《Harry Potter: My Life as Hermione》Chapter 47: Clamor and Silence, Cunning and Innocence

Deep within the Forbidden Forest, a mysterious yet humble settlement lay hidden from prying eyes.

The uproar from the distant Quidditch pitch reached this place as little more than a faint echo, the crowd's chants barely discernible—mysterious syllables whose meaning was lost amid the trees.

At the edge of the settlement stood a figure—human from the waist up, horse from the waist down—gazing toward the distant commotion.

He possessed a mane of golden-white hair, eyes as blue as sapphires, and strikingly handsome features. His equine body shimmered with a silvery-white coat and a mane like spun moonlight. Both his human torso and horse half were sculpted with lean muscle, every line exuding the wild beauty of the forest.

A centaur—a breathtakingly handsome one.

Clip-clop, clip-clop.

Soft hoofbeats approached.

An older centaur, with a long red mane and beard and a deep chestnut body, ambled over at a leisurely pace.

"Firenze, human revelry isn't ours to share… You saw for yourself how dangerous that man was today. If we meddle too much with humans, we may bring calamity upon ourselves," the elder centaur said, his voice low and grave.

Indeed, earlier that morning—just before the Hogwarts Quidditch match—a man in a black cloak had appeared in the heart of the centaurs' territory.

He'd demanded answers about events long past, and when one centaur refused, the man unleashed a spell, felling him with a single blow.

Bows had been raised in defiance, but the stranger swatted aside their attacks as if they were nothing. In the end, he pressed the tip of his wand to Firenze's throat.

With their companion threatened, the centaurs had no choice but to reveal what they knew of the old story—though only the fragments they themselves remembered.

"Ronan, is it true—what happened to my father? Why did he leave with those people?" The young centaur, Firenze, turned, his brow furrowed.

His sapphire eyes were clouded with confusion.

As he turned, a bruise on his neck came into view—a mark left by the man's wand. Even with the centaurs' skill in magical healing, the wound refused to fade quickly.

"I don't know why your father, Asta, left," Ronan replied, voice heavy with memory. "I was young then, ignorant of the world… All I know is that Asta was our tribe's most gifted seer. He could read the stars and glimpse the threads of fate. Then, one day, a group of humans came, seeking to take him away… When he left, he said fate had chosen him for something great—something he must do. But you know the rest. He never returned."

"So, did he change fate—or become part of it?" Firenze pressed, his voice tinged with longing.

"No one can say," Ronan answered quietly. "All we know is that centaurs must stand outside fate, not become entangled in it."

"Ronan, you're wasting your breath on this youngster!" a harsh voice interrupted.

A flurry of hoofbeats followed, and soon a black-maned, black-coated centaur appeared, still looking battered despite magical treatment.

"He'll only understand once he's suffered enough—and clearly, today wasn't enough!" the black centaur, Bane, spat.

"I'll find out what happened to my father. I refuse to cower here, waiting for fate to descend!" Firenze shot back, defiant.

"I think you just want to leave—maybe become a mule for those humans to ride!" Bane sneered.

"You're the mule!" Firenze glared, blue eyes blazing.

"Enough, Bane, Firenze—you're not enemies!" Ronan stepped between them, his presence firm and calming.

Both younger centaurs snorted and turned away, their tempers simmering.

Bane stalked off in a huff, while Firenze kept his gaze fixed on the distant, boisterous Quidditch pitch—lost in thoughts of the match, or perhaps of the human world beyond the forest.

…

The first inter-house Quidditch match of the Hogwarts year finally ended as Charlie Weasley caught the Golden Snitch.

By then, Gryffindor already led Slytherin by ninety points—short of the 150-point gap that Qin Yu and George had hoped for, but still enough for a decisive victory.

Winners were jubilant; the defeated slunk away in disgrace.

Professor McGonagall once again took the podium, her voice amplified by a Sonorus Charm as she declared the match concluded—a contest brimming with sportsmanship.

One by one, students and teachers drifted away, still buzzing about the match. Was the most unforgettable moment Qin's "Dopplebeater Defence," or the way he'd chased the Slytherin Seeker all over the pitch—so much so that, when the Snitch finally appeared, the Slytherin Seeker barely dared to go for it?

One thing was certain: Qin's name was on every tongue, and this match would live long in Hogwarts memory.

"Monie… uh, cousin, thank you so much for today!" At one of the stands' exits, Fred waited for Monie Wanda.

Monie grinned, "Hehe, it was nothing! But honestly, with Qin and Gryffindor's team being so strong, did you really need my help?"

The two slipped aside, away from the crowd.

"Of course we did. Qin always says, 'Even a lion goes all out when hunting a rabbit.' And Slytherin's team are hardly little bunnies," Fred replied, quoting Qin Yu.

"Wait, why are you hunting rabbits? That's so cruel!" Monie wrinkled her nose, feigning distress.

"…Cousin, please, don't pretend to be a delicate lady in front of me…" Fred groaned, exasperated.

This was the same girl who once tossed Ron's pet rat into a fish tank—no way was she some dainty flower.

(Though, to be fair, Fred knew Monie wasn't actually cruel to animals. As for Scabbers, she'd always claimed something about that rat just disgusted her, and she wanted to teach it a lesson—a stance the Weasley family never quite understood.)

"Haha, Qin's words are a bit odd, but I agree with the idea. So, I helped Gryffindor win—I was part of your plan, right?" Monie smiled, a glint of mischief in her eyes.

"Absolutely! You're the best friend Gryffindor's Quidditch team could ask for!" Fred laughed.

Indeed, Monie's earlier jibes and mockery of Gryffindor's team had been at Qin Yu's request. The plan was simple: get Slytherin to underestimate them, then strike hard when the moment came.

It worked—better than any of them expected.

Of course, it also owed much to the relentless training of Qin Yu, George, and Fred. The "Dopplebeater Defence" wasn't just about angling a Bludger; it demanded strength and precision. Qin Yu had spent days getting battered by Bludgers to master it.

But hard work pays off—and this time, it let him and the Gryffindor team shine.

"What, regretting letting George play instead of you?" Monie teased.

"Not at all. I lost fair and square—not like I let him win," Fred replied, raising an eyebrow.

Truth be told, Fred's teamwork with Qin Yu was every bit as sharp as George's—all he had to do was send the Bludger Qin's way, and Qin would be there for the follow-up.

But with only two Beater slots, the Weasley twins had to make a choice—for the first time, they'd be on opposite sides of the pitch.

So, they came up with a "brilliant" solution: a contest.

The challenge? Eating Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans—a hundred each, random flavors, no spitting allowed.

When Fred hit number fifty-six and tasted the legendary fishweed flavor, he broke instantly, forfeiting and spitting it out.

George didn't last much longer.

Only the twins could invent such a ridiculous competition.

Afterward, Fred graciously gave up the Beater slot to George.

"Monie, we're having a victory party at Hagrid's hut later. You have to come!" Fred invited.

"Of course, Fred! I'll go change, then head over," Monie replied.

With that, they parted ways—Monie heading for Ravenclaw Tower, Fred off to find Qin Yu and the others.

The once-thunderous Quidditch pitch fell silent as the crowds dispersed. Only a few winter-staying birds flitted down to peck at seeds in the grass.

Yes—clamor and silence, both have their place here.

—Dimensional Wall—

Author's Note: Centaurs don't use wands, but are skilled in magical healing, divination, and astronomy (stargazing). Their primary weapons are bows and arrows.

Also, "resident birds" refers to non-migratory species that remain year-round, in contrast to migratory birds. (Just clarifying, not padding word count!)

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