Because of long-standing history, centaurs generally held a deep dislike for wizards.
That's why seeing a real, living centaur was an incredibly rare sight—even for someone like Draco, with his influential background. It was the first time he'd ever seen one outside of a book.
As for Hermione, who came from a Muggle family, it was as astonishing as seeing a dragon. It made her realize just how many unknown wonders still existed in the wizarding world, waiting to be uncovered.
But the centaur's appearance had been so sudden that the moment this one—who seemed quite familiar with Hagrid—stepped out from the Forbidden Forest, Hermione, already on edge, immediately jumped and hid behind Draco.
It was a subconscious reaction...
"..."
"What... what are you staring at?!"
Noticing Draco glancing sideways at her, Hermione finally processed what she'd done. Flustered, she shot him an annoyed glare, then tried to casually step away as if nothing had happened.
But her stammering completely gave her away—embarrassment written all over her face.
She hadn't expected herself to hide behind Draco.
Normally, Draco might have been gentlemanly enough to act like it never happened. But for some reason, this time he really wanted to see this proud little kitten flustered...
"You screamed."
"..."
"You screamed because you were scared."
"..."
Hermione's face flushed a deep red as Draco gave her that infuriating, almost-smiling look. The heat of embarrassment surged into frustration.
Was this jerk always this annoying?
Why hadn't she realized it before? Well... thinking about it, he had always been teasing her...
The thought made Hermione fume with quiet indignation.
Draco, watching her scrunched-up little face, was clearly enjoying himself.
But just as he saw that this little kitten was about to bare her claws, he wisely changed the subject.
"Looks like something bad's happened in the Forbidden Forest."
Though he wore a serious expression, the gleam of amusement in his eyes made Hermione grit her teeth and ball her fists.
"I don't know what's going on in the Forbidden Forest, but I do know that if someone keeps running their mouth, they're going to be in real trouble."
Her puffed-up cheeks and balled fists were hardly threatening—in fact, they only added to her charm. The contrast with her usual calm demeanor made her seem unexpectedly lively and endearing.
Not that Hermione noticed it herself...
...
After the centaur appeared, he pulled Hagrid aside to talk in private, clearly not wanting Draco and the others to overhear. Like most of their kind, the centaurs had no interest in being close to other wizards—Hagrid being the rare exception.
As time went on, Draco and the others couldn't help but notice the mix of shock and anger on Hagrid's face. Even his occasional outbursts made it clear—something serious had happened.
And judging by the circumstances, it likely had something to do with the inner parts of the Forbidden Forest...
"Let's just hope this doesn't interfere with our plan."
"What do you think happened?"
Hermione's concern quickly overrode her earlier embarrassment. Worried, she stepped up beside Draco, hoping he might have some answers.
But Draco wasn't some seer or reincarnated know-it-all. There was no way he could possibly know.
"Let's wait and ask Hagrid. Either way, we should be prepared for the worst."
"Mm..."
Snippets of Hagrid's booming voice drifted over—words like unicorn and intruder.
Just those terms alone were enough to confirm this was no small issue. An intruder in the Forbidden Forest would've already been serious on its own—but they also still had the matter of the dragon to deal with.
"All the problems really decided to show up at once, huh."
Draco found himself realizing that ever since he came to Hogwarts, the trouble around him seemed to multiply. It made him start to wonder if there was some invisible hand pulling the strings behind the scenes...
"Maybe it's not as bad as you think."
A clear voice cut through his spiraling thoughts. Startled, Draco turned to see Hermione's bright eyes, a hint of uncertainty and expectation flickering within them.
Was that... supposed to be comforting?
Draco blinked.
Hermione blinked back, instinctively.
For some reason, the moment felt oddly comical—and naturally, it was Hermione who looked away first, her composure no match for the awkwardness.
"What's going on with you two? Hermione, your face is all red. Are you sick?"
"No... no, just a little warm, that's all."
"Warm?"
Hagrid's return was perfectly timed to break the tension, though the string of questions that followed made Hermione want to escape on the spot.
Especially with Draco standing right there.
"You shouldn't have brought them here, Hagrid—especially not now."
The voice came from the centaur who had followed Hagrid over.
What caught Draco's attention was the strange, unreadable look in the centaur's eyes—a look that made him frown. He didn't like being watched like that.
"Relax, we're just staying near the edge. As for what you mentioned, I'll look into it as soon as I can."
With that, Hagrid waved for Draco and the others to follow him back toward the hunting cabin.
But just as Draco turned to leave, the centaur—Firenze—suddenly spoke, causing all of them to turn back in confusion.
"Mars, the harbinger of war, shines bright above. Stars that were once dim flare to life again, and some drift away from their destined paths..."
"???"
"I look forward to our next meeting, young wizards."
With a few powerful strides, the centaur vanished into the forest, leaving only those cryptic, haunting words behind—without a hint of explanation.
Draco narrowed his eyes in frustration at the half-revealed message.
Hermione stood beside him, utterly confused, and turned to Hagrid.
"Hagrid?"
"Don't worry about it. Centaurs love speaking in riddles, but they'll never actually explain anything. Best to just pretend you didn't hear it."
"Right..."
Draco cast one last glance toward the depths of the Forbidden Forest, as if something in it still lingered. Then he turned and followed after the others.
For some reason, he had the distinct feeling that those words from the centaur had been meant for him...
...
[Upto 50 chapters ahead for now]
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