Chapter 99: The Dense Forest
The roar of a Fire Dragon shattered the quiet night sky above Hogwarts—sudden, violent, and terrifying.
"Hagrid!" Harry shouted, immediately mounting his broomstick and shooting into the air.
"Gryffindor..." Wade sighed, shaking his head in resignation.
Hagrid had only just entered the Forbidden Forest—well over a mile from where the Flame Light had appeared. There was no way anything dangerous could have happened so quickly.
Still, Wade mounted his own broom and plunged into the darkness of the forest. He pulled up sharply, using his sharp eyes to weave between the towering black treetops.
Ahead, Hagrid was barreling through the trees, cradling a barrel, shouting Norbert’s name as he charged toward the source of the Flame Light. His guard dog, Fang, followed closely behind. Harry, seeing Hagrid unharmed, had already flown ahead to confront the dragon.
They moved fast. Within moments, they reached a cave.
Wade saw Harry standing pale and frozen beside it. Before him lay Norbert—nearly the size of a small house—sprawled on the ground, his eyes and chest torn open by massive, jagged wounds. Blood poured from the gashes in thick, crimson streams.
"Norbert—" Hagrid cried out, collapsing to his knees and clutching the dragon’s limp body, trembling as he pressed his ear to the beast’s chest, searching for breath.
A few faint sparks sputtered from Norbert’s nostrils—like dying embers.
"Shh, it’s okay, my sweet... Mom’s here... I’ll fix you..." Hagrid’s hands shook violently as he fumbled through his pockets, searching for a Healing Potion.
Wade remained in the air, scanning the shadows with wary eyes. The forest was silent—utterly still. The Fire Dragon’s roar had swallowed every whisper of sound. Now, only the wind’s sigh, Hagrid’s broken sobs, and the crackling hiss of burning twigs filled the air.
Wade fired two red spark signals into the sky, then cast a Detection Charm around the perimeter before descending.
Hagrid was pouring white moss essence onto the wounds—but the blood flowed too fast. It washed the potion away like water from a broken faucet.
"Those wounds were made with Dark Magic," Wade said. "Ordinary healing potions won’t work."
He raised his wand, pointed it at Norbert’s chest, and murmured a counter-spell—thankfully, he’d just learned it from Remus the day before. After half a minute, the bleeding finally slowed.
Hagrid stared, eyes wide with desperate hope. "Is he... is he going to be okay?"
"No," Wade said. "I can’t do more than this. The rest needs a specialist. But at least... he’s alive. For now."
"Thank you, Wade... thank you so much!" Hagrid sobbed, tears streaming down his face. "If Norbert dies... I’d feel like my heart had been ripped out."
He clutched the monstrous, scarred head of his Norwegian Ridgeback, the dragon weakly blinking up at him, nostrils flaring with hot, shuddering breaths as Hagrid wept.
"Who did this?" a cold, furious voice echoed from nearby—so sudden and sharp that Harry, still dazed, turned ashen.
Severus Snape emerged from the darkness, robes billowing like storm clouds behind him. His eyes swept over each of them, as if he could drain their souls with a glance. He didn’t run—he seemed to glide, as if the air itself carried him.
Then, from a tree branch, a dappled cat leapt down and landed—transforming mid-air into Professor McGonagall, now in her pajamas.
Her eyes widened at the sight. "A wounded Fire Dragon? What on earth happened here?"
Before Harry could speak, another figure burst through the trees—Professor Quirrell, stumbling forward, scarf tangled around his neck. And then, with a flash of flame, Dumbledore appeared.
For a moment, the scene mirrored Halloween night—only this time, Flitwick was absent, and Dumbledore stood in his place.
But Harry shivered, instinctively stepping closer to Hagrid.
"Someone hurt Norbert, Dumbledore!" Hagrid cried, wiping tears with a massive handkerchief. "Please... please help him. This child is badly injured!"
Dumbledore knelt beside the dragon, examining the wound. The signs of Dark Magic were unmistakable—but the edges of the injury were already beginning to close. He frowned, then understood.
"An impressive Dark Magic counter-spell, Mr. Gray," Dumbledore said, voice calm and approving.
Wade bowed slightly. No words.
"Relax, Hagrid," Dumbledore said gently. "Madam Pomfrey will take care of him. Minerva, would you please take this child to a suitable place?"
"Of course," McGonagall replied, her gaze still sharp on the two students. She lifted Norbert with a Hovering Charm.
"Wait—Professor McGonagall!" Hagrid called out. "He’s still a baby! I should’ve protected him better..."
"Private possession of dragons is prohibited," Snape muttered, his voice like ice. "Hagrid, I thought you knew that."
Hagrid bit his lip, his massive frame shrinking under the weight of guilt.
"Later," Dumbledore said, voice steady. "Harry, Wade—why are you both here? Sneaking out of the castle at night, venturing into the Forbidden Forest—this was not wise."
"I couldn’t sleep," Harry stammered, voice shaky. "I was in the dormitory... just... looking at the stars. I saw Hagrid go into the forest. Then I heard the Fire Dragon’s roar... and the Flame Light... I was worried he might be in danger, so I came to check. Wade showed up after me..."
He left out the part about breaking curfew and flying recklessly through the school grounds.
"Did you see who did this?" Dumbledore asked.
Harry flinched, still trembling. Wade answered, "No. When we arrived, it was already like this."
Dumbledore nodded slowly, eyes fixed on the bloodstained earth. The others held their breath.
Inside the cave, footsteps echoed—soft, hesitant, and pure.
A white creature stepped out—ethereal and radiant, glowing faintly. It was a unicorn, its long legs uneven, one limping. Silver-white blood dripped from its side as it moved.
"Merlin’s beard!" Hagrid gasped. "Who could have harmed a unicorn?"
The unicorn bowed slightly to Dumbledore, then limped toward Hagrid, seeking comfort.
Dumbledore cast a healing spell, closing the wound. "Take it to Madam Pomfrey as well. And bring Wade and Harry with you. I believe they could both use a calming draught."
Hagrid nodded, lifting the wounded unicorn into his arms. "Come on, children—thank you for worrying about me. But this was dangerous. Truly dangerous. Don’t ever do this again."
Harry mumbled agreement, turning back—only to see Snape’s brow furrowed, as if he wanted to protest Dumbledore’s leniency.
But Dumbledore spoke again. "Severus, Quirinus—would you mind patrolling the outskirts of the forest tonight? The one who harmed the dragon might still be lurking nearby. And for safety—please stay together."
The dense trees swallowed Harry’s view.
(End of Chapter)
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