Chapter 72: Why Not You?
Chapter 72: Why Not You?
As they neared the edge of the Forbidden Forest, Fred and George finally conceded defeat and stopped struggling, but they continued to grumble incessantly about Kyle's wasteful behavior, still feeling disappointed about having to leave.
"There's still a lot more in there. We've wasted at least a Galleon's worth," Fred complained, holding up the hem of his robe, which was now being used as an oversized pocket, filled with a small mountain of silvery 'moonlight sand'.
George, standing next to him, was in the same predicament, making them look like a pair of kangaroos.
Kyle didn't say much in response, merely giving a perfunctory reply as he was genuinely exhausted. It was already late, and the initial novelty of witnessing the dance of the Lunastone had worn off. Now, the sleepiness from staying up late was setting in.
All he wanted to do was return to the dormitory and sleep soundly in the warm and comfortable bed.
As they approached the edge of the forest, a sudden bark and heavy footsteps startled them from a short distance away.
Hagrid!
The group jumped in fright and immediately dropped to the ground.
Kyle quickly pulled out his Invisibility Cloak and huddled under it with the others.
Although the cloak felt a bit snug for five people and didn't completely cover everyone, the surrounding dense bushes in the Forbidden Forest provided additional cover.
As the footsteps drew closer, they could clearly make out Hagrid's towering figure.
Kyle, at the front of the group, held up the Invisibility Cloak and lay tense, barely daring to breathe.
"Who's there? Come out!" Hagrid stopped near them, holding a dim lantern. "I see you!"
Behind Hagrid was his black boarhound, Fang.
Fang sniffed the ground with his head down and gradually moved closer to where Kyle and the others were hiding.
Everyone's hearts pounded in their chests, and they covered their mouths with their hands, striving to remain absolutely silent.
Fang drew nearer, and the distance between them narrowed to less than a meter. Kyle could clearly make out the dog's small, black eyes and the drool dripping from its mouth.
"Have you found something?"
Hagrid noticed Fang's unusual behavior and approached with the lantern, shouting, "I don't care who you are, but this is Hogwarts, not a place for the likes of you to wander into!"
"Get out of here before I lose my temper. If I catch you, you'll be sorry!"
For some reason, upon hearing Hagrid's voice, Fang hesitated for a moment before changing direction and heading deeper into the Forbidden Forest.
Hagrid followed closely behind his dog, passing by Kyle and the others.
Time ticked by slowly, and only when the footsteps had completely faded away did Kyle and his friends finally relax, lying on the ground and panting heavily.
"That was intense!" Cedric exclaimed, his face flushed. "Merlin's beard, I just touched Hagrid's shoe! He nearly stepped on my hand!"
"Oh, damn." Fred, who had just gotten up, suddenly cried out in disgust as he looked at the sticky liquid on his hand. "I think I touched that dog's drool."
"You should be glad it was just drool," George said, still shaken. "Hagrid looked terrifying. If he had caught us, it probably wouldn't have just been a detention."
As he spoke, George shuddered.
It was the first time he had seen Hagrid so angry, and the oppressive feeling that had washed over him still made him tremble at the memory.
After this unexpected incident, the group dared not linger and quickly made their way back toward the castle, taking advantage of the fact that Hagrid was still in the Forbidden Forest.
When they arrived at the secret passage exit, they didn't rush inside but took out the Marauder's Map to confirm Filch's location. Only when they were certain he was not on the first floor did they take turns entering the passage, returning to the castle.
Since they were going in different directions, they parted ways after leaving the secret passage.
Perhaps spooked by the earlier incident, everyone seemed tense on their way back.
Cedric felt his heart racing and blurted out, "Kyle, do you think we'll get caught?"
"Don't worry. If we're discovered, we'll split up and run," Kyle whispered. "That way, he won't know who to chase."
"But..." Connor added with a tremble in her voice, "I... I'm a slow runner. What if I can't get away?"
"Well, that is a problem," Kyle said, thinking. "How about this: if we're discovered, you run upstairs."
"Won't I get caught if I run upstairs?" Connor asked, confused.
"No, running upstairs isn't safe..." Kyle shook his head and explained, "But if you do that, Filch will go after you, and then Cedric and I can make a break for the common room."
"......"
???
Connor's eyes gradually became vacant, and then, in a very short time, they turned angry.
But Kyle was oblivious to this as he continued whispering, "Catch one, and two get away. It's a good deal."
Connor gritted her teeth and asked, "Then why am I the one getting caught?"
"Well... it's simple," Kyle said after a moment's thought. "If one of us has to get hurt, why shouldn't it be you?"
For some reason, Connor suddenly felt less nervous. She silently drew her wand and eyed Kyle's back, looking for a suitable spot to jab him.
The most prominent feature of a serpentine wand was its hardness; according to Ollivander, under extreme conditions, a serpentine wand could even be used as a close-quarters weapon.
Kyle felt a chill down his spine and unconsciously quickened his pace.
...
Nothing unexpected happened, and the trio made it back to the common room without incident.
This was to be expected.
Back at the secret passage entrance, Kyle had noticed on the Marauder's Map that the professors were all asleep in their rooms, and Filch was patrolling on the eighth floor.
The distance from the Great Hall to the Hufflepuff common room wasn't far; it only took a few minutes to get there if they hurried.
Filch wouldn't have had enough time to get down from the eighth floor in that short time.
So Cedric and Connor's worries along the way were completely unnecessary.
"Good night, see you tomorrow," yawned Kyle as he headed to his dormitory.
He had intended to go to the kitchen for a snack when he got back, but as soon as he entered the common room, he could barely keep his eyes open.
His eyelids felt heavy, and his head was fuzzy with sleepiness. All he wanted was a good night's rest.
"Good night."
"Hmph~"
...
(End of Chapter)
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