First-year life at Hogwarts was a breeze, especially on Friday mornings, when students were free to do as they pleased.
After breakfast, Wyzett strolled out of the castle, making his way across the lawn toward the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
Just yesterday morning, Hagrid had sent him an owl-delivered letter, inviting him over to his hut for a chat—curious to hear how he'd been settling in.
Before coming to Hogwarts, Hagrid had been one of the few people who treated him without prejudice. After all that had happened in Diagon Alley, Wyzett had no reason to refuse.
Besides, the Forbidden Forest had always fascinated him, and Hagrid's hut was perched right on its border.
Hagrid called it a "hut," but to Wyzett, it felt more like a giant's castle.
The oak doorframe alone stood nearly four meters tall, and what was supposedly a one-story house gave off the impression of a two-story lodge.
Outside, the place had the rustic charm of a country farm, with all sorts of odd tools hanging from the eaves.
Before Wyzett could even knock, a thunderous bark split the air.
"Oh! That'll be Wyzett," boomed Hagrid's unmistakable voice. "Fang! Easy now! You'll give him a fright!"
With a gust of wind, a massive black dog barreled around the corner.
Tongue lolling, the dog leapt up to greet Wyzett.
"Oi! Fang! You'll scare the lad!" Hagrid hurried after, grabbing the huge dog by the scruff and lifting him with one hand.
Despite Fang standing nearly a meter tall, he was utterly helpless in Hagrid's grip—the size difference was comical.
A Neapolitan Mastiff, Fang looked a bit like a colossal, wrinkled Shar-Pei with a perpetually mournful face.
"He just gets excited. Not many students come by during the day," Hagrid said, ushering Wyzett inside. "He's really a big softie—bit of a coward, truth be told."
"Woof…" Fang panted, sniffing Wyzett from head to toe.
For a mastiff, Fang was shockingly gentle—he even rolled over, belly exposed, inviting a scratch.
"You're a friend of mine, so he'll treat you right," Hagrid beamed. "He might seem timid, but when it matters, he'll make the right call!"
The hut's interior was simple—just a single spacious room. By the fireplace stood a set of oversized furniture, and in one corner, a patchwork quilt covered a massive bed.
The walls were lined with all manner of oddities: a pink umbrella, a huge leather coat, and a crossbow.
The fireplace itself was enormous, with hooks for smoked meats and chickens on either side, and enough space in the center for a copper kettle and a baking tray.
"Have some tea! I just baked a fresh batch of rock cakes," Hagrid said warmly.
He set a tray of rock cakes before Wyzett and lifted the copper kettle to brew tea.
"How d'you like it here?" he asked, tearing off a chunk of rock cake for Fang. "Might be a bit different from what you're used to, but you'll settle in."
Crunch… crunch…
Fang's teeth went to war with the rock cake, the sound not unlike gnawing on a bone.
Wyzett's eyelid twitched. There was no way his own teeth could take that kind of punishment.
"Thank you!" he said, blowing on his tea. "I already had breakfast, so just tea for me."
Rock cakes were a bit much for him, but for Hagrid, they were just right.
"No need to stand on ceremony here." Hagrid grabbed a rock cake as big as his own head and crunched away. "You can think of Hogwarts as your second home."
Despite his age and towering height, which could be intimidating at first, spending time with Hagrid revealed his genuine warmth and straightforward nature. He was always ready to share a story or a laugh.
He chatted with Wyzett about his youth—how he'd been expelled over an incident and missed out on finishing his education at Hogwarts.
He spoke of the Forbidden Forest, brimming with magical creatures and plants.
The Weasley twins were forever sneaking in to conduct their "experiments," causing no end of trouble.
"They've drawn the centaurs a few times. Not only could they get hurt, but so could the little darlings in the forest."
"Those two are slippery as eels! Takes me ages to track 'em down… Still, they're in third year now. Only a few more years and I'll have some peace!"
"Little darlings?" Wyzett recalled Hagrid's unique definition of the phrase. "Which magical creatures do you like best in the Forest, Hagrid?"
"Oh, there's too many to count!" Hagrid's voice rose with excitement. "Thestrals, Demiguises, Occamys, Hippogriffs, unicorns…"
As he rattled off names, his smile grew brighter. "They're all my good children!"
He lifted the copper kettle, pulling out the mat beneath. "This mat's made from Occamy crest feathers—brilliant for heat, and it stretches and shrinks."
With a flick, Hagrid brushed off the soot, revealing a vibrant blue-green feather underneath.
He gripped both ends and gave a gentle pull—the feather expanded to the size of a fan. Another squeeze, and it shrank to palm size.
Besides the Occamy feather, the hut was full of magical creature materials.
A length of bandage hanging on the wall was woven from unicorn tail hair.
Even the grimy, oil-stained bag by the bed was made from unicorn tail hair.
"I had to sell some unicorn hair to buy Fluffy," Hagrid remarked offhand. "I'll need to collect more soon, or I'll run out of bandages."
Wyzett clutched his chest. "Bandages? You collect unicorn tail hair just to make bandages?"
"That's right!" Hagrid nodded. "You know, I never got to finish my schooling, so I didn't learn much more."
"Animals in the Forest get hurt now and then. Bandages made from unicorn hair work best—they heal faster and don't bother the little darlings."
It was this sincere care for magical creatures, perhaps, that earned Hagrid their trust and affection.
Still, the logic was a bit… brutal. Even Wyzett winced.
He knew the going rate in the wizarding world—a single strand of unicorn tail hair fetched twenty Galleons, and a single bandage took a dozen or more…
Hagrid was a hidden tycoon. That battered old bag alone was worth a fortune!
As Keeper of Keys and Grounds, Hagrid had a steady supply of magical materials—an enviable position.
Wyzett stood up, suddenly serious. "Hagrid! If I master healing magic someday, I'll help you treat magical creatures. Could you give me some unicorn tail hair in return?"
"Huh? Of course!" Hagrid blinked, scratching his head. "Really, if you want some, just ask."
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