0090 Fate

Firenze held great reverence for fate. This was the same as other centaurs.

But in an environment where other centaurs generally despised wizards, he wasn't so rejecting of humans and didn't hesitate to lend a helping hand when humans were in danger.

This made him an anomaly among centaurs.

Tonight's attitude from Ronan and Bane was the best illustration.

Those familiar with divination know that Mars is always associated with elements like war, conflict, and violence.

The centaur Ronan's constant repetition to Sherlock and Hagrid that "Mars is bright" was essentially hinting that the magical world was facing potential crisis and turmoil.

After ten years of peace, war might be coming.

Dark forces were rising, very likely to cause conflict and disaster.

All of this closely related to Voldemort's resurrection and his designs on the Philosopher's Stone.

Unfortunately, centaurs never spoke plainly.

So, they could only express their viewpoint by repeatedly saying this phrase.

But this phrase "Mars is bright tonight" compared to what Sherlock said—By nightfall, a mad blade is drawn; the star of kings shivers, and Mars watches from above." the two were vastly different.

The two phrases actually expressed the same meaning, but the latter's artistic conception completely overwhelmed the former.

Firenze made up his mind.

When he returned to the centaur community, he would also use this phrase to replace "Mars is bright tonight."

This perfectly fit centaur characteristics, making people feel impressed without understanding why.

Firenze didn't realize that Sherlock's seemingly casual action would greatly change his status within the centaur community.

Meanwhile, Sherlock was explaining to the curious Hagrid and the cloaked Harry: "This Christmas, a classmate gave me a strange book. It was full of unusual content, including mysterious symbols and stories from various countries translated in English. This phrase comes from this book."

Hagrid listened with half-understanding and couldn't help asking: "Why did you tell it this?"

"Just hoping that this centaur friend who showed us kindness could have an easier time when he returns. Now, Hagrid, please quickly settle that unicorn, or our headmaster will be going to sleep."

Hagrid quickly tended to the injured unicorn, then rushed with Sherlock to the headmaster's office.

Seeing the two of them, Dumbledore seemed somewhat helpless.

"Can't you show some consideration for this old man? What's so important that it can't wait until tomorrow?"

Dumbledore was wearing pajamas covered with stars, obviously having been about to sleep.

"Sir, you know me."

Hearing Dumbledore's words, Hagrid felt somewhat embarrassed.

"If there wasn't something important, I—"

"Dear Rubeus, of course I know you. It seems the Forbidden Forest matter has new developments?"

Dumbledore asked understandingly.

Hagrid nodded heavily. "Yes! Although we saved the unicorn, that poacher escaped. Sherlock even came face to face with him. And Sherlock says he was—was—was—"

Seeing Hagrid's lips trembling, unable to speak the name, Dumbledore wasn't surprised. He simply turned his gaze to Sherlock.

"It was Voldemort."

Hagrid immediately shuddered and gasped.

He didn't notice that the space beside him trembled unnaturally for a moment.

Dumbledore's lenses flashed, and his gaze turned to Hagrid again, saying in a gentle voice: "Hagrid, could you please step out for a moment?"

Hagrid: (°-°")

After the dejected Hagrid left the headmaster's office, Dumbledore glanced at Sherlock and smiled: "I thought you would advise me to let Hagrid stay."

"No need. What we're about to discuss indeed isn't suitable for him to know."

Sherlock said calmly, "He's like he was born having taken Veritaserum."

"That comparison is truly—vivid and apt."

Dumbledore was first stunned, then laughed again. "Well, but I think your other friend can show himself now, right?"

Harry in the invisibility cloak remained motionless.

Having spent so much time with Sherlock, Harry was no longer as naive as when he first entered school. Who knew if Dumbledore was bluffing?

"Show yourself. You were discovered the moment you entered the office."

Once Sherlock said this, Harry immediately removed the invisibility cloak without hesitation.

He looked at Dumbledore somewhat embarrassedly: "Sir, sorry, I didn't think you could detect me."

"Strange, you actually became more confident after becoming invisible."

Noticing that Dumbledore still had a smile on his face, Harry relaxed.

Good, good—Dumbledore wasn't angry.

"So, Sherlock, how did you know I had discovered Harry?"

"Simple. An observant person, if he observes precisely and systematically what he encounters, can deduce a person's deepest thoughts from their momentary expressions, every muscle movement, and every turn of their eyes.

When Hagrid and I just entered, your gaze not only focused on us but also lingered for three seconds on a position beside me—exactly where Harry was standing. Also, when Hagrid mentioned Voldemort just now, your gaze shifted to his position again.

Two confirmations were enough to prove the point."

Dumbledore showed a thoughtful expression.

After a moment, he waved his wand, conjuring two cups of lemonade and sending them to Sherlock and Harry.

"Have a drink first!"

Sherlock didn't move.

Harry said thanks and grabbed his cup, drinking it all at once.

