32 Chapter 32 "Forbidden Forest"
A week had passed since the duel, and the event remained confined within Slytherin's common room, unnoticed by students from the other three houses at Hogwarts.
As for Skyler's injury to Gallup, Snape opted not to broadcast it far and wide.
He recognized his share of responsibility in the incident, which fortunately allowed Skyler to escape any formal punishment.
Skyler's declaration had a profound impact on the younger Slytherin students.
Professors at Hogwarts began to observe differences in the Slytherin House compared to previous years.
Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall noticed a renewed dedication in their students.
Homework quality improved significantly, and Slytherin students practiced harder.
Professor Sprout observed greater enthusiasm among the students, with many of them volunteering to assist in the greenhouse and taking on more active roles.
Even in Professional Snape's discerning eyes, Slytherin students exhibited more unity and a willingness to help each other, which was a marked contrast to the past.
Surprisingly, even Goyle and Crabbe succeeded in Potion-making with their fellow Slytherins' assistance.
In contrast, students from Gryffindor displayed a mischievous streak, while Ravenclaw students seemed lonelier and more self-absorbed.
Though diligent and friendly, Hufflepuff students came across as somewhat dull and passive.
One notable incident occurred the night following the duel when Daphne ventured alone to Skyler's private bedroom.
She initiated a candid conversation with him regarding his declaration before the duel.
Daphne was far from naive; being the eldest daughter of the Greengrass family, she had been groomed by her family for power politics among pure-blood families.
Since meeting Skyler, she recognized his ambitious nature and unidentified aspirations.
Despite his young age, Skyler exuded maturity and decisiveness, qualities that surpassed his years.
Daphne was astute enough to realize that Skyler's declaration was not mere grandstanding.
She suspected that Skyler intended to build a range of powerful connections and was determined to establish her family's alliance with him ahead of time.
From Skyler's perspective, Daphne's message was clear: The Greengrass family was cautiously optimistic about his potential and would offer limited support.
This assistance could be viewed as an initial investment, and the family was willing to be Skyler's ally in the making.
If Skyler displayed strength and leadership in the future, the Greengrass family would commit wholeheartedly to supporting him and his entire family.
After Skyler and Daphne had reached a preliminary verbal agreement, Skyler found himself pondering questions about bloodline power.
He approached Daphne, addressing his concerns: "Daphne, there's something I need to ask, and it might touch on personal matters regarding your family's bloodline. I hope you won't be offended... I've heard that the women in the Greengrass family carry blood curses. Is this true?"
Daphne didn't shy away from the topic.
It wasn't a well-kept secret, and she knew it was a point of curiosity. "Yes, it's true. Our family incurred the wrath of a powerful dark wizard over a century ago, leading to a malevolent blood curse. My mother carried the curse, and she passed away when I was young. I was fortunate—the curse never manifested in me. But my sister, she... well," Daphne trailed off, lost in thought for a moment, then noticed Skyler's inquisitive gaze. "Why do you ask?"
Skyler explained that he was deeply interested in blood-related magic and hoped to gain access to Greengrass's research notes on blood magic.
Given that the Greengrass family had been afflicted by the curse for a century, he believed their research might hold significant value for his own studies.
Despite some initial skepticism, Daphne agreed to request her family to provide Skyler with access to their bloodline research data.
Before leaving, she took out a map of the Forbidden Forest, remembering Skyler's curiosity about the forest from a few months ago.
Daphne, ever shrewd, deduced that Skyler held a strong interest in the forest.
She decided to treat it as a gift from the Greengrass family to Skyler on their first meeting, believing it would be a special token of their alliance.
Forbidden Forest Map Obtained!
On the first Saturday morning after the Easter holiday, a day originally reserved for a Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, the match was canceled due to another attack.
The victim was Penelope Clearwater, a 6th-year student from Ravenclaw House.
Professor Snape unveiled new security measures in the Slytherin common room: "All students must return to their common rooms by six o'clock in the evening. No student is permitted to leave their dormitory after this curfew. All classes will be conducted under teacher supervision. Students are prohibited from using the bathroom without teacher accompaniment. All Quidditch practices and competitions are postponed, and no evening activities will occur."
As soon as Professor Snape departed, the Slytherin students began conversing.
Draco had initially wanted to gloat about Hermione's misfortune, but he abandoned the idea upon noticing Skyler's disapproving gaze.
That evening, Hagrid's cabin was bustling with activity.
First, Harry and Ron visited while under invisibility cloaks.
Following them, Dumbledore and the Minister of Magic, Fudge, arrived.
Minister Fudge represented the Ministry of Magic and brought news that Hagrid was under suspicion and had been arrested by Azkaban.
As Hagrid attempted to defend himself, Lucius Malfoy marched into the cabin, unfurling a lengthy parchment that contained a joint suspension order signed by all twelve school directors.
This decree temporarily relieved Dumbledore of his duties as Hogwarts' Headmaster.
Before Hagrid's capture, he left Harry and Ron with misleading clues to follow the spiders.
