"These are Mooncalves," Wayne identified the adorable creatures. He silently added in his mind: Or you could call them big-eyed cuties.
The little things had a peculiar charm, resembling small alpacas.
Especially those disproportionately large eyes, exuding an inexplicable adorableness.
Cho and Hermione couldn't resist the urge to rush forward, but thankfully, Wayne held them back. "Don't rush. If they notice us, they'll all run away."
Mooncalves were extremely shy magical creatures that only emerged from their burrows under the full moon to bathe in its light.
If disturbed, they would flee immediately.
"Watch closely—they're about to dance," Wayne whispered soothingly to the two girls. On the open ground, the big-eyed creatures tilted their heads back, their hind legs beginning to sway irregularly as they hopped about.
Hermione and Cho didn't blink, completely engrossed in watching the Mooncalves.
Gradually, tiny silver specks of light appeared around them, scattering like stardust in the wind.
"So beautiful..." Cho sighed, even reciting a line of poetry her father had once taught her: "Like the Milky Way cascading from the heavens."
Cho leaned slightly closer to Wayne, wanting to share this unique moment of romance with him.
"That's not the Milky Way," Wayne corrected. "Those silver specks are Mooncalf dung."
"Fascinating, isn't it? They're the first creatures known to dance while... well, you know. I've heard it's also part of their mating ritual."
The doting smiles on the two young witches' faces slowly faded as they turned to stare blankly at Wayne.
Wayne was baffled. "Why are you looking at me like that? It's all written in 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'."
Cho's small hand found his waist, and Hermione irritably punched Wayne twice. "We know you're right, but could you at least read the room next time? Was mentioning dung appropriate in that atmosphere?"
However, the two were merely putting on an act of anger without truly striking hard, so Wayne endured it.
He noted it down in his little book for future retaliation.
A quarter of an hour later, the silvery glow gradually faded, and the Mooncalves ceased their dancing.
"Wait here for a moment."
After giving the instruction, Wayne dispelled his Disillusionment Charm and approached the Mooncalves, simultaneously activating his Magical Creature Affinity.
Upon seeing a person suddenly appear, the Mooncalves let out frightened cries, but sensing Wayne's goodwill and the aura of affinity, they didn't flee.
"Easy, easy."
Wayne pressed his hands downward in a calming gesture. "Relax, I'm just here to make friends."
As he spoke, he took out some dandelions, though not in bloom and somewhat dried, they were still a generous offering.
Among the dozen or so Mooncalves, two were particularly bold.
They cautiously approached Wayne, and seeing that he made no sudden movements, they began to eat with relief.
Seeing this, the other Mooncalves followed suit, and in no time, Wayne was surrounded by a group of adorable creatures.
He reached out to stroke their heads, their long necks bobbing in and out, which was utterly delightful. Cho and Hermione, hiding nearby, were practically drooling with envy.
"Come over."
Fortunately, Wayne hadn't forgotten them and beckoned them forward.
"Don't be afraid. They're my friends and won't harm you." Having established a preliminary trust, the Mooncalves allowed the two girls to approach.
By the time the dandelions were finished, the trio had had their fill of petting.
With time being limited, Wayne pulled the reluctant pair along and continued deeper into the Forbidden Forest.
Before leaving, however, he collected some Mooncalf dung to fertilise the Chomping Cabbages back home.
Near a small stream, there was a patch of lush grassland devoid of any small creatures.
Hermione was puzzled until Wayne curled his thumb and forefinger to his lips and whistled.
"Whoo~!"
From the darkness, a white figure glowing faintly charged toward them. Moving too swiftly for Hermione and Cho to discern, the white light reached Wayne in an instant, startling them into taking a step back.
"Chirp chirp!"
Ho-Oh also flew over from a distance, intending to perch on Wayne's shoulder, but, realising its size was too large, it settled on a nearby tree instead. Compared to Fawkes, Ho-Oh was twice as large.
"This is..." Hermione's voice trembled, her eyes wide. "A Unicorn!"
Resembling a white horse with a spiralling horn on its forehead, it exuded an aura of purity and sanctity, its snow-white coat untouched by even a speck of dust.
Every distinctive feature confirmed the identity of the beautiful creature before them.
"Hestia, why run so fast? What if Diana fell off?"
Wayne first stroked Hestia's slender neck, enjoying her affection before chiding her lightly.
Diana was the name he had given to the baby Unicorn.
The name is derived from ancient Roman mythology, representing the moon goddess, equivalent to Artemis in Greek mythology.
When the little one was born, a beam of moonlight had bathed her, leaving a profound impression on Wayne, hence the name. The Unicorn wasn't growing slowly. In just over half a month, Diana had already grown fur and was able to walk independently.
