For the better part of the week, Lys Black spent her evenings reading in her private study room at the library and her days venturing into the Forbidden Forest, hoping to resolve the issue with her wand as soon as possible.
Ever since Lys had grown to a towering height of nearly six foot three, the centaurs in the Forbidden Forest had started warning her to leave whenever they encountered her. To them, she no longer looked or felt like a fledgling.
As a result, Lys had to walk a long way to avoid disturbing their territory before reaching the rocky clearing she frequented.
Navigating the Forbidden Forest wasted so much of her time.
So, she began experimenting with a new spell of her own invention, which she called "Silver Arrow."
This spell allowed Lys to move rapidly over short to mid-range distances, like an arrow shooting through the air. When she used the spell, a faint silver glow would shimmer around her, hence the name "Silver Arrow."
It was the first spell Lys had ever created on her own.
She channeled her magic to envelop her body, transforming it into a fine mist that intertwined with her clothing and lifted her off the ground.
With a flicker of intent, she hurled her magic forward like a spell, propelling herself straight into a nearby tree.
Wiping away the nosebleed from the collision, Lys groaned in frustration. While her memory was excellent, her calculation and reaction speed were far from it. In such a densely wooded area, she simply couldn't react in time.
Clutching her nose, Lys trudged forward obediently. She was self-aware enough to admit that her brilliant spell could only be used in open spaces.
The rustling of leaves overhead made her grip her wand tighter. Vigilance was key, especially since just yesterday, a leopard cat and two giant spiders had attempted to attack her.
But the familiar sound of purring made Lys look up in delight—it was a hippogriff!
Lys leaned against its neck and patted its large head, conjuring a lily to tuck behind its ear.
There was nothing more satisfying than reclaiming something through sheer strength.
Relaxed and at ease, Lys soon arrived at her usual spot. She patted the hippogriff's large nose, shooing it away, and began releasing her magic once again.
She was close. Soon, those flames would obediently become part of her wand. After that, all she would need to do was periodically infuse it with magic.
Though there was a risk of self-immolation, the power it promised was too tempting for Lys to let go.
She craved strength. The kind of strength that allowed one to look at their enemies with serene indifference, rendering them utterly powerless—just like Grindelwald standing amidst the flames.
On her way back to the castle, Lys didn't idle. She used "Silver Arrow" to zip around, with Gagbone happily bouncing along. The little creature clearly enjoyed this mode of travel, constantly sending feelings of joy and excitement to Lys.
As she neared the edge of the Forbidden Forest, she spotted Professor Sprout, who was holding onto her old hat and complaining to Hagrid about something. Hagrid, meanwhile, was nodding in confusion.
"Oh! Lys!" Hagrid's beetle-like eyes lit up as he spotted her. "Knockturn—"
"Hagrid!" Lys cut him off quickly. She couldn't let him continue. The incident in Knockturn Alley, where she had fought for a hippogriff and a Veela hatchling, had caused quite a stir. Even the Ministry of Magic had gotten involved afterward. Her identity couldn't be exposed.
Under Professor Sprout's questioning gaze, Lys blurted out, "Even if I did go to Knockturn Alley before, I wouldn't go with you to buy carnivorous caterpillars!"
Hagrid, utterly baffled, tried to ask about Knockturn Alley, but Lys's dangerous squint silenced him.
Professor Sprout, meanwhile, was pondering when carnivorous caterpillars had become a thing and missed the silent exchange between the two.
"Professor, I overheard you complaining about the Whomping Willow. What's wrong? Has it been acting up lately?" Lys quickly changed the subject, casting a quick Repair Charm on the professor's hat.
Professor Sprout adjusted her hat. "Oh, yes. The Whomping Willow is going through a rapid growth phase, but fermented dragon dung simply isn't providing enough nutrients. It's been throwing tantrums, shedding branches and leaves all over the place."
Lys recalled the Whomping Willow's already scraggly appearance. If it lost any more branches and leaves, it would be a truly pitiful sight.
