"I'm sorry, Professor Oren," Kyle said, standing his ground. "First-years aren't allowed in the Forbidden Forest. I think we'd better go back to the castle."
"It's good to follow the rules," Professor Oren replied with a calm smile, "but sometimes, you don't need to be overly disciplined, Kyle. That can make you miss out on a lot of interesting things."
"That's not possible," Kyle insisted. "If Professor McGonagall finds out, we'll be expelled."
"It's not as serious as that. Minerva was only trying to scare you. Besides, I'm right here, aren't I?" Professor Oren said, placing one hand on his hip and gesturing toward the forest with the other. "As the Hogwarts professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts, I'm allowing you to join me in the Forbidden Forest today. Think of it as an educational experience."
Kyle's heart sank, but he tried to keep his face neutral. No need to guess anymore, he thought. Professor Oren must be the person with the Swooping Evil. It explained a lot. If Oren didn't have a hidden agenda, why else would he take up a teaching post at Hogwarts?
Kyle had had his suspicions for months—ever since he'd first read about the incident in the newspaper. He'd even asked Professor McGonagall indirectly about Oren's arrival. She'd told him Oren took the post in July, while the smuggling group had entered the country in late August, giving Oren a solid alibi.
How had he pulled it off? Kyle wondered. But he held his tongue. Oren's hand, resting on his wand, was poised to draw it in a heartbeat, a subtle threat that made Kyle sure he was dealing with the "mysterious person" behind Hagrid's memory loss.
"Fine," Kyle said, shrugging as casually as he could. "If the professor allows it, then I suppose it's alright."
"A wise choice," Professor Oren said, one eyebrow arched approvingly.
Kyle took a few steps forward, then paused as if suddenly remembering something. Turning to Kanna, he said, "Oh, I just realized—I forgot to bring the jerky for Fluffy. Could you go grab it for me? It's on the common room table, right by the door."
"Um… okay," Kanna replied, giving him a curious look. She didn't seem to find his request too odd and turned back toward the castle.
Professor Oren didn't seem concerned. It was clear that his target had always been Kyle, and he made no attempt to stop Kanna. Kyle felt a small measure of relief—at least she would be safe.
But at that very moment, an unexpected accident happened.
The rat, Pocky, suddenly leaped out of Kanna's pocket and bolted toward the Forbidden Forest at top speed.
"Pocky… come back!" Kanna cried, instinctively chasing after her pet.
The incident happened so quickly that Kyle couldn't stop her. In mere moments, Kanna had followed Pocky straight into the depths of the Forbidden Forest.
"I...!" Kyle's eye twitched, but it was too late to argue now. Kanna was already deep in the Forbidden Forest, so he had no choice but to go after her to prevent any accidents.
The forest was thick with trees, making it nearly impossible to track a small creature like a mouse. Soon, Pocky disappeared from sight, and Kyle caught up to Kanna, grabbing her to stop her from running further.
"Go back to the castle!" he said urgently.
"But Pocky—"
"There's no time to worry about him now! Just get back to the castle!" Kyle began to pull her along, intending to leave, but then he noticed Professor Oren standing just behind them.
"I must say, Kyle, it's quite rude to handle a young witch so unkindly," Professor Oren remarked with a bland smile. "Let's all help Miss Prince find her pet, shall we?"
Kyle tensed, and as he was about to protest, Professor Oren stepped closer, bending down and adding lightly, "We shouldn't waste time. That's a magical mouse, after all—losing it would be a shame."
From Kyle's angle, he could see that Oren's wand was subtly trained on Kanna. He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to stay calm.
"You're right," he said, exhaling and managing a dry smile. "We'll do as you say."
"Good boy," Professor Oren said with a faint smirk. He led the three of them further into the depths of the Forbidden Forest, glancing around as if genuinely searching for Pocky.
Along the way, Oren even drove off a few aggressive creatures and spiders that crossed their path, playing his role as protector to perfection. Kyle followed, increasingly certain that this was no ordinary stroll.
After a long walk, Professor Oren broke the silence. "Kyle, Minerva mentioned you're quite skilled in Transfiguration. Have you considered becoming an Animagus?"
"No, Professor," Kyle replied, keeping his tone even. "Animagus is an advanced form of Transfiguration. It requires extensive knowledge, as well as precise magical control. I'm still a long way from that."
"Oh?" Professor Oren said, removing a fallen tree from their path with a flick of his wand. "You seem quite well-informed about Animagus."
"Professor McGonagall demonstrated it during our first lesson. I found it fascinating, so I looked it up in the library," Kyle explained.
"Yes… it's truly a remarkable magic, transforming oneself into an animal," Oren murmured, almost to himself.
"Many wizards who operate in the shadows dream of mastering it. Animagus can make things very convenient when certain… tasks arise. After all, who would suspect a cat, an insect… or a mouse? That's why the Ministry requires Animagi to register under their real names."
He paused, looking at Kyle with a knowing gleam. "Of course, if you do pursue to become an Animagus one day, I wouldn't suggest registering."
At that moment, Professor Oren's voice sounded more like that of a teacher sharing personal wisdom than an instructor imparting a lesson. Kyle narrowed his eyes.
"Professor, isn't it a bit early for this advice?" he said, his tone calm but wary. "I've only just started learning Transfiguration, so at this rate, I wouldn't even consider becoming an Animagus until fifth year."
"No, I think you'll be ready by next year," Oren replied, giving him a sidelong glance. "Talent is hard to hide, Kyle. Especially for a young wizard like yourself with very… distinctive abilities. You may not realize it, but while you're an average student in my class, I've noticed your magical control is highly precise, with a rare level of stability."
He continued smoothly, "To put it another way, if the Charms of other young witches and wizards are like cotton thread, yours are more like steel wire. Even if you limit your magic, it's just thinner steel—but steel all the same. Cotton and steel, you see… those aren't hard for the trained eye to distinguish."
Professor Oren chuckled lightly, watching Kyle's reaction. "Perhaps you didn't realize, but we professors have actually mentioned you quite a few times in private. We've all shared stories of your 'underwhelming' classroom performance and, well, even made bets on how long you could keep it up."
Kyle felt as though he'd been struck by lightning. A powerful wave of embarrassment washed over him. So much for keeping a low profile…
"Everyone had their own predictions," Oren went on, smirking. "Apart from Professor Aurora, who opted out, Minerva and Filius thought you'd reveal yourself by third year, Pomona placed her bets on fifth, and Severus… well, let's just say he left it open-ended, possibly even seventh year."
Kyle felt his cheeks heat up in silent humiliation. He'd genuinely thought he'd hidden his abilities well.