The School Infirmary was filled with a faint scent of disinfectant. Edgar, William, Ollie, and Malfoy were lying in separate hospital beds, with Harry, Ron, and Hermione further down the ward.
Madam Pomfrey was busy in front of a medicine cabinet in the distance.
Seeing Lynn push the door open, Edgar immediately managed a smile, though his face was still a bit pale.
"Lynn, you came to see us!"
Lynn walked over to their beds, casually picked up an apple from the nightstand, took a bite, and said indistinctly,
"Nonsense. Why else would I come to the School Infirmary? To experience life?"
At that moment, Hermione, in the neighboring bed, couldn't help but sit up straight, her face filled with intense curiosity.
"That... Lynn... we heard from Malfoy that you saved him and Harry last night. He also said... you have a Phoenix? Is it true?"
Lynn's bite paused midair. His expression instantly shifted into one of perfectly measured confusion. He turned to Hermione, brow slightly furrowed, his tone full of concern.
"Hmm? How could that be possible? Malfoy... did he encounter something particularly terrifying in the Forbidden Forest last night? Is he talking nonsense?
Did Madam Pomfrey check his head? Being excessively frightened can indeed cause hallucinations."
As he spoke, Lynn shook his head, his eyes practically spelling out, I deeply sympathize with Malfoy's ordeal.
The expression was so sincere it was as if he truly knew nothing about the matter and was hearing it for the first time.
Lynn's inner thoughts: I'm really not lying! Setting facts aside, I mainly saved William and Edgar and just happened to save Harry and Malfoy along the way.
As for Levi? It's a free Phoenix that's just staying with me temporarily. How can you say it's mine? This logic is perfectly sound!
Applause for understanding!
Hermione studied Lynn's worried face and compared it with her knowledge of magical creatures.
Phoenixes were extremely rare and proud beings. In modern times, the only ones clearly recorded as belonging to individuals were Headmaster Dumbledore's Fawkes and the guardian beast of a Quidditch team that used the Phoenix as its emblem.
How could a first-year little wizard possess a Phoenix? It was completely against common sense!
The suspicion on Hermione's face quickly faded, replaced by relief, as if to say, As expected. She nodded firmly.
"I thought so too. Malfoy must have been terrified and had hallucinations. How could a Phoenix..."
Lynn silently gave Hermione's reasoning a thumbs-up in his heart, then quickly shifted the topic. He looked at William and continued playing the role of the uninformed bystander.
"By the way, William, what exactly did you guys encounter last night? Why are you all in the School Infirmary? It sounds very exciting."
William pushed his glasses up. You really can act, he thought. But on the surface, he cooperated with Lynn's script and explained,
"When we were patrolling in groups last night, we did encounter that Dark Wizard who attacked the Unicorn.
He was very dangerous, and we almost... well. Fortunately, a Centaur named Firenze appeared just in time and drove the Dark Wizard back with arrows.
Later, Hagrid and the others arrived and brought us back to the Castle. Madam Pomfrey said we were quite shaken and needed to be observed overnight."
He paused, then added with a hint of helplessness, "As for Malfoy... he might have truly been terrified. Since he woke up, he's been telling Professor McGonagall, who came to inquire, that you were riding—er, that you brought—a Phoenix to save us. The Professor obviously didn't believe him either."
Beside them, Edgar listened to William weave the story without blinking an eye, especially the part about Malfoy's "nonsense." He quickly pulled the blanket up to cover half his face, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably, his entire face turning red from holding back laughter.
Edgar's inner thoughts: William, you're so serious even when making up lies! And Lynn is even better—Oscar-level acting!
To be honest, Lynn himself was almost losing it. He quickly took a large bite of the apple to hide the upward curve of his lips.
From William's account, he pieced together what had happened after he left:
Firenze the Centaur arrived at the scene and escorted the "terrified" students to meet up with Hagrid. Then, everyone involved in the detention was sent to the School Infirmary. When Professor McGonagall came to question them, William and the others—except for Malfoy, who insisted on the "truth"—kept their stories consistent, giving all the credit to the Centaur.
"Cough, cough~"
Lynn cleared his throat, trying to make his expression look heavy and full of sympathy. He sighed compassionately.
"Alas, poor Malfoy. He's been frightened to such an extent that he's having ridiculous hallucinations. I hope he recovers soon."
That tone, that expression—it was as if he were truly, deeply worried about Malfoy's mental state…
In the Forbidden Forest at night, Lynn carried the trunk toward the area where the Unicorn herd usually resided.
The atmosphere here was noticeably purer and more peaceful. The air was filled with a fragrance similar to lily of the valley, and the surrounding trees appeared exceptionally tall and lush.
"Anya, we've arrived. It's time to come out."
Lynn stopped, patted the trunk, and skillfully opened the lid, waiting for Anya to step out.
Except for the rustling of the night wind through the leaves, there was total silence.
Hmm?
Lynn raised an eyebrow. Why was there no movement? Was she shy? Or sleeping too soundly?
He knocked on the trunk again, harder this time, producing a dull thumping sound.
"Anya? Wake up, you're home!"
After waiting a while longer, the trunk's opening remained empty. Not even a single silver hair floated out.
Now Lynn felt that something was off.
Anya wasn't the type of Unicorn to be impolite, and returning to the herd should have been something she looked forward to. Why was there no reaction?
He decided not to wait any longer and jumped in to check for himself.
After glancing around to make sure no one was nearby, he leaped into the trunk.
The space inside was still vast. He walked familiarly toward the rest area that had been temporarily sectioned off for Anya, simulating the environment of the Forbidden Forest.
The grass here was lush and green, and there was even a small pool of clear spring water.
"Anya? Are you here?"
There was no response. The area was eerily quiet.
"Levi!"
Buzz—
A familiar ripple appeared in the air, and the Phoenix, surrounded by a warm glow, instantly appeared by his side.
"What is it, Master~"
"Have you seen Anya? I called for her to come out, but she didn't react, and I can't find her here."
Levi tilted its head and replied uncertainly,
"She... I saw her heading toward Lumière's direction earlier. She should be with Lumière, right?"
"With Lumière?!"
Hearing this, Lynn's heart skipped a beat. An ominous premonition suddenly rose within him.
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