Through the Pages of Time: Joey’s Hogwarts Tale

The snow in the Forbidden Forest was thick, and the familiar path and snowy scenery made Joey feel like she was reliving last year's Christmas Eve. But seeing Sirius walking ahead as casually as if he were in his own backyard reminded her that it was a new year.

Fred and George flanked Joey as they trudged through the snow, chatting animatedly.

"Sirius wasn't exaggerating—he really knows the Forbidden Forest well!" George said, brushing snow off his neck. "Ugh, it's freezing!"

"Does that mean we've got a permanent guide now?" Fred asked, rubbing his hands together to warm them. "I bet he'd help us gather more ingredients in the future!"

Joey handed Fred her gloves. "Here, warm up. My hands are fine."

Fred took them without hesitation, even though they were too small for his hands. He sighed contentedly, ignoring the awkward fit.

"Hey, what about me? My neck's full of snow!" George complained, glaring at the two. "Why's everyone ignoring me?"

"Shh—" Sirius suddenly turned around, raising a hand to silence them.

The trio froze, their eyes darting around. In the Forbidden Forest, danger could come from anywhere, and they knew better than to act recklessly.

After several tense minutes of silence, Sirius burst out laughing. "Hahaha! Look at your faces! You really thought something was out there!"

Joey and the twins immediately realized they'd been pranked. Without a word, they each grabbed a handful of snow and chased after Sirius, who was already running away. They caught up to him and shoved the snow down his collar, making him shiver and laugh uncontrollably.

"Ha...oh...cold! Haha...stop!" Sirius gasped, still laughing. For a moment, he felt like he was back in his school days, joking around with James, Remus, and Lily. The thought brought a pang of sadness, but he quickly shook it off.

"Are you okay?" Joey asked, noticing the flicker of emotion in Sirius's eyes.

Sirius let out a long, howling laugh that echoed through the forest, startling some creatures in the distance. "I'm fine! Let's keep going. I want to visit some old friends."

---

Their luck turned when they spotted a few strands of silvery hair caught on a bush. The twins' eyes lit up, and they carefully collected the unicorn hair into a small leather pouch.

"The hoofprints are fresh. The unicorn must've just passed through," Sirius said, examining the tracks.

"I want to see it!" Joey exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. She'd only seen unicorns in books and was desperate to see one in person.

"Alright, maybe we can get more hair while we're at it," Sirius agreed, leading the way.

As they ventured deeper, the forest grew darker and eerier. The trees twisted into strange shapes, and some seemed to shake snow off their branches despite the lack of wind.

"Don't touch those!" Sirius yanked George back as he reached for a branch. "Those trees aren't ordinary. They'll grab you and toss you into their trunks!"

George quickly pulled his hand back, wide-eyed.

"Are they like the Whomping Willow?" Joey asked, skeptical.

"Worse," Sirius said. "I've seen one eat a porlock. Trust me, you don't want to mess with them."

Joey giggled. "Alright, I believe you... Professor Black."

"Don't call me Professor Black!" Sirius groaned.

---

They finally reached a frozen pond where two unicorns stood, their necks entwined. The scene was breathtaking—their coats glowed softly in the moonlight, and the icy trees around the pond sparkled like diamonds.

"No wonder unicorn hair is so expensive. It's luminous!" Joey whispered in awe.

Sirius sighed. To the trio, the unicorns probably looked like walking Galleons. "They're... uh, bonding," he said awkwardly.

Joey made a strange noise, a mix of excitement and embarrassment.

George nudged Fred. "Why don't they have mouths to kiss with?"

Fred mumbled something incoherent, his face turning red.

"Are you blushing?" George teased, poking Fred's cheek.

Joey leaned in, grinning. "Fred, your face is so red!"

Fred stumbled back, flustered. "W-what are you doing?!"

"Joey, your face is red too!" George shot back, defending his brother.

"Mind your own business!" Joey snapped, her cheeks flushing even more.

Their bickering startled the unicorns, which bolted into the forest.

Sirius rubbed his temples. "You three are impossible."

---

The group quickly forgot about the unicorns when they spotted more hair scattered around the pond. They huddled together, calculating how much money they could make and how many dungbomb chocolates they could produce.

Sirius, who'd never worried about money, felt a headache coming on. "You're ignoring me, a wealthy benefactor, to count pennies?"

Joey immediately switched gears, rushing over to Sirius. "Professor Black, you must be tired! Let me help you sit down."

Fred crouched and started massaging Sirius's legs. "I'll take care of your legs, Professor Black!"

George joined in, squeezing Sirius's shoulders. "How's this? Too hard? Too soft?"

Sirius chuckled, enjoying the attention. "Alright, alright. First, stop calling me Professor Black. Second, show me your plans, and I'll sponsor them."

The trio cheered. "Yes, Sirius! No problem, Sirius!"

George raised a question. "So... do we keep gathering ingredients in the Forbidden Forest?"

"Of course!" Sirius and the twins answered in unison.

"For true Gryffindors, the Forbidden Forest is just another classroom," Sirius declared, his eyes twinkling.