A Certain Magical Hogwarts

Centaur society was peculiar, even more so than the merfolk.

With human torsos and horse-like lower bodies, centaurs were not hybrids of man and beast but rather an entirely unique species.

They possessed human-like intelligence but preferred natural harmony over the magical arts. 

They abstained from clothing and relied on traditional tools—bows, swords, and spears—for hunting and defense.

In their leisure time, centaurs often gathered in groups, devoting their attention to interpreting natural phenomena.

For example… stargazing.

However, centaurs were notoriously cryptic, never providing straightforward answers. 

Conversations with them typically began with phrases like, "Tonight's [celestial body] is very [descriptive term]."

Tonight, the moon shone brightly, and only a handful of stars were visible in the sky. William and his companions could easily guess which celestial object Firenze had in mind.

"If you've seen the signs, then you shouldn't be here in the Forbidden Forest," Firenze said.

Firenze had a good temper. He was not angry, but looked deeply worried as he looked at the pool of blood in the ground.

"Did Hagrid bring you here?"

"No," William explained, "We're here to gather some hallucinogenic mushrooms."

"Without Hagrid's protection, young wizards like you shouldn't venture into the forest at night," Firenze said, anger creeping into his voice. "Leave immediately!"

"We're heading back soon," Fred replied dismissively. "By the way, there's an injured unicorn. Did you see anything unusual?"

Firenze didn't respond immediately. Instead, he gazed unblinkingly at the sky before sighing. "It's always the innocent who suffer first.

"It's been this way for centuries, and it remains so now."

"Exactly," Cedric agreed. "That's why we want to help the unicorn."

"But Mars is bright tonight," Firenze finally said, delivering the nonsense statement they had anticipated.

True seers often spoke in riddles, leaving others scratching their heads.

William shrugged, exasperated. "Sure, Mars is bright because of its small size and eccentric orbit, which causes variations in apparent magnitude. Its brightness fluctuates periodically.

"Honestly, Firenze, if you're interested, I could spend a term teaching you basic physics and gravitational principles.

"Perhaps even introduce you to how Muggles perceive the universe."

William had little faith in astrology.

He could appreciate Nicolas Flamel's prophecies, as magic defied the four fundamental forces and exhibited unique properties.

But astrology predicting the future? The idea that Mars' brightness wasn't due to its proximity to Earth but instead guided by destiny?

To William, believing in astrology felt like an insult to the education he had received in his past life.

Firenze shook his head. "Muggle observations are insightful," he admitted, "but can they explain why the universe exists?

"Can they unravel the origins of what you call 'gravity'?

"Can they discern the reasons for the existence of all things?"

"Can you answer those questions?" William countered, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I cannot," Firenze said evenly. "Humans observe phenomena to gain knowledge, and we centaurs do the same.

"At our core, we're not so different."

"Fine," William conceded. "Let's not argue about academic theories. Have you seen the unicorn?

"We could bring it back and let Madam Pomfrey treat it. She may not be a veterinarian, but her facilities are certainly better than those in your tribe."

"My kin are still searching," Firenze replied. "A strange being has entered the forest tonight."

Firenze's voice grew somber as he explained. William and the others listened quietly to hear the explanation, but Firenze shook his head and said;

"You should leave. I suspect your mushrooms have already been harvested by Snape."

"Snape?"

"I saw him skulking near the end of this path earlier."

"…"

Fred's face turned red with fury. "We stole so much dragon dung from Professor Sprout to fertilize those mushrooms! How could Snape be so shameless?"

Snape's reputation among the group plummeted even further.

William was about to say something when, suddenly, a burst of fire lit up the distant forest.

"It's my kin!" Firenze exclaimed, galloping toward the light on his powerful legs.

The group followed quickly, heading toward the source of the commotion.

When they arrived, chaos greeted them.

Countless trees lay shattered, and the ground was strewn with debris.

Over a hundred centaurs stood at the ready, each armed with short spears and carrying massive bows on their backs.

Not far from them stood a lone wizard by the edge of a vast, shimmering lake.

Clad in a thick hood that concealed his face.

His robes were drenched in silvery blood, in a contrast to the original black colour of the robe, like a watercolour landscape painting.

The wizard held a unicorn by its neck, his teeth sinking into its flesh as he drank greedily from the wound.

The unicorn writhed weakly before collapsing lifelessly to the ground.

After a long, deliberate drink, the wizard cast the unicorn aside and wiped the blood from his face.

"Ah… invigorating," he rasped, his voice hoarse and filled with depravity. "This magical blood soothes my very soul."

He pointed at the unicorn's corpse, his bloodstained lips curling into a sneer. "I killed it. If anyone dares, come and kill me.

"You've been tracking me long enough. Surely, we're all tired of this game by now?"

The centaurs didn't respond, their anger palpable in the air.

The blood-soaked wizard chuckled darkly. "Don't worry. I don't have the power to kill all of you—yet. My strength is only partially restored.

"But I believe you stragglers deserve a lesson, something to ensure you animals won't interfere with my meals again.

"How about I kill half of you? Would that suffice?"

"What did you just call us?!" bellowed a wild-looking black centaur.

Low, furious growls rippled through the gathered centaurs. The wizard's words had enraged them.

At the forefront, the black centaur drew a massive bow, the string creaking as it was pulled taut. With a sharp twang, he released an arrow that shot straight at the wizard.

Two more burly centaurs followed suit, loosing their arrows in rapid succession. No careful aiming was required as their arrows flew with precision, all aimed at the wizard's face.

Though centaur craftsmanship didn't rival goblin metallurgy, their weapons carried their own uniqueness.

Each arrow was inscribed with ancient runes and were capable of piercing magical armor with ease.

Yet the wizard didn't flinch.

The three arrows stopped midair, suspended silently before him.

The wizard tilted his head slightly, and black flames erupted from the arrow shafts.

With a flick of his hand, the flaming arrows reversed course, flying back at the centaurs with deadly speed.

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