Small and utterly adorable.
Only, her fur was still golden; it wouldn't turn fully silver-white until she was an adult.
Scooping Diana into his arms for a cuddle, Wayne introduced, "Hermione and Cho are my friends. I brought them to see you today."
The two young witches were so excited they could barely speak, staring wide-eyed at Wayne, then at Hestia, unsure where to put their hands.
Trusting Wayne, Hestia didn't remain wary of the girls. Moreover, as an experienced Unicorn, her ability to discern a maiden's purity was something even Wayne couldn't match.
She stepped lightly towards them, lowering her head slightly and bending her forelegs—a gesture of goodwill, much like a Hippogriff's.
Unfortunately, neither Cho nor Hermione had taken Care of Magical Creatures yet, so Wayne had to explain, "Hestia has accepted you. Just treat her like a friend."
"Neigh~"
Hermione and Cho exchanged glances, delight shining in their eyes.
Among magical creatures, Unicorns weren't the strongest—their danger rating was only XXXX.
However, their symbolic meaning far surpassed that of many powerful beasts, especially for young girls. Even if a dragon were placed before them, they'd choose a Unicorn without hesitation.
"Chirp chirp!"
Ho-Oh wasn't happy about this. It was the master's most beloved!
"Come on, don't be jealous of a baby. You're older than that."
Sensing Ho-Oh's sulk, Wayne chided. Diana blinked her big eyes, looking utterly innocent.
Ho-Oh: ???
'Master, are you even listening to yourself? I'm not even half a year old yet!'
But Wayne was only teasing. He still cared for his bird. Placing Diana down to play with her mother, he pulled out a pouch of prepared herbs from his pocket, letting Ho-Oh feast.
Now, Wayne carried five or six dragonhide bags enchanted with Undetectable Extension Charms, each filled with various supplies. One was packed entirely with food for Ho-Oh and the Unicorn—no small expense.
Honestly, Wayne wasn't sure how strong Ho-Oh had become. There wasn't a clear ranking system, but she was far from her full power.
For now, Ho-Oh's role was as a taxi and part-time healer.
In the future, she'd help Wayne—and those around him—achieve immortality.
As a legendary beast, Ho-Oh had that power.
What Voldemort desperately sought, Wayne had obtained before even stepping into the magical world.
It was rather cruel to Tom, really.
Wayne walked over to the girls, who had already bonded with Hestia enough for light contact.
Cho cuddled Diana, while Hermione transfigured her wand into a comb, gently grooming Hestia's mane.
"Ah! So soft, so lovely!" Hermione sighed.
"Ah, so fluffy, so fun," Wayne echoed.
You pet my horse, I pat your head. Fair's fair.
"Shall we go?"
Checking the time—nearly 2 a.m.—Hermione and Cho were yawning but still reluctant to leave.
Wayne could only sigh. It wasn't as if today was their last chance to see them – no need to go to such extremes. "Take a day's rest tomorrow, and I'll bring you back the day after."
Only after Wayne gave his assurance did the two girls rise and bid farewell to the two Unicorns. Watching them disappear into the dense thicket, the trio turned towards the castle.
"The Forbidden Forest even has Unicorns," Hermione murmured. "Are Hestia and Diana the only ones?"
"No," Wayne shook his head. "I asked Hestia. There are about a dozen Unicorns in the Forbidden Forest, but they're not communal creatures. They prefer living apart."
"How did you find them?" Cho asked curiously.
"Ho-Oh discovered them. I visit them often, and over time we became familiar."
Wayne didn't reveal the truth, as it involved danger and bloodshed. Telling them would only worry or anger them, so he kept it to himself. Fortunately, the girls didn't press further.
As they emerged from the Forbidden Forest and approached the secret passageway they'd used earlier, Hermione suddenly burst out laughing.
Under Cho and Wayne's puzzled gazes, she quickly waved her hands in explanation. "I just remembered that Unicorns only allow pure maidens to approach them, yet Wayne—"
Here, Hermione started laughing again, and even Cho joined in, teasingly watching the boy, expecting to see a frustrated expression.
To their surprise, Wayne didn't seem annoyed at all. Instead, he nodded thoughtfully.
"You're right. I should go talk to Dumbledore about moving into the girls' dormitory."
"You wouldn't dare!" both girls shouted in unison.
Wayne feigned offence. "But that's what you implied. I thought it made perfect sense."
"Pervert!" Hermione huffed, giving Wayne a shove. "Let's just go to bed. I'm exhausted."
Cho also shot him a watery-eyed glare.
The three slipped back into the school through the blank portrait frame.
As luck would have it, Mrs Norris was staring directly at them as they emerged.
