Dragon House Dormitory...
As Leo stepped back into the Dragon House dormitory, the air inside was still warm from the enchanted hearth in the common room.
He was in a hurry, his thoughts still lingering on the Lethifold, Minerva's resolve, and the plan ahead—
until he stopped in his tracks.
"____"
There, lounging lazily on one of the emerald velvet couches, sat Bella.
Arms crossed, one eyebrow raised, she stared directly at him.
Leo blinked.
"Bella? I thought you went to your room."
She rolled her eyes dramatically.
"Oh, absolutely. I thought I'd go enjoy the fine art of staring at my ceiling in the dark."
"But then I remembered how exciting it is to sit in the empty common room alone and watch my charmingly oblivious boss walk right past me with a perverted smile on his face, like he was heading to a secret midnight date with destiny."
Leo froze for half a beat, then cleared his throat and looked away quickly.
Cough~
"Okay, that's... oddly specific."
"Oh, please,"
she huffed, standing up.
"You didn't even see me sitting here. Just strolled by, humming some ridiculous tune with the kind of smile that says, 'I'm about to do something dangerous or wildly stupid.'"
She walked over, hands on her hips.
"So, which one is it?"
Leo gave her a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of his head.
"Would you believe me if I said both?"
Bella narrowed her eyes.
"Try me."
He sighed and gestured for her to follow him toward the dorm hallway.
Sigh~
"I'm going to change. And then I've got a Lethifold problem to deal with in the Forbidden Forest. Kettleburn got badly hurt. It's just me and Minerva for this one."
Bella blinked.
"____"
"Wait, a Lethifold? As in, shadowy death-blanket that eats people in their sleep?"
"Yeah, that one."
She threw up her hands.
"And you were just gonna sneak out again without telling your personal bodyguard?"
"____"
"I figured you were asleep."
"Well, now I'm insulted."
Leo chuckled as he disappeared into his room.
Chuckle~
"Fine, fine. Give me five minutes to gear up—and yes, you're coming. Go and gear up. But you better not tell Minerva I had that smile."
Bella crossed her arms with a smug grin.
As Leo, preparing to deal with the lurking danger in the Forbidden Forest, a soft mechanical chime echoed in his ears.
[ Ding… ]
[ New Task Generated… ]
[ Task Name: Capturing A Stray Lethifold ]
[ Description:
A Lethifold has entered the forbidden forest and already injured Professor Kettleburn.
Due to the absence of other combat-capable professors, you must take responsibility.
Lethifolds are rare and dangerous creatures, nearly impervious to most spells except the Patronus charm.
Your mission is to locate, subdue, and capture it alive. ]
[ task reward: Lethifold's loyalty ]
Leo narrowed his crimson eyes as the task details faded into mist.
"____"
Leo made his way to the entrance of the Dragon House dormitory.
As expected, Bella was already there, casually leaning against the wall with her arms folded.
"About time,"
she muttered with a smirk.
"All dressed up to go monster hunting?"
Leo gave a light chuckle.
Chuckle~
Together, they made their way through the quiet, dimly lit corridors of Hogwarts.
As they reached the castle gates, Minerva was already waiting near the forest path, her arms crossed and eyes scanning the darkness.
The moment she spotted Bella, her brow arched slightly.
Leo raised a hand in greeting.
"Evening, Minerva."
"Leo,"
she replied coolly before her eyes flicked toward Bella.
"I see you've brought... backup?"
Leo nodded.
Nod~
"Given the situation, I figured it'd be wise. Bella's my bodyguard—and frankly, an extra wand might come in handy."
Minerva considered it for a moment before giving a short nod.
Nod~
"Fine. But she follows orders."
Bella gave a mock salute.
"Naturally."
Just then, the familiar thudding of large boots echoed down the path as Hagrid approached, carrying a lantern in one hand.
Fang trotted loyally beside him.
"Evenin', Professors. Bella,"
Hagrid greeted, his face more serious than usual.
