Hogwarts: This holy light is righteously evil.

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. There are 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 I'm familiar with some of the routes. Maybe I can help you find him faster. I promise you, I will stay with you and will not wander off or cause you any trouble."

Dumbledore stopped and gave Puni 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, with Puni as their guide, the three of them quickly made their way into the depths of the Forbidden Forest, following the path that he and Hagrid had taken earlier.

Puni walked in front, skillfully avoiding the tangled vines and withered branches by 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. It’s like the marks left by a human dragging a heavy object. Moreover, most giant spiders will 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. Danger lurked everywhere.

Just then, a rapid and angry roar suddenly came from ahead. It was Hagrid's voice, full of rage and exhaustion. Immediately afterward, there was a chilling clicking sound. It was the sound of the eight-eyed giant spider's pincers striking each other, sharp and piercing, and could be clearly heard 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 authority 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. With a "boom," it landed on the ground, leaving a long, charred trail, and the air was filled 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, his eyes scanning the surrounding spiders warily. Just then, a slightly smaller eight-eyed giant spider took the opportunity to sneak up from behind a 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. Upon closer inspection, he could see several gruesome lacerations on his legs, with the skin around the wounds already blackened, clearly from the spider's venom. There was also a noticeable wound on his head, with blood streaming 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 in 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.

Chapter 116 Old Deng doesn't want to change professors every day either!

Seeing Dumbledore and Professor Kettleburn's support, Hagrid's tense nerves finally relaxed. All his strength seemed to have been drained in an instant, and he collapsed onto a nearby tree root, panting heavily, his chest heaving violently. Under Dumbledore's magical deterrence and Professor Kettleburn's insect repellent powder, the giant spiders dared not linger any longer. They reluctantly let out an angry clicking sound, slowly retreating, and finally disappeared into the dark depths of the forest.

“Merlin’s beard… if you had arrived any later, I would have been torn to shreds by these crazed spiders.” Hagrid leaned weakly against the ancient tree, his voice hoarse and his face weary. “I followed the trail here, thinking Buckbeak and the others had been dragged here, but I found Professor Cass lying on the ground, covered in wounds. I tried to help him, but as soon as I got close, I was surrounded by these spiders. Unfortunately… I still haven’t found any trace of Buckbeak and the others.”

Dumbledore slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping over the still-shaken Hagrid, the unconscious Professor Cass, and the chaotic battlefield—scattered spiderwebs, dried bloodstains, broken branches—his eyes deep in thought, his aura growing increasingly serious.

He waved his wand, and a soft white light fell on Hagrid, instantly restoring his tattered robes and smoothing out the scratches on his body: "Hagrid, think carefully, before you found Professor Cass, did you encounter any other strangers? Or see any unusual noises?"

Hagrid frowned, thought carefully for a moment, and slowly shook his head: "There are no other strangers here. I followed the drag marks and spider silk all the way here, and saw nothing but signs of a fight. I originally thought that the marks were left by spiders dragging Buckbeak, but when I got here, I only found Professor Cass unconscious. Before I could figure out what was going on, I was surrounded by spiders and almost died here."

Dumbledore's brow furrowed even more as he listened to Hagrid's words. His doubts hadn't been dispelled; instead, they had deepened. Professor Cass's coma, the giant spider's abnormality, and the Hippogriff's disappearance—all of these seemed unrelated, yet they subtly revealed a connection. There must be a secret hidden behind them. He slowly turned around, his gaze falling on Professor Kettleburn and Hagrid: "Sylvanas, I'd like you and Hagrid to first escort Professor Cass safely back to the castle's infirmary and entrust him to Madam Pomfrey's care. Penny and I will stay here to conduct a thorough examination of the scene and see if we can find any useful clues."

"Don't worry, Albus, leave this to us. We'll make sure Professor Cass gets to the medical room safely." Professor Kettleburn nodded without hesitation.

No one expected that his only remaining arm would be so strong, showing no signs of the inconvenience caused by years of using a prosthesis. He walked skillfully to Professor Cass's side, reached out and supported Professor Cass's shoulder, signaling Hagrid to cooperate.

