Hogwarts: This holy light is righteously evil

Chapter 105 The Centaur Tribe

Just when he was in danger and unable to escape, he and Dumbledore happened to arrive. Dumbledore used magic to repel the spider, which inadvertently saved Xinglun from the spider's clutches.

After hearing Xinglun's words, Dumbledore's smile gradually faded, and he fell into deep thought.

He knew perfectly well that the Forbidden Forest was not actually under the jurisdiction of Hogwarts. All sorts of creatures lived in this forest, including centaurs, trolls, unicorns, and so on. They had lived and multiplied here for generations and were more like the native inhabitants of this land than the wizards.

Long before Hogwarts was established, these creatures had already taken root in the Forbidden Forest, possessing their own rules for survival and their own territory.

However, Dumbledore also understood that the reason these giant spiders had become so rampant and violent in the Forbidden Forest was ultimately inseparable from Hagrid.

Hagrid had always been too lenient with these giant spiders, not only failing to restrain them but also frequently providing them with food. Over time, their numbers grew, and they became increasingly audacious, beginning to attack other creatures and disrupt the ecological balance of the Forbidden Forest.

Therefore, to some extent, as the headmaster of Hogwarts, I do bear some responsibility for not stopping this situation in time.

Dumbledore lowered his head, his brows furrowed, lost in deep thought. His aura became calm as he pondered how to solve the problem of the Forbidden Forest spider infestation and how to express his sincerity to the centaur tribe.

Just then, Puni's gaze slowly fell on the centaur Xinglun, scrutinizing him carefully, not wanting to miss a single detail.

He could clearly see that behind the tall centaur, a simple wooden bow was slung across his back. The bow was made of tough tree branches, its surface was polished very smooth, and it was wrapped with several dark ropes, making it look very sturdy.

Beside Xinglun hung a quiver made of animal hide, containing more than a dozen arrows. The arrowheads were sharpened and gleamed with a metallic sheen, clearly indicating their extremely high lethality.

In addition, on one side of Xinglun's animal skin belt, the hilt of a dagger can be vaguely seen. The hilt is made of animal bone and has simple patterns engraved on it. It is cleverly hidden among the hair and cannot be found without careful observation.

Xinglun seemed to notice Puni's gaze but didn't pay it any mind. He simply raised his hoof and kicked the damp ground hard, making a dull thud. His face showed obvious disgust as he said heavily, "You're right. Since the heavy snow, food in the Forbidden Forest has become extremely scarce. Those spiders, unable to find enough to eat, have become increasingly aggressive. During this time, they have clashed with our centaur tribe many times, and many of our tribesmen have even been bitten by them. Our tribe's leader has made up his mind to take action to control their numbers and prevent them from continuing to harm the other creatures in the Forbidden Forest."

Dumbledore then snapped out of his reverie, his gaze falling on Xinglun. He carefully examined the respectful and composed centaur and slowly said, "If I have the opportunity, I hope to meet with your tribe's chieftain to discuss the spider infestation in person and explore some possibilities for cooperation. Also, there is something else I need your help with."

Upon hearing this, Xinglun's face showed a hint of confusion. He first glanced at Penny, who was standing next to Dumbledore, then turned his gaze back to Dumbledore, somewhat puzzled: "What do you need my help with? Do you want to know the way out of the Forbidden Forest?"

In his view, Dumbledore, as the headmaster of Hogwarts, possessed profound magic and had students by his side. Leaving this area should have been an easy task for him, and he wouldn't have needed to ask him for help at all.

Dumbledore shook his head gently and explained with a smile, "No, you misunderstood me. We entered the Forbidden Forest to find a place that has existed for about a hundred years. According to the clues, it should be next to a lake."

Xinglun frowned, lost in thought, and after a moment slowly shook his head: "There are many lakes in the Forbidden Forest, large and small, scattered in various corners of the forest. I can't be sure which one you're referring to right now."

"There are many pillars near that lake," Dumbledore said.

Xinglun's confusion gradually faded. After a moment's thought, he slowly nodded: "I do know a few places that match the description. However, some of those places are close to our tribe's territory. I cannot lead you there without permission. We must return to the tribe first, report this to the chief, and obtain the chief's approval before I can take you there."

