Chapter 119： inhabitants of the woods

Chapter 119 Residents in the forest

Hagrid led them to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, raised his finger to a narrow path hidden in the forest, and said to them: "Since you are curious about what is in the forest...then go!"

Albert and the others looked into the woods one after another. There was a dead forest in their field of vision. A gust of cold wind blew from the forest, making the four of them shiver and shiver.

"Hagrid, don't you prepare?" Albert asked aloud. He thought it would be unreasonable for Hagrid to take up a weapon and enter the Forbidden Forest with bare hands.

"Ready?" Hagrid tilted his head, as if he was thinking about the meaning of Albert's words. For a moment, he patted his chest with his big palm and said to himself: "As long as you are with me, no creature in the Forbidden Forest will harm you."

Albert gave Hagrid a thumbs up and praised: "It seems that not everyone can be a hunting ground manager."

"That's natural."

Hagrid walked ahead, and Albert and the others hurriedly followed.

There was a dead silence in the woods, and thick snow was piled up on the ground. The movements of the short-legged people were greatly hindered, and it was very difficult for them to walk.

"It's a good thing you want to catch rabbits in this environment." Albert pulled his boots out of the snow, and he could feel the snow pouring into the boots.

"Catch a rabbit?" Hagrid stopped, turned his head to look at Albert and his party, "Catch what kind of rabbit."

"It's nothing. Last time we came here, we found a hare." George muttered, "We're going to go fishing by the Black Lake recently."

"Hagrid, where are you going to take us?" Fred glared at George and asked, changing the subject.

"Take you for a walk around and learn about the situation in the Forbidden Forest." Hagrid pointed to the surrounding snow, "This has always been like this, you know."

"I heard that there are giant monsters in the Forbidden Forest." Li Qiaodan asked suddenly, "Is this true?"

"Forest trolls? They are deep in the Forbidden Forest, and it may take a few days to walk." Hagrid said confidently, "Even if you encounter trolls, you don't have to worry, I can defeat them with my bare hands .”

"Is there really a troll here?" Albert asked in surprise.

Actually, Albert didn't doubt whether Hagrid could beat the troll. After all, this man had the blood of a giant and was a character who could walk sideways in the Forbidden Forest.

"There used to be, and there are still many. After Dumbledore took over as headmaster, he decided to keep trolls far away from around Hogwarts. He didn't like those stupid guys." Hagrid explained, "Trolls Strangely stupid and dangerous to the vast majority of students."

"I think the principal knew that students would enter the woods curiously, so he drove away all the nearby dangers to avoid accidents for students." Fred guessed.

"It makes sense." Several people echoed.

"I'm more curious, how can there be a road here?" Albert pointed to the fork in front of him, "This is not like a beast trail."

"Most of the roads here are opened by me." Hagrid said proudly. "Of course, some of them were indeed beast trails."

During the next period of time, Hagrid led them wandering around in the forest without encountering any danger or seeing any magical creatures.

There are no so-called ferocious beasts in the woods, and there are no curious and interesting things. Some only fall into the cold and dead silence of winter.

It reminded Albert of the adventure novels he had read. Behind the thrilling adventures, there was often a boring rush day and night.

In the dense bushes, there is a rare open space. The sun shines from the branches, reflecting a golden color in the open space.

Albert's sight fell on an old pine oak, where there was an unnatural raised area. He walked over, pushed aside the snow layer above, and dug out a mushroom from it?

No, it's not quite like a mushroom, this thing should be called a mushroom.

"Hagrid, do you think this thing can be eaten?" Albert handed the mushroom he found to Hagrid.

"This? What are you doing with this thing?" Hagrid couldn't help but scratched his head, but still nodded and explained: "Yes, the taste is not bad, but I don't eat this thing, it is usually only available in winter, and the quantity They are relatively rare and difficult to dig.”

Don't eat this thing?

The corner of Albert's mouth twitched, staring at the thing in his hand, he felt that this thing was a bit like...

"What are you digging for?" George asked curiously.

"It's nothing. I heard that this thing is delicious when baked." Albert coughed lightly, bent down and dug out a smaller one in the snow. Using his wand directly, he turned a branch into a bag, threw what he had dug into the bag, and stuffed it back into the pocket of his robes.

"Baked, delicious?" Hagrid raised his eyebrows, "I haven't tried it."

"Ahem." Albert changed the subject, "Hagrid, are you leading us around the edge of the forest?"

"The Forbidden Forest is very large, and you won't be able to walk for a few days." The embarrassment on Hagrid's face was hidden under his beard, and no one else could see it.

After walking for a while, Albert heard the sound of gurgling water in the distance. There is a stream nearby, and it hasn't been frozen yet?

Hagrid stopped suddenly, and raised his hand to signal the people behind him to stop. He fixed his eyes on the figure not far away, and shouted: "Who's there, come out."

"Hagrid? Why are you here?" The one who spoke was a witch who seemed to know Hagrid.

"Who are you?" Hagrid was a little embarrassed, apparently forgot the other party's name.

Albert looked at the visitor curiously. This was a witch with short gray hair and a protruding chin.

"Wilmina Graplan." The witch introduced herself: "We have met several times."

"Oh, hello, Graplan." Hagrid patted his head in embarrassment. He had met Professor Kettleber several times before. Graplan was also an expert in magical biology, and occasionally communicated with each other. .

"Hagrid, what are you doing here?" Witch Graplan's eyes fell on the four students behind Hagrid, "They are Hogwarts students!"

"This..." Hagrid was quite embarrassed, and didn't know what to say. It was obviously against the rules for him to bring Albert and the others into the woods.

"Ahem, ma'am, Hagrid actually brought us here to dig matsutake." Albert took out the things he had just dug from his pocket, "By the way, to satisfy our curiosity."

"Matsutake?" Graplan's eyes fell on the mushroom in Albert's hand, and he looked suspiciously at Hagrid.

The latter nods awkwardly, pretending that's the way it is.

Graplan didn't continue to ask. She was not a professor at Hogwarts, and she couldn't say much about it. After chatting with Hagrid for a while, she said goodbye and left, planning to visit Professor Kettleber.

"What is that lady doing here?" George asked curiously.

"In order to visit Professor Kettlebur, they are all experts on magical creatures. I have seen her at Professor Kettlebur several times." Hagrid scratched his head and said, "I heard that Professor Kettlebur's bird The snake eggs have hatched, and I plan to share some of them with her."

"By the way, you can really make up a lie casually?" Fred looked at Albert angrily and said, "It seems that I can't believe your nonsense in the future."

"My name is wit, understand?" Albert repeated. "Do you know what wit is?"

"Besides, we did dig up matsutake. It is said that this thing tastes good grilled over charcoal. It would be great if we could dig some more." Albert had never tasted matsutake, and he was a little curious that grilled matsutake was as delicious as rumored .

"Ahem, that's not the point, why is that witch going to visit Professor Ketelber?" Fred asked curiously. "Does the Professor of Conservation of Miraculous Biology live in the woods?"

"Professor Kettleber is indeed temporarily living in the forest." Hagrid coughed dryly and reminded, "However, I think we should go back."

"Didn't you say that the Forbidden Forest is very dangerous?" Lee Jordan asked back.

"Professor Kettlebo lives on the outskirts of the forest, and the magical creatures he raises need an open space to move around." Hagrid coughed lightly and said, "Okay, I think we should go back."

(end of this chapter)