Vaughn didn't go to see Hagrid right away.

It wasn't until the next day, after receiving a small parcel from Juliet Jones, that he finally left Hogwarts Castle, carrying both the parcel and Fruity. He followed a winding stone path that climbed over the hill behind the castle and led straight to the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

The path ended at a wide, open grassland, cleared regularly, no doubt, to prevent the forest from creeping any closer. Even shrubs were scarce here.

Hagrid's hut stood out plainly against the edge of the woods.

It was a ramshackle wooden cabin with moss-covered stone foundations and a crooked roof that belched thick smoke. A gravel path, branching off from the main road, led straight to the front door. A small fence ran out from both sides of the foundation, enclosing a patch of overgrown pumpkin vines in the back.

When Vaughn arrived, Hagrid was sitting on the front steps, peeling potatoes into a large copper basin.

He looked up at the sound of footsteps. "Vaughn Weasley?" he called in that familiar booming voice.

"That's me!" Vaughn waved back.

A large dog came charging out of the hut, barking furiously. Hagrid reached out to grab its collar. "Fang! Down, you daft mutt! Quiet!"

Vaughn approached with an easy smile, offering a polite nod to the slobbery beast, then raised the small parcel in his hand.

"Hello, Hagrid. First time meeting properly, so I brought you something."

Hagrid froze. His tangled beard couldn't hide the red spreading across his face. He fumbled for words and rubbed his hands nervously on his apron.

"Aww, yeh didn't have to do that... I just wanted to speak with yeh a bit, didn't mean to make it so formal and... oh, blimey, come in, come in!"

The half-giant, who had once been classmates with a certain socket-loving delinquent, was far less composed than his size or age would suggest. Frankly, he reminded Vaughn more of an oversized, excitable boy than a grown man.

Vaughn followed Hagrid into the hut. It was a bit of a mess, with furniture far too large for any ordinary visitor and belongings scattered across every surface. It reminded Vaughn of his bachelor flat back before he joined the Ministry, chaotic, but strangely functional.

The fireplace was crackling warmly, lending a cozy feel to the otherwise cluttered room. A massive table and matching chairs sat in the center, one of which currently held a mole-fur overcoat and a bright pink umbrella.

Hagrid rushed to clear them off, tossing the items into a corner before waving Vaughn into a seat. He bustled to the cupboard and started preparing tea, talking the entire time.

"Yeh really didn't have to bring a gift. I wasn't expectin' visitors... What'll yeh have to drink?"

Vaughn raised an eyebrow. "You're already pouring the tea, Hagrid."

"Oh-right. Sorry, force o' habit. It's just, not many people bring me things when they visit. Makes me a bit... jittery, y'know?"

He handed over a steaming mug and dropped into his own oversized chair with a thud. His beetle-black eyes kept darting toward the parcel in Vaughn's lap.

Vaughn smiled and opened it.

Inside was a book.

"Ron mentioned you really like magical creatures. I'm no expert, but I thought you might enjoy this, picked it up from the Muggle world with a bit of help from my dad. It's a photo atlas of animals from all around the world. Some of them are probably new to you, might make for some fun reading."

The gift clearly struck a soft spot.

Hagrid's calloused hands turned the pages delicately. The book looked absolutely tiny in his enormous hands, which only made him treat it with even more care. After flipping through a few pictures, he gently closed it and placed it on a shelf like it was made of crystal.

Whatever stern lecture Hagrid had planned was completely forgotten.

"About the Philosopher's Stone," he said, scratching his beard. "I just wanted you lot to keep it quiet is all. Dumbledore trusts me, and it's best if too many folks don't go pokin' their noses into it."

"I understand. I haven't told anyone except Harry and Ron. You can trust me, Hagrid."

Hagrid visibly relaxed.

Then Vaughn added casually, "Actually, I did come with one little request today."

Hagrid straightened. "Anything, if it's in my power."

"I'd like to take a walk through the Forbidden Forest."

"...What?"

Hagrid blinked at him. Then he shook his head so hard his beard fluffed. "Nope. Absolutely not. Students aren't allowed in there. You've got good grades, yeah? Don't go turning into Fred and George. Those two are always causing trouble... drive me spare, they do."

"Just hear me out," Vaughn said quickly. "I don't want to go alone. I want you to guide me, point out where magical creatures or rare plants might be found."

"What for?" Hagrid asked suspiciously.

"I'm working on a new potion. Might need some rare ingredients. But I can't identify half of them unless I've seen them up close. Just a survey."

Hagrid hesitated. He had heard of Vaughn, of course, Harry and Ron talked about him often.

Seeing his expression waver, Vaughn launched into a well-rehearsed explanation about his potion research, the theoretical significance, the rarity of ingredients, and how many nights he'd spent elbow-deep in cauldron smoke.

Ten minutes later, Hagrid looked like he'd been hit by a Confundus Charm.

"Alright, alright," he mumbled, scratching his head. "I'll take yeh. But only where it's safe, yeh hear me? No going deep, no spider territory, no near the werewolf dens, and stay away from the centaurs. They're clever, sure, but not exactly friendly. Always muttering about the stars."

Once he made up his mind, Hagrid didn't waste time.

"Got a moment now?" he asked, reaching for his mole-fur coat and slinging a heavy crossbow over his shoulder. "We'll head in today, if you're free."

"Absolutely," Vaughn said.

"Fang, come on-wait, what's this?" Hagrid paused mid-call, spotting a lithe creature trailing after Vaughn. "That's a right pretty cat. What's her name?"

"Fruity," Vaughn replied. Then called out, "Oi, stop bullying Fang! He's hiding under the bed again!"

Sure enough, the cat had given Fang another round of furious paw-thwacks. With her ears tilted arrogantly, Fruity returned to Vaughn's side like nothing had happened.

Hagrid chuckled. "Doesn't surprise me. Fang's got a heart like pudding, cowardly little thing. But he's useful. Knows the forest better than most humans."

With a cat and dog in tow, they stepped into the Forbidden Forest.

This ancient woodland bore little resemblance to the rest of the world. Towering trees spread their massive branches into a ceiling of leaves so dense that sunlight barely pierced through. What little light did fall was dappled and faint, casting eerie, shifting patterns over the thick carpet of fallen leaves.

Wisps of mist wove through the tree trunks like silent ghosts.

It was quiet, too quiet.

Perhaps because it was still daytime, most creatures had yet to stir. The air itself seemed heavy, pressing against their ears. The only sound was the soft crunch of leaves beneath their boots.

Vaughn silently drew his wand.

Hagrid noticed and gave a reassuring grunt. "Don't worry. I've lived in this forest nearly my whole life. I won't let anything happen to you."

Funny. Just an hour ago he'd been dead set against the idea. Now that they were here, he was all in.

Vaughn smiled but didn't lower his wand.

He knew full well this forest wasn't safe. Not this term. Not at all.