I was a young foal when Professor Dumbledore started teaching magic in the castle. I was curious about the wizarding world, and I ventured into castle grounds. This frightened some of the students, and they attacked me. Professor Dumbledore stopped them and sent me back to my tribe. He treated magical creatures with respect, just like Hagrid did -
The centaur elder approached Amosta and spoke to him in a tone akin to that of a friend.
Amosta was well aware of what the old centaur was referring to when he mentioned Dumbledore.
He nodded at the centaur elder, apologizing with a smile.
"I apologize for meeting you in this manner, Elder, but I believe that the matter I need to discuss with you must be kept strictly confidential."
"You can call me Mr. Hohn, Breon."
Centaur Elder Hohn said. Upon hearing Amosta's words, a glimmer flashed in his cloudy eyes, "What confusion can I help you with?"
Amosta looked around, seeing that the spacious hall was devoid of chairs, and even the deity for worship was absent. So, under Hohn's watchful gaze, Amostacast his wand over the empty ground, and two small cushions appeared, one larger than the other in the dim air.
"Let us sit down to talk——"
Amosta gestured to Hohn to invite him and walked over first, kneeling on the cushion.
Once Hohn had also knelt and prostrated himself, Amosta pointed to the painting on the dome above.
"Before we begin our formal conversation, Hohn, I would like to know more about these murals. You just told me that they depict the situation on the island of Avalon."
Hohn was already regretting its slip of the tongue. It had mentioned 'Avalon Island' almost without thinking, and now there was no way to take back what it had said.
"Yes, Mr. Breon—"
"For nearly half a world, I have lived in this temple, and every detail of the murals on its dome is as clear to me as if I could close my eyes. I speak to you with the voice of one who has seen it all," Hohn said with a melancholic tone.
"It's no wonder you're interested in Avalon Island, for it has become a legend in the cultures of witches and Muggles alike. Humans even question whether it truly exists, but we centaurs know that it does exist, and our ancestors once lived there."
"Is that so—"
To Hohn's surprise, Amosta didn't show any particularly surprised expression, but instead inquired lightly.
"I thought that you centaurs moved to this forest after Hogwarts was built, since Avalon appears in the myths of witches and Muggles as something from a thousand years ago. That means you've lived here longer than Hogwarts has been around. That's remarkable. So, Hohn, why did you migrate here? Why didn't your ancestors continue to live there?"
"I apologize, Mr. Breon——"
Hohn remained silent for a moment before shaking his head and speaking in a low voice.
"The centaurs have lost the records of our history. Over a thousand years, this forest was not always peaceful; we also experienced many wars, and many records have been lost in the flames of battle."
Lying in front of Amosta was not an easy thing, but Amosta did not expose Hohn's lie, but instead nodded thoughtfully.
"Indeed, over a thousand years have passed, and how many truths of history have been dissolved in the long river of time. What else do you know about this mythic island?"
"Very limited, Mr. Breon——"
Seeing that Amosta Breon did not pursue it further, Hohn secretly let out a sigh of relief.
"I only know that Avalon Island was a paradise, when it existed in the world. Many lives lived on the island, there were no distinctions of race, no wars or discrimination, no hunger or exploitation. Magical creatures, humans, and nature lived in harmony, exploring the mysteries of nature together——"
Even if it were a lie, Hohn's eyes still glowed with a faint longing as he spoke of these things.
Nowadays, magical creatures are confined, slaughtered, and bred by wizards in the wizarding world. In comparison with today, if the life on Avalon Island were truly so wonderful as Hohn described, it's no wonder he feels nostalgic for it.
"Oh, I see——"
Amosta nodded, his face hidden in the shadow cast by the beam. Hohn couldn't see Amosta Breon's expression, but the young and powerful wizard's casual remark caused a rush of blood in his old body, as if it were a renewal of life.
"You still miss the time when your ancestors lived on Avalon Island, so that's why you are sympathetic to the Druids who are also descendants of Avalon and want to protect them?"
The sudden shock almost made Hohn jump up from his cushion, but the aura of thunderous authority that seemed to emanate from the slender Breon sitting quietly there, in the eyes of the centaur, bound him in place, immobilized.
"Centaurs and Hogwarts have been neighbors for a thousand years. I thought, given our relationship, the centaurs would have notified us of such a significant decision."
Amosta's calm tone caused Hohn a shiver,
"Or perhaps in the eyes of the centaurs, all wizards are greedy and despicable creatures who enjoy using their magic to turn against their own kind?"
"This is what Beain said to Lyra in the wilds before - Hohn immediately realized."
"How did you—you have."
Hohn asked with difficulty, his heart filled with fear. Then he realized that now it didn't matter how it had happened; what was most important was to calm Amosta Breon's anger and save the Druids in the secret realm!
"They are not dangerous, Mr. Breon. The Druids' practice emphasizes the cultivation of the mind, and only those with pure and good hearts can become Druids. They adhere to the same principles as the centaurs, coexisting with nature——"
"How do you view Vinya Creeona?" Amosta interrupted Hohn's explanation, his tone still calm.
"How do you view her actions of hiding in the castle?"
Hohn stared at Amosta Breon, his eyes filled with incredible surprise!
The old centaur never imagined that the castle's managers had discovered the contemporary druids, and that Vinya Creeona had been hiding in their castle all this time.
"Do you believe that Vinya Creeona's actions at the wizard Quidditch World Cup finals were also acts of kindness?"
A cold feeling flashed across Amosta's eyes.
"Hohn, tell me, how much do you know about Creeona's intentions for hiding in the castle?"
Hohn opened its mouth, but for a moment there was no sound. Finally, in a despondent tone, it said,
"Ms. Creeona told us that she entered the castle to protect the future of Druidism. She said it was very important, but she couldn't tell us otherwise, or it would bring war upon the centaur tribe."
"When she found you, the flames of war had already spread here—"
Amosta said coldly.
"You have no idea of what Ms. Creeona's intentions were for entering the castle. Perhaps, the centaurs only want to protect those homeless Druid followers, but have you ever considered that this might bring unnecessary danger to the young witches in the castle?"
(The end of this chapter)
