"..."
Dylan didn't bother to respond to the kids' remarks.
If asking a teacher for help was considered bravery, then Harry and the others weren't wrong.
"I hope Professor Snape will be in his office over the weekend."
After returning to his dorm that evening, he planned to spend some time organizing his questions about potions.
Therefore, he decided to wait until the weekend to bother Snape.
As for the afternoon, he had other things to do.
Walking out of the classroom with Harry and Ron, his gaze settled on Harry.
"Are you planning to head out now?"
During breakfast, they had agreed to visit Hagrid's hut together after class.
As soon as he finished speaking, Harry's stomach growled loudly.
"Uh, I think I'll go after eating."
Harry was utterly exhausted from today's Potions class and was desperate to stuff something into his mouth.
"Alright, seems like you're really hungry," Dylan nodded.
Harry gave a helpless smile. "You have no idea what it's like to be stared at by Professor Snape all day. My back was straight the entire time."
Dylan chuckled as they made their way to the Great Hall with Ron and Harry.
After eating, Harry seemed more energetic, and Ron looked like he had come back to life.
When Ron heard that Dylan planned to visit Hagrid, he insisted on joining them.
Dylan had no objections.
The group left Hogwarts Castle and headed toward Hagrid's hut.
"Hey, big guy, we're here to see you!"
Before they even reached the door, Ron was already shouting.
"Oh, it's you little wizards!"
Hagrid greeted Harry warmly and invited them inside.
"Have you eaten yet? I've got some rock cakes here. They're quite tasty. Give them a try."
Hagrid brought over a plate of what looked like stone-like cakes.
"We've eaten, but we can always have some dessert."
Ron was the first to pick up a rock cake and take a bite.
*Crunch*
"Ouch!"
Ron's eyes widened in shock.
He felt like his teeth were about to break!
"How can these cakes be so hard?"
Curious, Harry also picked up a piece and tried to bite into it. After much effort, he only managed to scrape off a few crumbs.
"Merlin's beard! Did someone cast a hardening charm on these? I wish I could learn the *Diffindo* spell right now!" Ron exclaimed.
Dylan had learned the spell, but he wasn't very proficient yet—just a beginner.
Faced with the rock-hard cakes, Dylan didn't touch them.
He didn't have to struggle with a cake, leaving it covered in saliva while trying to use *Diffindo*.
"Sorry, I find them quite chewy."
Hagrid scratched his head, suddenly remembering that these cakes weren't exactly suitable for young wizards.
"If you really can't eat them, just give them to Fang. Magic can heal injuries, but it's not worth breaking your teeth over."
Harry immediately tossed his cake to Fang.
Ron, however, was determined to keep battling the rock cake.
Fang devoured Harry's cake and then trotted over to Dylan, wagging his tail like a whip.
Dylan simply patted Fang's large head.
Seeing no food, Fang moved on to Ron.
The dog darted between the group, his tongue hanging out as he panted heavily, making a *whoosh-whoosh* sound.
His sturdy legs moved clumsily, and he occasionally bumped into the sofa where they were sitting.
Eventually, Ron gave up on the rock cake and secretly handed it to Fang.
Hagrid went to fetch some water for the group and returned to see Fang's antics.
He let out a hearty laugh. "Seems like Fang really likes you all. You should play with him more often."
After setting the water down in front of them, Dylan thanked him.
Hagrid sat down beside them, sighed, and looked at Ron with a hint of nostalgia.
"Seeing you get along so well with Fang makes me happy. It reminds me of your brother Charlie. He was always much kinder to magical creatures than most wizards."
Ron blinked. "What about Fred and George?"
Hagrid's face immediately scrunched up. "Don't even get me started on those two troublemakers!"
After Fang finished the cake, Harry started playing with him.
Dylan took the opportunity to speak to Hagrid. "Sir, there's something I'd like to ask of you."
Hagrid looked surprised and turned to him.
He had heard about Dylan from Professor McGonagall several times.
This was a remarkably talented young wizard. Rumor had it that even Snape had been left speechless by him earlier that day.
It was the first time Hagrid had heard of a student getting the better of Snape!
Now, this same student was making a request of him.
Was he going to ask about magical creatures? Hagrid wondered if he might get a chance to feel like a professor for once. He sat up a little straighter.
"Go on."
Dylan smiled. "I really like magical creatures, so I've been thinking about getting a Shadow Wraith as a pet."
"However, I heard that I need a license to keep one. So, I was wondering if you could write me a letter of recommendation?"
Hagrid raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"A Shadow Wraith? They are quite adorable. You've got good taste."
After a moment of thought, he nodded. "No problem. I'll write you a recommendation letter and send it to the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. With my endorsement, they'll process it quickly."
"Thank you! My name is Dylan Hawkwood."
"I know your name. You're that clever little wizard who's been monopolizing the professors' time after class, haha!"
Hagrid laughed heartily.
Dylan simply smiled faintly.
"So, Dylan, you came to Hagrid because you want to keep a magical creature?" Harry asked, as Fang trotted over to Dylan. "I don't even know what a Shadow Wraith is."
"It's a creature that looks a bit like a black cat," Dylan explained, thinking of his little Coal's icy eyes. He added, "Very cute."
Harry nodded without hesitation.
Hagrid didn't seem to find anything odd about the cold-eyed Shadow Wraiths either.
He was about to say something when Harry suddenly asked, "During Potions class today, I felt like Professor Snape really has something against me."
Hagrid's expression shifted slightly, and he forced a smile.
"Oh, him. Professor Snape is just like that. He's never friendly with anyone—except maybe Dumbledore."
Dylan noticed the change in Hagrid's demeanor. It seemed like he was deliberately avoiding further discussion about Snape with Harry.
Of course, Dylan wasn't going to say anything more. After all, he still needed Hagrid to write that recommendation letter.
(End of Chapter)