The Crooked Snorkack had taken a particular liking to Luna, often showing itself only in her presence. John speculated that this might be due to his own creative influence. Magic, after all, was a mysterious force where mere words or thoughts could manifest into reality. Luna, true to her Ravenclaw heritage, possessed a cleverness and wisdom that John admired greatly. Wisdom, as Ravenclaw House proclaimed, was the greatest treasure one could possess.
As John was about to escort Luna back, a disturbance in the woods ahead caught their attention. It sounded like a large animal was on the move. Instinctively, John positioned himself protectively in front of Luna and drew his wand, his gaze fixed on the source of the noise. The sounds grew louder, and to their astonishment, a massive magical creature emerged. Its fur was wild and untamed, reminiscent of a tiger's mane, and it sported a long tail that resembled a blooming peony. The creature leaped onto a tree, only to fall heavily to the ground.
John's eyes widened in surprise. "What is this?" he murmured, but before he could examine the creature further, it sprang up and darted away at an incredible speed, disappearing into the depths of the Forbidden Forest. John noticed a collar around the creature's neck, embedded with barbs that seemed to cause it distress, a clear sign of panic.
"Escaped?" John realized the collar was a tool used by poachers to prevent their captures from escaping, a cruel method for taming magical creatures. A sense of urgency filled him. "Luna, we need to get you home," he said, his voice grave. Poachers had infiltrated the Forbidden Forest, a dangerous development for anyone who crossed their path.
Quickly, John led Luna away, but it wasn't long before they heard the sounds of several wizards in pursuit. A thin man with a large beard cursed upon seeing blood on the ground, "Damn it, don't let it die here." They continued their chase, oblivious to John and Luna's departure.
Upon exiting the Forbidden Forest, they were met by Hagrid, who scolded John for venturing into such peril. John, however, was quick to inform him of the poachers' presence. Turning to Luna, he reassured her, despite the danger that loomed.
Luna, curious, asked, "Aren't you afraid?"
John hesitated, pondering whether to reveal his intention to confront the poachers. The Forbidden Forest was home to many creatures, including herds of unicorns and Wei Wei, a creature John held dear. He couldn't bear the thought of any harm coming to them.
"It's alright, I've got Hagrid with me," John finally said, patting Hagrid reassuringly. Hagrid, now aware of the poachers, was filled with indignation at the thought of anyone harming the forest's inhabitants. Forgetting John's status as a student, Hagrid quickly enlisted his help to locate the poachers.
After bidding Luna farewell, John and Hagrid ventured deep into the Forbidden Forest. Their pace was swift, with John moving agilely and Hagrid's strides long and determined. They soon arrived at the site of the earlier encounter and discovered the poachers' tracks.
"It's a poacher," Hagrid confirmed, recognizing the distinctive spike shoes they wore. He inquired about the creature they had seen, and upon hearing John's description, his excitement was palpable. "It might be a Zouwu, a magical animal from the Celestial Dynasty. Very rare," Hagrid mused, his eagerness to find and possibly save the creature evident.
John could see the determination in Hagrid's eyes, though he suspected Hagrid's intentions might extend beyond mere rescue. Hagrid spoke with a hint of dejection, "Aragog would have helped me before, but now all his descendants are gone." Upon hearing the name Aragog, John coughed awkwardly and interjected, "Actually, I might be able to help." He held his wand in his palm, and although there was no visible movement, the wand pointed steadfastly in one direction. "I cast a tracking spell earlier when we encountered the Zouwu," John explained. The wand's unwavering direction prompted them to move forward, with Hagrid whispering in admiration, "John, you're truly brilliant."
As they followed the wand's guidance, they stumbled upon large footprints, confirming Hagrid's suspicion that they were indeed tracking a Zouwu. They quickened their pace and, just before dusk, they overheard a conversation.
"That creature is elusive. If I hadn't limited its powers beforehand, it would have escaped by now," one voice grumbled.
"Stop complaining. If you hadn't been asleep, it wouldn't have gotten out," another retorted.
"Let's just capture it quickly. I want to finish this job," a third voice added, followed by a fourth, who shared a picture of his girlfriend, mentioning his plans to marry her upon his return.
John listened to their banter, feeling a pang of conscience. "Why do I feel like the villain here?" he thought, slightly bemused. Deciding to take action, he cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself, rendering him invisible to Hagrid's confused gaze. "I'll take down the leader first," John whispered, moving silently towards the group.
The poachers, unaware of John's approach, continued their casual conversation, making them seem more like tourists than intruders in the Forbidden Forest. John targeted the bearded man, delivering a swift punch that knocked him unconscious.
The sudden attack startled the remaining poachers, who quickly retaliated, only to find their spells passing through thin air. As they prepared to defend themselves, another scream pierced the air - one of their own had his fingers twisted and broken by an unseen force. Before they could react, a wand, floating in mid-air, struck another poacher, rendering him unconscious.
The last poacher, drenched in sweat and panic, demanded the invisible assailant reveal themselves, only to be met with the eerie sounds of the forest. In a desperate attempt to flee, he collided with what he thought was a wall, but was actually Hagrid, who effortlessly threw him against a tree, knocking him out.
With the poachers subdued, John lifted the Disillusionment Charm and mused that if he had let Hagrid take the lead earlier, they might have avoided the confrontation. He collected the poachers' wands, bound them with conjured ropes, and discovered a tracking device on the bearded man.
As the device began to spin wildly, a tunnel appeared, and the Zouwu emerged, its fangs bared and ready to attack. John narrowly avoided being bitten thanks to a timely cast of the Iron Armour Curse. "Hey, hey, this way!" Hagrid shouted, diverting the Zouwu's attention with a crossbow, attempting to calm the agitated creature.
"It must be the collar the poachers put on it," Hagrid deduced, trying to soothe the Zouwu, which continued to leap from tree to tree, agitated and unpredictable. Hagrid was determined to protect both John and the creature, while John prepared his wand, hoping to subdue the Zouwu without causing harm. "It's useless, it's too agitated," he realized, noting the challenge they faced in calming the creature. Hagrid had attempted to communicate with the creature several times, but all his efforts had been in vain. John knew that using a spell in this situation might only exacerbate things, potentially aggravating the Zouwu even further. It was clear that a different approach was needed. An idea sparked in John's mind, and he decided to try connecting with the creature through spiritual magic.
As he reached out with his mind, John could sense that the Zouwu was overwhelmed with fear. This realization gave him the opening he needed. With the aid of his meteor shoes, John moved with incredible speed, closing the distance between them in an instant. He reached out, grabbing hold of the Zouwu's mane, and employed spiritual magic to communicate his intentions.
"Big fellow, we mean you no harm," John conveyed through the spiritual connection, hoping to calm the creature's fears.
The use of spiritual magic in this manner was delicate, requiring John to project sincerity and peaceful intentions. His message was simple yet profound, aiming to establish a bond of trust between them.
_________
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