Of course, it's just as important! But will it really be dangerous to follow me, a Druid, into the forest?"
"This... that actually makes some sense."
Nina patted Karl Olin's shoulder, a cunning smile on her face.
"Right? Let's see if we can find an area on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest, preferably one with only docile, cute, and harmless magical creatures like Bowtruckles, Puffskeins, and Mooncalves."
Karl Olin rolled his eyes. "Give it up. Cho Chang would probably rather encounter a Dragon."
After all, she's someone who has loved Quidditch since childhood and will later become the Seeker for the Ravenclaw team.
"Oh, come on~ Let's go, let's go~"
Nina pulled Karl Olin towards the Forbidden Forest, occasionally squatting down to weed the vegetable patch.
"We won't run into a Professor, will we?"
"It should be fine. Professor Hagrid's gamekeeper's hut, the Whomping Willow, and where Professor Silvanus Kettleburn teaches are all to the north. This route is very safe."
Karl Olin looked at Nina with a complicated expression, wanting to complain but not knowing what to say.
She's even planned the route; this must have been premeditated before school started, right?
What, taking Cho Chang on an adventure? It's clearly just an excuse! You just want to go yourself!
After entering the Forbidden Forest, perhaps due to psychological factors, Karl Olin felt the air was much fresher.
In his previous life, worried about insects, he had only been to places like wetland parks and had never truly entered a mountain forest.
Just as he was looking around curiously, Nina suddenly pointed to a large tree in front.
"See that? A Diricawl's nest."
"Huh? Where?"
"The tear-shaped one."
With Nina's reminder, Karl Olin finally found the bird's nest among the dense foliage.
Seemingly sensing the sound outside, the Diricawl hopped out of its nest, watching the two warily, ready to flee at any moment.
"Uh... honestly, it's a bit ugly."
This was not just Karl Olin's opinion; many Wizards who had seen Diricawls thought the same.
The Diricawl was small and thin, like a malnourished vulture, and truly not very attractive.
And its perpetually mournful and dejected expression always reminded Karl Olin of a Tibetan fox, which was somewhat amusing.
"It's not bad, actually. Look at its dark green feathers and sharp beak; for a bird, it's already quite beautiful."
After Nina finished speaking, Karl Olin gave her a surprised look. "Are you serious?"
"Of course! You know, the Diricawl is nicknamed the Irish Phoenix, and the mascot of the Liechtenstein Quidditchnational team is a large, depressed Diricawl named Hans."
"Alright! As expected of Liechtenstein! The national academic district is truly extraordinary!"
The two carefully bypassed the tree where the nest was located, so as not to scare the shy Diricawl.
Although many Wizards believe its mournful cries portend death, Diricawls actually only cry when it rains.
They're as wrongly accused as crows.
In the time that followed, they also saw Fairies that buzzed and had wings that were either transparent or multicolored.
There were also small blue birds with spots, which Ninatold Karl Olin were Augureys.
They only sing when death is approaching, and their feathers can be used to make Veritaserum and Memory Potions.
In the damp, humid undergrowth of the bushes, Flobberworms lived there.
And the fluffy, fat Puffskeins would suddenly vanish the moment they were encountered, disappearing to another place.
Karl Olin also saw the silhouettes of Hippogriffs from afar, but he didn't approach, worried about disturbing them.
Finally, Nina led him to a patch of grass and stopped, observing the many holes in the ground and the flattened plants.
"What is this?"
"Mooncalf homes. Look at the footprints around them; they're made by their big feet."
Karl Olin twirled his wand in his hand and asked a crucial question: "Can they be eaten?"
"Of course—not."
Nina clapped the grass and dirt from her hands, then looked around with a satisfied expression.
"We're lucky; we haven't encountered any dangerous magical creatures."
"This weekend, we'll take Cho Chang along this path, play around here, and then head back."
Karl Olin was a bit puzzled. "Do Mooncalves come out during the day too?"
"No, they only crawl out of their holes on full moon nights."
"Then what are you coming to see?"
"Even without Mooncalves, the scenery here is nice, right? It's not good to come to the Forbidden Forest at night. If we run into hunting Acromantulas or patrolling Centaurs, it will definitely cause a commotion."
Nina suddenly winked at Karl Olin. "How about we come at night? Catch a few Acromantulas?"
"This... isn't that good?"
Karl Olin was tempted. The venom secreted by Acromantulas was quite expensive, up to 100 Galleons per pint.
Although he would never lack money in the future due to publishing books and the Anxin Fire clothing shop, this kind of extra income was still very appealing.
Especially since these creatures are vicious and extremely dangerous; besides Hagrid, they don't mind eating anyone.
So, catching a few Acromantulas posed no psychological burden for Karl Olin.
"Then we'll wait for the Halloween, Christmas, and Easter holidays. We'll act when we find the right opportunity."
The two gently bumped fists, thus deciding the future of the Acromantula colony.
(Aragog: Speak for me!)
...
Karl Olin did not go with Nina and Cho Chang to explore the Forbidden Forest, because the path to it had no dangers to explore.
After returning from the Forbidden Forest, he was caught by Prefect Judy to discuss the new school uniforms.
During the two days of the weekend, except for a few visits to the library, he spent the rest of the time in the common room.
Shabi and Stebbins also asked Karl Olin for help with their Transfiguration Class homework, and then they were tricked into calling him 'godfather'.
He would have to talk to Cho Chang about this later, to avoid revealing the secret.
Although Cho Chang lives abroad, as a Chinese descendant, she would understand the meaning of simple titles.
On Sunday evening, Karl Olin climbed to the eighth floor of the Castle and arrived at the Gryffindor common room.
The entrance to the common room was at the end of the corridor, guarded by a portrait.
It depicted a very plump lady in a pink dress, whom the little Gryffindor lions called the Fat Lady.
Karl Olin greeted her: "Hello, Madam."
"Hello, Young Wizard, please state the password."
"Uh... Dragon Scum?"
The Fat Lady looked at Karl Olin in confusion. "Wrong password, and you don't seem to be a Gryffindorstudent."
"Alright, you truly have sharp eyes. I'm a Hufflepuffstudent, here to find the second-year Weasley Brothers."
"That's certainly true! I've never made a mistake guarding this place!"
The Fat Lady was very pleased by Karl Olin's words and seemed very happy.
"So I cannot let you in. It's my duty, especially since... you're here to find those two troublemakers."
The Fat Lady was somewhat displeased with the Weasley Brothers, who often roamed at night and disturbed her sleep.
Just then, footsteps echoed in the corridor.
Karl Olin turned to look; it was a tall Little Witch with long black hair tied into a ponytail that hung over her chest.
"You're... Karl Olin?"
"Yes, and you are?"
"Angelina Johnson."