Hermione and Cho paled in fright. "What do we do? Filch will catch us!"
"Don't worry. Mrs Norris won't tell on us, will she?" Wayne crouched down and stroked Mrs Norris's head.
Mrs Norris was a Norwegian Forest cat with large ears and thicker fur than most cats, making her incredibly soft to pet.
"Meow~!"
"How did you do that?" Hermione gasped in astonishment.
Mrs Norris never showed affection to anyone except Filch, refusing even treats from young witches and wizards, let alone allowing anyone to touch her.
"I'm a Hufflepuff. It's only natural I'd get along with animals." Hermione rolled her eyes.
Wayne was the least Hufflepuff-like Hufflepuff she'd ever met.
After their first encounter with the Unicorns, the two young witches became utterly enchanted by the beautiful creatures.
Even if it meant breaking school rules, they returned to the Forbidden Forest every other day to visit Hestia and her daughter – oh, and to see Ho-Oh as well.
...
Meanwhile, the rest of the school was buzzing with excitement. The first Quidditch Match of the season would take place the following weekend.
As the undisputed premier sport of the wizarding world, Quidditch fever was always high.
The opening match would pit Slytherin against Gryffindor, adding extra fuel to the fire.
Even the professors found themselves drawn into the rivalry. Snape had granted the Slytherin team three consecutive days of Quidditch Pitch usage, infuriating Gryffindor's captain, Oliver Wood, to the point of grinding his teeth.
All he could do was watch helplessly as Slytherin's Marcus Flint monopolised the pitch, leisurely messing around with his teammates.
Just as the twins had said, Flint was practically the son of a Troll—a future template for Crabbe.
Meanwhile, inside the castle, tensions had risen sharply. Every Quidditch team member was now surrounded by several classmates acting as bodyguards.
Except for the Weasley twins, of course. The school was already thanking its lucky stars that they weren't the ones causing trouble.
Every meal the players ate had to be sampled by someone else first to ensure it hadn't been tampered with.
Wayne watched in stunned disbelief. "Is all this necessary?"
"You're still too young," Cedric said, patting Wayne's shoulder like a seasoned veteran.
"Last term, during the match against Slytherin, Wotley missed it because of a sudden bout of diarrhoea."
"Bloody hell," Wayne swore under his breath. "That's foul. Didn't you report it to the professors?"
"Of course we did," Cedric sighed helplessly. "But there was no proof, and Snape backed them up. In the end, nothing came of it."
"Tch." Wayne shot a disdainful glance at Snape, who was seated at the High Table.
Snape, sensing the stare, looked up in confusion.
'Oh, I haven't even settled accounts with you yet, and now you're giving me that look? Just you wait—Tuesday night won't be pleasant for you.'
With a quiet snort, Snape had already decided which potion he'd use to make Wayne's life difficult next week.
"Cedric, I've got a job for you."
Though exasperated by Slytherin's lack of sportsmanship, Galleons were Galleons—money was money, and it had to be made.
He leaned in and whispered into Cedric's ear for a long while. Cedric's expression grew increasingly peculiar before he finally said,
"Wayne, you bloody deserve to be rich."
...
Saturday dawned bright and bitterly cold, the Great Hall filled with the mouth-watering aroma of sizzling sausages.
Everyone was looking forward to an exciting Quidditch match—just not one that dragged on too long, lest it drive them mad.
Historically, the longest recorded Quidditch match had lasted three months. By the end, both teams had gone completely barmy, abandoning the chase for the Golden Snitch altogether.
A few pregnant spectators in the stands had even gone into labour mid-match.
At Hogwarts, the record was considerably shorter, though still an agonising seven days.
That time, the audience had only dropped by between classes to catch snippets of the match.
The most tragic part? The climactic moment when the Snitch was finally caught happened at dawn, with not a single spectator awake to witness it.
By eleven o'clock, nearly the entire school had gathered in the towering stands of the Quidditch Pitch, many students armed with binoculars. The seats loomed over ten metres above the ground.
Slytherin and Gryffindor students roared themselves hoarse cheering for their teams, while Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff settled in to enjoy the spectacle.
BANG~!
A massive cloud of green smoke billowed forth, forming the shapes of a serpent and a lion above the Slytherin stands. The serpent opened its gaping maw and swallowed the lion whole in one bite.
The young witches and wizards of Slytherin erupted into thunderous cheers as if they'd already won. The smoke lingered stubbornly above their heads, a constant weight pressing down on Gryffindor's spirits.
Ron was thoroughly displeased. "Why didn't we prepare something like this?"
Hearing his complaint, Hermione rolled her eyes. "Because we don't have the money!"