Wyzett didn't rush to cast a healing spell. Instead, he drew on a technique he'd picked up in Snape's private lessons—first, identify the type of toxin inside the Diricawl.
"Lumos Solem!"
A gentle, sunlike glow blossomed from the tip of his wand—warm, not harsh. This was a variant of the classic lighting charm, one Snape had taught him specifically for revealing traces of Dark Magic within magical materials.
The Diricawl let out a shrill cry, trembling as the light washed over its wounded wing.
Hagrid fumbled in his pockets, pulling out a few scraps of food and gently feeding them to the frightened bird. "Easy now, Barry… don't be scared… you'll be right as rain soon…"
Under the magical light, wisps of black vapor curled up from the trembling flesh—unmistakable evidence of Dark Magic.
"Nox!" Wyzett flicked his wand, dispelling the orb of light. "Hagrid, are there really that many Dark creatures in the Forbidden Forest?"
Hagrid nodded gravely. "Plenty! That's why Hogwarts makes such a fuss about banning students from the place. Every winter's the same: as normal animals go into hiding, the nastier magical beasts get desperate for food."
As he spoke, two more Diricawls appeared—both battered and bleeding green-tinged blood from fresh wounds.
"Something out there's attacking Diricawls…" Hagrid's brow furrowed with deep concern.
He set the injured bird down, strode to the wall, and grabbed his umbrella, leather coat, and a heavy crossbow. Once kitted out, he pressed a small pouch of feed into Wyzett's hands.
"I'll go check the Forest. If any more Diricawls show up, give them this—they'll trust you."
With that, Hagrid hurried out, leaving Wyzett and Fang alone in the hut. Fang promptly parked himself by the window, tail wagging as he watched Hagrid disappear into the trees.
Soon, more Diricawls began to arrive. They were all jittery and traumatized, but the feed Hagrid had left worked wonders, helping them settle down.
Wyzett exhaled slowly, then focused on the wounds. Using the methods he'd learned for handling magical ingredients, he began to cleanse the injuries.
At first, the Diricawls trembled in his arms, but as the last of the venom was drawn out, they finally calmed.
With the poison gone, their spirits visibly lifted.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" Wyzett murmured, watching the floating globules of venom with a frown. "This looks familiar… Where have I seen this before?"
Activating his Oculus Magicae, he studied the magical signature left in the poison. The truth clicked into place.
"Acromantula venom? There are Acromantulas in the Forbidden Forest?"
Acromantulas—classified XXXXX, among the most dangerous magical creatures—were usually found deep in tropical jungles, especially Borneo. Hogwarts, on the other hand, sat in the frigid Scottish Highlands. Surviving winter here would be a challenge for any Acromantula—no wonder they'd started hunting magical creatures.
They'd picked the wrong prey, though. Diricawls were too agile to be easy targets.
According to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Acromantulas were originally bred by wizards to guard their homes and treasures. Perhaps as a result, they were notoriously vicious, and wouldn't hesitate to hunt humans.
Their webs were incredibly strong, and their venom highly prized—not only as an ingredient for Invisibility Potions, but also for neutralizing armadillo bile. Before neutralization, armadillo bile was dangerously corrosive; only when combined with Acromantula venom could it be safely used in Baruffio's Brain Elixir. In diluted form, the venom could also enhance other potions.
Snape had told him: the finest Acromantula venom fetched one hundred Galleons per pint.
(A pint is about 550 milliliters—the size of a Butterbeer bottle.)
But after an Acromantula died, its venom dried up quickly. If you wanted to collect it, you had to do so while the spider was still alive—dangerous work, and one reason the venom was so valuable.
Carefully cleaning the wounds, Wyzett managed to collect a small vial—about fifty milliliters. Unfortunately, this batch was mixed with blood, lowering its quality and price.
Once the wounds were cleansed, he began the healing process. "Episkey!"
Emerald light bathed the injured flesh, which began to knit together… but just as the wound was about to close, a wisp of black vapor curled up, dispelling the spell's effect.
Thanks to his recent studies, Wyzett recognized the problem immediately.
"No wonder they're rated XXXXX…" he muttered, eyeing the black mist. "Not just venom—there's a curse layered on top."
"Time for some Ancient Magic." He traced an "S" in the air with his wand. "Mundus Totalus!"
A swirling vortex of energy swept over the Diricawl. Trusting Wyzett completely, the bird didn't even flinch as the Purification Charm washed away the last traces of the curse.
A smile crept onto Wyzett's face as he returned to healing the wounds. There was a real sense of accomplishment in putting all his hard-won knowledge to use.
The gash on the wing closed, and the Diricawl perked up. It nuzzled Wyzett's arm affectionately with its long beak.
Soon, the Diricawls were frolicking together—chasing, vanishing and reappearing, tapping each other playfully with their beaks.
Maintaining his Oculus Magicae, Wyzett noticed something extraordinary: during their vanishing act, the Diricawls' magical circuits actually shifted.
He quickly pulled out his notebook and recorded the changes in detail—not to analyze them just yet, but to capture every nuance of the transformation for later study.
"Looks like the Diricawls have taken a real shine to you!" Hagrid returned, shaking snow from his coat.
"Hagrid, I'm glad you're safe!" Wyzett tucked away the notebook and greeted him with genuine relief. "There are Acromantulas in the Forest—all these Diricawls were attacked by them."
"You—" Panic flickered in Hagrid's eyes. He hesitated, then asked nervously, "How do you know it was Acromantulas?"
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