Harry Potter's : Fantastic Beasts Guide

The Forbidden Forest loomed ahead, dark and mysterious, with eerie calls echoing in the distance. The initial excitement on Hermione's face began to fade as her grip on David's hand tightened. Her confidence was replaced by uncertainty.

"David, are you sure this is safe?" Hermione asked, her voice betraying her nerves.

David gave her a reassuring smile. "Relax, Hermione. I've been here plenty of times. The areas we're walking through have already been cleared by Hagrid. The dangerous creatures live deeper in the forest, and we won't be going anywhere near them tonight."

Hermione nodded but still clung tightly to his hand as they ventured further into the forest.

Suddenly, David stopped, placed his thumb and forefinger in his mouth, and blew a whistle that sounded remarkably like a bird call.

"What are you doing?" Hermione whispered, her curiosity momentarily overriding her fear.

"You'll see," David replied with a smirk.

A moment later, a white figure soared gracefully down from the treetops, glowing softly in the moonlight.

"Felix!" Hermione exclaimed in delight as the snowy owl landed on a nearby branch. "What's he doing here?"

"I asked him to patrol the forest for me," David explained. "He helps keep an eye on things."

David lifted the invisibility charm that had been concealing them. "Felix, have you seen anything unusual?" he asked the owl.

Felix didn't respond, simply gazing at them with an air of indifference. David chuckled. "No news is good news. Let's move on to find the unicorns."

Felix took off, flying ahead to lead the way. David and Hermione followed closely behind.

As they walked, Hermione grew more curious. "David, do you think the unicorns will let me get close to them? I read in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them that they don't trust humans easily."

David nodded confidently. "Don't worry. They let me approach all the time. Besides, unicorns love beautiful young witches. You'll be fine."

Hermione blushed but smiled brightly.

The quiet trek through the forest was suddenly interrupted by a shrill cry from Felix. The owl circled above them, its keen eyes scanning the treetops.

"What's happening?" Hermione asked nervously.

David's expression grew serious. "There's something nearby. Look carefully."

Hermione squinted into the darkness. A cluster of shadows darted through the branches above, accompanied by strange chirping sounds.

David pulled out his wand. "Hermione, we might be facing a small problem. These creatures aren't dangerous, but if you're uncomfortable, we can leave right now."

"What creatures?" Hermione asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Tree Monkey Frogs," David explained, sighing. "Hagrid introduced them to the forest, but like always, he didn't think it through. Their population has exploded."

"Are they dangerous?"

"Not at all," David reassured her. "But they're… chaotic. Do you want to see them?"

Hermione hesitated for a moment before nodding. "I'll stay and watch."

As they stood quietly, dozens of small creatures began emerging from the branches. Under the moonlight, Hermione could finally see them clearly.

They looked like a strange mix between monkeys and frogs, with bald, green skin dotted with black spots. Their long limbs had webbed fingers and toes, making them adept climbers. But their most unnerving feature was their oversized mouths, which stretched back to their ears and were lined with sharp, saw-like teeth.

Their eerie chirping sounded like manic laughter, making Hermione shiver.

"They're… peculiar," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

David nodded. "They're native to the southern United States, but the American wizarding community started trading them as exotic pets. Hagrid, of course, brought a few back here, and now they're everywhere."

Hermione watched the Tree Monkey Frogs leap effortlessly from branch to branch, their webbed hands and feet giving them extraordinary agility.

"Why doesn't Hagrid ever think about the consequences?" she muttered.

David sighed. "That's Hagrid for you. He's got a big heart but no sense when it comes to controlling magical creatures. The forest is already overrun with them. The centaurs have been working hard to keep their numbers in check, but it's a losing battle."

"Centaurs?" Hermione asked, her eyes widening.

"Yeah, they live in this forest too. They're kind of the guardians of the area, but they don't exactly like humans. I've run into them a few times, and let's just say they weren't very friendly."

Hermione frowned. "That's a shame. Centaurs are fascinating creatures."

David smiled. "Maybe you'll get to meet them someday. But for now, let's move on. The Tree Monkey Frogs aren't as interesting as unicorns."

As they turned to leave, Felix let out another warning cry. The Tree Monkey Frogs grew agitated, their movements becoming erratic. Some began breaking off branches and tossing them to the ground.

David grinned mischievously. "Hermione, hold on to me and get ready to run!"

"Why? What are you going to do?"

Instead of answering, David took a deep breath and let out a thunderous roar that echoed through the forest. The sound resembled a dragon's bellow, causing the Tree Monkey Frogs to freeze in place.

Hermione gasped as the creatures' foreheads began to glow bright red, their stress response triggered by the terrifying noise.

"That's amazing!" Hermione exclaimed.

David grabbed her hand. "It's a neat trick, but we need to move before they recover. Let's go!"

The two of them sprinted through the forest, guided by the red glow of the Tree Monkey Frogs' foreheads. Felix flew overhead, leading them toward safety.

As they ran, Hermione couldn't help but laugh, her fear replaced by exhilaration.

"Is this what you do every time you sneak into the forest?" she asked breathlessly.

David grinned. "Pretty much. Welcome to my world."

And with that, the two friends disappeared deeper into the forest, ready for their next adventure.