"It's good that you understand," Morris nodded, glancing at Hagrid. "So… how should we settle this situation?"
To be honest, he didn't want to make enemies with anyone. He was always reasonable—on the condition that the other party was willing to be reasonable too. Bane's aggressive attitude had forced him to act in self-defense, but that didn't make him belligerent. Wouldn't it be better if everyone just got along peacefully?
Now, look at this: after enduring so many of his curses, this Centaur named Bane would likely have to stay in bed for several days.
Hagrid scratched his head, looking troubled. "I'll explain things clearly to Firenze and the others. Most Centaurs are friendly. Bane… he's just an exception. I hope you don't misunderstand them."
Firenze—so that must be another Centaur.
"I hope so," Morris replied. "Then I should be going."
He turned and started walking toward the Castle. Although he was still some distance from the exit of the Forbidden Forest, he hoped he remembered the way.
"Wait!" Hagrid called after him. "Aren't you coming with me to see the Centaurs?"
Morris stopped, glanced back at Bane lying on the ground, and shrugged. "I think I'll pass, Hagrid. After what I saw, it's hard to say if I'd return safely. Please explain it to them for me. Don't worry about me. Goodbye."
Before Hagrid could respond, Morris had already walked away quickly along the path he came.
Hagrid watched him disappear into the bushes and could only sigh. He should have looked after Morris, but he couldn't leave the unconscious Bane alone in the Forbidden Forest. Dangerous creatures could appear at any moment, and if he wasn't careful, Bane might be treated as food by wild animals. He scratched his head in distress, finally deciding to ensure Bane's safety first. After all, given Morris's performance, if he could take down a Centaur, he'd probably handle any danger he encountered.
"Current first-year students are truly something else," Hagrid muttered, bending down to hoist Bane onto his shoulder. The Centaur's heavy body forced him to use all his strength.
Meanwhile, Morris walked alone along the dark path. Looking around, he had to admit something reluctantly—he was lost. Even though he'd told Hagrid he remembered the way, the winding paths had blurred in his memory, and the surrounding environment all looked roughly the same.
After taking two wrong turns, he found himself in a completely unfamiliar spot. "This is going to be a problem…" he muttered.
He looked at the sun—it was almost noon. He had Herbology class in the afternoon.
Just then, he noticed something moving slowly in the shadow of a large rock ahead. As he approached, he realized it was a spider—alarmingly large, with a torso roughly the size of his head.
An Acromantula?
He recalled the name Hagrid had mentioned. Studying the spider closely, he confirmed it had eight eyes and was enormous—truly of great research value.
"Weakening Curse!"
"Wailing Curse!"
Two curses shot from his wand, hitting the spider squarely. The ambushed creature went limp immediately, collapsing onto the ground unconscious.
Morris was struck by how effective the two curses were together. The Weakening Curse drained physical strength, while the Wailing Curse attacked the mind directly. Combined, their effect was similar to a powerful Stupefy. Truly impressive.
He cautiously approached the unconscious spider and poked its hairy abdomen with his wand. It didn't react; its eight legs sprawled weakly. Good. Morris nodded with satisfaction.
He waved his wand, transforming a piece of dead wood by his feet into a crude but sturdy wooden box. He carefully placed the spider inside and used a Levitation Charm to lighten the load. Once back at the Castle, he would have plenty of time to study it.
Now, it was time to continue finding the way back. Using the sun's position, he determined he shouldn't be lost for long.
Suddenly, a familiar cry reached him from above. Morris looked up and spotted a black dot against the blue sky. As it grew clearer, it became obvious—a Thestral was descending gracefully, landing lightly in front of him.
"Oh, it's you, little guy."
Morris studied the Thestral carefully. To his surprise, it was the same one that had carried him yesterday. "Have you been following me?" he asked. Climbing onto its back, he breathed a long sigh of relief. "Take me to Hogwarts, please."
The Thestral let out a soft neigh, spread its wings, trotted a few steps, and soared into the air. The wind whistled past his ears, and as he looked down at the Forbidden Forest from above, Morris felt a rare calm.
Flying through the air on a magical creature was absurd—and yet, exhilarating. This was a world ordinary people could never understand. Only in moments like this did he truly feel like a Wizard.
The Thestral flew quickly, bringing him near the Great Hall of Hogwarts in just two minutes.
Morris dismounted lightly. "Go on," he said, patting the Thestral's body. The creature nuzzled his palm reluctantly before slowly taking flight again.
Having confirmed there were no students nearby, Morris began walking. He wanted to avoid being caught by Professor McGonagall again.
"Meow—"
Suddenly, a cat stepped out from behind a stone pillar, walking unhurriedly toward him. Morris froze. The ginger fur, dark markings, and familiar gaze left no doubt.
The cat's body stretched, its fur receding, and within seconds, Professor McGonagall stood before him. She spoke coldly, "Mr. Black, I don't think I can pretend I didn't see what just happened."
"... "
Morris felt like he'd heard those exact words yesterday. He smiled awkwardly. "Sorry, Professor. I just thought the Thestral was very safe." He watched her expression carefully and added, "And… I don't think Hogwarts rules prohibit riding Thestrals."
Professor McGonagall's gaze sharpened. "So, have you read the school rules, Mr. Black?"
"Uh… not really," he admitted sheepishly, though he was confident there wasn't such a rule.
She sighed softly, her expression softening slightly. "You're right; there's no explicit rule against riding Thestrals. I won't deduct points. But as your professor, I hope you understand that for your own safety, it's better not to engage in dangerous activities—it also causes trouble for others."
Morris nodded obediently. "I won't do it again."
It seemed Professor McGonagall had no intention of punishing him. As expected, she was reasonable and kind—a teacher one could respect.
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