Became good friends with the Boy Who Lived

The next day, several notes appeared at the table where Aris, Harry, Hermione, and Ron often ate. They read:

Your compulsory labor will begin after dinner. After dinner, please go to the hall to find Mr. Filch, who will lead you to the place where you will receive your compulsory labor.

Professor Minerva McGonagall

After seeing the note, several people looked helpless and started eating without saying a word.

The day ended quickly. After dinner, several people went to the hallway. Draco followed reluctantly, muttering to himself: "If my father knew..."

Mr. Filch was waiting for them in the hallway with a malicious smile on his face. When he saw them coming, an equally malicious voice rang out: "Follow me!"

Mr. Filch, holding an oil lamp, led them towards the edge of the Forbidden Forest, which was the direction of Hagrid's hut. Realizing that they were going to carry out a mission with Hagrid, Aris and the others quickened their steps.

Mr. Filch's malicious voice sounded at an inopportune moment: "What a pity! The headmaster does not allow corporal punishment of students who have made mistakes. God, I really miss the screams that echoed throughout the castle."

Seeing that the others were indifferent, Mr. Filch was obviously no longer in a good mood. His voice was full of threats: "I think corporal punishment should be restored. If you make a mistake, you should be punished, right? Children of your age are all mean. How can you learn your lesson if you are not severely punished? I will tie up your big toes and hang them from the ceiling..."

Mr. Filch was still chattering on, saying some creepy words, and while the old madman was talking to himself, several people came to Hagrid's hut and saw Hagrid with a depressed look on his face.

"You're going to help Hagrid with his work for Hogwarts," said Mr. Filch gleefully. "Good evening, Hagrid. You're not still thinking about that stupid dragon of yours, are you?"

While sorting out a large handmade crossbow, Hagrid said dejectedly: "Mr. Dumbledore sent Norbert away to Romania..."

"Isn't that great? He can be with his own kind," said Hermione.

"What if he doesn't like it there?" Hagrid said excitedly, "What if he misses me? What if he is bullied? What if he... he's just a baby..." A strong man's voice was full of motherly worry.

"That's enough!" Mr. Filch's voice was full of impatience. "You are going to the forest to do something, don't forget to bring your brain with you!"

Draco looked terrified. He asked in a trembling voice, "We are going to... the forest too? No... No... How can students enter the Forbidden Forest? There is..."

A long wolf howl sounded...

Draco swallowed hard and continued, "Werewolf..."

As if afraid that Draco was not scared enough, Mr. Filch said quietly: "Oh... you will soon find out that there are more than just werewolves in there." After that, he walked away towards the castle with the oil lamp, but his voice still came: "Good night to you, and I hope that when I come tomorrow, I won't see your corpses..."

Hagrid also picked up an oil lamp and put a leather bucket full of arrows on his back. He said in a heavy voice, "Follow me!"

Led by Hagrid, they followed a winding path into the forest. After walking for a while, Hagrid seemed to have discovered something and squatted down.

Several people also walked over curiously. Aeris and Hermione looked at each other, took out their wands at the same time, and whispered: "Lumos!"

Two balls of soft white light floated to a place not high above their heads, and Eris also saw that some shiny, silvery, mercury-like liquid was dripping from the surrounding bushes to the ground.

"Hagrid," inquired Harry, "what are these?"

Hagrid dipped his finger in the liquid, rubbed it with his index finger and thumb, and then put it under his nose to smell it. He said in a heavy voice: "This is the blood of a unicorn. One died two weeks ago. This is very unusual. These elves in the forest are not so easy to hunt. This one is in a very bad condition. Our mission is to find it and help it..."

Hagrid stood up and continued, "There is a fork in the road ahead. We need to split into two groups. Hermione, Ron and I will be in one group; Aeris, Harry, and the Malfoy boys will be in another group."

Draco said immediately: "Fang wants to follow us..."

Hagrid waved his hand nonchalantly and said, "Okay, but I have to remind you that he's a coward. Okay, kids, if you're in danger, use your wand to shoot red flashes into the air. If you find a unicorn, shoot green flashes. Another group will rush over to support as soon as possible. Safety is the top priority. Do you understand?"

Seeing everyone nod, Hagrid led Hermione and Ron to the right of the fork in the road and walked deeper into the forest. Aeris maintained the fluorescent charm to lead the way, and Harry and Draco followed behind and walked to the left of the fork in the road.

This forest is much larger than imagined. Aris felt the magical aura of the Untraceable Extension Charm. With such a large-scale Untraceable Extension Charm, Hogwarts must be full of secrets, Aris thought.

In this dark world, time seemed to have lost its concept. As Edwards walked forward, Harry and Draco were arguing behind him. Edwards suddenly stopped, turned around and said quietly, "You two have a good relationship, why can't you just be friends?"

Draco looked at Harry with disdain and said, "Who wants to be friends with a man with a scar on his forehead..."

"I also won't be friends with someone who bullies his classmates!" Harry said dryly.

"You..." Draco was about to say something when Aeris interrupted him, "In this dangerous place, is your little emotion more important, or your life?" Both Harry and Draco were silent.

"Let's cooperate temporarily," Aeris said helplessly, "At least both of you should stop bickering. It's easy to attract some danger. Don't you feel like you're being spied on?"

At this moment, Harry and Draco shuddered violently, and when they moved forward again, they were obviously much calmer.

They didn't know how long they had been walking, but they should be almost at the center of the forbidden forest. Until they pushed aside a thick bush, they saw a clearing in front of them. It was an open space with a huge tree in the center. They didn't know how old the tree was. It was so tall that the crown of the tree could not be seen, and the roots were so entangled that an extremely beautiful creature was lying on its side on those thick roots.

Its body radiated a pearly white halo, its white mane spread on the tree roots, and there were large patches of mercury-like blood around it. Only its slightly rising and falling belly proved that it was still alive. This white horse-like creature exuded a holy aura all over its body.