Hagrid's mind was still preoccupied with Buckbeak's whereabouts. His brow was furrowed, and his eyes were filled with worry. He would occasionally glance into the depths of the Forbidden Forest, as if he could see the missing hippogriffs through the dense foliage. But he also knew that saving lives was the priority. Professor Cass was unconscious and his injuries were unknown. There could be no delay. His massive body played a crucial role at this moment. He steadily crouched down and, with Professor Kettleburn's help, lifted the unconscious Professor Cass onto his back, fearing that the slightest bump would aggravate Professor Cass's injuries.

Dumbledore watched their movements and gently reminded them, "Hagrid, slow down and be careful. Professor Cass is seriously injured and has been affected by the Stunning Curse and the Dark Magic. He can't withstand the jolting from your running. Make sure you move steadily."

Hagrid nodded heavily, steadied Professor Cass more firmly, and whispered, "I understand, Professor. I'll go slower."

He glanced one last time at the depths of the Forbidden Forest, his eyes filled with resentment and worry. In the end, he suppressed his eagerness and walked slowly toward the castle with Professor Kettleburn.

Tooth, who had been nowhere to be seen, suddenly popped out of the bushes beside them, barked twice at Hagrid, wagged its tail, and then trotted along beside them.

It seems that the little guy was frightened by the giant spider's imposing presence and hid away. Now that he heard they were going back to the castle, he dared to run out boldly and follow Hagrid closely.

Puni watched Professor Kettleburn's figure with curiosity. This professor only had half a leg and one arm, but he was unusually agile when walking in the forest, even more stable than some able-bodied people, and was not affected by the prosthesis at all. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of terrible accident Professor Kettleburn had experienced to become like this, losing part of his limbs.

Puni remembered that his family also had a magical creature breeding farm, but he didn't do the basic work; he just needed to give them instructions. However, he had never heard of anyone suffering such a serious accident, losing limbs, because of breeding magical creatures.

Puni had been looking forward to the Magical Creatures Protection class, but unfortunately, it was an elective for third-year students and not open to younger students, which inevitably disappointed him.

The Forbidden Forest returned to silence only after Hagrid, Professor Kettleburn, and Tooth had completely disappeared behind the dense trees. The wind rustled through the treetops, a stark contrast to the sounds of the fierce fighting and the clicking of spiders. On the ground, the mess left by the fight still remained: broken bushes, scattered spider silk, dried blood, and remnants of insect repellent powder sprinkled by Professor Kettleburn.

The air was filled with a mixture of smells: the pungent odor of insect repellent powder, the foul stench left by the giant spider, and a faint, indescribable ominous scent that lingered around, making one feel uneasy.

Dumbledore slowly stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the chaotic scene, his expression grave: "These giant spiders probably didn't attack the animals in the Forbidden Forest simply because they were looking for food."

He paused, then added, "Think about it, if they were just hunting for food, given Professor Cass's condition, he would have been completely corroded and digested by the spiders' venom long before Hagrid arrived. He wouldn't be alive at all."

Puni thought about it carefully and realized it was true. The venom of the eight-eyed giant spider was extremely corrosive. Once bitten, if not treated in time, the venom would soon corrode the entire body. He looked at Dumbledore and asked softly, "Professor, what do we need to do here now? Is there any hidden clue?"

Dumbledore slowly turned to Penny, his blue eyes behind his half-moon spectacles becoming unusually focused and deep, as if they could see through the appearances before him and see the essence of things. His voice was not loud, but very clear, each word reaching Penny's ears: "Now, what we need to do is carefully explore this area and find out what exactly happened here. Often, the most subtle and easily overlooked traces will tell us the most truthful things."

Having said that, Dumbledore did not use any dazzling magic. He simply began to slowly walk along the edge of the scene, inspecting it step by step. His eyes were exceptionally sharp, not missing any detail. He carefully scanned every broken bush and every footprint of varying depth, especially the area around where Professor Cass had collapsed unconscious. This was the focus of his investigation. After inspecting the area, Dumbledore stopped and his gaze fell on a fallen leaf not far from where Professor Cass had fallen.