Skyler knew that when Harry and Ron inevitably followed Hagrid's trail, they would end up in the dense forest at the eight-eyed spider's nest, only to find themselves surrounded by the arachnids with no valuable information to gain.
The irony lay in the fact that the crucial clues resided quietly within the school hospital.
While Dumbledore, Harry, and Ron were absent from the castle, Skyler, using the "Invisible Phantom Curse," infiltrated the school hospital.
He made his way to Hermione's ward, knowing it was heavily protected by magic to shield the petrified victims from further harm.
However, this level of magical defense proved no match for Skyler.
His invisibility magic evaded all detection spells, and he easily picked the locks with a Muggle's universal unlocking spell.
Skyler couldn't help but sneer at the wizards' disdain for Muggle practices.
Such prejudices had left their security systems full of vulnerabilities, even when dealing with formidable figures like Dumbledore and Voldemort.
Skyler approached Hermione's bedside and gently retrieved the note from her grasp, aware that deducing the basilisk's nature would be a considerable challenge for Harry and Ron, given their limited knowledge.
An unprecedented sense of fear rapidly pervaded the school in Dumbledore's absence. The once-warm sunlight on the castle's outer walls seemed incapable of penetrating the mullioned windows.
Every face within the school bore expressions of apprehension, and laughter in the corridors was rare, replaced by a somber atmosphere.
Draco, however, reveled in the panic and suspicion.
He strolled through the school with an air of self-importance as if he had just been appointed chairman of the boys' student council.
About two weeks after Dumbledore and Hagrid's departure, Skyler overheard Draco bragging to Crabbe and Goyle in Potions class. "I knew my father would drive Dumbledore away," he boasted, making little effort to lower his voice.
"Believe me, he considers Dumbledore the worst headmaster in the history of this school. We now likely have a respectable headmaster. Someone who won't close the Chamber of Secrets. Professor McGonagall won't be around long. She's merely a temporary filler..." Draco continued his boasting.
Draco couldn't resist making a public comment as Professor Snape briskly walked by. "Sir, why don't you apply for the Headmaster position?"
"Oh, Malfoy," Snape retorted, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Professor Dumbledore has only been temporarily suspended by the board of governors. I dare say he will be back among us soon."
Draco responded, smirking, "Yes, that's true. Sir, I think my father would support you if you decide to apply. I'll tell him you're the finest teacher here, sir..."
Snape continued his pacing in the underground classroom, a self-satisfied smile lingering on his face, while Seamus Finnigan pretended to be ill, hoping not to be noticed.
In the Defense Against the Dark Arts class that afternoon, Skyler came across a note from Harry to Ron that read, "Let's make a move tonight." It was clear to Skyler that these two youngsters were planning an excursion to the Forbidden Forest later that evening.
With a sense of anticipation, Skyler donned the Supreme Wizard's Robe and covered himself with the Night Cloak.
He also brought a magical suitcase filled with various bottles and containers.
He arrived at Hagrid's hut well in advance, preparing for the upcoming adventure.
Harry and Ron didn't take long to arrive, along with Fang, Hagrid's loyal dog.
Together, they ventured into the Forbidden Forest. Skyler discreetly trailed behind them at a safe distance.
Despite his confidence in his abilities, Skyler preferred not to be too close, fearing that a large group of Acromantula might surround them.
Approximately half an hour into their journey, Skyler noticed they had veered off the forest path.
Then, out of nowhere, several massive spiders emerged and swiftly snatched Harry, Ron, and Fang, dragging them into the underbrush.
Skyler's invisibility magic remained effective against the Acromantula, ensuring he remained unnoticed.
However, he chose to err on the side of caution, maintaining a safe distance.
After some time, Skyler arrived at Aragog's lair.
It was a broad depression, with the trees cleared away and the forest floor covered in fallen leaves, swarming with the giant spiders.
These arachnids were enormous, each the size of a cart with eight eyes, eight legs, and a menacing black, hairy appearance.
The Acromantula carrying Harry descended a steep slope, heading toward a misty, hemispherical spiderweb at the center of the depression, encircled by its brethren.
As they recognized what the spider carried, they began to agitate their massive claws, producing an eerie clicking noise.
Just as Harry and Ron believed they were doomed to become spider food, Mr. Weasley's enchanted Ford Anglia arrived on the scene.
It rescued the trio, plowing through the spiders and sending many scuttling away.
Eventually, Harry, Ron, and Fang were safely extracted from the Forbidden Forest.
Skyler kept his distance, meticulously collecting fresh venom from the mouthparts of each spider they had encountered.
The venom of Acromantula was incredibly valuable on the black market, fetching 100 gold Galleons per pint.
Despite the pressure of the arachnid horde, Skyler managed to collect a substantial amount—20 pints in total.
While he wasn't in dire need of money, he couldn't help but feel delighted to have earned an effortless 2,000 Galleons.
Acromantula's Venom obtained!
With that, Skyler left the scene happily and contended.
