The Map

Aragog stared at Harry in disbelief.

Its cloudy, aged eyes gleamed with a bizarre, conflicted glimmer.

Giving its own children… as teaching supplies?

"Human wizard, do you know what you're saying?" it asked slowly.

Harry scoffed. "Don't pretend you're sentimentally attached to generations of offspring. You're Acromantulas."

This species—when under survival pressure—had no qualms about devouring their own kind. They were classified as dark creatures for a reason.

"It's simple," Harry said softly. "Either I exterminate all of you now—maybe squeeze out a few dozen, even a hundred pints of venom?"

"That's a little less than ideal. Just a one-time harvest, but it could last us two or three years."

"Or… we cooperate."

"Out of respect for Hagrid, I'm even bothering to discuss this calmly."

"Remember—you only have six months left to live."

His tone wasn't loud or aggressive, but the pressure in the air around Aragog built, thick and suffocating.

Harry gently flicked his wand.

A gust of wind swept through, rustling the leaves with a restless whisper.

Clouds rolled in, a brooding darkness settling over the clearing, followed by a peal of thunder and the rising whistle of wind.

A Weather Charm.

Aragog instinctively skittered backward in alarm. It didn't calm down until a few raindrops slipped through the canopy and fell on its head.

"Alright, human wizard. I agree," it finally said. "But… I'd like a slightly larger territory—"

Harry waved his wand.

The wind died.

The clouds dispersed.

Above, a patch of sky opened, and moonlight poured into the clearing, banishing the shadows.

"You don't have the right to negotiate, Aragog," Harry said softly.

"Hagrid, bring him. We need to go sign the pact."

Without hesitation, Harry turned and walked off.

Hagrid hesitated, reaching for his wand to cast a Levitation Charm. But the moment he tried, sobs interrupted him. He tucked his wand away.

Instead, he walked over and lifted Aragog in his arms, just as he had when he was still a student. But time had passed. Aragog was now a hulking beast, and even Hagrid struggled under its weight.

Still, he insisted on carrying him—until they left the Acromantula's domain.

"Ron can float Aragog from here," Harry said. "We need to find Grawp."

Hagrid nodded, gently lowering Aragog. He turned to Ron and instructed carefully, "He's old now. Harry said he's—he's…"

"I'll be careful," Ron said, casting a Levitation Charm with effort, keeping a healthy distance from the spider.

Hagrid led Harry through underbrush and narrow trails. "I've hidden him in a really remote spot," he explained. "You know how the creatures in the forest feel about giants."

"The centaurs even argued with me once. I wanted Grawp to live freely, but I had to restrain him."

As they neared, Harry's enhanced senses picked up the thunderous sound of snoring—and a potent, unwashed stench.

Soon, they came upon a steel fence enclosing a large area of forest. Inside, a massive figure clad in animal pelts slept on the ground.

"At first, he was furious," Hagrid said, standing outside the fence. "Didn't like being confined. If not for Olympe… well, she helped a lot. Giants aren't as affected by certain spells. I couldn't bring myself to hurt him."

"I've been teaching him to read."

"Harry, I'm really grateful. You and Hermione teaching me how to read—without that, I wouldn't know how to teach him."

"It's slow progress. He's still rough around the edges. But he's learned to say 'please.' He'll say, 'Brother, please give me food.'"

Harry asked, "Did you explain the pact to him?"

Hagrid nodded. "I tried. He doesn't really understand what a pact is. Honestly, I don't either. But if it's you doing it, I know it's a good thing."

"Bring him," Harry said, waving his hand.

Hagrid tapped the fence with his wand, and it twisted open into a gate. He entered, waking his brother.

"Grawp! Time to go sign that pact I told you about."

"HA-grid!" Grawp woke with a roar, pounding the ground and shaking the trees. "Bad Hagrid!"

"Locked up! No food! Bullied!"

He leapt to his feet, fists raised.

"No fists!" Hagrid commanded, wand raised.