"Glad yer here. I was the one who found Kettleburn. The poor man was in a right mess—dragged himself outta the forest all bloodied up before I saw him."
Leo looked calm.
"Right then,"
Hagrid said, turning toward the path.
"I'll take ya to the place I found 'im. Stay close."
Without another word, the group followed Hagrid into the looming shadows of the Forbidden Forest,
the light of his lantern bobbing ahead as they walked toward the danger lurking within.
Moving silently through the dense undergrowth of the Forbidden Forest,
the group followed Hagrid deeper into the dark woods.
Shadows shifted ominously around them,
the trees thick and looming,
and the only light came from the flickering glow of Hagrid's lantern.
The further they went,
the colder the air became.
"This is the place,"
Hagrid whispered, holding up his lantern.
"Right over there's where I found Kettleburn."
Leo scanned the clearing ahead—
and that's when he saw it.
Hanging loosely from a low branch was what appeared to be a tattered, black cloth.
But the moment the light from the lantern touched it, the cloth twitched.
Then it moved.
Leo's eyes narrowed.
He immediately raised a hand, silently signalling everyone to stop and remain quiet.
The group held their breath.
"____"
"____"
"____"
The "cloth" slithered slightly, curling and uncurling.
Its surface shimmered with an unnatural slickness like shadow-made flesh.
Then, with a sickening rustle, it began to uncoil and stretch.
Minerva and Hagrid's eyes widened in alarm as the creature fully revealed itself—
it was far larger than they expected.
The Lethifold draped down from the tree branch like a shroud of living night,
its form wide enough to engulf a full-grown man several times over.
Bella was the first to act, raising her wand.
"Let's see how tough your skin really is—Confringo!"
she called out, launching an explosive curse.
The spell struck the Lethifold—
but it rippled harmlessly across its dark surface,
absorbed as if the fabric of the creature itself rejected magic.
She tried again.
"Bombarda Maxima!"
Again—
no effect.
Leo shook his head seeing Bella's spell had no effect.
Minerva's voice rang through the clearing with urgent clarity,
"The Patronus Charm! It's our only option! Lethifolds can only be repelled by it!"
Bella nodded, stepping back.
"I can cast it. Let's box it in."
Without wasting another second,
the three of them moved into position,
surrounding the creature from three sides,
cutting off all paths of escape.
Leo raised his wand.
"Expecto Patronum!"
The three Patronuses—
Leo's mighty lion, Minerva's elegant tabby cat, and Bella's silver hawk—
shone with brilliant white light, pushing the Lethifold back as it shrieked in an unearthly, bone-chilling pitch.
It twisted and squirmed, its shadowy form trembling under the intensity of the combined magic.
But it was cunning.
With a sudden whip-like motion, the Lethifold surged upward, escaping through a gap in the canopy.
Its shadowy form slithered mid-air before descending into the forest again, darting through the trees in a zigzag,
as if it were trying to confuse and distance itself from its pursuers.
"Don't let it get away!"
Minerva called out.
Leo, eyes narrowing, and commended, his Patronus beside him, casting long white streaks of light through the dense woods.
Bella followed closely behind, wand raised, trying to anticipate its next move.
Suddenly, with an ear-piercing roar—
deafening and unnatural—
the Lethifold dove from the treetops and pounced on Hagrid from above.
"HAGRID!"
Leo shouted.
The half-giant stumbled back as the Lethifold's shadowy form began wrapping around him like a blanket of death.
Hagrid, ever the fighter, reacted instantly.
He raised his massive crossbow and fired,
but the Lethifold twisted with unnatural grace, the bolt sailing past harmlessly.
Within seconds,
it had covered him completely, its inky form pressing down, trying to suffocate and consume him.
Leo's Patronus Lion leapt forward and slammed into the creature, light erupting where the Patronus touched it.
Bella and Minerva joined in, their Patronuses clawing, slashing, and screeching at the Lethifold to force it off Hagrid.
Feeling the searing pain from the Patronus charms, the Lethifold let out a horrible shriek and released its hold on Hagrid, who fell to the forest floor with a heavy thud, gasping for breath.
