"This…"
After hearing Tom's question, Hagrid's eyes darted around evasively. He really had had something to say earlier.
The Forbidden Forest patrol had already been postponed for several days. He had originally planned to head out today and take care of Tom and Harry's detention at the same time, but little Norberta's sudden hatching had completely thrown his schedule into chaos.
Looking at the soundly sleeping baby dragon on the table, Hagrid opened his mouth, wanting to say "it's nothing," but after a moment's hesitation he gave up.
He usually followed the rules to the letter. Asking for leave because of the dragon was already pushing it. If he abandoned his duties just because Norberta had just been born, he would feel extremely uneasy.
Besides, he had previously asked the centaurs to cover the patrol for him. But if he planned to raise Norberta inside the Forbidden Forest, the centaurs might not accept it. So, even for the sake of the future, he had to ask them to bear with him a little longer.
And according to the centaurs, something seemed to be stirring in the Forbidden Forest lately. He needed to make sure everything was safe.
Therefore, Hagrid finally chose to tell the truth. "I'm preparing to go patrol the Forbidden Forest."
"Oh, going to the Forbidden Forest—wait, you're going to the Forbidden Forest?!"
Harry barely reacted, but Ron exploded first.
After all, spiders were his greatest fear. After learning the Forbidden Forest was home to eight-eyed giant spiders, he had originally even given up on coming here with Harry. If not for Malfoy clearly plotting something against Harry, he never would have tagged along!
He had planned to skip the day Hagrid actually went into the forest, but who could have guessed it would be today?
Now he was stuck in a dilemma. Going along might mean running into eight-eyed giant spiders, but if he didn't go—
Seeing Draco shoot him a provocative glare, Ron gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "Count me in!"
He was all in. It was just eight-eyed giant spiders—what, they weren't guaranteed to run into them. What was there to be afraid of!
"Why didn't you tell us we'd be splitting up?!"
At the edge of the Forbidden Forest, after Hagrid finished dividing the teams, Ron's face instantly collapsed.
Because of him, Draco, Ariana, and Fang had been grouped together, while Tom, Harry, Hermione, and Hannah were with Hagrid.
That's right—Hannah had come too. After all, she was their friend. Once Ron declared that for Harry's sake he would go even if he was terrified, Tom had specially gone back to ask Hannah what she thought and then brought her along.
Only now, Ron suddenly regretted everything. If he had known Draco and Harry wouldn't be in the same group, and that he and Harry couldn't stay together either, why had he even come? Wouldn't it have been better to just stay behind in Hagrid's hut?
"I had no choice. Although the centaurs speak in riddles, Firenze told me the Forbidden Forest hasn't been peaceful lately. It seems someone has their eyes on the unicorns."
Hagrid had a huge cloth bag tied at his waist, his face exceptionally serious. "I don't know what he—or they—want the unicorns for, but we have to protect them.
Remember, if you run into danger, fire red sparks from your wand. Understood?"
"Got it."
Ariana nodded. If they really encountered danger, there was nothing to fear. As a ghost, nothing in the outside world could touch her. And with the gloves Tom had made, she could affect the physical world.
Therefore, as long as the numbers weren't overwhelming, protecting Ron and Draco would still be easy for her.
"Alright, then the right path is yours."
Although Hagrid didn't know Ariana was a ghost, he knew she had a special relationship with Dumbledore.
As a die-hard Dumbledore fan, in his eyes anyone connected to the Headmaster was no weakling.
Therefore, even though Ariana was just a first-year little witch, he was willing to trust her. With her help, that path would definitely be fine!
As for the other path? With him there, the various creatures in the Forbidden Forest would still give him face.
"Leave it to us."
Ariana smiled and nodded, then led Ron, Draco, and Fang, preparing to set off.
"Wait!"
Hagrid suddenly called them back. After hesitating, he untied the huge cloth bag at his waist and handed it to Draco. "Take this with you too. If you run into danger, it can give you some help."
"?"
Draco had been a little unhappy about being separated from Harry, but hearing Hagrid's words he took the bag curiously, opened a corner, and peeked inside. The next second he froze, staring at Hagrid in surprise. "You're sure?"
"Of course! With it along, you'll be a little safer."
Hagrid took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the urge to snatch the bag back. He waved at Harry and the others, then led his group down the right-hand path.
"I'll take good care of it."
Draco watched Hagrid's retreating back, his expression deadly serious.
"Alright, let's go too."
Without waiting for a reply, he took the lead and stepped onto the left-hand path.
"What did Hagrid give you?"
Ron stared curiously at the cloth bag in Draco's hand. He couldn't figure out what could possibly make this guy's attitude flip so dramatically.
"You sure you want to see?"
A playful smile curved Draco's lips. "It's not that you can't look, but I want you to stay away from Harry from now on!"
Before Ron could answer, Draco shook his head, suddenly losing interest. "Never mind, forget that condition. Even if you agreed, you wouldn't actually do it, and you and Harry are roommates anyway—you can't separate.
Besides, if I really said that out loud it would ruin my image in Harry's heart.
How about this: as long as you stop targeting me from now on, we'll compete fairly and see who ends up as Harry's best friend."
"I'm already Harry's best friend."
Ron muttered under his breath. "But not targeting you… that's fine, as long as you don't pull any disgusting stunts—like that first week of school when you invited us out for a duel and then told Filch about it."
"Of course! I swear on the Malfoy name!"
Draco declared proudly. "Then I can too. Also… can you tell me what's inside now?"
Ron really couldn't hold back his curiosity anymore, especially after he noticed the bag had seemed to move a little earlier.
Although it was just a small bulge on the surface, it had hooked his interest completely.
"Idiot Ron, what other living creature do you think is in Hagrid's hut?"
Ariana rolled her eyes in exasperation.
"Exactly. I didn't expect even you couldn't figure it out."
Draco barely managed to swallow the insult, untied the mouth of the bag, and a pitch-black little head poked out from inside—precisely the newly hatched fire-dragon Norberta.