"That's a Mooncalf," Wayne identified the little creatures,
then silently added in his mind,
Or you could just call them Big-Eyed Cuteness Overload.
They looked rather unusual—like miniature alpacas—
especially those oversized, almost comically large eyes that somehow radiated an irresistible charm.
Cho and Hermione couldn't help wanting to rush over,
but fortunately, Wayne stopped them in time.
"Not so fast. If they notice us, they'll bolt."
Mooncalves were shy magical creatures that only ventured out of their burrows on nights of the full moon to bask in moonlight.
Startle them, and they'd vanish in an instant.
"Just watch for now—they're about to dance," Wayne whispered, calming the two girls.
Out in the open clearing, the big-eyed creatures tilted their heads back,
their hind legs twitching erratically as they began to hop and skip in an oddly endearing rhythm.
Hermione and Cho stared unblinking at the Mooncalves.
Gradually, tiny flecks of silver light shimmered into being around them, drifting down on the night breeze.
"It's so beautiful…" Cho sighed, reciting a line of poetry her father had once taught her:
"It's as if the Silver River is falling from the Ninth Heaven."
She leaned in ever so slightly toward Wayne, wanting to share the moment's quiet romance.
"That's not a river of stars," Wayne corrected. "Those silver specks? Mooncalf droppings.
Fascinating, right? Dancing while… well, you know. And it's part of their mating ritual."
The girls' soft smiles slowly froze into blank stares.
Wayne frowned. "What? It's in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."
Cho's small hand found his waist, while Hermione gave him a light, irritated thump on the arm.
Yes, you're right, but could you maybe read the room?
Droppings talk in this kind of atmosphere… really?
Still, it was more mock annoyance than real anger. Wayne let it slide—
though he mentally jotted it down for later revenge.
Fifteen minutes later, the silver glow faded and the Mooncalves stopped dancing.
"Wait here a sec," Wayne told them.
Dispelling his Disillusionment Charm, he strode toward the herd,
activating not succubus magic—no, his Beast Affinity.
The sudden appearance of a human startled the Mooncalves into squeaky cries,
but sensing his warmth and intent, they didn't flee.
"Easy, easy…" Wayne crouched, hands lowered. "Relax. I'm just here to make friends."
He produced a bundle of dried dandelions—past their blooming season,
but still irresistible to Mooncalves.
Two of the braver ones crept up first.
Finding no threat, they happily munched away.
The rest quickly followed,
and in no time Wayne was surrounded by a small army of adorableness.
He reached out to stroke their velvety heads,
their long necks bobbing in and out in a comical rhythm.
From their hiding spot, Cho and Hermione were practically drooling with envy.
"Come on over," Wayne called, waving them forward.
"They're my friends, they won't hurt you."
With trust already established, the Mooncalves allowed the girls to approach without fuss.
Once the dandelions were gone, the three had had their fill of petting and cooing.
But time was short. Wayne tugged the reluctant girls onward, deeper into the Forbidden Forest.
Of course, he still made sure to collect the Mooncalf droppings on the way out—
perfect fertilizer for his biting pumpkins.
They arrived at a small stream, its banks lush with grass, yet curiously empty of other creatures.
Hermione frowned in puzzlement.
Wayne raised his thumb and forefinger to his lips and let out a sharp whistle.
A faint call echoed in the dark—
And then, a glowing white figure burst toward them,
moving so fast Cho and Hermione could barely register it before it skidded to a halt in front of Wayne,
making them both stumble back in shock.
"Chrrrp-chrrrp!"
Ho-Oh also flew over from not far away, trying to perch on Wayne's shoulder.
But realizing it was far too big, it had no choice but to land on a nearby tree.
Compared to Fawkes, Ho-Oh was easily twice the size.
"This is…" Hermione's voice trembled, her eyes wide as saucers.
"A unicorn!"
It had the form of a white horse, with a spiraled horn on its forehead, radiating a pure, sacred aura.
Its snowy coat was spotless, untouched by the slightest speck of dust.
All the striking features clearly revealed the identity of this beautiful creature before them.
"Hestia, what's with the rush? What if Diana fell off?"
Wayne first stroked Hestia's slender neck, enjoying her affectionate nudge before chiding her gently.
"Diana" was the name he had given the baby unicorn.
The word came from ancient Roman mythology, representing the goddess of the moon; in ancient Greece, she was known as Artemis.
When the little one was born, a beam of moonlight had shone down on her, a scene so unforgettable that Wayne named her after it.
Unicorns didn't grow slowly—after just over half a month, Diana already had her coat and could walk on her own.
She was tiny, adorable… but her coat was still a shimmering golden hue, which would only turn silvery-white when she reached adulthood.
Scooping Diana up into his arms, Wayne petted her happily before introducing:
"Hermione, Cho—these are my friends. I brought them to see you today."
The two young witches were so excited they could barely speak.
They kept glancing between Wayne and Hestia, not even knowing what to do with their hands.
Trusting Wayne completely, Hestia showed no wariness toward them.
And as a seasoned purity sense expert, even Wayne couldn't match a unicorn's ability to tell whether a young maiden was pure.
She stepped lightly to their side, lowering her head slightly and bending her front legs—a gesture of friendliness, just like a Hippogriff's.
Unfortunately, since Cho and Hermione hadn't yet taken Care of Magical Creatures, Wayne had to remind them:
"Hestia's accepted you—just treat her like a friend."
"Mm~"
Hermione and Cho exchanged glances, both seeing the joy in the other's eyes.
Unicorns weren't among the strongest magical creatures, with only a XXXX danger rating,
but their symbolic value far surpassed many more powerful beasts.
Especially for young girls—if you put a fire-breathing dragon in front of them and a unicorn beside it, they'd pick the unicorn without hesitation.
"Chirp!"
Now Ho-Oh wasn't happy. She's supposed to be the most pampered one!
"Alright, alright—jealous of a kid? How old are you now?"
Hearing the jealousy in Ho-Oh's cry, Wayne teased her.
Diana blinked her big eyes innocently.
Ho-Oh: ???
Does the master even hear himself? I'm not even half a year old yet!
Of course, Wayne was only joking. His bird still deserved attention.
He set Diana down to go play with her mother, then took out the herbs he'd prepared for Ho-Oh.
Nowadays, Wayne carried five or six dragon-hide bags enchanted with Undetectable Extension Charms, filled with all sorts of supplies.
For Ho-Oh and the unicorns alone, one bag was stuffed full of food—costing him quite a bit of money.
Honestly, Wayne didn't even know what Ho-Oh's full strength was yet—there was no clear ranking system.
But she was definitely nowhere near her peak.
At present, Ho-Oh's role was basically an aerial taxi and occasional healer.
But in the future, she would help Wayne—and those close to him—achieve immortality.
As a divine beast, Ho-Oh had that power.
What Voldemort had desperately sought his whole life, Wayne had already obtained before even stepping into the wizarding world.
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