Rai_jin
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#31 WSWW
🕑 Added 2025-03-11 16:00:14 +0000 UTCTed had made progress with Transfiguration—his matches now looked almost exactly like pins. But that was only on the surface. The material itself hadn't fully transformed.
Transfiguration was proving to be far more complicated than any spell he'd encountered so far.
Despite that, Ted was excelling. He had been teaching himself three spells per week, and now, with Professor McGonagall’s guidance, he was making even faster progress. Among the 36 first-year students, he had improved the most. Professor McGonagall had praised him five times, and Hermione three, in just a few lessons.
Still, it was nothing like the simple transformations described in books or movies.
Unlike charms, which were distinct spells with specific effects, Transfiguration was an intricate system where everything was interconnected.
Mastering one transformation—like turning a matchstick into a needle—paved the way for mastering others, such as changing parchment into silk or a porcelain plate into metal. The complexity only increased when it involved turning inanimate objects into living creatures, such as buttons into beetles.
After three weeks of keeping a low profile, Harley was back to her adventurous ways. Now that she was familiar with her classmates, she couldn't resist the temptation to explore the ancient castle her parents had once roamed.
And then, there was the mystery of the forbidden door on the third floor—the one hiding the giant, three-headed dog.
What was it doing there? Why the secret passage? What was it guarding?
For a Gryffindor, this was too much to ignore.
Dumbledore might as well have placed a giant sign saying, "DO NOT INVESTIGATE," which, of course, only made it more irresistible.
Harley had already roped Ron, Jerry, and an extremely reluctant Neville into her mission.
Ron and Jerry tried to resist. “We should NOT be doing this,” Jerry muttered. “This is classic horror movie bad decision-making.”
Neville, clutching his blanket, groaned, “I...I need my sleep!”
Harley grinned. “Sleep at ten, adventure at midnight! Let’s go!”
Ron and Jerry exchanged a look, sighed, and abandoned their plans for a quiet evening.
They weren’t the only ones who had heard about the three-headed dog. By now, most of the more daring students knew about the beast behind the door on the third-floor corridor. But knowing and seeing were two different things.
That thing was massive. Its heads nearly touched the ceiling.
Even Malfoy, when tricked into seeing it, had barely managed not to faint. The fact that he hadn’t wet himself on the spot was a testament to his nerves of steel—or at least well-developed pride.
Underestimating a three-headed dog was foolish.
They were still young, sure, but have you ever heard of a single mastiff taking on five tigers? Three mastiffs taking down an entire aircraft carrier? Five mastiffs rewriting the laws of physics? Ten mastiffs reshaping the timeline?
Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration, but the point stood: they were not messing with a regular dog.
Hermione, of course, was furious when she found out about their plan. What infuriated her more was Ted's refusal to stop them. Worse—he was tagging along!
“Ted, this is against the rules!” she hissed.
Ted just grinned. “Come on, aren’t you curious?”
Hermione: Internally screaming.
Despite her protests, Hermione found herself following along. And, well… the thrill of discovery was exciting.
Harley was determined to get past the dog and figure out what lay beyond. But as eager as she was, the beast wasn’t giving them an inch. No progress had been made. It simply growled and bared its teeth any time they got close.
Frustrated, she turned to Ted. “What do you think?”
Ted shrugged. “I think some mysteries have to be solved in the right order. Like... maybe we should figure out what’s going on before the three-headed dog eats us?”
Harley narrowed her eyes. “That sounds like a distraction.”
Ted smirked. “That sounds like staying alive.”
The group groaned.
On Friday morning of the third week, Neville and Harley received a surprise: an invitation from Hagrid. The half-giant had invited them—and their friends—to his hut for a visit.
Excited, Neville rushed to tell everyone, and they decided to go that weekend.
Harley, however, had another idea. “The twins keep talking about how cool the Forbidden Forest is. Maybe we can take a quick look while we’re there!”
Ted, immediately recognizing the impending disaster, shook his head. “One step at a time, Harley. You haven’t even explored the castle properly yet, and you already want to go wandering into a cursed, monster-infested forest? That’s ambitious.”
Harley pouted. “But—”
“Nope,” Ted interrupted. “Let’s focus on mapping out the castle first. There are hidden passageways everywhere, and I guarantee there are secrets all over this place.”
The last thing Ted wanted was Harley running into something she wasn’t ready for—especially if that something involved Voldemort. He wasn’t the chosen one. If she ran into trouble, there was no magical safety net to guarantee a happy ending.
Friday afternoon arrived, and after skipping lunch, the group made their way to Hagrid’s hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
Hagrid—Hogwarts’ unofficial farmer—had chickens running around, a small vegetable patch with potatoes, pumpkins, and cabbages, and of course, his massive boarhound, Fang, lounging in the sun.
