18 The Forbidden Forest

That night, I snuck out of the school. Filch is patrolling inside the school along with the other Professors. Though I don't know why it seems too quiet across the halls. Whatever it will be easier to move inside the school.

I was very careful even if I'm already outside because Hagrid's hut just stood there by the wide field. I already masked all of my traces. Smell, appearance, sound, anything.

By the time I was near the forest, I felt a very familiar connection. It's like the feeling I've got when I first held my wand. The same feeling of cold. The feeling of death. I kept walking inside the forest, wherever my pair of feet will take me. I've crossed brooks, a cave, and a river. It's like my own feet were guiding me to wherever I needed to go. Eventually, I reached a place with an elevated piece of land. Then I remembered. This was the place where my nightmare happened. I heard a series of steps somewhere. It sounded like galloping horses. Is there a unicorn nearby? A thestral? Or perhaps, a centaur?

The galloping stopped and what I saw is a man with a tall and muscular body. His torso is naked while the lower part is of a horse. A centaur.

"Young wizard, I am Feodian, and I'm the seer of the tribe of centaurs. I came here because the stars told me you would come here. It seems even they fancy you, young wizard. Your destiny is very cloudy and unclear. That must be the reason why fate is very interested in you. You have a deep connection with death. Something like what made that creature feel attracted to you." The centaur pointed to the large creature hiding behind the trees. I can't see his face clearly. The only defining feature was the two yellow orbs like what I've seen in my dreams.

"That, young wizard, is a Grim. Known as the emissary of death. When one encounters a Grim, it brings the omen of one's demise and will soon be delivered by death's door. But the Grim was the one who approached you and attracted it using the connection you possess. It seems he deemed you worthy to fight him. If you win, he will submit himself and become your familiar. But be warned, that the only way to escape the Grim is death. Once you accepted the challenge, you can never back out. The choice is yours young wizard." The centaur explained.

I had second thoughts when Feodian told me it was a fight to the death. I may not fear death, but I very much value the life I have. But I feel that once I back out, I will never see him again. The thought of a familiar is very tempting, but at the same time too dangerous. I'm sure the Grim is very dangerous considering he was the emissary of death. Well, this was the part of the adventure that I've been wishing for. Might as well do it. If I die, then I'm unlucky and not great enough to own my wand.

'Well, time to show who the Alpha is.' I smirked as I accepted the Grim's challenge. The creature revealed itself, and it turned out to be a giant jet-black wolf with yellow eyes that emitted a sinister feeling. The creature itself is very intimidating, especially when both of his eyes were directed at me. I can only stand in front of it. My first real battle is about to happen. I have mixed feelings of fear, courage, bravery, excitement, and nervousness. The wolf looked quite strong, so I can't really measure it.

The sea of fog formed a ring around us. Like a boxing ring where we will battle this fight to the death. The wolf lowered himself, preparing for a quick pounce to me. I immediately equipped my and applied quick runes and enchantment. Enhancing my body even for a little. We wait for each other to move, but the wolf seemed like a seasoned predator. Waiting for an opening to exploit.

I was patient though. I am thinking of spells I can cast to injure the dog. After a few minutes, the wolf attacked first. It punched on me and I quickly dodged. There was a lot of movement wasted here since I don't know how to fight big monsters. The Dark Arts have only taught us in countering jinxes and basic curses. And Quirrelmort is making it even harder with his continuous stuttering.

I cast a quick bombarda to reduce its vision with a quick diffindo and low powered gian repelling spell. The Diffindo charm didn't even scratch him, and the other spell only pushed him back.

After a few more exchanges, the wolf decided to step up his game. He decided to use his ability to meld inside the shadows. I was almost bitten when it appeared from my own shadow. I hastily attacked it. The wolf being a little dizzy because of the surprise attack, I began my chain casting. I was interrupted many times as how quickly the wolf worked. One second he was coming from a shadow of the tree, then another moment he was already above me, getting out of a branch's shadow. If it depends so much in the shadows, then we should give him more. I thought as I cast a very powerful Lumos that illuminated our whole arena. The wolf was blinded for a few moments, and I took that chance to do chain casting like what I practiced inside the Room. Both wandlessly and non-verbal, I rained the wolf with a barrage of spells. The whole arena even flashed in different colors from the spells I've been throwing to the Grim. These may not be able to kill the wolf, but the wolf is getting frustrated as it can't reach me at all. I evaded, countered, defended, and sometimes attacked if ever the wolf made an opening. It seems even the dust I created from the bombarda spell was not enough to block the wolf.

I don't know how long we have been fighting, but our battle was starting to take a toll on our bodies. My stamina is depleting very quickly. While the wolf is still standing there proudly. Though he was injured enough to not attack me recklessly anymore. What made the battle so difficult is that the wolf was very ruthless. I'll have to step up my game. Now, that the wolf became calculating.

Noticing that my body was getting more tired, I was forced to stop hesitating. It's not like the wolf will give me mercy, so I have to be as ruthless just like the wolf. So I decided to use more curses. I'll have to fight in desperation to survive.

So another round began, and we fought again. The wolf became cautious in attacking me as I was with him. Like an experienced predator, the wolf noticed my exhaustion and attacked. Because of my body slowly failing, I was not able to evade the dash of the wolf and bit me. I quickly blasted him away with a very powerful repelling spell. There was a huge hole on my left shoulder. I was feeling dizzy because I am starting lose a lot of blood. Then I immediately closed up the wound with my newly formed spell. It was still not complete, but I would be dead if I didn't use it now.

'Restorarmus.' The spell quickly patched me up. But I was unable to replenish my blood. I didn't bring any potion, and that was a big mistake on my part. I was very careless. I lost my focus a bit but forced to hold myself. I can't afford myself to lose now.

