"At least there's no third party there." Firenze nodded, picked up the Acromantula leg and waved it.
"And you should know this child, his name is Vizette, Hagrid mentioned him to us."
Vizette listened to the conversation between the two centaurs and felt that there might be a turning point regarding the altar, allowing him to gain the right to use it.
The most effortless and effective way was to obtain usage rights through simple negotiation.
He decided to try and find a breakthrough indirectly, "Mr. Firenze, Mr. Bane, how do we use this altar?"
Firenze turned his head, his eyes full of smiles, as if he had anticipated Vizette's intentions.
"If he wins the favor of the unicorn… then it doesn't count as betraying his fate…" Bane seemed to be convincing himself.
"Do you know about marshmallow leaves? Sprinkle marshmallow leaves on the altar, and if it is willing to give you a revelation, it will automatically ignite..."
"But we won't provide you with marshmallow leaves; you'll have to find it yourself, is that alright?" Firenze chimed in.
"Yes! Firenze is right!" Bane nodded repeatedly. "You need to prepare the marshmallow leaves yourself! We will help inform the other tribesmen and will not stop you."
...
On the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest, Hagrid, carrying an oil lamp the size of a wooden bucket, led Harry and his friends through the woods.
Malfoy walked with his arms crossed, alongside the black mastiff, Fang.
He raised his eyebrows, looked around, and asked Hagrid, "Are we going to go any further?"
"I can only encounter swallowtail dogs here, I don't even want to think about what else I might encounter further in! Have you considered the consequences?"
Although his tone was arrogant, there was an undisguised panic in his eyes, an instinctive fear of this dangerous forest.
Neville twisted his head. Although he didn't like Malfoy, he completely agreed with what Malfoy had said.
But Harry and the others showed no sign of backing down, and Neville himself was too embarrassed to speak up, so he could only hold tightly to the edge of Hagrid's robe.
Hermione walked on the other side of Hagrid, her wand trembling slightly in her hand, muttering various spells under her breath, looking somewhat flustered.
"Then you can go back by yourself!" Harry said angrily upon hearing Malfoy's words. "If it weren't for you, we wouldn't be here!"
Ron nodded in agreement, "Harry is right! It's because of your betrayal that we're here!"
They stood in front of Hagrid, looking like the two bravest men.
However, Ron's eyes still showed a hint of uncertainty, and he would occasionally look back to make sure Hagrid was still behind him.
"I did see Vizette just now…" Harry frowned. "He was with someone else…"
Just then, the bushes in the distance suddenly moved, accompanied by a rustling sound.
The air seemed to freeze for a moment, and Harry and the others all turned to look at the trembling bushes.
"Who's there?" Hagrid roared, raising his crossbow towards the bushes. "I've seen you! Come out now!"
"Hagrid, it's me…" Firenze leaped out of the bushes and came very lightly to the group.
Hagrid put down his crossbow. "Firenze, has something changed tonight?"
Firenze nodded, flicking the Acromantula leg in his hand. "There have indeed been some changes. You know... the Acromantula is very active."
"Guided by a unicorn, I went to the other side of the Forbidden Forest to rescue someone, and I happened to meet a Hogwarts student, whom you should know..."
As he spoke, he took a step and turned his body to the side, revealing Vizette behind him.
"A runaway foal!" Hagrid gasped, nearly dropping Ron's robe. "Vizette! What are you doing here?"
"I knew it! I told you I saw Vizette!" Harry exclaimed excitedly, his face beaming. "You still wouldn't believe me!"
Hagrid strode forward, carefully examining Vizette who had fallen to the ground. "Vizette, what are you doing in the Forbidden Forest? It's too dangerous!"
"He must have known it was dangerous here, that's why he came to keep us company!" Ron cheered, running a few steps forward. "Vizette, you're such a good Samaritan!"
"Is that so?" Hagrid nodded, his attention shifting to the Acromantula's leg. "Dead? You...killed it?"
"Of course it wasn't me!" Firenze's tone became serious. "The Acromantula attacked Vizette, and it was Vizette who dealt with it. I just helped it return to nature."
Hagrid struggled to explain, "But they're supposed to be good kids… I made them promise last time…"
"If it were a different student, he might have disappeared forever in the Forbidden Forest," Firenze said. "You should think about this carefully; this is our advice to you."
After this conversation, Hagrid's mood was noticeably lower on the way back.
He repeatedly asked Vizette if he was injured, his eyes revealing a hint of lingering fear.
Harry was very curious about the Acromantula and wanted to ask Hagrid for an explanation, but he didn't get any answer from him.
...
Filch stood at the castle gate, limping as he escorted Harry and the others, making sure everyone returned safely to their dormitories.
Vizette parted ways with Harry and the others on the eighth floor. Just as he was about to answer the question about the ring, he felt a warm sensation coming from the locket on his chest.
Dumbledore's voice came from the locket: "A lot has happened tonight. Could you come to the Headmaster's office?"
"Okay!" Vizette whispered to the locket.
The locket suddenly burst into flames, engulfing him within them.
The warmth all around him made him feel as if he were sitting by a fireplace, and in a flash he was in the principal's office.
Dumbledore had prepared what looked like a tea party, with plenty of snacks and, of course, black tea laid out on his desk.
He seemed to do it on purpose to create a more relaxed atmosphere so that Vizette could have an easier time.
However, with the help of the Soul Labyrinth, Vizette had already calmed down, and even on his way back to the lounge, he had mentally reviewed what had happened that night.
"Voldemort came looking for you personally?" Dumbledore pushed a cup of black tea towards him. "Where is he?"
Vizette frowned and said, "Voldemort is probably inside Professor Quirrell... I think he's possessed by Professor Quirrell!"
"Unexpected…unexpected in every way!" Dumbledore's eyes seemed to light up. "What does he intend to do by sending you to the Forbidden Forest?"
"He wants Professor Quirrell to get unicorn blood..."
Dumbledore quickly pressed on, "He didn't get unicorn blood, did he?"
"No!" Vizette shook his head.
Dumbledore popped a sherbet lemon into his mouth, as if relieved. "That's good... at least there's still a chance!"
...
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