Chapter 12: Into the Forbidden Forest

We wrote instructions on the blackboard for the students to meet us outside for class. As Calem and I waited for the students to make their way down to Hagrid's hut, we watched Uxie, Azelf, and Mesprit zip through the air like always. I smiled as the three brothers chased each other through the sky.

A few minutes later, the students started to gather slowly, the first being the Weasley twins, as usual. I grinned at the two of them and received mischievous grins in return. I laughed when I noticed that Plusle and Minun were on Fred and George's shoulders respectively.

"I see that you two are pretty comfortable with your Pokémon and vice versa."

"Yup," they responded, grinning.

"That's good to hear," Calem said, smirking between the twins and I.

Once the entire class had arrived, I cleared my throat. "At this point in the class, you will be working on mostly individual work. By next class, you will start working on your own individual paths. However there will be times when you will work with others that are also in your selected area of expertise."

"Today," Calem began, "you guys will be able to catch your own Pokémon. You guys will go into the forest in groups of two or more and try to catch some Pokémon."

I smiled, "you don't have to catch any Pokémon, but this will be a good chance to see how your Pokémon do in battle. Calem and I, as well as our Pokémon, will be around the edge of the area where you are allowed to be."

The students let out a content sigh. Did they really believe that we would let them go into the forest alone while we stood outside the forest, safe and sound? "We don't want anyone getting hurt out there," Calem chuckled.

"If one group would come up at a time," I said, holding up a brown canvas bag, "then I'll give each member of you groups five Pokéballs each. Meet back here in an hour so that you guys can leave for your next class."

"But aren't you going to teach us how to catch other Pokémon," Hermione asked.

"I believe in learning on the job," Calem said happily.

"There's really nothing to it," I said, "you just have to weaken your opponent first before throwing a Pokéball and hoping that it doesn't get out of the Pokéball."

"Isn't that barbaric," she asked.

I shook my head, "no, it takes a lot to kill Pokémon, that's why they tend to live much longer than normal animals that you guys keep as pets."

One by one, groups formed and slowly started to head into the forest. His was going to be a long day.

The Golden Trio (Harry, Ron, Hermione)

"Why would they send us into the Forbidden Forest," Ron complained, "don't they know why it's forbidden?"

"They know what they're doing Ronald," Hermione said, "they said that their Pokémon, as well as Professor Bellamy and Professor Mercier, would be patrolling the area to make sure that we don't get into trouble."

"She has a point Ron," Harry said, trying to prevent an argument between his two closest friends.

The trio continued on in silence looking for Pokémon, occasionally having small conversations.

After what felt like hours of mindlessly wandering through the forest, and bumping into Calem's Greninja twice, the trio heard a rustling in the bushes.

"Something's there," Hermione whispered, "don't move."

Holding their positions, the new trainers waited for whatever, or whoever, was in the bushes. Then a small, red nose poked through, followed by a small, brown head, a little tuft of red fur on top of its head.

"That looks like a Pokémon," Harry said, staring at the small creature.

"I think that's Litleo," Hermione replied, "Litleo's the Lion Cub Pokémon."

"I want this one."

Harry and Hermione turned toward their red-haired friend, confused. Ron looked back at them with a straight face. "I want to catch this one. I don't know when the next time I'm going to be able to catch another Pokémon."

Ron took his Pokéball out of his pocket and tossed it into the air, releasing his Shinx. Shinx gave a little smirk, sparking a bit. The Litleo tilted its head before jumping out of the bushes and using Tackle on Ron's Shinx.

"Shinx, use tackle," Ron instructed.

The battle went on like this for a little while before the wild Litleo was weakened enough for Ron to attempt a catch. Throwing the Pokéball, the Litleo turned into a red light before going into the Pokéball. Ron waited anxiously for the Pokéball to stop moving and, before he knew it the Pokéball stopped moving.

Ron grinned and ran over to the Pokéball, picking it up.

"Well done Ron," Harry said with a grin, patting Ron on the back. Hermione smiled at Ron before she suggested that they move on.

And so the class continued until the end of the period. All of the groups began to make their way out of the forest and toward Calem and myself. I noticed that many of the students were grinning as they came into our line of sight. We let the students leave for their next class a few minutes early. The next class couldn't be close enough.

I'm so sorry that it's taken this long to get this chapter out! I wanted to include more of the groups than just the Golden Trio, but I wanted to get this chapter out for guys. Thank you so much to everyone who has read this story! It means a lot to me! Also, there is a poll on my profile for the Elite Four of Hogwarts. There are a ton of options, ranging from those that have already been suggested to other playable characters from the Pokémon main series (with my tentative surnames based on where the region is based off of (ie Unova will have more English names and Kanto will have Japanese surnames)). I would really appreciate your votes and you can choose up to five choices, one for each member of the Elite Four, plus the Champion. And let me know which characters you think should have caught a new Pokémon and what you think it should be. Hopefully the next chapter will be uploaded soon!