I blasted a nearby tree and mustered all of my mental strength. I gathered the wooden splinters and made more by crushing the huge chunks of wood. Then I wandlessly cast an Oppugno charm while the wand did the Cruciatus curse. The wolf faltered a little as to how painful his body became, failing to notice the incoming wooden splinters. There was a huge boom and smoke in how concentrated the attack was. I know that it wouldn't be enough so I picked up more rocks with telekinesis, ground them enough to have smaller and sharper pieces, and used the Oppugno charm again. I used my environment to take advantage of the wolf while I cast different spells. When the smoke dissipated, I saw the wolf standing there. He didn't look wounded, except that the cuts around his body kept releasing a black mist. That must be his wounds. Seeing the chance, I immediately cast my most powerful spell.

'Inferius patronum' I thought as the familiar Fire wolf came out of my wand. I immediately willed it to attack the weakened wolf. The Flame wolf ran at huge speeds as it came in contact with the wolf. There was a very large boom that was even greater than the previous one. I actually flung for a good distance before I crashed on the ground. The Fire Patronus exploded instead of burning the wolf. Meaning, the Grim has immensely high magic resistance. It seems it was a good decision to wear it down first. I stood up with all the remaining strength I have. I tried to find the wolf to see if my Fire Patronus affected him. If it's not effective at all, then I was destined to die today. I am already tired and almost exhausted my magical reserves. A few more and I will pass out.

Then I saw the aftermath of the explosion. There were several trees destroyed, but not because of the Fire Patronus. It was because of the Grim that crashed through it. I saw the Dark wolf and readied my wand. It seems to not get up at all it's not even moving. When I turned around, I saw the fog dissolving. The centaur was there again.

"It seems young wizard, that you're successful in dominating the wolf." He said while pointing to the Grim. The once giant wolf was now just a black puppy. It looked like sleeping, before getting up shakily, still wounded from the battle.

"You proved yourself to the Grim, young wizard. He will be your familiar from now on. He may look like a pup, but he can change back to his original appearance if needed."

"What happened Feordian? Why are we covered with fog?" I asked him.

"It was the arena set up by the Grim so no one can interfere. It was just all an illusion, and he brought you with him so you can fight him there."

"Ugh, I am so exhausted. How am I supposed to go back?" I groaned. My body is still sore from the battle. My first battle was very life-changing. One doesn't only depend on their power to win, but also their wit and resourcefulness. The wolf surely pushed me to my limits and my desperation for survival made me surpass that. I think my fight was a very nice experience, even though I was very near to death. My skills are not acceptable, as I kept rolling on the ground to evade the wolf. The wolf also exploited my hesitation, which taught me a very painful lesson. The only thing that saved me was my wide variety of spells and the fact that I used my surroundings to overpower the wolf. All is fair in love and war.

"I can help you, young wizard. But first, may I know your name? It's only fair to know the person that tamed the Grim." The centaur said.

"Frederick Grindelwald," I replied.

"Grindelwald, huh. Your skills are worthy of the reputation that your grandfather built. I will expect great things from you young Grindelwald." The centaur said while glancing at the puppy that shakily walked towards me.

I looked at the puppy and decided to pick it up. Unfortunately, the puppy suddenly bit my arm. I hissed in pain but stopped when the blood that flowed out of my wound. It formed into a tribal design shaped like the head of a wolf.

"The Grim marked you as an equal. That mark was proof that the Grim is now your companion." The centaur explained.

Yeah, it surely was a mark, but why do I feel that the wolf bit me in revenge?

I signed while picking up the wolf. Then the centaur offered a ride as both me and my familiar is already exhausted. Yeah who in bloody hell performs the ritual by fighting to the death? Yeah, dogs like dominating their species.

"Ow!" I said as the puppy bit me. It seems it can read my mind and didn't like that I called him a dog.

"Oh right, you'll need a name, right?" I spoke to the pup while looking at me in a deadpan expression.

'It seems my companion is an idiot.' The wolf mentally talked to me. Wow, it seems to have some sentience.

'Wow, who in bloody hell even thought of performing a ritual for making familiars by killing each other, huh?' I talked back.

'I have to prove your worth, Frederick.' He

said.

'I already proved my worth by crushing you like a puppy.' I said with a smug. If the Grim was hurt, he didn't show it.

"Anyway, what would you like for a name?" I asked him.

'You pick one, and I decide if it suits me.' The Grim replied.

"What do you think of the name Noir?" I asked. It means black after all.

"No, too cliche," The pup immediately refused. Wow didn't know you read novels. Well, we are mentally liked. He must have read my mind a long time ago.

"What about Rogue? I was still annoyed you kept hiding in the shadows back there." The wolf looked smug at that but refused. He needs names, not titles.

I kept suggesting names, but he refused since some sounded ridiculous, and some even outright horrifying.

"What about Logan? You can read my mind right?" I suggested. I remember a certain mutant in the comics I read and the movies I've watched. Logan was very ruthless and depends on his instincts when fighting, so I think it suits him.

"Hm, it's acceptable. I shall be named Logan then." The Grim finally agreed.

Just as we finished picking his name, we arrived at the entrance of the forest near Hagrid's hut.

"It seems we shall separate for now young Grindelwald. But I feel that we will meet again. Farewell." Feordian said as he galloped back inside the forest.

"Can we do what you were doing back then? I'm too tired to cast magic for now. My body took a lot when we were fighting." I asked the young wolf.

"Alright then. My ability to travel through shadows doesn't cost much. You'll just have to show me the location." It answered. I showed him my room using telepathy. I felt sinking into the ground and popped up just after that. We are already in my room.

"Ah, I never thought sleeping will feel so good. " The rush of adrenaline from body died down as I passed out on my bed due to severe exhaustion.