Hermione and the others had just left when Draco stepped into the library.
By chance, he caught sight of them disappearing down the corridor...
"Where are they rushing off to?"
In the blink of an eye, their figures were nearly out of sight, practically sprinting like something terrifying was chasing them.
"That way… is the Forbidden Forest?"
Just as he was about to call out to Hermione, Draco realized the direction they were heading—straight toward the Forbidden Forest. Even if it was just the outskirts, it wasn't a place young wizards ventured into lightly.
While Draco's curiosity wasn't quite enough to justify tailing them normally, he wasn't the type to waste a trip. He had skipped Quidditch practice just to see Hermione today. If the little princess found out, she'd definitely kick his shins again.
So without a second thought, Draco gripped the wand tucked into his sleeve and quietly followed after them.
Hmm... if he couldn't even manage to follow someone without being noticed, how could he ever become a great wizard?
...
The Forbidden Forest was dangerous, yes—but thanks to its unique nature and rich magical resources, it remained one of Hogwarts' most invaluable assets.
To prevent students from wandering in by accident—or worse, being lured in—Hogwarts created the role of Gamekeeper.
That position belonged to none other than Rubeus Hagrid, the same half-Giant who had first brought Harry Potter to Hogwarts...
Standing at 3.5 meters tall due to his mixed Giant heritage, Hagrid towered over nearly every wizard, who had to crane their necks just to meet his eyes.
He always wore a massive moleskin coat—no one knew how often it was washed, or what oddities might be stuffed into its countless pockets.
Despite his size and lineage, Hagrid had none of a Giant's cruelty. A former Gryffindor, he was warm, good-natured, and fiercely loyal—perhaps that's why Harry trusted him so much.
That said, Hagrid did have one major flaw: an overwhelming love for dangerous magical creatures... and an alarming inability to recognize just how dangerous they were.
Take the three-headed dog, for example. Hagrid thought it was just an adorable little pup...
"Harry, long time no see!"
"Sorry, Hagrid. Things have been so hectic lately, we haven't had time to drop by."
They'd been meaning to visit for ages, but a string of chaotic events had kept them away. Honestly, if it weren't for Hagrid's invitation, Harry might not have remembered at all.
This was Hagrid's hut—small from the outside, with a doorway even he had to duck through. But inside, the space was clearly enchanted, comfortably accommodating even someone of Hagrid's size.
"It's boiling in here, Hagrid. What's going on?"
Ron, who walked in after Harry, immediately noticed the stifling heat.
Within moments, sweat beaded on his forehead. He turned instinctively to glance at Hermione, as if expecting her to offer some explanation.
"I'll open a window."
"Wait, Hermione. Don't open it just yet."
"Hm?"
Confused, Hermione paused. She was beginning to realize that something was off—not just with the temperature, but with Hagrid himself.
"By the way, Hagrid, why did you write to me? Did something happen?"
Wiping sweat from his brow, Harry looked at Hagrid, who seemed hesitant. He noticed that Hagrid kept glancing toward the roaring fireplace.
"Well, I need you to promise to keep what I'm about to say a secret."
"What is it? Does it have something to do with the Philosopher's Stone?"
"The Philosopher's Stone—how do you know about that?! I told you lot to stay away from it!"
Ron's question made Hagrid jump to his feet in alarm, startling Fang, the boarhound, who immediately scrambled to hide behind Hermione's legs.
"So it really is the Philosopher's Stone that Fluffy is guarding."
"What?!"
Hagrid realized too late that he'd slipped up again.
He clutched his beard in frustration. It wasn't the first time this had happened—first with Fluffy's name, then Nicolas Flamel, and now this. Whether it was because he trusted Harry and the others too much, or just a side effect of being half-Giant, it was hard to say.
While Hagrid was berating himself, Ron was still fanning at the heat, and Hermione knelt to calm Fang.
But none of that mattered to Harry.
His eyes were locked on something glowing in the fireplace.
"Is that... an egg?"
...
Hagrid's hunting lodge sat right on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Normally, aside from Harry—who had a close friendship with Hagrid—you'd never expect to see any other young wizard around here.
But today brought an unexpected guest—and it was a Slytherin, of all people, the least likely to show up in a place like this...
Just as Hermione and the others entered the hut, faint footsteps sounded outside. Oddly, though, no figure could be seen.
Then, like ripples from a drop of water, the air shimmered—and in the next second, a figure appeared out of thin air, someone who absolutely shouldn't have been there.
It was Draco Malfoy, his wand in hand, pale blond hair catching the light.
He had used a Disillusionment Charm.
The spell Draco cast caused the subject—whether a person or an object—to take on the color and texture of its surroundings, like a chameleon.
Though it sounded impressive, the charm didn't render someone truly invisible to a wizard. It was typically used to avoid detection by Muggles.
Because it wasn't true invisibility, the effect merely camouflaged the user, blending them into the environment and making them hard to spot. Over time, however, the spell would weaken.
Much like with a basic Invisibility Cloak, the Disillusionment Charm needed to be reapplied regularly...
In the hands of a powerful wizard, it could indeed achieve full invisibility, but that didn't make it foolproof or particularly alarming.
Still, when used on unsuspecting young wizards who didn't even know such a charm existed, it worked flawlessly.
And right now, Draco had used it to silently trail behind Hermione and the others, completely unnoticed...
...
[Upto 50 chapters ahead for now]
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