Chapter -95.
As the gentle sound of hoofbeats approached, a remarkable creature came into sight. This being, capable of human speech, wielded a bow and arrow, and had the top half of a human and the lower half of a horse.
Centaurs are legendary figures noted by wizards, known for their intelligence, which is often comparable to or even surpasses that of humans.
Despite their remarkable abilities, centaurs don't identify as magical beings. Their proud nature makes them view themselves distinctly, separate from wizards, vampires, or sirens. That's why the Ministry of Magic classifies them as beasts.
It's said that a group of centaurs resides deep within the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts, and this particular centaur is one of them.
Upon seeing this, the cloaked man reacted quickly, retreating silently back into the darkness of the Forbidden Forest without uttering a word or making any unnecessary gestures.
Dudley chose not to follow. He recognized that chasing a frenzied foe wasn't wise at the moment, especially since he couldn't hold the opponent back.
"Thank you for your assistance, sir," Dudley said gratefully. He realized that without Firenze's help, dealing with the cloaked man would have been challenging, especially with just himself and a juvenile dragon by his side.
The magic and spellwork involved were far beyond what an ordinary wizard could manage. Although Dudley had some tricks left up his sleeve, he couldn't be sure what surprises the enemy might have in store.
At least he was relieved to notice that the opponent didn't appear to be using dark magic, as he hadn't witnessed any horrifying spells being cast.
"It's not necessary," Firenze replied with a sound akin to a horse's snort.
Given that Dudley frequently traversed the Forbidden Forest, he had some prior interactions with centaurs. Generally, centaurs believe in maintaining a distance from wizards and any beings other than themselves, making Firenze a unique exception.
He would go out of his way to assist lost young wizards in the forest, stepping in whenever Hogwarts students found themselves in a tricky situation.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they moved on to check the unicorn's wounds. The unicorn lay weak on the ground, with silver blood pooling around it, clearly a result of the cloaked man's actions.
The unicorn's injuries were severe, with silver blood continually trickling out and a sinister black mist emanating from its body. The unicorn's skin, known for its magical resilience, had been harmed by highly advanced dark magic.
"Mr. Dursley, surely you have a way to heal its wounds?" Firenze asked, displaying a note of concern.
Having only met Dudley a few years prior, Firenze didn't realize that Dudley was merely a first-year student at Hogwarts. Given Dudley's stature and their encounters being primarily at night, Firenze assumed he must be a Hogwarts professor.
Dudley chose not to clarify this misunderstanding.
After observing the unicorn's condition for a moment, Dudley nodded and carefully retrieved several potions from his waist, ready to treat the injured creature.
Meanwhile, the little dragon in the air flapped its wings energetically, acting as a lookout, wary of potential retaliation during this vulnerable moment.
"Firenze, you shouldn't get involved with them," a soft drumming of hoofbeats echoed as several centaurs stepped out from the shadows of the forest—one with a reddish-brown coat, and another with sleek black fur.
The centaur with the black fur seemed quite agitated and spoke in a hostile manner.
His words echoed, "We have sworn an oath, not to defy fate. Can't you see the signs from the stars?"
He pressed on, directing a loud question at Firenze.
Another centaur, sweetly gazing at the wounded unicorn and then at Dudley tending to it, offered a simple, "Poor thing," without making any move to help, standing there coldly.
"Are you asking me to stand idly by? The unicorn is as much a part of the Forbidden Forest as we are, and this is a wizard from Hogwarts." Firenze shot back, standing his ground.
"It's not our concern; the stars don't dictate that we must serve wizards or any other beings. We are not mules; we don't need to chase after humans."
"Even if they get hurt or perish!"
"That's their fate."
While this wasn't said with malice, Dudley felt slightly put off by the tone, which was unpleasant.
The centaur seemed to be blaming Firenze for interfering and implied he shouldn't have done so with him or the unicorn.
If Dudley weren't familiar with the nature of centaurs, he would have given this fellow a piece of his mind.
It's perfectly fine not to lend a helping hand; after all, nobody owes me anything. But to criticize those who do help me? That's a different story altogether.
Centaurs have a deep connection to astrology; "obsessed" may not even capture it, as they rely on the stars for guidance in all their decisions, eschewing any actions not indicated by celestial movements.
While centaurs might not initiate combat and generally lack aggression, they often disregard anything outside their own kind, including the injured unicorn. Even if they observe its pain, their response might only be a soft sigh.
"The innocent always suffer first due to fate."
"For hundreds of years, that has been the case, and it continues." And with that, the centaurs turned to leave in silence.
This exemplifies a typical indifference to those in peril.
They excel in divination, seeing many things in the stars, leading them to believe they have a comprehensive understanding of fate and to hold themselves as wise among the crowd.
In truth, this mindset is rather foolish and has rendered centaurs one of the least favored humanoid species. It's part of the reason the Ministry of Magic prefers to classify vampires and banshees as humans, rather than grant centaurs any recognition.
They rarely help others; even when someone seeks their aid, they often respond with indifference.
Thus, when centaurs face invasions or attacks, no wizards or magical creatures come to their rescue.
Now, the centaurs stand at the edge of extinction.
As Dudley put it, they're simply inviting this on themselves.
"You stand by while that thing harms the unicorn today, and tomorrow you'll watch as it targets other magical creatures in the Forbidden Forest. When that dark wand turns towards us, no one will come to our aid." Firenze exhaled a puff of frosty air, his voice rising in agitation, "We must stand against this creature in the forest; it poses a genuine threat. Bane, if necessary, I'll side with the humans."
Firenze understood that whatever was capable of bringing an adult unicorn to the brink of death could easily threaten their lives, as well.
It's vital for them to foster bonds with both the unicorns and the students of Hogwarts.
Without that connection, the centaurs face a bleak future.
If they lose the Forbidden Forest as their home, it's uncertain where they could potentially go.
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