The shadowy creature darted back, twisting and rippling like an oil slick in the air, attempting to flee once again.
But before it could escape, a blinding silver light streaked forward—
Leo's Patronus, a mighty lion, pounced with regal ferocity.
With a thunderous roar, the luminous lion caught the Lethifold in its radiant jaws mid-air.
Minerva and Bella stared, wide-eyed.
It wasn't unheard of to repel a Lethifold with a Patronus;
for those skilled enough to conjure one, it was a defence against such dark creatures.
But to catch a Lethifold—
something so evasive, slippery, and deadly—
with a Patronus was nothing short of extraordinary.
The lion's ethereal glow flared brighter as it pinned the Lethifold to the ground, the shadow creature writhing beneath the sheer force.
Wisps of darkness evaporated in the glow, while the trees around them shimmered in the silvery light of the charm.
Even Minerva couldn't help but mutter under her breath,
"Merlin's beard…"
Bella raised an eyebrow, her voice laced with awe and a hint of pride.
"Show off."
As the silver lion slowly faded into particles of light, the subdued Lethifold lay tattered and still, trembling faintly.
Its once-fluid body now appeared thinner, as if drained of essence by the overwhelming force of Leo's Patronus.
Taking careful steps forward, Leo approached the creature, his expression shifting from intensity to quiet concern.
Behind him, Minerva and Bella were helping Hagrid to sit upright.
The half-giant grunted in pain but waved them off with a weak chuckle.
"I'll live… Blimey, that thing almost tucked me in for good."
Leo knelt beside the creature, observing its faint quivers.
"Looks like I went a bit overboard,"
he muttered.
Suddenly, a familiar chime rang in his head.
[ Ding... ]
[ Task Completed: Capturing A Stray Lethifold ]
[ Description:
You subdued and captured the rogue Lethifold without casualties—an incredible feat even among skilled wizards.
Your control over your Patronus has deepened, and your understanding of magical creatures has earned you the respect of darkness itself. ]
[ Reward: Lethifold's loyalty ]
[ The Lethifold now recognizes you as its master and will respond to your commands. It can be stored within the system's familiar slot. Would you like to assign it a name now? (yes/no) ]
With a silent mental command, Leo accepted the system's reward.
The Lethifold stopped trembling.
At first, it remained still—
its black form barely shifting.
Then, with sluggish movements, it began crawling toward Leo.
Its motions were eerie and hesitant, like a tamed predator approaching its alpha.
Minerva's voice immediately rang out, sharp with concern.
"Leo, get away from it!"
He raised his hand slightly, eyes calm.
"It's fine, Minerva. I've got this."
The Lethifold climbed onto his outstretched palm.
For a brief second, Leo's brows furrowed—
he could feel something being drained. Magic.
Not violently, but with the desperation of a wounded creature.
The Lethifold was healing itself using the ambient magic in his body.
"____"
"____"
"____"
Minerva tensed beside Bella, who instinctively reached for her wand.
Hagrid, already bruised, looked ready to throw himself at the creature again if needed.
But none of them made a move—
just watched, on edge.
The process only lasted a few seconds before Leo felt the magic flow slow to a gentle trickle.
The Lethifold then slithered up his arm, wrapping itself around his shoulders like a sentient cloak.
And then—
something clicked.
Leo felt it.
A bond.
A tether through magic that linked their consciousness in a strange but familiar way.
He knew what it could do now. The Lethifold's loyalty had manifested fully.
It whispered in his mind:
—It could shapeshift into any dress or suit Leo desired.
—It granted resistance to most forms of magic, especially dark curses.
—It could sense malicious intent and alert him before others noticed.
—It granted flight when needed.
—And in offence, it could suffocate targets by consuming their life force or magic.
—It could act as his third arm with self-thinking providing versatility help.
Minerva's eyes narrowed the moment the Lethifold latched itself onto Leo's back like a sentient, shadowy cloak.