Puni followed his gaze and saw that the fallen leaf had obvious signs of corrosion. It was black in color and the edges were curled. It did not look like it had been burned by flames. Instead, it looked more like it had been eroded by some kind of corrosive liquid or magic.

In addition, Dumbledore noticed that Professor Cass's wand had fallen into a pile of leaves not far away, quite a distance from his hand, and its placement was very strange. It didn't look like it had fallen naturally after an accidental fall; rather, it looked like it had been forcefully thrown there.

Just then, Puni also noticed something unusual. Pointing to the fallen leaves covered in corroded marks, along with the messy footprints and spider silk around them, he said to Dumbledore, "Professor, look here. Are these corroded marks caused by the eight-eyed giant spiders? I've never seen them secrete a liquid that can corrode fallen leaves. Their venom, though potent, wouldn't cause marks like these."

When Dumbledore heard Penny's question, he slowly shook his head and looked at him with a hint of approval: "Penny, these are definitely not marks that the Eight-Eyed Giant Spider could have made."

As he spoke, he slowly squatted down, tilting his wand and touching the blackened, corroded earth with its tip. As soon as it touched the ground, a faint but eerie blackish-purple light appeared on the tip of the wand. The light was dim and cold, and just looking at it sent chills down one's spine.

“This is a mark left by dark magic,” Dumbledore said in a low voice, “It is an extremely insidious curse-like spell. Once it hits, it can quickly destroy the victim’s will and slowly devour their life force. It is extremely vicious.”

Upon hearing this, Puni took a few steps back, increasing the distance between himself and the corroded area.

"Then...Professor Cass, was it because he was attacked by this curse that he fell into a coma?" Puni steadied himself.

"Things are not that simple, and that's the most puzzling part." Dumbledore slowly stood up, put away his wand, and the dark purple light instantly dissipated.

His gaze shifted to the spider silk and footprints left by the eight-eyed giant spiders on the ground. He frowned and pondered, "Moreover, the attack patterns of these eight-eyed giant spiders are also very abnormal. Their targets seem unusually clear. First, they targeted the hippogriff tribe, and then they concentrated their attacks on Hagrid and Professor Cass. This is not at all like a blind attack launched because of hunger."

Following Dumbledore's train of thought, Puni frowned, his mind racing through various possibilities. After a moment, a bold guess suddenly came to mind. He hesitated for a moment, then said, "Professor, I have an idea. Do you think it's possible that the sudden increase in the aggressiveness of these giant spiders, even their targeted attacks, is not their own will, but rather that they are being guided by someone, or even controlled by dark magic?"

Upon hearing Penny's conjecture, a sharp glint flashed in Dumbledore's previously calm eyes: "Your conjecture is bold, but also highly probable. Although the Octopods possess considerable intelligence and are capable of simple communication and coordinated hunting, it is absolutely impossible for the entire colony to exhibit abnormal behavior and launch a unified attack on a fixed target on their own. There must be an external force intervening and influencing them in secret."

Having said that, Dumbledore didn't linger. He strode to the center of the clearing, the very spot where the drag mark had started and the most crucial area of ​​the entire scene. He slowly closed his eyes, raised his wand, placed it in front of his chest, and began to chant an extremely complex and obscure incantation. The incantation was deep and ancient, each syllable carrying powerful magic, echoing through the silent forest.

As the incantation was recited, invisible ripples seemed to slowly spread through the air, distorting and swaying the originally dim light around them, forming faint shadows.

Puni stood to the side, feeling a powerful yet gentle magic flowing quietly in the air, enveloping the entire exploration area. It was Dumbledore's Rewind magic, used to recreate what had happened at the scene.

This state lasted for several minutes. Dumbledore kept his eyes closed, his brows furrowed, his expression focused and solemn, and the incantation in his mouth never stopped. Only after a moment did he slowly stop chanting, open his eyes, and his expression became more solemn than ever before, even carrying a hint of imperceptible coldness.