If he had a livestream, he’d easily get millions of viewers a month.
From a distance, Hagrid’s hut looked simple. Just a wooden house with a rounded roof. But up close?
It was massive.
The single-room cabin was at least six meters high and easily over sixty square meters in size. Standing in front of the enormous door, Ted felt like he was at the entrance of a medieval fortress.
“Well,” he muttered, staring up at the door handle, “I hope he has snacks.”
Harley stepped forward and knocked on the massive wooden door.
Tok tok tok~
From inside, the deep bark of a dog echoed through the hut.
"Back up, Fang! Back up! That must be Harley and Neville!" Hagrid’s booming voice carried through the door before it swung open, revealing his wild mess of hair and beard. It was almost as if his face had sprouted out of a tangle of black fuzz.
"Ah, brilliant! You're all here! Come in!" he greeted them warmly, stepping aside to let them enter.
Inside, the cozy yet chaotic hut was decorated with large, rugged animal pelts strewn over the furniture. A huge fireplace dominated one wall, a massive iron cauldron bubbling over the flames—big enough to stew an entire person if one weren’t careful.
The furniture was twice the size of normal chairs and tables, and the bed looked more like a triple-sized mattress stacked on another. Hunting gear, including an oversized crossbow and a quiver of enormous arrows, hung on the walls. In the corner, a massive hound wagged its tail excitedly, its tongue lolling as it tried to rush forward.
Hagrid quickly grabbed its collar. "Easy there, Fang! Don't want to scare ‘em. He’s a big softie, really. Looks fierce, but wouldn’t hurt a fly."
The group eagerly gathered around, giving the huge dog affectionate pats on the head.
Ted chuckled as he scratched Fang behind the ears. "Wait a second... why does he have two tails? That’s not normal. Hagrid, is Fang some kind of magical breed? He doesn’t quite look like a Swallowtail Dog. The ears and face shape don’t match."
Ted had encountered Swallowtail Dogs before while working at a magical pet shop. They were known for their loyalty and their distinctive two tails, which spread like a swallow’s wings. Officially, anyone wanting to keep one had to register with the Ministry of Magic. Some even used painless magic to hide the extra tail when living near Muggle areas.
Knowing Hagrid, though, there was no way he had registered Fang.
At Ted’s question, Hagrid’s face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. "Merlin’s beard! You actually know about ‘em? Ted, right? You interested in magical creatures?" He clapped Ted on the shoulder so hard he nearly knocked him into the nearest chair.
Ted laughed, rubbing his arm. "I worked at a magical pet shop before school, so I’ve seen a few Swallowtail Dogs. But Fang still looks... different."
"Aha! That’s because he is!" Hagrid beamed proudly. "Fang’s not just a Swallowtail Dog—he’s a crossbreed! Half Swallowtail, half Blink Dog!"
As if to prove the point, Fang suddenly vanished into thin air—only to reappear right behind them!
Harley jumped. "Whoa! What was that?! Apparition?!"
"Nah, Blinkin’," Hagrid corrected. "Not as far-rangin’ as Apparition, but a lot more convenient. Blink Dogs are rare magical creatures, y’see. Discovered only a few decades ago. Some say they come from another world altogether..."
And with that, Hagrid launched into an enthusiastic explanation of how he had bred a Blink Dog with a Swallowtail Dog to create his beloved Fang. The group listened, half in fascination, half in horror at the mental image of Hagrid playing magical matchmaker for his pets.
As the conversation went on, Ted couldn’t help but think about the strange effects the Conjunction of the Spheres had on this world. He was reminded of Jerry—who, despite blending in, was undeniably different from normal students.
After rambling for a while, Hagrid finally realized why he had invited them. "Ah! But where are my manners? You lot must be hungry! Hang on—lunch’ll be ready soon. In the meantime, have some snacks!"
He set a massive wooden tray on the table, piled high with biscuits—each one the size of a dinner plate.
"Rock cakes! Made ‘em meself! Go on, tuck in!"
Ron and Jerry, forever at the mercy of their growling stomachs, were the first to grab one. They took a hearty bite—
And immediately regretted it.
Their jaws froze. Their eyes widened. The crunch was loud enough to be mistaken for breaking teeth.
"Mmm!" Ron forced a smile, barely able to chew. "G-go ahead, everyone! They’re... delicious!"
Jerry nodded rapidly, his expression unreadable as he struggled to swallow.
The others exchanged wary glances.
Harley, smirking, leaned toward Ted and whispered, "You're looking for some snacks, right? I dare you to try one."
Ted grinned. "I value my teeth, thanks."
