Everyday Life of a Top Student at Hogwarts

Chapter 96 Map Surveying and Spider Shadows

Chapter 96 Map Surveying and Spider Shadows

The Eagle's Nest team successfully reached the designated entrance, a natural concealment formed by the intertwined roots of several massive oak trees. It was some distance from Hagrid's hut, and the dense bushes provided excellent visibility while making them difficult to spot. Moreover, because they had become familiar with Hagrid...

Tooth was already familiar with their scent, so it didn't make a sound to warn Hagrid.

"Safe." Karen lowered her voice, and after confirming that no one was around, she was the first to enter the forbidden forest.

As soon as they entered the forbidden forest, the light became dappled and soft. Following the familiar path they had taken before, they quickly found the babbling brook.

"This is it!" Fabian said softly, quickly unfolding his parchment map and using a special quill to draw precise blue lines at the location of the stream.

"That group of 'eight-legged bastards' suddenly appeared here last time." Wesley pointed to the conspicuous red spider mark on the map, shrinking back with lingering fear.

"Be vigilant," Karen warned, his "Eye of Truth" activating instinctively. The sparse life force flowing in the surrounding environment appeared like a pale green mist. So far, all he could see were tiny insects, harmless plants, and the faint magical reactions of the soil itself; there was no unusually powerful source of magic. "Ernesto, you're on the left wing; Wesley, right wing; Fabian, center and record; I'll lead. Maintain formation and advance along the east bank of the stream."

"Understood," Ernesto replied curtly, his wand already subtly slipping into his hand. Wesley also suppressed his jovial demeanor, intently scanning the bushes to his right.

The exploration began. Fabian became the busiest person. He would sometimes squat down and use a magnifying glass to observe a star-patterned lichen that emitted a faint glow in the shadow of a tree root, and exclaim in a low voice, "It's a star-patterned lichen! The book says that it only lives in symbiosis with certain kinds of ancient trees and can absorb faint light in the dark." He would then accurately mark the location and name on the map.

At times, he was drawn to a peculiar shrub with purple berries: "Wait, this looks like—Motra rat grass? The book says its juice can treat scabies, but eating it raw can cause severe hallucinations—" He carefully collected a small sample of the leaf and placed it in a specially made plant clip.

"Hey! Look at that tree!" Wesley pointed to a strangely shaped ancient tree in front of them, its trunk twisted and gnarled, forming a natural arch. "Doesn't it look like a giant bending over? How about we call it the 'Bowing Giant'?" he suggested excitedly.

"A good reference point." Ernesto nodded, watching Fabian sketch the shape of the tree on the map with simple lines and label it with the name Wesley had given him.

Fabian's gaze, however, was drawn to a peculiar area on the opposite bank of the stream. The stone walls there were damp and covered with a thick layer of dark green moss. Although they appeared unremarkable in the sunlight at the moment, Fabian, based on descriptions in the literature, keenly noticed their unique shady angle and humidity.

"Look there," he pointed to the rock face on the opposite bank, his voice brimming with researcher's excitement, "that shady, damp environment, with rocks covered in thick moss, perfectly matches the natural growth conditions of 'moonlight moss' described in 'Atlas of Rare Epiphytic Mosses'! It's said that moonlight moss only displays a silvery-blue fluorescence on moonlit nights, absorbing moonlight! It's a pity it's daytime now."

Fabian sighed regretfully and quickly marked the area on the map with a prominent question mark and "Potential growth area for moonshine moss?"

The sign read, "Confirmation requires a night visit."

They ventured deeper, and the area on the east bank of the stream proved to be relatively safe, just as Karen had predicted. They encountered several curious Bowtruckles, tiny, twig-like creatures that leaped nimbly between tree trunks, making soft "click" sounds. They also spotted a group of beautiful, iridescent bird-snake chicks drinking at the stream; highly alert, they vanished into the mist as soon as humans approached. Fabian eagerly recorded all of this on the map, quickly filling in the blank areas.

Time slipped away quietly as they focused on their exploration. Sunlight filtered through layers of leaves, casting long, fading dappled patterns on the ground, and the forest light began its transition to dusk. They were now far from the site of their previous attack, and the marker line on the map, representing the boundaries of their exploration, stretched eastward.

"This is a huge success!" Wesley wiped the sweat from his brow. Although he had remained vigilant, the continued smooth sailing had him invigorated. "Fabian, do you think this map of ours might be the most detailed map of the entire Hogwarts complex, at least only the outer perimeter!"

"Hagrid might have a more detailed one, but I believe ours won't be much worse than his." Fabian looked at his meticulously drawn and richly detailed work, his face filled with undisguised pride.

Ernesto looked up at the sky, which was turning a dim yellow through the gaps in the tree canopy. "We should consider heading back; the light is getting darker." His tone carried a hint of barely perceptible relaxation; the exploration had indeed gone more smoothly than expected.

Karen nodded in agreement: "Yes, let's explore a little further and then head back the way we came." He pointed to an unmarked area on the map, near a low rock wall, "That looks like it might have unique plant or small creature habitats."

The four maintained their formation and moved towards the rock face. Karen led the way, while Fabian looked down at the map, making final adjustments to the surrounding environment. Wesley and Ernesto flanked them, keeping watch on both sides.

Just then, Karen felt a burning sensation in his breast pocket! His expression changed drastically, and he stopped abruptly, pulling out the wildly spinning, red-glowing, and hot-heating spyglass from his pocket!

"Enemy attack! Back to back!" Karen's voice pierced the silence of the forest like an icicle, carrying an undeniable tone.

Their long-standing teamwork exploded in an instant. Wesley, Fabian, and Ernesto didn't hesitate for a moment; their bodies moved as if by reflex.

They quickly moved closer to Karen, the four of them forming a circle back to back, their wands pointing in unison at the dark woods outside! Hearts raced, and breaths were held for a moment.

The red light from the spyglass illuminated their faces, which instantly turned serious, and the shrill alarm sounded particularly eerie in the quiet forest.

"What is it?" Wesley's voice trembled slightly, and the tip of his wand swayed gently.

"I don't know, but the mirror's reaction is very strong!" Fabian gripped his wand tightly, his knuckles turning white.

"Silence!" Ernesto hissed, his eyes sharp as an eagle's, trying to pierce the dense, light-less undergrowth ahead. There, only an unsettling stillness, and a chilling, minute rustling sound, as if countless tiny segments were moving and rubbing against withered leaves and moss. The sound came from all directions, surrounding them!

Karen focused his mind, activating his "Eye of Truth" at full power! The darkness before him seemed to be lifted by an invisible filter, and what he saw was no longer blurry tree shadows, but flowing magic!

Behind the dense bushes, in the crevices of massive tree roots, and beneath the shadows of hanging vines, clusters of magical light, representing life and possessing a cold, viscous texture, lurked! They exuded distinct arthropod characteristics, with their magical core concentrated near their heads and mouthparts, emanating a greedy and aggressive aura—instantly confirming them as eight-eyed giant spiders. There were more than a dozen of them!

Moreover, three of the magic sources were exceptionally powerful and solid, with a volume far exceeding the others; it seems there were three large ones!

"Spiders! Lots! At least twelve!" Karen's voice was extremely low, fast and clear, like the flow of a cold stream. "Three adults, the size of horses! The rest are juveniles! They've surrounded us, waiting!"

"Merlin's Beard!" Wesley gasped, his face turning pale. Fabian's body visibly stiffened.