Chapter 161: The Angry Unicorn
The weather was still bitterly cold, even though the snow had stopped a week ago.
Christmas break was over, and the new term had begun.
On the first afternoon of the new year, they crunched through the snow on their way to Hagrid's hut.
The number of students seemed much smaller, especially among the Slytherins.
“Plenty of people don’t want to be taught by a half-blood giant—like Selwyn and Avery...” Astoria whispered. “So they didn’t come...”
Her cheeks were still faintly flushed—this was their first proper conversation since the Yule Ball.
“Well, they’re going to be disappointed!” Jon shrugged.
Almost as soon as he finished speaking, an elderly witch emerged from behind Hagrid’s hut.
A pipe clenched between her teeth, she took a long drag and swept her gaze over the group. She looked rather odd—her gray hair cropped short, her chin jutting out prominently...
“Everyone here?” she called loudly.
“Who are you?” Steven Lucas asked in surprise.
“Grubbly-Plank, Professor Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank!” the witch answered at full volume. “I’ll be your temporary substitute for Care of Magical Creatures!”
As she spoke, she spread her mouth wide, revealing a row of large yellow teeth.
“Where’s Professor Hagrid?” Astoria whispered.
“Hagrid...” Professor Grubbly-Plank paused. “He’s not feeling well.”
At once, whispers rippled through the group. Jon knew they were talking about the article in the Daily Prophet.
“Follow me!” Professor Grubbly-Plank ordered.
They circled around Hagrid’s hut, entered the Forbidden Forest, and finally stopped beside a tall oak.
“Wait here a moment...” Professor Grubbly-Plank called, then disappeared into the woods.
...
A few minutes later, she returned, leading a horse-like white creature behind her.
“Oh my!” Astoria was the first to react, covering her mouth in shock. “It’s a Unicorn!”
The creature was pure white from mane to tail, glowing faintly all over. Its four slender legs were flawless, its mane lay smooth and pearly, and from its forehead rose a single sharp horn pointing toward the sky.
“It really is a Unicorn!” Jon swallowed hard.
Every part of a unicorn was considered a treasure.
Its horn, ground into powder, was an extremely rare potion ingredient, able to heal severe wounds, including those caused by Dark Magic. Its blood was the finest delaying agent in potion-making, extending effects and greatly easing the difficulty of brewing advanced mixtures. Its hide was one of the strongest magical leathers for protection...
Even its hair could serve as a wand core.
Due to their immense value—and their lack of natural fear of wizards despite their strong innate magic—unicorns were hunted relentlessly in the 18th and 19th centuries, nearly to extinction.
The Ministry of Magic was forced to declare unicorns a Class I Protected Magical Creature and even spread the childish tale that “killing a unicorn will curse you.”
Hogwarts’ Forbidden Forest was home to a herd of around twenty unicorns—the largest in all of Europe. Of course, not even the Headmaster had the right to hunt them.
...
“Boys, step back!” Professor Grubbly-Plank barked. “Unicorns prefer to be touched by women. Girls, step forward, carefully... that’s it, relax...”
From several paces back, Jon watched as the girls gathered around Professor Grubbly-Plank and the unicorn.
“In my next life, I’m coming back as a unicorn!” Zacharias Smith said enviously.
“That might be a bit difficult,” Jon muttered. “Unicorns are magical creatures with incredibly strong innate power.”
“Can’t you give me at least a little hope?” Zacharias grumbled in frustration.
“Well done, Miss Greengrass!” they heard Professor Grubbly-Plank exclaim. “She already likes you!”
Jon blinked, watching as the unicorn nuzzled against Astoria, licking her hand affectionately.
“The boys may come over now!” Professor Grubbly-Plank waved them forward.
Jon and Zacharias hurried over.
He noticed Astoria reluctantly pull her hand away from the unicorn.
“Be careful,” Professor Grubbly-Plank warned. “Approach slowly. Who’s first?”
“I will!” Jon raised his hand.
“Alright, Jon Hart, is it?” Professor Grubbly-Plank gave him a quick glance and spoke his name directly.
So, it seemed his name was already well-known around Hogwarts.
“Yes!” Jon nodded and stepped forward slowly.
“You’d best take out your wand, Mr. Hart,” Professor Grubbly-Plank suggested. “Unicorns usually enjoy the scent of wands...”
Jon obeyed, drawing his wand from his pocket.
Suddenly, the unicorn’s expression changed.
It reared on its hind legs, letting out a defiant cry.
“Stop!” Professor Grubbly-Plank shouted urgently. “Sarah... what’s wrong with you!”
At the same time, she yanked hard on the reins, holding it back with all her strength.
If she hadn’t held on, the unicorn might have charged straight at Jon.
Still, it thrashed wildly, letting out furious cries, and nearly struck Eloise Midgen with a flying hoof...
The students broke into chaos.
Jon froze for a moment, then quickly backed away, unsure what had triggered it.
...
“What’s going on?” a rough voice boomed from behind them.
Rubeus Hagrid, his eyes bloodshot, appeared at the back of the group, shouting, “Wilhelmina, let me handle this!”
He strode forward, wrapping his massive arms around the unicorn’s head.
“Sarah... easy now, child... big brother’s here...” Hagrid murmured softly into its ear.
The unicorn, so agitated only moments before, gradually calmed down.
Professor Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank let out a breath of relief, her hands raw and red from the rope.
“Thank goodness you came, Hagrid!” she said gratefully.
“No problem,” Hagrid shook his head, gently taking hold of the unicorn’s rope and leading it back into the depths of the Forbidden Forest.
Behind them, thunderous applause broke out among the students.
“What are you looking at?” Astoria asked curiously, noticing Jon’s wandering eyes.
“Nothing... just keeping an eye out for a bee,” Jon said lightly.
Author's Note
Comments (0)
Please login or sign up to post a comment.