https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-403-Enhanced-Magic-Puppet-Creatures/13685413/
Chapter 402: V Area
"Yes... Escape left," Professor Sprout said, sighing deeply. "I shouldn’t say this from my position, but... I’m glad she did."
"What happened?" Wade asked.
"The Ministry of Magic wanted to execute that girl. Even the children rescued with her—they didn’t want to let them go easily."
Professor Sprout remembered the heated argument she’d overheard on the boat a few days prior, and her voice sharpened with anger.
"They planned to imprison the children. I heard someone inside say they’d have to wait until the kids were adults, and only then, if they were proven safe, could they be allowed to leave."
"But how would they survive when they finally joined society?" she exclaimed. "No one cares! No one even thinks about it!"
She took a sharp breath, nostrils flaring, before continuing in a mocking tone: "After she escaped, the Ministry suddenly realized—anger and hatred breed stronger Dark Creatures. They feared retaliation from the Silent Shadow, and so they abruptly changed their stance, saying they might consider treating the children more leniently."
Her words dripped with sarcasm, her expression almost as frosty as Professor Snape’s.
"But the debate still continues," Wade asked.
"Yes," Professor Sprout admitted. "Dumbledore hoped to send the magical children to Hogwarts. But... well... the board of governors overwhelmingly opposed it."
"I can’t entirely blame them," she added. "Some of the children are already quite old. Even if they entered school, they’d graduate soon—yet most wouldn’t pass the Wizard-level exams anyway."
"In the end, both sides made concessions. Children over eleven won’t be admitted by special exception. But the Ministry approved special funding for them to enroll in a correspondence course in door magic. That way, when they finish, they’ll have mastered basic magic—enough to survive on their own."
"Correspondence course?" Wade frowned. "I thought Britain had only one magic school—Hogwarts!"
Professor Sprout smiled kindly. "Britain does have only Hogwarts. But some wizards open informal magic classes in their own courtyards, taking in a few struggling students and teaching simple household magic—mostly nonsense, really."
"But with the Ministry and Dumbledore intervening, they should be able to find proper teachers for these children."
"Once they’re settled," she said, "Dumbledore might return to school next week."
Wade had been about to ask about the non-magical ordinary children, but he paused when a new group of students began filing into the greenhouse. He thanked Professor Sprout and stepped out.
Outside the door, he met up with Michael.
"Still over an hour until History of Magic!" Michael said. "Want to go play a round in the Maze?"
"Sure," Wade said. He’d been feeling unusually tense lately—needed a break.
They turned a corner and headed toward the Maze.
Ron and Harry, just stepping out of the castle, saw them from afar.
Harry sighed sympathetically. "Those who go into the Maze today are doomed."
"Yeah... I guess," Ron said absently, eyes half on the pair.
But Wade wasn’t about to unleash a giant Insect Bully on his friends today.
During regular classes, only lower-year students with light schedules could afford to linger in the Maze. Seeing Wade, they scattered like leaves in the wind—fearful of being caught.
"Hahahaha! Wade, you’re a plague now! Hahaha!" Michael laughed, doubled over.
Wade rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.
"I didn’t even plan to use the Insect Bully today," he said, exasperated.
"Alright, next batch can come in!"
Hagrid was on duty today. He roared, "Open the Maze!" and the entrance swung wide—but no eager young wizards rushed in.
Hagrid frowned, placing his hand on the bushy wall and peering out. Only Wade and Michael stood there.
"Where’d everyone go?" he asked, puzzled. "Why are you two the only ones left?"
Michael cleared his throat, forcing a straight face. "They’re all in class."
"Ah... well," Hagrid grumbled, disappointed. "Guess there’s no one else then. You two want to come in?"
"Uh... sure," Michael hesitated, then said, "We’re already here."
Wade stepped forward first. Michael hurried after him.
"Alright, Wade," Michael said quickly. "We’re just exploring. No competition, okay?"
"Exploring is boring," Wade replied. "Since there’s no one else, I’ll show you something new."
"What?" Michael asked, curious.
Wade just smiled mysteriously and didn’t answer.
Behind them, the vines slithered back into place, weaving together like a living tapestry, sealing the wall as if it had never been breached.
On the other side, Hagrid sat on a stone, setting aside his pink rain umbrella. He picked up a ball of yarn and a handful of coarse, unkempt hair from an unknown creature.
"What are you doing, Hagrid?" Michael asked.
"Oh, just making a new belt," Hagrid said, his thick fingers braiding the hair and yarn together. "The old one’s nearly broken."
"Want one?" he offered. "I can make you both a pair."
Michael stared at the thick, arm-thick belt and waved his hands frantically. "No way! I couldn’t wear something that big!"
Wade nodded at Hagrid. "Professor Hagrid, we’re going into V Area."
"V Area? Oh, sure," Hagrid said. He tapped the wall with his pink umbrella. A curved archway appeared in the bushes.
"Go on. Be careful," he said.
"Got it. Thanks!" Wade waved and stepped through.
"V Area?" Michael said, walking beside him. "What is that? I’ve never heard of it."
"Not surprising," Wade said, leading the way. "It’s a newly opened section."
Michael glanced back. The entrance was sealed again. The walls towered higher on both sides, and the silence was eerie.
This wasn’t how the Maze usually felt.
