and he immediately quickened his pace, rushing towards the direction from which the sound came. Professor Kettleburn and Penny followed closely behind, not daring to delay for even a moment.

They struggled through a dense thicket of bushes, and the sight before them sent chills down their spines.

Hagrid was seen leaning against a huge ancient tree, his body swaying, clearly having expended a great deal of energy.

He gripped the iconic pink umbrella with both hands, the tip of his wand constantly emitting light as he barely managed to repel the approaching eight-eyed giant spider.

His clothes were torn to shreds, revealing numerous scratches on his exposed arms and legs, as well as several shallow wounds on his face. The blood that had seeped out had dried, and was stained with some dirt and cobwebs, making him look extremely disheveled.

Around him, six or seven giant eight-eyed spiders, each the size of a carriage, were closing in. Their bodies were covered in hard, black exoskeletons, and their eight compound eyes, gleaming with black light, stared at Hagrid. Thick venom dripped from their mouths, making a sizzling sound as it hit the ground, corroding small pits. Their sharp fangs gleamed coldly, sending chills down one's spine. Every step they took caused the ground to tremble.

What shocked the three even more was that in a small open space not far away, the newly arrived Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Oren Kass, was lying motionless on the ground, his face as pale as paper, his eyes closed, clearly unconscious. His wand had fallen into a pile of fallen leaves beside him, with a faint trace of magical energy still remaining at the tip.

"Hagrid!" Dumbledore roared, his voice booming like a bell, carrying an unassailable majesty that echoed through the forest.

Before he finished speaking, he swiftly waved his wand, and a blazing white light instantly sliced ​​through the air, passing directly in front of the spider swarm before crashing to the ground with a loud "boom," leaving a long, charred trail and filling the air with the smell of burning.

The giant eight-eyed spiders were stunned by the powerful magic and stopped their attack. Their bodies trembled and made an uneasy clicking sound. Their arrogant arrogance was instantly suppressed, and they took a few steps back with fear in their eyes.

Taking advantage of the brief moment, Professor Kettleburn immediately grabbed a handful of pungent yellow powder from his cloth bag and forcefully sprinkled it onto the spider swarm.

The moment the powder hit the ground, a cloud of grayish-white smoke rose up, emanating a strong, pungent insect-repelling odor. Upon smelling the odor, the giant eight-eyed spiders retreated in even greater disgust, huddling together and no longer daring to approach.

Puni seized the opportunity and rushed to Hagrid's side. He cautiously scanned the surrounding spiders. Just then, a slightly smaller eight-eyed giant spider took the opportunity to sneak up from behind the tree and pounce on Hagrid's head.

Puni reacted quickly, immediately drawing his wand and whispering a defensive spell. A faint barrier instantly rose, knocking away the attacking spider, which crashed heavily to the ground with a dull thud.

After defeating the spider, Puni turned to look at Professor Cass, who was lying unconscious on the ground, and carefully examined his condition. He could see that there were several gruesome lacerations on his legs, and the skin around the wounds had turned black, obviously caused by the spider's venom. There was also a clear wound on his head, with blood sliding down his cheek and soaking his collar.

Was Professor Cass the intruder who attacked the Hippogriff, or a victim of the attack by the Octopod?

Why is he unconscious here?

A series of questions swirled in Puni's mind. He immediately turned to Dumbledore and shouted, "Professor, Professor Cass is here. He's injured, and it seems he's been poisoned. He's been unconscious."

Dumbledore strode forward, knelt down, reached out and touched Professor Cass's carotid artery, then examined the wounds on his leg and head, his brow furrowing.

"He's still alive and out of danger, but his condition isn't good," he said in a low voice. "He's been hit by a powerful stun spell, and in addition, there are signs of some kind of dark magic infiltrating his body, and the venom has begun to spread."

As soon as he finished speaking, Dumbledore quickly waved his wand and chanted a complex incantation. Several soft white lights fell on Professor Cass, casting a protective charm and a temporary healing charm to suppress the poison and dark magic in his body and stabilize his condition.