After saying this, Xinglun bowed deeply to Dumbledore, performing a standard centaur greeting, his expression sincere and somewhat apologetic: "Please wait a moment, Headmaster and this young wizard, I will return as soon as possible to give you an answer."

Dumbledore smiled and nodded, his tone gentle and certain: "No problem, I'm sure Bane will agree to my request."

He was quite confident. Bain, as the leader of the centaur tribe, was always reasonable, and since he had come in person, they had no reason to refuse. Moreover, they had no ill intentions in coming and could even help the centaurs solve the spider infestation problem to some extent.

After receiving the reply, Xinglun did not delay any longer. He immediately turned around, exerted all his strength, and ran quickly towards the centaur tribe. His figure quickly disappeared into the dense forest, leaving only a series of rapid hoofbeats that gradually faded into the distance.

Dumbledore and Penny remained where they were, not moving around, quietly waiting for Starry Night's reply from the tribe.

While waiting, Puni couldn't help but turn to look at Dumbledore.

"Professor, it seems you brought me to the Forbidden Forest for another reason?"

"You'll find out then," Dumbledore said with a smile.

Puni nodded and changed the subject.

"Professor, these centaurs are completely different from what is described in the textbook. The textbook says that centaurs are aloof, fierce, and do not like to interact with humans, but when I talked to Xinglun just now, I found that he is actually very friendly and can communicate well with people."

Dumbledore laughed heartily upon hearing this, somewhat pleased. "Haha, you're right. Many textbook descriptions are too one-sided. Centaurs are actually a very proud race. They have a long history and place great importance on their traditions, still maintaining a tribal way of life to this day. Different tribes of centaurs have different personalities. Some tribes are relatively friendly and willing to have limited interactions with humans, but most tribes are quite resistant to outsiders and don't like being disturbed. The tribe that Starborne belongs to should be considered relatively friendly."

Dumbledore and Penny waited quietly for a short while before a rapid "clatter clatter" of hooves came from the distant woods. The sound grew clearer and clearer as it approached their location.

Puni looked in the direction of the sound and saw a tall figure running quickly along the path. It was Xinglun, the centaur who had just returned to the tribe to report.

Xinglun was incredibly fast, its hooves pounding the damp fallen leaves, splashing up bits of mud. It only stopped abruptly when it reached the two of them, its chest rising and falling slightly. It had come at breakneck speed without delay.

He bowed slightly and gave Dumbledore a respectful but urgent salute, his voice echoing slowly through the silent Forbidden Forest: "Your Excellency Headmaster Dumbledore, our leader Bain has granted your request and specifically sent me back to guide you and this young wizard to the lake with the stone pillars. Please stay close to me and do not trigger any traps."

Dumbledore smiled gently and nodded slightly to Xinglun, sincerely expressing his gratitude: "Thank you for your hard work, Xinglun. Please lead the way."

After he finished speaking, he turned to look at Puni beside him.

Puni nodded slightly and followed closely behind Dumbledore, quickly catching up with Xinglun's pace.

Xinglun walked at the front, his steps light and steady, showing his familiarity with the path. He took each step perfectly, avoiding the thorns and potholes on the ground.

The trees along the way grew taller and denser, their lush canopies layered upon each other, completely blocking out the sky. Only a few scattered rays of sunlight pierced through the gaps between the branches and leaves, casting faint patches of light on the damp ground, creating a flickering effect. The ground was covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves, which felt soft underfoot and made a soft "rustling" sound.

Along the way, they encountered several centaurs, each of them tall and muscular, exuding a powerful aura. These centaurs held ancient-looking bows and arrows, the bowstrings taut, their eyes sharp, vigilantly watching their surroundings. They were probably on patrol, guarding the safety of the tribe's territory.

Unlike Starron, who enthusiastically led the way, these patrolling centaurs merely glanced at Dumbledore and Penny with indifferent eyes, without any extra expression or intention to greet them. After a moment, they continued their patrol along the route through the woods.

Looking at the tall centaurs, Puni quickened his pace and walked to Xinglun's side, asking softly, "Xinglun, are all these patrolling centaurs your people?"

Xinglun nodded slightly, continuing to lead the way while patiently explaining, "That's right, they are like me, members of the tribe responsible for patrolling. Every day, we patrol around the tribe's territory to prevent spiders and other dangerous creatures from entering. Just now, while I was patrolling, I encountered an ambush by a group of spiders. There were so many of them that I ran too fast to get rid of them and accidentally got separated from the patrol team, which is why I got tangled in those annoying spider webs. Luckily, I met you."

