...

Filch roared and rushed toward Dyroth the moment he saw Mrs. Norris.

He was Stunned!

"My Mrs. Norris has turned out to be so beautiful!"

He could hardly believe that the cat, which had been with him for years, seemed to have completely transformed in just a few minutes. If it weren't for Mrs. Norris's familiar dark green pupils, Filch might have thought that Dyroth had brought a different pet from outside.

"Mr. Filch, Mrs. Norris is indeed a beautiful cat," Dyroth said.

"You... what did you call me?" Filch asked, suspecting his ears were deceiving him.

He had been at Hogwarts for so long, and apart from the endless stream of unpleasant nicknames, no student had ever called him anything else. Even the professors only addressed him out of formality, not from genuine respect.

But Dyroth was different. There was no disdain or contempt in his eyes. He looked at Filch with the same respect he showed to other wizards. For the first time, Filch felt the respect he'd always yearned for but never experienced.

"Mr. Filch, if you're uncomfortable with this title, I can change it to something else," Dyroth offered.

"No, no, no! This is perfect!" Filch quickly shook his head, terrified that Dyroth might start calling him the same ridiculous nicknames the other students did.

"Good," Dyroth smiled. "As for Mrs. Norris, I suggest you pay more attention to her hygiene. If you can, try giving her more fish."

Dyroth had raised cats before in his previous life, so he knew a thing or two about their care. He had originally considered suggesting that Mrs. Norris be vaccinated and fed nutritious cat food, but remembering that this was the wizarding world, he decided to stick with more practical advice.

Filch was silent for a moment before nodding. "I'll pay attention."

He retrieved an oil lamp from his office, scooped up Mrs. Norris, and said, "Let's go, I'll take you to the Forbidden Forest."

Seeing the thin wizard robe Dyroth wore, Filch hesitated for a moment and spoke stiffly. "The Forbidden Forest is not the castle. You'd better go back and wear more clothes. Hagrid's an experienced guard, but there are no guarantees."

"Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Filch, but I've already dressed warmly under my robe," Dyroth replied with a smile, acknowledging the man's concern.

Filch escorted Dyroth all the way to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, where Hagrid was already waiting.

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Seeing them approach, Hagrid waved the lamp in his hand. "Hey Dyroth, over here!"

"Go on," Filch said. Only after Dyroth reached Hagrid did he return to the castle with Mrs. Norris.

The Forbidden Forest was thick with fog that night. The twisted trees seemed to move of their own accord, and strange noises echoed from deep within. The occasional roar from the forest's depths was even more unsettling.

"Woof, woof!"

Dyroth turned to see a large dog sniffing around him.

"Don't worry, that's Fang! He may be small, but he's a great helper!" Hagrid reassured him. "We'll just be patrolling the perimeter. The creatures inside don't like to be disturbed."

Dyroth looked at Hagrid and understood why he saw Fang as small.

Hagrid led the way, his large frame completely blocking Dyroth's view of the path ahead. Dyroth was content to follow along in silence, reassured that there had been no signs of unicorn injuries in the forest—proof that Voldemort was still fixated on the Philosopher's Stone.

Without Voldemort's presence, this trip seemed far safer.

"Be careful, Dyroth," Hagrid warned. "The path here's a bit tricky."

Just as he finished speaking, a strange noise came from a tree on the left. Fang, who had been trotting ahead, whimpered and scurried behind Hagrid. The atmosphere grew tense.

Hagrid, who had just praised Fang's bravery, awkwardly cleared his throat. "Fang's just a bit timid."

He approached the tree that had made the noise, while Dyroth drew his wand, alert.

"Dyroth, come look at this!" Hagrid called excitedly. "It's a Mooncalf!"

Mooncalves! What a lucky find! Dyroth quickly joined him.

Several pairs of large, light-green eyes blinked at them from the shadows.

"Look at those beautiful little creatures!" Hagrid marveled. "Too bad I didn't bring any tools—if you collect their droppings before sunrise, they make plants grow taller and stronger."

When it came to magical creatures, Hagrid's passion was evident, and he patiently explained everything to Dyroth. "They're very shy and only come out during a full moon."

"Let's not disturb them. We'll finish our patrol and head back."

Hagrid dusted himself off, and they continued their patrol through the foggy forest. The rest of the journey was peaceful, with Hagrid in the lead and Fang clearing the way.

"Hagrid, don't you get bored patrolling the Forbidden Forest alone?" Dyroth asked, trying to break the silence.

"I did at first," Hagrid admitted. "But over time, I got used to it. The forest's full of cute little creatures to keep me company."

Dyroth sometimes felt a pang of sympathy for Hagrid. As a half-giant, he didn't fit in with giants, and wizards were often unwilling to accept him. After finally finding a place at Hogwarts, he had been framed by Voldemort and expelled. With his parents gone and his only brother, Grawp, still unable to communicate, Hagrid's life seemed lonely. No wonder he was so pleased when Dyroth visited.

Time passed quickly, and soon their patrol was over. As they headed back to the castle, Hagrid sighed, "I wish you could come with me every day."

Dyroth smiled. "If I were in detention every day, Professor Snape would have a fit."

"That's not what I meant!" Hagrid chuckled.

"I know. I'll try to spend more time with you when I can."

Just as they were about to leave the forest, the sound of rapid footsteps came from behind them. It didn't sound like any ordinary creature.

Hagrid instinctively moved to shield Dyroth, while Dyroth drew his wand, ready for action.

The figure approaching slowly came into view—a centaur, with the upper body of a man and the lower body of a horse.

"It's you, Firenze," Hagrid sighed with relief, patting Dyroth on the shoulder. "No need to worry."

Firenze, one of the few centaurs who didn't hold a grudge against wizards, lowered his bow and greeted them. "Hello, little wizard," he said kindly.

Hagrid introduced them. "This is Dyroth Grindelwald, a friend of mine."

"Hello," Dyroth said politely.

Firenze's sapphire eyes locked onto Dyroth. "I'm here because of him."

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20-30 Advanced chapters at:[ p atreon.com/false_truth ]