In the cozy confines of Hagrid's hut, the gentle giant wept openly, mourning the loss of his beloved spider friends. Hagrid had been preoccupied with his vegetable garden and only discovered the tragedy upon visiting the Forbidden Forest, where he found the ground littered with the charred remains of spiders. Aragog, his oldest spider friend, had narrowly survived but was severely weakened by the smoke.
The trio, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, did their best to console Hagrid, who was struggling to understand who could have committed such a cruel act. "I don't know who did it. It's just too cruel," Hagrid lamented, blowing his nose loudly.
Harry awkwardly suggested, "Maybe it was an accident? The Forbidden Forest is full of dangers, after all." Hagrid seemed to consider this, but he was puzzled by the use of fire, something not commonly wielded by the forest's usual inhabitants, save for centaurs and werewolves. Unbeknownst to Hagrid, the trio harbored a guilty secret about the incident.
The conversation shifted as they sought to distract Hagrid from his grief. His hut had always been a sanctuary for them, a place where they could escape the pressures of their studies and the complexities of their adventures.
Their moment of peace was interrupted by the sound of barking outside. Fang, Hagrid's loyal dog, perked up at the sound. "It's Tom, he's come to play with Fang," Hagrid explained with a small smile. Tom, the dominant figure in their canine hierarchy, had arrived with John, who had decided to visit Hagrid.
John expressed his condolences to Hagrid, offering bread and baguettes as a gesture of sympathy. Despite the simplicity of the gift, Hagrid appreciated the thoughtfulness. The atmosphere became slightly tense when Ron saw John, reacting nervously to his presence.
Hermione, ever the academic rival, inquired about John's elective courses, to which he replied with a laugh that he had chosen all of them, much to the horror of Harry and Ron. The conversation about schoolwork and John's surprising choice of electives lightened the mood, even as it bewildered them.
Invited to stay for tea, John sampled one of Hagrid's infamous rock cakes, discovering his bite had grown stronger, a fact he found amusing despite the cake's hardness.
The topic then shifted to a more serious matter when Harry, curious and concerned, asked John about the gun he had seen him with. The presence of such a Muggle weapon at Hogwarts was shocking to them, especially Hermione, who couldn't hide her surprise and disapproval.
John explained that while guns might seem dangerous, they were less so for wizards, who had magical means to heal from injuries that would be fatal to Muggles. He casually mentioned his own experiences, hinting at a test he had conducted, which only added to the trio's curiosity and concern.
As the conversation continued, the friends navigated the complexities of their world, where magic and Muggle inventions intersected in unexpected ways. Despite the heavy topics, Hagrid's hut remained a place of comfort and camaraderie, a haven from the outside world where they could confront their fears and find solace in each other's company. John had been shot at least three times, yet he remained unscathed. He attributed this resilience to the unique constitution of wizards, but he was quick to point out that this did not place wizards above Muggles. In fact, he argued that if Muggles ever decided to target wizards, despite needing time and caution to counteract the wizards' ability to apparate, they could pose a significant threat due to their sheer numbers and the lethality of their weapons. Harry and Hermione were somewhat reluctant to accept this perspective, while Ron, still puzzled, inquired about what a gun was. Amidst their conversation, the two dogs playing outside started barking loudly.
John stepped outside to investigate the commotion. To his surprise, the fence seemed to have sprouted eyes. It was an Invisible Beast, its gaze filled with an almost human-like joy upon seeing John. As Tom continued to bark, John calmed him down and addressed the creature, "Are you looking for me?" The Invisible Beast had clearly sought John out for a reason, and it gestured towards the Forbidden Forest, indicating that it wanted him to follow.
"Go, John. The Invisible Beast is a gentle creature; it won't harm you," Hagrid encouraged, his eyes wide with excitement at the sight of the rare beast. He would have loved to engage in a lengthy conversation with it if he wasn't worried about frightening it away.
Understanding the creature's intent, John nodded thoughtfully at Harry and the others. "I'll go with it," he announced, entrusting Hermione with the care of Tom before following the Invisible Beast into the forest.
Together, they ventured deep into the Forbidden Forest, eventually arriving at a large tree adorned with several Bowtruckles and a bird's nest. The Invisible Beast's excitement was palpable as it jumped up and down, clearly indicating the nest to John. Floating up to the nest, John was greeted by the vigilant Bowtruckles, but he signaled his peaceful intentions. Inside the nest, he discovered broken silver eggshells.
"Is this silver?" John mused, picking up a piece of the shell. A thought struck him. "Bird and snake?" Carefully removing the rest of the shell, he uncovered a winged bird-snake, a magical creature capable of changing size according to its surroundings. The creature was newly hatched, its eyes yet to open.
John realized the urgency of the Invisible Beast and the Bowtruckles. The bird-snake appeared to be in distress. "I recall Professor Sylvanus Kettleburn mentioning some jays. This might be their offspring," he pondered aloud.
Gently lifting the bird-snake, John noticed the Invisible Beast approaching, gesturing first at the creature and then at John, imploring him to take care of it. John reassured the beast, "I know just the person for this. Trust me, he's the best at caring for magical creatures."
Though the Invisible Beast seemed skeptical, John promised to find a suitable caretaker. As he prepared to leave the Forbidden Forest, he couldn't help but glance back at the creature. He knew that come the end of the semester, he would require the blood of a magical creature to enhance his magical powers. While he already possessed basilisk blood, the encounter with the Invisible Beast had sparked a new idea.
"Could the blood of an Invisible Beast strengthen my illusion spells?" John pondered, dismissing the notion of repaying the beast's kindness with betrayal. Instead, he opted for a fair trade.
Upon exiting the Forbidden Forest, John now possessed some of the Invisible Beast's blood. He sought out Hagrid and presented the newborn bird-snake to him. Hagrid's excitement was palpable; he embraced John so tightly that John feared his bones might break. With Hagrid's expertise in magizoology, John felt confident that the bird-snake was in the best possible hands.
The trio of friends gathered around, eager to catch a glimpse of the magical creature, their curiosity and wonder evident in their eyes. After leaving Hagrid's cabin, John made his way to the Room of Requirement. He sensed that his alchemy skills were on the cusp of advancing to level 4. With plenty of time at his disposal, he was determined to achieve this milestone in one fell swoop.
Meanwhile, the Slytherin students were buzzing with energy, their competitive spirit evident even in Quidditch matches. Draco Malfoy, in particular, was eager to prove himself. He wanted to demonstrate that his abilities extended beyond the influence of his father's name. However, Harry Potter, a natural Seeker, consistently outshone him. In a fit of frustration, Malfoy recklessly abandoned his Nimbus 2001 broomstick on the field after a particularly disappointing match.
As time marched on, the semester drew to a close. Slytherin managed to defend their winning streak, edging out Gryffindor by less than ten points. It was a narrow victory that left the Gryffindor team lamenting what could have been. The tension that had enveloped Slytherin for two months finally dissipated, replaced by a collective sigh of relief. Amidst their celebrations, they chanted John Wick's name, acknowledging his contributions to their success.
The atmosphere in Slytherin was one of triumph, but it was also a testament to the fierce rivalry and camaraderie that defined the Hogwarts experience. As John continued to hone his alchemy skills, he couldn't help but feel a part of something larger than himself—a community where ambition, rivalry, and friendship intertwined in the most unexpected ways.
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If you are tired of reading I also have this converted to an audio novel on my youtube
https://www.youtube.com/@NovelAudioForge/featured
Direct Link to playlist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Hg-qsW4rM&list=PLKskshYG-OcPTR4-Nw7IWFEBZm07D8pBV&ab_channel=NovelAudioForge