"Daphne, what's your wand made of?"

Edward held his glowing wand aloft, leading the way as they navigated the secret passage. They'd climbed a slight incline earlier, but now the path sloped downward.

He'd clearly noticed Daphne's tight grip on her wand.

"Laurel, twelve inches, unicorn hair," Daphne answered quickly.

"You're probably wondering why I'm acting so weird, aren't you?" she added, not bothering to hide anything.

"When I was little, a unicorn saved my life. My sister and I got lost in the woods near our house, completely unable to find our way out. A unicorn appeared out of nowhere and carried us to safety."

"My parents were terrified. That's when I learned that unicorns, despite looking gentle, aren't exactly 'kind' creatures. There are reports every year of them injuring people all over the world."

"But still, it saved my life. I want to believe they're good by nature. Maybe it's us—or Muggles—who've taken too much of their space, forcing them to become what they are now."

Daphne's voice sounded hollow, her thoughts drifting back to that memory.

"I don't think I've ever seen you this sentimental, Daphne," Pansy remarked, then gasped excitedly. "Look! There's light up ahead!"

She was right. They'd reached the end of the secret passage.

The exit opened into a wide, dark expanse—the Forbidden Forest, where even moonlight struggled to pierce the dense canopy.

A chilling breeze swept through the trees, their towering forms casting mottled shadows under the faint glow of the moon.

"Are we really going in there?" Malfoy asked, pulling his robes tighter. He could feel the cold seeping through the gaps in his collar, chilling him from head to toe.

"We're close. Look, there's just a little blood in the passage, but out here, it's everywhere," Edward said, pointing his wand at the ground, where silver-white droplets glistened in a scattered trail.

The unicorn's blood stretched from the passage's exit, forming a shimmering path into the forest.

"Wands out. Whatever attacked it is gone, but that doesn't mean the Forest is safe," Edward warned, his brow furrowed. The entrance on this side was lined with low shrubs, and the trees weren't as tall, but the deeper they went, the more they understood why students were forbidden from entering.

The gnarled roots of ancient trees were thicker than their waists, too wide for the four of them to encircle even holding hands.

The blood trail grew denser. All four were on high alert, knowing the injured unicorn was close.

Edward's senses were fully extended, reaching through the tangled branches. He felt a faint, struggling life force leaning against a cluster of roots, breathing weakly.

Weak, but stubbornly clinging to life.

"Over there!"

At Edward's call, Daphne sprinted forward, followed by Pansy and Malfoy.

They froze at the sight before them.

Moonlight filtered through the leaves, illuminating the unicorn. Its slender legs were tucked beneath it, its head slumped to one side. Its mane, softer and whiter than all the swans in the world combined, gleamed with pure, untainted beauty.

Silver-white blood trickled from a wound on its side. The unicorn tried to lick it but couldn't even lift its head.

Pearly tears streamed down its cheeks, pooling into the dark, brittle leaves beneath it.

The unicorn let out a series of mournful cries, its voice melodic yet haunting, like an elegy sung for itself. It seemed to know death was tightening its grip.

Daphne's face was graver than ever. She wanted to rush to the unicorn's side to stop the bleeding but had no idea how. She looked to Edward for help.

But as the four humans approached, the unicorn grew agitated. Its drooping head jerked up, nostrils flaring, silver blood gushing faster from the wound in its side.

"Don't move! Draco, Pansy, keep watch around us. Daphne, follow my signals. If I don't tell you to come closer, stay put!"

"Not every unicorn is like the one that saved you!" Edward shouted.

Malfoy and Pansy obeyed instantly, stepping back and gripping their wands, scanning the Forest for any movement.

Daphne stood rooted, her eyes fixed on the unicorn with concern.

Edward inched toward the creature.

He'd never seen anything so beautiful yet so tragic. Who could bring themselves to harm something like this?

The very thought of drinking unicorn blood made him feel sick.

But the unicorn didn't calm down just because the other three stayed back. It remained agitated, resisting Edward's approach.

It even tried to stand, which only tore its wound further.

Edward stopped, racking his brain for a plan. Should he use his speed to dash forward and pour dittany on the wound?

Anger, helplessness, and pity flooded his heart, leaving him overwhelmed, unsure of what to do.

If only I could speak unicorn!

But in that moment of frustration, a sudden clarity washed over him, as if his tangled thoughts had been swept away.

Words appeared in his mind.

[Compassion for humans is a form of mercy. Compassion for other creatures is also a form of mercy.]

[Your Blessing of Mercy has reached Level 2.]

[You can now sense the emotions of other species at this level and communicate with them to a certain extent.]

Edward's eyes lit up.

He focused all his senses on the dying unicorn, reaching out to it.

A faint, feminine voice echoed in his mind. He could actually communicate with it.

"Stay back, human!"

"Don't be afraid. We're not here to hurt you. You need help," Edward said, raising his hands and speaking to the unicorn with his mind.

The unicorn's tear-filled eyes flickered with confusion, as if it couldn't believe it understood a human.

Why can I hear this human's words?

"You're losing a lot of blood. I have medicine to stop it," Edward said, pulling a vial of specially made healing potion from his bag.

He'd asked his mother over Christmas to refine it, ensuring it wouldn't cause too much pain during healing. Pain could lead to spasms or reopen wounds, which would defeat the purpose.

The unicorn paused for a moment, then collapsed backсию

System: back down.

"Perhaps I shouldn't trust you, human, but I don't have much choice, do I?" it said, still leaning against the roots, tears glimmering in its eyes.

Edward let out a relieved breath and slowly approached.

To the others, it looked like Edward had simply made a few gestures, and somehow, the unicorn calmed down, lying still without further agitation.

What did he do? He can't possibly speak unicorn, can he?

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