If there was any place most likely to hold a clue, it had to be this strange map. Leonard's gaze naturally fell to the one beneath his feet. If there was a lead to be found in these ruins, it could only be here. His eyes swept back and forth across the map until something suspicious caught his attention.
In the mountains southeast of Hogwarts Castle, what seemed at first glance to be a forest revealed, upon closer inspection, the faint shadow of a tall tower. The outline was ghostly—far less solid than the castle's mark on the map—as though it no longer existed at all.
Perhaps it truly didn't anymore.
Leonard had no idea how long these ancient magical ruins had been here, nor whether the place they pointed to had already crumbled into nothing with time.
"Well? Found anything?" Midgard asked.
"Not yet. I'll need to check it in person." Leonard estimated the distance from Hogwarts to the desolate site. "When we're back, send me a flying broomstick."
The Weasley twins' flying inventions clearly weren't making progress. Leonard figured he needed some form of transportation, and a broomstick was still the best option.
"A broomstick? What a coincidence. That's actually your Christmas gift," Midgard said with a grin.
"Then let's go. There's nothing left here worth staying for," Leonard said, giving the map one last look.
Because Quirrell was gone, neither his nor Voldemort's names appeared on the map. Otherwise, Midgard would probably have been terrified all over again. For someone who ruled Knockturn Alley, she feared both sides of the line while others simply played both.
"So you're really not planning to come back?" Midgard sounded disappointed. "I actually find this map pretty interesting."
"It's just that—interesting. No real use," Leonard said flatly.
Though the real-time map looked impressive, it was far too large to carry. Its function was spectacular but far less practical than the Weasley twins' Marauder's Map. If anything, this one was like a supercomputer—impressive in theory, but overkill for everyday use. Most of its functions could be replaced by something much simpler, like a phone—or the Marauder's Map.
"You could use it for spying," Midgard teased, waggling her brows. "In a few years, you'll be at that age where you get curious about girls. Wouldn't it be great for that?"
"No," Leonard replied without a hint of emotion, refusing to humor her.
The two left the ruins. Back in the library, Leonard carefully erased all traces of their presence before locking the restricted section door. Then, dodging Professor McGonagall's patrol, they returned to the Forbidden Forest.
Midgard pulled out a bundle wrapped in black cloth from her hiding spot and handed it to Leonard. "Oh, right. Merry Christmas in advance. Your gift's probably already on its way—should arrive tomorrow."
"A Christmas gift, huh? I haven't even prepared one yet," Leonard said, rubbing his temples.
"That won't do. You've got friends at Hogwarts, don't you? If you don't exchange gifts, people might take it the wrong way," Midgard said.
Leonard thought it over and admitted she had a point.
"Want to come see the Forbidden Forest with me? I've got plenty of good stuff there," he said, motioning toward it.
"Hah! You sound like some punk trying to lure a girl home," Midgard laughed, then added under Leonard's dark stare, "Fine, fine. Let's go. I'm curious to see what kind of wonders you've made."
They walked together into the depths of the forest until Midgard spotted Leonard's botanical garden—and the unicorns wandering peacefully inside.
"You've actually got this many unicorns?" she said, amazed.
"They're not really mine," Leonard replied, carrying the bundle inside. "They're more like guests, taking refuge here. Only one of them actually belongs to me."
As he spoke, a small golden unicorn bounded up to him. It sniffed him curiously, disappointed to find no trace of that familiar sweet scent, but quickly brightened again, circling around him happily.
"By Merlin's beard—it's a baby unicorn!" Midgard gasped. Even she couldn't resist its cuteness. She scooped the foal into her arms, gently stroking its silky fur.
The little unicorn looked utterly bewildered. After struggling in vain, it turned pitifully to Leonard and let out a soft cry for help.
"Hehehe, little one, you're not escaping. No one's saving you now," Midgard cackled, hugging the foal tighter and burying her face in its mane.
Leonard rolled his eyes, ignoring her antics. He walked over to the herd and bartered for a handful of tail hairs.
Unicorn hair held potent magic, useful not only for wands but also for charms and talismans. Combined with Wiggentree wood from the Forbidden Forest, it would make quite an excellent gift.
After collecting a pouch of hair, Leonard moved to an open patch of ground to plant the new specimens. Finding something uncomfortable as he worked, he set aside the vial of unknown potion to avoid interference.
He unwrapped the black cloth, revealing the true form of the host bean pod—a green vine coiled around a frame, dotted with pods that hadn't fully matured yet.
Leonard planted the parasitic pods along with their frame, then buried three miniature Man-Eating Flower seeds in the soil.
[Your Botanical Garden has added two new plants. You gained 40 experience points. Current rank: Junior Herbologist (891/1000)]
[You obtained a new plant: Parasitic Pod. You gained 50 experience points. Current rank: Junior Herbologist (941/1000)]
[Long-term Quest: Thriving Botanical Garden. Progress: (17/20)]
Since the miniature Man-Eating Flowers hadn't matured, Leonard didn't enhance them yet. Instead, he tested the growth optimization for the parasitic pods.
A familiar interface appeared, showing him three possible enhancement paths.
...
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