MTLNOVEL Chapter 185: Centaurs
The days passed slowly after Malfoy's petrification, yet life at Hogwarts gradually returned to its rhythm. Whispers still followed Harry in the corridors, hushed voices and sideways glances reminding him that suspicion hadn't vanished. But after a while, even that began to fade, buried under schoolwork, Quidditch practices, and the constant thrum of student life.
Cael , meanwhile, kept to his usual pattern: attending classes by day, scribbling through assignments in the common room, and sneaking into the Ravenclaw Tower or Room of Requirement by night. His studies had intensified, especially his work on ancient runes and the mysterious Door Key relic. The more he uncovered, the deeper the mystery grew.
One breezy afternoon, Cael found himself by the Black Lake, tucked beneath the shade of a familiar tree that bowed low over the water. It was his usual thinking spot. The sun filtered through the branches, casting long shadows across the grass. As he stood, brushing off his robes, something caught his eye.
A flash of silver.
At the edge of the Forbidden Forest stood Lenny—the unicorn. Her coat shimmered like frost in the sun, her mane rippling with pale blue light. And beside her, laughing softly, was Cassandra Vole.
Cael smiled and approached. The moment Lenny saw him, her ears perked up, and she trotted over, brushing her head against his side affectionately.
"Oh, come on!" Cassandra huffed, mock-annoyed. "Every time you show up, she forgets I exist."
Cael laughed. "Maybe she just has good taste."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a few sugar-dusted treats wrapped in cloth. Lenny neighed softly and nuzzled into his palm.
Cassandra rolled her eyes but smiled. "You spoil her."
"Maybe. But I like to think she appreciates me for more than just my pockets."
They walked side by side, wandering near the forest's edge. Lenny trotted a short distance ahead, occasionally glancing back at them.
"So," Cassandra said quietly, "do you think Potter had anything to do with Malfoy's petrification?"
Cael shook his head, brow furrowing. "I don't think so. I mean, I know Harry—he's not capable of something like that. His magic isn't strong enough to seriously harm anyone, not intentionally anyway."
"Oh?" Cassandra let out a sly giggle. "Are you criticizing the Chosen One? The Boy Who Lived?" She leaned in mockingly. "Careful, if his little fans hear you—especially that Gryffindor boy with the camera, what's his name—Colin Kirby?"
"Creevey," Cael corrected, amused. "Colin Creevey."
"Right. Him. If he heard you talking like that, you'd be public enemy number one."
Cael chuckled. "I'm just being honest. He's still a child—he doesn't study seriously. He just gets caught up in trouble. I'm not saying he's a bad person, just that he didn't do this. He was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. And, well, everyone knows he and Malfoy don't exactly exchange Christmas cards."
"Hmm." Cassandra's expression darkened. "It's worse in Slytherin than you might think. Some of the older students—fifth and sixth years—have been meeting in secret. There's talk of removing Dumbledore."
She hesitated, then added in a lower voice, more seriously, "My mother sent me a letter. She said Lucius Malfoy is trying to rally the old pure-blood families. Apparently, his father sent letters to nearly every household with pure-blood ties."
She glanced at Cael.
"We received one too. He's pushing a petition—an official move to have Dumbledore replaced as Headmaster."
Cael's expression darkened. "Of course he is. It's the perfect opportunity. If they manage to take over Hogwarts, they control the future of the magical world."
"Exactly. Hogwarts is the anchor of the magical world," Cassandra said. "If those supremacist families gain control of it, they won't stop there."
"You're thinking of the Book of Admittance," Cael said.
Cassandra nodded, her voice dropping. "And the Quill. My mother warned me—if they fall into the wrong hands, they could be used to block Muggle-borns from ever setting foot in Hogwarts. One of You-Know-Who's lieutenants tried to steal them during the last war. But the castle held."
Cael's expression hardened. "The fact that someone even tried… it makes your skin crawl."
"Exactly," Cassandra said quietly. "Hogwarts is more than a school. It's the heart of everything. And those two relics—the Book of Admittance and the Quill of Acceptance—they're the key. The quill doesn't just write names. It finds magical children—regardless of blood."
