Filch practically glowed as he led them down the steps toward the grounds, lantern swinging cheerfully in his hand.
"Detention in the Forbidden Forest," he said with relish. "First-years, too. Haven't enjoyed one this much in years."
Ron shot Harry a look of pure horror. "We're going to die," he whispered.
"It's not certain," Hermione muttered, more to herself than the others. "Hagrid will be with us."
They reached the edge of the grounds and saw Hagrid waiting there, crossbow slung over his shoulder. He looked… subdued. Which was unsettling, considering this was Hagrid.
Filch sniffed loudly, clearly pleased with himself.
"Oh, good God, man," he said with mock concern, "you're not still on about that bloody dragon, are you?"
Hagrid sniffed in return—much louder. "Norbert's gone," he said sadly. "Dumbledore sent 'im off ter Romania. Said he'll be livin' in a proper dragon colony now."
Filch rolled his eyes. "Honestly," he muttered. "Grown men gettin' sentimental over illegal fire-breathin' reptiles."
"Well, that's good, isn't it?" Hermione said carefully. "At least he'll be with his own kind."
Hagrid sniffed, looking wounded. "Yeah, but what if he don't like Romania?" he said anxiously. "What if the other dragons are mean ter 'im? He's only a baby—his own kind an' all."
Filch let out an exaggerated sigh. "Oh, for God's sake, pull yourself together, man," he snapped. "You're goin' into the Forest. You'll need all your wits about you—assuming you've got any left."
Hagrid straightened, gripping his crossbow a little tighter. "Don't you worry," he said gruffly. "I always look after what's under my care."
The three of them trailed after Hagrid as he pushed deeper into the Forest, the trees closing in around them, branches clawing at the darkness above.
"Hagrid seemed really sad," Harry said quietly, glancing at the broad, slumped back ahead of them.
Hermione nodded, her voice low. "But compared to being caught with an illegal dragon hatchling, this is… mild. If Professor Dumbledore hadn't stepped in, Hagrid could've been in serious trouble."
Ron kicked at a root nervously. "You mean, like… Azkaban trouble?"
Hermione didn't answer straight away. "At the very least, expelled. Possibly worse," she said. "Dragon breeding is one of the biggest offences under Ministry law."
Hagrid suddenly stopped.
The three nearly walked straight into his back before they realised why. He was staring down at the ground, lantern held low.
Something silver glistened among the dead leaves—thick, sticky.
"Hagrid… what is that?" Hermione asked softly, dread creeping into her voice.
Hagrid crouched and touched it with one thick finger. His face darkened at once.
"It's unicorn blood," he said grimly.
Harry felt his stomach drop. "Unicorn blood?"
Hagrid nodded slowly. "Aye. And that's bad. Very bad."
The three exchanged uneasy looks.
It meant that whoever Harry had heard in his dream was currently in the Forbidden Forest.
"You three stay here," Hagrid said firmly, already turning. He gave a short whistle. "Fang—keep an eye on 'em."
The boarhound whimpered, tail low, but planted himself beside them.
"Hagrid—" Harry started.
But Hagrid was already moving, lantern bobbing as he followed the silver trail deeper between the trees. The darkness seemed to swallow him almost at once.
Ron swallowed. "Brilliant. Left alone in the Forbidden Forest. With… unicorn murder."
Hermione hugged herself, eyes fixed on the shadows. "Just stay together," she whispered. "Hagrid knows what he's doing."
Fang gave a nervous whine.
From somewhere far off, there was a faint crack of a twig.
All three stiffened.
Whatever had been drinking that blood… hadn't gone far.
They slowly turned toward the noise.
Nothing.
The forest stood still—too still. No movement. No sound except their own breathing.
They let out a shaky breath of relief.
And then Fang barked.
A sharp, panicked bark—and he bolted, crashing through the undergrowth.
"Fang!" Harry shouted.
That was when they saw it.
A tall, twisted silhouette slid between the trees, unnaturally thin, moving wrong—too smooth, too fast.
"AAAAAH!" Hermione screamed.
"RUN!" Ron yelled.
All three of them ran.
Branches whipped at their faces as they tore after Fang, boots slipping on roots and damp leaves. Their screams echoed through the forest, wild and panicked, blending with Fang's terrified howls.
Something moved behind them.
Closer.
Harry dared a glance over his shoulder—and his heart nearly stopped.
A pale shape crawled low to the ground, dragging itself forward, eyes burning in the dark.
"DON'T LOOK BACK!" Ron screamed.
They didn't stop running.
Fang's barking grew frantic as he vanished ahead, and the forest seemed to close in around them—branches clawing, roots grabbing at their feet.
Then Harry stumbled.
"Harry!" Hermione screamed.
He went down hard, pain flaring through his scar like a white-hot knife. He cried out, clutching his forehead as the lightning bolt burned.
Ron skidded to a halt and turned back. "Get up—GET UP!"
Harry tried. His vision swam. The pain only got worse.
Behind them, something moved.
Ten feet away, the darkness shifted—and a shape crawled into view.
It was pale—unnaturally so—and wrapped in a hood that concealed any trace of a face. No features. No eyes. Just emptiness beneath the cloth.
It drifted inches above the ground, its movement slow and deliberate, wrong in a way that made the air feel colder.
Hermione spun around, wand shaking violently in her hand. "S-stay back!" she shouted, though her voice cracked with terror.
The thing hissed.
Harry groaned, the pain in his scar roaring now, like someone was pressing a blade straight into his skull.
Ron grabbed Harry under the arms. "Come on, mate—MOVE!"
The creature crept closer.
Hermione raised her wand again, hands trembling so badly she could barely aim. "I—I said—STAY BACK!"
It didn't stop.
The forest seemed to hold its breath.
And then—
A sharp crack split the night.
Not a spell. Not a shout.
Something massive tore through the undergrowth.
The forest exploded outward as an enormous body surged between the trees—scales scraping bark, earth shuddering under its weight. Before the hooded creature could react, a thick, powerful tail whipped through the air and smashed into it.
The impact sent the thing flying, tumbling deep into the woods with a screech that cut off abruptly.
Silence followed.
The trio stared.
In front of them loomed a giant snake, its body coiled among broken branches and crushed ferns—far more terrifying than whatever had been stalking them moments ago.
Ron let out a thin, strangled sound.
"We are… so dead," he whispered.
His knees gave out, and he promptly fainted.
The snake turned its massive head toward Harry and Hermione.
Its eyes were closed.
It tilted its head slightly, then shook it once, almost like a wordless what are you idiots doing here?
The snake was none other than Victor—testing his Animagus form once again
Then the hooded figure moved.
Victor's body tensed. His head snapped toward the sound and his jaws opened just enough to release a low, drawn-out hiss—ssssssss—cold and crawling, the kind that raised goosebumps and made instinct scream run.
It was a warning.
The hooded figure froze, took one look at the massive serpent, and backed away before vanishing into the trees.
Victor stayed still a moment longer.
Then the forest went quiet.
*****
A/N : 🔥 On Patreon, the story has already been updated up to Chapter 58 🔥
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