She suggested to Professor Sprout that they could try having Professor Slughorn brew some magical nutrient solution. After all, as a wizard-bred magical plant, the Whomping Willow would likely benefit more from magical nutrients than manure.
Professor Sprout nodded. She had been worried about the tree growing too quickly and losing control, but now it seemed like the only viable option.
Tilting her head, she bid farewell to Lys and Hagrid before bustling off to find Professor Slughorn.
Once the professor was out of sight, Lys turned to Hagrid. "Do you think that's something you can just talk about openly? If I'd known the consequences of that incident, I wouldn't have gone!"
Of course, now that she had, she didn't regret it.
"But Lys, what you did was so cool! You were saving little creatures—why can't we talk about it?"
"Hagrid, from now on, you need to mention me less often."
After scanning the area with her magic to ensure no one was eavesdropping, Lys continued, "Do you realize the mess I got myself into? I only found out afterward that it was the Thomases' business!"
She paused, noticing Hagrid's confusion, and explained further, "And do you know whose subordinate the Thomases are? Whose purse strings they hold? I cut off their source of income—their source of income for that person! And that's just one of many troubles."
Hagrid's face paled as the gravity of the situation dawned on him.
Lys suddenly remembered his suitcase-carrying friend. "Who was that friend of yours with the suitcase? You didn't mention me to him, did you?"
Hagrid stammered, explaining that the man was a French Auror introduced to him by one of Dumbledore's former students. "I-I was going to introduce you two, but he called you a lunatic and refused to let me bring you up. He said he finally understood why I didn't want you involved and advised me to stay away from you…"
The more Hagrid spoke, the quieter his voice became. He finally realized the dangers lurking behind Lys's seemingly bold and charismatic actions.
"Good, as long as you didn't say anything." Lys sighed. Well, she had always known Hagrid wasn't the most reliable. She waved her hand tiredly.
"Hagrid, I know you care about me, but we need to establish a contract—one that prevents you from mentioning me casually."
Hagrid hesitated, feeling uneasy, but he also understood that Lys's Slytherin identity meant he shouldn't speak about her lightly.
Back at Hagrid's hut, Lys had him retrieve the wand she had repaired and disguised as a pink umbrella.
Because the wand was attuned to Hagrid, the contract was successfully established after three attempts. From now on, Hagrid would be unable to mention Lys without her presence or consent.
"Alright, that's settled. Now, onto other matters." Lys pulled a not-so-genuine smile.
"Do you know how much that incident cost me? Thousands of Galleons in materials and finished products."
Lys's lips twitched. "I blew through three years of savings!"
She extended her hand toward Hagrid. "I won't deny that I gained some benefits from it, so you only need to cover half of the expenses."
Hagrid instinctively patted his pockets, then looked at Lys helplessly.
He had no money.
"Then pay me in materials!"
Hagrid nodded quickly. Those feathers, claws, roots, and barks he collected from the Forbidden Forest were always meant for Lys anyway.
"Lys, you would make such a great Gryffindor~"
This time, Lys didn't vehemently refute Hagrid as she had in her third and fourth years.
Yes, if only she weren't a Slytherin.
The innocence of Hufflepuff, the obsession of Ravenclaw, the recklessness and determination of Gryffindor—any of these would have been better than the constant calculation and clarity of being a Slytherin.
But Lys shook her head. "But I am a Slytherin."
The crystal on her hairband caught the light, casting a glint into Hagrid's eyes. It made him feel like crying.
Breaking the silence, Hagrid said, "Lys, I have something for you. It's the kind of white stone Gagbone likes. Aragog absolutely hates these stones, so he brought me two he found near the stream."
When the stones, wrapped in mole-hide, were partially revealed, Gagbone's head snapped toward them instantly.
It was clear Gagbone truly loved these stones.
"Professor Slughorn once mentioned that these are a type of magical bezoar crystal, but Hagrid," Lys said, cradling the two stones, each nearly as large as her head, "what kind of snake could possibly have a bezoar big enough to hold these?"
Hagrid, though fond of large creatures, had no idea what kind of snake could grow that enormous.
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