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It seemed he had accidentally stumbled upon yet another function of the Room of Requirement.
"It's Mr. Prince! The knowledgeable and wise Mr. Prince! He must be famished!"
"He barely had a proper meal tonight! Rabby knew he'd be hungry! Young wizards need to eat well to grow strong!"
"Does Mr. Prince want hotpot again? Habby even found some fresh fire-roasted salamander tails just for him!"
...
The house-elves bustled around excitedly, their voices overlapping in eager anticipation. Ian stepped inside, still processing what had just happened, and stomped his foot against the flagstone floor, confirming that this was indeed the Hogwarts kitchens.
"A direct portal?"
Ian turned around, and the door behind him shut automatically. When he opened the kitchen's main exit, he found himself not in the Room of Requirement, but in the familiar corridor outside the Hogwarts kitchens.
"I need a sheep, over a hundred pounds."
While pondering the mechanics of the Room of Requirement, Ian turned back to the kitchen hall, where the elves had gathered as though awaiting a royal proclamation.
"Mr. Prince isn't having beef tonight?" The house-elves blinked up at him in surprise. One of them suddenly looked stricken with guilt.
"It must be because Sibby's beef stew last night wasn't good! That's why Mr. Prince doesn't want beef anymore!" The little elf wailed, then, in an act of self-punishment, raised its tiny hands and started slapping itself wildly.
The sharp smacking noises were distressing to witness.
Ian quickly stepped forward to stop the self-flagellating elf. "No, no! That's not it. I'm not here to eat—I need a whole sheep for an experiment."
"Dead or alive, either is fine." He noted that both sides of the elf's face were already red and swollen. House-elves were truly something else— their sense of duty was relentless.
"Mr. Prince needs a sheep for an experiment?" The house-elf Rabby tilted his head in deep thought before nodding in sudden understanding.
"Rabby can take Mr. Prince to find live creatures!" Clearly misunderstanding Ian's true intent, the elf wasted no time grabbing his hand.
The world spun.
The surroundings warped and twisted in an indescribable way.
This wasn't just a trick of the eyes— it was as though space itself was folding and stretching at will, losing all sense of normal geometry.
Similar to the sensation of Apparition, but more primal and raw, Ian felt an immense force tugging at him, as if he were being yanked through the very fabric of reality itself.
It was a very clear experience.
"Ugh~"
As Ian fought the overwhelming urge to retch, he realized what the house-elf Rabby had done.
Sure enough, when the disorienting sensation finally subsided, Ian, still clutching his stomach, found himself standing in the middle of a dense forest.
The trees loomed high above, their gnarled branches twisting together, forming a nearly impenetrable canopy. The ground beneath him was damp, covered in tangled undergrowth and patches of moss.
Moonlight barely pierced through the thick foliage, casting eerie shadows across the uneven terrain. The rustling of countless ancient leaves whispered unsettling secrets through the darkness.
"Mr. Prince, are you… are you alright? Did Rabby's magic go wrong?" Rabby asked, his large, round eyes filled with concern.
As a house-elf accustomed to zipping through Hogwarts at a moment's notice, he likely had no idea how unpleasant such a method of travel could be for a young wizard.
Ian, still leaning heavily against a tree for support, quickly waved a hand before the little creature could start punishing itself again. "I sincerely hope we're not in the Amazon jungle."
Without Snape's potion to settle his stomach and having just endured what felt like the most primitive, unrefined form of Apparition, Ian needed a moment to steady himself.
"This is the Forbidden Forest, Mr. Prince," Rabby replied timidly, his ears drooping. "Rabby is just a simple house-elf, not like the great Headmaster Dumbledore. Rabby cannot perform long-distance Apparition."
It seemed the little elf had misunderstood, thinking Ian had actually wanted to go to the Amazon. He now looked positively crestfallen at his own limitations.
"Apparition? But not quite Apparition?" Ian muttered, glancing around. Though the Forbidden Forest was unnervingly quiet at night, distant sounds still reached his ears.
The faint murmur of a stream. The soft hoot of an owl. But beneath that quiet hum of the forest, something else lurked. A whisper of movement. The rustle of unseen creatures prowling between the trees. Perhaps the soft tread of something much larger, watching from the shadows.
"Our magic is different from wizard magic," Rabby admitted. It was true— house-elves were capable of things even the most accomplished wizards struggled with.
Like Apparating within Hogwarts.
"If we have time in the future, would you teach me?" Ian asked, intrigued. House-elf magic was clearly something unique, perhaps tied to ancient magical traditions or bloodlines.
Rabby's large eyes widened with excitement, and he nodded so vigorously that his ears flapped.
"Rabby would be honored!" he squeaked, then hesitated, his voice dropping to a nervous whisper. "But wizards cannot learn house-elf magic. Still, that does not mean Rabby wouldn't gladly help Mr. Prince experiment!"
Wow.
This level of dedication was a bit much.
"You misunderstand, I am not asking you to be a test subject— more like partners in magical exploration," Ian corrected, raising a fist in an attempt at a gesture of camaraderie. Rabby, however, gasped and recoiled, clutching his face in horror.
"Rabby is not worthy of exploring magic alongside Mr. Prince! Rabby is just a simple elf! Helping Mr. Prince with magic is the greatest joy Rabby could ever have!"
Such absolute conviction.
For once, Ian found himself at a loss for words.
"Are there sheep here? Do you ever keep live animals in the Forbidden Forest?" he asked instead, glancing ahead. The dim patches of moonlight shifting through the trees did little to improve visibility.
Slivers of silver light filtered through the branches, breaking into flickering pools on the forest floor. The deeper they went, the darker it became.
"The food at Hogwarts comes from special farms. We only receive it once it's prepared. So Rabby brought Mr. Prince here instead."
"Other students aren't allowed in the Forbidden Forest, but Mr. Prince is different..." Rabby said, scurrying ahead on his spindly legs.
Ian raised an eyebrow. He had been about to ask whether this little elf had some talent for divination— realizing he was both Dumbledore's and Snape's favored pupil— but before he could, Rabby's next words caught his attention.
"The Forbidden Forest has many creatures you won't find outside. Pukwudgies, Erumpents, Occamies, Fwoopers, Ashwinders, warthogs, and there are even rumours that a Hungarian Horntail live here."
At that last name, Rabby's expression twisted into a look of genuine fear.
Ian had to say that a House Elf's range of facial expressions was truly impressive.
"But Rabby will not take Mr. Prince to dangerous places. Rabby must ensure Mr. Prince's safety! We will only search the outer edges of the forest for the Kneazle-footed goat."
Ian frowned.
"Kneazle-footed goat?"
That was a new one.
He was certain he hadn't seen any mention of such a creature in 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'.
"Yes! They come from Japan, a timid little creature rated XXX by the Ministry. But honestly, Rabby thinks even the Bowtruckles here could frighten them!"
The house-elf Rabby's tone was full of disdain. This was the first time Ian had encountered a creature even house-elves looked down upon.
Naturally, his curiosity about the Kneazle-footed goat grew.
(To Be Continued…)