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✭ Chapter 99 ➜ Footprints in the Forbidden Forest ✭
🕑 Added 2025-05-10 22:57:07 +0000 UTCHaving found no clues, Kyle returned to the large tree.
As he pondered how to examine the gap, Fang suddenly ran over and seized his robes with his teeth.
"Stop it, Fang." Kyle said, patting the dog's head, "This isn't playtime."
But Fang ignored him and pulled him to Hagrid's side, then used his front paws to scrape away the fallen leaves. Beneath them lay two sets of distinct footprints.
"This is..." Kyle drew a sharp breath, "Hagrid! Look! There are footprints here!"
Hagrid quickly bent down to examine the two sets of prints.
"Well done, Fang!" Hagrid patted his dog's head, then complained, "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
At this, Fang's face took on an injured expression as he frantically pawed at Hagrid's trouser leg. The fabric was wet and bore clear teeth marks.
Evidently, Fang had tried his best to alert them, but Hagrid had been too focused on the tree trunk to notice. With no other option, he had sought out Kyle instead.
"Sorry Fang, I was wrong to blame you." Hagrid quickly apologized upon noticing the marks.
Unlike Fawkes, Fang was easily appeased by the single apology. He lay down, tail wagging happily.
Kyle retrieved a piece of dried Murtlap meat, gave it to the faithful hound as a reward, then crouched down to examine the footprints.
There were two sets of prints scattered chaotically, suggesting an intense fight had occurred. While the outer set appeared normal — about the size of an adult's foot — the set closer to the large tree was different.
These prints were massive, roughly twice the size of a normal person's, identical to Hagrid's — or rather, a half-giant's.
Kyle suddenly recalled seeing the same distinctive footprints in the pumpkin patch, matching perfectly down to the treads on the sole.
He frowned and asked, "Hagrid, have you been here before?"
"Impossible." Hagrid said firmly, "A tree this big — if I'd been here before, I'd definitely remember it, but I have no memory of this at all."
"Then how do you explain this?" Kyle pointed at the large footprint, "The pattern matches your shoes exactly."
"What did you say?"
Hagrid bent down laboriously and finally saw the footprints clearly. His pupils contracted sharply, and he recoiled as if he'd seen a ghost.
"That's impossible! I absolutely have not been here before, I swear!" Then, a new thought occurring to him, he quickly asked, "Could I have left these just now by accident?"
"Unlikely." Kyle shook his head.
Fresh footprints wouldn't be hidden under fallen leaves. Besides, when he felt the soil around the edges of the prints, it was already hard. Fresh prints would have had soft soil.
"Let's call it a day." Kyle said, standing up, "We'll go ask Headmaster Dumbledore — he might know what's going on."
Hagrid was completely bewildered by now, only regaining some composure at the mention of Dumbledore's name, "Yes, Dumbledore will definitely know."
Kyle took out his wand and used Diffindo (Severing Charm) to extract the footprints along with the surrounding soil. Then he dug out a piece of the corroded tree trunk and used Wingardium Leviosa to carry them toward the edge of the forest.
On the way back, Hagrid still walked in front, though his thoughts were clearly elsewhere and his attention wandered.
"By the way, Hagrid." Kyle asked curiously, "How did you know about the missing unicorn foal?"
"Professor Kettleburn told me." Hagrid said, "He was supposed to come himself, but the mother unicorn who lost her foal is extremely agitated, and he needs to watch her constantly — he couldn't get away."
Kyle nodded in understanding.
Silvanus Kettleburn was also a famous master of magical creatures and one of Newt's few close friends. If it was him, there was no cause for concern.
Unlike Newt, however, Professor Kettleburn had such a reckless and careless personality that it had cost him one arm and half a leg.
Kyle still couldn't understand why this professor had been sorted into Hufflepuff. No matter how you looked at it, Gryffindor would have suited him better. The Sorting Hat must have been drinking that day.
On their way back, they encountered another centaur — not Ronan this time, but a young centaur with platinum-blonde hair.
"Hey Hagrid, you seem distracted." He spoke first, "That won't do — the forest is very dangerous at night, and don't forget you're leading a young foal."
"Oh, Firenze... yes, you're right." Hagrid patted his head and turned to Kyle, "Sorry Kyle, my mind was elsewhere."
"It's fine." Kyle smiled, "I trust that with you here, the forest creatures won't harm us."
"Thanks." Hagrid smiled too.
"Troubled mind?" The centaur called Firenze looked at Hagrid, his eyes startlingly blue, "Have you run into some trouble?"
"I'm not sure if it counts as trouble." Hagrid said, scratching his hair, "Firenze, have you seen me in the forest before?"
"Many times." Firenze said, "I see you almost every week."
"That's not what I mean." Hagrid pointed in the direction they'd come from, "I mean... there, by that huge chestnut tree."
"I think I understand what you mean." Firenze looked up, "Mars is normal today."
"Well, I knew it would be like this." Hagrid said irritably, "Can't you just give a straight answer... never mind, let's go."
Hagrid walked past Firenze while Kyle gave the centaur a thoughtful look.
The other centaur, Ronan, had said the same thing.
Mars is normal... Was this really normal?
Firenze didn't leave immediately but followed behind them until Hagrid had led Kyle to the edge of the forest, where he finally stopped.
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The mooncalf nest was just ahead. Watching the mooncalves dancing in the moonlight, Kyle couldn't help but think of their first night wandering, when they had almost been caught by Hagrid...
Hmm?
Kyle suddenly stopped walking — if he remembered correctly, hadn't Hagrid taken this same path into the forest back then?
