Harry Potter and the Secret Treasures

Chapter 274: Unfriendly Centaurs

They discussed the Merpeople for a while, and Evan asked for some details.

Then, the topic returned to the Centaurs again. Hermione kept whispering about what they should pay attention to when they would come into contact with the Centaurs from what she had seen in the book.

“I don’t care much about getting in touch with the Centaurs!” Ron wrinkled his nose and threw a stone heavily into the stream. He said impatiently, “What about the magic item that can enhance magic power? What are we going to do to get the Treasure key they have?”

This was the key to this trip, the key to changing one’s destiny.

Ron was thinking about it all the way. He wanted to get that thing, but he didn’t want to be seen as too eager.

“I mean, we all know that we have to be recognized by the Centaurs.” Seeing everyone staring him, Ron tried to make himself look more natural. “The question now is what should we do after getting the Centaurs’ approval? That final test…”

He heard Sirius say that to get the item he needed to pass the final test, and he wanted to know what the test was in order to be ready.

“In the temple where the item was kept, a phantom magic was laid out, and only through the test of that magic could it be obtained.” Sirius said slowly, “That magic is so powerful that everyone sees something different in it, and I don’t know exactly what to do! For example, on that year, I saw… “

He suddenly stopped, looked at the woods with vigilance, and raised his magic wand swiftly

“Hold it!” He whispered and signaled everyone to keep quiet.

His wand pointed to the dense bush in front, his whole body gathered magic. The tip of his wand fluoresced faintly.

Evan also hurriedly pulled out his wand. No one spoke. Everyone could hear the movement from the woods and something was approaching.

The next second, BANG!

As Sirius’s wand shone a red light, a sharp arrow flew from a distance and landed on the trunk overhead, clanging.

Hermione muffled her scream, and Evan quickly shielded her behind him.

Sirius’s face was heart, while Harry and Ron were pale, the atmosphere was tense, as everyone felt a battle was about to start, but there was no further attack from the opposite side.

“Who are you?” A deep male voice came out of the bushes.

Almost in the blink of an eye, a man seemed to be floating toward them through the dappled green half-light.

In the bright moonlight, Evan saw that he was a Centaur; his waist was smoothly and naturally joined with a horse’s chestnut body.

He had a proud, high-cheekboned face and long black hair.

“Hey, human!” There was a slight disdain in the arrogant tone of the Centaur, “Leave our forbidden forest, this is not where you should come…”

“Long time no see, Magorian!” Sirius seemed to reconize him, but he didn’t sound pleased to meet him.

“You are… Sirius Black!” Magorian was stunned. He stared at Sirius for a long time and seemed to recognize who he was.

The trees behind the Centaur rustled and four or five more emerged behind him.

Evan recognized the black-bodied and bearded Bane, whom he had met a month ago. But Bane gave no sign that he had ever seen Evan and Harry before.

“Black!” Magorian said with vigilance, he did not put the bow and arrow, still pointing at them, “What are you doing back in our Forbidden Forest?”

“I have brought these children here in the hope that they may earn the item that had been handed down by Gryffindor himself in the custody of your tribe.” Sirius said loudly, “They want your recognition and to try to challenge that final test.”

“Get our recognition?!” Magorian’s eyes left Sirius, and he looked at Evan and the others.

“This is Evan Mason, Hermione Granger,” Sirius said. “The red-haired boy at the back is Ron Weasley, and Harry Potter is next to him.”

“Harry Potter!”

Hearing Harry’s name, the Centaurs whispered for a while.

Their eyes were all focused on Harry, full of curiosity and wonder. They seemed to be looking for the scar on his forehead, the evidence of victory over Voldemort.

Harry stepped back and pulled his hair down uncomfortably.

“Only a respectable and trustworthy friend can get the friendship of the Centaurs!” Magorian said disdainfully. “This is not a joke, Black! The four of them are too young, foals. I don’t think they meet the requirements, you should take them out as soon as possible before we kill you.”

“Magorian, I know your rules.” Sirius did not flinch, and said tit-for-tat, “You have no right to refuse, as your forefathers and the Founders of the castle had agreed.”

“We are not slaves of humans; we are not obligated to take care of things for you to take them away when you need them.” Magorian said fiercely, “Black, get out of here with these four foals, or else, don’t blame me if I get rough.”

“You have no right to stop us!” Sirius raised his wand again and frowned. “You are as stubborn as ever, Magorian! If you want to play another game like twenty years ago, I’m here right now!”

The two looked at each other angrily. It seemed that something had happened between them before.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked scared. They tried to stop Sirius from being too rash, hoping he would calm down. They didn’t come to fight with the Centaurs tonight; they needed to get their approval.

While they stopped Sirius, Evan looked at the Centaurs across, looking for their weaknesses. If a battle was to take place, he needed to be able to act as soon as possible.

Although the Centaurs are not proficient in magic, they are very competent in combat.

Without using black magic, Evan was not absolutely sure he would beat them.

“Calm down, Magorian!” As the situation was about to get out control, Bane stepped out and said gently, “It would be a terrible crime to kill foals!”

He walked over to Magorian and whispered something.

Evan saw him pointing to him, and then Magorian raised his head and looked at him in astonishment. He seemed to be convinced by Bane, waved his hand, and a young Centaur with a dark black body turned away, and ran deep into the Forbidden Forest.

“We need the elder to know if you meet the requirements!” Bane raised his head and said loudly, and then returned to the Centaurs.

No one acted, no one spoke.

There was confusion and tension in the air. Everyone was waiting for the arrival of the Centaurs’ elder.

About a dozen minutes later, the thundering sound of horses’ hoofs rang from all sides. Evan felt the whole ground shaking and over forty Centaurs appeared in succession from the Forbidden Forest.