At this point, Xinglun scratched his head somewhat sheepishly, a look of annoyance on his face. As a patrolling centaur, he had inadvertently strayed from the group and even fallen into a spider's trap...

It would be so embarrassing if word got out!

Puni's gaze followed the passing patrolling centaurs.

He noticed that these centaurs were shirtless, revealing well-defined, hard muscles, and their bodies were covered with scars of all sizes and depths. Some of the scars had healed, leaving dark marks, which were likely the marks left by years of hunting and fighting.

Completely intrigued, Puni pressed on, "Xinglun, besides your tribe of centaurs, are there other centaur tribes in the Forbidden Forest? I always thought there would be many centaurs living in the Forbidden Forest."

Xinglun slowed his pace, walking along the path as he answered his question unhurriedly: "There are no other tribes. Now, in the Forbidden Forest, there are only some centaurs who were expelled from their tribes for violating tribal rules. However, they mostly hide deep in the Forbidden Forest and rarely appear near our territory or have any contact with the outside world."

He paused, then added, "Our tribe is small in number. We rely on and protect each other, so unless someone does something that angers the entire tribe, such as betraying their people or breaking tribal traditions, they will not be easily expelled from the tribe. Being expelled is the most severe punishment for us centaurs."

"Moreover, those giant spiders are constantly expanding their predation range, encroaching on a significant portion of our hunting grounds, and frequently attacking our people, causing a great deal of disruption to our lives."

Xinglun continued, "Therefore, our leader Bain is planning to gather all the centaurs in the tribe to discuss countermeasures and find ways to limit the range of these spiders' activities, so that they can no longer harm the creatures in the Forbidden Forest."

When Xinglun mentioned that the chieftain was going to summon all the centaurs to discuss countermeasures, Puni asked, "Does this summons also include those centaurs who were expelled from the tribe? After all, they are no longer members of the tribe. Won't they be unwilling to come back and help?"

Upon hearing this question, Xinglun stopped and slowly turned around: "Of course, that includes them. Whether they are members of the tribe or not, whether they are centaurs or not, all living beings living in this Forbidden Forest have a responsibility to protect it. This Forbidden Forest is the common home of all living beings, and protecting it is everyone's duty. No one can stand aside."

Puni listened quietly to Xinglun's words, and involuntarily recalled the descriptions of centaurs in wizarding books.

Most of those texts depicted the centaurs as a rude, violent, and xenophobic race, saying that they disliked contact with humans and would even attack humans who trespassed into the Forbidden Forest.

Through his interactions with Xinglun and by witnessing firsthand the appearance of the patrolling centaurs, Puni discovered that this was not the case.

Although the horsemen have their own traditions and unique way of life, and do not like to be disturbed by the outside world, they are essentially kind, brave and responsible. They know how to protect their homeland, how to cooperate, and how to be tolerant of every creature living in the Forbidden Forest.

As his thoughts wandered, Puni suddenly remembered something. He touched his pocket and found several empty bottles inside.

"Xinglun, there's something I want to tell you. I read in a wizarding book that the venom of the eight-eyed giant spider is a very precious potion ingredient that can be used to make many kinds of potions. I know you often clash with spiders, so you must have collected some of their venom. If you have any, I can exchange them with you at a reasonable price. It would be my small contribution to help ease your burden."

After listening to Puni's suggestion, Xinglun looked apologetic, slowly shook his head, and said sincerely, "I'm sorry, I may have to disappoint you. We centaurs rarely trade with wizards; it's a tradition of our tribe. Moreover, the venom of those giant spiders is of no practical use to us. It can't be used for hunting or defense, so we've never collected it, and naturally, we have no venom to exchange with you."

As he said this, Xinglun's gaze inadvertently swept over Dumbledore, who was standing silently to the side, with a hint of doubt in his eyes.

In his view, it was quite unusual for this young wizard to dare to make a deal with him in front of the Hogwarts headmaster, and for Headmaster Dumbledore not only not to stop him, but also not to show any anger on his face. This was something he found hard to understand.

Upon hearing this reply, Puni did not show any disappointment on his face. He simply nodded gently and said calmly, "It's alright. I was just asking casually. I didn't mean anything by it."

