Harry Potter and the Secret Treasures

Chapter 265: The Centaurs’ Recognition

In the office, Sirius told Evan how they got into the Centaurs’ colony in the Forbidden Forest and how they got their recognition.

“Because Remus was a werewolf, I started learning Animagus with James and Peter. It didn’t work out as smoothly as it did for you; it took us exactly three years to do that.” Sirius said to Evan, “In our fifth year, we learned to transform. Since then, before the full moon, we three went to the Shrieking Shack in our Animagus forms with Remus who became a werewolf.”

“Werewolves do not attack animals?!”

“Werewolves are dangerous only to humans and do not attack other animals.” Sirius recalled, a smile on his lips.”At first, the four of us were just staying in the Shrieking Shack, but there was nothing there. It was too boring. Since we were able to transform, we soon left and wandered around the school grounds, in the castle, in the depths of the Forbidden Forest, and in Hogsmeade at night. At that time, we were very excited and we planned our adventures for every month, and then proceeded according to the plan.”

With Sirius’s description, a scene appeared in Evan’s mind.

Late at night, four animals ventured through the ancient, mysterious Hogwarts to dig into the unknown secrets of the school.

From the number of secret passages marked on the Marauder’s Map, it was obvious that Sirius had gone to many places at that time, almost all over Hogwarts.

“In the second half of the fifth year, I remember that it was around May; we saved a Centaur during one of our adventure. While he was hunting, he was injured by a violent Graphorn and he was badly hurt. We drove away the Graphorn. After thanking us, he invited the four of us to the Centaur’s colony in the depths of the Forbidden Forest.”

Though Sirius was understating the incident, Evan knew how great it must have been.

The Centaurs had always had little affection for wizards. They did not allow humans to wander into the Forbidden Forest, and would never allow them to visit their colonies.

However, the Centaurs had extra preferential treatment for human children. Besides, the Centaur that Sirius had rescued must have been particularly injured, so they had the opportunity to take him back to his colony.

Because of the long-term study of the potions, Evan was very familiar with the Graphorn.

Powdered horns of Graphorn are used in many potions and are an essential material.

But it’s immensely expensive due to the difficulty in collecting it.

It was very clear to Evan, how hard it was to defeat a violent Graphorn.

After all, the Graphorn is a massive hump-backed magical animal, with grayish-purple skin tougher than that of dragons. It has two very long, sharp horns and walks on large, four-thumbed feet.

In the past, wizards often saw mountain trolls riding on Graphorns in an attempt to tame them. However, this was in vain, and the Graphorn was extremely aggressive, so it was common to see a troll covered with scars of wounds inflicted by Graphorns.

The poor Centaur who was rescued by Sirius must have been badly hurt. It was better to invite Sirius and his friends to the Centaurs’ colony than to ask them to go back. Otherwise, the Centaur would have probably died midway.

“It is a big colony, and the houses inside are different from common ones.” Sirius had crossed his hands and continued, “In the center of the colony, there is a magnificent temple built with cyan rocks. It looks very ancient, covered with green vines, very spectacular.”

“Temple?!” Evan repeated it gently.

Certainly, what Gryffindor left was in that temple.

Unable to explain why, Evan remembered Professor Trelawney’s prophecy: In the dark temple full of taboos, the magic of the Dark Lord would mark the chosen person, who would help him return and regain unimaginable power.

The dark temple full of taboos, would it be the one in the Centaurs’ colony?!

Evan suddenly had an ominous hunch, as if something big was going to happen.

“In order to thank us for saving the Centaur, they decided to repay us.” Sirius did not notice anything unusual about Evan, he continued. “After some discussion, they told us that there was an item left by Gryffindor himself in their colony. According to the agreement of their ancestors and Gryffindor, we could enter the temple and try to get the item…”

“Wait a minute, Sirius!” Evan hurriedly interrupted. “You haven’t said how to get the recognition of the Centaurs?”

“It seems to be related to astrology.” Sirius scratched his head and said in some embarrassment, “In fact, I don’t know what was going on. I remember a couple of very old centaurs looking up at the stars for a long time and then saying that the four of us were connected to some fate and qualified to be recognized by them.”

Astrology, omens, fate?!

The Centaurs’ recognition was all too vague!

However, Evan bowed his head and thought it over. It all seemed to go along well with Centaur’s methods.

For a long time, they had persistently observed the orbit of the planets to unscramble the illusory fate and future.

Evan did not know if they could really see fate, but when it came astrology and divination, the Centaurs apparently formed their own distinctive theoretical system.

According to Sirius, Evan did not need to do anything to get the approval of the Centaurs. He had only to go to the Centaurs’ colony and ask them to look up at the stars in the night sky to see the final outcome.

It sounded absurd, but it was the case indeed.

Evan suddenly remembered the night he was hunting Peter Pettigrew, the Centaur Firenze he met in the Forbidden Forest, and what he told him about the signs that Mars gave, and the people chosen by fate…

He didn’t understand it at the time, and thinking about it, what Firenze said reflected Sirius’s experience.

Did that mean that Evan had already been recognized by the Centaurs?!

Evan carefully recalled what Firenze had said at the time. He remembered that Firenze told him that the planets would give a clear omen to those who were chosen by fate. The elders of the Centaurs would make a clear request and ask him to do something for them.

Sirius saved a Centaur at the time, and the planet showed that they were related to this so-called fate, so they could enter the temple.

The burning question was, what would the Centaurs make Evan do?!

He discussed with Sirius for a while and did not come to a clear answer.

“All in all, one had to try to know.” Sirius concluded, “After the Quidditch match tomorrow, I can take you to the Centaurs’ colony. We can take Harry, Ron and Hermione as well. Let the three of them also go and see.”