Chapter 331: Lair of the Giant Beast
Chapter 331: Lair of the Giant Beast
Early the next morning, after breakfast in the Great Hall, Albert and his trio of friends vanished without a trace.
While the second-year students had already finished their exams, the others were still preparing, leaving no one to pay them any mind.
Using the Live-Mapping Device, they confirmed that Hagrid was assisting Professor Grubbly-Plank with her class before stealthily sneaking past the Quidditch pitch and into the Forbidden Forest using Disillusionment Charms.
Flying above the Forbidden Forest was far safer than attempting to traverse it on foot.
"Hey, don't freak out now. We'll be keeping an eye on you!" Fred teased as he noticed Lee Jordan's nervousness. Lee's flying skills were rather mediocre, perhaps due to a lack of practice, and he seemed to lack confidence.
"How about we swap brooms?" Lee Jordan grumbled stubbornly. "Or you can just shut it."
"Let's not worry about that now. Are we headed in the right direction?" Fred deftly changed the subject, feigning ignorance.
"Should be alright!"
Every few minutes, Albert would pause to check their flight path against the treasure map, ensuring they were on course. Fred and George had once wandered for hours in the Forbidden Forest, but now, in less than fifteen minutes, they had covered a significant distance.
"I have a question," Lee Jordan spoke up, his concern evident. "What if we get lost and can't figure out where Hogwarts is in relation to our location?"
The Forbidden Forest was vast, and even while flying above the treetops, it was easy to lose one's bearings and end up somewhere unintended. Getting lost would be a nightmare.
"Don't worry about it," Albert reassured him. "I've hidden an object outside the school grounds in the Forbidden Forest that can serve as a locator coordinate. If needed, I can use tracking magic to pinpoint Hogwarts' location through that item."
While it was impossible to locate Hogwarts Castle itself, the same didn't hold true for the Forest or Hogsmeade, and in the worst-case scenario, they could always Apparate back. Albert wasn't concerned about getting lost.
"That's a relief," Lee Jordan exhaled, clearly relieved.
"I told you Albert would be prepared," Fred chimed in confidently. "It's good to have a reliable teammate."
As he spoke, he shot a glance at George, silently conveying that if George had been more dependable, things might have turned out differently the last time.
"Don't think I don't know what you're implying," George huffed in annoyance.
"Alright, enough bickering. We're going down now. According to the map, we should be close to the spot. Be careful, and don't just drop straight to the ground," Albert cautioned as he began to descend slowly.
"I wonder what kind of treasure we'll find."
"Don't get your hopes up too high. It's more likely to be a hoax," Albert reminded them, managing expectations. "The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment."
"I think you jinxing it like that means it's probably real," Fred muttered, half-joking but also half-worried that Albert's infamous pessimism might prove true.
They had ventured deep into the Forbidden Forest, and the area below was shrouded in darkness. Hovering above a large tree, they surveyed their surroundings.
Albert cast several luminous orbs downward, illuminating the area with the convenience of advanced Lumos charms.
"Do you think we might attract some dangerous creatures by doing that?" Lee Jordan asked, his worry evident.
"That's kind of the point—to see if there are any dangerous creatures lurking below," Albert replied nonchalantly. They hovered and observed for about five minutes, confirming that there were no immediate threats before descending to the ground.
Once they landed, Albert immediately cast spells to ward off any potential wild beasts in the vicinity.
“You're right to be cautious,” Fred said as he handed the broom to Albert and took the treasure map to locate the secret treasure.
After Albert stored the flying brooms in his Trace-less Extension Charm bag, Fred took the lead with the map while Albert kept a vigilant eye on their surroundings, wary of any potential ambushes. The trio's magic training had not been in vain, and they knew to remain alert as they ventured deeper into the Forbidden Forest.
"The map indicates that the location should be up ahead," Fred said, pointing forward.
"Do you guys smell something?" George muttered.
The air around them reeked, clearly a bad omen.
"It's probably a Forest Giant," Albert said, gesturing for them to halt and be cautious. "If it is, their weak spot is the back of their head."
"Ugh, the stench is killing me. I hate those guys," Lee Jordan grumbled, clearly a bit too tense.
"If we encounter any giants, we'll restrict their movement first, and then I'll take them out," Albert added, knowing he had to boost their confidence.
The four maintained their formation as they continued forward. They didn't encounter any giants, but they did come across what appeared to be a giant's lair. Albert wasn't sure if giants were cave dwellers, but he was reluctant to go near the place, let alone enter it, due to the overwhelming stench that made him feel like he had been thrown into a cesspool.
This was like a biological weapon! "Ugh, I bet those stinkers created those stink bombs using the giants' body odor."
The quartet decided to keep their distance to avoid being overwhelmed by the putrid smell.
"Ugh, this has got to be a cruel joke. I feel like I'm gonna throw up my breakfast," Fred groaned.
George, Fred, and Lee Jordan all held onto the tree trunks as they retched.
Albert wasn't faring much better; he struggled to hold back his nausea and dry-heaved a few times before managing to suppress the unpleasant feeling.
"Are we going in there?" he suddenly asked.
"This joke isn't funny at all. I think we might suffocate in there," Fred muttered.
"Bubble-Head Charm," Albert said, opening his skill panel and upgrading the Bubble-Head Charm skill from level one to level two.
"I haven't really tried this spell before," Albert said as he cast a charm around his head, creating a large bubble.
"What is that?" George asked, pointing at the huge bubble surrounding Albert's head.
"It looks so funny," Fred added.
At that moment, Albert's facial features appeared stretched and widened, making him look extremely comical.
"Bubble-Head Charm. It isolates us from the stench and provides breathable air for about half an hour or so," Albert explained as he began casting the charm on the others. He wasn't very proficient with this spell.
"Half an hour is enough. Let's get this over with!" Fred, George, and Lee Jordan hesitated but ultimately decided to investigate.
After all, they could brag about this experience to others.
"It's too bad you didn't bring a camera," Lee Jordan said. As they approached the lair, Albert threw a Lumos orb inside, revealing a horrifying sight. There were not only signs of the giants' daily lives but also animal bones, clearly indicating that giants resided here.
"Maybe this was a bad idea," George muttered.
"Who knows, be ready for a fight," Albert said as he heard the roars of not just one but possibly multiple giants.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
