Chapter 306: Hagrid's Request, Beast Repelling Charm
Chapter 306: Hagrid's Request, Beast Repelling Charm
After the events at the Dueling Club, Kyle found himself attracting all sorts of attention wherever he went in the following days.
The image of him wielding the massive stone axe left a deep impression on everyone.
When people mentioned the Dueling Club, the first thing that came to mind for many wasn't the embarrassing performance of Lo Hart throughout the event or the various magical spells, but rather the image of the towering stone axe held high.
This was the first time they truly witnessed Kyle's capabilities...
It was quite a spectacle, and it was no wonder he had earned the Merlin's Order Medal in his second year.
Compared to Kyle, the other recipient of the Merlin's Order Medal, Lo Hart, seemed rather comical. His series of clumsy performances had become a laughingstock in everyone's eyes.
Additionally, Professor McGonagall had somehow heard about what happened at the Dueling Club.
During a Transfiguration class, she uncharacteristically asked Kyle numerous questions, awarding Hufflepuff ten points for each correct answer.
By the end of the class, Kyle had earned Hufflepuff a total of sixty points, which, after deducting the fifty points deducted by Professor Snape, still left them with a net gain of ten points.
Overall, the events at the Dueling Club didn't significantly impact Kyle's life, and it even helped boost his reputation.
However, the same couldn't be said for another individual.
Harry Potter.
According to Mikkel and Ryan, after Kyle and his group left, Professor Snape called Harry and Malfoy up to the stage.
It was unclear if Professor Snape was giving special treatment to his own house, but Malfoy also managed to cast the Blunderbus spell.
When faced with the same black serpent, Harry's solution was not as smooth as Kyle's, and he unexpectedly revealed his Serpent Tongue talent.
This might not have been a big deal under normal circumstances, but at this particular time, it took on a different meaning.
Everyone knew that the Secret Chamber was left by Salazar Slytherin, and Serpent Tongue was the famous skill of this founder.
As a result, almost everyone believed that Harry was the so-called heir, thinking that he was the one who wanted to kill Filch and Professor Caridy Burbage.
However, not everyone shared this belief...
"Harry Potter wanted to use monsters to purify the school? That's a joke."
On the grounds outside the castle, Fred laughed and said, "Being able to speak Serpent Tongue doesn't mean you're a Slytherin descendant. Don't forget, he's a Gryffindor."
"And his best friend... that Granger, is a Muggle-born wizard," George added. "He wouldn't want to kill his friends... We know Harry, and he wouldn't do something like that."
"We also believe it wasn't him."
"Unfortunately, most people can't see that, and they don't believe what we say," Kyle said.
"It's strange that Harry can speak Serpent Tongue," Cedric wondered. "I remember his parents were Gryffindors."
"Who knows..."
The group walked across the grounds and arrived at Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
"Oh, Kyle, you're here!"
Hagrid was waiting at the door, greeting them warmly. However, upon seeing Fred and George, his smile faded noticeably.
"I must warn you again..."
"The Forbidden Forest is dangerous, don't even think about sneaking in!" Fred laughed. "Hagrid, you've said this a hundred times already."
"And we haven't been to the Forbidden Forest in a long time," George added. "At most, we've only searched for Kneazles nearby, and that was on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest, not violating any school rules."
"That's good," Hagrid sighed in relief. "I mean, there's already enough trouble in the school, so don't even think about going into the Forbidden Forest."
"But I'm glad you're here to help... Come in."
Hagrid led everyone into the hut, and with six people plus Hagrid, the small hut felt a bit crowded.
Hagrid brought over a large plate of rocky pies, and everyone took a piece, but no one seemed eager to take a bite.
After all, they were well aware of the pie's formidable reputation and didn't want to risk their teeth.
As Hagrid brought over another plate of oddly-colored sandwiches, Kyle quickly asked, "Hagrid, what's the matter? Why did you call us here?"
"I need your help to cast spells around the chicken coop and the Forbidden Forest," Hagrid replied.
Hagrid casually set the sandwiches aside and picked up a soft-feathered rooster from the shelf, "This is the second one to die this semester. There are bite marks on its neck, possibly from a fox or a blood-sucking creature..."
Kyle approached Hagrid and took a closer look at the rooster's neck.
The wounds were peculiar, as if they had been torn, making it impossible to determine what had caused them.
"The Headmaster has already given his permission," Hagrid said. "I was planning to do it myself... well, with the help of a professor, but they're all busy, so I have to rely on you."
Fifty years ago, when Hagrid was expelled from Hogwarts, his wand was also snapped in half.
Although Dumbledore later repaired the wand and hid it in a red umbrella, Hagrid was still not allowed to use any spells openly.
This was the reason he sought Kyle's help... the chicken coop was too conspicuous, and any spells cast there had to be reasonable.
Additionally, there were other areas that required similar treatment, and the task was slightly more extensive than it seemed.
"It's just the Beast Repelling Charm, which is simple. I've used it at home before," Fred casually pocketed the rocky pie and headed towards the door.
"Oh, and you mentioned the chicken coop and what else?"
"The Forbidden Forest, of course."
"Plop..." Fred stumbled and fell from the stone steps at the entrance.
"Hagrid..." He climbed to his feet and exclaimed in disbelief, "Do you know how vast the Forbidden Forest is?"
"Of course... I know." Hagrid scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed. "You don't need to cover the entire area. Just casting the charm on the parts facing the castle should be sufficient."
Fred remained silent, letting out a soft sigh. Even just this portion of the Forbidden Forest within the school grounds was quite extensive.
He finally understood why the professors didn't have time; if he were a professor, he wouldn't have time for such a massive task either...
"As a token of my gratitude, I can help you find Kneazles."
"Deal!" Fred and George readily agreed.
"Oh, and for you guys..." Hagrid turned to the others, "If there's anything you like, just let me know."
"I'm fine with that," Kyle said. "But Hagrid, why did you suddenly decide to cast the Repelling Charm around the Forbidden Forest?"
Hagrid's gaze became a bit unfocused. "It's nothing... I'm just worried that the animals in the Forbidden Forest might wander into the castle."
Kyle seemed to understand as he observed Hagrid's demeanor.
It was likely the news about the Chamber of Secrets that made Hagrid think of the giant spider in the Forbidden Forest... the very reason for his expulsion years ago.
Adding the Repelling Charm to the Forbidden Forest was probably to prevent them from escaping during this time.
However, this was so unlike Hagrid.
Based on Kyle's understanding of Hagrid, he wouldn't engage in such a time-consuming task... he would have simply trusted Aragog.
If it weren't for the fact that everything else seemed to align, and the rocky pie's recipe hadn't changed, Kyle would have thought that the Hagrid before him was an imposter using Polyjuice Potion.
"Hagrid, you should know this," Kyle said as they stepped outside the hut. "The Beast Repelling Charm is actually a type of Domestic Charm that only affects small creatures like caterpillars, field mice, foxes, and even goblins."
"I know," Hagrid nodded. "But having something is better than nothing."
(End of Chapter)
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