Lost in spells and shadows

Chapter 49: Echoes of the Past

Adelaide was on a visit to Hagrid's cottage, with Helena, Maud and Pandora. Funny enough, it seemed as if she had gotten very close to her younger sister's friends who were two years younger than her. They were all so sweet, fun and kind and talking with them was much easier than talking with others. Their care-free nature and approach to school was something that Adelaide greatly missed.

"Hagrid, i wished i had seen as many as magical creatures as you did in your life. I mean, you had also seen a dragon on one of your trips. How was it like?" Pandora said as she looked at him.

"Well, 'twas scary a bit. But such a magnificent creature." Hagrid responded as he sipped his tea.

"What kind of dragon it was?" Adelaide asked him.

"A Swedish short-snout. It had such marvellous silvery blue scales with blue flames!" He answered.

"Wow, Toria would have killed to see it. She is very into magical creatures, you know." Helena stated. Victoria, due to her love of creatures, also had teas and meetings with Hagrid, discussing different magical creatures and shared their knowledge on that subject.

"Have you ever seen something that you would consider even better than a dragon, Hagrid?" Helena asked.

"Well, i suppose one. But i don't think mos' would agree. An Acrumantula." Hagrid responded.

"No way! You had seen an Acrumantula?" Maud asked as her big brown eyes widened in surprise.

"Well, i used to own one, until...it went to the forbidden forest."

"So you mean, it is there now? Like in the forbidden forest?" Pandora asked as Adelaide shuddered a bit, thinking of an Acrumantula roaming the forest nearby their school freely.

"Yes, but tis not permitted to get closer and doesn't attack students. No need to worry about it."

"Are you friends with it?" Helena joked, but after seeing Hagrid's face, she understood that her joke was pretty much a fact.

"Can you show it to us?" Maud asked, alarming Adelaide.

"I don't think it's such a good idea." Adelaide answered, looking pointedly at her.

"Well, Hagrid will be there with us, nothing will happen." Pandora countered as they waited for the man to answer.

"Yeah, we can do this." Hagrid nodded, smiling. "We can do this right now, if you want."

The younger girls cheered as Adelaide mentally slapped herself, not liking it. "But i hope we wouldn't become it's free lunch today."

"No need to worry, 'till i am beside you, nothin' will happen." Hagrid vowed. Adelaide only nodded as the three younger girls walked outside waiting for them to get out and go to the forbidden forest secretly.

"But i must warn you, that you should never go to the forbidden forest without bein' accompanied by an adult. Tis full of dangerous creatures and the Acrumantula is just one of them." Hagrid warned them as they went into the forest from a clear path.

The forest, since it was during daytime, was not very dark, but shadows lurked here and there inside the forest, due to the tall trees and bushed that had grown in it. There was something eerie about it, as if that feeling was a testament of how dangerous the forest was. Their footsteps could be heard due to the lack of voice and silence in the forest. They suddenly heard a wood cracking under someone's weight, alarming them. Adelaide quickly pulled Helena behind her and went closer to the girls, taking out her wand, preparing to strike.

"Easy, everyone. 'Twas only a unicorn. Nothing else." Hagrid announced as they looked at the unicorn.
It was her first time to have seen a unicorn and judging by the others' reactions, it was also their first time too. The unicorn was white and lovely with silvery white mane and a shiny corn. Its eyes were blue and it looked ethereal.