Chapter 274: Hostile Centaurs

They talked about the Merpeople for a while, and Ivan asked them for some details.

Then, the subject came back to the centaurs again. Hermione kept whispering about what they should watch out for when they came in contact with centaurs because of what she had seen in the book.

"I don't really mind coming into contact with centaurs!" Ron wrinkled his nose and threw a stone into the stream. He said impatiently, "What about the magic item that can increase the power of magic? What are we going to do to get the key to the treasure they have?"

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

Ron had been thinking about it the whole time. He wanted to get that thing, but he didn't want to be seen as too anxious.

"I mean, we all know we have to be recognized by the centaurs." Seeing everyone staring at him, Ron tried to make himself look more natural. "The question now is, what should we do after we get 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 so he would be ready.

"In the temple where the object was kept, an illusionary magic was placed, and the only way to get that object is to pass that magical test" 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, that year, I saw..."

Suddenly he stopped, looked at the forest carefully and quickly raised his wand.

"Watch out!" He whispered and motioned everyone to be quiet.

His wand pointed towards the dense bush in front of him, his whole body gathered magic. The tip of his wand turned fluorescent.

Ivan also hastily pulled out his wand. No one spoke. Everyone could hear movement from the forest and something was approaching.

The next second, BANG!

As Sirius' wand glowed with a red light, a sharp arrow flew from far away and landed on the log, making a noise.

Hermione muffled a scream, and Ivan rushed to hold her back behind him.

Sirius' face was indifferent, while Harry and Ron were pale, the atmosphere was tense, as everyone sensed that a battle was about to begin, but there were no more attacks from the opposing side.

"Who are you?" a deep male voice came out of the bushes.

Almost in the blink of an eye, a man seemed to float toward them through the green, mottled gloom.

In the moonlight, Ivan saw that he was a centaur; his waist was smooth and naturally attached to the body of a chestnut horse.

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

"Hmph, human!" There was a slight disdain in the centaur's arrogant tone, "Leave our forbidden forest, this is not where you should come....."

"Long time no see, Magorian!" Sirius seemed to recognize him, but he didn't seem 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.

Ivan recognized the black-bodied, bearded Bane, whom he had met a month ago. But Bane showed no sign of having seen Ivan and Harry before.

"Black!" Magorian said vigilantly, without taking his bow and arrow away, even as he pointed at them, "What are you doing back in our Forbidden Forest?"

"I have brought these children here in the hope that they can win the object that Gryffindor himself left them in the custody of their tribe." Sirius said aloud, "They want your recognition and to try to challenge the final test."

"Get our recognition?" Magorian's eyes flicked away from Sirius, and he looked at Ivan and the others.

"This is Ivan Mason, Hermione Granger," Sirius said. "The redhead in 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 took a step back and tugged his hair uncomfortably.

"Only a respectable and trustworthy friend can gain the friendship of centaurs!" said Magorian scornfully. "This is no joke, Black! All four of them are too young, and they're still foals. I don't think they meet the requirements, you should get out of here as soon as possible before we kill you."

"Magorian, I know your rules." Sirius didn't flinch and said tit for tat, "You have no right to refuse, as your ancestors and the Founders of the castle had agreed."

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

"You have no right to stop us!" Sirius raised his wand again and scowled. "You're as stubborn as ever, Magorian. If you want to play another game like you did twenty years ago, I'm here right now!"

The two looked at each other angrily. It looked like something had happened between them earlier.

Harry, Ron and Hermione looked frightened. They tried to keep Sirius from rushing too much, hoping he would calm down. They weren't here to fight the centaurs tonight; they needed their approval.

As they stopped Sirius, Ivan looked at the centaurs, searching for their weaknesses. If a battle was going to be fought, he needed to be able to act as soon as possible.

Although the centaurs were not proficient in magic, they were very proficient in combat.

Without using dark magic, Ivan wasn't absolutely certain he would beat them.

"Calm down, Magorian!" Just as the situation was about to get out of control, Bane stepped out and said softly, "It would be a terrible crime to kill foals."

He approached Magorian and whispered something.

Ivan saw him pointing at him, and then Magorian raised his head and glared at him. He seemed convinced by Bane, waved his hand, and a young centaur with a dark black body turned and walked into the Forbidden Forest.

"It will be for the elders to judge if you have met the conditions" Bane raised his head and said loudly, then turned to the centaurs.

No one acted, no one spoke.

There was confusion and tension in the air. Everyone awaited the arrival of the eldest of the centaurs.

A dozen minutes later, the clatter of horses' hooves sounded everywhere.

Ivan felt the whole earth tremble and more than forty centaurs appeared in succession from the Forbidden Forest.