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Chapter 110 – The Magic Centaur
"I want to go with Fang!"
Malfoy compared Hagrid and Fang and, obviously, felt safer with the dog. Fang at least had sharp teeth—Malfoy probably thought that mattered.
Darren secretly rolled his eyes.
A normal person would choose Hagrid. A half-giant towering over danger seemed more reliable than a cowardly boarhound.
But Hagrid still tried to be polite.
"Fang's a bit of a coward… but if that's what you want. Right—let's split up. Malfoy, Neville, and Fang go that way. Harry, Darren, Hermione—you're with me. If anything happens, shoot red sparks."
Malfoy nodded stiffly, and Hagrid led Darren's group deeper into the trees.
The forest was silent and pitch-black.
The light from Hagrid's lamp flickered across patches of silver on the ground.
"Could the unicorn be dead already?" Harry asked.
"Doubt it," Hagrid murmured. "Unicorns are fast, slippery, and full o' magic. Hurtin' one isn't easy. There'll be a trail."
And there was—drops of shimmering blood along the path.
Hermione gagged, turning pale. She didn't vomit, but she was close.
"Hermione, you alright?" Hagrid asked.
She nodded weakly.
But before she could speak again, Darren held a small vial beneath her nose. A cool mint scent rose from it, easing her nausea.
[Ding, Father +100]
"Is this an anti-nausea draught? Did you add mint yourself? Darren, that's brilliant!"
"Less chat, more watchin' your step," Hagrid whispered. "If it's bleedin' this much, it's hurt bad. Means it's close. Everyone stay sharp—"
Suddenly he froze.
He motioned them behind a tree and lifted his crossbow.
A soft dragging sound—like a cloak sliding across leaves—moved past them and vanished.
"What was that?" Harry whispered. "A werewolf?"
"No. Not a werewolf, and not a centaur neither…" Hagrid muttered. "Whatever it was doesn't belong in the Forest. Somethin' strange has come in."
He moved forward again—then stopped before a tall figure.
A centaur.
"Evenin', Ronan!" Hagrid called.
Darren stared. An actual centaur—human torso, horse body, no clothing.
Is this considered naked?
He wisely kept the thought to himself.
"Ronan, these are Hogwarts students—Harry, Darren, Hermione."
"I know," Ronan said calmly. He gazed up at the sky. "Mars is bright tonight. Very bright."
"Er… yeah," Hagrid replied, confused.
Ronan drifted into muttering. "For centuries, innocent blood has always been shed…"
Darren resisted an urge to sigh.
These centaurs were dramatic, cryptic, and absolutely useless.
They'd be better off in a traveling fortune-telling show.
But Holy Father Darren said nothing. He merely looked up at the sky as if he understood the meaning of Mars.
He did not.
"Let's go," Hagrid said softly. "Centaurs talk in riddles, but they mean well."
They continued deeper.
Darren could feel eyes on him—several of them. Unhidden, observing. It actually made him shy.
He didn't even feel like putting on a Holy Father act. He followed quietly.
"Ah!" Hermione shrieked suddenly.
A burst of red sparks shot up through the trees.
Hagrid stiffened. "That's Malfoy's group. Stay here—don't move!"
He sprinted away.
"Hope they're alright," Darren said sincerely.
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +50]
[Ding, Father +50]
[Ding, Father +10]
Only Harry and Hermione were here… yet he got five Father boosts.
Someone else was listening.
Darren tapped his chin.
Besides Dumbledore… was Voldemort watching too?
Or maybe a nosy centaur.
Before he could think further, Fang crashed through the bushes, whining loudly. Behind him came Hagrid, followed by a furious Malfoy and a shaken Neville.
After Hagrid explained, Darren finally understood: Malfoy had scared Neville so badly that Neville thought he was under attack—and fired red sparks.
"You daft boy!" Hagrid growled at Malfoy. "This isn't a playground! After a fuss like that, we'll never catch the real culprit tonight. Right… Harry, Neville—you two stay with him. If he acts up, punch him in the nose!"
Malfoy looked horrified.
Darren hurried forward.
"Hagrid," he said anxiously, "let me go with Malfoy. What if he bullies my brother?"
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father…]
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