Its black form draped over his shoulders, pulsing faintly with magic.
"____"
"What... is that thing doing?"
she asked her voice tight with suspicion and confusion.
Leo chuckled softly, giving the dark material a pat.
"It bonded with me. Chose me as its master."
Minerva blinked.
"What?"
Leo looked at her, grinning now.
"Yeah. Guess it decided I was worth following."
"That's impossible,"
she said automatically, stepping closer.
"Leo… are you sure?"
"Pretty sure,"
he said casually.
"Unless this thing's just decided to cosplay as my cloak for fun."
Minerva wasn't laughing.
She stared at the Lethifold as if it were some ancient mystery brought to life.
"No one in wizarding history has ever succeeded in controlling a Lethifold…"
"Every recorded attempt ended in failure—or death."
"And if killed, it simply vanishes into mist. They don't leave corpses. They don't leave anything. And you're telling me it chose you?"
Leo just gave her a shrug and a lazy smirk.
"Well, you did say I was special."
Minerva opened her mouth, closed it, and then stared again, her lips moving soundlessly for a moment.
"____"
She shook her head in disbelief.
Bella leaned toward her, smirking.
"You should've seen the way it crawled up his arm like a pet. Creepy and loyal."
Hagrid, still groaning on the side and leaning on a tree, muttered,
"Blimey… never thought I'd live ter see the day."
Minerva finally folded her arms and gave Leo a long look.
"This… this defies every magical law we know. You better write this down somewhere. The Department of Magical Creatures is going to faint when they hear of this."
Leo chuckled, tapping the Lethifold's soft surface as it gently shifted around his shoulders.
"Guess history's getting an update."
Before they could turn back toward Hogwarts, Minerva raised a hand, stopping Leo in his tracks.
"Wait,"
she said, her tone firm.
"I can't, in good conscience, allow a creature like that back into the castle without being absolutely certain it won't pose a threat to the students—or anyone else."
Leo raised an eyebrow.
"You don't trust me?"
"I trust you,"
she replied, eyes narrowing slightly at the cloak-like creature resting on his shoulders.
"Not that."
Bella stepped aside, arms crossed, smirking.
"Honestly, I'd like to see this too. I'm curious how well it listens."
Hagrid grunted in agreement, leaning against a tree.
"Better safe than sorry, I reckon…"
Leo sighed but nodded.
Nod~
"Alright, Minerva. Test away."
What followed was a series of tests right there at the edge of the forest.
Minerva conjured several dummies enchanted to simulate sudden movements, magical attacks, and even illusions of frightened students.
"Order it not to move,"
she said.
Leo gave a command with nothing more than a whisper, and the Lethifold remained completely still—
even when one of the dummies flailed and shouted as if panicking.
"Command it to defend you."
Leo raised a hand, and the Lethifold sprang to life, extending like a shadowy shield before him, intercepting a spell Minerva hurled its way—
Expulso.
The spell was absorbed harmlessly into the Lethifold's folds.
"Now… tell it to stop,"
Minerva ordered.
Leo did, and instantly, the creature fell limp once more, curling around him like a relaxed, enchanted coat.
Minerva stood in silence for a long moment, studying the eerie, obedient creature as it responded to Leo's commands with unnerving precision.
"No hesitation,"
she finally said.
"Not once."
Leo gave her a smug little smile.
"Satisfied?"
"Barely,"
she said, but there was a flicker of reluctant approval in her eyes.
"But enough to let you bring it back."
Bella grinned.
"Well, that was a show."
Minerva turned toward the path.
"Let's get back to the castle before anyone notices we're gone."
And with that, the group began their walk back under the fading moonlight—
Leo with his new companion wrapped around him like a shadowy sentinel, and Minerva, still silent, mentally updating her understanding of magical creatures… and of Leo.
**********************************************************************************************************************************************************
(Author's POV)
(A/N): I hope you guys enjoying the story.
Thanks for reading the chapter!
Please give a review and power stone!!! It will Motivate Me.