Dawn was breaking beside a clearing in the Forbidden Forest.
Leo yawned and stretched lazily, pulling out a notebook stuffed with parchment sheets to review last night's results.
The Mooncalves' physical characteristics, habits, and behavioural patterns were all meticulously recorded. Leo submitted the documentation to the system, finally completing his first magical creature species record.
Recording four more species would let him repay the pet growth loan. Plus, he'd harvested a bag of Mooncalf dung to test as fertiliser for his Carnivorous Cabbages.
"Aurelius?"
At Leo's call, a pale golden figure descended from the clouds and landed beside him.
"Find good food?"
Leo rubbed Aurelius's forehead casually.
"Yes, Master! I found lots of vegetables at the forest edge!"
"There were yellow ones, red ones, and green ones, and their plant essence tasted different too—some sweet, some sour..."
Aurelius's voice continued in Leo's mind as he simply nodded. The Forbidden Forest really was rich in resources to have so many plants the little Qilin enjoyed.
Letting Aurelius forage independently should be fine in the future.
"Oh right, Master, I also encountered a blackish creature there. I think that animal's called a 'dog'?"
"When it first noticed me, it wanted to bark loudly, but after I looked at it once, it started trembling. It seemed very timid."
Blackish, dog, timid?
The description made Leo considerably more alert. Forbidden Forest edge, a place with lots of vegetables, where there was also a timid black dog?
That wouldn't be Hagrid's vegetable garden, would it?
Had Aurelius gone and raided Hagrid's crops? If so, he'd need to apologise immediately.
Wait! Oh no, his cabbages were there too!
"Aurelius, when you were absorbing plant essence, did you affect any seedlings—the kind with little mouth-like openings at their tips?!"
Sensing its master's anxiety, Aurelius quickly replied: "No, those seedlings were too small with very little essence, so I ignored them."
Leo's heart had just settled when he smiled ruefully. Well, since it'd seen his Carnivorous Cabbage seedlings, Aurelius had indeed gone for an all-you-can-eat buffet in Hagrid's garden!
"Master, did I do something bad?"
Aurelius sensed something wrong with its master's emotions and looked at Leo cautiously.
Leo waved his hand helplessly: "It was my oversight—I forgot to explain proper boundaries to you."
"Never mind. I should've been clearer about what's off-limits. I'll handle this."
"Master, what does that mean?"
Seeing Aurelius's innocent confusion, Leo strengthened his resolve. Childhood education was urgent indeed.
For now, he should hurry to Hagrid's place. There was considerable distance from here to the forest edge—it'd take half an hour to get there, so he'd better be quick...
Leo's gaze suddenly shifted to Aurelius, with its form slightly smaller than a fine horse.
A few seconds later, a golden streak shot up from the ground!
Aurelius carried Leo straight into the clouds. His dark golden hair was constantly tousled by strong winds, but Leo felt incredibly exhilarated.
Wasn't this better than riding some broomstick? What, Nimbus 2000, Nimbus 3000—eat our cloud dust!
The great sun was rising. Leo basked in golden sunlight, standing atop the clouds.
Riding a Qilin, treading clouds and soaring through the sky.
"Hahahahahaha..."
In this vast expanse, Leo rarely laughed so uninhibitedly. Last night's fatigue was completely swept away.
Accompanied by Aurelius's ethereal, otherworldly cry, a clear voice rang out from the clouds: "This is freedom!"
Headmaster's office.
Both Dumbledore and Snape sat at the table, across from a middle-aged man with pale golden hair and a stern face. His grey eyes suppressed obvious anger and dissatisfaction.
"Dumbledore, Snape, I think I need an explanation."
"Why did my son Draco suffer injuries and multiple fractures in flying class, while the culprit who caused all this—Harry Potter—was only classified as causing accidental harm?"
Dumbledore adjusted his glasses unhurriedly: "Lucius, I understand your concern for your son and dissatisfaction with the school. This was indeed negligence on our part."
"Draco received timely treatment, and Harry also received appropriate punishment..."
However, Lucius directly interrupted: "Appropriate punishment? One week of volunteer work and copying school rules ten times—this counts as punishment?"
"Someone who dares misuse potions and harm classmates at such a young age should be expelled from Hogwarts directly!"
Snape frowned imperceptibly: "Harry Potter's behaviour was certainly deplorable. Those punishments were what I proposed, but..."
The three continued arguing, with Lucius insisting on strict punishment for Harry while Dumbledore and Snape tried mediating.
Suddenly, an extremely distant voice reached the headmaster's office. Perhaps because of the great distance, none present could hear clearly, but they all simultaneously felt something extraordinary and remarkable in it.
All three fell silent.
After a long while, Lucius spoke again: "If there's a next time, I will definitely have Harry Potter expelled from Hogwarts!"
With that, Lucius stood and left. He'd long realised that not only Dumbledore, but even Snape—this Head of Slytherin—was actually protecting that boy!
But Lucius had still argued to express his attitude and emphasise that the Malfoy family wouldn't be violated!
Dumbledore glanced at Snape, indicating he should go comfort that school governor again.
When Snape left the office, he found Lucius already waiting, as if he'd predicted this would happen.
"Lucius, about this matter..."
Before Snape could finish, Lucius raised his hand while pulling out a small crystal vial from his robes. The container held semi-transparent liquid, slightly viscous and emitting a faint glow.
"Severus, look at this first."
Snape took the bottle, opened the cap, and sniffed gently. "This is Qilin saliva?"
His tone carried surprise—he obviously hadn't expected Lucius to produce such a thing. This small vial was probably worth over 500 Galleons, the kind that had a price but no market, usually requiring special channels to acquire.
"Yes, from that rare magical creature. Its secreted saliva has very strong healing effects and would be even better made into potions."
"But only true Potions Masters can handle such materials, right, Severus?"
Snape nodded, roughly understanding the implication. "I can help you brew a potion, but Draco's injuries are basically healed. You know Hogwarts hospital wing's medical capabilities."
However, Lucius shook his head: "Qilin saliva can heal hidden injuries to the body, ensuring no aftereffects remain. Only such a potion is worthy of a Malfoy heir."
Lucius didn't say directly that the remaining saliva would be Snape's payment for helping. He believed a clever person like Snape would understand, and that a Potions Master wouldn't refuse such rare materials!
Seeing Lucius's arrogant demeanour, Snape was long accustomed to these pure-blood behaviours. Wealth, status, power—all just to consolidate their sense of superiority.
After handling this matter, Dumbledore pinched his forehead. He withdrew a letter from his drawer—a reply from Newt Scamander.
Thinking of the letter's contents, Dumbledore looked toward the phoenix preening its feathers on the perch.
"Fawkes, could you help me find a student? His name is Leonardo Grafton."