Grawp froze, eyes on the tiny stick. "Hagrid… threatens… don't like!"

"This is Harry," Hagrid said gently, pointing. "He's a friend."

"Friend?" Grawp tilted his head. "Friend… edible?"

"No, no, no. Friends are not food," Hagrid corrected patiently. "Friends are companions. Family."

Grawp frowned deeply, clearly struggling.

"You can remember this," Hagrid encouraged him.

"Same size, talks—don't eat," Grawp muttered, finally recalling.

"Right! Very good, Grawp," Hagrid beamed. He summoned a massive venison leg from his pocket as a reward. It looked like a chicken drumstick in Grawp's hand.

"We're going to sign the pact now," Hagrid explained.

"Pact?"

"Yes, the one we talked about. You'll get more food. More friends too."

"Food… friends," Grawp repeated.

He calmed down and nodded.

Hagrid carefully led Grawp back to the creature gathering area.

Grawp was not careful.

He stomped along, crushing shrubs, warping trees with his bulk, making thunderous steps.

"Harry's back!" Hermione snapped her wand at the crowd, voice sharp. "Everyone, settle down!"

Ron tilted his head to look up at Grawp.

At sixteen feet tall, the giant's face was hard to see from the ground.

Harry stepped to the center of the clearing and turned to Hagrid. "Is everyone here?"

Hagrid nodded. "Everyone's here."

Grawp, Aragog, and representatives from all the creatures of the Forbidden Forest stood assembled.

Harry raised his wand and cast Sonorus.

"Hagrid has probably told you," Harry began, "we are here today to renew the ancient pact once signed by Lady Rowena Ravenclaw."

"But this time, the pact will not just concern the Forbidden Forest. It will also concern each of you."

The centaur stepped forward. "So long as it is a fair pact, we are willing."

"We trust the Heir of Gryffindor."

"Do not betray that trust."

Harry smiled gently and raised his wand.

He closed his eyes and reached out, sensing the spirit of Hogwarts—ancient, grounded, full of courage, ambition, wisdom, and purity.

He reached out and grabbed hold of it.

The spell transformed into a school crest, which hovered before him.

Harry raised his left hand, placed it on the emblem, and said, "I, as Heir of Gryffindor, represent Hogwarts in signing this fair pact with the Forbidden Forest."

The crest vibrated, resonating with the Sorting Hat.

The creatures bowed their heads in reverence, their unique auras blending with the forest's and forming a crest shaped like a forest beside Hogwarts's emblem.

"Hogwarts shall not interfere with the forest's natural order unless necessary."

A golden beam shot from Harry's wand to the Hogwarts crest, then linked to the forest crest.

"We accept," the centaurs answered, followed by the other creatures.

"Hogwarts students and staff shall not harm the forest's inhabitants, except Acromantulas designated for teaching purposes."

"Likewise, all forest creatures must not harm Hogwarts's students or staff."

The other magical beasts glanced at Aragog—no wonder…

But they agreed.

"Hogwarts and the Forest shall remain eternal allies, helping one another in times of need."

A third golden beam connected the two crests.

"The pact is sealed. Any who break it shall suffer like Sisyphus."

With that final phrase, the creatures voiced their assent. Light shimmered, and slowly dimmed. The forest crest vanished. The Hogwarts crest lingered briefly longer—now marked with three golden branches around the central H, forming a tree crown.

Inside the Great Hall, and the Headmaster's office, the school crest quietly shifted to match.

Dumbledore smiled.

Back in the forest, Harry pulled out a piece of parchment.

While the crest still lingered, he waved his wand, drawing on the magic of the oath. A sliver of white light from the tree-shaped sigil flowed into the parchment.

Harry then uncorked a bottle of ink and poured it onto the parchment.

The map came alive.

One by one, names appeared.

Most magical creatures didn't have personal names, so their species were listed. But those like Grawp or the centaurs, who had names, appeared as such.

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Powerstones?

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