The next day at noon, on his way to the Great Hall, Harry poked at the top of his head somewhat worriedly, confirming that the little black cat still had breath and was just still unconscious, before breathing a slight sigh of relief.
In today's Herbology class, Professor Sprout had explained Mandrakes, a type of plant that was purple-green all over and shaped like a baby. They could restore petrified creatures to their original state, but the cries of adult Mandrakes could potentially be fatal.
However, the Mandrakes Professor Sprout had taught about today were only juveniles. Their cries could only make people unconscious for a few hours and weren't fatal.
But that was exactly the problem.
This Herbology class was supposed to be conducted with earmuffs, but before he could ask for an extra pair of earmuffs for the little black cat, he was stopped by the little black cat itself.
After hearing that Mandrake seedlings wouldn't kill people but only cause unconsciousness, it had been very curious and wanted to try experiencing this feeling. As for the result... well, it was still unconscious now, and who knew how long it would stay that way?
He'd save some lunch for it. If it still hadn't woken up by afternoon, he'd just leave it in the common room for now.
Fortunately, even in its unconscious state, the little black cat didn't lose its invisibility. Otherwise, having an unconscious little black cat suddenly appear on his head would be quite difficult to explain.
Shaking his head, Harry went to the Great Hall together with Ron and Hermione.
As soon as they pushed open the doors, they discovered that today's Great Hall seemed different from usual.
Proud-looking pixies were floating throughout the school's Great Hall. They flew rather slowly, holding small parchment strips in their hands, floating past each young wizard.
Hermione curiously waved at one of the pixies and took a strip of paper from its hands. After looking at it twice, she exclaimed in surprise.
"It's Professor Kahn's Magical Creatures Club!" Her expression became extremely excited. "This Saturday, the Professor is going to select students who can join the club! Should we try as well?"
"For a professor's club, we probably can't join, right?" Harry said somewhat disappointedly.
Ron also looked full of regret. "Yeah, I remember professor clubs all require excellent grades on O.W.L.s to join. We're only second years. We'd have to wait another three years."
"No, Professor Kahn's club is different from other professors' clubs. It's not just for fifth-year and above students..." Hermione was about to show the two boys the paper strip in her hands when it was snatched away by the pixie that had given it to her.
It seemed this paper strip wasn't given to everyone?
Hearing Hermione's words, Harry hesitated for a moment, then, following Hermione's previous actions, raised his arm and waved at a pixie that was relatively close to him.
The pixie slowly flew over and placed the paper strip in Harry's hands.
Magical Creatures Club Membership Requirements:
Please gain the friendship of a magical creature and convince it to accompany you to Saturday's assessment at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. As long as you pass the assessment, you can receive an invitation to the Magical Creatures Club.
No need to worry about your partner's species. Every magical creature has its unique abilities. As long as you trust each other fully, the assessment won't be difficult for you.
Looking forward to your arrival.
After Harry finished reading, the pixie snatched the parchment from his hands, proudly lifted its head, and began floating aimlessly around the Great Hall again, waiting for the next young wizard to call it over.
Ron, who had also finished reading the text on the paper strip, wailed and collapsed on the table.
"How is this any different from not being able to participate? I don't know a single magical creature!"
Hermione had the best relationship with Professor Kahn, and the several magical creatures Professor Kahn often brought with him all liked her very much. But he and Harry didn't have any so-called magical creature friends.
Wait... seeing Harry's expression become excited, Ron was stunned and asked incredulously. "Don't tell me you also have a magical creature that can help you participate in the assessment?"
After hesitating for a moment, Harry nodded lightly.
"So now I'm the only one who can't participate in that assessment?"
Ron wailed and collapsed on the table again, even setting aside his favourite chicken leg.
"Not necessarily. Before the holidays, didn't you help Hagrid feed Norberta for a long time..."
Halfway through, Hermione stopped talking, and Ron also said lazily. "Yeah, then I'll bring Norberta over and tell all the other students participating in the assessment: Look! I brought an illegally bred dragon! Aren't I amazing?"
Blushing slightly, Hermione hesitated before speaking again. "Maybe I could help you find a few magical creatures for you to try befriending?"
"Forget it. That definitely wouldn't pass Professor Kahn's assessment." Ron slumped decadently on the table and began talking nonsense.
"Do you think Scabbers could count as a magical creature?"
"It should just be an ordinary rat, at most one that's lived a bit longer." Harry shook his head and said softly. "There are still five days until Saturday. Maybe there'll be some opportunity."
"Hopefully."
Seeing Ron's decadent appearance, Harry paused, planning to try encouraging him again.
But just then, he suddenly felt a flash of coldness in his mind. A moment later, a voice rang out to his left.
It was a voice that sounded bone-chilling, breath-stopping, cold and malicious. Just hearing that voice made Harry feel goosebumps all over his body.
But the content of that voice made him feel somewhat confused.
"Fragrant... so fragrant... want to eat... no, must kill, must tear apart those... but so fragrant... outside the castle... can't eat..."
The voice was intermittent. Harry turned his head toward where the voice came from, but found there was only a wall there.
"What's wrong?"
Seeing Harry's appearance, Ron curiously waved his hand in front of Harry's eyes.
"Did you just hear any voices?"
"Hear what voices?"
Ron tilted his head in confusion, then looked at Harry somewhat strangely.
"I didn't hear any voices at all. Are you having auditory hallucinations?"
"It was a voice that sounded very cold... You didn't hear it at all?" Harry asked in surprise.
Hermione and Ron both shook their heads.
Harry held his head, his face showing some confusion. He poked at the little black cat on his head. It was still unconscious, showing no signs of waking up.
So where had that voice come from?
Moreover, although that voice was chilling just to hear, Harry could somehow detect a trace of grievance in it.
Like a little dog that could see a bone but was tied up and unable to move.
Something very fragrant outside the castle? Wanted to eat?
"Should we go see Madam Pomfrey? I've heard that many curses initially manifest as auditory hallucinations too." Hermione said with some concern.
After hesitating, Harry shook his head.
"No need. If I hear it again, we'll talk about it then." Having said this, he looked at Hermione. "What class do we have this afternoon?"
"Professor Lockhart's Defence Against the Dark Arts class!" Speaking of this, Hermione immediately perked up.
"Oh!" Ron collapsed on the table once again, his face full of despair.
"That's the second piece of bad news I've heard today."