Normally, every step could be a trap. The challenges weren’t just from the professors’ spells—each student who’d passed through had left behind their own hidden pitfalls. Even retracing the same path could bring new surprises. That was the charm of Hogwarts’ Maze.
Michael remembered the tense, careful steps of past visits. Now, the stillness felt unnatural.
He felt compelled to speak. "These walls are insanely high—taller than Professor Hagrid!"
He looked up at the towering green hedge. "Why build them so high? Is there a secret building inside?"
"No secret building," Wade stopped mid-step. "Just creatures."
Then, from the tunnel’s far end, a dark green giant lumbered forward, dragging a long wooden staff.
Michael spun around—just in time to see a werewolf emerge silently from behind them, eyes locked on the pair, low growl rumbling in its throat.
A soft chuckle echoed above. Michael looked up. On either side of the wall, two figures crouched—human-shaped, but with red glowing eyes and jagged, bared fangs.
Michael stared.
...
Half an hour later, Wade watched Michael, now seated on a tree root like a natural throne, casually cracking open pine nuts. He couldn’t help but admire the guy’s nerve.
Earlier, Michael had turned pale at the sudden appearance of beasts. But when a vampire girl in a short dress perched on the wall, he’d blurted out, "You’re wearing so little—won’t you get cold? And you’re standing on the wall, you’ll fall!"
The vampire giggled, and the entire tense atmosphere vanished.
The beasts looked at each other, then at Wade.
"Should we keep chasing him if he’s not running?" the werewolf asked, sounding almost sheepish.
"Be flexible, everyone," Wade sighed. "If a student freezes in fear, do you really let them go? Pretend to attack, surround them—didn’t I teach you that?"
"Oh!" The werewolf nodded, then pulled out a small notebook from his stomach, scribbling furiously.
The giant, now bored, trudged away with his staff, dragging his heavy frame.
The handsome chestnut-haired vampire bowed. "Call us anytime you need us."
With a graceful leap, he vanished over the wall. The others followed.
Michael stared wistfully at the spot where the vampire had disappeared, then let out a heavy sigh.
"She was the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen... too bad she’s not human. Not even a real vampire."
"Would you still pursue her if she were?" Wade asked.
Michael scowled. "Love has no boundaries of race!"
He paused, then added bitterly, "But I can’t accept she’s just a puppet."
Wade rolled his eyes. "Padma had her reasons for breaking up with you."
Michael winced. He remembered the last time they’d sat together, laughing—thought they’d reconciled. But no. It was a complete split.
Padma couldn’t handle Michael’s habit of being overly kind to every girl, always chatting with pretty ones. They’d argued many times. Michael understood her pain—but he couldn’t change who he was.
Their relationship had actually improved after becoming ordinary friends. He’d always been good to her. But his openness to others made Padma feel insecure. Now, as friends, she could pretend not to see it.
It was a world Wade didn’t fully understand. He didn’t interfere much—just said, "Seriously, you weren’t scared earlier?"
"Not at all," Michael said. "A real giant wouldn’t scare me. They’re all dumb. But your magic puppets aren’t."
"So why weren’t you afraid?"
"Because I knew you brought me here," Michael said casually. "You wouldn’t lead me into a death trap. And the professors wouldn’t allow so many beasts into Hogwarts without noticing."
He paused. "Think about it—combine that with the Red Hat creatures from Defense Against the Dark Arts class. The conclusion’s obvious: these are another batch of magic puppets."
Wade was silent.
Easy to say. But how many people could stay calm and think clearly in a life-or-death situation?
They finally emerged from the long tunnel and stepped into the true V Area.
It felt like the deepest part of the Forbidden Forest. Giant trees twisted and tangled above, forming a dense canopy. Sunlight barely reached the ground, leaving the air cold and damp.
Twisted, skeletal trees stood scattered, their bare branches clawing at the sky like long fingers, ready to snatch a victim.
In this chilling atmosphere, Michael adapted instantly. After a quick tour, he collected pinecones and cracked open the seeds with ease—simple magic for them both.
He even had time to comment: "The mood’s great, but the space is too small. If it could expand deeper into the Forbidden Forest, it’d be perfect."
"Unlikely," Wade said, sitting on another fallen log. "Even building the Maze caused protests from the forest creatures. If we tried to extend it further, they’d be furious."
"And beyond a certain point, the school’s magic can’t protect every student."
"Too bad," Michael said. "This small space won’t hold up long. A real wizard would spot the puppets’ illusions quickly."
Nearby, a group of giants huddled together, awkwardly trying to warm themselves by a tiny fire. Their massive bodies strained against the tight space.
The werewolf paced around occasionally, its lean frame flashing through the shadows.
Only the vampires stayed hidden—perfectly still.
"V Area is temporary," Wade said. "Professor Dumbledore invited Mr. Scamander to help. During the holidays, they’ll use magic to move V Area underground, connecting it with the real Maze. Once done, it’ll look just like the Forbidden Forest."
Michael’s jaw dropped. "You can actually do that? Move an entire area?"
Wade paused, surprised. "You’re shocked by that? Time magic is far stranger."
They stared at each other, silently acknowledging the gap in their worldviews.
Wade asked, "Want to try fighting the werewolf?"
"Sure!" Michael grabbed his wand and bounced up from his seat.
Wade clapped his hands. A werewolf stepped slowly from the trees.
(End of Chapter)
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