The three continued on their way, with Dumbledore and Penny walking along the path, while Xinglun led the way with steady steps.

Along the way, they encountered several patrols of centaurs. Unlike the indifferent patrols they had met before, these patrols were noticeably more amiable towards Dumbledore and Penny. They did not look at them with cold eyes, and some centaurs even nodded slightly to Dumbledore, clearly recognizing the headmaster of Hogwarts.

As for Puni, he had long been subconsciously ignored by these centaurs. In their view, this small, thin wizard was probably just a student who had sneaked into the Forbidden Forest to play and was discovered by Headmaster Dumbledore. He was not worth paying much attention to.

Puni didn't care about that; he was more curious about the centaur species.

All of our own spring species are human.

These centaurs seem like a good option?

Puni's gaze swept over the centaurs along the way from time to time, and he found that all he saw were male centaurs, with not a single female centaur in sight.

He was very curious: were there any female centaurs in the centaur tribe?

If they exist, what do they look like?

How are they different from male centaurs?

But then he thought that he and Xinglun were not yet familiar with each other, and the centaurs had their own traditions. Asking such a personal question rashly might offend the other party. So he kept the question to himself and planned to ask it when they were more familiar with each other.

Led by Xinglun, the three of them wandered along the winding path and visited three lakes of different sizes.

At each lake, Dumbledore would take out the map he carried with him and carefully compare it.

Many birds inhabit the area around these lakes, their chirping filling the air. Among them are the Ball-Escape Bird and the Wicked Bird, which are prominently featured in the Hogwarts textbooks.

The ball-eating bird is small in size, with grayish-brown feathers, and is a master of camouflage, making it virtually impossible to spot without careful observation.

The Evil Witch has brightly colored feathers and a sharp call that can be heard from afar.

However, Dumbledore was not satisfied with any of these places.

Guided by Xinglun, they walked for about half an hour and finally arrived at the edge of a relatively large lake. This lake was much larger than the ones they had encountered before. The shore was covered with a thin layer of snow, and the lake surface was covered with a thick layer of ice, making it exceptionally tranquil.

The group looked up and saw a stone basin faintly visible beneath the ice.

Dumbledore immediately stepped forward, knelt down, brushed the snow off the ice, took out the map, and carefully compared the markings on the map with the stone basin under the ice.

After a moment, he slowly stood up, a relieved smile on his face, and said with certainty, "That's right, this is the place, this is the destination depicted on the map."

Seeing that the two had found their destination, Xinglun's face relaxed slightly. He bowed slightly to Dumbledore and said respectfully, "Your Excellency Headmaster Dumbledore, now that you have found the place you were looking for, I have completed the task assigned by the chief. The tribe's patrol mission is not yet finished, and I must return to continue patrolling. I cannot accompany you any longer."

Before setting off, Chief Bane specifically instructed him that he only needed to bring Dumbledore and Penny to their destination, and that he should not pay too much attention to what they did next, nor should he try to find out. He should just do his patrol work.

After saying that, he turned to look at Puni, a hint of apology on his face: "Little wizard, I was so busy leading the way that I forgot to ask your name. I'm so sorry."

Puni waved his hand and said with a smile, "It's alright, my name is Puni."

He didn't tell the centaurs his surname, because who knows if these guys would be more hostile towards pure-blooded wizards.

"Puni?" Xinglun repeated his name, nodded slightly, and memorized the name.

Just as the two were about to say goodbye, Dumbledore suddenly coughed twice, interrupting their conversation, and said to Xinglun, "Xinglun, there's something I want to tell you. You should know Hagrid from Hogwarts. He's in charge of matters related to the Forbidden Forest and is a very warm-hearted person. If your tribe encounters any difficulties in the future, or if you need any help, you can go to Hagrid and have him pass on a message to me. I will do my best to help."

Upon hearing this, Xinglun's face showed gratitude. He bowed again to Dumbledore and said respectfully, "Yes, thank you, Headmaster Dumbledore. Please be careful in this area, as it is close to the depths of the Forbidden Forest and there are many spiders around."

Having said that, he didn't linger any longer. He turned around and walked quickly back along the path he had come from. He needed to return to the tribe as soon as possible to report to Chief Bain that he had completed his guiding mission, and then continue his patrol.