Although he hadn't directly participated in combat tonight, following Sherlock in and out of the Forbidden Forest had consumed considerable energy, and he indeed needed to replenish fluids.

Then he regretted it.

Too damn sweet!

God knows how much sugar Dumbledore had added to this water.

He could no longer taste the lemon's sourness at all.

Only then did he notice that Sherlock hadn't touched his cup, and began secretly admiring his friend's foresight.

Dumbledore seemed not to notice this scene. He asked in a peaceful voice: "So, tonight there were actually two people who participated in the battle, not one, right?"

Harry felt somewhat ashamed: "Sir, this time it was all thanks to Sherlock. I only managed to shoot fireworks into the sky."

"No, Harry. If you hadn't done that, Voldemort wouldn't have left so quickly."

"But—"

"Never mind these details."

Dumbledore adjusted his glasses: "You did very well tonight. I believe your friend thinks so too."

"Well said."

Sherlock agreed with Dumbledore. "In fact, I made an oversight in tonight's operation."

"An oversight? What oversight?"

Hearing Sherlock's words, Dumbledore immediately became interested.

For this genius he considered superior to that person, his curiosity was extraordinarily strong.

Sherlock didn't answer but drew his wand and waved it.

Purple sparks immediately burst from the wand tip.

"Very nice warning charm. I used it on Halloween. I didn't expect you to apply it practically so quickly."

Dumbledore nodded approvingly, then changed the subject: "But this doesn't seem related to our previous topic."

"Harry shot red sparks when he encountered Voldemort."

Sherlock said calmly.

Dumbledore understood immediately.

Harry was stunned for a moment before realizing: "I—I never thought of that!"

"Rubeus didn't think of it either, did he?"

Dumbledore smiled. "Believe me, Harry, he'll forget about this soon."

"But not everyone is Hagrid," Sherlock said with a serious face. "Before the battle, I should have told Harry this."

"Alright, Sherlock. You've done well enough today. If it were me when I first entered Hogwarts, I wouldn't have done as well as you!"

"Yes, after all, you didn't have a powerful headmaster supporting you to fight the Dark Lord."

Dumbledore: "..."

Having experienced Sherlock's sharp tongue again, Dumbledore decisively decided to bypass this topic first.

"In fact, Voldemort's craving for unicorn blood far exceeds your imagination. That you could stop him today is already the greatest victory."

Sherlock frowned, disagreeing with Dumbledore: "Unicorn blood can only let him extend his life while cursed. The Philosopher's Stone is his real target."

"That's because you don't know that unicorn blood has another effect that few people know about."

Sherlock looked at Dumbledore with some surprise.

Dumbledore said calmly: "That is to create a temporary body cursed by dark magic."

Like lightning flashing through his mind, Sherlock immediately connected all the clues.

If this was the case, then today's encounter with Voldemort brought greater gains than imagined.

No wonder Quirrell—or rather Voldemort—didn't drink the blood after killing the unicorn.

Because what he needed was for the unicorn to watch helplessly as its life ebbed away bit by bit while being powerless to stop it, so the unicorn would maintain maximum resentment before death.

Speaking of which, with Sherlock's reading about many stories, he had indeed seen many similar settings in those Fictional Books.

For example, in literary works from 'Muggle' worlds, Evil Mages liked to use this method to forge Dark magical artifacts.

As a dark wizard, Voldemort was in some ways inferior to those Fictional evil Mages.

After all, according to descriptions in those literary works, the people Voldemort had killed in his lifetime was equivalent to what those Mages slaughtered in a single day to sacrifice for their artifacts.

But it wasn't really a problem—different circumstances and Fiction is Fiction.

By this time, Harry had already told Dumbledore everything that happened tonight in detail.

During this process, Sherlock made no additions.

Because he discovered that Harry indeed had talent for description and summary.

"The current Voldemort is already very weak. From his hasty actions and tonight's battle process, his control over Quirrell isn't as perfect as I imagined, so—"

After listening to Harry's account, Dumbledore pondered briefly, then said in a gentle voice: "I hope you can defeat him once more."

"Me?"

Harry looked incredulous.

He pointed to his own nose and couldn't help asking: "Sir, I'm just a first-year student who hasn't even learned many offensive spells. You want me to deal with Voldemort and Quirrell?"

If this world didn't have Sherlock, when Dumbledore entrusted this task to him, Harry might have thought heaven was bestowing great responsibility upon him.

Bearing a special mission and with the added motivation of avenging his parents, even without Dumbledore speaking, he would have been hot-headed enough to confront Voldemort directly.

But having spent so much time with Sherlock, Harry had grown a brain.

Now that Dumbledore still wanted to use the old tactics on him, they naturally lost their effect.

Hearing Harry's question, Dumbledore was somewhat surprised.

Harry shouldn't be this type of person!

But he quickly understood where the problem lay.

His gaze turned to Sherlock.

Sherlock: ( )

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