Ryan was stunned upon hearing the voice. It belonged to a grown woman, yet it was different from any professor at Hogwarts.
However, the fact that she could speak meant they could communicate. If he handled this correctly, he might avoid an unnecessary confrontation. Summoning his courage, he called out, "I have no ill intentions and don't mean any harm. I'll leave the forest if necessary."
"Hey, hey, don't be so nervous. I just wanted to thank you for helping the unicorns," the voice replied. As soon as she finished speaking, a figure emerged from the jungle.
"A centaur!" Ryan gasped, keeping his voice low. What surprised him even more was that this centaur was female—something never mentioned in the books. Then again, centaurs didn't just appear out of thin air. There had to be females, or the species wouldn't exist.
The centaur appeared to be in her thirties, wearing finely crafted brown leather armor. A black mace hung at her waist, while her lower body was that of a white horse. A round shield and a bow with a quiver of arrows were slung across her sides.
Ryan noticed that she wasn't holding a weapon, so he relaxed and put away the magical plants he had prepared for defense, signaling his goodwill.
She approached with a graceful stride, then bent slightly toward him. "Mars is beginning to shine brightly again," she said in a contemplative tone. "Many believe this is a bad omen, a sign of divine will. But I think sometimes, it's our duty—our part in providence—to help the innocent. That's why I came out tonight, and I happened to witness you healing that unicorn."
"That was just something I should do," Ryan replied earnestly. "If any decent person with the ability to help saw an innocent creature in danger, they would step in."
The centaur nodded before asking, "What kind of monster do you think attacked the unicorn?"
"I'm not sure," Ryan admitted. "But I did notice that the unicorn had lost a lot of blood."
The centaur's expression darkened. "My God, this is bad. Could the prophecy be coming true? But centaur prophecies aren't always accurate… I hope this is one of those times." She muttered to herself as if lost in thought.
Seeing her distracted, Ryan took the opportunity to introduce himself. "Ah, by the way, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Ryan—Ryan Liang. I'm a first-year student in Gryffindor. I was out on a late-night walk when I spotted some strange silver liquid. Out of curiosity, I followed its trail and stumbled upon the injured unicorn. I just happened to heal it."
"There's no such thing as coincidence," the centaur replied, her sharp eyes studying him. "Unicorns don't trust humans easily."
Ryan was taken aback. "Then why did it allow me to heal it?"
The centaur smiled faintly. "For one, you're still a child—a colt, as we would say. Male unicorns will tolerate boys who haven't reached puberty. And on the other hand…" She paused, gazing up at the sky.
"I can sense immense gratitude toward you from the forces of life itself. You have saved thousands of innocent beings. I can even feel nature's appreciation for your battles against unnatural, destructive creatures. Though this gratitude feels slightly different from what I'm familiar with, my instincts tell me it's real. The stars have revealed much about you, and their wisdom doesn't lie. A friend of nature like you is someone unicorns would naturally trust."
She then leaned closer, inspecting Ryan curiously. "I'm very interested in how someone as young as you managed to accomplish such things. Even our leader, who has fought for nature his entire life, hasn't received as much acknowledgment from it as you have. Not to mention your unusual plant companions—they seem to be nature's favored beings as well."
Ryan scratched his head awkwardly. "Well… it's complicated. I can't really explain everything, but what you see is real."
The centaur regarded him thoughtfully before nodding. "I understand. Everyone has their secrets. And someone chosen by nature is surely trustworthy. But as a student, you shouldn't be wandering this deep into the Forbidden Forest—it's too dangerous. I'll escort you out."
With that, she walked over to a nearby tree and retrieved a large basket. She gestured toward it before lifting Ryan into it effortlessly. "Don't worry, this was originally meant for collecting dry grass for bedding—it's clean."
After securing her weapons to one side and balancing the basket on the other, she began to trot through the forest. Ryan was surprised by how effortlessly she navigated the dense terrain, avoiding branches and roots with ease.
As he adjusted himself in the basket, he recalled something she had said earlier. "By the way, you mentioned a prophecy after I told you about the unicorn's blood loss. If it's a secret or a matter of your tribe, just pretend I didn't ask."
"It's not exactly a secret," the centaur replied. "Let me think of how to explain… Well, do you know what unicorn blood does?"
Ryan frowned. "Not really. In Potions class, we've only used their horns and tail hairs. The books I've read strongly imply that using unicorn blood is evil, but they don't explain why."
"That's because harming a unicorn for its blood is an act of great cruelty," she said grimly. "Drinking it grants immense power, but only if the unicorn is killed in the process. And it comes at a terrible cost."
Ryan's curiosity deepened. "What kind of cost?"
"Only the most ruthless beings resort to such a heinous act," she continued. "They defy nature's laws to prolong their unnatural existence. Drinking unicorn blood when near death will keep you alive, but it condemns you to a cursed existence—neither truly living nor dying."
She shuddered as if recalling something dreadful.
"Such a fate is worse than death," she murmured. "Only those who have no other way to extend their lives would choose it. As far as I know, the Philosopher's Stone is hidden inside Hogwarts…"
Ryan's eyes widened. "Then that means—"
Before he could finish, the centaur raised a finger to her lips, silencing him.
"We can see it clearly—Mars is bright again," she said quietly. "You probably understand what that means. But please, don't speak of it. My tribe does not wish to interfere in wizard affairs. And you, young colt, shouldn't burden yourself with such worries just yet."
By this time, they had reached a path near the edge of the Forbidden Forest, less than twenty meters from the school grounds. Betty lifted Ryan from the basket and set him down.
"I prefer not to be seen by others. You can walk the rest of the way yourself." She reached into her quiver and pulled out a small silver ring, tossing it to Ryan.
"You helped the unicorns, and for that, I thank you on their behalf. If you ever find yourself in Greece, seek out the Temple of Chiron on Crete. This ring will guide you to its exact location. Present it at the temple, and my teacher will give you the reward you deserve."
With that, Betty turned, flicked her tail gracefully, and disappeared into the jungle.
Ryan stood there for a moment, staring at the ring in his palm, before making his way back toward the castle.
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