Puni followed his gaze and saw that among the previously blurry marks on the ground, several very conspicuous footprints suddenly appeared. These footprints were marked by a faint white light and were clearly identifiable. They were obviously not left by Professor Cass, as Professor Cass's shoe prints were completely different in size and much fainter.

“Although the traces were deliberately concealed and are somewhat blurred, I am certain that there was another person in this clearing before Professor Cass lost consciousness,” Dumbledore said. “That person is mysterious and skilled in the use of dark magic. He used powerful dark magic to knock Professor Cass unconscious. In addition, he also seems to have cast some kind of magic on those eight-eyed spiders that could control their minds and make them attack according to their own will.”

All his previous doubts were now explained. Professor Cass was not the intruder who attacked the Hippogriff. On the contrary, he was likely a victim as well. Perhaps he had discovered the mysterious man's plot and tried to stop him, which led to a sudden attack from the shadows. He was knocked unconscious before he could cast any defensive magic.

The real mastermind, that mysterious figure, used dark magic to control the swarm of eight-eyed spiders, deliberately creating chaos, attacking the magical creatures in the Forbidden Forest, and even knocking Professor Cass unconscious. What was his purpose in doing all this? Was it to steal the magical creatures, or did he have a more sinister and terrifying motive?

Penny looked at Dumbledore and asked, "Professor, can we figure out the identity of that mysterious man from these traces? Who exactly is he?"

Dumbledore shook his head: "No, the other party is very cunning and adept at hiding his identity. He deliberately cleaned up and covered up the traces at the scene, leaving too many clues to directly determine his identity."

As soon as he finished speaking, he changed the subject, his gaze becoming sharp and increasingly serious: "However, a few things are certain. His choice to operate inside the Forbidden Forest, his ability to precisely control the eight-eyed spider, and even his accurate location of Professor Cass's whereabouts indicate that he is very familiar with the layout of Hogwarts and the terrain of the Forbidden Forest. Moreover, judging from his methods, his target is probably not just a few magical creatures; there must be a much larger conspiracy behind it."

Dumbledore slowly raised his head, his gaze passing over the dense woods and looking toward Hogwarts Castle. His eyes were deep and solemn, as if they could penetrate all the obstacles and see everything inside the castle, and as if he were pondering the true purpose of that mysterious person.

“We must return to the castle immediately.” Dumbledore withdrew his gaze. “Professor Cass’s safety is of paramount importance. He is currently the only person who may have seen the mysterious man’s true face. If he can wake up, he may be able to provide us with crucial clues to find the mastermind behind it all.”

Puni stood to the side, looking at Dumbledore's solemn expression, and could vaguely sense that the headmaster's heart must be filled with anger at this moment.

Hehehe~ There's nothing we can do about it.

The position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts is never easy to obtain. Every year, various unforeseen circumstances affect the teaching of this course, and it is even difficult to find a suitable professor to teach it.

Now, the newly arrived Professor Cass has been attacked and fallen into a coma, which is undoubtedly another provocation against Hogwarts.

Old Deng doesn't want to change professors every day!

Chapter 117 The Ministry of Magic's Interference in Hogwarts

Dumbledore slowly raised the Elder Wand in his hand, a faint golden light swirling at its tip. The light was gentle yet carried a powerful purifying force. He gently waved the wand, and several golden beams shot out, landing on various marks on the woodland ground. The lingering dark magic fluctuations, the messy marks left from the fight, and the sticky slime left by the giant spider crawling all faded and melted under the touch of the golden light, like snowflakes illuminated by the warm sun. They were eventually completely hidden among the thick fallen leaves and damp soil, leaving no trace to follow.

Puni followed closely behind Dumbledore, and upon seeing this, immediately raised his wand and whispered the incantation for the Disappearance Charm. A faint light enveloped the entire area, further clearing away all magical residue and ensuring that no matter who broke in later, they would not be able to detect what had happened.

Without saying another word, the two turned and quickly left the woods along the path they had come from. The wind in the woods carried the dampness of the grass and trees, making the leaves rustle.