Morning light dappled the edges of the Forbidden Forest as Charlie arrived at its border.
The towering trees stood in dense formation, their thick canopies blocking out the sunlight almost completely. A strange, dangerous aura lingered in the air, one that compelled the curious to step further into its mystery.
Just as Charlie was about to take a step in, a rough voice called out from behind.
"Oi! Young wizard! Where d'you think you're going?"
Charlie turned around to see a towering figure approaching him.
The man was at least three meters tall, with a wild beard and shaggy black hair that nearly covered his entire face, save for a pair of kind black eyes.
It was Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts.
"Good morning, Mr. Hagrid," Charlie greeted politely.
Hagrid strode over and peered down at him.
"Oh, I remember you! Charlie, right? Harry's friend."
"Your Lumos spell wasn't half-bad."
"Thanks for the praise, Mr. Hagrid," Charlie nodded modestly.
"What brings you here? You're not thinkin' of goin' into the forest, are you?" Hagrid's voice grew sterner.
Charlie blinked innocently. "I just wanted to see the scenery. I heard the Forbidden Forest was rather majestic."
"Lookin' is fine, but don't even think about goin' in." Hagrid shook his head gravely. "It's dangerous in there. Werewolves, Acromantulas, and other creatures you can't even imagine."
"Even seventh-years can't go in without a teacher, let alone a first-year."
Charlie nodded repeatedly, wearing a look of obedience, though inwardly he thought otherwise.
As far as he knew, werewolves only transformed during full moons, and as for giant spiders, well, he could fly now. Why fear spiders when you're a dragon?
Besides, didn't the Weasley twins say they'd been inside plenty of times?
Come on, this was a school. If the forest was really that dangerous, would Dumbledore let it remain open like this?
Still, Charlie kept his tone sincere. "Understood, Mr. Hagrid. I won't go in."
"Good lad." Hagrid nodded in approval. "Now off you go, lunch'll be served soon."
"I'll head back now." Charlie gave a well-behaved smile.
He waited until Hagrid's back was turned, then promptly changed direction and began circling the forest.
Hogwarts' Forbidden Forest was massive, surely there were other less-patrolled entry points.
Eventually, he found a secluded section of the forest, shielded from Hagrid's hut by a hill.
[His Majesty has left court during class hours to frolic in the Royal Hunting Grounds. Tyrant Points +2]
As soon as he entered, the air shifted, damp, cold, and saturated with the scent of soil and moss. Sunlight barely penetrated the dense foliage overhead. Each step on the thick bed of fallen leaves released soft crunching noises, accompanied by the occasional distant chirp or insect buzz.
"This place is seriously creepy," Charlie muttered, but his steps never slowed.
The deeper he walked, the taller the trees grew. Ancient oaks with trunks three meters thick loomed overhead, cloaked in vines and moss, clearly having stood for centuries.
After about thirty minutes, he arrived at a relatively open clearing, roughly the size of half a basketball court. Trees surrounded the space like natural walls, but the canopy here was sparse, letting a sliver of sky peek through.
"This'll do." Charlie nodded in satisfaction.
He focused his thoughts.
A strange warmth coursed through his body. Smooth red scales rapidly replaced skin, and golden, ribbon-like horns burst from his head. His limbs grew longer, more muscular, as wings unfurled from his back with a majestic rustle.
Massive claws, a sinuous tail, a lithe and mighty frame, his body had transformed.
Charlie's view now towered high above the trees. Glancing down, he saw what he had become: a fully-formed Eastern Fireball dragon.
Its frame was larger than he imagined. A wingspan of over twelve meters, a sleek red body nearly eight meters long. The scales gleamed a deep, burnished bronze. Its long neck curved like a serpent's, and the sharp ridges on its head shimmered with power.
Thrilled, Charlie gave an experimental flap of his wings.
Whoosh!
A violent gust swept through the clearing, sending leaves whirling into a miniature cyclone. Small branches snapped. The entire area was caught in the dragon's turbulence.
His first attempt at flying was clumsy, but he quickly got the hang of it.
Gradually, the heavy body lifted from the ground.
He rose higher and higher until, at last, he cleared the treetops, and the vast expanse of the sky unfolded before him.
Below him stretched the whole of the Forbidden Forest, its green canopy rippling like waves. Off in the distance stood the majestic towers of Hogwarts, and beyond that, a range of mountains touched the clouds.
"So this is what flying feels like? This is amazing!"
"Hey, Little Eunuch, can I cast spells in dragon form?"
[In principle, wizards can't use spells while in Animagus form. However, system-granted magic isn't bound by those restrictions.]
[Still, without a wand or the ability to speak, you'll need Level 4 proficiency to perform wandless, wordless casting.]
Charlie nodded in understanding. He remembered the system's breakdown of spell levels:
<> Level 1: Basic casting with incantation and wand.
<> Level 2: Skilled use, on par with fifth- or sixth-year students.
<> Level 3: Silent casting, no incantation needed.
<> Level 4: Wandless casting, no wand, just thought.
<> Level 5: God-tier. Think it, cast it. As devastating as forbidden curses.
Charlie continued soaring through the sky, savoring every moment.
The sun reflected off his wings, casting golden light through the clouds. His shadow, vast and draconic, swept across the trees below, sending smaller creatures scattering in terror.
Deep within the forest, centaur Firenze had just spotted a plump deer and was nocking an arrow, ready to hunt.
Suddenly, a huge shadow streaked across the sky.
Startled, the deer fled, and Firenze's opportunity was lost.
He looked upward, frowning.
Through the dense canopy, he glimpsed a massive shape soaring above.
"What in the stars…"
That wingspan, that silhouette, there was no mistaking it.
"A fire dragon?" Firenze's expression grew grave.
Had Hogwarts started keeping dragons?
Perplexed, Firenze silently made a mental note to report this to the centaur chieftain.
Meanwhile, Charlie, unaware of being spotted, glided through the air until he'd had his fill.
Eventually, he descended back into the clearing and returned to human form.
The feeling of flying, of dominating the skies, still lingered in his bones.
The Eastern Fireball dragon was more powerful than he'd imagined. Its strength, speed, and presence were immense, just flapping its wings created hurricane-force winds.
As he quietly exited the forest, Charlie deliberately avoided Hagrid's side of the grounds.
Sure, he didn't care much about being caught, but dealing with the trouble afterward was still a pain.
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200 P.S = 1 Extra Chapters