As they neared the edge of the Forbidden Forest, Fred and George finally gave in and stopped resisting, though they still had plenty of energy left to grumble about Kyle's extravagance.
"There's still loads left. We've wasted at least a Galleon," Fred muttered, holding the hem of his robe like a makeshift pouch, filled to the brim with silver sand.
George, similarly dressed, stood next to him, making them look like a pair of overgrown kangaroos.
Kyle, on the other hand, didn't respond much, only mumbling something under his breath. He was running low on energy, and the late hour was catching up with him. The initial excitement of watching the Mooncalves dance had worn off, and now fatigue was setting in. All he could think about was getting back to the dormitory and sinking into a warm, comfortable bed for a good night's sleep.
As the group reached the forest's edge, the sound of barking and heavy footsteps echoed from a short distance away.
Hagrid!
Everyone froze, immediately dropping to the ground. Kyle swiftly pulled out his invisibility cloak. Though the cloak was a bit small for five people and couldn't cover them entirely, the dense underbrush of the Forbidden Forest helped conceal them further.
The footsteps drew closer, and soon Hagrid's enormous figure came into view. Kyle clutched the cloak tightly, lying flat on his stomach, barely daring to breathe.
"Who's there? Show yourself!" Hagrid called out, his dim oil lamp casting a flickering glow around him. "I can see you!"
Behind Hagrid trailed Fang, the large black hound. The dog lowered its head and began sniffing the ground, inching closer to their hiding spot.
Everyone's hearts pounded in their chests, and they instinctively covered their mouths to avoid making any noise. Fang crept nearer, until he was less than a meter away. Kyle could make out the dog's small black eyes and the drool dripping from its mouth.
"Did you catch a scent, boy?" Hagrid asked, noticing Fang's unusual behavior. He moved closer with the lantern, his voice growing more forceful. "I don't know who you are, but this is Hogwarts, not a place for sneaking around! Get out before I lose my patience. If I catch you, you'll be in trouble!"
For a tense moment, it seemed like Fang would expose them. But after Hagrid's warning, the hound hesitated, then abruptly turned and trotted off deeper into the forest. Hagrid followed closely behind, walking right past where Kyle and the others lay hidden.
They waited, breath held, until the sound of Hagrid's footsteps faded completely. Finally, they exhaled and collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily with relief.
"That was close!" Cedric exclaimed, his face flushed with excitement. "By Merlin's beard, I could've touched Hagrid's boot! He nearly stepped on my hand!"
"Oh, gross!" Fred cried, getting to his feet and inspecting his hand with a look of disgust. "I think I touched the dog's drool."
"You should be grateful it was only drool," George said, still rattled. "Hagrid looked terrifying. If he'd caught you, it wouldn't have been just detention."
He shuddered as he spoke, recalling the intimidating sight of an angry Hagrid. It was the first time George had seen him so furious, and the memory still sent a chill down his spine.
"Thanks to you two," Kyle said, giving Fred and George an appreciative pat on the shoulder. If they hadn't brought along all that Mooncalf dung to throw off Fang's sense of smell, they wouldn't have escaped so easily.
After this close call, none of them dared to linger. With Hagrid still in the Forbidden Forest, they quickly gathered themselves and hurried back toward the castle.
When they reached the exit of the secret passage, the group paused. Rather than rush inside, they pulled out the Marauder's Map and checked to make sure Filch wasn't lurking on the first floor. Once the coast was clear, they slipped through the passage one by one and returned to the castle.
Since their routes back to their dormitories were different, they parted ways shortly after emerging from the passage. The recent encounter with Hagrid had left everyone a bit shaken, and they were all on edge as they made their way back.
Cedric felt his heart racing and couldn't help but ask, "Kyle, you don't think we'll get caught, do you?"
"Don't worry, if we get caught, we'll just split up," Kyle whispered. "That way, he won't know who to chase."
"But..." Kanna's voice trembled. "I'm slow, what should I do?"
Kyle paused for a moment, considering. "That's true, that is a problem. How about this: if we get caught, you run upstairs."
"Running upstairs won't get us caught?" Kanna asked, puzzled.
"No, running upstairs isn't safe," Kyle shook his head, then explained, "But Felch will chase after you, and Cedric and I will use the chance to run back to the common room."
"..."
Kanna's eyes gradually dulled, then quickly flashed with anger.
Kyle, oblivious to the shift in her mood, continued muttering, "Catching one while two escape—sounds like a good deal to me."
Kanna gritted her teeth. "Then why am I the one who has to get caught?"
"Well... it's simple," Kyle replied after a brief moment of thought. "If someone's going to get caught, why not you?"
For some reason, Kanna suddenly felt oddly calm. Without a word, she pulled out her wand, eyeing Kyle's back as if searching for the perfect spot to jab him.
The most notable feature of a serpentine wand is its toughness. According to Ollivander, in extreme situations, it could even serve as a melee weapon.
Kyle felt a sudden chill creeping up his spine and instinctively quickened his pace.
...
Luckily, no mishaps occurred, and the three of them returned to the common room without any trouble.
Of course, that had been expected.
Kyle had checked the Marauder's Map at the entrance to the secret passage and noticed that all the professors were asleep in their quarters. Filch, who was on his night patrol, was on the eighth floor.
The distance from the Great Hall to the Hufflepuff Common Room wasn't far, and if you walked quickly, it would only take a few minutes.
There wasn't enough time for Filch to catch up.
So, Cedric and Kanna's worries during their trek back had been entirely unnecessary.
"Good night, see you tomorrow," Kyle yawned as he headed to the dormitory.
Originally, he had planned to stop by the kitchen for a snack when they got back, but as soon as he stepped into the common room, he couldn't fight it anymore.
His eyelids grew heavy, his head felt light, and all he wanted was a good night's sleep.
"Good night."
"Hmph..."