Exploring the Forbidden Forest(chapter 9)

previously in chapter 8

"Although not impossible," he sighed as he looked around. Most of the students were packing to return home for Christmas, and Gray, as an orphan, didn't have a place to return to. But with his increased strength, a new spell he had mastered yesterday, and potions, Gray was planning on visiting the Dark Forest. The reason being, Gray wanted ingredients, and not just any ingredients. He wanted the blood of an Acromantula, the feathers and egg of a Diricawl, which was a magical flightless bird that resembled a dodo. But it had the annoying ability to use an ability similar to the spell Apparition, which was why he had to master a new spell specifically for that bird.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 9

On Christmas night, the chill hung heavy over the grounds of Hogwarts, where the rolling grasslands met the dense thicket of the Forbidden Forest. Grey, wrapped in a grey cloak, stood at the edge, his eyes scanning the inky blackness of the forest before him. The forest loomed like a living shadow, its secrets hidden beneath the cover of night.

"I could use Lumos," Grey thought, his hand twitching toward his wand. "But that would just draw attention." His voice was barely a whisper, carried away by the cold breeze. Unfazed, he reached to his waist, fingers brushing over a series of small flasks, each with a unique concoction. He picked one particular potion and uncorked it. Bringing the flask to his lips, he drank.

Almost immediately, his eyes burned and watered, forcing him to squeeze them shut as a twinge of discomfort swept over him. The sensation was fleeting, however, and when he opened them again, the world had transformed. The dense shadows of the Forbidden Forest faded away, and the moonlit grasslands glowed faintly as if bathed in daylight. He could now see every leaf, every blade of grass, every dark tree towering ahead. "Hmm... let's do this," he muttered, securing the flask at his waist.

[ Name: Night Vision Potion ]

[ Grade: Low ]

[ Description: This potion, brewed with level 2 Potion-Creation skill, grants the drinker temporary night vision for up to 1 hour and 43 minutes. Made using crushed billywig stingers, essence of gillyweed, and mashed bat eyes, it allows the user to see clearly in complete darkness by enhancing the sensitivity of their eyes to low light. No permanent effects. ]

[ Deterioration Rate: 86%. ]

Grey took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the cold, earthy scent of the forest. He stepped forward, the boundary between grassland and woods disappearing as he crossed into the wilderness. The forest was eerily quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves underfoot or a distant, ghostly howl that seemed to echo from miles away.

The trees were tall and ancient, their branches gnarled and twisted, weaving into a canopy that blocked out whatever dim light the stars might have offered. But Grey, with his enhanced vision, saw everything. Moss-covered trunks, fallen logs, and vines hanging like curtains from the treetops. The air was thick, damp with the scent of decay and rich earth, yet there was something unnerving about it all. Suddenly, Grey stopped in his tracks.

His eyes had caught something—an oddly shaped stump attached to one of the trees. He squinted. The stump was oddly large, and before he could analyze further, it blinked. Two dark eyes, almost as lifeless as the dead wood it resembled, stared back at him. It wasn't a stump. Grey recognized it instantly—a Dugbog. A predator camouflaged as a piece of dead wood, the Dugbog had finned paws and sharp teeth, gliding silently through the forest floor until it attacked unsuspecting prey.

Without hesitation, Grey raised his wand and whispered, "Depulso." The force of the banishing charm slammed into the Dugbog, sending it flying into the trunk of the tree it clung to. There was a sickening crack as its body smashed against the wood, the creature's lifeless form crumpling to the forest floor. Grey knelt beside it, his expression unreadable. He collected some of the Dugbog's blood, carefully storing it in a small vial. "Hm, its skin and blood should be useful," he muttered, turning the creature over as he inspected its leathery hide before continuing onward. He had only gone a few steps deeper into the forest when he spotted something ahead—one of his targets.

The dark stillness of the Forbidden Forest was shattered by the sudden skittering of legs—eight of them, to be exact. Grey froze in place, his heightened senses alert as he watched a massive shadow emerge from the thicket. His eyes narrowed as it revealed itself—a giant, eight-legged creature, its glossy black carapace reflecting the faint light of his Night Vision Potion-enhanced sight. "An Acromantula," Grey thought, his pulse quickening. "And the books don't do its size any justice."

The Acromantula was a nightmarish sight, its body easily the size of a small car. Its fanged maw glistened with venom, and its multiple eyes gleamed with a predatory hunger. Each of its legs was tipped with sharp, barbed hooks, capable of rending flesh and climbing any surface with ease. The air around it seemed to darken as it advanced, the forest growing unnervingly quiet. Before Grey could process further, the creature lunged.

It moved with terrifying speed for its size, its massive legs propelling it forward like a living nightmare. Grey's instincts kicked in. With a sharp flick of his wrist and a precise swish of his wand, he muttered, "Depulso!" The spell hit the Acromantula square in its bulbous body, sending it skidding back several feet, but the creature's immense weight and sturdy exoskeleton absorbed much of the impact. It hissed, angered, its mandibles clicking menacingly. Grey didn't wait. His wand moved again in a slashing motion. "Diffindo!"

A thin, sharp jet of light shot from his wand, aiming directly at the joint of one of the spider's legs. The spell hit with a sickening crack, slicing through chitin and sinew. The leg buckled under the precise cut, causing the Acromantula to stumble momentarily. A high-pitched screech echoed through the forest, a mixture of pain and fury. The Acromantula retaliated swiftly, lunging once more with terrifying speed, despite its injured leg. Its front pincers snapped toward Grey, venom dripping from its fangs. Grey narrowly dodged to the side, his boots sliding in the damp forest soil as he barely avoided a lethal bite.

"Bombarda!" he shouted, thrusting his wand forward. A small explosion erupted near the creature's side, blasting a section of the forest floor and sending shards of wood and dirt flying into the air. The blast tore at the Acromantula's armored body, leaving scorched marks across its glossy exoskeleton. It staggered, momentarily disoriented by the force of the explosion. But Grey wasn't done. With a swift circular motion of his wand, he cast "Immobulus!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: It's time to explore this forest, which has a lot of ingredients that Gray needs, and some that he didn't expect to find. Also, just to shatter your expectations, I still haven't featured any centaurs, so don't expect them to make an appearance.

P.S.: I recently saw an edit of Teen Wolf, which means my addicted soul now wants to write a fanfic about it. Wish me luck!