Chapter 278: Poor Fluffy
Chapter 278: Poor Fluffy
An eerie silence befell the group once more.
Hagrid, who had been waiting anxiously nearby, finally spoke up, unable to contain his curiosity any longer. "Did the spell work?"
Although Albert's previous attempt with the Summoning Charm had failed, Hagrid was confident that with Dumbledore present, they would succeed this time.
"I don't know," Albert shook his head. Their attempt with the Summoning Charm was merely a trial, and even if it failed, there would be no loss.
The quartet waited, knowing that if this attempt didn't succeed, if the three-headed dog didn't come flying to them... they would have to think of another approach.
Albert was certain that given some time, Dumbledore would be able to locate Fluffy.
Hagrid, on the other hand, began to pray silently, scanning the surroundings, hoping to catch a glimpse of Fluffy flying toward them.
However, after waiting for several minutes, the massive dog was still nowhere to be seen. Instead, a faint disturbance emanated from the other side of the forest, immediately capturing the group's attention.
"Let's go take a look," Dumbledore said, his eyes sparkling strangely behind his half-moon glasses as he strode forward with long, purposeful steps, belying his aged appearance.
Professor Sprout and Albert also sensed that something was amiss and quickly followed Dumbledore's lead, while Hagrid, looking bewildered, trailed behind, unsure of what had just transpired.
"Hurry up, Hagrid! It might be Fluffy," Albert called out, urging the half-giant to quicken his pace and join them.
The snow in the Forbidden Forest wasn't particularly deep, but traversing it at a quick pace was still a challenging endeavor. Although Albert was taller than most children his age, he couldn't deny the disadvantage of his short legs.
His short stature became evident as he struggled to keep up with the others. Sensing his struggle, Hagrid swiftly moved to his side, lifted him up, and placed him on his shoulders, disregarding Albert's protests. With long, determined strides, the half-giant set off in pursuit of the others.
This was a first for Albert, and he had to admit, it was a bumpy ride. Being perched on someone's shoulders was not a pleasant experience, at least not for him.
"Hagrid, can you please put me down?" Albert pleaded, feeling helpless. He would rather run on his own than be carried like a sack of potatoes.
"You're too slow, and I don't want those Acromantulas sneaking up on you again," Hagrid replied, showing no signs of slowing down. Now that he had caught up with Dumbledore and Professor Sprout, he wasn't about to leave Albert behind.
The source of the noise they had heard earlier was just up ahead.
As the trio hurried forward, they discovered what appeared to be a den made of tangled tree roots. It seemed that something had... well, crashed into it, or perhaps...
Albert's face twitched as he realized what had likely transpired.
"It was hiding here," Professor Sprout said as she examined the entrance, spotting some deer bones scattered nearby. "The Summoning Charm must have startled Fluffy, causing him to crash into this den and destroy it."
The entrance to the den was on the opposite side of where they had come from, and the space within didn't seem that large to begin with, but it was now completely ruined.
Professor Sprout's fingers trailed along the vines above the entrance, smearing the blood that had splattered on them. "The Summoning Charm worked on Fluffy."
Albert felt a strange sense of dissonance within him, and he furrowed his brows as he looked at Professor Sprout.
"It fled," Dumbledore said, pointing at the footprints and faint traces of blood. "It seems to have sustained some injuries."
"I'll go after it!" Hagrid declared, ready to follow the trail of footprints.
"No need," Professor Sprout interjected. "We can simply use the Summoning Charm again to bring the three-headed dog back here."
The sense of dissonance within Albert intensified.
He narrowed his eyes as he turned to Professor Sprout, realizing the source of his unease.
"Summoning Charm... Fluffy... is it Legilimency?" Albert asked, his eyes narrowing further.
"It seems that even a Level 3 Occlumency barrier isn't entirely safe," Albert sighed inwardly. He suspected that Professor Sprout was quite adept at Legilimency.
"Is something the matter?" Professor Sprout asked, sensing Albert's gaze.
"It's nothing. Let's begin, lest Fluffy gets too far away," Albert replied, shifting his gaze to Dumbledore and nodding.
"Then, let's try again!" Dumbledore raised his wand once more.
Poor Fluffy; it was truly unlucky. A three-headed dog, though not as resistant to magic as a dragon, still possessed considerable magic resistance.
However, it had encountered Dumbledore.
With the Elder Wand in his possession, Dumbledore's cast spells were incredibly potent. Coupled with Albert's enhanced abilities from the Felix Felicis, the duo was a force to be reckoned with. Albert's Witchblood, now at level 4, was no mere decoration.
Currently, Albert could unleash magic akin to that of a fully grown wizard, and with the Felix Felicis boosting his abilities, his use of the Accio spell was flawless.
Professor Sprout, a pure-blood wizard with a notable proficiency in Dark Magic defense, was also no slouch when it came to magical power.
With the combined might of these three, even an unwilling Fluffy stood no chance and was pulled towards them by the Accio spell.
"Make way!" Dumbledore cautioned as he noticed something flying towards them, urging the group to clear a space.
The quartet quickly stepped aside, creating a vacant area.
The three-headed dog, Fluffy, flew towards them with a mournful whine, looking rather pitiful. Hagrid immediately rushed forward to embrace one of its necks, his large hand affectionately patting its head.
Watching this scene, Albert couldn't help but feel his lips twitch. Despite Fluffy's ferocious appearance, seeing it in Hagrid's arms evoked a sense of sympathy.
"Alright, Hagrid, let's get it ready," Dumbledore said, producing three collars and chains. He instructed Hagrid to put them on Fluffy's necks, "Take it back first, and let Silvanus treat its head wound."
"Oh, alright!" Hagrid nodded eagerly, his eyes softening as he looked at Fluffy. He gave its head another hearty pat, "You scamp, running off and causing trouble. No wonder you've gotten skinny with no proper meals."
"Hagrid, has Fluffy reached adulthood yet?"
Albert eyed the massive dog before him and took a cautious step back.
The three-headed dog was truly formidable, and one wrong move could result in a deadly ambush.
However, the primary reason for Albert's retreat was the copious amount of drool and the putrid stench emanating from Fluffy's mouth, likely a result of its recent diet of rotten meat.
"Not yet, it might still need a few more months to mature," Hagrid pondered, then pleaded, "Can I wait until Fluffy becomes an adult before sending it back to Greece? I promise it won't cause any more trouble."
"Hagrid..." Dumbledore seemed to ponder this for a moment, then relented, "Alright, but you have to keep a close eye on it and make sure the other students don't find out."
"I'll keep it a secret," Albert quickly assured.
"Me too," Professor Sprout added, his eyes roaming over Fluffy's form as if seeing this magical creature for the first time.
"Is this your first time seeing a three-headed dog, Professor Sprout?" Albert asked curiously.
"Yes, it is. It's quite fascinating, just as I imagined," Professor Sprout replied with a smile.
The group headed directly to Professor Kettleburn's hut, as he was more than willing to treat Fluffy's wounds. Albert and Professor Sprout bid their farewells and made their way back to the castle.
"Professor Sprout, I've made some minor breakthroughs in Ancient Runes recently, and I think I know how to open the hidden door to the Ravenclaw Common Room," Albert shared with a smile, the effects of the Felix Felicis still lingering.
"Oh, that's wonderful news!" Professor Sprout exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "When are you available to give it a try?"
"I'll head there now, but I can't guarantee success," Albert added hastily.
"If it doesn't work, we'll just keep trying. Don't worry," Professor Sprout reassured, his patience and encouragement evident.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