Cael looked grim. "If the purists gain control, they won't just erase names. They'll track those children down before they even have a chance. That quill isn't just a relic—it's a lifeline."
Cassandra nodded slowly. "They already tried once, back in the first war. If they'd succeeded…" She trailed off, her gaze distant. "It would've been the end for countless Muggle-borns."
As they walked deeper along the forest's edge, Lenny gave a soft snort and veered off into the trees. Cassandra and Cael slowed their pace, keeping within sight of the castle walls.
That's when they emerged.
The centaurs.
Three of them—tall, broad-chested, and armed with bows—stepped out from the shadows, blocking their path. Their eyes were hard, unforgiving.
"What are you two doing here?" barked the lead centaur, a wiry stallion with dark eyes and a braided mane. "Wizards have no place in this forest. Turn back. Now."
Cassandra's eyes narrowed, and she raised her wand slightly. "This forest doesn't belong to you," she snapped. "It belongs to Hogwarts—and to Scotland. You're not the owners of this land. You took shelter here thanks to Helga Hufflepuff. You were granted asylum, not ownership."
The centaur snarled, drawing his bow and pointing it at her. Others followed suit, steel tips glinting in the dim light.
Cael stepped forward, his voice firm. "Calm down. All of you."
"Calm down?" the lead centaur echoed, furious. "This witch insults us—calls us settlers? This is our land! The only reason you walk here unharmed is because of an old pact with the school. Every year, your kind damages this forest, harms its creatures. You do not belong here."
"Enough," snapped a new voice from behind them.
A fourth centaur emerged from the trees—his coat was pale chestnut, and his presence immediately stilled the others.
"Bane," he said to the lead stallion, "step back. They're just children."
Bane turned on him. "Firenze, always the wizard-lover. No wonder you're still alone."
A chorus of mocking laughter rose behind him, but Firenze silenced them with a glare.
Bane scoffed. "And Children grow into the same poison as their elders."
"And you're proving why they fear us," the newcomer said calmly. "Return to the glen. I'll escort them out."
After a tense moment, Bane snorted and turned away. The others followed. Only then did the new centaur—Firenze—approach the pair.
"I apologize for them," he said, his voice softer. "They've lost much… especially Bane. His mother was killed by a wizard during the last war. The bitterness runs deep."
Cael exhaled slowly. "I understand. But his anger is misplaced. If we were adults, someone would've hexed him by now. He was just as aggressive last time I came here with Hagrid."
"I'll speak to the council," Firenze promised. "But you two should stay away from the forest for now. Something is… wrong here."
"Wrong?" Cassandra echoed.
"The animals have begun to flee," Firenze said, his expression clouding. "Even the unicorns are growing restless. We sense a disturbance. A darkness. Not since the last war have the trees whispered like this."
They thanked him as he escorted them to the edge of the forest. Before parting, he bowed his head.
"Stay safe."
As they walked back toward the castle, Cassandra exhaled slowly. "Do you think this is connected to Malfoy's attack?"
Cael didn't answer right away. "I think it's all starting again and maybe it's connected ."
She glanced at him, then smirked. "By the way… rumor has it there's a mysterious black cat with blue eyes slipping into Ravenclaw Tower every night. Ever heard of it?"
Cael stiffened, just for a moment. "Probably a stray," he said quickly. "You know how Ravenclaws are. Most clever people like cats, they say."
"Mmm," Cassandra mused. "Still… I saw it once. Black fur, piercing blue eyes. It reminded me of you, for some reason."
Cael laughed—just a bit too quickly. "Sure. I'm flattered."
"Maybe next time I see it, I'll try to catch it and cuddle it until it confesses."
"I'll warn the poor thing."
They reached the castle steps, the light of the windows warm and golden in the growing dusk. Cassandra turned to him.
"Quidditch match is coming. Slytherin versus Gryffindor. Think we'll win?"
Cael grinned. "With Malfoy out of commission? I'd say Lucius's investment in all those Nimbus 2001s went to waste."
Cassandra laughed and waved. "I'll see you tomorrow, Vale."
"See you."
And with that, they parted ways.After saying goodbye to each other.
Cael watched her go, then turned toward Gryffindor Tower.