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Night fell as expected, shrouding the castle corridors in shadow and silence.
Lynn, William, Edgar, and Ollie gathered at the agreed time and place.
Not long after, accompanied by shuffling footsteps and the jingle of keys, Filch emerged from around the corner, carrying a dim oil lamp.
A twisted smile was plastered across his face.
"Heh heh heh… here you are. Four little brats who can't follow the rules."
He launched straight into his usual "lecture."
"Sneaking out at night! Lying! Disrespecting school rules! In the old days—hmph! You can't even imagine what would've happened to you! The whip! Pepper spray! Hanging you up in detention! That was real punishment! Students these days have it too easy… blah blah blah…"
He went on and on, reminiscing about the "harsh" old days of Hogwarts he imagined, fantasizing about how he would deal with rule-breakers if only he had the authority. His words were filled with nostalgia for a past that likely never existed—and resentment toward the present.
…Pretty much exactly as William described.
As Lynn listened, his mind drifted:
What kind of promise did Headmaster Dumbledore make to Filch… or what kind of sweet talk did he use, to keep someone who constantly complains about lacking power working here so dutifully for decades?
Eventually, amid Filch's rambling tirade, they arrived at the door to Snape's office.
"Get in there, Burns," Filch said, prodding Edgar's back with the handle of his lamp. "Go enjoy Professor Snape's 'hospitality.'"
Edgar's face turned pale.
He knocked on the door like a man walking to the gallows.
A cold "Enter" sounded from inside.
He took a deep breath and pushed the door open.
The moment it closed, the three outside faintly heard Snape's voice drifting out:
"Hm… it seems the creature who attempts to deceive professors with troll-level intellect has finally arrived. Do you see the pufferfish livers and venomous tentacula pus before you? Your task tonight is to separate, slice, and extract them according to the standards on page seventy-three of Advanced Potion-Making…"
A pause.
"I trust your flobberworm-filled brain still remembers how to hold a knife."
Edgar's face was probably whiter than a vampire's by now.
Outside, Lynn, William, and Ollie exchanged glances.
Silently, they lit a row of metaphorical candles in their hearts.
Stay strong, buddy. Mental damage plus physical labor… that's a brutal combo.
Filch gave a satisfied grunt and continued leading the remaining three out of the castle grounds toward Hagrid's hut.
Hagrid sat at his enormous table, carefully sharpening the arrowheads of his crossbow with a whetstone, humming off-key.
Hearing Filch's unmistakable voice, he looked up.
"Oh! Hi! Lynn, you're here! Evening!"
"Good evening, Hagrid," the three replied politely.
Filch frowned. "They're your responsibility now. Keep an eye on them. Don't let them cause trouble in the Forbidden Forest."
With that, he turned and marched William—whose face was etched with utter despair—back toward the castle.
"Don't mind him. That's just Filch being Filch."
Hagrid stood, setting his crossbow aside.
"Fang! Don't hide—come say hello!"
Fang crawled out from under the table, tail wagging enthusiastically at Lynn and Ollie.
But when Lynn leaned down with a grin and reached for him—
Fang instinctively tried to retreat.
"Fang, don't be shy."
Without waiting, Lynn wrapped an arm around the dog's head and began vigorously rubbing his fur with suspicious expertise.
"Woof! Woof woof! (Stop! Stop! My fur! You're going to rub me bald!)" Fang whimpered pitifully.
"Hagrid, what's the plan for tonight?" Lynn asked, still enthusiastically petting Fang.
Hagrid pulled on his coat and picked up his crossbow and lantern.
"Nothing too dangerous," he said in his deep, rumbling voice. "We're heading deeper into the Forbidden Forest—near where the unicorns gather. Just checking for any signs of poachers and seeing how those beautiful creatures are doing."
He paused.
"They sometimes… well, get a bit 'tipsy' and let their guard down. Even with the centaurs patrolling, accidents can happen. Those poachers are always lurking."
As he said this, Hagrid gave Lynn a pointed look.
Lynn coughed awkwardly and rubbed his nose.
After a few final preparations, Hagrid lifted his lantern. Lynn and Ollie lit their wands.
The trio—and Fang—set off into the Forbidden Forest.
At night, the forest was a completely different world.
Towering ancient trees blocked out most of the sky, allowing only scattered moonlight to filter through. Pale patches of light dotted the leaf-covered ground.
Rustling sounds came from all directions. Occasionally, distant animal cries echoed through the darkness.
As they advanced steadily toward the unicorn gathering grounds, Lynn's ears suddenly twitched.
Beneath the sounds of wind, leaves, and footsteps—
He heard something else.
A faint, rhythmic tapping.
Hoofbeats.
Coming from ahead.
And getting closer.
Clop—clop—clang… clop—clop—clang…
Lynn stopped.
"Anya," he called calmly toward the trees, "you can come out. I recognized those hoofbeats from a mile away."
Ollie sniffed the air.
"And… a pretty noticeable smell of alcohol."
There was a brief pause.
Then, from behind a massive tree trunk, a head peeked out sheepishly.
It was Anya.
Her expression carried both embarrassment and barely contained excitement.
"Hehe… you found me…" she said, pawing the ground. "Um… Lynn, about what you promised last time…"
Before she could finish, Lynn had already pulled out a rough burlap sack.
With a flick of his wand—
One barrel after another flew out.
Large oak casks, bound with iron hoops, each nearly half a person tall, landed neatly in a clearing with soft thud sounds.
Dozens of them.
Each labeled with different flavors.
Anya's eyes went wide.
Practically glowing.
She pranced in place excitedly.
"Hey! Hey! You really are… such a great guy!"
A "Nice Guy" card was silently awarded.
"Drink in moderation," Lynn said with a grin. "I improved these based on your feedback last time."
He gestured ahead.
"Now, can you take us to the gathering area? Hagrid said there might be poachers nearby."
Anya tossed her mane happily.
"Of course! Follow me! I was heading back anyway—to, uh… properly store these supplies."
She turned and led the way.
With a unicorn guiding them, their pace increased significantly.
They moved deeper and deeper into the forest—closer to the unicorns' core territory.
Then—
Everything changed.
BOOM—RUMBLE—CRASH—!
Clop—clang—! BOOM—RUMBLE—!
A chaotic explosion of sound erupted from ahead.
Trees splintered.
Hooves pounded wildly against the ground.
Terrified whinnies echoed through the forest.
The night's calm shattered instantly.
Birds burst into flight from the canopy.
The dense foliage ahead shook violently.
Then—
A silvery-white figure burst out.
A unicorn.
Its coat was smeared with mud and grass. Its eyes were wide with terror.
It charged forward blindly—
Almost crashing into Anya.
Startled, Anya leapt forward, blocking its path.
"Stop! Calm down! It's me—Anya! What happened?! What's wrong at the gathering area?!"
The unicorn skidded to a halt, recognizing her.
"Anya?! We've encountered—"